The Alamance gleaner 1
VoL LXV GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1939
?? r ?? ?
Weekly News Analysis '
Isolation vs. Internationalism:
Senate Debates Foreign Policy
By Joseph W. La Bine??
THE PRESIDENT'S VISITING FIREMEN' -
The conference mat secret, but someone spoke.
TREASURY'S MORGENTHAU
Social security is cosily.
EDITOR'S NOTE?When opiniona are
expressed in these columns, t^ay an those
of tko news analyst, and not nocossarily
of tbo newspaper.
' Defense.
In dealing with today's Interna
tiona) situation toe u. S. govern
ment has'its choice of two methods.
Any citixen may hold to one or the
other method with equal righteous
ness:
(1) Strict neutrality and isolation.
Europe's affairs are no business of
ours. We should have no arms se
crets, no secret alliances; all U. S.
activities should be strictly above
board because secrets are undemo
cratic and tend to create public
doubt about the government.
(2) The antithesis. In 1939 one
hemisphere's problems are anoth
er's. If the institution of democracy
is worth saving we must join other
nations in aggressive combat
against dictators. This need not
mean war, but constitutes economic
and military favoritism to one group
of nations.
In post-World war history, not un
til the current winter have these
two contrasting foreign policies
found, such ardent champions as to
cause a marked rift in Washington.
Champions of the latter (favoritism)
are President Roosevelt and- admin
istration leaders. Opposed is prac
tically every Republican senator
and congressman, plus a formidable
bloc of insurgent Democrats. That
this difference of opinion is partly a
reflection of political animosity is a
foregone conclusion. Administration
forces favor internationalism as ex
pressed in Secretary of State Cor
dell Hull's reciprocal trade treaties;
contrariwise is the traditional Re
publican tenet of high tariff walls
and isolation.
This winter's foreign policy bat
tle got its real start when a bomb
ine nlnnp crashed in California.
bouncing out a representative of tbe
French air ministry whose presence
in the U. S. had previously been kept
secret. The subsequent revelations:
That President Roosevelt had ap
proved sale of U. S.-made warplanes
to France, though army secrets
were being carefully guarded from
all foreigners. A few days later the
senate's military affairs committee
constituted itself a body of visiting
firemen face photo) to call on the
President and get the real facts
about a rumored U. S.-French mili
tary alliance.
The secret President Roosevelt re
putedly told his visitors was so
choice that some anonymous com
mitteeman blurted to the press the
minute the conference ended, which
bespeaks the futility of any admin
istration attempt at sharing its mil
itary secrets with congress. The
alleged secret: Th^d the U. S. is
following a policy of selling arms to
"independent states" as opposed to
dictators; that the U. S. will give
Britain and France every assistance
but troops in case of war; that the
"frontiers of the United States are
.in France."
If a vote were taken, most people
would sympathize with the Presi
dent's foreign policy, i.e., to help
Britain, France and China against
Japan, Italy and Germany; to im
prove trade and political relations
with South America, where dictator
?Front raw. left to rlfbt: Illinois' J. Hamil
ton Lewis, North Carolina's Robert R. Rey
nolds. Oklahoma's Josh Lse. New Hamp
shire's H. Styles Bridges. Vermont's War
raw R. Austin. South Dakota's Chandler
Curacy, Texas' Morris Sheppard (commit
tee chairman). Colorado's Edwin C. John
son. Utah's Elbert D Thomas. Back raw,
left to right Minnesota's Ernest Lundeen.
Oregon's Rufus C. Hoiman. North Dakota's
Gerald P. Nye. Missouri's Bennett Champ
Clark. Alabama's Lister H11L Indiana's
an Mltttoa, Kentucky's M. M. Logan,
sad Wyoming's H. H. Sehwsrtx.
states are attempting to gain sway.
But for the President to speak open
ly of his purpose brings the situa
tion intt? a shockingly sharp focus.
The net result will probably be
open congressional revolt against se
cret alliances, against favoritism in
military exports and even against
the Presidents emergency-defense
program, which many legislators
think is unjustified in view of the
tax burden it would create.
