The Alamance Gleaner
VOL. LXXII GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1946 No. flt
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Conservative Bloc Fights OP A;
G. M. Strike Settlement Spar to
All-Out Automobile Production
by Western Newspaper Union. ?
(EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are expresses In these columns, they are these of
Western Newspaper Unlen's news analysts and not necessarily ef this newspaper.)
Conservative Coalition
Having first shown its strength in
passage of the Case anti-strike bill,
a coalition of southern Democrats
and Republicans is being organized
in congress to loosen government
regulation over the nation's econ
-omy.
Led by Representative Hartley
(Rep., N; J.), 100 congressmen al
ready have joined the coalition, with
a strategy committee composed of
Hartley himself, Crawford (Rep.,
Mich.), Smith (Dem., Va.), Barden
(Dem., N. C.), Camp (Dem., Ga.),
Roe (Dem., Md.), Jenkins (Rep.,
Ohio), Buffet (Rep., Neb.), Pace
(Dem., Ga.) and Sundstrom (Rep.,
N. J.).
Though the coalition strategy calls
for an attack on OPA pricing regu
lations such as requiring sellers to
absorb part of increased costs of
production and distribution, the
group will seek modification rather
than outright abolition of the
agency. Support would be given to
a one year extension of OPA,
Senator Wherry (Rep., Neb.) was
to head the coalition in the senate,
where support may be slower in de
veloping because of the need for
members to canvass their positions
more accurately in view of their
wider constituencies. Reflecting
this more cautious approach, the
senate greatly watered the strin
gent Case bill which restricted la
bor activities.
WAR CRIMES:
Hermann Brags
Attired in a baggy uniform with
a red scarf tied around his neck,
Hermann Goering showed all of his
old cockiness in being the first of
the Nazi war criminals to testify in
his behalf in the historic Nuernberg
trials.
With a noose staring him in the
face, the rumpled former Reich air
marshall proudly boasted that he
had been Hitler's right-hand man
and striven mightily to strengthen
the national Socialist party rule "to
Hermann Goering on stand.
make Germany free." Though the
Kazis had come into power through
iree elections, he said, every effort
was made to retain their leadership
even to the elimination of all politi
cal opposition.
In recounting the notorious blood
purge of 1933, Goering claimed that
Gen. Kurt von Schleicher and Gen.
Curt von Hammerstein-Equord had
sought to overthrow Hitler shortly
before the installation of his first
cabinet. In a quick Nazi counter
move, the putsch was crushed and
von Schleicher murdered.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
Russ on Spot
Russia was put on her honor by
high American and British officials
in the midst of reports that re
inforced Red armies were fanning
over northern and western Iran and
threatening Turkey and Iraq.
In Washington, D. C., President
Truman openly expressed confi
dence that the U. S. and Russia
could resolve their difficulties aris
ing over Iran and the Reds strip
ping of Manchurian industry through
diplomatic procedure. At the time
Ur. Truman spoke, Russia's only
* answer to the state department's
protest over continued Red occupa
tion of Iran in violation of a tripar
tite agreement was an unofficial
Moscow radio broadcast that reports
of Russian troop movements In Iran
were inaccurate.
Coincident with President Tru
man's expression of belief in Rus
sia, Foreign Minister Bavin of Great
Britain stressed premier Stalin had
unequivocally assured his major war
allies that the Reds would respect
Iranian territorial integrity In ac
cordance with tri-partite agree
ments. Foreign Commissar Molotov
reiterated Russia's Intention to pull
out of Iran during the London con
ference of foreign ministers, Bevin
added.
Behind the political tension, re
ports persisted that the Reds were
exerting the strongest pressure on
Iran for oil concessions in the north.
The British have extensive petro
leum holdings in the south as well
as in neighboring Iraq, where a na
tive movement for self-rule backed
by the Reds is feared.
LABOR:
Auto Wages
Emerging haggard and bewhisk
ered from the conference room after
17 hours of continuous negotiation
between CIO - United Automobile
Workers and General Motors offi
cials, UAW Pres. R. J. Thomas
muttered: "Considering everything,
I think we've got a pretty good
contract."
