North Carolina Newspapers

The Alamance gleaner i 1 L -?*%': ' ?<|i ?**r* Vol LXIV GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1939 ? No. 49 Weekly News Analysts Kennedy-B ullitt War Forecast Justified by World Situation ? By Joseph W. La Bhe? EDITOR'S NOTE? Whan opinioas an onpr tut4 in thou columns, thay szo thou of tho maws analyst, ami not nacassarily of tba mawspapar. . # International When U. S. foreign envoys make their rare appearances in congress, it is usually to advise house and sen ate committees on foreign affairs. But two days before President Roosevelt gave congress his Unprec edented defense proposals (tee be low), two top-ranking U. S. ambas sadors walked into secret session Hot with the foreign affairs commit tees, but with a committee on mili tary affairs. The ambassadors: Jos * MESSRS. KENNEDY, BULLITT It looked like truth eph P. Kennedy, home from London, and William C. Bullitt, home from Paris. -. Though committee room walls sup posedly have no ears, it was learned that Messrs. Kennedy and Bullitt thoroughly frightened their congres sional audience with the following opinion on European affairs: -Great Britain has favored "ap peasement" of Italy and Germany because neither she nor France have adequate arms. So intense is British appeasement sentiment that London would permit Germany to build an airbase in Canada rather than revert to war. But since Czechoslovakia's "sellout" at Mu nich last September proved that one appeasement leads to another, France has determined to stop this policy. Therefore France will not concede to Italian territorial de mands, knowing that in war Great Britain must come to her aid and that Russia, in turn, must aid the democracies. Cruz of the Kennedy-Bulbtt opin ion: That further appeasement, as advocated by Prime Minister Cham berlain, will only delay the eventual showdown and make war even more , critical when it comes, which will probably be within the next few months. The U. S. will not be drawn into this conflict immediately. If this was propaganda for Presi dent Roosevelt's long-range national defense program, committeemen swallowed it hook, line and sinker. And well they might, because the forecast appeared to be cold-blooded truth when measured in the light of that day's news from abroad. It all looked like war: THE BIG FOUR As Prime Minister Chamberlain left London's Victoria station for his appeasement visit with Italy's Pre mier Mussolini, unemployed demon strators booed him and shouted: "Ap pease the unemployed, not Mussoli nil" Between London and Dover, where he crossed the channel, Mr. Chamberlain might have reflected on the advisability of such a course. Hitler was clamoring for submarine parity with Britain; Italy was fighting the Spanish civil war and yelling for concessions from France; both Germany and Italy were prop agandizing about British "atroci ties" in Palestine. En route to Rome, the Chamber lain entourage stopped in Paris to (1) show Germany and Italy that France and Britain stand together, and (I) assure France that Musso lini could not induce Chamberlain to bring pressure for French con cessions to Italy. After two hours of tea drinking, a spokesman an nounced Chamberlain would tell Mossolinl that France agreed to consider concessions on "second ary" questions. These are (1) the status of 100,000 Italians in Tunisia; (2) control over the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railroad; (1) administration of the French-controlled Suez canal. As for himself. Chamberlain expect ed to tell Mussolini he refused to. mediate betwwta France and Italy, or grant belligerent rights to Spam's General Franco so long as Italian -troops are fighting the war. But Chamberlain also knew he must speak softly, for only a week before the Anglo-French alliance had suffered a severe blow. At Berchtesgaden, Polish Foreign Min ister Joseph Beck had deserted his French alliance to find greater se curity with Germany. Moreover, this meant that Poland would be ready to block any Russian effort to aid France and Britain. Tempo rarily free from danger in the east, the Rome-Berlin axis was ready to apply pressure on democracies. The best prediction: That Cham berlain-Mussolini conversations will lead to another "Munich" peace conference, but certainly not to gen eral European peace. HUNGARY Last November's Italian-German commission settled a boundary for Czechoslovakia and Hungary, but neither nation liked it. Since Jan uary 8 a series of border incidents has kept both nations aflame, each holding the other responsible. Czechoslovakia has offered terms tor truce, but Budapest refuses un til Prague pays for damages, ac knowledges responsibility for at tacks and punishes individuals re sponsible. The outcome of this squabble is unpredictable, but Ger many may well step in to help the Czechs since the Reich wants the border city of Munkacs to be re tained in Czechoslovakia's Car patho-Ukraine. The town is impor tant in Berlin's program of fortify ing Carpatho-Ukraine in prepara tion for a German drive into Rus sian Ukraine. JAPAN "Britain and Iha United States are be lieved to be aware that