THE ALAMANCE GLEANER
Vol. LXVI GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1940 No. 2
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS BY JOSEPH W. LaBlNE
German 'Peace Drive' Eclipsed
By War Threats in Near East;
Politicians Hold U. S. Interest
(EDITOR'S NOTE?When opinions are expressed in these columns, they
are those oi the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.)
"Released by Western Newspaper Union.
Spotlighted on the Washington Scene:
POLITICS:
In the background since congress
reconvened, presidential politics
stole the show again when the Dem
ocratic national committee selected
Chicago as its convention site. Re
publicans, who scheduled their
meeting later in the hope that Dem
ocrats would set a convention date,
were outfoxed. This resulted in
minor dissension among G. O. P.
leaders, who debated whether to set
a date immediately or keep stalling.
Since third-termites dominated the
Democratic meeting, observers
guessed there would be a strong
fivht to renominate Prpci
dent Roosevelt in the city
where he was first chos
en in 1932.
As Chicago became a
political focal point, so
did Illinois. There were
signs that both President
Roosevelt and Vice Pres
ident Garner would be
entered in the April 9
preference primary,
while in New York the
G. O. P. backers of young
Tom Dewey challenged
Ohio's Sen. Bob Taft and
oiner rtepuDiican nopeiuis 10 a con
test in the same primary.
UN-AMERICANISM:
Ended was the episode in which
Michigan's Rep. Frank Hook
charged that Martin ("un-American
ism") Dies was working in cahoots
with William Pelley, leader of the
anti-Semitic "Silver Shirts." When
Pelley surrendered and admitted
that letters used as evidence were
forged, Hook apologized on the
house floor. If this had been a
campaign to smear irrepressible
Martin Dies, it had only served to
strengthen him and the cause of his
"ism" committee. Next day FBI
rounded up 12 persons charged with
recruiting Americans for service
with the Communist forces in Spain.
CONGRESS:
The house continued lopping mil
lions from President Roosevelt's
budget, and the senate continued re
storing them. The senate voted
down a $1,000,000 cut in Civil Aero
nautics authority funds, bringing the
independent offices bill back to $1,
139,693,528. But it was still 55 mil
lions under budget estimate, provid
inp a cfnrvH start nn thp
460 millions congress
hopes to s'fve by way of
avoiding new defense
taxes. Meanwhile the
house slashed away at
the state - justice - com
merce department ap
propriations bill.
LABOR:
John Lewis' C. I. O.,
which has been striking
at the New Deal lately,
turned a partial about
face by defending the
national laoor relations act against
A. F. of L.-inspired changes. Before
the house NLRB committee, C.I.O.'s
Philip Murray read a statement in
which Lewis charged "reactionary
and anti-labor" corporations are dic
tating A. F. of L.'s proposed amend
ments. At Miami, A. F. of L's exec
utive board was also getting hostile
toward the New Deal, urging en
couragement of private enterprise
and charging the administration
with trying to place labor "under its
thumb." The entire labor-govern
ment picture was pretty complicated.
ACCUSER HOOK
He apologized.
EUROPE:
Rumors
While the western front remained
quiet, and while Finland continued
making a shambles out of Russia's
vaunted armies, two diametrically
opposed offensives were taking
shape?one for war, the other for
peace:
Peaee Drive. Berlin denied it,
but reports persisted that Nazidom
would offer the allies a settlement
via the League of Nations' economic
committee at The Hague. Terms:
(1) no reparations; (2) return of ex
German colonies; (3) Nazi retention
of Sudetenland and the Polish cor
ridor; (4) an Austrian plebiscite,
neutrally managed; (5) restoration
of Czech, Polish and Slovak states.
If the Reich's denials were sin
cere, observers wondered why Herr
Hitler tried so hard to minimize
his relations with Moscow, arch-foe
of the democracies. No military
pact exists, said the Reich, nor will
Germany help Russia fight the
Finns. Peace gossip only increased
when Berlin called home its envoys
to Finland and Russia. Would Ger
many try to settle this war? If so,
was it a prelude to peace in the
west?
