North Carolina Newspapers

. The Alamance Gleaner Vol LXV GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1939 No. 3 Weekly New# Analysis Fear of Foreign Entanglement Brings Return to Isolationism By Joseph W. La Bine EDITOR'S NOTE?When opinions us expressed in these columns, they ere those of the news easlyst, and net necessarily of the newspaper. Domestic Since President Roosevelt's "quarantine" speech at Chicago in October, 1937, U. S. public opinion has veered sharply and outspokenly against dictators, meanwhile mak ing new friends for France, Britain and China. Washington's tradition al policy of isolation and neutrality has well-nigh gone by the boards, thanks to Nazi Jew-baiting, Japan's threat to U. S. interests in China and dictator inroads throughout South America. Most heated U. S. speechmaker against Adolf Hitler nas been Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes, whose tirades pre sumably reflect White House senti ment. Long-awaited reaction against for eign entanglement took root only a month ago when congress discov ered the administration was spon soring hnilitary plane sales to France and Britain. Today the is sue of isolation is growing by leap and bound, not only as a question of foreign policy but as a political football headed for the 1940 presi dential election. In less than one late February week enough shots were fired, to constitute a definite trend: "Wicked Dictatorships." To Pitts field, Mass., went William R. Cas tle, assistant chairman of the Re publican national committee, once U. S. envoy to Japan, later a Hoover undersecretary of state. Said Mr. Castle, before a 40 and 8 (American Legion) society: "There is still so much work ... to keep this the best possible country . . . that our officials would do well to confine themselves to this task in stead of spending so much time talk ing about wicked dictatorships and the dangers of war. We certainly want none of their philosophy . . . but ... if that philosophy is what other nations want it is not for us to attempt to prevent it." Nye Again. An irreconcilable paci fist, North Dakota's Sen. Gerald P. Nye saw red when he learned of the French-British plane sales, rushed to his office and drafted a bill. Its gist: Military and naval officers could bar export of any planes de veloped in the D. S. until they de termined that the craft are not need ed exclusively at home. One reason for the bill was testi mony that Mr. Roosevelt had ig nored high military-naval officials in making the foreign deal. An other reason is Senator Nye's fear of an ultimate U. S. desire to sell planes to Germany, Italy, Japan or any other nation, thus producing a "vicious circle." Next day it be came apparent the "vicious circle" had already been created interna tionally. A member of the civil aeronautics authority reportedly told the senate military affairs com mittee that Germany was willing to sell fighting planes to?of all nations ?France. Foreign Trade. Among important loans of the federal-sponsored Ex port-Import bank was one to China for $25,000,000, financing sale of 1,000 trucks for obvious military use. Fearful lest this constituted a dan gerous commitment, congress thought twice when the Export-Im port bank?due to expire June 30? came up for two years' extension. Argued Michigan's Rep. Jesse P. Wolcott: "This bank can gat us into a situation Which may involve us in any European or Asiatic con flict . . . It is a dangerous thing to have this power lying around." Argued Ohio's Sen. Robert A. Taft: "The government shouldn't be in the export business." Passed by the house after vigorous debate, the extension bill could expect a chary reception by the senate. . REPUBLICAN CASTLE More concentration, lew chatter. Meanwhile the U. S. chamber afi commerce lilted its eyebrows over a report that 25 American industri alists would join a British-German cartel to regulate competition in world markets and offset a threat ened trade war. The state depart ment knew nothing about it and was far from enthusiastic. But?. While one branch of U. S. opinion obviously swung to isola tion, another branch stuck out its neck by virtue of a long-standing, thoroughly accepted American creed, the Monroe doctrine. Illus trating how any U. S. interest in South America leads to internation al complications in the world of 1939 were two developments: (1) The civil aeronautics authority prepared to fight German, Italian, French and Dutch air services for suprem acy in South America: (2) Dr. Raul Ribeiro, Brazilian economist, of fered U. S. capitalists a chance to invest in a mining development proj ect for his country, with possible exchange of Brazilian ore for Amer ican-made munitions. Europe All European crisis since 1930 have been started by scheming Italy and Germany. With Europe well on its way to another nervous break down scheduled for mid-March, signs now indicate that Britain and Francar?lovers of peace and the status quo, may at least be blamed ?if not responsible?for the spring crisis. Underlying every potential Euro Dean develoDment is the SDanish war, whose early termination will leave Italy free to pursue Mediter ranean territorial demands against France. This, because a Franco victory in Spain is an Italian vic tory, giving II Duce more Mediter ranean power. It would jeopardize not only