The Alamance Gleaner
VOL. LXXII GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1946 No. 12
" 1 1
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Increase Conservation as Wheat
Supplies Shrink; Conservatives
Top Free Japanese Elections
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are szpreased In these colsmns, they are those ef
Western Newspaper Union's news analysis and net necessarily el this newspaper.)
Casting their ballots in Tokyo, these two women were aihong the
unexpectedly large number of their sex who voted in irst free election
in Japan in decade.
FOOD:
Wheat Stocks Shrink
With heavy domestic and export
demands being made on the nation's
shrinking wheat supply, the govern
ment mapped additional conserva
tion measures lor grain but reject
ed a British proposal for bread ra
tioning by the two countries.
Current figures point up the pinch
developing in wheat. Against an esti
mated supply of 332 million bush
els, U. S. commitments for export
before July 1 total 125 million bush
^ els, the present domestic rate of
consumption will take another 125
million bushels, at least 35 million
bushels will be used for feed and
13 million bushels may be used for
spring seed.
Use of 298 million bushels of wheat
by July 1 thus would leave the U. S.
with a visible suddIv of 35 million
bushels at the beginning of the new
crop year. In arriving at the cur
rent figure of 332 million bushels,
agronomists added the department
of agriculture's estimate of 203 mil
lion bushels on farms on April 1 with
projections that elevator holdings
matched last year's high mark of
129 million bushels.
In turning down Britain's bid for
mutual bread rationing, Secretary
of Agriculture Anderson declared
that the extensive widespread pro
duction of grain in the U. S. would
make control difficult. Small nations
like Britain depending chiefly upon
imports for their wheat can exer
cise more efficient check on their
supplies, he said.
Relax Building Order
Farmers and workers engaged
in output of essential products
were made eligible for building
material priorities through gov
ernment relaxation of emergency
bousing regulations. It was ftlao
determined to provide priority
ation of existing dwellings either
to maintain them or restore them
to a habitable state. Bnilders
who undertook construction of
non-vet residences before March
26 may apply for priorities to
complete their work.
JAPAN:
Big Vote
Following the general postwar
trend, Japanese voters swung to the
right in the first free elections in
Nippon in a decade, with the na
tion's conservative parties winning
sufficient representation in the 466
member parliament to assure a
temperate tone of legislation.
Between 60 and 68 per cent of
the 40 million eligible voters turned
out for the balloting, with the wom
en appearing in unexpectedly large
numbers. With nearly half the bal
lots in the Tokyo district cast by
women, 66-year-old Mrs. Shigeyo
Takeuchi and American-educated
Mrs. Shizue Kato piled up big i
leads. j
Though running far behind the 1
conservative parties, the Commu
nists showed surprising strength to
win a number of seats. Lacking the i
veteran, smoothly oiled machines 1
of the conservative forces, the 1
Reds succeeded in commanding i
prominent last-minute notice with i
public demonstrations against Pre- i
mier Shidehara and the existing re- I
gime. The Reds accused Shidehara <
of being reactionary and blamed I
him lor the food shortage. i
DRAFT:
Compromise
Heeding President Truman's in
sistence upon extension of the se
lective service act, congress moved
toward continuing the draft for at
least nine months but sought to re
duce conscription calls by raising
army and navy pay to attract vol
unteers.
Congressional partiality toward
the compromise measure followed
stubborn efforts of Republicans to
suspend the draft for nine months
and step up recruitments to meet
requirements by raising service pay.
While the compromise bill incorpor
ated provisions for making enlist
ment more attractive, inclusion of
draft powers assured a flow of men
if volunteering, fell below needs.
Under increased pay schedules
considered hv the anions nrivates
and apprentice seamen would re
ceive $75 monthly instead of $50; pri
vate first class and seamen second
class $81 instead of $54; corporal
and seamen first class $92 instead
of $66; sergeant or petty officer first
class $115 instead of $96; staff ser
geant or petty officer second class
$115 instead of $96; technical ser
geant or petty officer first class $135
instead of $114, and first sergeant,
master sergeant or chief petty offi
cer $165 instead of $138.
In addition, commissioned offi
cers would receive substantial pay
raises, with top ranking generals
and admirals being hiked from $666
to $732.
UN:
Double-T rouble
Already pressed with the Russian
demand for dropping the Iranian
question entirely, the United Na
tions' security council was confront
ed with the equally ticklish Polish
proposal that the international organ
ization recommend severance of
diplomatic relations with Spain.
Poland's Russian - backed com
plaint to the security council that
the Franco regime constituted a
threat to world peace came at a
time when both the U. S. and Britain
preferred to move slowly against
the Spanish government despite
their repugnance of it. Supported by
France, the two English-speaking
Allies desire the development of an
orderly opposition movement in
Spain to prevent the outbreak of an
other civil war if Franco is dis
lodged.
