Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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•«« * !•>*, -«• . Tha Rarnwcll P»nnlA.9l#ntlii*l Rara«r*ll S C* TIinraHav. TVfarrli 11. 19^7 t* ^ i m m News Review of Current Events the World Over Administration's Billion Dollar Housing Bill Introduced— Epidemic of Sit-Down Strikes—Townsend Convicted of Contempt of House. By EDWARD W. PICKARD & Wfiiern Newspaper Unioa. CENATOR ROBERT F. WAGNER ^ of New York and Representative Henry B. Steagall of Alabama intro duced simultaneously in the senate and house the ad ministration bill set ting up a program for the construction of homes for ‘‘fami lies of low income." Under the measure the government may lend to state or local housing authorities $1,000,000,000, from July 1, 1937, to July 1, 1941, the money Sen. Wagner f or ^j s pqrpose to be raised by bond issues and the loans to be supervised by a new department, the United States Hous ing authority. To supplement the loans congress is asked to appropri ate $50,000,000 to be paid in out right grants. The loans are to bear interest at not less than the going federal rate and are to be payable over such a period, not to exceed 60 years, as the authority may de termine. Competition with private industry is guarded against, according to the authors, ‘‘by insuring that housing projects shall be at all times avail able only to families who are in the low income groups." The four year program calls for the construction of 375,000 family dwelling units at an average cost of $4,000 a unit. Wagner and Steagall Insisted that the bill called for ‘‘de centralization.’’ "All the direction, planning, and management in connection with publicly assisted housing projects are to be vested in local authorities, springing from the initiative of the people in the communities con cerned," they stated. "The federal government will merely extend its financial aid through the medium of these agencies. The only exception to the strictly decentralized admin istration is that the federal govern ment may set up a few demonstra tive projects in order that local areas without adequate instrumen talities of their own may benefit by an experience in low rent housing." LJ AVING virtually countenanced 11 the sit-down strike in the case of the General Motors controversy, the administration found itself em barrassed by that favorite ma neuver of John Lewis’ Committee for Industrial Organization. Out in Monica, Calif., about 200 employees of the Douglas Air craft corporation went on strike and "sat down" in the big plant, com pletely stopping work on $24,000,000 worth of airplanes the company is building for the government The men defied a trespass warning and an order to evacuate the plant sent them by the police, and Mr. Doug las refused to negotiate with the union until the strikers got out of the buildings. The situation was complicated by a quarrel over worker representation between the Automobile Workers' union, a C. I. O. group, and the Machinists’ union, allied with the A. F. of L. Finally the strikers were indicted for conspiring to violate two old California laws against forcible en try and trespassing, and when 300 armed deputies appeared at the plant, they surrendered and were taken to Los Angeles for arraign ment. Another big government Job was halted for a time by a sit-down strike of employees of the Electric Boat company at Groton, Conn., which is building submarines for the navy. There, however, the local and state police soon evicted the trespassers and arrested them, and the rest of the employees, a large majority, resumed work. Speaking "not as an officer of the administration," Secretary of Com merce Daniel C. Roper said that any sit-down strike "that under takes to take over private proper ty is a very serious and fundamen tal thing and in my opinion will not be long endured by the courts." There was almost an epidemic of strikes throughout the country, many of them of the sit-down vari ety. Some were settled in short order but others are still on at this writing. Among these was the strike at the Fansteel Metallurgical cor poration in North Chicago, where the disgruntled workers refused to leave the plant. Gov. Henry Hor ner was striving earnestly to bring about a settlement. John L. Lewis’ threat, during the General Motors strike, that "Ford and Chrysler are next,” is being carried out. The United Automobile Workers union sent to Walter P. Chrysler demands that the U. A. W. be recognized by his corporation as the sole collective bargaining agency. O PEN warfare by the govern ment on private power inter ests will be started soon if the rec ommendations of President Roose velt to congressional leaders are acted upon favorably. In letters to Vice President Garner and Speaker Bankhead, the President urged that prompt action be taken to provide for the sale of electric power from the $51,000,000 Bonne ville project on the Columbia river in Oregon; and he intimated this might be taken a national power policy. The rec ommendations were in accord with a report from the committee on na tional power policy and also with the position Mr. Roosevelt took in the controversy with Dr. Arthur E. Morgan, TVA chairman, who fa vored co-operation with existing power companies, and consideration for their investment. Here is what the President pro posed: 1. —That not less than 50 per cent of the power generated at Bonne ville be reserved for sale to public authorities, such as states, districts, counties, municipalities and other sub-divisions and to co-operative as sociations of citizens. 