THE DANBURY REPORTER
Established 1872
Sidelights On The Passing Show
Editorial
INFORMATION, PLEASE.
Will the Stokes Republicans support me?
lam afraid not. The average Stokes countv
Republican is honest and sincere in what he
thinks is right, and i? very hard-headed, but he
is not strong- on voting for Democrats.
But I have only been a Democrat about 46 years.
Who'd ycu vote for last election?
Roosevelt, of course.
Gave a good bunch of money to his campaign,
didn't you?
I made a contribution.
How come you to turn over?
Well, you see, it was like this. I saw I could do
better.
You got in with the big ones, didn't you? How
much they pay you?
Seventy-five thousand.
That's about all the white house chief gets,
ain't it?
But you see there are opportunities to serve
one's friends, and all that.
All that—what do you mean?
I could not afford to go into details—propa
gandists, you know, might misinterpret me.
I see from the papers you are opposed to the
government's taking over stee) plants for na
tional defense where the owners won't come to
terms.
Why, sure I am. That would be dictatorship.
But you are in favor of conscripting the boys—
do you consider Big Business more precious to
America than the millions of mothers' boys who
must bare .their breasts to bullets?
I don't mean it in that way, of course. But lam
bitterly against the government's laying its
hands on private industry.
But you are willing for the government to lay
its hands on the private homes?
I think the New Deal is spending too much
money. It is only a question of time imir'l wc
shall be bankrupted.
Will you specify one line along which, if elected
President, you would curtail spending?
I will make my plans clear in my speeches later
on in the campaign. I have demanded that the
President meet me on the stump to discuss these
questions, and he refuses.
Possibly if you would make some specifications
he would answer you over the radio in one of his
fireside chats.
Are you in favor of repealing old age pensions
or to cut down the allowances to the poor and
needy?
Oh, no, I am in favor of old age assistance and
relief. •
Would you favor repeal of the guarantee of
bank deposits?
Certainly not.
Do you believe in parity payments and other
assistances to the farmers?
Yes, I am for agriculture, with reservations, of
course.
Why don't you convert your manager Joe
Martin to such an idea? .
I don't get you.
Let me enlighten you: Mr. Martin,
who is not only chairman'of the Republican na
tional committee, but itf Republican leader of
the House, said this: -
Volume 66
Danbury, N. C., Thursday, Sept. 3,1910.
i "Agriculture is not going to climb back to m-os
jperity over the prostrate body of industry." And
| when Representative Lozier interrupted to ask:
i "Doesn't the gentleman realise that by impov
erishing agriculture the best market of incli
lis destroyed; that we can have no rehabilitation
kf industry until we have a rehabilitation of ag-
| riculture?" and Joe replied: "I do not admit
that." Now what do you think of Joe's (your
manager's) friendship for the farmer?
I had not noticed that.
Had you noticed that Joe has voted against
every piece of farm legislation since he has been
a member of congress?
I think I have a very able and patriotic man
ager in Mr. Martin.
So they want you to be President of the United
States, do they? What experience have you had
in this most exalted position in the world?
I have managed one of the largest corpora
tions in the United States. I want to put the gov
ernment on a Big Business basis. I will do it if
they elect me.
Do you have in mind any outstanding changes
that should be made in the affairs of our great
government?
Well, I approve of most of the New Deal legis
lation.
Why do you wish the responsibility of govern
ment, now when the nation is passing through
its greatest crisis?
I think I can do it better.
How do you stand on national defense?
You should have read in my communiques that
I regard our undefense as very serious, and i
charge President Roosevelt with the neglect of
our national preparedness.
Did you hoid this view before the Philadelphia
telegrams nominated you?
lam frank to say I do not understand your
implications.
I ask you if you were so committed to national
defense, why didn't you say something about it
while you were a staunch Democrat, and an en
thusiastic contributor to the campaign to beat
Landon?
