Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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v- Tfc« Baniwcll People-S^nllatU BarmwIU 8. C. Thursday, Aagnst 19. 1937 News Review #/ Current Events GREEN SHAPES WAGE BILL Dictates House Amendments • • • Thousands Flee China, Expecting War . • . Housing Measure Stirs Up Senate r ^ SUMMARIZES THE WORLD’S WEEK Where Wei John Lewis? W ILLIAM GREEN, president of the American Federation of Labor, emerged as the administra tion’s favorite son in matters affects ing labor as he was permitted vir tually to write his own amendments to the house version of the wages and hours bill. The senate had passed the bill, 56 to 23, only after President Roosevelt had called Green to the White House and per suaded him to give lukewarm ap proval to the measure, with the un derstanding that the house would amend it. Southern Democrats in the senate, led by Pat Harrison of Mississippi, bitterly opposed the bill, but their motion to recommit it to committee was defeated, 48 to 36. The same vigorous opposition was expected from Dixie’s representatives in the house labor committee, but the “Green amendments” (so called be cause of the federation president’s complete domination of the commit tee meeting) patched up the essen tial differences. The bill, as passed by the senate, would create a labor standards board empowered to set minimum wages up to 40 cents an hour and maximum work weeks down to 40 hours. The house committee had intended to extend the limits to per mit the board to set wages at 70 cents and hours as low as 35. Un der Green’s influence the house com mittee decided to accept the senate provisions on this part of the meas ure. but the scope of the board was greatly curtailed by an amendment which would permit it to deal only with employers who maintain “sweatshops” and “starvation wages” through fake collective bar gaining agencies. The “Green amendments” in brief are 1. Board Juriadirtion over wages and hours in any industry only if it Ands that collective bargaining agreements do not cover a sufficient number of employees or facilities for collective bargaining are inef fective 1 Acceptance of arda established by gaining in any facie evidence of appropriate arda m that occupation I Board ci already prevailing la oc- $700,000,000 for Houun<j H AVING disposed of wages and 4 4 hours legislation, the aenato up the Wagner-Steagall loer- bill This would au thorise the flotation of a $700,000,000 bond issue by a United States bous ing authority. To meet operating ex penses of the pro gram's first year. $26,000,000 would be appropriated imme diately. The pro- posed bond issue Sen Warner WaS CUt fr0m >1 '* acn. nagner QOO.OOO.OOO as a com promise with the Treasury depart ment, which objected to so high a figure. The bill would aid low-cost hous ing projects in two ways. It would make loans to the full amount of contracted projects, aiding the re payment of the loans by direct grants if the sponsors kept rents suf ficiently low; or it would make di rect grants not to exceed 25 per cent of the cost of a project. Under this latter method, the President would be authorized to make an ad ditional 15 per cent grant from re lief funds, to be used only for the employment of labor. Sponsors would be required to contribute at Hast 20 per cent of the cost. The housing authority would also be permitted to spend $25,000,000 on demonstration projects to illustrate to communities the benefits of elimi nating slums and providing ade quate housing at low cost. The proj ects would be sold “as soon as practical” to local housing agencies. Over the protest of administration leaders, including Senator Wagner and Majority Leader Barkley, the senate adopted an amendment by Harry F. Byrd (D., Va.) limiting the coat of the housing projects to $4,000 a family or $1,000 a room. A. F. of L’s WILLIAM GREEN •.. leaves White Boose with s smile. Flee from the Rising Sun W AR was still officially unde clared, but all signs indicated that Japan was making ready to prosecute a long-term conflict in North China and that the Chinese were everywhere preparing to with stand the advance of the Japanese army. Steady streams of refugees pouring out of the area while they hod the chance revealed Bw opinion of masses of that a great woo inevitable Tokyo | the front. In the of Japanese tr« eed lor an at- of Chma’a army. L^V^vV war ■n 'JMmkdohout This Business of Golf. O AKLAND, CALIF.—As I sit writing this, I look out where elderly* gentlemen, in tent on relaxing, may be seen tensing themselves up tighter than a cocked wolf-trap, and then staggering toward the clubhouse with every nerve standing on end and screaming for help and highballs. I smile at them, for I am one who has given up golf. You might even go so far as to say golf gave me up. I tried and tried, but I never broke a ty phoid patient’s tem perature chart — never got below 102. I spent so much time climbing into sand-traps and out again that people be gan thinking I was a new kind of her mit, living by pref erence in bunkers— the old man of the link beds, they’d be calling me next. And I used to slice so far into the rough that, looking for my ball, I penetrated jungles where the foot of man hadn’t trod since the early mound builders. That’s how I add ed many rare specimens to my col lection of Indian relics. But the last straw was when a Scotch professional, after morbidly watching my form, told me that at any rate there was one thing about me which was correct—I did have on golf stockings I Irvin S. Cobb aa w*U aa a lh# talaad af It regarded as aig- at ail of lha nrw ap- ARNING to