2. -^’hat the government construct it. own transmission lines, sub-sta tions and other facilities for trans porting power so as to make the government project independent of existing utility companies. 3. —That the federal government control the re-sale rates to consum ers through regulation by the fed eral power commission. 4. —That the power be sold at rates low enough to promote the widest use of electrical energy, par ticularly to domestic and rural consumers. These rates, the Presi dent insisted, should be fixed with relation to only that part of the to tal $51,000,000 Bonneville investment that the government saw fit to charge to power generation. 5. —That the federal agency ad ministering the project be author ized to acquire by eminent domain if need be, land, franchises, exist ing transmission lines. P)R. FRANCIS E. TOWNSEND. ^ the elderly Californian who de vised the old age pension plan bearing his name, was found guilty of contempt of the house of representa tives because he re fused to testify be fore a house com mittee that was in vestigating h i s scheme last spring and "took a walk" out of the commit tee room. The ver dict, rendered by a jury in the District of Columbia court, made the doctor li able to a sentence of one to twelve years in jail or a fine of from $100 to $1,000, or both. Judge Peyton Gordon deferred sentence until he could pass on a motion for a new trial. Townsend seemed rather to wel come the verdict, saying he had expected it. "Lord bless you. I’ll be all the more active," he said when asked what efTect a convic tion would have on his movement. "I think it will be the general opin ion that I have been the victim of an injustice. Our organization will be spurred to greater efforts." Dr.Townsead FOLLOWING the example set by 1 the five operating railway broth erhoods—engineers, firemen, con ductors, trainmen and switchmen— the sixteen non-operating brother hoods, with a membership of 800,- 000, have voted to demand wage in creases averaging 30 cents an hour. This action was taken at a meeting in Chicago of the general chair men of the brotherhoods. Besides the pay increase, the men ask the guarantee of full time employment for all regularly assigned workers and two-thirds time for "standby" employees. The non-operating brotherhoods embrace the clerks, telegraphers, carmen, shop laborers, machinists, blacksmiths, dispatchers, boiler makers, drop forgers, sheet metal workers, electrical workers, freight handlers, express and station em ployees, maintenance of way men, signal men and sleeping car con ductors. D LANS for the complete blockade of Spam by the other European powers, in order to starve out the civil war, met with difficulties ow ing to the bringing up of points in volving the national honor of France and Russia. The French made certain objections to the land patrol and the Russians to the sea patrol. The Spanish loyalists were mak ing a desperate effort to capture Oviedo, where the insurgent garri son was attacked by dynamite throwing Basques. The defenders, numbering about 12,000 men, wore hard pressed and it seemed im possible that relief forces could reach the city in time to save them In the Madrid sector, too, the rebels were getting the worst of it, for the government forces were about ready to make a mass assault on Pinzarron hill from which the Franco artillery has been shelling the Madrid-Valencia road. 'Jhjmkd about Streamlined Grandmothers. S ANTA MONICA, CALIF.— All along I've been wonder ing what has vanished from the city landscape. I’d grown reconciled to service stations where blacksmith shops used to be and a beauty parlor where livery ble spread its fasci- _ nating perfumes. » So it couldn’t be that. All of a sudden it dawned on me. Since coming here I’ve seen mighty few 1912 - model grandmothers b a r- ring in the movies, r and then, with the lrvln S * Cobb exception of dear May Robson, they had to weai makeup. We don’t so much mind the young girl who has gone prematurely old —we’re accustomed to her-rbut the old woman who has gone prema turely young, so young that she seems to be advertising the ap proach of second childhood by dressing to match it—well, that’s different. So now I know what I miss. It’s the old-fashioned