War Drive. Overnight the Balkan
states mobilized their armies to full
strength, members of the Little En
tente backing Rumania against the
territorial demands of Hungary.
Italy was seen joining them. Across
uic JJUI^IV sea IIUACJ LuiiLuiu aicvj
troops on the Russian frontier, Iran
and Afghanistan doing likewise. One
explanation was that Russia planned
a drive into this British sphere-of
influence (tee map). Another ex
planation was that the allies planned
a deliberate attack on Russian oil
wells in the Caucasus region, there
by drawing Soviet troops from the
beleaguered Finnish front and cut
ting off Nazi petroleum sources.
Observers asked themselves wheth
er this was the reason French au
thorities had raided the Russian
commercial office in Paris, delib
erately inviting Soviet reprisals.
Also, was it the reason Turkey, a
British-French ally, unceremoniously
seized the German-owned ship yard
in the Bosporus?
The Wars
In the West. France reported the
quietest period since the war began
almost six months ago, and Nazi
raids on North sea shipping were
slackened perceptibly.
In the North. Finnish troops re
pulsed one Soviet attack after an
other, most activity being confined
to the area around Lake Ladoga.
Finnish military observers estimat
ed that reckless use of manpower
had cost the Reds 30,000 dead and
wounded in a single week.
Nevertheless, increasing rhythm
of Soviet attacks was wearing the
Finns down, a situation that dis
turbed the allies increasingly. Fol
lowing a meeting of the British
French war council, it was an
nounced concrete aid would be
rushed at once. Prime Minister
Chamberlain told the house of com
mons as much, while France kept
relaying Italian warplanes which
Germany refused to let cross the
Reich.
How Italy is cooperating with the
Finns was revealed in Rome by Fin
nish Minister Eero Jaernefelt, who
reported 5,000 Italian volunteers
have been turned down because no
visas were available. But hundreds
have been granted, too.
- ....... . ....
TREND
How the wind is blowing ...
BONDS?At Chicago, Barcus,
Kindred & Company surveyed the
municipal bond field and found
1939 had brought a drop of $364,
464,000 (or 24 per cent) under
1929 in total bonds issued. Among
reasons: (1) Pay-as-you-go financ
ing; (2) diminishing birth rate,
which requires fewer schools.
RATION?Britain announced
that meat would be rationed ef
fective March 11. Already ra
tioned are butter, sugar, ham and
bacon.
RISKS?Because Europe's war
has steered clear of Pan-Ameri
can waters,, marine underwriters
have lowered war risk insurance
rates in that area.
WHEAT?Twice as many (320,
000) farmers have taken out fed
eral all-risk crop insurance on
wheat for 1940, compared with
last year.
SKIRTS?The U. S. census bu
reau figures short skirts have
snipped one million bales off the
cotton farmers' annual market.
V!T|rV?Vj
M *\ y ^Sj^
NEW TROUBLE SPOT
But uiU the allies attack first?
4t HI L. ?f>.._l L i 1
WOMEN I
in the news . . .
At Paris, the duchess of Wind
sor was credited with inventing
a new knitted "trench mitten"
with zipper
attachment
to free a
soldier's
trigger
finger.
In the froz
en Klondike
campaigned
Mrs. Nor
man Black,
one of Cana
d a ' s two
women parliament members,
seeking votes in the forthcoming
special election.
At Baltimore, Mrs. Robert A.
Taft announced she would hit the
campaign stump trail for her sen
ator husband, who hopes to win
the G. O. P. presidential nomina
tion.
At New York, Merry Fahrney,
patent medicine heiress, shed her
fourth husband.
THE DUCHESS j
NEUTRALITY:
Aid to Finland
Early this month a Gallup poll
showed the majority of U. S. citi
zens (58 per cent) favor a non
military loan to Finland. Same day
as the survey was released, the sen
ate began consideration of a bill to
double the Export-Import bank's
capital, permitting an additional
$20,000,000 non-military loan to the
Finns (they already have $10,000,
000).