pet lovers: If you ** own guinea pigs or tame rab- bita or trained teals or such-lika gen tle creatures, try to keep the word from them that some of the majority members of the lower branch of con gress actually threatened to defy their master's voice. The senate always has been known as the world’s greatest delib erative body—and. week by | and month by month don’t ' elder stateemen knew how to delib erate! But these last few years th« j house has earned the reputation of ! being the moot docile legislative j outfit since Aesop's King Stork ruled over the synod of the frogs. So should the news ever spread among the lotosr creatures, hither to so placid and biddable, that an example had been set at Washington, there's no lellmg when the Bel gian hares wtU start rampaging and the singing mice will begin acting up rough and the grubworms will gang age or. Washington l Digest jjk National Topics Interpreted By WILLIAM BRUCKART NATIONAL rk'SS BLLG 7. A t' 1 N C>' N . Washington.—The government’s silver policy again is attracting at- tention. Several Silver things have v Quettion caused it. First among these things is the matter of rising prices for foods and other necessaries of life, but attention seems to have centered on the silver question again as a result of the Treasury’s newly arranged agreement to trade some of its gold for some of the Chinese silver. Probably the silver question is not as widely discussed as it might be because it is a complex subject and there are not too many people who understand it and its implications. I cannot refrain at this time, how ever, from recalling that when the silver act of 1934 was passed, I wrote in these columns a prediction that the country sooner or later would regret that legislation. I re peat the statement now and I do not believe it will be long until the average citizen will recognize what the silver policy is doing to most of us. I mean by that, it will not be long until Mr. John Q. Public will understand that the silver poli cy has a lot to do with the high prices he is paying for his pound of bacon, his slice of beefsteak or a thousand and one items that he buys at the grocery store. He will feel it, too, when he seeks to buy a new suit of clothes or a new pair of shoes. There can be no argument about h: The affect of inflation brought about by a perfectly ridicu lous silver policy is upon us. Early in July, the Chinese minis ter of finance visited Washington and called personally at the Treas ury to express lh# appreciation of the Chinese government for the sat isfactory conclusion of negotiations that enable the Chinese to give the American Treasury silver for gold. It was the usual diplomatic courte sy. At the same time, however, the visit of the Chinese minister served to awaken America to the fact that the Treasury has been go ing along, buying silver from for eign countries In order to maintain aa arbitrary price which the Wash ington administration contended should be the world price tor silver. This price Is forty-five cents an ounce, and It Is a moat profitable price tor silver producers In Mexico and Canada and some other foreign countries. It la not as profitable, however, as the price the Treasury pays to American producers—which even and one half cents •rmy. at Nanking. capital, the of important made to throw hundreds of sands of soldiers at the Japanese. The provincial rulers apparently were only too anxious. Chow En- lai, representing 100.000 communist troops, said his men were willing to become an advance guard foe the major Chinese offensive. Nation wide military conscription was be ing conducted apace. Japanese newspapers reported that a resolution to sever all re lations with Japan was before the Chinese political council for consid eration. The fear that gripped Nan king was illustrated by the govern ment’s publication of warnings against giving away military se crets, and the warnings which were given government officials to get their families out into the hinter lands where they might be safe from enemy bombers. Civilians in China needed no warning. Thousands upon thousands were lined up at the railroad sta tions in Shanghai and in Nanking; many were women carrying child ren and what belongings they could not bear to leave behind. Thou sands of Japanese civilians in China packed the docks awaiting ships which would carry them safely back to their homeland. As columns of Japanese soldiers pressed forward to meet advancing troops from Nanking, there was no doubt that hostilities would con tinue to spread southward. It was expected a real battle would ensue when the two columns came within striking distance. Russia protested vigorously to the Japanese embassy in Nanking against the “pillaging of the Russian coosulata by White Russian ruffians by Japanese ** The Japs- rx* bt R \\ f E HAVE la ate a long age Calif or- He’D at the drop af the provide the hat. What’s worse, this of ours labor* under the that, if he shouts at the top of his voice, his eloquence will be all the more forceful. The only way to avoid meeting him at dinner is to sat at an owl wagon. But the other night, at an important banquet, he strangely was missing from the ar ray of speakers at the head table. One guest turned in amazement to his neighbor: "Where’s Blank?” he inquired, naming the absentee. “Didn't you hear?” answered the other. “He bustpd a couple of ear drums.” “Whose?” said the first fellow. • • • Foes of Nasidom. 