The Alamance Gleaner 1
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VOL. LXXII . GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1946 No. 17
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WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
U.S. Assured. Ample Food Supply;
Labor to Seek Guaranteed Wage;
Big Four End Parley at Odds
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
(EDITOR'S NOTE i When eninieas are expressed la these eeluas. they are th? se e*
Western Newspaper Union's news analysts sad net necessarily el this newspaper.)
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To back up hemi
spheric defense
treaty on acenda
of Bio de Janeiro
conference in Sep
tember, President
Tinman has asked
congress to author
ise U. S. training
and equipment of
South American
nations. Map shows
pre-war strength of Pan-American countries, with "A" signifying size of
army and "N" number of naval vessels.
FOOD:
Eat Well
Despite relatively short supplies
at some cereal products, potatoes,
sweet potatoes, meats, fats, sugar,
canned fruits and fish through the
spring and summer months, per
capita food consumption in the
U. S. for 1946 promises to be 14 per
cent greater than in the 1935-39 pe
riod, the bureau of agricultural eco
nomics declared.,
For the year as a whole, produc
tion af food crops and livestock is
expected to be one-third above the
1935-39 average, the bureau pre
dicted. During the period of the
aforementioned shortages, vegeta
bles, fish, poultry, eggs, fluid milk
and cream, ice cream and skimmed
milk products will be available in
near record quantities.
With the nutritive value of the
food supply expected to be close to
the 1945 figure, per capita consump
tion should average about 3,300
calories. This compares with the
1935-39 total of 3,250 calories.
CONGRESS:
Champion Labor
Pro-labor senators held the floor
during debate on restrictive labor
legislation in an effort to muffle
hasty action even as President Tru
man struggled to avert a rail tie up
and resumption of the critical coal
strike.
Declaring that full discussion was
needed on labor legislation, Senator
Murray (Dem., Mont.) led the op
position to a limitation of debate.
Stating that pending Case bill was
not an emergency measure, he
charged that conservative elements
were taking advantage of public re
sentment against the miners walk
out to push through reactionary
measures.
Heated discussion swirled around
the proposal of Senator Byrd (Dem.,
Va.) to restrict health and welfare
funds to joint contributions and
management by employers and em
ployees, with Senator Pepper
(Dem., Fla.) holding the floor at
length against the amendment.
Meanwhile, the coal operators and
John L. Lewis remained at odds
over the health and welfare fund,
with the companies flatly rejecting
the United Mine Workers' chief
tain's demands for employers' con
tributions of 7 per cent of payrolls
and union administration of the pro
ceeds. In seeking to break the
deadlock between the disputants,
Mr. Truman was said to favor a
health and welfare fund jointly fi
nanced and administered by opera
tors and miners.
STEEL:
Annual Wage
Having attained higher wages
and improved working conditions,
American labor next will hit for
the guaranteed annual wage, under
which employees would be assured
of a steady year-round income re
gardless of time put in.
Boasting of approximately 700,000
members, the CIO - United Sted
workers plans to spearhead the
drive, its recent convention calling
for the advancement of the issue
in negotiations for a new contract
in 1947. Addressing the steel work
ers at the convention, USW Pres.
Philip Murray declared the Indus
try could well afford to pioneer the
the uiesent time a presiden
tial board is studying the advisa
bility of establishing guaranteed
?
annual wages, Murray said, and
unions could accelerate adoption of
the practice by championing its
merits. By paying a guaranteed an
nual wage, purchasing power would
be maintained and full employment
encouraged, he asserted.
FOREIGN MINISTERS:
To Try Again
Agreeing only upon revising Ital
ian armistice terms, the conference
of foreign ministers of the U. S.,
Britain, Russia and France ad
journed to June 15 with differences
remaining over all the major points
at issue.