In protesting to the security coun
cil against Spain, Poland cited the
UN general assembly's action of
last February, condemning the
Franco regime as having been estab
lished with axis aid and lacking quali
fication for membership in the
international organization.
Meanwhile, the security council
sweated over Russia's formal de
mand that the Iranian question be
considered closed and neither of
the two disputants be obliged to
report back May 6 on the fulfillment
of the Soviet pledge to withdraw
from the little country without exer
cising pressure for petroleum and
oil eoncessions.
With Iran opposed to the Russian
demand, diplomatic circles felt
that Moscow's action was inspired
by its desire to avert a security
council probe of the recent oil
igreement reached between the two j
countries, in which the Reds ob- ,
tained a SI per cent stock control ,
of a Joint Rusao-Iranian company i
lor exploiting petroleum deposits in ,
northern Iran.
POLES:
Shun Homeland
Apprehensive ovtf Russian domi
nation of their homeland, the major
ity of members of the British
backed Polish army in exile are un
willing to accept an offer of repatri
ation, a sounding sentiment among
troops in Italy revealed.
The apathy of many toward re
turning to their native soil arises
from their imprisonment in Russia
after the Red occupation of eastern
Poland in 1939. Prior to being re
leased upon the formation of the
Polish liberation forces after the
German attack on Russia, some
served two years of sentences rang
ing up to 15 years.
With Russian insistence upon
their return to their homeland con
stituting a thorny diplomatic issue,
many of the Poles interviewed ex
pressed a desire to settle in Canada
or Chicago, 111., where a million
Americans of Polish descent reside.
CO-OPS:
/> if 1 r? a ? t
mailed Beneficial
Declaring there was substantial
evidence to show that the co-opera
tive movement has proven an ef
fective instrument for combating
monopolistic control, the house se
lect committee on small business
reported that co-ops were a healthy
addition to the American economy
and did not endanger other forms
of business operation.
Discussing agricultural co-ops, the
committee said they were originally
organized to help farmers offset dis
advantageous bargaining cojjditions
which still exist. Though tax-exempt
farm co-ops possess an edge over
competitive business in that stock
dividends and reserves are not sub
ject to levy, the actual amounts in
volved are relatively small, the com
mittee said.
In considering the imposition of a
receipts tax on co-ops, the commit
tee asserted such a levy would prob
ably raise constitutional issues and
adversely affect schools, churches,
scientific organizations and many
social clubs with a comparable ad
vantage of tax emption.
COAL STRIKE:
John L. Eloquent
Most eloquent of the nation's la
bor leaders, burly John L. Lewis
sounded off in Shakespearean tones
in pressing his efforts for coal oper
ators' consideration of his demands
for a health and welfare fund and
safety program in a new contract
for the United Mine Workers.
Insisting on prior discussion of
these proposals in the face of the
companies' determined opposition,
John L. chortled: "For four weeks
JOHN L. LEWIS
we have sat with you; we attended
when you fixed the hour; we depart
ed when weariness affected your
pleasure. . . . When we emphasized
the importance of life, you pleaded
the priority of profits; when we
spoke of little children in unkempt
surroundings, you said?look to
the state) . . . You scorn the toils,
the abstinence and the perils of the
miner; we withhold approval of
your luxurious mode of life and the
nights spent in merriment. . . ."
Undaunted by John L.'s heart
wrenching sally, the coal operators
hlanHlv rpnliuH f V. a ? I An.ia ???? ??
tempting to fctall negotiations and
create a national crisis that would
lead to consideration ot his de
mands.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS:
Old Gives Way
As the League of Nations was offi
cially bowing out in the shimmering
marble palace in Geneva, Switzer
land, French Delegate Paul-Bon
cour sounded a warning to the
youthful United Nations that unless
they agreed upon disarmament the
peace machinery established in
UN might come to naught.
Pointing up the collapse of the
old League following the refusal of
governments to abandon military
forces as a potential instrument of
policy, Paul-Boncour said that while
UN contemplated an internation
al organization ot two million
troops, a major power could raise
four million unless disarmament
were adopted.
The scene of intensive wran
gling throughout its existence, the
League breathed bard to the end,
the Argentine delegation walking
out upon its failure to obtain one
of the last vice presidencies. Fol
lowing consultations with other
delegations and its own government.
The Big City:
Free Warning to Cafegoen: Those
stirrers you get with your high
ball are not sanitary. . . . Nearly
everyone sticks the things into their
kissers or runs them over their teeth
?and the bartenders have no way
of sterilizing them before passing
them on to the next patron. . . .