lady who was neither streamlined nor a four-col or process. - • • • Penalties of Old Age. IF, MENTALLY or physically, or * both, a man of seventy has so slowed down he no longer can func tion usefully, what are we going to do about Secretary of State Hull and Secretary Roper, and Senator Glass and Senator Norris, and both Cal ifornia’s senators, and a sizable pro portion of the outstanding member ship of either branch of congress? And, to avoid cluttering up the words, so to speak, what disposition should have been made, at seventy, of Thomas A. Edison and John D. Rockefeller, Sr., and Henry Ford and Queen Victoria and Cardinal Gibbons and Von Hindenburg and Clemenceau and Professor Eliot and Carrie Chapman Catt and Mark Twain and Elihu Root and Melville W. Fuller, just to mention a few names that come to mind? Going still further back, one gets to thinking, among others of Henry Clay and Ben Franklin and Glad stone and Bismarck and Victot Hugo and Alexander Humboldt. • • • Open Season on Bears. '^EW Brunswick is granting free ^ licenses for sportsmen to kill bears this spring. I regard this afl* an error. It reduces bears, which are picturesque features of forest life, and increases amateur gunners barging through the wilderness plug ging away at every living object they see, including guides. A green horn might miss a sitting union depot—probably would—but he gar ners him a guide nearly every time. On all counts, the black bear should have game protection. For every shoat he steals, he eats thrice his weight in grubs and ants and bugs; and he’s a fine scavenger, for he likes his dead meat high. If he were a veteran member of a Maryland Duck club, he couldn’t like it any higher. Even so, he has been preyed on until, in parts of our north woods, he’s practically extinct. Yet, next to a Vermont Democrat, he’s prob ably the most inoffensive mammal found in New England. • • • Tyranny of the Soviets. C EEPING^through the Soviet em- ^ bargo on free speech and free press and even free thought, stories came out that the five-year plan shows signs of utter collapse and also that, in their striving for ab solute despotism, Stalin and his— for the moment—intimate lieuten ants are preparing to "liquidate" by execution or remove by a wholesale campaign of exile all such of their recent ruthless associates as might, through private ambitions, stand in the way of this latest ddsperate tyranny. ' Of course, we hear all sorts of tales about the real inside of the Russian situation, some inspired by hostile prejudice and some by sym pathetic partisans. • • • Women's New Freedom. FVEN in olden days, before they broke loose, women envied us every masculine perquisite we had, except the moustache cup and pos sibly chewing tobacco. Since eman cipation, seems like they’ve taken over practically everything we ever had. / ’i*e bars are crowded with wom en, and the smoking rooms and the barber shops and the gambling clubs and the prize-fights and the wrest! ng matches and the political caucuses. If it weren’t for them, the racertracks and the night spots would languish and the cocktail mixers might get an occasional rest. Maybe, as a dist nguished scientist now arises to proclaim, they could nave excelled us in our then ex- 'lusive fields, only before this they Jidn’t get a chance to prove it. IRVIN S. COBB t Weattrn Newspaper Unleeu National Topics Interpreted. by William Bruckart Washington. — I suppose most members of congress will deny it, „ .. . . tut there certainly iPolitical } 8 every evidence Dynamite of an agreement, an understanding, to let President Roosevelt’s radical court reform legislation stew until the country is heard from. There is no doubt in my mind nor in the other observers here that •epresentatives and senators are anxiously awaiting word from their constituents because if any issue ever was loaded with political dyna mite, the plan to pack the Supreme court of the United States with six additional judges surely contains highly explosive elements. The facts I have mentioned in the above paragraph explain largely why there are so many senators and house members who remain non committal on the issue. They want to know which way to jump. Actu ally, I believe as many as half of them are going to try to determine which band wagon they ought to ride—whether they ought to go against the President or for him. In other words, the spot they are now on is not nearly so hot as the one upon which they may find them selves if they guess wrong at this time. No politician will ever jump from the frying pan into the fire knowingly. In the meantime, the debate rages. Out and out supporters of President Roosevelt, the kind of men who follow him blindly because he is their leader, and the extreme op position type who are against the President regardless of his position are battling for public attention. The radio is being used to an extent as great, if not greater, than