Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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News Review of Current Events the World Over i Crisis Nears in Italo-EtKiopian Embroglioi—Mussolini Defiant, Great Britain Ready—Committee of Lawyers Hits Labor Relations Act. By EDWARD W. PICKARD e Western Newspaper Unioa. Benito Mussolini M ATTERS In Geneva were rapldlj appronrhlng a crisis—a crisis for Italy and Ethiopia, for European peace and for the League of Nations Itself. The Italian cabinet, In which Mussolini holds eight portfolios, an nounced In Rome that Italy would accept no compromise and would not retreat from the course It has laid out In East Africa; that Its military prepara tions were being In tensified, and that Its forces were adequate “to respond to any menace wbmevef." Still more Important, In the light of developments, was the cabinet’s an nouncement of strengthening Its mili tary forces In Libya, where General Ilalbo has been establishing 9 strong line of air repots. This colony bor ders Egypt on tile west, and there was Immediately a lot of speculation as to whether Mussolini planned to attack the British empire In that region. Italian forces In Libya have received reinforcements of 40,000 men with tanks and field artillery, and are much stronger than the British forces In Egypt. If economic sanctions were Im posed on Italy, Mussolini might well reply by threatening Great Britain In that quarter, hy Invasion and by arous Ing the native population to revolt Premier Laval’s speech before the League of Nations was exceedingly clever but did not clear the situation sufficiently. While he gave assurance that France would abide by the league covenant and fulfill Its obligations, he hinted that his government would de mand In return that Britain enter a definite engagement to carry out the program agreed upon In London oo February 3—an air Locarno with auto matic enforcement and the conclusion of Danuhian and Baltic security pacts. One after another the nations rep resented in the league announced their supi»ort of the British stand against Italy. If the British do not back down—and that seems unlikely—and If Italy persists In Its adventure, the league will be called on to apply ar ticle lb of the covenant. This requires the submission of any dispute, likely to lead to a rupture, to the council which must then try to effect a set tlement The council also will adopt as Its own the report of the committee of five, which has failed to find a solution acceptable to Italy. The par ties to the dispute are obligated to keep the peace for three months In any event, which would prevent an Italian campaign before the rains set in again in Ethiopia. If in the next three months either side accepts the council's decision, the other party is automatically outlawed If It starts a war at any time In the future. In that case, the penalties against an aggressor as provided In article 16 must take effect automat ically. It Is believed In Geneva that the penalty easiest to apply would be a general boycott of all trade with Italy. In that case the course followed by the United States would be all Im portant. The European statesmen feel confident that they can count on Presi dent Roosevelt, once a war breaks oqt, to Interpret cotton, wheat, and other raw materials as war material and under the American neutrality legisla tlon forbid direct shipment to Italy and Ethiopia. “Take a look at this,’’ virtually said Great Britain to Italy as she massed a great tleet of powerful warships in the Mediterranean. Many of them were at- Gibraltar, others at Malta and Alex andria and yet others at the entrance to the Suez canal. Practically the en tire north Atlantic fleet was concen trated in the Inland sea, and there was a chain of fighting vessels all the way from there to China—and every one of them was ready to defend the suprem acy of the empire. The royal air force, too, was fully represented at the naval bases, and the shore garrisons were reinforced. This was John Bull's reply to Mussolini's defiance, and It might well give him pause. IjNCONSTITUTIONAL” Is the ver- diet of the American Liberty league’s committee of 58 lawyers on the Wagner-Connery labor relations act. “It is our belief,’’ said the opinion, written in the form of a brief, “that the statute unnecessarily and arbi trarily infringes upon the individual liberties of the employer and the em ployee and Is therefore invalid.” This Is the first of a proposed series of opinions on recent federal legisla tion by the committee of lawyers. It was formulated by a subcommittee consisting of Karl F. Reed of Pitts burgh, chairman; Harold Beacom, Chi cago; Harold J. Gallagher. New York; D. J. Keneflek, Buffalo; Harrison B. McGraw. Cleveland;^Gurney E. New- tin. /os Angeles; Hal H. Smith, De troit. ^ d B. Randolph Williams, Rich mond. Va. t Copies of the opinion were sent to •U members of the full committee and dissenting opinions were invited, but none were offered. Raoul E,.