North Carolina Newspapers

The Alamance gleaner . VoL LXV . GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1939 . ? . ^ Na~81 - r Weekly New? Analysis Britain Drops 6Appeasement9 But Policy Even Weaker Now By Joseph W. La Bine? l^" POLISH CORRIDOR jj^ 'h'.'iiinilMl"P"tCd ^ - ?*Pb?rweaPrnMi. RUMANIA and "mainland." Here Hitler prom ~/ RUMANIA \ ] SLA VIA > ^ Y EASTWARD THE MARCH OF EMPIRE GOES A week's supply of conquests and objectives. ? f ; rjft'iT EDITOR'S MOTE?opinions M expressed in these columns, they are those of the news analyst, and not necessarily oi the newspaper. . ? Europe ? - It la easier to hoot at a boxer from outside the ropes than within. If the average XJ. 5- citizen w?re an Englishman he would be far less critical of a. government which es chews war even If it means loss of prestige. But after eight months of a "foreign policy" which is more concerned with immediate Conven ience than permanent direction, the , most peace-loving Englishmen are now beginning to believe Prime Minister Chamberlain might have achieved greater results with no more risk by holding to a steady course. a r. From the Czech crisis last Sep tember until mid-March, Mr. .Cham berlain's "appeasement" pries grew progressively weaker as Britain and France strengthened thdir defense against possible afegreseion from Dictators Hitler and Mussolini By March 1 the two democracies were strong enough to suggest dictating terms to the Reich, whose econom ic position had grown intolerably weak. Then, overnight, all sem blance of "policy" collapsed. The events, in sequence: (1) Hitler grabbed Czechoslovakia, whose boundaries were guaranteed last autumn by France and Britain. Mr. Chamberlain said it was no concern of his. ? (2) Two days later Mr. Chamber lain suddenly whipped about-face, accusing Hitler of dishonesty and unwarranted aggression. (3) Russia, for 15 years unwel come in British circles, was asked to Join London in a pact to "con sult" in case of future German ag gression. (4) Britain reversed its course again and made no protest when Hitler occupied Memel, whose own ership by Lithuania was guaranteed tar British-French signature of the Memel statute. . (5) Britain backed down on its pact with Russia, refusing any stronger measure than the useless "consultive" treaty. The substance of these disjoined events is that Britain's "appease ment" policy has given way to no policy at all. It can well be doubted that London sincerely hoped its Rus sian overtures would have more than a temporary Jolting effect on German territorial ambitions. For Britain still wants nothing to do with , Moscow; in fact, the fondest Tory hope is that Germany and Russia will eventually lock horns, fighting out the issue of Naziism versus Communism to the ruin of both. Congress Europe's Czechoslovak and Me mel crises (? EUROPE) have brought quicker, more definite re action in the U. 8. than most people . realize. Last January, when Presi dent Roosevelt made timid sugges tions that the present neutrality law Should be changed, a terrific up roar ensued. The same uproar re turned when he asked a special . $3*8,000,000 defense appropriation a few weeks later. But the new Euro pean situation has brought a re markable show of inter-party soli darity, admittedly temporary, but strong enough to give France and Britain a strong moral support and warn Reichsfuehrer Hitler that he im npt wanted on the western hemi sphere: - .?). Undersecretary of State Sum ner Welles received both Democrat , ic and Republican praise (or his diplomatic protest against Hitler's seizure of Czechoslovakia. (2). Neutrality legislation expiring May 1 permits "cash and carry" sale to belligerents of anything but war materials. Nevada's Sen. Key Pittman has asked that munitions be placed on the allowed list. Utah's Sen. Elbert Thomas would give the President power to designate an ag gressor nation and forbid shipments to it. (3). Washington's Sen. Homer T. Bone bas offered, with bi-partisan support, a bill to tax profit out of war. The plan: Greatly increased tax rates would be imposed in case of cpnflict, lowering exemptions and imposing surtaxes on highest brack ets ranging up to 93 per cent for individuals. Corporations would be taxed 100 per cent on net incomes over 0 per cent of their adjusted declared value. White House How to raise U. S. price levels is one of the administration's biggest problems. Republican lAymen, and many Democrats, contend a re trenchment of federal spending would do the trick. But the White House places more faith In Marrlner S. Eccles. federal reserve chairman, and Sen. Key Pittman, Nevada sil ver advocate. Even these two "doc tors" find themselves at odds, how ever. Daring a recent public debate they outlined these two opposing paths to