Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MrCORMTCK MESSENGER. MrCORlVlfCK. S. C.. THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1937 * * * * T * AH CwvwmJb IN REVIEW by Sdjjuo/vcL ID. Pi Ovzyyrfd Western Newspaper Union. Mellon’s Aluminum Company Attacked by Uncle Sam ANDREW MELLON, frequently the target of administration at tacks, is again called on to defend his business. Attorney General Cum mings announced that the Department of Justice had filed in the Federal Dis trict court in New York a suit to com pel dissolution of the Aluminum Company of America—which Mellon controls—for the purpose of breaking “its mo nopolistic control” of the aluminum in dustry. By this ac tion the government revives the Sherman anti-trust act as a legal weapon in regulating business. The suit named 36 officers, direc tors, and stockholders of the com pany, including Mellon. Twenty-five subsidiary and affiliated companies were named co-defendants. Other members of the Mellon family named with the former Treasury head are Paul Mellon, Richard K. * Mellon, Jennie King Mellon, Sarah Mellon Scaife, David K. Bruce, son- in-law of Mellon, and Ailsa Mellon Bruce, his daughter. Action of the company on March 1, 1937, in advancing the car-lot price of virgin ingot was cited as the most recent act of “oppressive and unreasonable price fixing” in the petition signed by Cummings and Robert H. Jackson, head of the department’s anti-trust division. It is alleged that this advance was made in the face of an increase in earnings from $9,571,206 in 1935, to $20,866,936 in 1936, which amounted to an increase in common stock earnings from 55 cents to $8.65 per share. The suit charges that the com pany is a monopoly in violation of the anti-trust laws and that it has power to fix arbitrary and discrimi native prices. It charges the de fendants with conspiracies to re strain and monopolize, attempts to monopolize, and monopoly in vio lation of the Sherman anti-trust act. Government Employees May Not Speculate in Stocks I N A letter addressed to H. B. Mitchell, president of the civil service commission, President Roosevelt placed a ban on specu lation in securities by government officials and employees. There was no official explanation of this act, but for some time there have been rumors that some persons high up in the New Deal have been making a lot of money by speculating in the stock markets after getting tips on probable White House moves. 305,000 Unemployed Got Jobs During March O ONE knows how many un employed persons there are in the country, the estimates ranging from about 9,000,000, by Secretary Perkins, to less than 3,000,000. How ever, according to Madame Per kins, the number was reduced by 305,000 during March. Weekly pay rolls for the period, she said, were $15,100,000 larger than during Feb ruary in the manufacturing indus tries. She said the employment in crease continued “the practically unbroken succession of increases which have been shown each month since February, 1936.” Of the 305,000 workers who ob tained employment the majority found jobs in manufacturing and in retail trade. The secretary said the government had no way of knowing how many of the total had been on relief rolls. President Intervenes to Avert New York Strike NTERVENTION b y President Roosevelt averted, for the time being at least, a strike of 25,000 freight handlers on eight railroads that threatened the food supply of New York city. The President ap pointed an emergency board of three members to attempt a settle ment. In his proclamation he said the dispute threatened “substantial ly to interrupt interstate commerce within the state of New York and other states in the eastern part of the country to a degree such as to deprive that section of the country of essential transportation service.” A dispute between rival workers’ unions balked efforts of the national mediation board to effect a settle ment. Under the railway labor act, the President forced a postpone ment for at least 30 days while mediators work. Byrd Would Consolidate Federal Housing Units S ENATOR HARRY F. BYRD of Virginia, Democrat, , prepared for introduction in the senate a bill providing for the consolidation of the Home Owners’ Loan corpora tion and the Federal Housing ad ministration. This merger, said Mr. Byrd, would result in a saving of more than $24,000,000 a year with out impairing the work of the units. Andrew Mellon Senator Byrd is chairman of the senate committee on government reorganization and is not at all sat isfied with the plan offered by Pres ident Roosevelt, believing it will not save tax money. Discussing his own scheme for merging the hous