-Desvernlne of New York, chairman of the general committee, denied that It was “packed with Re publicans,” hot he did not explain why no labor lawyers and no attorneys with New Deal leanings were appointed to serve. . • . Among the members of the copanijt- tee are James M. Beck, nationally known constitutional authority and former solicitor general of the United States; Balnbridge Colby, secretary of state under President Wilson; John W. Davis, Democratic candidate, for President In 1934; Joseph B. Ely. for mer Democratic governor of Massa chusetts; Ralph M. Shaw of Chicago, former head of the Association Against the Eighteenth Amendment; James A Reed, former United States senatoi from Missouri, a Democrat, and George W. Wlrkersham, chairman of President Hoover’s commission on law enforce- ment. — Frank E. Morrison, American Fed eration of Labor secretary, said: “This committee simply represents the views held by special privilege and big business, which have always opposed every piece of legislation Introduced In congress and the states to bring a little more happiness Into workers’ homes.” A. E. Mercksr A E. MERCKER, who used to be secretary of the Interstate Early Potato committee, has been made head of the potato section of the Agricul tural adjustment ad ministration, and his troubles are Just be ginning. Control of the potato crop is con sidered a natural se quence In the policy that Is being followed by the AAA, and, like other parts of Secre tary Wallace’s agri cultural plan, It Is supporte earnestly and as seriously con demned. Among those who oppose po tato control Is Porter R. Chandler of Geneseo, N. Y., a gentleman farmer. He has advertised extensively his In tention to grow and sell potatoes In defiance of the federal potato control act and Invites prosecution. Now. co-operating with Mr. Chand ler, comes Norman C. Norman, a New York Jeweler who some time ago de fied the jewelers’ code. He sent to the gentleman farmer an order for six or more bushels of “strictly Illegal potatoes," and the order was filled at once. Norman suggested that the po tatoes he routed through New Jersey to make the offense Interstate, and of fered to make more thaiT one pur chase, “as It Is my understanding that the second purchase will entitle me to gu to the penltentlrry.” W HILE all the nation was cele brating Constitution day. the citi zens of Pennsylvania went to the polls and voted overwhelmingly against the calling of a Constitutional convention for the purpose of “modernizing” the state's basic law which was adopted Cl years ago. Since the proposed changes were to have a decided New Deal trend, the Republicans looked on the result of the referendum as a vic tory of national significance. The re vision was strongly supported by Gov ernor Earle and the state Democratic organization and also hy organized labor. New Mexico voters turned down a pro|Mtsal to boost their property ex emption to $2,500, along with four other suggested amendments to the state constitution. Manuel Quezon W HEN the new Philippines com monwealth Is formally born on November 15 In Manila, with Vice President John M- Garner officiating as Its godfather. Manuel Quezon, for 20 years the leader of the fight for Independ ence, will he Inaugu rated as Its first president. In the re cent election he and his entire ticket were victorious. The de feated rivals for the presidency were Emi lio Agulnaldo. who led the rebellion against American rule years ago, and Bishop Gregorio AglTpay. They were virtually snowed under. Sergio Osmena was elected vice pres ident, and victory of Manuel Rosas. Quintin Paredes and Camilo Osias as sured the new president ample lead ership In the 'unicameral national as sembly, where he also will have a clear voting majority. Quezon’s term of office Is six years and his annual salary will he $15,000. The commonwealth will be a ten-year prelude to complete Independence from the United States. Quezon, who is large ly of Spanish blood. Is fifty seven years old. He has numerous friends and ac quaintances In the United States and for a long time haa teen a frequent visitor In Washington In hi* endeavor to gain Independence for the Island archipelago. M ARRfNER S. ECCLES. head of the federal reserve system, has been re-appointed by the President, and so tvlll be chairman of the board that will put Into operation the new banking reform law. Later the President will lame six other members of the board. Mr. Eccles Is the exponent of the the ories that monetary control must be from a “national viewpoint,” that,' the government should spend beayll^ In oad times to create employment "and expand credit, and that It should tax n good years to reduce debt and pre vent excessive accumulation of Income. J3AID advertisements In weekly maga- * zlnes of national circulation are now aelng used by the treasury to promote the sale of baby bonds. The aim of the campaign Is to interest small In vestors In these bonds, the smallest of which sells for $18.75, with a cash ma turity value of $25 In 10 years. S IX hundred members of the German reichstag, all fervent Nazis, met in special session In Nuremberg and at the demupd of Relchsfuehfer Hitler passed two laws