Treasury
Depressions hatch pension plans
and this winter's ^congress is del
uged with panaceas to make the
U. S. safe for old peSpie. Believing
most Such plans (like Townsendism)
to be impractical, the administra
tion has offered congress its own
ideas via proposed amendments to
the social security law.
Biggest amendment is that call
ing for a start on old-age benefit
payments in 1940 instead of 1942,
annuities to be based not on pay
toll taxes actually paid out on wage
rates. Hence the social security
board would simply make believe
that benefit recipients had been pay
ing taxes throughout their adult
lives instead of a mere four
years. Other proposals would (1)
provide supplementary pensions for
aged wives, (2) help widows and
orphans of social security's in
surees, and (3) enlarge the pro
gram to include farm laborers, sea
men, servants and others.
Starting hearings on this pro
gram, the house ways and means
committee was startled to learn
that more social security would cost
tremendously more money, so much
in fact, that Secretary of the Treas
ury Henry Margenthau Jr. was re
ported stroking his chin perplexed
ly. Morgenthau figures:
(1) It would cost 11,000,000,000 a
year more than at present.
(2) Social security's hoped - for
1980 reserve of $47,000,000,000 would
be cut to $7,000,000,000, meaning
that the U. S. must find from
$1,230,000,000 to $1,500,000,000 new
annual taxes to continue financing
the program.
If the above details bother the
committee, still more trouble will
hatch when California's Rep. Ber
trand W. Gearhart asks abolition of
the present payroll tax and substitu
tion of general revenue levies for a
pay-as-you-go social security. Since
the government must already levy
extra taxes to pay interest on funds
it is borrowing from social se
curity's reserve fund, Mr. Gear
hart's plan has attracted many
congressmen who think it is falla
cious to tax the public for borrowing
funds the public has already been
taxed for via social security.
Europe
After a nation wins so many vic
tories as Nazi Germany has won in
the past 12 months (Austria, Czecho
slovakia, Spain) it can practicably
adopt a "peace" policy and continue
to win concessions from weaker
powers, who thereby gain the privi
lege of sighing with relief. In Ger
many's case a "peace" policy is the
more practicable because the Reich
must consolidate the past year's
gains and pay temporary attention
to repairing its internal structure.
How permanent Europe's "peace"
will be is conjectural. But follow
ing Chancellor Hitler's half-threat
ening, half-conciliating speech be
fore the Reichstag, most of the con
tinent was able to settle back while
the wiseacres drew a prediction
from the hat. The prediction: That
a peace era is dawning with Hitler
at the reins, during which Italy will
win territorial concessions from
France, and Germany will regain
her war-lost colonies. Moreover the
Reich will probably wheedle a trade
treaty out of Britain and?most dan
gerous of all to permanent peace?
a military-economic peace with Rus
sia. Point-by-point:
Russia. Thoroughly scared by the
chance that Germany will dominate
a Pan-Ukrainian movement in south
Russia, the Soviet is ready to come
.to terms with Hitler. In exchange
for surrendering his Ukrainian plans
Der Fuehrer could tap Russia's end
less supply of foodstuffs. The pos
sibility is confirmed by Izvestia,
Moscow-Communist organ: "Should
Germany extend a hand to Russia,
it will not remain floating in the
air." The gravest consequences
might result from such an alliance,
for Russian resources and manpow
er, coupled with German ingenuity,
could throw a dictator scare into
the entire world.
Colonies. Most of Germany's for
mer colonies are mandated to Brit
ain. Hitler's speech demanded their
return and the next day Prime Min
ister Neville Chamberlain told the
house of commons he would not
discuss colonies with Germany with
out "an agreed and ample measure
of disarmament." This showed Mr.
Chamberlain is nevertheless willing
to return the colonies.
Trade. Hitler's speech declared
the Reich "must export or die."
Next day Robert Spear Hudson of
the British overseas trade depart
ment said he believed "there is
plenty of export trade to go around."
More important was the announce
ment that German and British in
dustrial representatives will soon
meet at Duesseldorf.
Italy vs. France. Hitler prom
ised to aid Italy in case of war, ob
viously referring to Mussolini's ter
ritorial claims against France. Since
German-British relations are reach
ing an amicable stage, Britain
would therefore not be prone to aid
France against a German-Italian
combination.