France's colonies, but Brit ain's "lifeline" to the Far East. By now the Paris-London "axis" has at least three reasons to de cide on an aggressive course which may decide Europe's future: (1) Unconfirmed but persistent reports of French-Italian clashes on the Libya-Tunisia border free map) jibe with announcements that Italy's Libyan garrisons are being in creased. Tunisia is one French ter ritory specifically demanded by Italy, unofficially. Reports say Fascist troops penetrated Tunisia at a spot 25 miles southeast of the first French fortified zone, just as Italy's Marshal Pietro Badoglio visited Libya to inspect frontier forts. Meanwhile Rome reports in dicate 1,000,000 men will be under arms this spring. (2) Germany has started mobili zation for annual war games, ac companied by renewed grumblings against "war scares" by western democracies. (3) Chancellor Hitler, Premier Mussolini and Generalissimo Fran co are scheduled to meet soon for a decision on Spain's future, and, pre sumably, the future course of an enlarged European Fascism. Viewing these three developments the British parliament has approved an extra $2,000,000,000 armament appropriation, starting a new inter national munitions race which Prime Minister Chamberlain admits might "lead to the bankruptcy of every country in Europe." At the same time London has agreed on plans for an expeditionary force to help France in case of war. Mean while both London and Paris have been making desperate last-minute efforts to win Franco. German-Italian reply to these "warlike threats" will probably be to bold their troops in Spain until France grants African concessions. Thus perplexed, London and Paris must either use a whip lash, there by provoking a new crisis, or per mit the most serious blow to demo cratic prestige thus far inflicted. If they planned the latter course there would be little justification tot to day's frenzied rearmament > hrpB r o \A?? "^^gr****" ?? i \* I **% * "" J LIBYA * ? / # ("u >. j? o LIBYA AND TUNI8IA It Out the next battleground? Asia Japan's thinly veiled ambition Is to drive westerners out of China. Until this year the white man was oppressed only insofar as he" stood in the way of Tokyo's marching armies. But Japan looks covetous ly and angrily on such prosperous developments as Shanghai's inter national settlement, Britain's Hong Kong crown colony and France's Indo-China. Already Hong Kong has been isolated by Jap conquest of Canton, her gateway to China. More recently British territory along the Hong Kong-Canton rail road was bombed. Farther south Japan seized independent Hainan island despite an agreement with France. - Latest and craftiest Japanese plan is seizure of the Shanghai in ternational settlement, only non-Jap area left in the city and an unwill ing haven for Chinese guerrilla war riors. In the past 18 months 88 political murders have been com mitted there, most victims being puppet Chinese governmental of ficers in Japanese pay. Latest vic tims were Chen Lo, foreign minis ter for the Central China govern ment in Nanking, and Marquis Li Kuo-chieh, grandson of China's great statesman, Li Hung-chang. Life is cheap in the Orient and loss of a few puppets would be small for control of the Shanghai international settlement. Though backed only by rumor, there is growing belief that Chinese mur ders may have been "planted" by Tokyo as an excuse to march in and keep peace, never to leave. Whether true or not, the belief jibes with retaliatory action taken in Tokyo. Up before a turbulent meeting of the diet rose Lt. Gen. Seishiro Itagaki, minister of war, to declare he was "convinced of the necessity to take an effective meas ure of self-defense" in the interna tional settlement. Later, in extraor dinary session, the cabinet placed official approval on such action when Premier Baron Kiichiro Hi ranuma declared the terrorism "compels Japan to take fundamen tal measures to maintain peace and order." Meanwhile Premier Hiranuma could see that his newest drive to close China's open door would meet stubborn resistance. From London came bitter protest against the Hong Kong bombing. In Shanghai the international police redoubled their efforts and prepared to resist a threat on the settlement. To the south, at lazy Haiphong, Indo-China, France was angry enough to junk her Japanese agreement just as Japan had junked it, opening her gateway to supplies for China. PREMIER HIRANUMA Is International Settlement next? Business U. S. efforts to reconcile heavily taxed business have proceeded since "Uncle Dan" Roper was re placed as commerce secretary by Harry Hopkins. After initial prom ises Mr. Hopkins settled back in silence for two months of study to learn what made his heretofore in effectual department tick. Some hint of more reconciliation was contained in President Roose velt's pre-vacation remark that business need fear no more taxes. More hint was found in the speech of Secretary of War Harry Wood ring, who stepped from his mili tary shoes to tell the Democratic Women's National council that he hoped soon to see an end of "spend ing and taxing" if private business will take the initiative. Even before Secretary Hopkins left for Des Moines to make his "policy speech," Washington knew pretty well what an obviously re vitalized commerce department in tended to do. Main