should they retort to serious economic pressure against Japan, Japan weald have sufficient deter mination and preparation to resort to r? teliatory measures against their mainlands and dependencies." This war talk came from J a paw's Foreign Minister Hachiro Arita m answer to measures Great BrifhiA and the U. S. had already taken to combat growing Japanese domina JAPAN'S HACH1RO AS IT A He threatened e V. S. nnim. tion over the Orient. Because Tokyo has closed China's, "open door" in violation of the nine-power treaty, both London and Washington have given China financial support Mean while the U. S. has completely stopped the sale of war materials to Japan. Minister Arita's statement, ap pearing in Tokyo's Fascist news paper, Nichi Nichi, is the most war like gesture yet made against the U. S. What equalized the threat however, was a similar gesture made against Russia by Lieut. Gen. Rensuke Isogai. Japanese chief oi staff in Manchuria. AT HOME Checking the above news with Bullitt-Kennedy statements, con gress was in fine shape to discuss U. S. defense measures. . Tennes see's Rep. Andrew J. May of ths house military affairs committee popped up to urge military training for 300,000 CCC boys. He also asked four-lane superhighways down At lantic and Pacific coasts and across the gulf states. Next day the President sent con gress his defense message, well pared down from the multi-billioc figures originally bandied about 1 Washington. The total extra, emer Ccy appropriation request: $552, 000, half of which should be spent before the next fiscal year Is over. Presidential arguments, few of which were needed, pointed out that the U. S. is relatively no bettei f prepared today than hi 1917, whan it took a year from the war declara tion date for American troops tc reach a major engagement. Agriculture Under Secretary Henry A. Wal lace, the U. S. agriculture depart ment'* "original objective" has been increased consumption through one method or another. Last sum mer came announcement ot a new method, a "two price" plan for' boosting domestic consumption at farm products. Under this arrange ment the U. S. would subsidize man ufacturers, whose products would be sold at a below-normal price to low income families. First objections came from man ufacturers and retailers, many of whom thought the plan would cur tail free enterprise. Then congress men turned a cold shoulder, sug gesting difficulties in getting the special purchase privilege in the hands of people deserving them. As congress got underway it became certain that Mr. Wallace had dropped the plan entirely, though still clinging to the "original ob jective." Announcement was made that conferences are being held with cot ton manufacturers to encourage the lowest possible prices for mat tresses to be sold to low income families. Grapefruit will be simi larly "merchandised." Said Mr. Wallace: "We want increased con sumption . . . We will use any method to obtain it. We hope we can get the trade (processors and distributors) to do specific things to shave costs to U>e limit." ? Via London, U. S. farmers have learned that the agriculture depart ment proposes to reduce American wheat land from 81,000,000 acres to 55,000,000 acres, resulting in total wheat plantings of 85,000,000 acres even if some growers do not co operate. This news came from the international wheat advisory com mittee's conference, where 21 na tions had sent envoys to study schemes for export and import lim itations. As the sessions got under way, a discouraging note appeared in the International Institute of Ag riculture's report. Wheat available for export in the year ending next July 31, the report said, was 1,140, 000,000 bushels, against a world im port demand of 540,000 bushels. D ixucva Less evil than that of any other "high Nazi is the reputation of Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, president of Ger many's Reichsbank. In appearance more a business man than a politi cian, Dr. Schacht is the Reich's No. 1 contact with foreign commercial interests. When it tame time to peddle Germany's 900,000 Jews abroad, Chancellor Hitler turned naturally to Da. Schacht, knowing he was the only high Nazi whose ut terances on the Jewish problem would get a hearing abroad. A cold business man as well as a diplomat. Dr. Schacht could be de pended on to evolve a Jewish plan which would work to the Reich's financial benefit. Early in January, at London, he announq?d the plan: Part One. Within the next three years, 400,000 of the Reich's 900,000 Jews would be shipped abroad, the remaining 200,000 to be retained as common laborers. The 400,000 emi gres would leave by Installments, beads of families going first. For aged and infirm, Germany would guarantee satisfactory provision. Part Two. World Jewry would raise a *2^00,000,000 loan, "se cured" by Jewish property in Ger many, funds to be used for sending poor German Jews abroad. The loan would be serviced by increased German exports, to be paid for In i FINANCIER 8CHACHT B? muMtd Hfiommr, mi Mass*. (ree foreign exchange. World Jew I ry (which Nazi Germany regards i as all-powerful in democracies) t