Public Works
Created in 1933, the public works
administration pays 55 per cent of
local-sponsored construction proj
ects. Scheduled to expire in 1940,
PWA still has $1,500,000,000 in proj
ects on file and would like to become
a permanent agency to combat un
employment and centralize federal
relief projects. Soon to be offered is
an administration bill embodying j
this program. No special annual i
appropriation will be asked but con- i
gress will get data to show the'ne
cessity of creating a "permanent
financial reservoir" of $1,000,000,
000 a year.
T ransportation
With fairs on both east and west i
coasts this summer, U. S. railroads 1
figured most vacationists would take !
in one or the other, might even take
in both with a little incentive. Just
announced by the Association of 1
American Railroads is a "grand cir- 1
cle" fare plan which bids fair to
boom 1939 passenger travel. The 1
scheme: Beginning April 28, a per- 1
son in any point in the country can .
travel to both New York and San
Francisco expositions and back
home at a total coach fare of $90. |
First class fare is $135, plus space, j
? i i
Trend
How the wind it blowing . , .
TEMPTATION?To lure 4,000
hunger strikers "back home"
from their protest against corn
beef hash, California's San Quen
tin prison set out coffee?with I
cream and sugar.
REFUGEES?New York's Rep.
Samuel Dickstein is drafting leg
islation to open Alaska to Euro
pean refugees, a move recently
suggested by German Jew-bait
ers.
MANGANESE?The price of
Arkansas manganese, "starch
for steel," has reached its high
est point in years, thanks to Eu
ropean rearmament
DROLL?"Squads right" is be
ing omitted tentatively from new
U. S. army drill regulations.
Bruckarfa Washington Digest
0
Genuine Strain Being Placed Upon
Administration Control of Senate
President's Appointments to Public Office Are Upsetting
To Some of His Followers; Roper Virtually Forced Out
As Secretary of Commerce to Make Room for Hopkins.
By WILLIAM BRUCKART
WNU Service, National Press Bldg., Washington, D. C.
WASHINGTON.?President Roose
velt's followers in the senate of the
United States are finding it increas
ingly difficult these days to stay off
of a hot seat. Indeed, if I read the
signs rightly, they are getting rath
er restive and there is a genuine
strain being placed upon the ad
ministration control in that body of
congress. Whereas, it appeared a
month ago that the anti-administra
tion senators would break out of
control only on major issues, it
now seems that there is a real
threat of danger to the President on
minor, as well as major, questions.
The new developments have come,
and are continuing to come, from
what some believe to be an unwise
course on the President's part in
the matter of nominations to public
office?appointments that must have
approval of the senate. Whether the
President is to blame, personally,
for placing these distasteful names
in the mouths of senators, or wheth
er, as heretofore, the condition re
sults from the activities of the "in
ner circle," the effect is the same.
It is a very real problem for the
administration advisors to ponder,
and it is entirely possible that Mr.
Roosevelt will get a slap in the face
by senate rejection of some of the
nominees for judgeships and other
public offices. It is just possible
that some senators will gag at swal
lowing several of the names. If
that happens, what will be left Mr.
Roosevelt's mastery of the senate
thereafter will be meaningless.
Observers here in Washington
heard many private remarks of a
very uncomplimentary character
last fall when Mr. Roosevelt named
Gov. James V. Allred of Texas to a
federal judgeship. It was so plainly
political that some individuals who
are very close to Mr. Roosevelt were
disgusted. They did not speak out
then, but they are bolder now.
Shortly thereafter, Mr. Roosevelt
named Floyd Roberts to a federal
judgeship in Virginia. Now, appar
ently, Mr. Roberts is about as well
equipped to be a judge as I would
be?if we are to believe the public
statements of Senators Carter Glass
and Harry Byrd, both Democrats
and both acquainted with the life
and record of Judve Roberts.