occurred in the last campaign. Those who are committed for or against the President’s reform proposition are anxious to sustain their positions and the remainder of the national legislature is egging on the more bold members in order that those who have not made up their minds can take advantage of word from back home. In the meantime, as well, there are proposals and counter-proposals seeking a compromise. Few of them have any definite merit. Most of them, I believe, are purely and solely representative of floundering minds. Their sponsors entertain hopes that somehow, somewhere they will gain a streak of light that will guide them through to a proper answer politically. There has been only one plan for giving the federal government more power that can possibly be de scribed as sound. That is the origi nal proposition by Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the Democratic leader of the senate, who announced early in the session of congress that he favored an amendment to t*ie Con stitution. While Senator Robinson did not then say so, nor has he said so since, the truth is that he and many others would like to see the people of the country have an op portunity to pass upon any program that would change the country’s ju diciary. The President regards this method as too slow. He thinks that any changes which he desires ought to be made at once and holds that the tremendous majority by which he was re-elected gives him author ity to do so. Yet, as tlje picture now stands, there is every prospect of considerable delay and from the way I analyze the circumstances, delay will provide the vast majority of voters with an opportunity for determination of the question which is vital in this case: Does the coun try want to keep an independent system of courts or does it want to establish a precedent by which this administration or any other ad ministration can influence those courts to do the bidding of the na tion’s Chief Executive? • • • Through many years and in every year there has been constant criti- c . cism of congress Safety us. f or delay in reach- Speed ing conclusions. It is fortunate, in my opinion, that these delays constitute a part of our governmental system. They allow time for cooling off. I think it will be generally agreed that every time legislation is rushed through congress ahead or as part of an -emotional wave among citi zens, there has invariably resulted unworkable, if not entirely unsound, statutes. Such is bound to be the result when men and women fail to think things through—when they fail to examine all of the phases of any problem. President Roosevelt moved quick ly, and I believe sincerely, in pro posing rhe NRA and the farm relief plan under the agricultural adjust ment administration. Yet, neither of these reform measures stood the test of workability; neither had been drafted upon a proper knowledge of the ends they were to serve and neither did justice to all of the peo ple. It was only natural, therefore, that they should fall by the way- side. These two laws are cited because they are the outstanding examples of emotional legislation. There are many others, most of them not as bad. But lately one offshoot of the NRA has arisen to plague the ad ministration. I refer to the so-called Walsh-Healey law. In order to refresh memories, let me explain that the Walsh-Healey law prohibits the federal govern ment from buying products of mills or factories, or any fruit of labor, unless the supplying contractor has complied with the same minimum hours and wages that were a part of the old NRA Codes. Unless the contractor agrees to produce the material which the federal govern ment is buying in accordance with those terms, his bid must be re jected under the law. When the Walsh-Healey law was passed, there were comments heard in several quarters that the time would come when the government itself would regret the legislation. That time has arrived. Everyone is aware, of course, that Great Britain has started on a naval building program under which] it will expend approximately seven and a half billion dollars in the next five years. American policy always has called for matching the British navy ship by ship. Fifteen years ago when the Harding disarmament program was written into treaty form, we destroyed ships so that our tonnage was the same as that of Great Britain. Now, with the world in a turmoil, with Great Britain an nouncing an unprecedented building program in order to protect its vast colonies and dominion from aggres sion, the need arises for a building up of our navy again. At least that is Mr. Roosevelt’s view and he has wide support for it. • • • To build up the navy requires vast amounts of steel and other products . of industry. Much Unable to 0 f naV al build- Get Steel ing will be done in the navy’s own yards. Thus, it has come to pass that the navy has been unable to obtain steel and other