Having failed in efforts to get the
conference to set a date for a Eu
ropean peace conference of all na
tions and discuss arrangements for
Austria, U. S. Secretary of State
Byrnes was said to be very dis
couraged by the results of the meet
ing. At the same time. Senator
Vandenberg (Rep., Mich.), repre
senting the Republican party at the
conference, revealed he would not
return June 15.
Previous agreements consum
mated among the U. S., Britain and
Russia blocked Byrnes' efforts in
seeking a general peace conference
and discussing Austria. Objecting
to both proposals, Russia claimed
that decisions taken at the Moscow
foreign ministers meeting last
December called for unanimity
among the Big Four on all issues
before other nations were invited
to a peace conference, and the ques
tion of Austria could not be stud
ied now under terms of the Potsdam
agreement.
As the foreign ministers packed
their bags, outstanding issues re
Foreign Commissar Molotov (left)
and Secretary of State Byrnes in
lively talkfest at foreign ministers'
conference.
maining unsettled concerned final
disposition of the Italian port of
Trieste claimed by Yugoslavia; Ital
ian reparations; trusteeships for
former Italian colonies in North
Africa along Britain's lifeline to the
far east; opening of the Danube to
international traffic; agreement on
Balkan peace treaties and resto
ration of free trade in eastern Eu
rope.
Before the confab broke up,
Byrnes urged that U. S., British,
Russian arid French representa
tives remaining behind to attempt
to work out some of the difficul
ties confronting the peacemakers
first report on the economic unifica
tion of Germany to spare the occu
pying countries the cost of support
ing the broken Reich.
Said to have told the foreign min
isters that the U. S. did not desire
to support the American occu
pation zone Indefinitely. Byrnes de
clared that thus far the D. 8. has
furnished 300 million dollars worth
of assistance. An equal amount will
be sent during the ensuing fiscal
year, he revealed.
WORLD TRADE:
Rival Blocs
Although passage of the 314 bil
lion dollar loan to Britain will split
the world into two trade blocs bead
ed by the U. S., Britain and Rus
sia, it will advance the interests of
capitalism, free enterprise and the
democratic way of life within the
Anglo - American area. Treasury
Secretary Vinson told the house
banking committee.
Testifying on behalf of the loan
legislation, Vinson declared that 79
per cent of world trade is carried
on within the U. S. - British bloc,
and agreement within this area
might lead to an understanding with
Russia. In accepting the loan, Brit
ain has agreed to abolish discrim
ination against U. S. traders, he
said.
While Russia has had an oppor
tunity for months to avail herself
of credit in the export-import bank,
set up by congress to stimulate for
eign trade, she has not done so,
Vinson said. At present, the U. S.
has set aside one and one-quarter
billion dollars of funds in the bank
for possible foreign loans.
BASEBALL:
Form Union
At once a sport and a profession,
big league baseball was well on
the road to unionization with the
newly organized American Base
ball guild claiming a majority of
the Pittsburgh Pirates and five oth
er teams.
In singling out Pittsburgh as the
first club with which to open col
lective bargaining, the guild, head
ed by Robert Murphy, asked Pres.
William Benswaneer to enter into
early negotiations regarding wages
and other conditions of employ
ment. The guild would be willing
to incorporate a no-strike clause in
any contract. Murphy said.
Because of the seasonal and sport
ive character of the game, the
unionization of baseball promises
to raise many problems dealing
with the question of strikes cutting
down already restricted play
ing time; judgment of management
in the use of personnel; depend
ence of wages on winning "teams
and the size of gates, and perform
ers' demands for shares in trad
ing prices or their objection to be
ing sold to weaker clubs.
More Home Owners
Because high wartime earn
ings spurred investment in hous
ing, 23,00*,MM Americans now
own their own homes, compared
with 15,000,000 in 1940, the bu
reau of census reported. At the
same time, the number of ten
ants deeUned to 17.600,M0
against the prewar figure of
19.7M.0M.
HITLER HATES:
New Ones Listed
Known for his dislike of Jews and
Communists, Adolf Hitler also nour
ished a hatred for horses, hunting
and diplomats, Gustav Adolf von
Halem, 6 foot, 3 inch elite guard,
revealed during his internment in
Hohen-Asperg castle.