ing units, he said that there are 20 or more other agencies which, established and publicly justified as emergency establishments, can be consolidated, merged, or liquidated just as profitably. If the appropri ate committee will allow this bill to come to the floor for full and open discussion by senators, he pre dicted, other bills of this nature, providing for substantial savings, are sure to follow. Goods as Debts Payment Offered to United States S ENATOR JAMES HAMILTON LEWIS of Illinois said that sev eral nations had offered to ship a billion dollars’ worth of food sup plies and manufactured products to the United States in part payment of their war debts, and that he ap proved their offer. The State de partment formally denied that such an offer had been received, but Mr. Lewis said his information was authoritative. He had a conference with the President before the lat ter left on his fishing trip and urged that the plan be given serious con sideration. He recommended that the commodities be distributed for use by states for relief purposes, arguing that this might well facili tate the cutting down of the pro posed relief appropriation of a bil lion and a half dollars. Senator Nathan L. Bachman of Tennessee Dies N athan l. bachman. United States senator from Tennessee, died suddenly of heart disease in Washington at the age of fifty-eight years. Mr. Bachman was appoint ed senator in 1933 to succeed Cor dell Hull who became secretary of state. He had been a consistent sup porter of the Roosevelt administra tion policies and was especially in terested in the Tennessee valley program. He is survived by his widow and a daughter, Mrs. Thom as A. McCoy of Asheville, N. C. Gen. Franco Franco Creates Authoritarian State in Spain C' RANCISCO FRANCO is well or. " the way to becoming a real dic tator of the part of Spain his insur gent forces control, and of the en tire country if they win the war. By de cree the general has merged the two chief rightist fac tions under his lead ership and has out lawed all other par ties, thus creating a one - party authori- tarian state - His de- pP^|l cree left open the way to restoration of the monarchy in Spain “if the nation needs it,” and the monarchists of the Carlist and Bourbon persuasions agreed that if this takes place, the king shall be Prince Juan, youngest son of Alfonso XIII. He is known as prince of the Asturias and is twenty-three years old. Whether the “high seas” begin three or six miles from the coast line is a matter of dispute between the British government and Gen eral Franco. A number of British ships ran the blockade into Bilbao harbor with food and coal, and in most cases they were escorted to the three mile limit by British war ships. The insurgent guard ships threatened to fire on the blockade runners within the six mile limit and were warned not to do so by Brit ish representatives. Protests were made by both sides. Windsor Gets Apology for a Slanderous Book I^DWARD, duke of Windsor, was ^ thoroughly enraged by many things about him and Mrs. Wallis Simpson printed in “Coronation Commentary,” a book written by Geoffrey Dennis and published by William Heinemann, Ltd., of Lon don. The former king of England, through his solicitor, demanded the withdrawal of the book and the pub lication of a suitable apology, and the publishers gave in and complied with the demands. At first it was said Edward’s an ger might lead him to marry Mrs. Simpson as soon as her divorce was made absolute; but later dis patches averred the lady had per suaded him to delay the ceremony until after the coronation of King George VI and thus avoid further criticism. Mrs. Harriman Named as Minister to Norway P RESIDENT ROOSEVELT sfent to the senate the nomination of Mrs. Florence Jaffray Harriman of Washington as minister to Norway. She is the widow of J. Borden Har* riman. New York banker, and has been active in politics for a number years. Others put it higher. xouring imccoin xmKiaiious* S ANTA MONICA, CALIF.