You see it has only been during the last few
months that the dreadful situation of the na
tion s unpreparedness has become so apparent.
Did you not know that the U. S. navy's strength
declined from first to fourth rank between 1921
and 1933, and that Roosevelt took charge and
has caused a steady and continuous strengthen
ing of the nation's defenses during his two term? ?
I deny that, and challenge you to prove it.
Then listen:
Thirty-one U. S. capital ships were scrapped r
demilitarized by the 1921 Washington treaty at
the cost of $277,000,000 to the taxpayers, and at
the sacrifice of our national security.
Where did you get this?
With those ships we would have today a more
powerful battle line than we can build in the
next six years.
Listen further: 206 more ships were scrapped
by the 1930 London treaty. Thus we have RE
DUCED in these years the nation's naval de
fense by a fleet almost as larg'e as our entire
fleet today.
In conclusion note this:
Since 1933 the navy has started or contracted
for 242 combatant vessels and commissioned 124.
Whom is responsible for the nation's unpre
paredness?
DICTATORSHIP.
The sedate ;.r ) - an* Sen at? .-".it in p K]ei\.>us
| contemplative }■ :r-p- -it;,'.
A IT!' i: «3D" '• ' } "*•» ?*n ;ii \ ;
He shouted: " J i-f c-.t}jit«»i s aiiiv.
The moment was hushed. The air was tense.
IHrows were elevaied. furtive t .nu
Ineads were laised. Cynical physiognomic
i gleamed i'rom mahogany desks.
| The chairman of the obstructionists addressed
the chair, slowly balancing; himself.
He perched his glasses.
"i wish to offer a resolution which 1 shall soon
instruct my secretary to draft. (Here he took
two sips at his ice water.) "I shall demand that
a sub-committee be appointed to investigate this
alarming report."
Here followed two minutes of silent thought.
Just then a liveried messenger arrived, bearing
n note on a silver handmade platter. The note
was embossed on White House stationery, scent
ed with heliotrope.
It read:
"Most grave and potent seignieurs:
"I humbly beg to inform you that the left wing
of your building is being consumed. I think it
advisable to call out the fire department. May I?
" (Signed) ROOSEVELT."
Senator Pepper, whose neck was still sore,
moved the adoption of the suggestion.
Senator Ciark of Missouri arose to a standing
position on a pint of personal privilege:
"Mr. Chairman, before we rush into this un
precedented precedent. I demand that this thing
be referred to the committee on conflagrations."
| "Will the Senator yield?" This came from
Senator Holt.
"I very pleasurably yield to my colleague, the
Senator from West Virginia," graciously replied
Bennett, and sat down very hard.
"I wish to offer an amendment. This smacks
to me of dictatorship. The prerogatives of this
body are in imminent danger of being erased. 1
shall start a filibuster at sunset."
Senator Vanderburg-—"This assumption of
Roosevelt is clearly unconstitutional. I hereby
give notice I will light it. Let us adjoui nto the
cafe."
A voice vote was taken, and tjie Senate ad
journed to meet again sometime soon.
"NOW WE SMI LP] AT YOU."
"Help ns, or wo perish."
The cry came acres?? the wild waste of waters —
a cry like doves at sunset, soft, drifting, tremb
ling- in minor chords:
"America, offspring of our firesides, race of
our race, blood of our blood, faith of our faith.
We'll never smile again until we smile at you."
Above the scream of dying men, the wail of
disconsolate widows, the sob of fatherless child
ren, America heard the cry.
From the shores of liberty and freedom and
democracy, the answer went back to the ears of
a thousand sleepless watchmen on the white
chalk cliffs of Dover, who relayed and reechoed
the news into the heart of England.
"Hold the fort. Fifty destroyers are roaring,
plunging, foaming across the waves to England.''
Then like the crescendo from a mighty organ
the giad hosanna was lifted to the skies, borne
on the wind that reached America:
"Through cur tears now we smile at you."
uni'ict* 3.