Suggestion: Carry your own?they
come in silver and gold. . . . The
jewelry stores can send my com
missions to the Catholic, Jewish and
Protestant Charities.
Oops!: In Movietown there is a
"charm"' school that teaches pet
animals various stunts and man
ners. The school also coaches the
masters of the pets
Columbia Pictures' boss Harry
Cohn enrolled his dog in the course.
After ten days Mr. Cohn wanted to
quit because: "We're not getting
anywhere!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cohn." said the
instructor, "but you will have to
leara that you cannot talk to your
dog?as though he were an actor
or a writer."
In Other Words: After reading
the papers about the way some so
ciety upstarts are behaving. Bill
Schiller memo'd: "They call them
thorough-breds. I call them thor
ough-brats!"
nenenen: L-arry storcb, the Copa
comic, overheard a man and woman
as they came out after witnessing
"The Lost Weekend."
"I'm through I" said the man.
"With drinking?" she asked.
"No, movies!"
You've Met Him: One of those
bores spoiled a party with a series
of spineless stories and loud gab.
Finally, he got up to leave.
"What I need," he said, "is a little
shut-eye."
"What you need," said Phil Brito,
"is a little shut-upl"
It Happened: Hollywood actors
report that it happened on the Su
per-Chief the other week-end. A
man nobody knew kept buying
drinks for all in the crowded club
car. He displayed a wallet packed
with $1,000 bills.
A film magnate was concerned
when he passed out. He helped him
to his compartment. Then the pro
ducer worried that he would be
rnhk^l 4k. 11 ?- ... 1J_>4
think to lock himself in. The pro
ducer took the stranger's wallet
for safe-keeping.
At noon the producer joined the
drunk in the diner and said: "You
were pretty tight last night, so I
put you to bed. Here's your wal
let."
The stranger brought a wallet
from his own hip and said: "Thanks
?and here's yours."
Merelless Truth: H. L. Mencken
says there are two times in every
man's life when he is thorouglily
happy.
Just after he has met his first
love and just after he has parted
from his last one.
The Morning Mail: "Dear Wal
ter," writes a reader, "I spent the
week-end in the country. I heard
two army horses (which are to be
cared for?the rest of their lives)
congratulating each other?on not
being mere G.I.s."
Saddest Story of the Week: Les
Brown, the bandleader, brought it
in. . . . It's the saga of the high-wire
artist. . . . Poor chap. ... He
jumped 50 feet straight up into the
air?grabbed a trapeze?did 25 fast i
flips?and caught the trapeze bo
tween his teeth?with no hands!
. . . Imagine! . . .Then he tried it i
a second time?missed?and fell to '
the stage with a crash that rocked
the theater.. .. The producer helped i
? hp hattprpH norfnrmar Ia KJa ?not
put him in a chair and aaid: "You i
did One?and then you had to louse
it up by getting alapeticky!"
Broadway Glossary: Bartender:
The one guy at the bar who know*
what he's doing. . . . Marquee: Any
actor's heaven. . . . Chanteuse: Not
a singer. . . . Maestro: Corniest
member of the band. . . . Ingenue:
Chorus girl who is "Going Places"
?with the producer. . . Romance:
When be picks up the check. . . .
Love: When she does. . . . Man
ager: An unsuccessful booking
agent. . . . Critic: District attorney
invited to the crime. .. . Stagehand:
Off-stage prima donna. . . . Pals:
The penalty of success. . . loyal
ty: Being true to someone on top.
. . . By-Line: What has ruined
mora writers than hooch. .. . Luck:
The other fellow's formula. . .
The Lone Star State
Motto: Friendship
Flower: Blue bonnet
Fhere Is Onhj #
One Texas /
-Q_K I. A H O ?V_
ft _ZJ
IV
VcMOCM ST * I
?^gjfc
By EDWARD EMERINE
WNU WukligtM CtrriifMdiit
WNU Features
'"'N ? NATIVE has ever #een ,n
1 ' of Texas ? and no visitor
ever will."
A huge, incredibly rich piece of
real estate, with more cattle than
human beings, and ranches de
scribed in square miles rather than
acres! ^
Baa Jacinto Monument
knives; with corn, cotton, cattle and
barbed-wire; with books and Bibles,
schools and churches; with sugar
mills, gin mills, sawmills; with oil
drills and oil refineries.
The first settlers found an acre
age that was unlimited, soil that
was fertile, a climate that was
caressing, a land abundant in na
tural resources. So they set to work
and gave Texas its traditions, its
culture, its costumes and customs.
Its manner of speech, its swagger,
its reputation. They gave it big hats,
handsome riding boots, sheriffs and
Texas Hangers.