The same Gallup poll showed 61
per cent of the nation opposes a loan
to Finland for purchasing war sup
plies. Day after the survey was
published, Michigan's Prentiss
Brown proposed in the senate that
all of Finland's $5,891,000 war debt
payment should be made available
for munitions purchases. There was
a good chance the Brown measure
might pass.
(The senate did adopt 65 to 3 a resolu
tion asking the securities and exchange
commission to expedite registration of any
government bonds which Finland may try
to tell private V. S. investors. Prompting
factor was Secretary of Stole Cor dell HulTs
revelation that Russia had violated two
pledges of its recognition agreement with
the V. S-: (1) Permitting Communist in
terference with V. S. affairs; (I) failing to
safeguard V. S. citizens' rights in Russia.
SiiU, a congressional effort to break rela
tions with the Soviet failed.)
Meanwhile the state department
was rubbing noses with Britain's
smooth-working Ambassador Lord
Lothian, recipient of many a fiery
protest in recent weeks. In ex
change for better treatment of U. S.
ships at British contraband ports,
the two governments decided to
keep future quarrels quiet. One
reason: Recent strong U. S. notes to
London have stirred up too much
American opinion against Britain, to
Adolf Hitler's benefit.
JAPAN:
One Way Out
As Tokyo's war in Chinamentered
its thirty-first month, northern forces
reported they had entered distant
Ningsia province for the first time.
In the south, armies were locked in
bitter battle near Wingsun, Kwangsi
province. Two more discouraging
signs for J span were (1) a naval
spokesman's warning that Chinese
planes may soon begin raiding
Japan, and (1) the report that 300
Jap troops were killed when Chinese
artillery sank a transport on the
Yangtze river.
Mostly, however, Tokyo's troubles
were with the western powers. Im
mediate source of trouble was a
combined U. S.-French ' protest
against Jap bombings of the Kun
ming-Hanoi railway in southwestern
China. Both protests were reject
ed, and the Japanese parliament
found itself seriously considering
two drastic steps to avoid future
protests. First, it was suggested
Japan should junk the nine-power
treaty guaranteeing Chinese territo
rial integrity. Second. Foreign Min
ister Hachiro Arita admitted Japan
is asking U. S. citizens to leave
China, probably as a threat to make
the U. S. renew its expired trade
treaty.
AGRICULTURE:
Cotton for Stamps
Having successfully disposed ok
surplus foods through the stamp
plan. Secretary of Agriculture Hen
ry Wallace announced this system
will be adopted to help solve his
Ifo. 1 farm problem, cotton. Ex
ports having decreased since Brit
ain stopped taking U. S. surpluses
under the barter arrangement, cot- ,
ton will be offered under the stamp .
plan experimentally within a few
weeks. Plan: Relief clients purchas
ing $1 worth of cotton goods at
retail stores will be gives $1 worth
of cotton stamps free.
Brackart's Washington Digest
Latest Blasts of Political Oratory
Are Devoid of Substantial Facts
Honest Abe Gets Many Fine Tributes From Republican
Speakers, but U. S. Voters Receive Minimum of
Basic Governmental Information.
By WILLIAM BRUCKABT
WNU Service, National Press Bldf.,
Washington, D. C.
WASHINGTON.?About half of the
Republican representatives and sen
ators in congress, most of the Re
publican governors and scores of
lesser lights are back home as these
lines are printed. They have been
away on speech-making trips. They
used Abe Lincoln's birthday as the
rallying point. They concentrated
on February 12 just as their arch
rivals concentrate annually on An
drew Jackson's birthday for bally
hoo and money raising.
Honesf Abe received many, many
fine tributes. His services to his
country were told by good orators
and bad. The tributes were justly
deserved. But I could not help won
dering, as I read page after page
of these speeches, just how Abe
Lincoln would feel about some of the
things that were said, some of the
national policies that were advocat
ed, some of the solutions that were
offered for national problems.