would decree gasater use of Ger ? man export items. Still master of the situation, the i Reich can apparent force Jew i respecting nations to <SBbee between r accepting the plan or tolerate ftir [ ther persecution. For Germany, the ' Schacht idea provides for disposi , tion of 400,000 "undesirable" citi zens whose property will be coofls i cated. Most Important, it offers a way to break the world boycott. Bruckarft Washington Digest President Outlines His Policies t In Annual Message to Congress . * Gives No Assurance of Prospect of Balanced Budget; Necessity for Armed Preparedness Stressed; Contin ued Spending Makes Some Democrats See Red. By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNU Service, National Press Bid*., Washincton, D. C. WASHINGTON.?It is always ex pected that the annual message to congress from the President of the United States will outline his poli cies. The message is presumed to reflect, in a broad general formula, what the Chief Executive regards as the major problems and what should be done about them. Moreover, the annual message on the state of the Union is a document that usually embraces some political considera tions and, frequently, therefore, con stitutes the basis for a test of its author's leadership either from what is proposed or because of things which were omitted. President Roosevelt's recent mes sage meets each of the phases Just described. He outlined the general policies: 1. the necessity for armed preparedness in protection of our religion, our liberty and our form of government?democracy; 2. he disclosed that he has no intention of retreating from his New Deal social policies and that to buttress them and accomplish national pro tection against dictatorship, he pro poses to keep on with his policies of spending. He likewise omitted to give one bit of assurance that there is any prospect of a balanced budget or any means by which the busi ness of the country, small as well as large, can look forward to less governmental messing. Thus, there seems little reason to doubt that what Mr. Roosevelt pro posed, as well as what ha omitted saying, places his current annual message in a position to provide a test of his leadership. There are those among the legislators who do not want larger armed forces; there are those who think an armed America will invite trouble; there are those wanting business recov ery here much more than wholesale reform of our national business practices and social relations, and there are those who think there will be no reduction of unemployment until the government itself quits its' wild orgy ot spending and borrow ing?they want a balanced budget. NotOft Moat T am par at t Roosevelt Hat Delivered Any President's message is greet ed with hurrahs by his party sup porters and hisses from the minori ty. This one was no exception. These shouts of praise and denunci ation, respectively, do not always go to the merits. Frequently, they are more than half political. And if I were asked to evaluate those that I have heard in the last 10 days, I should say that each side eras about 50 per cent right. In the first place, Mr. Roosevelt's message this time was the most temperate he has ever delivered, or so it impressed me. In the matter of armament, he told why be believes it is needed. He may have gone too far; he may be inviting another battle on a sub ject akin to the long-time League of Nations controversy by proposing protection "of democracies." Yet, fundamentally, I think it must be agreed that we, fat the Western world, must be able to snarl as well as to smile. In the matter of social reforms, there can and will be violent differ ences of opinion. It appears that Mr. Roosevelt had not listened very closely to the election returns cif November ? because, instead of a "mandate" which he believed he re ceived in 1S30, the last election was a distinct brake on the machinery of social reform. In the matter of continued spend ing, Mr. Roosevelt's message must be regarded as having its greatest weakness. There was less Justifica tion in his words for the conclusions he reached than in any other phase of the document. Even a substan tial number of his own partisans could not swallow his assertions that the spending of some 20 bil lions of borrowed money was an "investment." People Wondering When Dividend* Cam Be Expected It is pretty difficult for one to ac cept these piling deficits and in creasing totals of the national debt as being anything except an ex tremely dangerous condition. When Mr. Roosevelt's argument about the "investment" is followed by a budg et message that fixes next year's deficit in excess of $3,300,000,000 and a probable national debt of $44,900, 000,000 in 1M0?well, a good many people are wondering when divi dends can be expected. Three years ago, Mr. Roosevelt defended the growth of the national debt, saying there was no need to fear it. He held that it could go to $8,000,000, 000 before it became a real burden upon the nation. It is only six bil lions short of that total now, and many members are getting fidgety about it, especially, as I mentioned earlier, since no mention was