Roper Virtually Forced Out
At Secretary of Commerce
Subsequently, Daniel C. Roper
was virtually forced out as secre
tary of commerce in order to make
room for removal of Professional
Reliever Harry Hopkins to a cabinet
job. Hopkins thereby was taken out
of the line of red hot fire about
his spending policies. Homer &
Cummings quit as attorney general
and Frank Murphy, Michigan's
lame duck governor, was given the
post.
Former Sen. James P. Pope who
was licked in the Idaho Democratic
primaries was named to the direc
torate of the Tennessee Valley au
thority from which Dr. Arthur Mor
gan was so unceremoniously dis
missed. Rumor has it that former
Sen. Fred H. Brown, lame duck
Hew Hampshire Democrat, is to be
given the juicy job of comptroller
general of the United States as soon
as it is evident that congress will
not vote abolition of the general ac
counting office. .
Rep. T. Alan Golds borough of
Maryland lately has been named a
federal judge for the District of Co
lumbia. It will be recalled that it
was Mr. Goldsborough who invited
President Roosevelt into Maryland
last summer in the attempt to purge
Sen. Millard Tydings from the Dem
jcratic ranks. In fact, it was at
Denton, Md., Mr. Go Ids borough's
wme town, that the President made
lis most vicious attack on Tydings
md delivered his eulogy of praise
[or David J. Lewis in the senatorial
primaries.
There have been other appoint
ments mixed in here and there,
some important, some just run-of
he-mine jobs, and they have not
met unanimity. Even the selection
>f Professor Felix Frankfurter as a
lustice of the Supreme court of the
United States did not arouse en
thusiasm among the senators who
rated approval of the nomination.
I, personally, heard several sena
tors remark that the Frankfurter
appointment was so much better
than that of Hugo Black, a year
ago, that it was refreshing to vote
lor him. Yet, they added a qualifi
cation. Justice Frankfurter has
i
brains, a floe mind?but he is looked
upon as the (ather of so much of the
New Deal that his presence on the
highest court appeared none too
pleasing.
Nomination of Amlie of
Wuconnn Croates Fat*
But all of these appointments now
seem to have been only a build up
to a climax. They were to be fol
lowed by an appointment that
caught the senators in the ribs. It
was the nomination of former Rep.
Thomas F. Amlie, Wisconsin pro
gressive and also a lame duck, to be
a member of the interstate com
merce commission. That nomina
tion went to the senate without even
the great progressive, Senator La
Follette, knowing about it, and there
are those in the senate who believe
that Senator LaFollette would have
advised against it, had he been
consulted.
There is a very real possibility?
although not conclusive?that the
senate will reject the Amlie appoint
ment. The pressure against him is
quite unusual. Even the legislature
of his home state adopted a resolu
tion, memoralizing the senate In op
position to confirmation.
Whatever virtues Mr. Amlie may
have, his qualifications to be a mem
ber of the interstate commerce com
mission cannot be numbered in that
list. He knows nothing about trans
portation; he is not an economist,
and if his record as a member of
the house of representatives here
is a proper criterion, he is as lack
ing In judicial characteristics?well,
he simply does not have them. His
work in the house was distinguished
by the fact that he headed a con
glomerate group which was at
tempting to "co-ordinate liberal
thought" in the nation. But appar
ently the folks In Wisconsin rather
doubted his value for they refused
to select him as the progressive sen
atorial candidate?who, incidentally,
was doomed for a licking anyway
in the November election.
Appointments Uplotting to
Followeri of President
One never can tell what trades I
may be made within the great club
known as the senate, but surely Mr. |
Amlie will be discussed fully before
he is confirmed. And as I said
above, he may not be approved at
all. The appointment may be the
straw that breaks the camel's back.
When Mr. Roosevelt began mak
ing appointments three or four
months ago that were upsetting to I
some of his followers, they had to
decide between their loyalty to him i
and their convictions. The bulk of
them stood by him. He was the
head of the Democratic party; party
unity was, and is, essential, and
they justified the votes in confirma
tion in various ways. The Hopkins
and Murphy appointments were con
firmed because it always has been
the philosophy of senators that cab
inet jobs are intimate associationa
with the President. He is entitled,
therefore, to have whom he desires
to sit with him at the cabinet ses
sion and to advise him when he
seeks advice. I think there was an 1
inclination to accept Mr. Murphy, j
too, because it was known he want
ed to crush the sit-down strikes at
their inception and was confronted
with White House refusal of sup
port. There were fewer votes
against him for that reason than
against Secretary Hopkins. On the
other hand. Senator Vandenberg, the
Michigan Republican, said he voted !
against the nomination because "the
issues were the same as in Michi
gan's election last fall when Mr.
