The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, January 13, 1939, Image 3
? v ■
Wang Ching-wei’s Declaration
Forces China to Air Troubles
By Joseph W. La Bine—
EDITOR’S NOTE—Wbea opinions srs
expressed in these columns, they sre those
of the news snslyst, end not necesssrily
of the newspsper.
Agio
War-tom China’s biggest boast is
her constantly growing national
unity, a product of necessity that
has made Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-shek the strongest Chinese ruler
in modern history. But despite this
well-publicized unity, China has not
been able to make much of a show
ing against her Japanese invaders.
Indeed, foreign military observers
find Tokyo’s paper-thin front lines
so vulnerable that they say 30,000
American, British or French troops
could put the enemy to rout. But in
Jap-occupied territory are 270,000,-
000 civilians and 1,250,000 armed
GENERALISSIMO CHIANG
Time to ttop bluffing.
guerrillas whose spirit of national
unity is still not strong enough to
inspire a sudden, inevitably success
ful attack.
Better than the national unity
argument is the theory that smart
General Chiang has been staging
a fake show of Chinese nationalism,
offering a good front at the expense
of his wavering government. Though
Chungking headquarters are over
run with nepotism, corruption and
inefficiency, many abuses have been
tolerated to make the outside world
think China is strong. In the end
General Chiang wangled handsome
loans and credit arrangements from
both the U. S. and Britain, proving
the stunt was working, at least
temporarily.
Not anticipated, however, was the
walkout of one-time Premier Wang
Ching-wei, who celebrated New
Year’s by reaching peace terms
with Japanese Premier Fuminaro
Konoye. Long a silent bulwark of
China’s Kuomintang (Nationalist)
party, Mr. Wang reportedly met
at Hongkong with Japanese agents
and reached terms which would
make him China’s head man, leav
ing General Chiang out in the cold.
Terms: (1) China should open dip
lomatic relations with Japanese pup
pet state, Manchukuo; (2) China
should agree to economic “co
operation” with Japan; (3) China
should adhere to the Jap-Italo-Ger-
man anti-Communist agreement;
(4) China should accept Japanese
garrisons while the anti-Communist
pact was in force.
Interpretations of the Wang de
marche have come thick and fast.
In Tokyo, happy Japanese thought it
meant a breakdown of the Kuomin
tang and the spotlight of publicity on
China’s internal troubles. With Chi
ang weakened, Japanese puppet
states would no longer seem point
less. In Shanghai, still Chinese de
spite its Japanese ownership, ob
servers thought the Wang declara
tion was a well-timed Jap move to
counteract U. S. and British credits
to General Chiang. Whatever the
cause, it was a happy day for Tokyo
because China has been showing
hardened resistance the past few
weeks.
With the die cast. General Chiang
no longer saw need for hiding his
troubles. From Chungking came
word of a wholesale purge from the
Kuomintang of some 200 peace par
tisans. Expelled was Deserter
Wang, charged with having attempt
ed to gain support from military
leaders in Szechuan and Yunnan
provinces.
Politics
When Purge failed, when Presi
dent Roosevelt’s favoritism for Left-
Wingers Corcoran, Hopkins, Jack-
son and Oliphant began bothering
conservative New Dealers, forecast
ers saw a coming split in the Dem
ocratic party. Veering away from
the White House were Vice Presi
dent Garner, National Chairman
Farley and Secretary of State Hull,
any of whom might be a conserva
tive 1940 presidential candidate.
With two cabinet vacancies to fill.
President Roosevelt had a chance to
widen this breach by naming left
wingers.
What forecasters overlooked was
the always-present possibility of con
cession, both by Garner, Farley,
Hull, et al, and the White House.
Result: President Roosevelt has
named Harry Hopkins to the com
merce secretaryship and former
Gov. Frank Murphy of Michigan to
the attorney generalship, at the
same time retaining party leader
ship.
Roosevelt strategy: Until just be
fore congress opened, the White
House reserved comment on what
every legislator knew was a certain
ty, namely, drastic revision of such
New Deal brainchildren as social
security, the Wagner act, relief ad
ministration and neutrality legisla
tion. The President also knew such
revision was a certainty, but the
trump card was held back. Then,
with the Hopkins and Murphy ap
pointments apparently due for con
gressional opposition, the White
House was able to soothe ruffled
nerves by promising he would do
no more bill drafting. Consequently
both appointments are being ap
proved, though Hopkins must ap
pear before a committee investigat
ing relief irregularities, and'Murphy
before the senate judiciary commit
tee to explain his attitude toward sit-
down strikes.
What cannot be avoided, however,
is the feeling that White House con
cessions outweigh those of Mr. Gar
ner and other rebels. Having com
mitted himself to a political back
seat while congress is in session,
Mr. Roosevelt must find some way
to recapture the driver’s seat or
risk political oblivion by convention
time next year.
Defense
During the World war German
“U” boats made naval history by
approaching U. S. Atlantic coast
cities. Last September German
submarines were still a menace,
helping to force blockade-wary
Britishers into the embarrassing
peace of Munich. In January, Ger
man submarines again made head
lines because Berlin announces her
determination to equal Great Brit
ain’s strength in submarine ton
nage.
