North Carolina Newspapers

THE ALAMANCE GLEANER i* it - | T-'vtri ?' VoL LXV GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1939 No. 11 Weekly News Analysis ;? Axis Adopts 6Confusion9 Plan To Force More Concessions By Joseph W. La Bine? EDITOR'S NOTE?Wbtn opinions art txprtssed ia thtat columns, tbty art tboaa of tbt newt analyst, and not ntctaaarily of tha ntwspaptr. Europe -t- Almost forgotten by war-mad Europe this month has been little Albania, whose conquest by Italy really started the cauldron boiling. While Benito Mussolini quietly made the tiny Balkan state part of King Victor Emmanuel's monarchy, Eu rope became a frantic checkerboard of moves and countermoves in which harried France and Britain seemed badly outmaneuvered. Biggest news came from the Balkans, where democracies concentrated on Gre cian friendship while Premier John Metaxas quavered under threats of Axis invasion if he continued hob nobbing with Britain. Finally, al GREECE'S METAXA8 ^ Britain ummic* Italy oven mi ear. though British Prime Minister Chamberlain offered a weak "guar antee" of protection to Greece and Italy, Premier Metaxns took pains to proclaim joyfully that Italy prom ised to respect the Greek frontier. This, he said, symbolized a "new period of Itsjian-Grefk relations," but it was merely. Symbolic of how lesser European states, one by one, are bowing to the Axis rather than accept British "protection." By mid-April the post-Albanian crisis had subsided but another was plainly in the offing. Newly strengthened, Italy and Germany are expected to jab soon at any of 20 possible points, confusing the democracies so badly that all dic tator demands will be granted. Among possible attack points: Spain. The civil war is over but Italian troops are still arriving in defiance of the Italo-British Mediter ranean pact. The excuse is a "vic tory parade" on May 2, but shrewd old Field Marshal Heqri Petain, whom France named.fts first envoy to Burgos, has returned in disgust to explain that he itas sndbbed and treated insolently, and that General Franco is a tool fof the Axis. If this is true, Italy or Germany could attack France's southern border, British Gibraltar or French Algeria from bases in Spain Mediterranean. Gaining nothing by howling for French Tunisia in northern Africa, Italy has changed I 1 her tactics, reverting to silence. But several German troop trains have passed through Italy bound for Italian Libya, potential operations base for a Tunisian campaign. Balkans. Italo-German thrusts converge here, focused on Rumania, Greece and Turkey. Docile tools of the Reich, Hungary and Bulgaria have massed troops on Rumania's border, threatening to strike if King Carol gets too friendly with Britain. Yugoslavia is neutralized, surround ed by Hungary, Bulgaria and Al bania. From the latter point, and from Rhodes other of the Dodecanese group, Italy could strike at either Greece or Turkey. Northeast Europe. Poland, fearful of invasion yet jealous of her inde pendence, risks German invasion from north and west as the price for a military pact with Britain. Also to the north are Lithuania, Lat via and Estonia, tools of the Reich and potential points of invasion into Poland. Likely sources of trouble here are Danzig, which seeks an nexation by Germany, and the Po lish corridor. Western Europe. Mysterious Ger man troop movements have brought reinforcements on both sides of Bel gian, Swiss, Dutch and Danish fron tiers, any of which might be crossed in a brisk German coup. Result. Though forced by public opinion to stiffen, Mr. Chamberlain's government still hopes to woo Italy from the Axis and make peace by appeasement. Mr. Chamberlain will not declare war, which is the only alternative to a stronger foreign pol icy if the government would remain in power. This failing, parliament has become so hostile that Anthony Eden, ex-foreign minister, is an ex cellent bet to succeed Mr. Cham berlain when the next crisis arrives. Domestic In New York marine underwriters boosted war risk insurance. The treasury announced $385,434,000 in gold fled to the U. S. in March, while $49,000,000 more arrived in two mid-April days alone. At Rome, Mussolini Mouthpiece Virginio Gay da wrote in a caustic editorial for his Giorpale d'ltalia: "The United States should heed timely advice before those European nations (Italy and Germany) which have been chosen as targets by America, are forced to occupy themselves in the same spirit with American internal affairs." Back in Washington from Warm Springs, where he had prom ised to return next fall "if we don't have a war," President Roosevelt heard two cabinet officers (Hull and Morgenthau) warn that a European war is likely unless effective curbs are placed on Nazi-Fascist threats to the world economic structure. What his seemingly casual remark ' . . r * ?" '' intended, the President later ex plained was that "we" meant not the U. S., but western civilization. While a Gallup poll was reporting that 65 per cent of the U. S. popula tion favored boycotting German made goods, congress was busy cre ating a foreign trade program that would fight the Reich with Its own weapon, namely, barter. Its gist: The