The Alamance Gleaner
???9
VOL. IJCXII GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1947 . Na 49
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Claims for Back Travel Pay
Pass Vz Billion; Farm Chiefs
Call for Protective Tariff
____________ Released by Western Newspaper Union
(BMTOK1 MOTE: When opinions are expressed la these eolamas, they are those of
Weals s a Newspaper Union's news analysts and not BecMuni. -? *?.?- ?
PORTAL TO PORTAL:
Claimt Mount
As anion claims against industry
far back pay for walking to the
Jab or preparing for work on com
pany property mounted to over half
a bilfion, tax experts opined that
Dude Sam may have to bear the
hrrrdcti of the settlements if the
?rata are permitted to obtain tax
credits for such disbursements.
Although John L. Lewis first
pointed up the question of so-called
"portal to portal" pay for miners
traveling to the coal faces under
gromd, the principle was given in
daatry-wide implications with the
Supreme court's decision upholding
sack compensation retroactive to
m tor employees of the Mount
flianas, Mich., Pottery company.
The Supreme court verdict was
Mowed by a rush of the major
CIO laiions for such retroactive
back pay, with the United Farm
Bipiiinueul and Metal Workers su
teg International Harvester for 100
niffirr dollars. Since employees
have been paid for a 40 hour week,
toe minis are asking for overtime
pay pins damages.
Krms may be able to charge off
back payments to Uncle Sam under
previsions of the income tax law
permitting companies to carry back
net operating losses into the two pre
cedasg years and also apply such
Isaacs in two succeeding years.
Meanwhile, the U. S. Chamber
sf Commerce polled its member
ship en congressional amendment
of the fair labor standards act of
MM under which portal to portal
pay has been based. The chamber
proposed (1) observance of custom,
practice or agreement in different
aw alii irs or industries as to work
ing rules; (2) provision for relief
tor mnritting violation of the law,
and (I) permission of companies
ssui unions to make compromise
settlements.
GEORGIA:
Gubernatorial Mix-Up
Ability of the late Gene Tal
madge's fo'<?wing to muster full
strength when tho
general assembly
convenes was to de
termine Georgia's
next governor.
"Old Gene" him
self was scheduled
to take office Janu
ary 14 before his
death intervened,
creating a situation
unparalleled in
rioorrti o 1 a U ipIaoit
uwi 5>u a IUOVU1 j .
Gov. Arnall Because neither the
?ew or old state constitutions pro
vided for such a contingency, ad
herents of Gov. Ellis rAraall and
"Old Gene" jockeyed for the posi
tion.
While Governor Amall disavowed
any intention of taking advanta'ge
?f the uncertain legal situation to
remain in office, he
Us post until the
?ev pro-Arnall
lieutenant gover
nor is sworn in,
?hen he will resign
? his favor.
Anxious to obtain
?>e gubernatorial
ant, however, "Old
fnllnwprc
hoped to muster H. Talmadgs
sufficient strength
to declare the post vacant at the
election canvass when the assem
bly convened, then name his son,
Herman, governor. Although only
"Old Gene's" name was on the bal- <
1st at the last election, his son re
ceived a number ot write-in votes
to provide for just such a contin
gency as occurred. Thus, the legis
toture could turn to Herman as the
aaaamal choice of the people.
TABIFF:
Seek Protection
Historically for free trade, the r
deep south reversed its position in
pi inhaling President Truman and
Federal Trade commission for a
Strang protective tariff for Ameri
laa agriculture
toga 11 la behalf at the elect
ed aaasatlssioners of agrieolture
at Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Bsaagto. Kentncky, Louisiana,
?lull I dp 11. Booth Carolina,
Has Hi Carolina, Texas, Tennes
see aad Virginia, the petition
reached Mr. Truman as the gov
ernment prepared for renegoti
aHoa of existing rates In reeip
saaal trade treaties drawn
nader toe act ef ISM aad sah
Dadartog that industrially undo
veloped nations could pay tor
American manufactured goods
only with agricultural products, the
commissioners warned against sub
jecting U. S. farmers to a flood of
foreign commodities and reducing
their living standards to a subsist
ence level. Calling for a trade pro
gram fitted into the American
economy, the commissioners advo
cated the exchange of such export
able products as wheat, lard and
cotton for rubber, coffee, tea and
bananas.
