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THE ALAMANCE GLEANER 1 ? i. - Vol LXV _ GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1939 ~ NO. 44 WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS BY JOSEPH W. LaBINE Hitler Discredited, Friendless ; As Result of Finland Invasion; Reds Gird for Blow at Reich (EDITOR'S NOTE?When opinions are expressed in these columns, they are those of the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.) , Released by Western Newspaper Union. - EUROPE: Finnish Finish Moscow civilians knew only that their Premier Viaoheslav Molotov ' had first denounced Russia's non aggression pact with Finland, and next had broken off diplomatic rela tions with that little republic* But a few minutes after the second step Russian troops invaded the Kareli an isthmus; Russian planes bombed Helsingfors, Viborg, Imatra and Tammelsuu; Russian warships be gan tossing shells all along the Gulf of Finland's northern shore. The Finnish government, which only a fey hours earlier had withdrawn frontier guards and pleaded for a peaceful settlement, resigned imme diately and President Kyoesti Kallio declared war. But everyone knew the Russian juggernaut would swal low his nation in a few days. All the world watched this out rage painfully, but only the U. S. took concrete action. The charge d'affaires in Moscow was instruct ed to offer mediation, but nothing came of.it. Most pained of all was none other > than Adolf Hitler, who must have realized all too suddenly that Fin land's death at Russia's hand made him Europe's most discredited ruler. Having staved off war on two fronts in September by making friends with Russia, Der Fuehrer had seen Joe Stalin come first into Poland, next into Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, and now into Fin land, always for "defensive" pur poses. Against what nation but Ger many would Russia need defenses? And how easily could defenses be turned into offensive positions? (? map). The Reich had no alternative but to "sympathize" with Russia, but nobody was fooled. By not sympa thizing, Germany would automati cally fall in beside the allies against - Russia, thereby discrediting Adolf Hitler. There no longer remained doubt about the position of Italy, ?. erstwhile axis partner of Germany. Marshal Italo Balbo's Corritn Pa immo was outspoken in its admira ' tion for Finland's opposition to "bru tal pressure of the colossus with feet of clay." Blockade Magnetic mines and a valiant U boat commander named Guenther Prien were worrying Great Britain almost to death. Commander Prien, whose submarine sank the Royal 'Oak October 14, came back to de stroy a 10,000-ton cruiser (aocording to Berlin). Two days earlier the Nazi raider, DauuckUnd, sank the man-of-war Rawalpindi with a loss of 900 Uvea. Magnetic mines, scattered helter skelter frcen airplanes, were obvi ously a violation of the international law which demands that nations an nounce the location of their mine fields. But Britain's revenge was also a violation of international law: King George signed an order block ading all German exports on neutral ships, and within 24 hours the wrath of the world was on London. Japan, refusing to recognize the blockade, threatened to seize British ships. The Netherlands and Belgium pro tested. Greece, one-half of whose imports come from Germany via sea, faced an economic crisis. Hear ing that Britain threatened to close the Suez canal, the straits of Gi braltar and the Dardanelles, Home's Giornala fItalia departed from It aly's noncommital attitude to of fer food for thought: "The blockade is most dangerous. It may induce other people who are not yet par ticipating in the war to . . . think that such a state of affairs cannot endure." POLITICS: Short & Snappy If Franklin Roosevelt still hoped for a third term, he could take heart from the latest Fortuna magazine poll, which claimed that 47.4 per cent of the voters want him to stay in the White House. Percentage be fore the war: 34.9 per cent. Far bigger political news was the attempt of both Republicans and Democrats to Jockey into position for the 1940 campaign. Each want ed to hold its .convention after the other, so badly that G. O. P. Chair man John D. M. Hamilton an nounced the convention call would not be issued as usual, in December. Successful at changing Thanksgiv ing, the President had his "spokes men" observe that it might be ? good idea to postpone both conven tions from June to July?or even Au gust Reasons: (1) During an inter national crisis, a