'T' HE veteran Rabbi Stephen Wise 1 of New York has been reason ably outspoken in his views on Nazi treatment of his own co-religionists and the practitioners of other faiths as well. And one of the most ven erable prelates of the Catholic church in Europe, while discussing the same subject, hasn’t exactly pulled his punches, either. So what? A friend just back from abroad tells me that in Berlin he heard a high government officer fiercely denounce these two distin guished men. About the mildest thing the speaker said about them was that both were senile. Some how or other, the speech wasn’t printed in the German papers— maybe by orders from on high. Well, far be it from this inno cent bystander to get into religious arguments and besides I have no first-hand knowledge as to the Chris tian clergyman's state of health, al though, judging by his utterances, there’s nothing particularly wrong with his mind. But I do know Rab bi Wise. and. if he’s In his dotaft, ao la Shirley Temple. And I risk the aaaertioa that he would be par- toctly willing to grave If bt may ask. what has this to do with the coet of beef- ham and eggs or shoes? I may be able to explain have watched the picture un to explain It In a manner those unacquainted with high may aee the thing In its true light. a • a First of afl. the policy of the ad- that has brought bd- bona of gold into Hem It the Treasury to be Werka stored as so much dead weight has many thousands of Aaras of stuck In American cor porations or their bonds being bought by foreigners who gave gold in payment President Roosevelt early in his administration insisted that gold should not be in circula tion as money. Consequently, the Treasury has so much gold that it has had to build separate store houses to protect it. Now, we are sending some of that gold to China in trade for China’s silver. I think most everyone will agree that the silver is just as useless because we have no need for it in our currency structure. People do not want to carry silver dollars around in their pockets. Assuming that the exchange was simply an even trade of two ob jects, neither of which was usable to us, one probably could dismiss the matter with a wave of the hand. Regrettably, such is not the case. The additional silver frankly is add ing to our troubles because of the Silver Act of 1934 which permits the Treasury to issue currency—silver one-dollar bills—against it. So, instead of being sterilized and stored away in vaults, the silver ac cession results in a prompt increase in the amount of currency in circu lation. That action tends to increase the excess reserve—unused money —of the banking system. As this money becomes available for cir culation, its value necessarily and obviously is cheapened. Or, to say it another way, the things you buy with money become of greater valuo because it takes more of these pieces of currency to buy the same quantity of food or clothes or shoes. • • • Authorities will disagree with the above statement to the extent that all kinds of cur- Wul rency have no* b e e a expanded (srhkb means I) by fha teaufog of M ha a silver certificate occupies exactly the same place in our currency structure as does a bill that is backed by gold or one that is is sued by the Federal Reserve banks. Therefore, it seems to me to be a fair statement to say that the whole currency structure is tainted by this deluge of silver certificates now and heretofore coming from the Treas ury. And it is equally a fact that prices of every kind are going to increase exactly in accordance or in ratio with the new money that is put out from the Treasury. I do not know how long it will be until the voters wake up to the ne cessity for repeal of the silver act. It probably will not be long before there is a wave of public indigna tion against the policy if the aver age person realizes that the pro gram is actually a tax upon the American public. Surely, if the sil ver policy were labeled, “tax tu sup port the silver program,” \he atti tude of the country would change overnight. That really should be the name of the Silver Act of 1934 because that is its effect. The tax results from the fact that the Treas ury is paying foreign producers as well as American producers prices for silver that are higher than the value of the silver warrants. This means that any article of silver that you buy in a store costs you more than it would if silver producers abroad and in the United States were not being subsidized. The ad ditional cost is a tax on every buyer just as much as though you had paid the tax directly into the Treas ury. It may be interesting to knuw that tha Treasury has issued nearly eight-hundred million in silver cer tificates. In addition something like seven million silver dollars have been coined, and these still re main in tha package in which they were wrapped at the mints. Be sides all these, there is silver bul lion that cost $373,000,000 piled up in the Treasury. Silver certificates can be issued against this. The silver act of 1994 provided that the Treasury could buy one dollar's worth of stiver to three dol lars' worth of gold for what is called reserve purposes. On the basis of the gold now held, the Treasury can buy under that law a total of $4,123,000,000 In silver. At the pres ent time Treasury records show we have silver reserves amounting to around $2,600,000,000 These figures show, or ought to show, how much mfiatioo lies ahesd—how much higher prices may go—unless some thing la done to restore a sound currency policy In the United Stales. • • • Some Democrat* who are not too fneodly with Postmaster General _ . Jim Farley, along Ju*t Good, with the Repubb- Clem* F u* can* In congress. are having fun these days with tha Democratic Na tional committee. They are also succeeding. K appears, in