Explaining the late fuehrer's
apathy toward horses, Von Halem
said that they were not sufficiently
disciplined to please him. They al
ways disturbed military parades
and especially when there was mu
sic.
Humanitarian instincts motivated
Miner s hatred ol hunting, von
Halem said. Jibing Herr Goering
for bringing down defenseless ani
mals, Hitler would ask his merry
marshal: "If the game had guns,
as you have, would you go shoot
ing?"
The fuehrer's coolness toward
diplomats was occasioned by his
fear that long service abroad might
weaken their Germanic spirit. Von
Halem revealed.
BRITAIN:
Exports Food
Herself possessing food stocks at
double the prewar rate. Great Brit
ain undertook to increase food
shipments to the British zone in
Germany to prevent mass starva
tion there before supplies can ar
rive from the U. S
With the grain reserves in the
British zone virtually exhausted,
the ration will have to be slashed
from 1,000 to 500 calories unless
American help is forthcoming. In
the meantime, Britain is seeking
to ease the situation by shipping
70,000 tons of barley within the next
two months and 20,000 tons of pota
toes . An additional 00,000 tons of
potatoes may be sent later.
Though admitting that Britain's
present food stocks of 2,806,000 tons
doubled the prewar total. Food
Minister Sir Ben Smith declared
that there was no excess for proc
essing or in (he normal channels of
distribution. Since D-Day, Britain
had sent 1,400,000 tons of food to
liberated Europe and bad reduced
its imports to help other countries,
be said.
%r
News/"
Behind
the^ss!
By pAULtaaLONjy
Released by Western Newspaper Unlaw.
LOAN TO BRITAIN WOELD
PROMOTE SOCIALISM
WASHINGTON.?The senate de
bate on the proposed loan to Britain
has conspicuously ducked the fact
that the British government is lav
ishly buying its way into socialism.
Some of the senate newsmen, who
are the senator's severest critics,
attribute the void to the broad lack
of knowledge among politicos of
financial matters. They should
charge it, instead, to the masking op
erations of the Attlee government.
Not even the most learned financial
authorities of the empire can ascer
tain how the Attlee treasury has
taken bver the Bank of England
and the mines, or how it is proceed
ing now to take the cable and wire
less companies, railroads, steel and
whatnot. The operations have been
covered with secrecy and confusion
worthy of an Eisenhower invasion
of Europe, in which false moves
and rumors were used to conceal
the real intent from the enemy.
Yet sufficient general evidence is
available in the government bills
proposed in parliament to piece to
gether a general outline of the
scheme. Each industry is being
seized in a slightly different way.
The government has steadfastly re
fused to announce a general policy.
But the actions taken so far war
rant these following conclusions:
The government is buying its na
tion with debt. It is purchasing in
dustries by offering government
stock or securities to private own
ers for their private stock and se
curiUes. The price paid is rarely
divtoged, but seems generally to be
the current market value, or better.
GOOD PRICES OFFERED
The London Times analyzed the
processes so far in an effort to of
fer some worthwhile advice to hold
ers of railroad securities who may
be next, and reached this conclu
sion: "Whatever method of nation
alization is adopted, railroad stocks
should be retained." In short, the
Times concludes the government
will offer at least the current mar
ket value or better for the railroads.
Only In the taking of the Bank
of England did the government
tell what it was really offering.
Then it gave a S per cent gov
ernment bond for stock, bat
guaranteed dividends until ISM
equal to what the Bank had paid
in the past 2* years. In the leis
ure of the coal Industry alone
did the treasury permit free
sale of Its substitute stock
(there is a big debt in coal and
operations have not been profft
able). So the general conclu
sion is inescapable that the so
cialism of Britain represents
the government Issuing stock to
the same people who held the
private stock, at market prices,
often promising them the same
dividends, and in effect guaran
teeing them against losses,
while depriving them of Influ
ence In operations or the right
to^ seU their stock.