long campaign would bore the public and get small results; (J) economy. Commented Chairmag Hamilton the next day, not a little sarcastic: "Mr. Roosevelt's deep solicitude about economy in political cam paigns is very amusing in view of his record ... It seems to me the President is arrogating to himself a great deal of authority." The jockeying continued. Missis sippi's Democratic Sen. Pat Harri son wanted to defer conventioneer ing until September; Republicans like Michigan's Vandenberg and Or egon's McNary again hoped to bold their session after the Democrats. COMMERCE: Rough Sledding Only through broad international trade, said British Premier Neville Chamberlain a tew weeks ago, can peace be assured. In Washington Secretary of State Cordell Hull ech oed his words because he needed that argument to defend his recipro cal trade program. Since Europe went to war the U. S. has rushed to make treaties with South Ameri can nations whose Old world trade outlets have been cut off. The jok er has been that South America's export surpluses, which she would exchange for U. S. manufactured nrnr1ni?to cannot be imported here without damaging domesti c markets of American farmers. One prin ciple of the reciprocal trade pro gram is that a low tariff concession gramea any nauon is immeaiaieiy accorded all other lands which hold treaties. Hence, if the program keeps expanding, critics fear all U. S. tariff walls will be broken down and the U. S. will become dependent on foreign sources. Opened in Washington were hear ings on a pact with Chile which would reduce tariffs on copper and beans, among other things. Since the reciprocal treaty act comes up for renewal before congress next session, it was noteworthy that three good Democratic senators (Colo rado's Johnson, Arizona's Hayden and Idaho's Clark) protested. Said Johnson: "The trade program per secutes and undermines domestic enterprise . . . permits greater in filtration of foreign goods . . . trades off American jobs." LABOR: Anti-Strike Weapon? Having at last settled the 54-day old Chrysler dispute, organized la bor turned its guns on the justice department for a much more im portant campaign. The target: As sistant Attorney General Thurman Arnold, who recently advised that unions are punishable under the anti-trust laws If they (1) prevent use of cheap er materi als; (2) com pel hiring of useless la bor; (3) en force sys tems of graft or extortion; (4) enforce illegally Axed prices; (5) destroy an established system of collective bargaining. A few days later A. F. of L.'s President William Green fired a pro test at Attorney General Frank Mur phy (whose appointment last winter was protested because he was "too friendly" to labor). It took no Philadelphia lawyer to read the fear in labor's eyes. If the justice department is upheld in its present campaign against material dealers, contractors and union lead ers in the building trades conspiracy case, the unions can be prosecuted in restraint of trade for all strikes. CONGRESS: Build-Up By cutting expenditure* in the face of increased revenues, the gov ernment hopes next year to put it self in shape for electioneering. Even so, the President admitted at Warm Springs that his planned econ omies are striking no impressive total. Actually, since Europe's war will necessitate a $900,000,000 boost in defense outlays, other items must be pared tremendously to hold down , the total appropriation. Recently the President announced that any decision on new revenues must be made by congress. That body could choose between raising the $49,000,000,000 debt limit (to be reached this year) or levying new taxes. So fearful was Mr. Roose velt that his big defense program i might be misinterpreted, that ha told reporters it would be handled in a double budget: Congress will get the regular defense program first, followed by an entirely sepa rata request for about 9900,000.000 necessitated by wars in Europe and Asia. Wiseacres in Washington thought they had the key te next Janu ary's weather vane: If big econo mies are in sight, new income taxes will probably be levied on middle and lower-bracket wage earners, producing about $900,000,000. But if another big deficit is apparent, tax adjustments will go overboard and the debt limit will be boosted. JOHN D. M. HAMILTON If HI ?if of Ik? PraUmU . . . JOHNSON Didn't like it ARNOLD Labor toot afraid. HOW RUSSIAN EXPANSION COULD PAVE WAY FOR J? CONQUEST OF EUROPE =| MANOO H WVTNM MACM Of = COVITBO ALAMO MLANOf, ===== WMM fctflOMM MON MOB- EEEE MIMTJ TO GCRMAMY COUIO M = sromo. RUM WOULD CON- S= TROt OULf Of BOTHNIA. fg=f ^ j * ? / L IUSSAA WANTS PCTSAMO DtSTWCT ro MP F1 NLA NCS AACTK IU OUT ?IT AND GAIN FtONT1KK WITH NOD NAT, UPAONO SCAN1MNAV1AN NHVl RUSSIANS WANT PORT = AT HANOO TO CONTROL = GULP, PLACING All ? SOUTMRRN FINLAND AT = SOVWT MIRCT. H RUSSIANS WANT NNN J S3 fRONTIIR PUSHID || SACK TO SAP10UARD J - 3 *0?T Of UMWMtAP. j J H RUSSIA HAS KMtfS M I ^ LATVIA. (STOMA. UTH- E | MANIA AND TORMIR E ^ POLANO. Brackarf* Washington Digett Rumblings About Federal Spending Come From T wo Schools of Thought One Side Proposes Policing U. S. Operations; Another Insists Wanton Outgo Must Continue; Secret Memo randum Offers Program for 'Rebuilding America/ By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNU Service, National Press Bldf., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON.?Rumblings have begun to occur again lately about federal spending. Some are for, but most of them are against, continued outgo of federal funds. They have come from widely separated schools of thought, as might be expected when there are those in the govern ment who favor unlimited spending and those who believe in watching government finances with an eye to the future. I will try to piece them together for you. Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio, an avowed seeker after the nomina tion for President, and Senator Adams, of Colorado, a Democratic member of the senate committee on appropriations, and therefore influ ential in policy-making, seem to be agreed that spending has got out of hand. They are proposing some thing in the way of a policing of government operations, and obvious ly such policing will be done by an agency of congress. ^Secretary Morgenthau of the treas ury has been going to some lengths to have the country know there will be no violation of the present nation al debt limit. It is now fixed by law at $45,000,000,000. The national debt is approaching $42,000,000,000, in direct obligations of the federal government as distinguished from the four or* five billions of debt in curred by federally owned corpora tions. Many persons feel this debt must be considered as a part of the public debt. Anyway, Mr. Mor genthau says there is no real reason to believe the $45,000,000,000 limita tion will be reached before next June 30, the end of the fiscal year. President Roosevelt has sent around word to the various depart ments that their spending in the next fiscal year must be curtailed to some extent. He did not mention a balanced budget which he said a few years ago should be accom plished in 1940, but he took the posi tion that the deficit in the next fiscal year should not exceed $2,000,000, 000. That is, the spending for all purposes, under the President's present conclusions, shall not ex ceed receipts from taxes and other general revenue by more than $2,000,000,000. Secret Memorandum Calls For Additional Spending While the statements from the senators were being chewed over and while the word about Mr. Roose velt'i determination waa ainking in, it waa diacloaed that a memoran dum about future government | spending waa going the rounds among the so-called New Dead thinker*. The authorship of the memorandum has not been made known. Stripped of all of it* excess lan guage, the secret memorandum points out a program for "rebuild ing America," for building up Amer ica. Incidentally, and only casual ly, readers of the memorandum are told through its entire length that there must be additional federal spending in execution of this pro gram. But haste is made to assure | us that there should be no worry ' about additional spending?amount not named?because the borrowing! can be paid back "out of increased income at our citizens." And the war figures in It, too. The author of the memorandum observes that America "may be the last rem nant of civilization." It has a spe cial duty to all of the world, there fore, and the thinking element wants to make sure that our nation is ready to assume this new burden. There are many paragraphs of argu ment in the s^ret memorandum in support of the position that our na tion must be "restored" and those who put it together reluctantly ad mit that H will take a great educa tional campaign to accomplish the rebuilding. Tighter Hand on Government Spending te Be Laid Deem There can be no doubt that relief spending will have to be large again in the next year. It cannot be avoid ed. Business is not doing any bet-1 tar. It is not employing more peo ple, or to state it another