— For the sake of comparisor two of us, out lately on a little trip, stayed one night at a way- side motor camp and the next night at the most expensive tourist hotel in three states, rates $25 per day per sucker. At the tourist camp, the company was mixed but neighborly and, for the most part, pleas ant. The only really discordant note was a lady in the ad joining cabin who, at all hours, kept wak ing her husband up, apparently for the purpose of telling him another thing about him that she didn’t like. At the exclusive establishment were many guests who seemed to be suffering from severe attacks of nervous culture, being fearful, I’d say, that, if ever they behaved naturally, they’d give them selves away. Mainly they were dull. Waxworks, even when animated, usually are dull. But stopping at a $25 a day hotel has one advantage, I find. After ward, you can go around bragging that once you stopped at a $25-a- day hotel. This should be a great help socially. Irvin S. Cobb Dealing With Snakes. A CONNECTICUT congressman is pushing an act to prohibit importation of venomous serpents from other countries for exhibition purposes. His fear is that an earth quake or something might shake the zoo apart and liberateja lot of dead ly reptiles that would start multi plying and constitute a new menace to the lives of such of the populace as have thus far escaped being killed by automobiles. Without presuming to assume that the gentleman is -a bit of an alarm ist, I’d like to point out that he can obtain millions of adherents for this measure among old-fashioned Amer icans by tacking in an amendment to his bill providing that the bars likewise shall be put up against for eign-born communists. • • • How Times Change. T JUST read what I once knew for * myself but had forgotten in the rush and bustle of these latter days. It related to the attitude which America, considerably less than half a century ago, held toward unescort ed woman. For instance, as recently as 1890 not many respectable hotels would permit one of them to regis ter. Some time after 1900—in fact, as I remember, it was about 1910—a prominent lady was asked to leave one of the smartest hotels in New York city because she dared to light a cigarette in the public lounge. As for women drinking at a bar— well, not even the most forward- looking liberal could conceive of so incredible a sight as that. And now just look at the darned things! • • • Hardships de Luxe. W HEN our plutocratic classes decide to go simple, they go simple, regardless of what it costs ’em. A rich couple have just completed a trip out here, following the ancient trails of the early pathfinders. Like true pioneer stock, they roughed it in specially built twin trailers, each about the size of a pullman but much more complete, and were towed by a couple of Rolls-Royces. The servants, only six in number, had to put up with two much cheap er cars. During the entire trip there was no dressing for dinner and thus, with true democratic spirit, was the primitive plan of the expedition carried out. Every hardship en countered enroute—such as the champagne getting all jolted up and the caviar coming unglued in the can — was cheerfully endured. An armed guard was maintained a t night to repel kidnapers and hostile Indian tribes. I wonder how Jim Bridger and Kit Carson ever stood it with no butler along—in fact, not even a second man. IRVIN S. COBB. <E>—WNU Service. Tweeds and Peats The famous Harris tweeds came Into being through an accident of nature. The freezing winds which swept across the barren islands of the Outer Hebrides, off the coast of Scotland, made it imperative that the natives have warm wind-proof, weather-proof garments. With no where else to turn, the women of the islands took advantage of the unusually thick fleece which was the winter coat of their sheep, and from it they wove for their men the first crude Harris tweeds. Be cause they had nothing but the natural dyes made from lichens and crottle, and nowhere to steep their wool except over peat fires, Har ris tweed has always been charac terized by a peaty outdoor odor. These tweeds had been worn in the Outer Hebrides for many years be fore the fashion centers of the world discovered them and elevated them to the front rank of sports fashions Suits Stress Short Fitted Jackets By CHERIE NICHOLAS 'T'HE coronation of the king and queen of Great Britain is reflect ing no little influence throughout the world of fashion. Which perhaps ac counts for the tremendous vogue for handsome suits tailored of hand some woolens which is sweeping throughout fashion’s domain. Since London is proving a magnet for de signers and merchants who wish to keep in touch with what’s going on in a fashion way where such stir ring epoch-making events are tak ing place, their first reaction would naturally be in favor of stunning woolen tailored apparel since Eng lish women set pace for the world in this direction. At any rate this is proving an outstanding season for the tailored suit and all that goes with it in the way of chic accessories. The new woolens are as an intriguing lot as ever launched forth on a fashion career. While most any length jack et is accepted this year as good style, yet when it comes to top- notch swank the fashion-wise are centering their interest about the jaunty short-jacket types. The