Settled after a bitter 113-day
strike, the pact did provide substan
tial wage and other concessions to
the union, though falling short of
UAW goals. Despite the long-drawn
bickering, the company granted
only 18% cents an hour instead of
the 19% cents demanded, and the
average G. M. wage was set at from
$1.12 to $1.30% cents an hour, still
below the Ford and Chrysler pay
rates.
By obtaining important conces
sions from the company, however,
UAW officials claimed that the total
financial gain would exceed the 19%
cents an hour sought. Gains in
cluded adjustment of inequalities in
wage rates in certain plants. Im
proved vacation pay up to 4% per
cent of gross income of employees
of five years or more, double time
for the seventh consecutive day on
the job, and equal compensation for
women.
In winning substantial pay con
cessions for the future, the strikers
paid a heavy price in lost wages
of between 138 million and 150 mil
lion dollars. The company was
estimated to have dropped 600 mil
lion dollars in unfilled orders while
distributors lost 150 million dollars
in sales commissions.
Production Prospects
With the settlement of the G. M.
strike, the auto industry hoped to
clear the decks for all-out produc
tion to meet the tremendous pent
up demand for new cars. Because
many parts suppliers still have to
negotiate wage demands, however,
the threat to full-scale output re
mained.
In any event, the auto industry
will be unable to meet the goal
of six million cars set for 1946. With
reasonably clear sailing, it is ex
pected that three million passenger
vehicles will be turned out during
the remainder of the year.
Indicative of the high gear into
which the industry must be thrown
to meet production goals, Ford has
assembled only 76,000 cars thus far:
Chrysler, 53,000; General Motors,
under 100,000; Willys-Overland, 62,
000; Studebaker, 38,000; Nash, 11,
000, and Hudson, 4,000.
Other Strikes
Despite settlement of the Gener
al Motors strike and the agree
ment between General Electric and
the CIO - United Electrical Work
ers, strikes continued to cloud the
postwar economic picture, with the
dispute between International Har
vester and the CIO-Farm Equip
ment Workers the most serious.
With International Harvester and
the union deadlocked over the com
pany's proposal that an 18 cent
wage raise be conditioned upon gov
ernment grant of an offsetting price
increase. Secretary of Agriculture
Anderson called upon management
and labor to co-operate in the pro
duction of vitally needed equipment
to meet the big crop goals. Unless
farmers are able to step up the out
put, he said, this country will be un
able to furnish sufficient food to
avert mass starvation abroad.
Termination of the General Elec
tric strike, with an 18V4 cent an
hour wage raise bringing average
weekly earnings to approximately
842, opened the way toward large
scale production of home appli
ances. Previously, General Motors'
electrical division had made peace
with the CIO union an the same
terms.
POLITICS:
Bad Mixture
Though stubbornly fighting to the
last, Big Ed Pauley finally conceded
that oil and politics don't mix, ask*
ing tor withdrawal ot his nomina
tion as undersecretary of the navy
despite President Truman's deter
mined support in the face of strong
congressional opposition.
A millionaire California oil-man
and former treasurer of the Demo
cratic party, Pauley faced rough go
ing from the start, with astute politi
cal observers terming the nomina
tion of any petroleum operator for
a navy job a blunder in view of
past scandals over navy oil.
Edwin W. Pauley (seated) read*
missive from President as broth
er Harold looks on.
Whatever hopes Pauley nourished
for confirmation were rudely
shaken with former Interior Secre
tary Ickes' testimony that he had
told him that $300,000 could be raised
from oil men for the 1944 Demo
cratic campaign if the government
would withdraw its suit for title over
underwater petroleum deposits in
California.
In asking the President to with
draw his nomination, which was
done, Pauley declared that he had
been cleared of all charges against
him. Commending him for retiring
from the fight. Democratic mem
bers of the senate naval affairs com
mittee upheld his personal integ
rity.
CONSCRIPTION:
Prospects Brighten
Because of the precarious inter
national situation aggravated by
Russian moves in the east, congres
sional support grew for extension of
the selective service act beyond
May 15.
With war department officials
calling for maintenance of military
strength in the face of unsettled
world conditions, it was revealed
that plans called for an army of
1,500,000 officers and men by July,
1946, and 1,000,000 by July. 1947.