way; un employment is Just as great as ever, and people must be fed. Mr. Roosevelt has indicated that while spending for relief cannot be dodged, there are other phases of governmental activity that may be curtailed. As to this, however, one might ask a pertinent question. It will be recalled that the President anticipated a reduction, a saving, of $15,000,000 or $20,000,000 would re sult from the government reorgani zation. The civil service commis sion and treasury figures, lately made public, show that there has been an increase of approximately $100,000,000 for general expenses since reorganization was ordered. It seems in order then to ask how there can be curtailment, except and unless there is a willingness to abandon some of the numerous agencies of government along with the functions they perform. It is in line with the idea of cur tailing expenditures, however, that Senators Taft and Adams spoke. They mentioned profligate and un wise spending. "Hie old leaf raking jobs that former Belief Administra tor Hopkins sponsored, I believe, can be cited as an example. The blasts by Senators Taft and Adams, along with the constant criticism of waste by Senator Harry Byrd, the Virginia Democrat, must be accepted as portending a change. It seems to me to be a very im portant sign, and a healthy one. When members of congress get up in arms sufficiently, they naturally take quite a following of public sup port with them. My own hunch is that in the observations of Senators Taft and Adams there lies the germ of a great governmental reform. It may not come in the next session of congress, nor even in that which convenes in 1940, but I am quite con vinced that a tighter hand on gov ernment spending is going to be laid down by congress. U?Bcrib?M now ijovsmmsnz Appropriations Arm Mads To make the circumstance clear, it probably is well to describe how appropriations are made. The na tional budget, of course, is framed by the budget director under the direct supervision of the President. The budget director gives each agency a chance to submit esti mates on the amount of money its officials think it needs. They are given the opportunity in hearings to justify their figures The budget di rector considers their arguments and adjusts the amounts on the basis that be believes is proper and for the good of the nation. The budget eventually is aabmit ted to congress. There, the appro priations committees go to work. They examine all of the estimates for expenditures and eventually call in officials of every agency seeking an appropriation and listen to the story about the programs and the funds needed. The committee then makes up its own mind, and its fig ures are laid before the house and the senate. That seems a very fair way. Ex perience, however. Indicates there are better methods. The reason the system fails is because of bureau cracy. Every government official and every agency wants to expand operations, power and influence. Thus, when Senators Taft and Adams propose policing federal ex penditures, they have started some thing that may eventually result in development of a new arm of the congress. Adroit in Building Up Sentiment With htonoy Most observers hers have long known that the new crop at spenders that now occupies the key positions have taught the old timers some thing fresh tat the way at gating congressional approval at appropri ations. They are adroit tat biuldmg up sentiment back home when it comes to teasing people into Una. But they are adroit ndy whan they can use money. It has bean plain that ordinary political methods can not be used successfully by the so called tamer circle at the govern ment. And for the reason that they can not use time tried methods? not being politicians who have hus tled for votes?they are doomed to failure. , The surprising thing about the whole situation is that President Roosevelt has been convinced so many times. The President is a right clever politician. Ha has flopped several times very badly, but he will get along in most any political company, especially if he has the aid of Jim Parley. Speaking of Sports Heavies in Line For Conn After Lesnevich Win By ROBERT McSHANE "UE NEVER hurt me. But I 11 had the feeling I never hurt him, either." It's Billy Conn talking, the ahanty Irish kid who had just finished pum meling out a 15-round decision over Gus Lesnevich, New Jersey light heavyweight challenger. The bout was Conn's second successful de fense of his title. In these tew words Conn present ed his past ring history and fore told his coming pugilistic career. Too speedy and clever to got hurt by boxers in Us own class, he lacks the wallop of a punishing fighter. Conn won the crown from Melio Bettina in a close Madison Square Garden fight. A month later the handsome, likeable Pittsburgh hope- I ful invaded the heavyweight ranks ' against Gus Dorazio at Philadelphia. 