made of a balanced budget. This question of debt, therefore, can be expected to provide soma divergence of opinion among the legislators, and there will be other bases upon which disagreement with the Chief Executive will rest. 1 am wondering, for example, whether Senator Borah of Idaho and Senator Johnson of California will smell something of a League of Na tions aroma about the program of defending any and all democracies. Friendly interpreters of the Presi dent's message believe his program contemplates only a strengthened support of the Monroe doctrine, but the other side's views envision na tional policy going beyond that point. It may not happen, but what if the Borah-Johnson school of thought decides to breathe fire about "new alliances" under the expanded defense of democracies? Continued Spending Make* Some Democrat* See Red There are prospects at opposition to his arms program confronting the President, therefore, among the Borah-Johnson school of thought, as well as among those representatives and senators from inland areas where there never has been much tear from attacks by other nations. There will b* ridicule of his arms program, too, on the baais of his indication that it will provide work. That ridicule will be Justified. Work can not start on ships for a year and a half or two years after they are authorized, and supplies for the army, even an expanded army, will not call so many men back to fac tories. Proposals (or continued speeding, as outlined by the President, made a number of strong Democrats see red again. Men of the type of Sen ator Byrd of Virginia and Bailey of North Carolina, and others in the senate and house. They can not be reconciled to such a program and they will have the Republican mi nority backing them up wherever and whenever they attack continued spending at government funds. The proposal to continue spend ing, of course, is linked like a tan gle of yahi with the whole question of relief administration, and there Is no telling what may come at that row. Senator King, Utah Democrat and anti-New Dealer, already has a bill in the hopper to eliminate the entire federal relief setpp He would turn it back to the states, providing only for grants of federal money when the states can't meet their obligations. C/ae of Subject of Religion Causes Some Comment From the standpoint of political considerations, there were numer ous published comments, after the message was delivered, in which members of the house and senate openly chided Mr. Roosevelt for at tempting to capitalize politically upon sentiment among the church people. I relate that because it il lustrates bow no political leader can be quite sure when he makes a statement whether it win be re ceived favorably or not It is ao easy, and every politician knows it to make a perfectly sincere state ment only to learn two days Is tar that it was being held up to ridi cule as bunk or being tarn to pieces as being unsound, fundamentally. Those who have been raofag Mr. Roosevelt's use at the subject at religion recognize, at course, that destruction of free religion has been one of the kejatuaaa at dicta torship. They recognise farther that the actions at Hitler Md Stalin and Mussolini in this regard have been responsible, as much as any other one thing, in cresting bitter resent ment in the United States. Obvious ly, then, they look upon the Roose velt appeal hi this regard as being good polities, but they are unwilling to 1st him get away wtth it ? Western SewmaswtMm. . Speaking of Sports British Racers Retain World's Speed Record By ROBERT McSHANE A COUPLE of lantern-Jawed Eng ** liahmen and an American avia tion engineer decisively shattered land speed records during the past year, furnishing thrills aplenty and setting up brilliant records for speed artists to try and break. The duel far the distinetioe ef trav eling faster ajeag the ground than any other human being was won by Capt. George E. T. Eystan, who whined through a measured mile at 357A miles per hour last Septem ber. He thus erased the mark of 353JC established only 24 hours pre viously by his compatriot, John K. Cobb, London fur broker. The engineer, Floyd Roberts of Tan Nuys, Calif., roared to hard earned victory in the 500 mile Indi anapolis classic when he achieved a record speed of 117.2 miles per hour. Late in August his black, seven ton Thunderbolt traveled over the saline course at Bonneville Flats, Utah, to raise from 311.42 to 345.40 the standard which he himself had set there in November of 1037. The gallant captain waa deprived of one record performance. Three days prior to establishing the rec ord in such decisive fashion, Eyston had attained a speed of 347.156 on one dash down the 13 mile straight away. However, on the return run, required to strike an average and make the mark official, the timer used to measure the speed failed. His new standard of 345.43 stood for only a couple ef weeks when Cobb wrested the honor from the retired British army captain. In his Baltten, a machine only half as heavy as Eyston's, he thundered dews the stretch at 353.23 and 347.14 for his 353.2 average. Eyston was little daunted. Next day he climbed into his machine and averaged 357.5 to regain the speed king crown. In winning the Indianapolis event, Roberts obtained his first major vic tory in 22 years of racing when he crossed the finish line five miles ahead of Wilbur Shaw. Dean in Shape? T*)IZZY DEAN, the erratic gentle man the Chicago Cubs secured from the Cardinals last spring for a mare 1125,000 and a parcel of ball players, is as sound as a dollar? according to Dizsy Dean. Baseball's problem child insists that be hasn't cheated on theories ?