Pending determination of the alms,
policies and programs of other na
tions, and the efficiency of the UNO
in resolving disputes, no decision
can be made about the permanent
size of the armed forces, it was
said.
Ueneral Eisenhower declared that
one of the principal arguments for
the retention of selective service
was that it acts as a spur for volun
tary enlistments. With volunteers
permitted to specify what branch
of service they prefer, many young
men act to pick their spots before
being drafted and made subject to
compulsory placement. In five
months, 600,017 volunteers enlist
ed, with 67.07 per cent being World !
War II vets, 18.7 per cent recruits
and 14.23 per cent pre-Pearl Harbor
enrollees.
WORLD RELIEF:
Sharing Burden
Assuming the honorary chairman
ship of the government's emergency
famine committee, former Pres.
Herbert Hoover called upon South
American nations to join with their
Big Brother of the north in con
serving cereals for feeding of the
hungry in war stricken Europe and
Asia.
Prior to leaving for a first-hand
survey of overseas conditions,
Hoover told a news conference that
he believed both North and South
America could save upwards of 7
million tons pf cereals during the
next 120 days to help fill a need for
about t million tons. The year's re
quirements will total 21 million tons,
be said, but only 12 million tons
will be available without the under
taking of broad conservation meas
ures.
Of the total of 7 million tons that
the western hemisphere could fur
nish within the next four months,
South America could contribute 5
million tons, Hoover said. This
amount could be made available by |
cutting down purchases of foreign
goods requiring payment in grain;
reducing consumption, and turning
over all surpluses to famine threat
ened areas. _
On Broadtvay
Faces About Town: Van Johnson
having his son and undies selected
for him (at Abercrombie & Fitch)
by his Baby Dalya. . . . Linda Dar
nell buying a movie mag at 50th
and Broadway, the whistle-stop for
wolves, . . . "Singapore Sal" (at
Leon A Eddie's) admitting to H.
Cushing III, that her name Is Jane
Bishop and that she once was Jane
Gale. . . . Katharine Cornell air
ing her pooches along Vth Ave.
. . . Barbara Hutton dining in the
Hapsburg with Count Czernin. . . .
Russian Princess Stephanie Dorow
ski strolling through Rumpelmay
er's. She's in her 70s, but you
can see traces of her girlish beauty.
. . . Fio LaGuardia reading a Broad
way col'm while waiting his turn
on the Garden rostrum during the
FEPC rally.
The Word Weavers: Raymond
Swing summed up Churchill's
speech (via his microphone) with
this: "The essence of what he
proposes is division, not unity." . . .
Mr. Ickes whittled some well sharp
ened opinions around the Chicago
Round Table. He admonished that
the first step in preventing another
global blood-bath is for Americans
to solve their own puzzles. . . . One
commentator noted that the solons
who voted against the war vets'
housing program "are treating
heroes like hoboes." . . . Averell
Harriman's radloratory fell easy
on the ears. Communism, he said,
is not a threat, but a challenge?
and "the best way to meet that
challenge is to improve our democ
racy." . . . Evidence that survey
ors of radio listening are pretty
close: The new Hooper lists this
Sunday-nighter at 19.3. . . . The
Crossley puts it at 19.2.
The Cinemagieians: Good to the
last tear-drop, "Sentimental Jour
ney" is a misty-eyed opus that goes
over with a sigh. Lovely Maureen
O'Hara heads the ticker-tuggers.
. . . "Shock" is another shivery orb
popper which peppers the spine
with tingles. . . Edward G. Robin
son lend-leased his talent to a Brit
ish pulse-hopper: "Journey Togeth
er." A meller-diller. . . . "The No
torious Lone Wolf' is a run-of-the
millodrama. . . . Riverboat
Rhythm" has one or two juke-able
lilts, but most of it is a rhapsody in
blah. . . . "You Can't Do Without
Love" is a worse advertisement (or
love than Reno.
The Fannies: Sneaking of dra
matic critics, as some of us have
all week, one of them was asked
what he thawt of a new play. . . .
"Very refreshing," he said. . . .
"That's swell," responded one of the
authors. "You really found it re
freshing?" . . . "Yea," aaid the re
viewer, "I felt like a new man when
I woke up!"
Critics usually have the last word
and the last laugh. But there have
been times when make-believers
have flattened their belittlers. . ? ?