Wisely, the commissioners' pe
tition was national rather than
sectional in its nature. Although
professing concern for the future
of cotton in competition with for
eign rayon, nylon and other ar
tificial fibers made in reconvert
ed armament plants, the com
missioners also warned that a
further lowering of tariff rates
would adversely affect cattle,
oleomargarine, butter, cheese,
fish, eggs, grains, potatoes, pea
nuts and vegetables.
Dramatically pointing up the ef
fect of cheap foreign competition on
American products, the commission
ers declared that whereas white and
sweet potato starches had been used
for the adhesives on the back of
stamps and the flaps of envelopes,
the adhesive on the stamp bearing
the petition was made of imported
cassava roots.
Man nf Mart
i
At Johnsville, Pa., naval air i
technicians develop deadly guid- i
ed missiles of future warfare.
Photo shows scientists testing
ship-to-shore weapon designed for i
pin-point bombing at MM miles, i
Traveling hundreds of miles an (
hour, missiles are directed to tar- 1
get through television, radar, ra
dio or devices sensitive to sound, 1
heat and magnetism. j
ITALY:
Postwar Troubles
Despite substantial assistance 1
from the U. S., Italy has been tread- t
ing a rocky road to postwar re
covery. ]
Italy's troubles are not all econom- ?
ic, although shortages of foodstuffs 1
and widespread unemployment re- i
suiting from industrial stagnation j
have contributed to the political tur- i
moil. The left and the right are pull- i
ing against themselves for political |
advantage and a rising wave of anti- 1
clerical propaganda threatens the i
traditional spiritual unity of the peo- s
pie.
On the economic front, Italy is 1
short of wheat, and spaghetti and s
macaroni rations have been cut in r
half. Pig iron production is down to 1
28 per cent of the prewar level; tex- f
tile fabrics, 56 per cent; chemicals, i
66 per cent; mechanical goods, 76 j
per cent; cotton thread, 88 per cent. .
Imports are almost three times ex- I
ports.
Helping Hand ?
Since Uncle Sam has dealt gen
erously with Italy, it is looking con
fidently for more assistance from
the U. S. Thus far, the U. S. has
j greed to compensate Italy for
lupporting American invasion troops
and furnishing war supplies, and
las extended credits for purchase
>f overseas surplus. In addition,
Italy has profited from U. S. contri
jutions to UNRRA and the interna
tional bank.
Despite the difficulties present
id by shortages of both foodstuffs
ind industrial materials, both the
eft and right wings have made
lolitical capital of unrest. Latest ex
imple was the food riots engineered
>y Communists in southern Italy.
Is a result of the political bickering, |
here has been a resurgence of Fas
cist sentiment, with Mussolini's for- j
ner followers growing increasingly
wider.
Leftists also have backed the at
ackj on pope and church, with the
ntention of weakening respect for
he Catholic doctrine of authority,
amily and property. However, the
ightist dominated government has
wen quick to fight abusive criti
lsm of the clergy. An editor
harged with publishing phdrno
raphic cartoons of a friar and un
lad woman was sentenced to two
ears in JaiL
FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
Red Tape
The sullen Russians continued to
keep overseas relations with U. S.
military personnel on strictly a for
mal basis as illustrated in their or
der to an American naval vessel to
clear out of Dairen, Manchuria,
within the prescribed. 48 hours.
Ttve LC-3 1090 entered Dairen as
a diplomatic courier ship to bear
supplies and mail to the U. S. con
sul. Legally, the vessel was per
mitted to remain only 48 hours, and
the Russ ordered the Americans to
leave or accept the consequences
when it appeared they might be de
layed over efforts to obtain landing
clearance for a Standard Vacuum
Oil company employee, a newspa
per correspondent and a magazine
photographer.
Russian authorities in control of
Dairen had given the U. S. consul
the run-around in his attempts to
secure permission for the three
to land. However, their action
stemmed from a fear to grant the
clearance without prior approval
from their masters in Moscow rath
er than personal feeling.
QUAKE:
Rocks Japan
As hundreds of thousands of Jap
anese made homeless by earthquake
and tidal wave shivered in the win
try air, the U. S. rushed relief to the
distressed areas.