# /4 n/ilnvu wrkn have examined his arm. Ha fol lows, ha says, their otdtri, and hasn't done anything mora strenuous than caddy three or four times a weak for the "missus down In Dallas." Always the op timist, Diz gave the rest of the familv ? kvMt ? Dtsxj D?u "Tee, and Brother Paal b all right a fain. Hit ana's w pad ha'a bean Maying foil. I told hta he'll wta M (amea far tkaia faidlwli and lane anly four. Hall Ism thoee fear pitching a fa lost ma, which la haw many times I Intend to beat the Cardinals.'* Cups and Coaches PITY the poor football coach for ' his lack of job security, but at the same time reserve some of your sympathy for coaches, managers, etc., of other sports. Theirs is by do means a bed of roses. Take the case of "Bald Bill" Stewart, former conch of the Chi cago Black Hawks, world hockey team last year. Stewart learned recently that an speedy wtagmaa can skate half as fast as a bee key manager slides when his slab fails to function as the owner weald Ska it to. The Black Hawks wen the Stanley eon last year, and half^seasoa later services were an ftsoger regnirod. Any big league manager's Jeb de peods largely en Ma team's ability to pack to the fans. That can't be Hawka started egl with a bang this year, drawing top crowds. Lens aft er less tansid leeclets to stamp. Therefore, mused Melenghltn, a new manager was a nsssssltj. The new manager, Paul Thomp son, to one of the best liked players on the team. He'll do bis best to win the coveted Stanley cup, even la the face of what happened to his predecessor Though ha prob ably deaeut like to think of the high mortality rate. Grid Rule Changes TTHE rules committee of the Na tional Collegiate Athletic associ ation, meeting recently, held ooe of its shortest and most uneventful ses sions?much to the delight of thou sands of coaches throughout the na tion. Only two changes in intercollegiate football rules were adopted by that committee. They are: L The penalty for a forward pasa striking an ineligible player shall be the loss at a down and IS yards from the point at the prevteas down, instead af loss of the balL I. AU ineligible players?asaaOy the center, guards and tackles?must remain an the Hne of scrimmage until after a pass Is thrown. The penalty for violation will be 15 yards and the play also win coast as a down. ^ The rules committee can well be congratulated for the adoption of these two rules. For one thing the new rules will undoubtedly encou rage the use of shovel passes?short passes behind ar to the line of scrim mage. It is very possible, of course, that they may lead to longer run backs by the opponents cn .intnrosj* ed passes because fewer players will now be allowed to go down under a pasa. Sport Shorts THE Green Bay Packers played before more than 150,000 specta tors in four games on the road laat season for a new National Football A. D. Lode, Sooth African golf pro, who recently' wsa the New Zealand open, haa decided to revisit England nest year for the opgn meet . . . Jimmy Foxx, American league's outstanding player as its -MB hit ting champ bets man, was voted the Jimmy Foxx EXmie nuriey Mem orial plaque by Boston base ha II writ ers .. . Ths White Sox have re leased Inflelder George Meyer . . . Ed Krause, former Notre Dame star, has been named line coach for Holy Cross . . . Amos Alonzo Stages College of the Pacific will meet Notre Dame in 1M1 for their first gridiron tilt. Swim Champs DT FAR the moat remarkable ds u velopment in water sports dur ing 1838 eras the irresistible rise of Danish girl swimmers to a place at supremacy. .* r, Miss BigaMM Hveger, graateat feminine swimmer ef an time, and her Danish feOew star, hare to their credit the fastest isng a sexes marks far 188 meters, free style, 1:08J aad 1:88.8. Miss Hreger again taps the field at 888 meters, tree style, with an almost anbeUersble Mag coarse world record ef 188. Miss Rie Van Veen, Holland mer maid. navigated the 100 meters, free style, with 1:18.3. She was aecood only to Miss Hreger in the 800 Ban ter stretch, followed by Mrs. Cath erine Rawls Thompson, winnier at our national 440-yard championship. Pocket Billiards By CHABLE8 C. PETERSON Prudent Naboul TMHari AsnrlThwi of America ^Wortdi Trick ffirnql tB i ?? ??? ??? ? j ^ I ? ! es LMM He. It ? Place ball* as par diagram. Play ?hot No. 1 by hitting tha object ball hk to right; strike ball to the oaater with a medium atroka and your cue ban, after poehettng toe object bah. will hit two rails (cushions) and atop where No. 1 shot is marked. Your second shot toaa is toe break, md an yoa need is to strto hard Into the object ban. - -