equipment since the manufacturers of the needed equipment are not willing to subject themselves to the terms of the Walsh-Healey law. In some in stances where the navy has sought to buy material, the manufactur ers have refused even to make an offer or state a price at which they would sell the required material and there is a very real possibility that unless the Walsh-Healey law is re pealed or dodged, our navy build ing program may have to come to a halt. The reason for this condition is that the Walsh-Healey law, with its prescription on minimum hours of labor and wages would place a bur den on industry that it cannot bear and return its cost of production. The government, as a buyer, is a tough customer in any event. Its specifications are always more diffl cult than is the practice in industry. Add to that, then, the requirement that men may work only 30 hours a week and that their pay shall not be reduced from the rate of their compensation when they were work ing 40 hours a week and you have burdened any manufacturing estab lishment with a load that will break its back. Right now, the Navy department is trying to find a way to get around the provisions of the Walsh-Healey law. President Roosevelt has said nothing publicly concerning his atti tude but there are many who believe he himself feels the law is not work ing out the way it was intended. It is quite a distance, of course^ from the Walsh-Healey law to the present controversy under Mr. Roosevelt’s plan to pack the Su preme court with six new judges if one stops his examination of the two questions at the surface. It is not difficult, however, to see a di rect connection. The Walsh-Healey law was driven through congress in haste. The bad effects of it are coming now two years after its en actment. If the Supreme court re form proposal is driven through as quickly and with as little examina tion as the Walsh-Healey law, we will reap the reward sooner or later and probably for many years to come. • Weatern Newspaper Union. "Gnu” of Hottentot Origin The name "gnu" is of Hottentot origin, and was in use by na tives when white settlers first went to South Africa. The name "wilde beest" is a Dutch word meaning wild ox, and probably originated on ac count of the animal’s habit of pranc ing and capering in antics suggest ing those of a bull enraged by tore adors in a Spanish arena. It is said that the Boers, in early days, found that a red cloth excited these antelopes and was frequent ly used in hunting them. In addi tion to the white-tailed gnu, there is a species known as the brindled gnu or blue wildebeest, which is abundant in East-central Africa. Gnus have disproportionately large heads which give them a gro tesque appearance. They have maned necks and distinctive tufts of hair on their faces. The bulls stand about four feet tall at the shoulders. The general color of the white-tailed species is a deep brown. Their horns are formidable weapons and under certain conditions the animals are dangerous. OfMESTTO IHOU Using Beef Fat — Pour oft the starts to harden. Then beat well with a fork. Afterwards it may be used in place of lard. • • • When cream will not whip, add the white of one egg and thorough ly chill before whipping. .* • • One gallon of coffee will serve 25 medium sized cups. The size tat would accompany a dessert fter a dinner. Rayons should be pressed with a warm, but not hot irooi A hot iron will melt some synthetic ma terials.- \ • « # Dishes that have contained sug ar or greasy articles should be soaked in hot water before washing. * • » A couple tablespoons o f mo lasses will make beans brown nicely. i * * * To make lace look new, squeeze in hot, soapy water, then in cold water, and then in milk to stiffen it. Press on the wrong side with a fairly hot iron. C Associated Newspapers.—WNU Serclos. 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Now I oat as I wish, sloop fine and navar fslt bettor.'* Give your bowels a REAL cleansing with Adlorika and aso bow good you fool. Juot ONE dot# relkves GAS and constipation. At all Leading Druggists. Dodge Controveniee Controversies only make yea warm and your face red and lead to quarrels. k MUSCULAR RHEUMATIC PAIN Inspired Accomplishment Art makes a rock garden; ap uninspired taste, a pile of rocks. • * Less Monthly Discomfort Many women, who formerly suf fered from a weak, run-down con dition c.z a result of poor assimila tion of food, aay they benefited by taking CARDUI, a special medicine for women. They found It helped to Increase the appetite and Improve digestion, thereby bringing them more strength from their food. Naturally there is less discomfort at monthly periods when the system has been strengthened and the vari ous functions restored and regulated. Cardul, praised by thousands of women, la well worth trying. Of course. If not benefited, consult a physician. 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