1 A little more than two months ago < he made his first title defense 1 against Bettina in Pittsburgh. Billy 1 won both fights. He is exceptionally clever and 1 shifty, and is as game as any fight er in the ring today, but he is con ceded very little chance of stepping CHAMPION BILL I CONN out at tho light-heavyweight rank* and winning the heavyweight title from Joe Louis?the ultimata goal at which both Conn and his man ager, Johnny Ray, are aiming, Tnnney Did It There are two very good mama why Caae isn't expected te sat the heavyweight world aa Ma ear. Te begin with, Billy isn't heavy easagh and probably aever win bo te ight Louis. Aad he aevor win be able U hit hard enough te step Louis. It is true that Gene Tunney out grew the light heavyweight ranks to whip Jack Dempeey, but the cases are not parallel. Tunney was a big man, large-booed. Hie was a chas sis which could carry 100 pounds with ease. Conn isn't built that way. He la small-booed, and it is doubtful that his beat fighting weight win ever be more than 179 pounds eeuM gtve big. slew aaevlag heavy weights more than they could bea dle. Tommy Loaghraa proved what a clever Bgbl heavy weight eautt da even though he was far fraaa a heavy hitter. Bat Joe Louis la Jaat as laid, fast as clever, just as gaaae as aay fight heavy a sight, aad la the deadliest pmihai la the rtag today. It is likely that Billy win win his share at battles in the heavyweight division. Boxing history is studded with the names of light-heavies who could and did whip big, slow-moving bums with no trouble at aQ. Talent \1 Tin M, mm'* v |* bkiim weight clan, ifibH Lwerl^e^wiwJIii^Wew Tcrft khTdlrttoj^Jtok J5 [^**W^yl!!ialto^T al ua *T!* **|j^ lacked ? lanhal yotk. The fMt that he inU kc attack *NM? gtaat kfflcr^aitt a^ly-cwattcc nark (hat "yea caa't karc rrory tktaff.** QMtt away M peaads la a heavy weight aa fast aad daageeeae at Uttrk taaUncaat to^haadtog aa It may w*l?be that all the Con cern anent Coon's proposed fight with Joe Louie la futile. Ha haaat earned the right to light the champ yet. Some heavyweight?Boh Pas tor, tor instance?may change the complexion at thing* bates the hopes of Conn aad Johnny Ray are Sport Shorts A RT SCHUXIG, (machine New . York university end, likea boa constrictor! as pets. He keep* two of the 30-foot snakes in his home ts the Bronx . . . Gordon Pi lli?si. former Red Wing, and Jack Craw ford were the only men to (day in all 64 Boston Bruin games daring their drive to the Stanley cap last O'Doui, manager of the San Francisco tavern In the coast city . . . When Pitt beat Duke 14 to 13 this season it was the first one-point defeat for a team coached by WaUaca Wade in his >1 years M as a fooibajg^roach itarlul IT times mm > two-year-old before be an a race the winning coacb in a Mum arte Michigan game. Minnesota teams were defeated in 1030 and 1031, 7 to 0 and 6 to 0. IBs Michi gan teams have lost 7 to ? and M ' to 7 in the past two seasons ... In tix games, fire Big Ten and ana against Southern California, three University of Illinois players played more than 900 minutes They mi a Fullback Hettinger, Tackle Jim K e ed e r and Quarterback Ralph KbnL A. L. Statistics , INTERESTING en tea 1 1099 American league campaign were released recently by the league's service bureau. Statistiaa shew that Bat ana ef tea ed in ihttetog ap s wta at as each laad'a Bab Feller, wha wan a aa jaelty^ tgatoaf every rival chtewMte Feller, in faahiontng the league's best record, won six straight trans Detroit, two from St. Louis, teres out at five from Boston, New York and Washington, five out at straw from Chicago, and two out at term from Philadelphia times te Ova raw re Feller and Dutch Lwcmwl ?<te? Kindest to opponents wera Wash ington pitchers. Ken Chens and Jon Krakauskas. Chase Mat tew to Cleveland and Krakauskas the aawm number to Detroit. Lefty 0*Dm! BOWLING ,1 Made Easy I Bj NED DAT | J| ^ tod you from U back (tap ililiiki baa I j (toning1Iho'approoch, be camfkri tot to tonwr It jofcOy. Um ? OfrulJbM puahaway from tho body, MtcnMiH
The Alamance Gleaner (Graham, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 7, 1939, edition 1
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