the coveted price level. PMtmsn. Favors currency infla tion, "since government billions POTMAN (LEFT) AND ECCLE8 Tha doctors did ma* agraa. have completely failed to raiae the price levek" Believes federal re serve board's periodic increases and decreases in reserve requirements have had a bad effect on business. Eeeles. Against currency infla tion. Partially agrees it would help raise price levels, but fears new money would not be put to use. "Lack of opportunity to get a profit is the principal impediment to re covery today." Whether the White House could pull a definite monetary program from such an exchange of theories is doubtful. But there are indica tions that the ideas of Mr. Eccles, famed advocate of spending, hold favor. President Roosevelt told his press conference that he jefuses to cut U. S. spending until private en terprise guarantees Jobs. Neither will he favor repeal of "deterrent" taxes, apparently, for he has mildly denounced advocates of a slash in the federal budget. But since ICr. Eccles is on record as favoring gov ernment action to "remove impedi menta to die encouragement of pri vate capital," White House anil Co des do not jibe. .. ... Ssi. *.1. Politics Smart politicians never count chickens before they hatch. But nei ther do astute political observers forget that it is a nigh-well impossi ble job to bounce a favorite from the saddle. Although more than a year remains before Republican and Democratic parties hold their nomi nating conventions, New York's Re publican District Attorney Tom Dewey and Texas' Democratic Vice President John Nance Garner have emerged definitely as men of the hour. Garner. Sometimes disgustingly independent to President Roosevelt, the vice president has led a power ful Democratic revolt this session of congress and today controls approx imately as many house and senate votes as the White House. Though 70 years old, he holds the favor of Emil Hurja, astute party analyst who has indicated there is little chance Garner can be bounced from favor in 1940. ?Unpredictable as his father, Tex as' Elliott Roosevelt gave politicians a puzzle by announcing that Mr. Garner is "in the driver's seat, well in the lead as a likely Democratic candidate for the presidency in 1940." That Son Elliott holds White House favor for this remark is se riously doubtful. Franklin Roose velt prefers not to run again in 1940 but will do so unless the party ac cepts another man who will and can t-.oa ud U.it LrJi. .j. . ELLIOTT HOOSEVELT Garner in the driver's sent. carry out hia New Deal philosophy. John Garner would not be apt to da this. Dewey. New York's district at torney lost the governorship to pop ular Herbert Lehman by lea than 1 per cent of the popular vote last fall, but the mere fact that he lost? and that a few weeks earlier his case against James Hines had been tossed from court?cost Mr. Dewey much popularity. But since last No vember old guard Republicans haye dropped from the picture. More over, able men like Michigan's Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg have shown disinclination to run. Realizing a candidate must be found soon, G. O. P. voters have unofficially settled on Dewey since he "came back" to convict Hines on the rackets con spiracy charge. Whereas a mid February poll by the American In stitute of Public Opinion gave Dew ey only 27 per cent of the popular Republican vote, a month later he had jumped to 90 per cent. Headline? COL. VLADIMAK 8. HDRBAN Though ? Slovak, and although Hitler haa made Slovaks inde pendent at Czechs, Col. Hurban has so much dislike tor Germany and Hungary, and ao much pride in the lata Cxecbo alovak nation, that he refused to surrender the Czech legation in Washington to the German ambas sador. Born in the Carpathian mountains, h e knew Magyar op- Col. Vladimar press ion as a 8. H or ban child. Becoming a soldier, he went to Russia 30 years ago to accept a professor ship in the czar's war college. When the World war broke out he and 70,000 other Czechs Joined the Russian army. During the revolution these Czechs made their historic movement to Vladi vostok, where the group collected funds to send Hurban to Washing ton. There be Joined Dr. Thomas Masaryk in founding the Czech nation. After the government was established he returned to Washington as Czech military at tache, later going to Egypt as charge d'affaires, to Sweden as minister, and in 1990 back to Washington as minister. His greatest accomplishment here was consummation of the Czech U. S. trade treaty last year, now abrogated under Hitler's "protec torate" regime. Brackart's Washington Digest Official Washington Is Watching Events in Europe With Uneasy Eye State Department Voices Disgust of American People at Hitler's Dastardly Actions; Our National