U. S. would trade wheat and cotton surpluses for such strategic materials as tin and rubber. Since neither Italy nor Germany can fur nish tin and rubber, the U. S. would be joining the Stop Hitler bloc eco nomically by dealing primarily with Britain and the Netherlands. More over the move would jibe with "cash and carry" neutrality?being debated simultaneously in the sen ate?because the barter plan would give "nations which have control of the seas" access to American sup plies as provided by the controver sial Pittman resolution. Britain and Prance are those nations. Taxation Time waa when the ambitious U. S. mother wanted her eon to be a banker. But nowadays the hand that counts money keeps far less of it. Today's ambitious mother should tu tor her son (or daughter) to enter the motion picture industry. At Washington, the house ways and means committee received its an nual list of top flight U. S. wage earners and their salaries for 1937, disclosing that Movie Magnate Louis B. Mayer led the pack with $1,396, 503 ($1,161,753 as production execu tive for Loew's, Inc., $134,750 as vice president or Metro Goldwyn - Mayer). Second place went to Loew President 3. Robert Rubin, $651, 123; third. Publisher William Randolph Hearst, $500,000; fourth, Loew's N. M. Schenck, $489,602. Of 63 salaries top ping $200,000, an even 40 were report ed by movie work ore H l shoot Louis B. Mayer cinema star: Greta Garbo, $472,499. Highest paid radio star: Uaj. Ed ward Bowes. $427,817. Highest paid industrialist: International Business Machines' Pres. Thomas J. Watson, $419,398. One consolation for bread-and-but ter workers is that the more a man makes, the more he pays the gov ernment. Sample: More than $800, 000 of Louis Mayer's $1,296,803 prob ably went out in federal taxes. On net incomes of $80,000, the govern ment gets 17.7 per cent, or $8,869; on $1,000,000 it gets 67.9 per cent, or $679,044. Often heaped atop this levy is a. state income tax, like New York's, which ranges from 2 per cent of the first $1,000 taxable income to 7 per cent of all taxable income over $9,000. Pan America In late March Argentine oflfcials reputedly discovered that Nazi agents were undermining their coun try. Papers unexpectedly printed a facsimile of the letter Germany's Buenos Aires embassy had written to the Berlin foreign office, saying: "We are able to annex Patagonia." Hardly willing to surrender a rich, unworked section comprising one third of Argentina's territory, police dug for dirt, soon discovering a well organized chain of Nazi centers di recting the work of German agents , throughout the nation. Alfred Muller, chief agent, was arrested and charged with plotting agaifist the state's security. More raidi in land disclosed more Nazi commu nities, and after three weeks' prob ing it became evident Germany had probably committed a blundering tactical mistake. Reasoning: Alone among the larger South American nations, Ar gentina has favored German barter commerce. The rest of Other America has eschewed it, knowing that Nazi political and military agents work hand in hand with Nazi tradesmen. Having discovered a Nazi threat to its security, Argen tina is already clamping down on German imports, ready to Join her neighbors in a solidarity declaration. Thus the Patagonian incident fits perfectly with President Roosevelt's often-experienced dreams of Pan American unity. Meanwhile, several th oils and miles away, Ecuador is worrying over the chance that Germany may seize the strategic Galapagos is lands, which lie 1,000 miles south west of Panama, and which Cali fornia's Rep. Edward V. Izak re cently wqpted the U. S. to purchase as a naval base. Aviation Soma 4,100 miles southwest of San Francisco and 3,390 miles northeast at Australia, Just south of the equa tor, are Canton and Enderbury is lands, the former named for a Mas sachusetts whaler wrecked there in 1894. Both islands went officially unclaimed until March, 1038, when President Roosevelt saw them as a vital link in U. S. defense and a log ical base for trans-Pacific aviation. When Great Britain disputed the claim it was announced last August that both countries would use the is lands for commercial aviation, but not until recently was a formal treaty signed. Its 90-year provisions: U. S. and British administrators will reside there, exercising powers to be determined by consultation; American interests will build an air port, to be used by British aircraft in return for a fee. Pacific aviation is boomed by the pact, for Canton and Enderbury lie only 1,890 miles from Hawaii, direct ly on the route a ship would take to Sydney. Australia. Canton boasts a quiet lagoon nine miles long and three miles wide, ideal for planes. But aviation to the contrary, many a congressman was dubious when asked to ratify the Reason: If Britain were involved in war, an attack on British piupeily in the Pa might tofct the U. S. to the islands, thereby getting its own feet In the International puddle. Bruckart't Washington Digest Time Has Come to Pay the Fiddler New Tax Sources Must Be Found Supreme Court Decision Opens Way to Tap Salaries of Federal, State and Local Government Employees; Never Has Nation Had