suit to the left in the picture combines nubby wool sheer tweed with even nubbier knit and you know that the nubbier the smarter is the word this season for woolens. The short fitted jacket in brown and beige tweed has *Jiree half-moon pockets lined with the brown knit of the skirt. There’s a brown knit ascot, a belt and buttons that are amusing in their oddity. By the way, you can add to the lure of a costume like this by wearing a blouse that fastens with fruit or vegetable but tons. Seeing is believing in regard to these whimsical buttons, some of which are miniature strawberries or perhaps wee apples or peaches. If you prefer oblong buttons ask for the lilliputian bananas they are displaying this season or the teeny- weeny ears of corn, each and all in the realistic colorings of Nature. The two-piece suit of pin-checked wool tweed on the seated figure is beige flecked with white, according to Schiaparelli’s fabric version. Such an exciting color theme as beige has grown to be this season! It’s beige for your suit, for • your furs, for your monotone crepe after noon gown and for accessories with your navy or black suit beige is a most important message. The dia mond shaped composition buttons that fasten this jacket are decidedly novel and therefore impart the ex clusive look. Panels form ingenious breast pockets. A navy blouse peeps from under the stand-up collar. Check and double check! Here you see the game played in the suit to the right in the group. A navy and white box-swagger coatee in soft wool with large patch pock ets and rounded lapels over a single breasted jacket to match makes this one of the smartest and most practical suits of the season. A navy monotone tweed skirt in simple lines is a pleasing variation from the check of the jacket. Wear with this costume a white baku breton sailor with roll brim faced in patent leath er, for you must know that patent leather touches are ace-high chic. The checked swagger-and-jacket suit just described is a good ex ample of the fashion now prevail ing for ensembles that are that composite they furnish quite a com plete wardrobe in themselves. The present scheme of costume design that includes several items such as skirt, jacket, roomy topcoat and of ten an added cape denotes a very practical turn of affairs. These are so related in color and technique that, combine them as you will, they never fail to form a perfect unified outfit. e Western Newspaper Union. “AMOUR” SILK PRINT By CHERIK NICHOLAS The love affair that startled the world takes on a fashion note. Look at the silk over-blousette which this perfectly coiffed and hatted lady is wearing and you will be able to decipher the word “amour” design- fully patterned in stripes on the printed silk. The blousette is worn over a black silk crepe dress. The silk print is done in black and gray on a white silk crepe. The breton sailor she wears flared off the fore head instead of tilted forward is a ‘last word” hat fashion. Nosegays for Buttonhole A smart Paris wrinkle is an eve ning corsage of dahlias in seven different tones or one with three lilac sprays, white and mauve violets GLASS SLIPPERS ARE LATEST FOOT MAGIC By CHERIE NICHOLAS Glass slippers for the modern Cinderella are the latest word in foot-magic from Paris. To show that they are a 1937 vogue and won’t actually disappear at midnight, they are trimmed in gold kid and show bright nail lacquer gleaming through. Another version of the Cinderella slipper is created of woven strands of crystal. This, too, is semi-trans parent. Other more practical types of footwear for spring indicate the growing importance of the pedicure as a fashion requisite. Tipped-toe shoes (with just the tip cut out at front), sports and evening slippers made of twisted bands of printed linen—all reveal lace-tipped stock ings and brightly lacquered toes. Rust and ruby-red and burgundy are especially popular, usually worn a tone deeper than the fingernails. Roman sandals and flat-heeled gold evening slippers with tiny strappings will be particularly popu lar with the “tall and willowy.” Printed slippers made from the same material as the evening gown and colored kid sandals are also high in favor. Ventilated Headwear Is Latest Edict From Paris Ventilated headwear is a top note in the new collection Agnes shows. Pie-shaped wedges are cut out of black brims that lie low and hug the hair. Half-hats that reach back only to the ears are finished the rest of the way with flowing black veils. A wide-brimmed black Panama, cut in two lengthwise, joins to gether again with half a dozen bows of black velvet baby ribbon. All its edges are also velvet-bound. Agnes, too, makes much use of ribbon. Birdlike bows perch on the crowns of her sailor hats and stand aloft on the "cut-away” fronts of her off-the-face models. I WHO’S NEWS I THIS WEEK... By Lemuel F. Perton iffffffwfiffffimiffim A Modern Cellini. N EW YORK.