Resources Of War Materials Should Be Developed. By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNU Service, National Pre" Bid*., Washinrton. D. C. WASHINGTON. ? Obviously, offl cial Washington, as indeed the whole world, has been watching what has been going on in Europe in the last few weeks. They have been watch ing with more uneasiness, more gen uine fear, how Hitler has been ex panding the Reich, seizing, crush ing, stealing, new territory, subju gating new peoples, as his insane ambition leads him on and on. Those charged with official responsibility have watched because there can be no mistake about the dangers in herent in this wild remaking of the map of the world. Our government has had the cour age to speak out, through its depart ment of state. It has said the Hitler action in overpowering the peoples of Europe, the minority races, is a dastardly thing. There was noth ing else that could be done about it Secretary Hull and Under Secretary Welles, of the department of state, have left no doubt in the minds at other nations, however, that we, as a people, are angry about what Sut ler has done. But again: we can do nothing more than protest because the United States has no business going to war over some other na tion's troubles. But while our state department has been getting on record with its disgust, and there has been a great to-do about strengthening our na tional defense just in case trouble would break out and involve us, Washington bureaucrats and some selfish elements in congress have been foiling correction of our great est weakness. President Roosevelt has used his most patriotic voice to force action by congress in develop ment of airplanes for defense, in construction of new battle boats and has moved strongly for production of equipment, guns, and the like. Strategic War Material* That Mutt Be Developed But with all of this hullabaloo, we have not heard nor seen any plans for development of our national de posits of raw materials which are used in the stock pile of war re sources. It might not be so impor tant were it not a fact that a score or more of these materials have to be imported. I regret the necessity for being so bold, but it is proper to say that our war and navy de partments have advanced not a sin gle program, or even a thought, as to how this nation could gain cer tain raw materials if we were to be involved in a war that would cut off importation of them. The war department has prepared a list of some of these "strategic war materials" and it has listed some at the most important, such as nickel, tin, manganese, nibber, etc. That is as far as it has gone. It is true, and the swivel chair officers will stress the fact, that con gress passed a law a few years back that was designed to encourage American production of these essen tials. It was called, popularly, the buy-American act. It even went so far as to afford authority for pay ment of premiums, up to tS per i cent above foreign quotations, in or ' der that American capital would go I to work here on those usenlisli. But has anything resulted from it? The records answer, no. A congressional committee also lately has answered "no" by draft ing another bill to encourage pro duction in the United States of these war essentials. The house commit tee on military affairs has reported ! a bill which Chairman May hopes will do the work, but even Chairman May is doubtful of its success. He is doubtful because, as he said. When the bureaucrats in the executive branch of the government do not want to encourage domestic produc tion, they simply sit in their chairs and swing their feet back and forth. Official* Unwilling to Learn From Other Nation* Those fellows in the executive de partments apparently are unwilling to learn from other nations either. I came into possession of a docu ment, for example, that made a con fidential report to the national emer gency council more than a year ago. It told that the British government had stored in warehouses enough nickel and tin tor a three years supply to be used by industries man ufacturing war materials. This was done by the British government, not withstanding the tact that London is the seat of the great International Nickel corporation which owns the .1 . . largest nickel mines in the world and does 88 per cent of the world's trade in nickel. The British thought it was wise to have the essential ma terial available, when and if needed, and it had that conviction even with the largest nickel mine known now located on British territory ,at Suds worth, Ontario, Canada. Further, according to that report, the British were unwilling to leave the main nickel refinery on United States soil. It was moved to a Ca nadian spot where, according to the report, it would be "out of dis