In effect, it transfer* the debts of
industry from private ownership to
the people as a whole, making the
treasury liable for success of the
enterprises, atop all the war debts.
How will it work out? Not a man
alive can guess. Offhand you might
reasonably conclude that if the in
dustrial operations continue profit
able, the government may pay off
in 20 to 2S years as contemplated.
If business becomes unprofitable,
the people in their taxes, will have
to foot the bill?as well as the
American taxpayers who are fur
nishing this proposed loan. Fur
thermore, it may be difficult for a
labor government to promote profit
able operations because such a gov
ernment must be amenable polit
ically to wage increases and in
creased opersting costs tor public
service. 1
MANIPULATION POSSIBLE
But these simplest truths may not
stand the test of time, because gov
ernment can do anything. As it
has let money rot, it can allow its I
special securities for each of these
industries in years ahead to find lev- <
els less burdensome upon the tress- 1
ury. Only imaginations unlimit- :
ed can possibly conjure the limit- !
less possibilities. Mr. Attlee's ar- :
rangers are keeping things that i
way. In the cables and wireless i
bill, there is no clear indication of '
prices to be paid for the involved :
holding company stocks. Appar
ently price is to be established by
private bargaining between the
treasury and holders at the stock.
By EDWARD EMERINE
WNU Fulnit.
' I'HE Oregon country. Including
the most northwesterly portion
of all, the present state of Wash
ington, was the unwanted and all
but-forgotten land of a little more
than a century ago.
Back East they felt that the
Rocky mountains were the natural
western boundary of the United
States and refused to vote one cent
for the development of a region so
far away. There had been two wars
with the British; why chance a
third? Let the British have it. The
United States had all the land it
needed.
But those thousands of pioneers
who had urged their oxen along the
Oregon trail and crawled over the
mountains thought differently. They
had found a good land, rich in
beauty and vitality, where the
mnnntnmo an/1 Inrnot*
to meet the Pacific ocean. The Brit
ish wanted the country merely for
trade with the Indiana. The pioneers
wanted it for their homes, their
farms, their ranches, their dream
cities. And they wanted it to be a
part of the United States.
They had traveled hundreds of
weary miles, fighting Indians along
the way, burying loved ones in un
marked graves. And now they had
cleared their land, built houses,
planted crops, and knew they had
found an area with resources so vast
and varied that even they were be
wildered by the prospects. Some
how the East and Washington,
D. C . must be told about it, made
to believe.
Washington finally heard, and the
cry of "Fifty-four Forty or Fight"
went up. The settlers cleaned their
rifles and waited. If the British
wanted war, they were ready. But
war was averted by the treaty of
1846, in which joint American and
British occupancy was ended. A
compromise boundary of the 49th
parallel was established, and the
Oregon country became a part of
the United States.
The Columbia river, however, re- '
mained a natural dividing line run- 1
ning through Oregon territory. The '
settlers "north of the river" want
ed a territory of their own. As early <
as IMS they had carved the area
into two enormous counties, Lewis
and Clark. More settlers were cross
ing over and sentiment for a divi
sion was evident. A group met at
Cowlitz Prairie to memoralize con
gress. They were not heard. They
met again in 1832 at Monticello and
sent another petition to Washington.
Joseph Lane, Oregon territorial
delegate, offered his aid and Intro
duced a bill to organize the terri
tory of Columbia, for that was to be
Its name. The bill was passed, but
not before it was amended to
change the name to Washington ter
ritory. On March 2, 1833, just two
days before he left the White
House, Pres. Millard Fillmore
signed it.