Murphy was repudiated."
Congress Shows Disposition
To Assert Independence
The proposition thus settles down
to only one possible answer. Since
the last election removed the rub
ber stamp from the hands of the
New Dealers and the congress has
shown a disposition to assert its in
dependence of the unelected "inner
circle," they are resorting to a new
strategy. They can not always con
trol congress but they have access
to the appointive power vested in
the hands of the President. They
have this because they have the
President's ear and they take pains
to see that none of the practical pol
iticians, like Vice President Garner,
or Sen. Pat Harrison, or Speaker
Bankhead, wieM any influence,
' . - ,l :.ji- . ..j, --.Lr. . ^MjSl
Speaking of Sports
Brown Bomber
Faces Lack of
Real Brawlers
By ROBERT McSHANE
\y HEN Shufflin' Joe Louis low
' ' ered the boom on heavyweight
contender John Henry Lewis recent
ly it merely gave added ^nd unnec
essary strength to the old adage
that a good big man can always
whip a good little man. Lewis, as
you remember, gave away almost
30 pounds, weighing in at 180%. The
champion scaled 200% pounds.
The fight was a sad commentary
on the current heavyweight situa
tion. Jack Dempsey's opinion of the
fight, stated before it toOk place,
was more accurate than compli
mentary. He stated that "It's bet
ter than no fight at an." That, too.
is debatable.
When Referee Arthur Donovan
stopped the brawl after 2 minutes
and 29 seconds a new record was
established for the dusky champion.
Only once before has a heavyweight
championship battle ended so swift
ly. That was when Louis went into
the ring and disposed of Max Schmel
ing in 2 minutes and 4 seconds. No
fighter in the long history of pugi
lism ever has won two successive
championship bouts in one round.
The fight should serve one pur
pose. It should calm down the
cream pulf contenders who are sure
that Louis is a much over-rated
fighter. Few, indeed, have claimed
that Louis lacked a punch. Bnt
many of them are brave enough, or
foolish enough, to admit that they
have "solved" the problem of his
hosing style, and are ready and
anxious to end his ring supremacy.
Even Tony Galento, king of the
stumblebums, seems to be losing
his enthusiasm for a title bout. True,
he continues to call the champ a
bum, but his vocal delivery isn't as
sincere as it once was.
John Henry thought he knew how
to fight Louis. He thought he had
perfected a style that would save
him from the Brown Bomber's le
thal punch. And John Henry is a
clever fighter, ring-wise and with
brains enough. to know that he
couldn't stand up and out-slug his
dusky contemporary. Yet he lasted
less than one round.
This was the first ef four cham
pionship matches Promoter Mike
Jacobs has planned (Or Louis la
MM. There are iadicatioas, howev
er, that It will be increasingly diffi
cult to find four mea willing to risk
their Bros la the same ring with
the Detroit lad. Joe Loals is un
questionably the greatest fighter this
generation has sees. Deaovaa stated
that Louis eouM have whipped the
best fighter who ever fired that
Bight.
Sport Shorts
XA7 HEN baseball practice started
VT at Indian* university recently.
Coach Paul "Pooch" Harrell had on
his roster four sons of former ma
? {flP Uaffllo
former*. They
?r?* Robert
Woehr, Johnny
Corriden, Vic Al
iridg* Jr., end
Jimmy M.ddleton
. . . Mum Beer,
at present a hero
in Hollywood
bora* operas,
claims that he
has forsaken the
bright lights and
?rill really train
for his comeback
. . . A pmwH nf
15,278 witnessed the Minnesota-Illi
nois basketball game at Minneapo
lis recently, setting a new confer
ence record . . . Cincinnati was
last season to oetdraw Ms popula
tion. There are persons in
the city, while 596,000 saw the Reds
to action.