It may have been just my imagi
nation, but I thought Honest Abe
was a bit restless as his great statue
sits out its unending days in the
vast memorial on the banks of the
Potomac river. The memorial is
so arranged that Honest Abe gazes
through daylight and darkness at a
vista that includes the tall and im
posing monument to George Wash
ington and, beyond, to the capitol
of the United States. The things that
have been going on beneath the
capitol dome and the things that
were said by Republican flag-wavers
and represented as being Lincolni
an, it seems to me, have been quite
sufficient to make the Lincoln eyes
heavier, to make the lines of his
stoney face deeper.
Just as the Democrats, last month
failed to convince very many people
that Jackson would do as the New
Dealers have done, so the Republi
can orators failed to prove they are
sticking to Lincoln's traditional phi
losophy. The tragedy is that each
major party is attempting to stream
line a national figure, and the result
obviously is that neither Jackson nor
Lincoln has been presented to the
newer voters in the light of the
genuine services which they ren
dered their country.
Republican Presidential Nominee
Aspirants Have Field Day
These speeches, to which I have
referred, included, of course, re
sounding statements by five or six
of the men who aspire to be the
Republican presidential nominee.
There were Senators Taft of Ohio,
Vandenberg of Michigan, and
Bridges of New Hampshire, and
New York's racket-busting district
attorney, Thomas E. Dewey, Gov
ernor Bricker of Ohio, Republican
Leader Martin of the house of rep
resentatives, and former President
Herbert Hoover.
Anyone who heard the speeches
or read them must have come to
the same conclusion
that I reached. The
day'a oratory, with
the possible excep
tion of Mr. Hoover's
speech, was as de
void of good sub
stantial facts as a
frog is of feathers.
There was outburst
after outburst of
bitter criticism, ref
erence after refer
ence to New Deal
failures, repetition
upon repetition 01 cnarges 01 waste
and assertions of clanger to our
national welfare. All of these things
were said, with the usual pounding
of the table and slapping of hips.
But the' Republican orators either
forgot their facts or neglected to use
them in the excitement of the oc
casion.
What I am seeking to say is that
no campaign is worth much in any
political battle unless the attacking
forces base their charges in the sim
ple facts that individuals under
stand. Generalities mean nothing any
more. President Roosevelt has been
the greatest generalizer of all his
tory, and the folks have been dig
ging up some of his earlier general
statements to ask about them. Such
presentation of attack or defense
leads definitely to a lack of confi
dence on the part of the voters.
I referred above to Mr. Hoover's
speech. Let us take one section of
It as an illustration of what I mean
about generalities. Mr. Hoover
talked about the $46,000,000,000 na
tional debt. He went further. He
figured out that the annual interect
on this debt is about $1,100,000,000 a
year. And thus, according to the
calculations, each man, woman and
child in the United States is paying
almost $8.90 per year in interest.
Going further, if there is a family
of five, that family's share of the
interest on the national debt is
roughly $42.50 a year, or a little
more than three dollars a month.
Now, most of the speeches con
tained a few plain and simple facts
like that. Most of them hit around
the mark. But not a single one of
the speeches laid down a real bar
rage of facts. They failed misera
bly to apply the facts to the affairs
of the individual voter. So, even
though the Republican orators did
not ask me for advice, I am going
to offer some: if they really want to
restore this nation to its native,
conservative way of doing things,
they will tell the factual story of
the New Deal and its theories and
dreams. And the voters ought to
ask for facts instead of general
statements! In these conclusions, I
believe Honest Abe likely would
agree.
Taft Challenges President's
Handling of Budget
Senator Taft lately got right close
to specific statements when he chal
lenged President Roosevelt on the
question of balancing the budget. He
took many of the federal agencies
that have come into being under the
SENATOR ROBERT TAFT
New Deal alphabet and pointed out
the cost of each and how little
worthwhile he believed them to be.