Texas is a mighty empire of the
southwest, a land of superlatives.
It sprawls huge - across the map,
sniffing breezes from the Gulf of
Mexico and ozone-laden air from the
Rocky mountains. It has its coastal
plain, its central plains, and western
high plains, ranging in altitude from
sea level to 4,700 feet ? and peaks
pointing even higher. There are 800
ong miles between the semi-tropi
cal Rio Grande and the northern
porder, and the greatest distance
cast and west Is 779 miles. Water
.-overs 3,498 square miles of Texas
with plenty of dry land left. Texas
las 294 counties, soma of them
arge enough to be states!
Along the Sabine river on the east,
he annual rainfall Is 99 inches; El
Paso has only 9 inches. Snow seldom
falls In most of the state; 8 feet of
t has been known In the high alti
udes of west Texas. Wheat grows
n the temperate north, oranges and
grapefruit in the subtropical south,
and corn and cotton In between. No
one can predict when the "norther,"
a aharp cold wind,* will strike
any part of the state. Nearly a mil
lion acres are irrigated, and such
cities as San Antonio, Houston, Gal
veston and El Paso get their water
from artesian wells. There are 230
kinds of fish in lakes and streams,
and 4,000 different wild flowers blos
som within its borders.
Between the twisted salt cedars
of the Gulf coast and the desert
reaches of ocotillo and sotol in the
west, there are 12 million acres of
commercial forests, 590 kinds of
grasses and 100 varieties of cac
tus. There are alligators on the
coast, horned toads in the desert,
and rattlesnakes wherever you find
them. Once 60 million buffalo grazed
in Texas, and it still knows the
armadillo, chaparral bird and road
runner.
Here is a land of forest and des
ert, of fertile fields and jagged
mountains, of rolling prairies,
aicepy rivers ana wiae liuil Deacn
ea. And here Texans created Hous
ton with Its 50-mile ship channel to
the Gulf; San Antonio's ancient
houses with yard-thick adobe
walls ? and skyscrapers; Dallas,
the city of the north; Fort Worth,
the cow town; Austin, the capital;
Galveston, picturesque port and
beach; El Paso, with American en
ergy and Mexican color. It is suit
able that there should be added
such as Randolph field, "the West
Point of the air corps," and Fort
Sam Houston, the army's largest
post. Oil wells have brought scores
of El Dorados to the state, and
Texas natural gas is piped to Col
orado, Kansas, Wyoming, Iowa,
Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois. If the
gas ever runs out, plenty of coal re
mains.
Quotations like these tell the
story of Texas; "Who'll go with old
Ben Milam into San AntonloT" "I'm
going to Texas ? to Sght for my
rights," a Tennessean on Ms way
to Join Texas' War for Independ
ence. "The Americans were so stub
born that not one of them would sur
render," Gen. Santa Anna. "Ride
like Mexicans, shoot like Tennes
seans, and fight like the devil," the
Texas Rangers. "Tbermoplae hud
its messenger of defeat; the Alamo
had none," Inscription. "Remem
GOVERNOR COKE STEVENSON
A freight wagon operator at age
16. Coke Stevenson has been bank
er, lawyer, county attorney, coun
ty Judge, state legislator, and
lieutenant governor and governor
of Texas.
ber the Alamo! Remember
Goliad!' Sam Houston. "The Repub
lic of Texas Is no more," Anson
lones.
The serine of Texas is the Alamo
where 182 men, including Travis,
"rocltrtt, Bowie and Bonham, re
fused to escape or surrender. At
Goliad, a Texas force under Fan
nin surrendered and was massa
cred. At San Jacinto, the furious
rexans, under Sam Houston, in 20
minutes shattered Santa Anna's
irmy and won independence for
rexas.
Texas, still in cowboy boots, has
its great trading centers and sea
ports, its flying fields and oil der
ricks, its mines and fields, and cat
tle ranges. It retains its old flavor,
put combines the glories of its past
with new energies and new horizons,
tn agriculture, industry, culture and
recreation, the Texas tradition of
'biggest and best" is making new
strides.
There is only one Texas?it is the
expansive, friendly, hospitable and
progressive Texas we all know.
"Or.**?* Umrt," UM U. Oru4e, MeAIta*. ta. ,
tfgj B I
i?as uenves lis name irom
"tejas," meaning friend or ally. Six
great flagi have flown over the state
?Spanish, French, Mexican, Repub
lic of Texas, Confederate and
United States. But no one nation
built Texas, or developed it. It was
built by the Texans, a breed apart.
They conquered it, and they made
it over to suit their taste. They did
it with rifles, six-shooters and bowie