bear ing down hard on the Jews In the reich. The JlrsLoL these new stat utes prescribes prison sentences as penalties for marriages between Jews and citizens of German or kindred blood, and declares such marriages void If performed In a foreign country. Extra marital relations between Jews Ad f er and Aryans also are punishable by prison sentences. Jews are forbidden to employ women under forty-five years In their households after January 1, on penalty of Imprisonment. Jews are not allowed to hoist the national flag, being limited to the Zionist btue and white .emblem. The second llw provides that only a person who “belongs to the protective association of the German empire^and is especially obligated to the reich” may be a citizen of Germany. This citizen must be of German or kindred blood and show that he Is willing to serve the German people. Thus Jews and Germans of whom the Nazis dis approve may be excluded. Hitler also put through a third law establishing the Nazi Swastika as the national and trade flag of Germany. The war ministry was Instructed to adopt a war flag of black, white and red. In hl& address to the reichstag Hit ler said that hy the laws adopted he hoped to deliver a fatal blow to Com munism and Jewry. T HE Committee of Jewish Delega tions hHS~ff|>|>ealed to the League of Nations on behalf of the Jews of Ger many, declaring that “the conscience of mankind will not tolerate that Jews should he degraded In this century as pariahs.” C hancellor hitler’s remarks shout Memel aroused President Antonus Smetona to putting out the first Interview he has granted In six years. In it he de clared that Lithuania, relying to the utmost on the legality and Justice of her stand and action In Memel affairs. Is ready at any time to defend her po sition before the per manent court of Inter national Justice. But should an ef fort be made to disre gard legality and jus tice. In favor of force, Lithuania Is prepared, stated President gmetona, to “defend MemeJ with all the means at her command.” Continuing, President Smetdfil said; “Memel is to us an economic neces sity, not a political Issue. We are too small a nation to engage in political bargaining, as we are too small a coun try to engage in contra-propaganda Our only point Is that Memel, contain Ing Lithuania’s only seaport, is an es sential part of Lithuania. And the freedom and preservation of Lithuania is to her people a precious thing.” President Smetona D EATH came to Jules Cambon, one of France’s “elder statesmen,” at Vervey, Switzerland. He was ninety years old and had lived in retirement since the close of the World war though he was frequently consulted by high officials of France. His brilliant career as a diplomatist covered nearly 50 years. He served as ambassador In Washington five years. Washington Digest d jJtes rf&S&LjLsjji&x National Topics Interpreted jjlfinffll* By WILLIAM BRUCKART national ^ k t 'A ^ H ’ N<u C )MI*T ROLLER GENERAL MO CARL in a formal opinion held that there is no legal authorization for the federal government to pay out any funds for the construction of a furni ture factory at Reedsville. W. Va. Till* has been a project esiieclally favored hy Mrs. Roosevelt. It was Intended originally that the factory should make furniture for government offices and give employment to transplanted coal miners. ' A year ago McOarl refused to sanction an allocation to the factory from recovery funds. Then congress turned on the project on the ground that It discriminated against private Industry. McCarl says the Department of the Interior went ahead with letting contracts for the cinstruction, never-."!! theless. and the building Is about 80 per cent completed. ’ | * D KSOLUTIONS adopted by the Iowa Farmers’ union in convention at Dea Moines demand that President Roosevelt dismiss Secretary of Agri culture Wallace from the cabinet and halt “the program of hunger.” The AAA was called “Infamous, worthless tod vicious.” Washington.—When President Roose velt entered the White House March 4, 1938, every dollar Check on of federal money that Spending was expended was -aceetrttted for and the vouchers reviewed by the gen eral accounting offices. J. Raymond McTarl, comptroller general of the United States, occupied and still occupies an independent position In the accountings he directed and the reviews that were made under the budget and accounting law. But with the arrival of the New Deal and the crisis in goveTnment and the nation arising from the depression, scores of new laws were enacted, new agencies of government were created and bil lions of dollars were appropriated.