Under the Anglo-German naval
pact of 1935, Germany has this right
under emergency, but London fails
to understand what emergency
faces the Reich today. Now built,
under construction or appropriated
for are *71. German submarines;
smaller than average, their tonnage
is only 31,282. Britain, with 73 sub
marines weighing 75,904 tons, finds
many of her heavy underwater craft
obsolete. Not only is London fright
ened by Germany’s numerical su
periority if the Reich builds up to
parity, but also because Germany
intends to build several large ocean
going submarines of 1,000 tons or
more.
This program has tremendous sig
nificance on the international pic
ture. It can only stimulate the
world arms race, since England
must now build more ships capable
of convoying her ocean steamers.
In France, where the Anglo-German
naval agreement has always been
unpopular (because, claims Paris,
London should never have recog
nized Germany’s right to any naval
strength), the Reich’s new subma
rine parity has produced genuine
alarm. Italy, always a big “U”
boat builder, reflects that the com
bined German - Italian submarine
fleets can now patrol the seven seas.
Convinced that a new diplomatic
onslaught is behind Germany’s
move, certain British circles are
capitalizing on their troubles to win
U. S. military support. Their story:
That Germany’s 1,000 ton subma
rines are being built to cross the
Atlantic, in retaliation for the cool
reception Hitler tactics have been
receiving in official Washington. If
this danger—real or false—can be
impressed on U. S. congressmen.
Great Britain hopes it will result in
a larger American navy.
Science
Outstanding among 1938’s news
stories was the growth and flourish
of dictators. To casual investiga
tors, this is a new and revolution
ary phenomenon, but historians re
call that regimentation is centuries
old. By year’s end, dictators had
been placed on the defensive at least
in the minds of democratic nation
als in the U. S., Britain and France.
And although 1939 may see more
growth, more flourish, science has
stepped in with a prediction.
The man: Dr. John R. Swanton
of Washington’s Smithsonian insti
tution.
The forecast: “In spite of the ef
forts of political, social or clerical
groups to coerce the spirit of man,
man has always been able to resist
and reassert his freedom . . . Chris
tianity, the great revolution of the
Eighteenth century and the growth
of science have been man’s answer
to all attempts to dominate him.”
Miscellany
For the first time in its history,
New York’s Sing Sing prison has
executions every week during Jan
uary. Total for the month already
scheduled: 10.
• U. S. correspondents returning
from eighth Pan-American confer
ence at Lima, Peru, have reported
censorship, intimidation and spying
unlike that ever before seen at a
Pan-American assembly.
• Army participation in the U. S.
navy’s three-month Atlantic fleet
maneuvers has been cancelled be
cause of friction, army officials
claiming the exercise offers little
value for its officers and men.
Religion
From its inspiration in Nazi Ger
many, European persecution of
Jews is spreading to new fronts.
The latest:
Czechoslovakia. German-patterned
ghetto laws will soon go into effect.
Jews will be eliminated from poli
tics, civil service, teaching, journal
ism and radio. A few will be al
lowed to continue practicing law
and medicine.
Danzig. Though allowed to take
their wealth with them (in contrast
to German methods), Danzig Jews
are fleeing in anticipation of the
Free City’s union with the Reich.
Liechtenstein. Containing 65
square miles, populated by 10,000
people of Germanic origin, this prin
cipality is ousting all Jews who ar
rived after the World war.
Transportation
Last winter’s congress tagged the
railroad issue “too hot to handle”
and adjourned in the face of a labor
crisis. Since then the crisis has
been smoothed, but only on the
promise to both railroads and their
employees that the new congress
will give better co-operation. First
step in the right direction was the
report of a six-man management-
labor committee which asked: (1)
regulation of all transportation by
the interstate commerce commis
sion; (2) creation of an independent
transportation board to handle all
other regulations; (2) creation of a
federal transportation court; (4) re
peal of the controversial long-and-
short-haul clause.
As congress rolls up its sleeves
once more, as observers discover
the only unanimity lies in undesira
bility of government-owned rail
roads, four men make rail news
either by speaking or by keeping
quiet:
President Roosevelt. The admin
istration’s much-advertised 1939 leg
islative motto is “Let Congress Do
It,” which means that less White
House pressure is being exerted on
law makers. Though the President
appointed the management-labor
committee, though its report was
made to him, he apparently believes
broad recommendations are enough.
Details of U. S. transportation re
organization are being left for joint
senate-house ironing.
Sen. Burton K. Wheeler. Chair
man of the senate’s interstate com
merce committee, Montana’s Wheel
er is the individualist who fought
President Roosevelt’s court reform
bill. Definitely a nonconformist, Mr.
Wheeler has promised to co-operate
with the White House but he calls
the management-labor report mere
ly a “working basis.” Planks in the
Wheeler rail program: (1) no re
peal of thq long-and-short-haul
clause (which prevents roads from
charging a lower rate for a long
haul than for a short haul over the
same route, in the same direction);
(2) financial cleanup of railroads,
even though it necessitates drastic
measures to scale down top-heavy
structures; (3) no government loans
to railroads at 2 per cent unless sim
ilar concession is made to other in
dustries.