points in the Hopkins program; (1) Develop the heretofore unimportant business ad visory council; (2) promote re-em ployment to slash WPA rolls; (3) study taxes and their effect on busi ness; (4) attempt to succeed where the labor department had failed, in settling the feud between the Amer ican Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organiza tions. Brackart'a Washington Digest In U. S. Alone of All World Is There Real Freedom of Speech Disturbing Signs Recently Indicate All Is Not Well; Admin istration Tirades Against Press Become Frequent; Concerted Effort to Get Rid of Critics. ???? By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNIJ Service, National Free* Bid*., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON.?One of Ameri ca's greatest and most glorious tra ditions is the jealousy with which its citizens guard the right of free speech and a free press. There is no nation in the world now, and there never has been one, where such freedom for expression of opin ion is accorded as we have in the United States. For proof, if proof be needed, simply take the old atlas and examine the countries, one by one, and abundant evidence will be found. Here, alone in all of the world, can an individual or a group have its untrammeled say. There have been some signs late ly, however, that are disturbing. I do not mean to over-emphasize them by a discussion of them, but the greatest lesson that I have learned is that the American people will correct conditions, or prevent their development, if they know what the facts are and find them adverse. During the last several months, there have been frequent tirades against the press of the nation. Some of th? denunciations have come from President Roosevelt in reply to press criticism of some of his policies. Other administration spokesmen have followed the Presi dent's lead. Notably among them, and certainly the most vicious, is the secretary of the interior, Harold L. Ickes, who seems, in this in stance, to be the lord high chief verbal executioner of opposition writers and newspapers. Mr. Roosevelt's recent assertion that some newspaper owners are de liberately misrepresenting the facts and Mr. Ickes' assertion that "our newspapers are not as free as they ought to be in s democracy" con stitute serious accusations, even aft er one forgets how constantly Mr. Ickes gets out on a limb. It seems to me, therefore, that there ought to be some clarification of the situa tion. It might be asked, and prop erly, I believe, why Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Ickes do not point out those newspapers that are charged, in ef fect, as plain liars. Boake Carter is off of the air aa a news commentator. He was a se vere, and, at times, a vindictive critic of the New Deal. A former friend of the New Deal, Dr. Stanley High, recently wrote in the Satur day Evening Poet that Carter was kept out of new contracts by the administration. There have been frequent recur rences of the rumor, too, that W. J. Cameron, who speaks for the Ford Motor company, was marked by administration trouble shooters as a speaker who ought to be eliminat ed from the air waves. Mr. Cam eron continues on the air. Gen. Hugh S. Johnson, former NRA boss, is a pain in the neck for the New Deal as well, but nothing has happened to him, yet. Other rumors of the type could be mentioned, but I was asked how any body in the government would dare to interfere. The same letter asked how such ends could be achieved. A few- paragraphs earlier, I re ferred to governmental supervision, licensing, etc. Thafls the answer to the question. Any radio station gets a license for only a short pe riod. Renewal of that license de pends, according to law, upon com pliance with federal communica tions commission regulations and the law's provisions. This would seem to leave only a limited dis cretionary power. It is a case, how ever, like the army officer making an inspection of a buck private's barracks: if he wants to find dirt, be will find it Administration Soaks to Got Rid of tho Critics Now, to turn abruptly from one phase of the situation to another, attention should be directed to the recent bill introduced in the senate by Senator Wheeler, the Montana Democrat. The bill proposes re organization of the federal commu , nications commission, the agency that controls radio. Radio, of course, is the "free speech" just as the newspapers are the "free press" that is one of the guarantees of the national Constitution. There can be no doubt that the federal communications commission is shot through with dissension. There is no douty that it has de veloped one of the worst messes in government supervision of any in dustry. It is a shameful situation, and there appears to be no solution except to get rid of the bulk of the personnel, from the commissioners on down the line, until all trouble makers have been eliminated. I have written frequently in these col umns that the best law can be de stroyed by selection of bums to ad minister it; and the general ap praisal here is that the members of the federal communications com mission are a pretty sickly lot of government officials. The appoint ments the commission has made also do not constitute a list of men tal giants. Well, you ask, how does this have anything to do with President Roose