Washington territory extended
From the continental divide to the
Pacific ocean, including what is now
the northern part, or panhandle, of
Idaho. But the settlers were not yet
latisfled. Agitation for statehood be
gan and continued for nearly 13
years. In 1889 they were successful
?od Pres. Grover Cleveland signed
the bill?a month before he left the
White House. At a convention In
Dlympie on July 4, that year, a con
stitution was drawn up, and at an
?lection on October 1 it was adopt
?d by the citizens. A new man In
m
CAN^DA
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MON C. WALLGREN
Governor of Washington
Born in Dei Molnei, Iowa.
Home town, Everett, Waih. For
mer itate repreientative and
United States senator.
the White House, Pres. Benjamin
Harrison, issued a proclamation on
November 11 that Washington was
admitted as a state.
When the Indian wars ended, the
eastern part of the territory was
GRAND COULEE .. Largest concrete structure that man erer made.
'?*" from this dam aeeonted for the major portion of aluminum
for eoastractloa of oar alrplaaei for tho Army Air Forces daring
World War n.
opened to settlement end brought
immediate prosperity throughout
the Northwest. The arrival of the .
"Mercer Girls," widows and or
phans of the Civil war, provided
wives for the territory's excess male
population. Railroads raced to
reach the great empire, with new
towns and settlements following the
ribbons of steel. There was a severe
set-back, however, when the new
state was hard hit by depression and
panic in 1883.
Washington's recovery was rapid,
for its people were virile and deter
mined. The Alaska gold rush of 1887
made Seattle the metropolis of the
Northwest, and a few years later,
in 1803, there was a mining boom
at Spokane which tripled that city's
population. Porta and shipping grew
rapidly on the coast. Fishing be
came an important Industry. Agri
culture flourished and livestock in
creased all over the state. Lum
ber business and mining brought
prosperity to thousands.
The Evergreen state (or Chinook
state) holds more than the majestic
mountains, canyons, gorges, for
ests, lakes and highways shown in
a tourist folder. It is mora than
scenery. It is a land of vast natural
resources, many of them as yet un
developed or not fully utilized.
Washington is rich in minerals ?
coal, gold, silver, lead, mercury and
zinc. It has clays, granite, sand
stone, marble, limestone and ce
ment. Also found in the state are
antimony, arsenic, tungsten and
platinum.
Standing timber in Washington in
cludes Douglas Hr, yellow and white
pine, spruce, larch, cedar and oth
ers. Normally, Washington leads all
states in lumber output, shipping
its products all over the world. It
has wood pulp and paper mills as
well as other industries built on
wood products.
On Washington's coast are in
numerable harbors on which Seattle,
Tacoma, Everett, Olympic, Van
couver and other- important cities
are located. This great commercial
area is the nearest American gate
way to the ports of Asia and
handles most of the shipping to and
from Alaska as well a*, world trade
through the Panama canal. During
World War II the shipbuilding and
airplane manufacturing industry
reached gigantic proportions and is
expected to continue.
Coupled with its almost-unlimited
natural resources is Washington's
niighty output of hydro - electric
power for industry.. The Grand
Coulee dam is part of a reclama
tion project that will ultimate!^ irri
gate 1,200,000 acres of land and pro
duce electrical power far in excess
of present needs. The Bonneville
dam and others also cdh tribute to
the generation of power.
Washington, however, remains
chiefly agricultural. It leads all
states by far in the production of
apples and is high in output of oth
er fruits such as peark, peaches,
cherries, grapes, apricots, prunes
and berries. Other crops tire wheat,
barley, oats, corn, alfalfa and
clover hay, sugar beets, "peas and
hops. Huge herds of dattle and
sheep graze throughout the state,
and horses, hogs, chiefcens and tur
keys are grown profitably on most
farms and ranches.
In the eastern part of the state,
Washington is semi-arid, with irri
gation used extensively. Its grain
and cattle industries thrive there
West of the Cascades the rainfall
is extremely heavy, ranging as high
as 80 inches annually, with a re
sultant profusion of vegetation.
The people of Washington have s
rich heritage of thrift and courage
and they retain the pioneer spirit
that led them through the perils of
settlement. They have the vision, too.
for ereater strides tomorrow.
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