-the 'hulk of it being spent without refer ence to the accounting act or the bu reau of the budget. Congress, under White House direction, did not make these new agencies or their spending accountable to the comptroller general. It was almost two years before Pres Ident Roosevelt saw fit to make ah^ of the emergency agencies, the alalia hetical soup, amenable to the general accounting office. Consequently, mil Hons upon millions of dollars w’ere spent and only the spending agencies knew whether they were spent in ac cordance with law. Now, however, things have changed. I.ate last winter, the President began extending the broad wings of the general account ing office over emergency agencies and has continued to do so until, only the other day, the last of these were made responsible to ‘the comptroller general. Thus an lnde|iendent governmental unit—one with no axes to grind—again Is in a position to say whether fed era I money is being spent as congress directed and in a manner which the taxpayers have the right to demand. This s[»en<ling of money in gigantic amounts always breeds suspicion. It causes people to Inquire, whatever the form of government may he o^what- ever political party may be In control, whether there is waste or graft, wheth er the then office holders are feather ing their own nests, and many another question of the_like It was true in the case of the New Deal. Observers here In Washington constantly were receiving Information alleging that this individual or'that had been dis playing signs of unusual prosperity; that rumors were afloat concerning graft and crookedness In one agency or another and that “somebody ought to ex|M»se" the goings-on with res|*ect to a named department of government. It was not an unusual circumstance because In every administration we here in Washington who attempt to see and to hear as much ns we can. get the same kind of reaction. Only, It seemed to have been worse this time and well it may have l»een because the amount of money made available to President Roosevelt and his subor dinates was so much larger. It is my belief, however, that there has not been more of this intangible thing called graft In government In the pres ent administration than in na»st nth ers. There Mas been some crookedness because there have been court convic tions of some officials but 1 expect when and If the future lays bare all facts concerning the present adminis tration and its handling T.f the vas* sums of money available to it. it will be disclosed that most of the New- Deal officials have been honest in their disbursement of funds. Their friends may have profited hut. If they have, that is Just a repetition ot an old story, a circumstance always develop Ing In a government managed tinder the two party system. To the victors always go the spoils. • • • If Mr. Roosevelt has been able to keep down straight out crookedness. he Is to be commend- Criticize ed.. ’ fr will remove Spending rrom forthcom ing campaign some of the mud slinging thnt really has no place in national politics/ But. while the President Is entitled to commen datlon for the attempts at honest dis bursement of funds, I hear more and more criticism of the way the money has been spent. Indeed, It appears now that the vast ex|*enditures by the administration are likely to he as much of a campaign Issue as Is his proposal to alter the Constitution to fit New Deal plans. Every one knows that when an In dividual's pocket hook Is touched, he rises In revolt By the time the next election conies around Individuals will have had their pockethooks touched ratner forcibly by national and state and , local taxes of an increased amount. Tntis, It Is easy to see how the criticism of Roosevelt’s spending Is growing and can continue to grow. Yhe-"g«ixjgrnment has been pushed ten or ten or'twelve hllllon more In debt and the end is not In sight, despite the fact that Mr. Roosevelt has Inti mated on several occasions lately that he pro|M>ses to curtail federal-ex penditures except for emergency pur poses. Those announcements and any future declaratlona he may make are not going to soften the antagonistic feeling that people have for any pub ic official who wastes money 'whether PEASANT COTTAGE POT HOLDER SET By GRANDMOTHER CLARK It is no^ strange that the^e two men er. Mr. Hopkins, being a the motives be proper or improper. From this point, one may look into the crystal of the 1936 campaign and It takes no stretch of the Imagination to visualize what a pounding the New Deal opposition will give the Roose velt administration on t]}is question of spending. When Mr. Roosevelt began spending, he declared it was Justified because hundreds of thonsands of citizens were Starving. His next pronouncement on this subject by : way of explaining con tinued expenditure was that if the gov ernment spent freely, it would serve as a priming of the economic pump; that the circulation of federal money would allow Industry to sell and that industry would replace by manufac-* ture- the things sold. That, too, brought little or no result. Then we entered the current stage where the spending was to be closely supervised and only projects that held promise of actually developing manufacture T»nd retail selling would be approved and financed by federal money. It is re grettable but It Is a fact that almost nothing has come of this program. And to make matters worse, lately. Secretary Ickes. public works admin istrator, and Relief Administrator Harry Hopkins have locked horns oh the bulk of the projects on which federal money was to he used. should