Such Gigantic Debt. By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNC Service, National Press Bldg., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON.?Court decision* as a rule are difficult things lor lay merj to understand. True, moat ev eryone who hears or reads an opin ion by a learned justice will know what the result is?whether one side or the other wins. But, generally speaking, the public as a whole fails to understand the full importance of a decision. It is not their fault. Comparatively few persons are trained in law, and a good many of those only believe themselves to be lawyers. For that reason, as well as the fact that many persons do not have the time or the opportunity to exam ine court decisions, I have been won dering whether it is clear exactly what happened when Mr. Justice Stone recently tead the decision in the case involving taxation of fed eral and state employees. No doubt, most persona realized that Justice Stone had ruled there can be taxa tion of the salaries of federal employ ees by state governments and that the federal government may tax the salaries of state officials and employ ees and employees of lesser govern ments like cities and counties. But there is more to the ruling than the simple statement just made, very much more, 1_?i? As a matter of fact, I believe that those who were privileged to listen to Justice Stone that day heard an opinion that is going to go a long way in changing the course of gov ernment from the federal govern ment down to the lowliest township. I think frankly that it will be sev eral years before the full force and effect of thkt decision will be ex erted, both nationally and locally, but I am definitely convinced that it will be felt and that it will have Im portant effects upon governmental policies. And beyond that, the decision told another story. It told the story that our national, state and local govern ments are hard up for tax sources. It actually shouted to all who would listen: boys and girls, your spending dance is over; now, it's time to pay the fiddler. Never Before Hat the Nation Had Such a Gigantic Debt It can not be construed otherwise. Never before in our history has the nation had such a gigantic debt, a debt of more than 40 billion dollars. Never before have the states or the cities or the counties had such debts, where their state constitutions per mit creation of debt, as they have | today. I do not know of anyone who can give accurate figures on the debts of governments of states, cit ies, and counties. It is a tremendous sum. They have danced, and they, too, must pay their fiddler. In the lush days when most folks were working and there was good business, the taxes rolled in and there was little or no thought about spending money for new roads, new post offices, new county courthouses; new city halls, new bridges and so en. Money was spent rather lib erally in those days. There were bonds sold, and the proponents cam paigned for bond issues m a big way. They said, in effect, "Aw come on and vote these bonds. We can pay them off over 20 years and the little teeny added tax won't hurt." It probably did not hurt, in those days. But there came the depression and there came 10 mil lion men out of work, and there came the worst business in a half century. Then, that teeny little bit of tax did hurt The taxpayers weren't paying taxes, because they had no money to pay them. There was, however, a debt. The destitute had to be fed and clothed. First, the local authorities did K; then the states and then the days at the real dance began. Billions upon billions were poured out of the fed eral treasury to be used for feed ing and clothing and housing those whom the states and cities had cared for, but could care for no longer. And up zoomed the national debt. It was about 16 billions to start with because only 9 billions of the World war debt had been paid off. Since the taxes were not bring ing in enough money, the federal treasury borrowed and borrowed some more. Note, They re Seeking Money To Pay Their Fiddler* Now, the time has come to begin paying off the debts. The states end the cities and the counties have been looking for money to pay their fiddler*. The national government has been looking for money to pay its fiddlers. Each unit of government has had to look around for new spots, new things, to tax. Taxes are as high as can be regarded as productive in many of the usual ways of taxation. So, where shall we turn? was the question. President Roosevelt has believed for a long time that it was rather gilly that officers and employees of the federal government should'not be taxed by their home states. He has believed, too, that the federal government should have the right to tax the income of those who were held to be exempt from income tax ation because they worked for a State government, or city govern ment or a county government, or some agency of those governments. Likewise, Mr. Roosevelt has con tended that- income from federal bonds and income from bonds issued by state and local governments and school districts and drainage dis tricts and irrigation districts should be taxable. He has thus far been unable