making President Roosevelt's political seat uncomfortably warm. Nothing will com* of it except that the subject will fill many newspaper columns of attack and defense as the politicians ■boot back and forth. To review the situation. It should be recalled that the Democratic Na tional committee found itself in debt to the tune of about $650,000 at tha and of the 1936 campaign. Soma bright mind in tha Democratic Na tional committee conceived the idea of aelling Democratic campaign handbooks to corporations at $250 per book, or more, as a means of raising money. To make the book attractive, a single sheet bearing the autograph of Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inserted. Hundreds of corporations were solicited, and hundreds bought the books—theoretically, because of the autograph of the President. Mr. Roosevelt stated he did not know he was autographing the blank sheets for the purpose for which they were used. Republican Leader Snell, of New York, introduced a resolution in the house of representatives, propos ing an investigation of the sale of these books to corporations. He con tended that it was a violation of the corrupt practices act. Mr. Snell remained determined, however, and sought to harrass the New Deal further by asking Attos- ney General Cummings for an offi cial opinion. At the same time, he read on the floor of the house a long list of corporations who had bought the “souvenirs” of the 1936 cam paign, together with a list of price* they had paid. These facta cut deeply into tha Democrats who are seeking to pro tect Chairman Farley and the Dem ocratic National committee wiggled and squirmed. Nevertheless, Mr. Snell may as well have butted his head against a stone srall since ha got no further than Represent*- ******************* STAR DUST it it it it it it it it it $ jMovie • Radio * ★★★By VIRGINIA VALE★★★ S O GREAT has been the suc cess of “A Star Is Bom/’ all the Hollywood studios are busy making pictures concern ing the private lives of film stars. Just copy cats, that’s what the film producers are. Fitst one of these pictures to reach the screen is “Hollyw9od Cowboy” with George O’Brien as the star and it is a very enter taining Western. Most pretentious of them all* is “Stand In” which boasts Leslie Howard and Joan Blondell in the cast. Most soothing to the ears is “Music for Madame” in which Nino Martini lifts his voice in song, and the biggest novelty is Grand National’s “Something to Sing About.” Divorces don’t interfere with busi ness judgment in Hollywood. For instance, when Wil liam Wyler was asked what player he would like to have in the leading role of “Having a Wonderful Time” he said that only Mar garet Sullavan, his ex - wife, had the beauty and acting skill required for the role. Up spoke Hen ry Fonda, another ex-husband of Mar garet’s, to say that he would like to play opposite her. So, Just to complete the cycle, they telephoned her present husband, Ice land Hayward, who is her manager, and asked him if she would be free to make tha picture before going back to New York for stage en gagements and he said he would be happy to arrange it. “The Toast of New Terk” star- rtag Frances Faraser Is a fascinat ing picture. It deals with the pie- taresqac period whea Jim Fisk was hecomiag a big shot la Wall Street, whea box teems mea went around brandishing baggy whips whea they werea’t eoaaivteg to get control of a railroad, sr wreck each other's Margaret Sullavan All over the country box-office I records are being broken by “Sara- ' toga.” the picture on which Jean Harlow was working at the time of - her tragic death. Her fans would be happier. I think, to aee one of { her old pictures again, a gay. light hearted picture like "BombaheM" or “Reckless.” for in “Saratoga” she la but a pallid shadow of her former •elf. After arguing for weeks about her { salary demands. RKO hate at last signed Ruby Keeler to make two pictures a year for them. She won't be te the nest Fred Astaire pic ture. however, for Joan Fontaine has that leading role nailed doom. Joan has been working like a beaver, taking dancing and stegtng lessons preparing for this big chance Ruby's first wiD be ”Love Below Freezing.” the picture which will bring little Mitxi Green back to i the screen. A few weeks age Jesephtea Hatch was basil y reading plays, planning to ga back te the stage be cause she was se depressed ever the parte Warner Brothers had given her. Bat whea her Warner contract expired. M-G-M signed her np sad now she says she won’t go hack te the stage until she Is old enough te play character roles. ' —e Freddie Bartholomew’s guardian has lost one round of her battle to get M-G-M to pay him more money. The studio has taken him out of the cast of "Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry” and giv en the role to Doug las Scott who played in “Wee Willie Winkie.” As soon as Freddie Bartholo mew started making big money, his par ents, who had left his care in the en tire charge of his infancy, his Freddie Bartholomew aunt from his infancy, §wqoped down on the household an<J watrod the privilege of spending his mon ey. A court fight followed wherein his aunt tried to protect him, and she did win his guardianship. ODDS AND ENDS—Paramount troupet on location are running into plenty of trouble: "The Buccaneer" company near Netc Orleans had their cemera barge wrecked in a sudden storm. An earth quake in Alaska held up work on "Spasm of the North." Fumace-hke weather on the California desert knocked out several members of the "Wells Fargo" troupe, and expense checks did not mriee in time te of Clyde EUset —MaSOBlir- — ;