dlffi trained, a professional, welfare worker, sees things only from the standpoint of the Individual who needs food. Mr. Ickes has a conception of federal spending that embraces the use of money In ways designed to start the great Industries In motion. He figures that if these Industries get going, they will employ workers; the workers will spend their wages and the retail ers will profit thereby and. as the re tailers sell from their shelves, they seek replacements from the manufac turers. The controversy between Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Ickes. therefore. Is no4 one to be settled by compromise or hy soft words. In fact. It may never be settled until one or the other gets out of his place In the govern ment. • • • The Importance of the Ickes-Hop- kins row to the reader of this column, however, lies largely Break for in the fact that the Taxpayers particular reader Is a taxpayer. The con nection Is simply this; the last con gress appropriated $4.8X0,000.000 for use by the administration In public works and relief. If all of that sum were spent the public debt would be Increased by that amount became In ternal revenue taxes are insufficient to offset more than the ordinary govern merit expenditures. Therefore, If all of this money Is not spent, and It can not he spent If the Ickes-Hopkins dis pute continues to hold hack adminis tration plans, then the taxpayers will have Just that much less of a govern ment debt to meet through this pay ment of their taxes. So the President’s order placing all administrative agencies under the gen eral accounting office to see that their spending Is honestly done and the de velopments within the administration over a difference In policy must he taken together as a break for the tax payer. • • • Agriculture adjustment administra tion officials are about ready to pre- sent to the farmers Potato of this country a de- Control tailed plan for con trol of potato pro duction. It will provide means for Imostlng the Incomes of the potato farmers something more than 100 per cent, and will increase the cost of this Item of food to consumers by a pro portionate amount, of course. Con ferences soon will be held between the AAA and representatives of farmers’ organizations to work out phases of the pla,n-reqplring farmer approval. Various thoughts arise If one reflects upon potato control. First, control of potato production marks the four teenth agricultural crop brought un der regi men ta Jinn and It presents, probably, the toughest of all of them In The matter of enforcing Its provi sions. Adoption of the potato control pro gram represents attainment of a point In the life of the AAA where one step has led to another until control of po tatoes was essential, or the whole plan of crop control flops. It will he re called that the declared purpose of the AAA at the beginning was only for the control of cotton. LnnJ withheld from cotton then was planted to tobacco and tobacco had to^he controlled; when tobacco was controlled, and the land withdrawn, farm, rs in some sections turned to peanuts and peanuts had to be controlled. I understand the AAA Is consider ably worried about the Jo’j of enforc ing the potato control laar. That law provides compulsion r. 'ainst overpro duction In the form c: a tax chili -a tax of 45 cents a bushel. In addition, there are penalties of an amazingly severe kind—$1,090 fine for the first of fense and Imprisonment fn - j| mors than i year for the .«cond. # WmUiw Ncwapapcr Unioa. With a very little handwork yon can have, this charming little peasant cottage with a fence around it, right In your kitchen. When you are not using'It the house fits Inside the pocket formed by the fence. Colors In the house and field beyond are , stamped and stenciled and require merely outlining. Size finished about 9 by 12 inches. Package A-ll contains the stamped and tinted material of llnene for th# potholder and the container, also the binding for fence and Instructions how to make It up. Sent postpaid for '■ ”U CMltK ’ — .. ~ Address HOME CRAFT CO., DEPT. A, NINETEENTH AND ST. LOUIS AVE.,' ST. LOUiS, MO. Inclose- stamped addressed enve lope for reply when writing for any Information. BILIOUSNESS Dates ported An average of 50,000,000 pounds ef foreign-grown dates are Imported into the United States each year. Semo Thing The meaning of tantamount Is equivalent Found! PAIN “Though I have tried all good remedies Cspudine suits me beet because it is unueuslty quick sod gentia." For headache, neuralgic, or muscle aches, use either Capudme Liquid or Capudlne Brand Tablets. CAPUDINE Uso for Straw Soviet scientists say they can pro duce auto gas from straw. MOSQUITOES BEST BY 10.000 TESTS REFUSE SUBSTITUTES ! LIES*SPIDERS and L OTHER m INSECTS in Watch Your Kidneys/ Be Sure They Properly Cleanse the Blood VOUR kidneys are constantly filter* ■ ing watte matter from the blood stream. But kidneys tometimes lag in their work—do not act as nature in* tended—fail to remove impurities thet poisbn the system when retained. 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