velt's denunciation of the newspa pers. Where does it touch free speech that may be adverse to the New Deal administration? The answer lies in a belief, now held by a great many observers in Washington, that somewhere in the administration is a concerted effort to get rid of the critics. There is little political pressure that can be exerted upon the newspapers, be cause they will speak their views through their columns, but with the radio, government supervised, li censed, a weighty club over its head at all times, the situation is differ ent. Radio News Commentators Eliminated From Air Waves Some things have happened lately that bear recounting. Just as an I example, and to cite only one case, 1 Presidents T rutted Adviser Droits Reorganisation Bill So, to link the Rooeevelt denuncia tion ot newspapers and the Wheeler radio bill, one has only to know that Chairman Frank McNinch, the President's most trusted radio ad viser, largely drafted the Wheeler reorganization bill. That measure, it should be added, reduces the communications commission to a membership of three. There would be "administrative assistants" ap pointed for each of the major types of communication, and, thus, one individual becomes czar of radio, another of wire communication and so on. And, while the members at the commission must be named "by and with the advice and consent of the senate," the administrative as sistant may be anyone who has the necessary political pull. I repeat that the statements re lated above represent the belief of a good many persons. One of the swift changes that has taken place in this country is the switch in the attitude of the bulk of the newspapers. It will be recalled that when Mr. Roosevelt and the New Deal took over the govern ment, there were so few editorial criticisms of the President's pro gram that any outcry was negligi ble in effect. The corps of news writers who attended the President's twicce-week press conferences ac cepted his statements without equiv ocation, or without question. It was a press relationship more friendly than any other President ever had. Then, some of the New Deal ideas proved flops and editors started ask ing questions. Their Washington correspondents searched deeper than just official handouts. It was about this time that the personnel of various agencies for "press rela tions" began to undergo expansion. Once He Laughed at Them, Bat Things Have Changed A few years ago, Mr. Roosevelt dealt with the few editorial criti cisms in masterful fashion?by laughing about them. That was the attitude of most department and agency heads. But things have changed now to the extent that edi torial criticisms and unfriendly sto ries, or stories that include informa tion beyond the handouts released from government sources, become the subject for vitriolic attack from government quarters. I have no idea how long the cam paign against the press may run. It surely has plenty of momentum now, and there is plenty of money available for "press relations" work. Mr. Ickes said that the mod em newspapers can "dish it out but cannot takh it." I wonder if Mr. Ickes "can take it" after dialling it out ? Western Newspaper Union. Speaking of Sports Hagen to.Play In British Open; Plans Comeback By ROBERT McSHANE W ALTER HAGEN, a few year* ' ago regarded as one of the greatest of ail golfers, amateur or pro, emphatically declares that he is a long way from being through with tournament golf. "I'm going to play in tournaments again and I'm going over to Great Britain to take an other shot at the British open,"Hagen said. "But I'm not going to play until I feel that I am ready. When that time comes m play, and I believe I'll go as well as I ever did? that is?if I get a weather break. I'm no mudder, you know, and nothing wrecks my golf game like ram or snow during a tournament." Thousands of golf bugs will hope, though perhaps skeptically, that Hagea can make a comeback. The old master started winning tourna ments a long time ago. In U14 he woo the National Open, repeating in 1?1S. He captured the Western Open in 1S18, '21. SS, '27 and >22. In 1*1? he won the Metropolitan Open, duplicating the performance in lilt and 1Mb. And as regards another try at the British Opes, he should do all right. He's had plenty of practice, winning It far 1KB. B4, "2S and ??. The Canadian Open crown fell to him In 1K1. Hagen contracted malaria last year during a big game hunting expedition in Africa. He has had a long rest, and has regained much of his loot strength. During his re cuperation he devoted his time to designing and building new clubs. At one time he stated that he was through with tournament goH that he'd putter around the teniae In a friendly gama or two, but was through with competition. Now ho declares he made that remark In order that friends would net Insist so his pbying when he was not in shape. "Sarazen spoke the truth," he said, "when he remarked that our American courses are softened up for the tournament players. It's a fact that with greens as soft as the tournament players want them you can stop a midiron shot dead, with out fear of it rolling over." Walter Hageo Baseball Schools T'HAT comparatively new and 1 rapidly (rowing institute of ed ucation, the baseball school, seems | to be finding few backers other than faculty members and student i bodies. Indeed, there are these alert la dlvidaals who leek at the schools to anything bat a kindly light. They realise that "racket" Is a herrid word, bet haven't fennd an ade quate substitute in describing dia mond colleges. Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landia. who has some tn the game. Is known te be seeking various baseball schools blossoming la the country. For the most part, deans and pro fessors of these schools are past and present major league stars. Big names in baseball. They furnish bait for students. Entrance re quirements are very simple?almost too simple. All the student needs is enough money and the desire to become a big league star. Re quirements for the instructor are equally simple. He needs only a nation-wide reputation and the de sire for a bit of out-of-eeaaon spend ing money. It must be admitted that some sponsors really expect to find a good prospect among the run-of-the-mill aspirants at their schools. But there is real danger that the base ball school, if permitted to operate without close supervision, will be come nothing more than a racket. When the baseball bug Mtas Junior he'll probably quit his Job at the Ben Ten Soda Sheppe, withdraw his savings from the Seda Jerk era National Bank and embark for the closest college of clout. Nine times sut of tea the experience went haras him. and odds are the same that he'll be no closer te big time baseball. However, parents are be diming te matter. They don't want Janiar spending both time and nta ey trying te reach the meen, espe cially when he's neglecting the lib eral arts or hie mere mendane Job. Eddie Collins once said that abil ity to hit big league pitching was 80 par cent confidence and SO per cent natural talent All of which doesn't leave much room lor in struction. 'Hot Stove' Fuel pUEL for baseball'* "hot stoves* was furnished in abundance re cently by the National League Green Book, which contains enough information to keep arguments go ing until the diamond season is well under way. For instance. Editor Gin gleanings show that nine parks were used by the senior Circuit clubs last year, and that one player was successful in chalking up home runs in all nine. He was John Costa Rizzo, Pittsburgh's rookie ssneation who set a new Pirate record with 23 homers. Theugh Mel Ott *f the Hew Xetk Giants spread his M heme rwaa through an eight eities, he eMaiaed rates called home the laat half ef the season. Ott, incidentally. drew more thaa 'lM. Contrary to earned run and per centage caiculatiooa which darned Big Bill Lee of Chicago die eeason's lore moot pitcher, the green book shows Johnny Vander Heer of Cin cinnati was tops on tba basis of opponents' batting averages. The system evolved by Tommy Holmes, sports writer of the Brook lyn Eagle, showed that the coBao tive batting average of all players off Vander Meer was .211, while Lee's opponents hit J54. By this rating Buss Bauers of Pittsburgh and Clay Bryant of the Cube were second and third best hurlrrs. (My player Is get mere than M kits was Freak McCermick, Oa alae led to beaching them, twice clustering tve isfettss hi a single game, aad aw six ether tccatbas Paul Waner, veteran Pirate, nev er much of a slugger, moved MO the league's all time home rim lend ers on only six homers. eHe is owe of 11 player* now active in the na tional league who have hit 1M or more home runs. His 221 average placed Stanley Hack of the Cubs in company with 17 other present players who have a lifetime average of over JH, Unworried Chief JOE CASH at Chlnmlw. OMe, founder of the National football league, is one gridiron nrftlrtal who doesn't worry about his teimas at office. At a recent league nun ting Casr was re-elected president pad secre tary for 10 years by aaasteMgj vote of the club owners. Carr is unique in the Add at sports. He is one at very tew pen meter* of |MP natal athletics who hare been able te sta? with that ss tarpriaaa hag \ enough to sea than become a am rsas players trots jasan ing trots ooa dM another aad At need at an on^. ration to retulate tfaa game's rth tionship with college la the Viatel W UN to oaltetat UasaTte toMRasSato*MUtes NtoL Itoiteaa data responded. aad a teat? was HftaWL Caritr UH toaa aai George Hataa, vto teak aat fisaitesss far Graaa Bay aad Cteeage.^ iyitli?, are atoteB it i a sarvtred tea tartteN years. He entered professional athletted at If. as secretary of the Ohio State Baseball league. Two years itetei ha became the ieayue |s ishll For the nest SO years be served ae president of various minor baaafetef leagues and at one time vaa preab dent of the Columbus dob. He has never forsaken liasohal, and is stiQ |mfe prion pity active. he Carr Sport Shorts UELEN WILLS MOODY, taaaftt 11 queen, is fomf to write a tall:' ?a mystery novel with a tennis background . . . Canada holds the amateur hockey championship of the world for the third successive year, winning it at Basle. Switzerland. The Canadians were un defeated, and blanked the U. S. 4\o 0 . . . Tommy Farr, bashful Brit ish heavyweight, has confided to friends that he is engaged to an American col lege girl. Fmrr said the girl |m him ? disraond . . . Part wt l|k World's fair sports pngtMl UGH presented on Treasure Island will be 14 nights of indoor soccer . 4 ? Conny Warmderdam, SisK^H vaultir*^record with a Jump of M