CHAMPION JOE LOUIS
Max Baer
Football the Goat
TTHE fact that Big Ten
receipts in 1938 amounted to aV- 3
moat two millions of doQanS^^^B
tended to focus attention on al^^H
departments of schools belonging to 1
that conference.
It's only natural the lll^H
alarmist would view that fast with |
misgivings. Where, he mutters, til?a
that money go? He. as a taxpayer, ;
has a legitimate question, and one -
that should be answered for the fu
ture welfare of the game.
To begin with, football is frankly
commercial. AH college aflila^^^H
which gate admissions are charged
are commercial. Anything that coats
money to conduct is commerc
And it does cost money to promote
and further college athletics.
Of them all foot ban is ths only
sport to make any appiaelabte
profit. Basketball, ever a causae of
years, may hold Its own, as even do
a little better than that Oteaaten
ally at a school some other sport
may end up in the black as a ro
But the rest'oMIn inter eel legists
program?track, swimming, wren- \
tling, baseball, tennis, golf, etc.?Is
almost entirely dependent upon feet
ball receipts for maintenance.
The sports dependent on football
for their existence are the ones that
provide competition and healthful
activity for the thousands of stu
dents who are not football players.
Many will answer this argument
by saying that those sports would
not be nearly as costly If they were
conducted on strictly an intramural
basis. This does not necessarily
hold true. Golf courses, tennis
courts, intramural football fields and
baseball diamonds must be built
and maintained for the benefit of
the student body as a whole. _Ii}
many schools football also supports '
the physical education program.
Commercialism is sometimes a
welcome condition, even in scholia
I tic circles. Especially if it results
in a nation more physically fit. ?
Immortals
D ASEBALL scribes of the nation
in a recent triple play added
the names of George Sialar, Eddie
Collins and Wee Willie Keeltr to the
Cooperatown, N. Y . national shrine.
swelled te 19 the list af yesteSTy^s
tallied in the HaB af Fame. Be
I twoau five and tea mare playsss wfll
be named between bow and the ena
tennial celebration at Cooperstown.
June It
Sisler, only 45, is one of the most
I active men in baseball as high com
missioner of the semiproa. Ha was
I with the St. Louis Browns from 1915
I to 1927, with Washington in 19M,
I and the Boston Nationals until MM.
In 1922 Sisler hit ,4M, and baeama
the first player te wia the oil del
honor of "moot valuable player te
the American league." His lifetime
I batting average eras .341.
Collins, 51, joined the Athletics
I back in 1906, fresh from college,
staying with them i
until Connie Mack
broke up bis $100,000
inOeld in 1014. Col
lins then went to the
Chicago White Sox,
remaining until 1910,
the last two years as
manager. Returning
to Philadelphia In
1927, be stayed for
three years. At pres
ent be is sice presi
dent and treasurer
a# tVia Rnctrm
Sox CoHins, ? second basatban,
batted over .400 in three of the seven
series in which he took part.
Keeler, aathor of list ctili-fameOB
classic. "Hit 'em where they ain't,"
played with the Baltimore Orioles at
the National league from 1M to
1008, with Brooklyn from 1000 to
1902, the New York Highlanders
from 1903 to 1900, and the New York
Giants in 1910. He died in 1923.
Pitching Arms
F) AZZY VANCE, former Brooklyn
Hurler wrhoee feats are legend
ary, recently analysed the epidem
ic of sore arms that has struck
same of baseball's topnotch hurlers
during the past year.
Discussing the situation with Kan
esaw Mountain Landia, high com
missioner of baseball, Vance admit
ted that back when he was playing
ball there were no chipped bonea in
throwing arms.
"1 believe,'' be teU Landia. "sere
arms are the reeeit of pitehera toy
ing to deveisp unorthodox doUverian
to cope with heavy hitting, and thato
arms want stand up to tt."
Carl Hubbell started the unortho
dox delivery trend just aa Babe
Ruth started the free swing afjdn
of American league hitters. Demy '
"Back when I was pitch**," ha
continued, "you could get by wMh * .
lot more?mudsills, spit^ balls sal
EMbMli