Some years ago a player was roast
ed by a Philadelphia play report
er. He promptly called him and
snapped: "How do you expect to
hurt me with your review when
your whole paper couldn't hurt
Roosevelt?"
Quotation Marksmanship: I
Mora is: He goes 'around with a
far-away look in his eyes. . . . Dis- j
raeli: The drtects of great men
are the consolation of dunces. . . . |
D. L. Moody: Character is what
you are in the dark. . . . I. Elin
son: I spell it ArgenTNTina. . . .
Rex Stout: She opened her hand
bag and dug Into it like a terrier.
. . . John Moore: A bee was busily
scolding a flower. ... A child's
definition: My memory is the thing
I forget with. ... P. Brito: How
about calling it Hunter UNOversityT
. . . Anon: Ignorance and Intelli
gence both start with I. . . . O.
Drake: Of course time flies. You
would, too, if someone was trying
to kill you. . . . Anon: Experience
makes a man wiser but leaves a
woman a complete wreck.
The prodaeer of a flop once but
ton-holed Bob Benchley and de
manded: "Who do you think you
areT"
Benchley quietly replied: "1 am
a critic. Which means that like
every man and qpman I can ex
praas an opinion. The difference is,
that I express my opinions publicly i
and get paid for it" 1
^^
By EDWARD EMERINE
WNO Features.
TOSS a silver dollar on the bar.
11 it's genuine, it has a clear
tone. If it's counterfeit, it echoes
only a dull thud. If a dollar doesn't
ring true, any Nevadan can detect
it at once.
Hypocrisy has no place in Nevada,
a state where there is plenty of
room for almost anything. More
than a hundred thousand square
miles of brilliantly colored terrain
rise in chain after chain of moun
tains, with snow-capped pinnacles
13,000 feet above the level of the
sea. But everything and everybody
in Nevada must ring as true as a
silver dollar?or be quickly detect
ed and properly appraised. Nevada
is a big, free, unspoiled land where
values are fundamental.
Nevada believes in a forthright
approach to divorce, gambling and
drinking. Human nature is human
nature, and is seldom changed by
passing a law. But there can be
law and order?and there is in Ne
vada?without deprivation of per
sonal rights or attempt to legislate
morality.
Better to have license and con
trol than bootlegging and illegal
gambling, says Nevada. The de
tails of a partnership dissolution
concern only the persons Involved.
But tolerance of human foibles and
mistakes is one thing; flouting of
laws or obligations is another. Ne
vada takes its government serious
ly and tolerates no dishonesty,
crime or hypocrisy. That's the way
it is in Nevada?and Nevadans like
it.
Ranchers and Miners.
And besides, Nevadans are more
interested in prospecting, mining
and ranching than they are in reg
ulating the lives and habits of oth
ers. They love ranching and herds
of sheep and cattle. Town folk and
ranchers alike hunt for promising
rocks that show a trace of gold, or
silver, or other valuable mineral.
They like broad highways that take
them to lakes and mountains and
pleasant valleys. Eating at counters
and rubbing elbows with each other,
and visitors, is one of their friendly
habits. The "club," a social center
not unlike the continental cafe, is
a community institution.
Those who drive rapidly through
Nevada, or stop only in its clubs to
drink and try their gambling luck,
will never know the state. Nevada's
mountains have produced nearly two
billion dollars of mineral wealth,
chiefly in gold, silver and copper.
Other important minerals are lead,
zinc, quicksilver, tungsten, sulphur,
graphite, borax, gypsum and build
ing stone. No one can estimate its
untouched, undiscovered and unde
veloped wealth.
"But Nevada is a desert!" A
desert? A most productive one,
then, yielding wool, cattle, sheep,
horses, hogs and poultry. The live
stock industry is a big one in Ne
vada. The state's agriculture is
varied, and as irrigation advances
even more diversification is seen.
Wheat, barley, hay, potatoes and
many other crop* are naturals. Wa
ter (or irrigation cames from snow
fed mountain streams, from arte
sian wells, and from dug wells with
pumps to raise it to the surface.
Grawing la Wealth, FepelaUoe.