Having become used to the shock
and terror of wartime B-29 raids,
the Japanese accepted the catastro
phe with resignation, calmly count
ing their dead and injured in the
thousands and their property dam
age in the millions. No less than 24
of the 47 prefectures felt the trem
ors, with the coastal regions of
southern Honshu, Shikoku and Awaji
islands swept by seven foot walls of
water rushing in from the sea.
All of the horror and distress was
portrayed by the Tokyo newspaper
Asahi in an eyewitness report from
Shikoku: First, startled people felt
the ground shaking beneath them,
then they could hear a great roaring
sound. Stumbling from their quak
ing houses, they rushed for high
ground, but many were overtaken
by a surging wall of water and their
screams rent the air. Some people
saw a little girl with a doll crying,
"Save me, gentle Buddha," but
when they returned to search for rel
atives the tearful child was miss
ing and all they could find was the
loll, wedged between planks on the
peach.
INDOCHINA:
imperial Headache
France was the latest European
power to suffer an imperial head
ache, with Indo-Chinese natives bat
tling French forces for extension of
self-government:
Under a compromise effected last
March, France granted self-rule to
several provinces but retained con- '
trol over the rest of the country as
a lever for continued dominance.
\vailing themselves of a well-oiled
nachine developed under Japanese
auspices during the wartime occu
pation, the native leaders of the Viet
fam (Independence party) have
pressed for an extension of their
lelf-rule.
Not yet able to grant all of French
indo-China independence and be as
sured of the protection of its com
nercial interests in the rich Far
?1 astern country, France has been
orced to use troops to retain a grip
n the absence of an agreeable com
iromise.
Lift for Milady
Now, we have (era every- 0
thine in Udiei' hats ? or have E
we? Latest creation by Edward
Stevenson of Hollywood, Calif.. *
where awe can expect almost a
anything, ntilixes Christmas ?
wrappings, etc., which other- c
wise might go Into the waste- ?
basket. This ehic anmber Is f
fashioned from ceilopkano and T
metal fall paper, cellophane <4
straws, body, bells, sins sen as ai
and tabs. h>
0
ABOUT NEW TORS
The rare Chinese fryits hawked
In Chinatown are grown on Long
Island. . . . Waterfront workers have
names for various piers. They are
usually named after gals. . . . De
spite the legend that Manhattan is
all stone and steel, the borough is
dotted with more than a hundred
parks. . . . Thirty-two years after
Columbus discovered America the
strip of land known as Manhat
tan was discovered by Giovanni da
Verrazanno. There isn't even a
street named after him.
The lower end of Manhattan (be
tween the Battery and 14th St.) is
the oldest section of the city. . . .
During the 17th century. Wall street
was the favorite hangout for pirates.
Coin your own wisecrack. . . .
Greenwich Village originally at
tracted struggling artists and scriv
eners because rents were cheap
there. . . . Only one railroad has
entry for its freight into Manhattan
by land?the bulk of the railroad
freight must be transshipped by
tug and barge.
Meals hi the city's hoosegows
are planned by expert dieti
cians. No room sendee, how
ever. . . . The Battery derives
its name from a British fort
that was once situated there.
. . . South St. is dominated by
the sea. Sou'westers, sea boots,
pea jackets, dungarees and oth
er equipment for mariners are
displayed in shop windows along
this sector.
Chinatown's notorious Tongs now
are peaceful benevolent societies.
West St. is a man-made street.
[t used to be under water. . . . Those
grimy edifices near Battery place
reveal their pre-Civil war glory in
-arved lintels, arched doorways and
jrnate cornices If you wantto
iriew the Big Burg's pell-mello
irama in action, go to the
iont?where tunnels, railroads, fer
ryboats, subways, buses and road
.raffle clutter the sector with all
ypes of transportation carrying
Passengers and products to and
'rom the city. . . ? Some 0<
3owery's dismal buildmgs contain
lecret passages?once used as hide
nits for criminals. ,
The pnngent aromas around
teade St. emanate from the huge
warehouses there stored with coffee,
ea and spices. . . . Syrian confec
ionery shops at the foot of Wash
ngton St. have the most unusual
md tastiest goodies in town. . ? .
[?he most colorful edifice is th?i West
?rn Union bldg. It's stacked with
3 different shades of bricks. . ?
fart's Island prison hasn t any
?ells?only dormitories. Hmf. Such
lirs! . ? ? There are dusty tablets
narking almost every historic New
fork event. The plaque on the buM
ng in Exchange alley marks the
ite of the residence of the nrst
white men on Manhattan.