It was something Mr. Roosevelt
could not answer without resorting
to generalities. The Senator, how
ever, has slipped away again from
the channel he appeared ready to
paddle. Like the rest of the candi
dates on the Republican side, he is
no longer using the ammunition
available.
These references to the necessity
for the use of facts recalls how
thoroughly the National Labor Re
lations board has been discredited
by a special house committee which
is investigating the funny looking
activities of the board. Thus far,
the investigation has had very little
in the way of sensational statements
except those from the record of the
board, itself. Its own papers, its
own writings, the exchanges be
tween its own members and staff
workers has served to show better
than volumes of argument what ri
diculous policies the narrow-minded
officials and employees have inflict
ed upon an unsuspecting public.
Why? These were facts.
Another illustration: the admin
istration is determined to gain con
gressional approval for another
three-year extension of its right to
negotiate trade treaties. Now, there
is no doubt that the trade treaties
help in some places and hurt very
much in others. But I sat in the
house ways and means committee
room one day listening to adminis
tration testimony in support of its
request for the three-year extension.
The witnesses, all government offi
cials that day, had the facts. It is
true that they used those facts to
show what they wanted to demon
strafe. They were careful that the
sordid side of the story was not told.
They failed also to break down the
facts to individual application, but
they pieced together a story that
was understandable. It was effec
tive and opposition was difficult be
cause the opposition was not
equipped with a .complete record.
On the story thus built up, it is
likely the extension will be voted.
Herbert
Hoover
Speaking of Sports
Big Ten Sets
Good Example
In Athletic Aid
By ROBERT McSHANE
(ItelMMd by Western Xtxvqn Union.)
TUST*how far can colleges and tmi
*J versities go in extending finan
cial assistance to individual ath
letes?
That is unquestionably the most
widely discussed problem in inter
collegiate athletics today. The de
mand for winning teams?a demand
emanating from alumni groups, stu
dent bodies and synthetic alumni
has resulted in many schools going
far afield in their search for ath
letic talent?particularly gridiron lu
minaries. It is obvious that many
schools have not relied solely upon
the fame of their professors or the
glory of their traditions to induce
athletes to die for dear old Clap
trap College. To these factors, in
many cases, must be added a more
tangible persuader?financial aid.
The length to which a school may
go in subsidising athletes usually de
pends, or should depend, on confer
ence rulings. It is generally con
ceded that a majority of schools
live up to the letter of their various
conference laws, a very few obey
the spirit of the tews, and teat too
many of teem wilfully evade restric
tions.
Regulations Defined
The Big Ten conference, one of the
nation's greatest, operates under
the basic principle that the athlete
is entitled to every consideration
which might be accorded a non
athlete by the university, but noth
ing further. Maj. John L. Griffith,
MAJ. JOHN L. GRIFFITH
commissioner of Big Ten athletics,
i in defining conference regulations,
states:
"Big Tea regulations on the mat
ter of financial aid to athletes are
clear and definite. They state that
athletics within the conference are
to be condncted an a noo-paid-piay
er basis. AH an earned financial aid,
except from relatives or others in a
similar position, is deemed not per
missible unless it be in the form of
sebolarshipo, loans or tuition remis
sions administered by properly con
stituted university authorities."
Members of the conference submit
to Griffith's office a complete record
of all benefits accorded athletes out
of university or athletic funds.
Few people can find fault with
those restrictions. They are a log
ical solution to an onerous problem,
i Big Ten schools do not attempt to fill
all available positions with football
players. Nor do they refuse to of
fer a job to a prospective student
because he is an athlete.
Unequal Restrictions
Many advocates of simon-pure ath
letics would swing the pendulum too
far. They shout "subsidization" too
quickly. No thinking person would
ban an athlete from a school job
merely because he is an athlete. His
chances for financial assistance
, should be just as good?no better?
than any other student.