tance of any long range guns." The British royal commission which made the study added that while they and the United States are friendly and none can see any rea son for that friendship ever to be tdisturbed, "no man can forecast the I future M "The shortage of nickel," said the report, "might be a weakness ef ficient to determine the issue of a war." I discussed this question of war essentials with various members of the house?Representative Murdoch of Arizona, Representative Francis Case of South Dakota, Representa tive Scrugham of Nevada, among others. To a man they said that the will of congjess was, b*ii?g thwarted by bureaucrats who are unwilling to encourage American industry. Mr. Scrugham, for instance, a former governor of his state and a mining man, told how t??g,bureau of mines same agency has found no I'fMOU to encourage American * develop manganese deposits in the United States. Mr. Case has been trying to get congressional action cm measures to get some use of the metal da posits af South Dakota. Plaadr far Money to Droolop Mineral Raaomreaa Mr. Murdoch, also a mining man, made s pies on the floor of the house the other day for congress to provide some money enabling real istic procedure with respect to our unknown and undeveloped metal resources?so that we would know in case of war, if for no other rea 8011. "Since my school boy days," said Mr. Murdoch in house debate. "I have been told that Alaska is a treasure house of natural wealth and economic resources. 1 believe we have been and are overlooking that fact in our dealing with that far off corner of our country. I feel that we ought to develop those resources; we ought to know more about them." j . Mr Murdoch's statement causes me to ask the question: since it is our national policy (at present, at jsast) to spend billions of dollars under the guise of making work, why not designate some few of the mil lions for worthwhile national devel opment T Reference was made the other day to testimony given two years ago before the senate finance commit tee I looked it up and found that the late Francis P. Garvan. then president of the chemical founda tion, had caused an investigation to be made of Alaskan metal re eourcca. The report brought la by , Wisconsin university professor, who did the searching and digging on the ground, makes one wonder what undercurrent of Influence has prevented the development of metal claims, such as nickel end tin, up there. Very few of the national leg islators knew of the testimony. Baying far Baamroaa Waald Start Brand Nam Indaetrma In my conversations among Rocky Mountain congressmen, I could not avoid the conclusion that capital funds held in the United States will not be put to work on such thingi without some encouragement from in Washington. I know that some representatives and senators are of the opinion that the federal government ought to offer to buy these war eeaentials here and disre gard foreign sources. They believe that a commitment to buy for re serves, if made by the federal gov ernment. would start brand new to dustries going to many, maw ports of the United States. An of the while, however, we have the bureau of mines and the war department rif ting back and making it hard tor Americans to develop America. Speaking of Sports Yanks Happy As Di Maggio Settles Down ? Bj ROBERT McSHANE THE Joe Di Maggio who went into x training with the New York Yankees this spring isn't quite the same lad who was so completely and enthusiastically booed from one end o( the American league circuit to the other last season. For one thing, Joe is working harder than ever this spring. A great natural athlete and an out standing performer, he is just be ginning to realize the gravity of his last year's mistake.' A review of the unusual situation highlights Joe's errors of finance and diplomacy, la 19M, at which time he had been ia the league for only two years, the late Cat Jacob Bap pert of the Yankees boosted Di Mag gie's salary to <25,fiM. Joe demand ed 115,MO more, and refused to re port to training camp until a satis factory contract (to him) had been signed, sealed and delivered. That didn't make the colonel hap py. He felt that he had met Di Maggio more than half way, and if the youngster couldn't see it that way it was his tough luck. Ruppert JOE DI MAGGIO told Joe very pointedly that he would take $29,000 or ctay out of baseball. Joe proceeded to adviae the colo nel on eeveral points, which advice was reviewed at length in sports pages throughout the nation. Some of his utterances were no doubt ex aggerated, and perhaps some were garbled deliberately for the sake at a good story. Then when be did fully sign the proffered contract he was thorough ly based every tine he venter ed am the playing feid. It was