to accomplish anything in this direction, and the matter was not before the court. It, therefore, . did net figure in Justice Stone's opin ion. Sometime, such taxation may be brought about. I hope so, any way, because it is a proper subject of taxation, it seems to me. But to get down to another direct result of the Stone ruling which, by the way, was supported by seven of the nine justices of the highest court, Pay at Federal Employee* Tax Exempt faf 69 Years For the last M years, the pay of any federal official or employee could not be taxed tn any form by any state or local government. Of course, there/ was no income tax during most at that time, either na tional or state, and during most of that time, as well, there was not the press for government revenue that now obtains. But, to repeat, for 00 years state or local governments could not touch the pay of a fed eral worker, nor could the federal government touch thy pay of a state or city or county worker, even after the federal government turned to in come taxes as a revenue source. Some Judge, somewhere, sometime, had said the Constitution prevented it. It eras just taken for granted. All of that now has been changed, hosrever, and if the pay of a county judge is sufficient to fall within the federal tax brackets, he will pay. It will be the seme with everyone from the governor on down and from the mayor on down. It will be the same with federal officials and other federal employees stationed or liv ing within a state that imposes in come taxes en US residents. No one has yet calculated how much additional tax will be obtained by the federal government as a re sult of the decision. What tttact Will Additional Tax; Havm an JabhaUan? Very important alao, in my opin ion, is the effect this additional tax will have upon the mind at the Job holder. You know, a Jobholder very frequently is most willing, even anx ious, to spend the taxpayers' money. It is one way by which be can curry favor, make votes for himself. I have a feeling that many of those Jobholders are going to stop and think a wee bit more. Re may pos sibly stop to think how much it will take out of his pocketbook. That ought to be helpful, because it ought to reduce the number of flannel mouths going about the county or district, shouting for another bond issue before the ink on the last one gets dry. One of the results, there fore, possibly may be to cause that type of public official and advocate of "improvement" to favor living within the income of tax receipts. To make it complete, now, we ought to have the same kind of re ciprocal taxation of income from federal bonds and bonds issued by state and local governments and their agencies. Mr. Roosevelt has said he believes these can be taxed ?that is, those to be issued in the future?under present laws. Same very flne legal minds in congress believe, on the other hand, that cre ation of such a taxing right win re quire amendment of <he Constitu tion. In any event, Jt ought to be done for the good of the country. Speaking of Sports Baseball Color Most Powerful Drawing Card By ROBERT McSHANE THOUGH baseball officials are * prone to boast that the game is efficiently organized, professional and businesslike, still it is beyond their earthly powers to subdue those unconquerable souls who, by their odd antics, add vivid color to Amer ica's own game. Baseball color isn't confined to the players. One of the best known figures of the diamond world today is Bill Klein, the "Old Arbitrator." Klem Is the dean of an major league umpires, with mere than M years continuous service tn big league cir cuits. He has called 'em for no less than 17 World series. He is a once declared that he had never made an incorrect decision. "Nary a one, Ml?" demanded "Nary a one!" he replied stoutly. The famed "Klem line" is the real Maginot line of the Old Arbi trator's defenses against outraged baU players. When an argument WIJ. rim with a player reachea the white-hot stage and threatens actual hostili ties, Bill Klem makes his line. With his right toot he draws a real os imaginary line on the ground be tween himself and the player. Then he backs away. There is not one player in the major leagues who has ever dared to cross that line. "Baseball color" is clearly data able in the ease of Klem, whose maa nerisms are mostly sneaaseioos. the aceam slated personality af M odd years la the game, la the ease at Joe Eagel the color Is a boot as alarm are. Joe Eagel is the whoop 'em-op manager of the Chattanooga I ash cuts at the 8oothern associa tion. Bagel's idea is that baseball ' Is just not baseball unless the grand staads aad bleachers are Ml at thundering, shrieking (aas. Baseball Circus Engel fills the stands by using everything except warrant officers and summonses. Among other things he has staged elephant parades across the diamond, hired brass bands and handed out free lunches to get spectators tor the Lookouts. TKa paffg.tA.riehd? aneld a/Ma aaL or to almost any ball player. Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees is high in the gallery of young men who walked in the footstepe of Ruth and Tria Speaker. The slugging Yank star is not yet a rich man, but he's well on his way. His pres ent salary is $39,000 a year. Joe DiMaggio is the son of a San Fran fisherman. They Keep Fighting Mere eften than est the coterfal player Is the aggressive, pugma eleas Mhridnal whs pets Me heart M Ms werfc and makes evaryhedy on Ms side tt the held keep np with Mm. Gabby Hartaett is the* Med ef a^pUyer. 8e is Llppy Lee Ds Gabby is a geed hitter aad a great eateher. b addition to that he la a noisy, Jovial Ire-eater, always ea Ms tees aad wiMag te pad every thing he has late eaeh game. Durocher has bean in the big leagues steadily since 1838. His batting average approximates only .MO. Yet he's been on top for more than 10 years because of his ability to make himself important He talked, scrapped and played with un limited pep. He made himself valu able because he made himself col orful. A colorful player isn't necessarily a crackpot The players who really tickle the fans' risibilities are those who refuse to bo regimented. *??* that doesn't imply even mild in sanity. Who's the Best? TODAY'S ring addicts can be A segregated into three groups: Those who believe Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis to be e good fighter, those who think him a great fighter, and those who believe him to be the greatest fighter at all time. Several af the nation's netstsad tag boxing authorities are untbasI as tie enough about the Brows Bomber to regard him not only as today's best fighter, but as the king af them all, past and present. Those same sports authorities will find many to disagree with them. And the dissenters are bold enough to say that Louis isn't even the greatest fighter in the ring today. They bade that statement up with cold, convincing logic. Henry Armstrong is their chstee. Henry's recent knsrknni victory over Davey Day at Madisen Square Garden was his sixth successful de fense of his welterweight title ia the 1* months that have pataed since hn teak the toga fast* Barney Jtoes. It was ^^Jo^^tftt^nmartdive Armstrong won all three Uttaa in the course of a year, feUodtdahiiig one voluntarily. Day wes his thirty ninth knockout in the string of fights. That record stacks up very favor ably with the one hung up by Louie. In one way it is even more impres sive than the heavyweight's wring of victories. Armstrong has gooe out of his own weight class to no count for many of his wins. When he conquered all contenders in the featherweight field he abdicated, moving into the lightweight circles, where he removed the lkfijysmd crown from the brow of Lou Am bers. Hammering Henry captured his third crown in the heavier wel terweight division. His natural fighting alight In be tween in and Its poundx. Whan he defend.^ hi. welterweight title Us pounds, which means that EUary gives away from lg to 14 slMaspar The busiest fighter in the ring to day, Henry is one big barrage af flats from the minute he steps Into the ring onto be has knocked out his opponent or baa heard the final bell. Usually his opposition isn't bothered a great deal tor the first few rounds. But his constant clouting wants them down until victory to within sight. And ooca ha has it sighted, ha doesn't tat it gat away. King of Golfers 'I'WO years ago, whan ha was A playing at Detroit'* OtHairt Hills, Ralph Guldahl demonstrated the same relentless, drivif tores that carried him to victory Is the recent Masters' golf tournament on the Augusta (Ga.) National tufas. While pbytog *? Datoalt If SI Guldahl was at the top at Ms if whaa ha astieed a aiaepapsi' pho tographer la direct Una with the ban. The eaasermasaa waa haihg far ever fee rapes. Barsty ytastoc. Ralph Mated hi erea tawes: ; "If yea wast te gat jam faaa me." Sped la tha aiak af Hasa. , *" Guldahl is a mechanically pre cise, cautious playhr. He sums nerveless la actios, merely got* RALPH GVLDAHL through the motion* But every time be steps up to the toe be lsams little doubt that he to foe super golfer of today. Especially when the class at the fleU he domiaatoe is considered. Ha has won the Western Open for the past three years ad foe National Open foe past two years. OdMhM waHtZlS. Ms eamwlm reaadei ware 1MHM, for a total ef HI, foe lowest saereby three strefces to op to foe tost tee the thought never occur* to him that he fctot foe world's best goiter. Which he very, well m^rhs. , Trend How the wind it blowing ... AVIATION ? Round-the-world airplane ticket*, placed on sale for the first time, are priced at $1,789 for a trip requiring 14 days, including 11 overnight (tops. SHIPPING?A total of 165 ves sels, aggregating 678,000 gross tons, are under construction in U. S. shipyards, compared with 106 ship* weighing 380,000 toils last year at this time. EXECUTIOK-Maj. Edward J. Dyer, retired U. S. army officer, suggested before the Washington Society of Philosophical Research that euthanasia (mercy killing) be adopted for aged indigents, hopelessly Insane and diseased persons, children born as mon sters and first degree murderers. Justification: "One of the Ten Commandments might be modi fled." CATTLE?Because eggs bring only 11 cents a dozen, A. W. Ellsworth, dairy farmer at Hurd, N. D., is feeding his cattle egg nog, raising the "milk-fed" standard.