As Nevadans continue the devel
opment of the natural resources,
their state forges ahead The least
populous of all the states, it contrib
uted vitally to victory during the
war Just ended. Thousands of sol
diers, ground troops and air forces
were trained on its soil and In its
air. Mines and mills operated at
VAIL M. PITT MAN
Governor of Nevada
Farmer lambermmn, rancher
and banker. Governor Pittman la
now publisher of the Ely Daily
Times as wen as the state's ehlef
executive. He has also served
as state senator and lieutenant
governor of Nevada.
capacity to aid the war effort. Thou
sands of people came to the state to
swell its 1M0 population of 110,M7.
"We in Nevada are individual
ists," Gov. Vail Pittman told the
Nevada State Cattle association at
Elko last fall. "We enjoy the thrill
and satisfaction, as well as the
profits, which our work brings us."
The democracy and hospitality of
the Old West still live in Nevada.
The state's richest citizen and the
lowliest cowpuncher, miner or
sheepherder (it down together.
Movie (tan and the nation'a wealth
iest who visit the state soon learn
that they are not judged by their
wealth or their fame. Nevada has
its own standard. A gilded dollar
is worth no more than any other;
it's the metal inside that makes it
ring true.
In 177S, before the Revolutionary
war, Franciscan frian crossed Ne
vada on their way to California.
Fifty years later, Pater Ogden of
the Hudson Bay company discov
ered the Humboldt or Ogden river.
Jedediah Smith passed through the
region in 1828, and John C, Fremont
traversed it with an exploring party
a few years later.
Colonised by Mormons.
Brigham Young, the Mormon
leader, who settled the Salt T its
basin, concluded that what is now
Nevada was a part of his domain.
In March, 1M9, he announced tha
organization of the State of Deseiet,
which included Nevada. In that
same year, N. Ambrose, Nevada's
first farmer, settled near what ia
now Genoa. Colonization by Baa
Mormons continued until 1887, when
Young recalled them to Salt Lake
City in order to mass his forces in
the conflict with the federal gov
ernment.
Until the discovery of the fsmowa
Comstock lode in 1888, there wars
only about 1,000 inhabitants in Ne
vada, chiefly Mormons and Califor
nia gold seekers who had tarried
along the way. But silver and gold
brought a stampede of fortune Int
ers from all over the nation, lbs
population of Virginia City apuitsd
from a handful of men to 3Q.0M.
Bonanzas were struck and devel
oped, and men became wealthy be
yound their dreams overnight. Far
many years the Comstock lode wan
the richest silver mining center he
the world, end from it has come ap
proximately one billion dollars ta
gold and silver!
soon Nevada became a territory,
and on October 11, MM, President
Lincoln by proclamation made Ne
vada a state. Carson City, ttinugh
smaller than Virginia City, wan'
made the capital. Nicknamed Ike
"Battle Bom State." Nevada bad.
lived through lawlesstesa, bicker
ing. Indian uprisinga and political'
chicanery to take its place as one
of the stars in Old Glory. t
romous Lode Not
Named for Tinder
The Comstock lode at Virginia
City was named for Henry Corn
stock, a man who did not discov
er it, and who would have been I.
too lazy to work it if he had I
In June. 1859, Peter OHiley and I
Patrick McLaughlin discovered a I
rich lode, though neither one real-1
ized how valuable it was at the
time. Old Henry Comstock was '
, prowling around as usual, watch- -
ing others work, and immediately.
laid claim to the spot himself. (
insisting that he had already tak
en up claims there.
The two Irishmen, however, f
were unimpressed. Comstock
went away to find help and re
turned the next day'with Manny * ' 1
Penrod, who cheerfully backed up ?
Comstock's story. Pete and Pat 1
probably knew the two claimants g
were liars, but the sits was kmaly t
and they didn't want to go ta I
court They agreed to gtvs Cone-1'
stock and Penrod equal shares Ik f
the .discovery.
But there was plenty at silver (
and gold for all of them I %
JEEP ON LAKE MEAD . . . Most of the shoreline of Lake Mead,
back of Boulder dam, is la Nmda. Shown la Ike amphibious Jeep
are Lloyd Payne, Clark eeoaty clerk; J. D. Porter, Las Vegas, and
Peggy Nerllle, Salt Lake City.