a lang. uphill straggle to get bask late the goad graces of baseball fans, la fact, it wasn't anta late in the sea sea that the baseban-levtag pobUe began te regard Una as anything bat a menace. The change cane when he began to threaten Faxx for batting chanptonship honors. This year the Pacific coast idol signed in a hurry. He was ooe of the first to report, and ooe of the hardest workers on the practice field. His entire attitude is changed ?and for the better. Fans will be quick to forget last year's unpleasant incident. And this is as it should be. Joe would much sooner play baseball than clip cou pons. His heart is in the game, and he realizes that even the beat ball players wage a never-ending war to stay on the top. New Major Sport D OWUNG as a major high school u sport was given a healthy boost recently when Chicago schools voted to sward major sports letters to youths participating in active com petition. To bowling enthusiasts this was an important step, though by no means did Chicago establish a precedent. There are already high school leagues from Brooklyn to Beverly Hills, Calif., and from Minneapolis to Houston, Texas. Its importance is due to the fact that 10,000 Chicago prep school boys and girls are now competing in league play. As mach or more than any other sport, bowling Is the Ideal "carry over" recreation. A student eaa con tinue te bowl for exercise, fan and good fellowship for the rest of Ms or her life. The majority ef sports facilities hard te obtain.0' One of the game's most admirable features is that it allows for maxi mum participation. It calls for no unusual physical attributes and a scientific system of handicapping makes all prep bowlers equal. Because it is a logical sport fat popular participation, interest in M#i school bowling leagues will grow rapklly. . , . .V. .?? Derby Winners JTDWARD R. BRADLEY, whom horses have accounted for four Kentucky Derby victories since 1021, has nominated only one horse?Ben- ' efactor?in his attempt to win his v fifth Churchill Downs event. Six other owners, who have seen their horses win the Kentucky Derby in other years, will try to duplicate the performance when the race is held Hay f. Bradley's previous victories were scored in 1021 by Behave Yourself, in 1026 by Bubbling Over, in 1032 by Burgoo King, and in 1033 by Broker's Tip. Mrs. Payne Whitney's Twenty Grand won the 1031 Derby. This year she has nominated Equilibri um, Hash, One By One, Toll and Toes and Third Degree. , . , j Gala Hour and Beak Plate wB represent the Mrs. John Berts sta bles this year, and sheer ?iss are net too optimistic for them. They win attempt to follow in the foot steps of Heigh Count, who won tho tU? Derby and from durtagt?th^Te tUa** OW* sive as twoyssr aids. War Admiral, famous horse owned by Samuel Riddle, carried off top honors in dm Derby at 1337. This year Riddle has nominated Get Off, were few. Ral Parr, wfaoae Paul loose wan the lW evsnt, will be iipnamled by Eboaita, sou at Flying Ebony, 1925 winner. Winner at the recent Flamingo stakes at Hialeah Park. Technician win represent Herbert M. MTi stable. Lawrin, Technician's atn blemate, woo the Flamingo stakes last year and from then went up to win the Darby victory. Both horses are sons at Inam Speed King JOHNNY BORIC AN, Byaas jl J ?rt student at CiUanbta mi? city, is one of the most ainaaiu track discoveries at the put dec ade. The young Negro has chaftad op three official and ooa aaflcU la a reeeal l.M*-yaid race Jataay te"tL"Sarfci** mi u'mbSS claimed^a fahe^fltartJwd^baea^mads Be eiiatimj But. ^ His rise to raternational ? ' t fame ?ma imwlme the tutelage at A. W. Wisner, head at an ritniaa. N. J., athletic dub. Pntfl tha pentathlon, and didn't Cat* toe van centered his interest m tha Mfr yard and the 1,000-yand events. tried the mile Cunningham beat him over the mile route, hot Boikta has twice beaten Glenn at MM yards. As yet Borican lacks the necessary ?idurance. Sport Shorts f!n? TUNNEY caM ?M tan u m retard to the peofwed 4m Louia-Taoy Galen to fight: "There'? booitooay migru be killed, end K won't be UAT Grime*, veteran ben ????? think* that sign stealing is dan gerous (tuff. He says the better get* set, end it the tip is wrong h* has no chance to duck . . . Den African champ, recently ran 300 yard* he ? 30% aaconds . . . The Canadian open and cloned tennis tournaments ??. for 1030 will be bald in Vancouver, I July M-30 ... Tommy Gibbons. ?' former lighter and present sheriff of Ramsey county, Minn., is chairman i at the St. Paul committee which hopes to land the 1000 American . Bowling Congress tournament J3 . . . European chess masters will hold an toternatiooal chess tourna- ?' maot in Stuttgart. Germany, In May . . . Whan Dave O'Brien was star ring (or a Dallas high s. hool ele