The Big Town's least known
government bureau Is the art
commission. It okays the de
signs of all publle buildings and
works of art. . . . Dldja know
Radio City studios are coated
with a special sound-insulat'iLg
glue? ... The arehlteet who
supervised the building of city
hall received W per day?a
very good salary at that time.
... No one need go hungry or
homeless in our burg. The de
partment ol welfare Is ready to
provide food and shelter for au
unfortunates. Then boweum
there are so many panhand
lers?
Tombs prison derived its funereal
ame from its predecessor on that
ite which resembled an Egyptian
jmb ... If you want a unique ex
erience. see the Chinese fllm. ex
ibited on the Bowery. ... Cental
ark was built as a relief project
uring a depression.
Quilts banging on poles adver
sTa market for bed linens on
trend St. . . . Criminologists from
tany parts of the world witness the
olice department's daily line-up.
The Bowery slums were
nee the site of lavish farms. The
hitch word for farm is bouwenj.
The stretch between Delancey
nd Houston Sts. is jocularly known
s Thieves' Market. Those who have
maU objects to exchange or sen
ongregate there. . . . Eighty per
ent of the Waldorf is built over the
-acks of the New York Central. . . .
he income from the
mt<?i district between Fifth Ave,
nd University PL goes to support a
one (or poor Bailors. The owner
lade that request in his wffl.
Colorful Old West Lives Again
In Omaha Historical Museum
Railroad Exhibit
Is Visual Record
Of Pioneer Days
WNV Features.
\ OMAHA, NEB.?The roaring,
hectic days of the Old West are
not dead?they still live in all
their flamboyant glory in the
Union Pacific's historical muse
um located in the company's
headquarters building here.
Fascinating documents, maps,
relics, weapons, furniture, books,
household articles, farm imple
i (rents, personal possessions and
jther mementos of the men and
events which carved an empire out
af a wilderness comprise a dramatic
and graphic visual record of the
, rtruggles, tragedies and triumphs
, of the pioneer West.
Portray Progress.
' Interwoven with the faded relics
and ghosts of long-dead pioneers and
| heroes of the West are exhibits por
traying the epic record in the build
ing of the Union Pacific, which
played an instrumental role in the
westward expansion of the empire.
Shunning away from the
musty and moldertng atmos
phere of the typical "museum
ides," aU the exhibits are do- c
signed to preserve an the color c
and adventure which prevailed I
in the pioneer days. <
Since this valuable historical col- c
lection was opened to the public in '
1939, approximately 200,000 visitors '
representing every state in the union '
and 41 foreign countries have regis- J
tered at the museum. '
Reminisce on Careers. fa
Bearded oldsters wander through c
the exhibits musing over items 1
which recall their own picturesque a
careers when they?and the West? n
were young. In contrast are school I
children and street urchins, in
trigued by the drama in the win
| ning of the West. Side by side come g
scholars and business men, house- ti
wives and railroad executives, p
while during war years many a a
serviceman discovered that brows- h
ing around the exhibits provided an *
Ideal means of whiling away the g
seemingly endless wait for trains, tl
Curator of the museum is Mrs. d
Ruth Cultra Hamilton, former w
school teacher who has been asso- b
ciated with the railroad for many fi
years. oi
Lauds Woman's Role.
True to her clan, Mrs. Hamilton
admits that her one regret is that a<
the museum collections are almost ^
wholly a memorial to the great men fa
Df the past. n
"No one remembers those anony
mous women who ranked with their
tnen as courageous pioneers," she j
?wm plains. fa
To museum visitors, how- p
ever, she can point out a few ai
household articles which serve Ii
as mute reminders that even ti
while heroes conquered the c<
West, someone had to cook pud lc
HISTORY WAS MADE . . . With the riles, sad after eqaip
meat hwladed ft this feaeral view at a it rtisa ml the Matuli si
tew, rear children and help with
the farming.
Modern-day houswives stare un
ompjehendingly at such primitive
levices as candle molds, a sauer
:raut stomper, a broom of hickory
plints, a spinning wheel and reel
la ting back to 1859. Typical of the
lardships which the pioneer worn
n endured are exhibits of crude
arm implements?an awkward flail,
lumsy hoe and handmade barley
ork.