—Pietro Mas cagni, the greatest living Italian composer, was quite angry and unforgiving about America after his tour of 1902. He has simmered down a lot with the years, and now, at sev enty-four, he plans another tour this summer, with the orchestra of the famous La Scala opera house. It is, of course, big news in the musical world, but the shaggy, old composer probably will land on the news pages, too, as he has a way of touching off excitement of one sort or other—not always musical. First off, there was that unhappy business about the maestro’s shirts —on that 1902 tour. The laundries tore them up or put saw edges on the collars, or stuck them full of pins. Signor Mascagni was so en raged that, if the laundry hadn’t been a bloodless corporation, he would have challenged it to a duel. A secondary irritation was the fact that the tour, in spite of the signor’s great genius, was one of the most elaborate busts in musical history. He brought over a big orchestra, with a guarantee of $10,000 a week for eight weeks. There were in ternal rows and wrangles, battles with managers, bickering and back- talk, with, finally the deportation of the orchestra players as aliens li able to become a public charge. There was a fierce tangle of law suits, and ever since then Signor Mascagni’s graying, bushy hair has bristled a bit at mention of Amer^ ica. It was only two years ago that he was saying that New York’s Metropolitan Opera house was all right as a training school, but “not much good for opera.” He was a baker’s son, helping his father in the bakery. He slipped a tiny statue of the Virgin in a ioaf of bread. A rich woman customer broke her front tooth on it, and, dodging Ids angry parent, young Pietro kept on going—an itinerant player and student. He was unknown in Italy in 1902, when his Cavalleria Rusticana was produced. The next day he was as well known and as conspicuous as Vesuvius, acclaimed as the suc cessor of Verdi, experiencing what we might call a Lindberghian tri umph. He is a Renaissance man, a veritable Cellini, with his pen chant for life in the grand manner, quick on the draw, impatient with dolts and laggards, still boiling with creative energy. He was quite a way over to the left in 1922, but finally made his peace with Mussolini. Mussolini had promised senatorial togas for both Puccini and Mascagni, in 1926, but only Puccini’s came through. That was said to have embittered the maestro, but did not halt his work. It may be noted, in passing, that there was little senesence in the Renaissance. “Mascagni Flattens Laundry Man” may be a summer headline. Sly Old Party. T HE grizzled Japanese General Shigeru Hon jo is a sly old party. When, having snatched the Chinese boy emperor and put him on the synthetic Manchukuo throne, he ob served that this Henry Pu-Yi had no heir, he fixed up the marriage of Henry’s younger brother, Pu-Chieh, with a nice Japanese girl—all in the interest of future permanence and perpetuity of Japan in Asia. He is a dapper little man who likes to go about his business in a quiet, genteel way. When he con quered, in 100 days, a Manchuria area as large as a brace of New England states, he put on a regular daytime fighting shift, with all hands knocking off when the whistle blew, all lights out at eight and everybody asleep at nine. He wa^ quite complacent about it, having consulted the famous soothsayer, Donsho Kodania, who had called every important happen ing in Japan before it happened— including the fall of six cabinets. Donsho told the general Manchuria would be a push-over, so he slept ten hours a night. He is of a Samurai family, a vet eran of the Russo-Japanese war. He was the gentlest strong man who ever worked at that ancient trade, taking over Manchuria apol ogetically, but with dispatch. He retired from the army a year ago. • • • “New American Race.*' D ERHAPS Van Wyck Brooks’ * “The Flowering of New Eng land” left you sad. They almost made a culture, but not quite. Here’s fresh hope. Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, the famous anthropolo gist, calibrates Boston, long-heads and round heads alike, and finds that Boston is nurturing a “new American race.” They are the tall est and largest Americans and still growing. “They are excellent, healthy white stock,” says Dr. Hrdlicka. “It is something of a pity that they can’t be kept in an Eden and stay there forever.” C Consolidated News Features. WNU Servics.