Rep. Clarence F. Lea. Far-sighted
and willing to listen, California’s
Lea—as chairman of the house in
terstate commerce committee—is
introducing broadly drafted railroad
relief legislation on the stipulations
that it must not be rushed, that it
shall be reworked after lengthy
JOHN A. HASTINGS
Coast to coast for a 15 bill.
committee hearings. The Lea idea:
That competing transportation me
dia provide a far more basic prob
lem than the railroad issue alone.
John A. Hastings. Not seriously
considered, but signifying how far
afield riiilroad relief proposals can
go, is the “plan for postalized trans
portation” evolved by former New
York State Senator Hastings, and
introduced last congress by North
Dakota’s Rep. William Lemke. The
Hastings idea: “Application to pas
senger and freight services of the
rate principle successfully sought
and profitably employed for a hun
dred years in first class mail car
riage ...” The U. S. would be
divided into nine railroad regions
with five types of passenger service.
From New York to San Francisco
by coach would cost $5. Sample
fares by class from Manhattan to
Chicago: coach, $1; parlor car, $3;
local sleeper, $5; express reserved,
$10; de luxe limited, $15. Not en
tirely unsympathetic with the Hast
ings plan, Senator Wheeler sur
prised debunkers of postalization by
asking the interstate commerce
commission for an opinion on its
feasability.
Workers Busy Building America’s Largest Ship
The America, largest ship to be built in this country, is now under construction »* *** Ne ^ rt S^P-
taUding company in Virginia. The new super vessel will be the running mate for the Manhattan and Wash
ington in the transatlantic fleet. Pictured at the left are highly skilled meefcaalw biadtng
turbines, a part of the America’s driving machinery. There are some 15,00® of the blades tmibmeulmg
plus that many for the rctor. At the right is a well-outfitted electric welder, dressed in safety equipment.
Stars Ask Severance of Nazi Relations
Wise and Otherwise
—v—
In fishing for compliments
you must use live bait.
Never put off till tomorrow
what you can do today. There
may be a law against it to
morrow.
One thing that can’t be pre
served in alcohol is dignity.
' A man has left an estate con
sisting of hundreds of old
clocks. It will take some wind
ing up.
Philatelists are easy to rec
ognize, I’m told. Men after the
same stamp?
Even if the government
doesn’t raise our income tav,
we’ll have to.
Britain Leads in Liners
Great Britain owns more than
half of all the great ocean liners
in the world today. Out of a total
of 167 steam and motor vessels of
over 15,000 tons which ate listed
in Lloyd’s Register of Shipping,
England owns 90, the United
States 19, Italy and Germany 14
each, France 12, Holland 9,
Sweden 4, Japan 3, and Norway 2.
KOFUSS
RELIEVING COLD
DISCOMFORT THIS WAY!
m
' Hollywood’s committee of 56 recently signed their own Declaration of Independence which will be signed
by 20,000,000 American citizens and then presented to President Roosevelt and congress, seeking a sever
ance of economic relations with Nazi Germany until such time as that country comes into the fold of nations
in accordance with the humane principles of international law. Left to right, seated: Melvyn Douglas, James
Cagney, Edward Robinson. Standing: Gale Sondergaard, Helen Gahagan, Henry Fonda and Gloria Stuart.
RETURNS I&OM CHINA
Capitol Gavel Industry Booming
It’s the Way Thousands Know to
Ease Discomfort of Colds and Sort
Throat Accompanying Colds
.
The simple way pictured above
often brings amazingly fast relief
from discomfort and sore throat
accompanying colds.
Try it. Then —sw pour doctor.
He probably will tell you to com
tinue with the Bayer Aspirin be
cause it acts so fast to relieve dis
comforts of a cold. And to reduce
fever.
This simple way, backed by
scientific authority, has largely sup
planted the use of strong medicines
in easing cold symptoms. Perhaps
the easiest, most effective way yet
discovered. But make sure you get
BAYER Aspirin.
.15'-
Methodist Episcopal Bishop Ar
thur J. Moore, returning from
Shanghai to his headquarters in San
Antonio, Texas, declared that more
than 100 missions, hospitals and
schools have been destroyed in the
war between Chins and Japan. “A
century’s work has boon dissipat
ed,” he said.
David Lynn, capitol architect (right), watches E. S. Kenyon, machin
ist, replenish a supply of gavels for Speaker William B. Bankhead, to be
used during this session of congress. The gavels are made in the capitol
machine shop.
Trio Plans 2,500-Mile Canoe Trip
IrwtuTAMxn
a ruu. dozen a
As We Know Happiness
Happiness lies in the conscious
ness we have of it, and by no
means in the way the future keeps
its promises.—George Sand.
NO ONE IS
IMMUNE TO
ACID
INDIGESTION
nT
%
Phil Miller, French Lick Springs,
Ind., skeet and trapshoot expert, is
three-way national champ. He
missed only 31 ont of 3,050 targets
in 1938 to win high average honors.
He is also Class AA champ and
head of the Class A doubles group.