The old iron Dutch oven and grill
} the museum once were the only
ooking utensils owned by some
form on family, which carried them
cross the plains on the historic
ligratkm from Nauvoo, 111., to
Itah.
Recall Indian Raids.
Many souvenirs of the constant
uerrilla warfare between the hos
>le Indians and workmen who
ushed the rails ever westward also
re on display. Supplementing the
imahawks and arrows is the handi
ork of Indian women who en
aged in more peaceful pursuits
tan their warriors. Included In the
isplay are fine baskets and bead
ork, tobacco pouches, medicine
ags, amulets and other articles
tshioned by Sioux women and dec
rated with embroidery of flattened
orcupine quills dyed with roots and
erries.
Wild-eyed youngsters gaze In awe
t the pistols which spat flame
nd lead in the hectic early days
ut which now rest peacefully in the
1 use urn's display cases.
Many Gobs Shown.
A huge .89 horse pistol Is on
Isplay, along with flintlocks dating
ack to the American revolution and
epper-box types, derringers, ball
ltd cap and muzzle-loading types,
t one case are guns taken from
sin robbers while another case
tn tains bullet molds, cartridge
adefs. powder flasks and horns.
shot pooches and other pieces ai
equipment used m pistol Emoting
A rare old book showing the trails
from Texas to Ellsworth, Ksi , one
of the roaring "cow towns" at the
"70s, and a collection ai branding
irons highlight the mementos ai the
day at the cattleman and cow
boy.
Mute symbols ai a rtm earlier
day when the buffalo and bison
roamed the western plains by the
THE WILD AND WOOLLY
WEST ... is rc-created far
po?le-eyed }?t?la? te tWs
display *f {an sad knives.
millions are the watch and eriseofi
used by "Old Jim" Bridger and a
money belt and autographed pic
ture of "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
The epic aaltnttaa at pia
aeera arer the Itoaw trail.
Orepaa trad aad attar path
ways la the Waal la upessaad
id kr buy mHm
najtr iitcrtst la aa ?f|kal
seers, sbewiag emj place
icran the yrairtcs where M
eon la be obtained a ad the leea
tioa at blacksmiths.
Rare and original photographs
1 the Great Emancipator bold the
wtlight in an extensive Lincoln col
ction. A replica of the Lincoln
ineral car also is displayed.
Tribate to Rails.
With the building of the West ir
eevably linked with the develop
t of rail transportation, the mu
um features mementos in the hia
ry of railroading.
Principal item is a yellowed tele
ram bearing a single sentence,
You can make affidavit of comple
on of road to Promontory Sum
ilt." This message, sent by Gran
ule If Dodge, chief engineer, to
liver Ames, then president of the
. P.. signified completion of con
traction work, and on the follow
ig day the Golden Spike was driv
n to join the Union Pacific and the
antral Pacific as the first trans
antinental railroad "?"?( the East
nd West.
? . | ei
EN ROUTE TO PROMISED LAND . . . Mormon pioneers used then* C
erode firm Implements and household oteaeils ? their historic trek o
from NaoToe, 111., to Utah. I a
Blindness lie Hand cap, Industrious Ohio Man Proves
P AI1< ESVILLE, OHIO.-Although
blind irnct he wu (even, Robert
Bixel Is one of the most industrious
men in this community. After work
ing throughout the week at a rub
ber plant, he continues the pace on
Sunday by rushing off to church,
where be is an evangelist and sing
er.
Not content with these regular
activities. Bixel utilizes a guide dog
to help him around the community
to giva chiropractic treatments, re
pair chairs and aell greeting cards.
At home he mows the lawn. Area
the furnace and helpe with house
hold tasks.
An ardent sportsman, Bixel rides
horseback, goes Ashing and coon
hunting. On cocm hunts ha aaks only
for a stoat club about fear feet in
length and TO gat along aO right
by myself."
Blind since serin yean of aga as
a result of being struck by a stone
thrown by a playmate, Btxel refuses
to acknowledge the handicap. He
now plans to learn typing to permit
him to keep up with his immense
amount at correspondence.
Formerly the regular preaches
at Rhrerview church in nearby Now
elty, Ohio, Bizel turned the paster
acta as a traveling evangelist.