Athletes as listed in the Big Ten
reports include all varsity squad
members and winners of freshmen
numeral awards. The 5,161 men who
are so listed represent 7.6 per cent
of the total undergraduate male en
rollment in the conference, which
totals ?7,CJ.
Scholarships are made available
to 4,475 students in the Big Ten,
and of that number 315 are held by
athletes. The percentage of ath
letes holding scholarships corre
sponds almost identically to the pro
portico of the number of scholar
ship available to the total male en
rollment.
What could be fairer?
- V -
sK ? ?Lta? ,
Sportlight
By Grantland Rice
Present Ball Players Lack Stam
ina, According to TV Cobb,
Who Insists That die Old Tim
ers Played Better BasebalL
(NANA?WlfU aarvtes.l
SI I AN FRANCISCO.?You can't run
into Ty Cobb without thinking of
baseball. When I run into Ty, the
Georgia Ghost, I turn the pagM
bade 38 years to 1904 around At
lanta and Roy Stan, Ga., where I
first ran across the phenomenal
stripling who later on was to set
his game on fire.
The thought then was, "If winter
comes, can Cobb be far behind?"
For Cobb was the bluebird harbinger
at spring. It was at that time that
Cobb kept writing me letters, sign
ing Smith, Jones, Brown and Robin
son?all telling me what a great play
er young Tyrus Raymond Cobb was.
I fell for the gag, not knowing that
Cobb was writing them and mailing
them to me from every tank town
stop. Anyway, Ty helped to make
me quite a prophet when I advised
keeping an eye an him.
The TV Cobb of 1940 lives just
outside San Francisco, and his two
favorite sports are hunting and golf.
At the age of 54 his hair is thinner
TTWJ8 RAYMOND COBB
and part of the old streamlined body
has packed on some weight?bat not
too much.
An Amazing Record
In my opinion, Ty Cobb ran op
one of the great records of sport
something close to an all-time rec
ord?maybe the all-time top. For a
period of 13 consecutive years ho
led the American league in batting
exactly 13 times.
Aad all the Utters ha had to
beat oat were Napoleon I ajaio.
Shoeless Joe Jaeksoa, Tris Speaker,
Eddie CoOias. Nig Clarke, Sana
Crawford, Bobby Teach aad a Seek
of others who were ihrsHag from
JM to .4M. One year Joe Jackaaa
Ut .tit aad Cobb still beat hias oat.
with a far deader hall than Chey
have had for the last U ar 13 years.
Here is a record?13 batting cham
pionships out of 13 consecutive ma
jor league play. That will never
be approached again.
Who was Cobb batting against?
Only Walter Johnson, Big Ed Walsh,
Nick Altrock, Addie Joss, Chief Ben
der, Colby Jack Coombs, Smoky Joe
Wood, Doo White, Cy Young, Eddie
Plank. Rube Waddell-most of the
great pitchers of all time.
The Soft Spot
I asked Ty what be thought the
difference was between the old-tim
ers and the present crop.
"Stamina," Ty said. "I maaa lags
aad arms. I've Uved an my lege
most af my life. As yea may re
member in 34 big league years 1
never spared my legs. I've played
many a game with almost no skU
"I believed then aad I believe
now in toughening up your system?
not sparing it. Between seasons I
hunted all winter, eight or ten hours
a day. That's what BQl Dickey has
done and you know where Bfl
Dickey stands in baseball.
"In my opinion, a real pitcher
should be good for at least ? bal
Mmps?mavhd* 50. if
be if really needed.
I mean men like
Walsh, Cy Young,
Alexander, Matty,
Cbesbro, Joe Wood
?the top guys. They
could take it?and
they loved it Not
this modern crowd.
At least most of
them. They haven't
the stamina needed
to go an when there
is no one to take
their place.
"I BitM our vemi was gwm
to be a throwksek to the old day*
wasted to pttaiL T> bu to Ome
fltot. Ttoy'd'ratoer be*rssttof ay.
Qnrtr
AtaMte