University of South Carolina Libraries
' . - THE SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C. FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1939 ft* Weekly News Analy sis- Russia Returns to Spotlight, Faces Foes on Two Borders By Joseph W. La Bine— BERING SEA sea ,: *^cy7 t v .OKHOTSK, I n Jap fishiiiK fleet moves April 10 to forbidden fishing ground escorted by battleships. JAP) Tokyo rushes fresh troops to Russian fron tiers, anticipating out breaks when fishing season opens. RUSSIA VS. JAPAN IN ASIA, ON LAND AND SEA Fish and an old grudge provide a crisis. EDITOR’S NOTE—When opinions are expressed in these columns, they are those of the news analyst, and not necessarily of the newspaper. International Since Russia was ignored at the Munich conference last September, the Soviet has withdrawn to its shell, apparently content to fight internal problems and let the rest of the world fight Adolf Hitler. This ac tion was justified. France, Britain, Italy and Germany ignored Mos cow in settling the Sudeten issue; apparently Russia was not wanted in Europe, and anyway Japan was barking at her vulnerable Asiatic door. But necessity sometimes makes strange bedfellows. Though Com munism looks far more like Nazi- ism than Democracy, Russian-Ger man interests clash on two vital points: (1) Hitler wants the Russian Ukraine, a vast expanse of rich and fertile land which now gives Russia mo?! of its oil, wheat, meat and mineral; (2) Germany’s ally in the vengeful anti-Communist pact is Ja pan, and Japan is Russia’s most an cient and bitter enemy. Hence Russia has emerged on the international front once more as a direct aftermath of Germany’s Czechoslovakian seizure. Huge, mysterious, of unknown strength, the blundering nation whose army collapsed amidst its last European venture during the World war, finds : , CAROL AND GEORGE Britain’s foresight was short. Itself threatened simultaneously on both east and west: West. Czechoslovakia’s fall brought Hitler part way to the Ukraine but alien soil still stood as a barrier. To cross the Russian frontier German troops must pass through either Ru mania or Poland. The latter na tion’s hostility to the Reich has in creased since Prague’s collapse be cause Warsaw had good reason to fear Germany might annex the Free City of Danzig and close the corridor which is Poland’s only outlet to the Baltic or any other sea. Moreover, agitation for German annexation of Lithuania’s seaboard town of Me- mel, and for possible creation of a protectorate over Lithuania itself, would leave Poland surrounded on three sides by Germany and her satellites. Discarding Poland as a path to the Ukraine, Hitler has turned to Ru mania which not only offers a corri dor to Russia but many choice spoils besides. The groundwork for this coup was laid last November after King Carol, fearing Naziism, made a desperate bargaining trip to Lon don in search of British-French trade support. Though wined and dined by King George (see photo) and other personages of British roy alty who a few years ago had ig nored him as a scapegrace, the Ru manian king found London unwilling to play ball. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was too busy appeasing Dictators Hitler and Mussolini to risk upsetting Europe’s diplomatic applecart with a trade agreement that would discriminate against the Reich. En route home Carol signed an economic accord at Berlin, accept ing for safety’s sake a Nazi over lordship he disliked. This was not placed into effect until the Czech coup, when Carol found German troops pounding on his door. Today Berlin controls more than half of Rumania’s exports (wheat and oil) and imports (manufactured goods). Once m Bucharest, it is but a short hop to either the Ukraine or such Balkan states as Bulgaria and Yugo slavia, where the Master of Central Europe has already made his strength felt. Though at first happy that Ger man penetration was going eastward instead of into Belgium or France, Europe’s democracies have at last realized their error. A month ago Germany was strong militarily but impotent economically, devoid of foreign exchange and short of food. Today, with Czechoslovakia’s big gold reserve, with Rumanian wheat and oil, the Reich is strong in all ways, a far greater threat than the empire of 1914. For Russia, today’s situation is more dangerous than last autumn’s. With Poland nipped out, the Reich would control the Soviet’s entire western frontier, gradually eating into the borderlands by undercover penetration. It was not unexpected, therefore, that Russia should follow Britain and France in protesting the Czech grab, becoming even more alarmed over Rumania’s economic collapse. Since the U. S. has also protested by diplomatic note and im position of an additional 25 per cent tariff on German imports, the red bearded Soviet finds itself, no longer isolated but drawn into virtual dip lomatic comradeship with the three nations whose democratic political philosophies are farthest removed from its own. East. Russo-Jap conflict dates in modem history to the war which ended with the treaty of Portsmouth in 1905. Since then ambitious Japan has jumped to the Asiatic mainland and penetrated Manchukuo and Mongolia, both of which front on Russian Siberia. For at least six years this clash of interests has oc casioned spasmodic border tussles, most of which went unreported until last summer’s Chankufeng hill inci dent. The simple fact is that slow- movipg, stubborn Russians always were and always will be at odds with Japan’s attitude of self- righteousness. Asia is not big enough for both. Last December 31 the fishing rights Japan has enjoyed in Siberian waters since 1905 expired. Russia refused to renew them and Tokyo now plans to send its huge floating canneries into Russian waters dur ing early April, protected by war ships. As the crisis approaches, both governments are rushing troops to the Siberian-Manchukuoan frontier where most Oriental observers con fidently predict a war must eventu ally break out. Significance. European and Asiatic crises are related, insofar as (1) Ja pan and Germany have a virtual military alliance, and (2) Russia is involved in both disputes. Moreover, Jap aggression the past year has fol lowed amazingly close behind Euro pean dictator coups, as when Can ton was captured after Munich, and Hainan island was occupied after Barcelona fell. Thus Jap-Italo-Ger- man parallel action has al ready been evidenced. With huge Russia emerging as the unexpected focal point, today’s tense situation encircles the world, involving more nations than any period since the World war’s heyday. Miscellany A new, sub-low priced sports car will be introduced on the American market this summer. • The tomb of Pharaoh Psou Sen Nef, Egyptian ruler of about 950 B. C., has been discovered by Prof. Pierre Montet of Strasbourg univer sity. • The U. S. army has asked con gress to forbid West Point gradu ates from marrying during the first three years of active service. Agriculture Time was when last year’s price had little effect on this year’s crop. Since AAA, however, American farmers have realized the folly of heaping insult on injury by adding new surpluses to already swollen granaries. Lack of export market and heavy production last year sent U. S. farm surpluses to a new high. The expected result, now verified by the department of agriculture’s crop reporting board, will be a general cut in this season’s production of most products. Most outstanding fact of the sur vey is that grain farmers will slash 17 per cent from their spring wheat planting, yet total 1939 wheat acre age is expected to exceed the AAA’s announced goal by nearly 11,000,000 bushels. Total winter and spring wheat prospects are for 65,678,000 acres. Official explanation for the decline: (1) efforts to conform with the soil conservation program; (2) reaction ments to changing feed require- to last year’s decline; (3) adjust ments, necessitated by last year’s surpluses. Estimated 1939 crop acreages (000 omitted): Average Indicated 1929-’3S 1938 193* Corn, all 101.714 93.257 92.062 All spring wheat .. 22.393 23,515 19.505 Durum 3.668 3.856 3.545 Other spring .... 18.728 19,659 15.960 Oats 39.472 36,615 35,393 Barley 12,654 11,334 13,219 Flaxseed 2,503 1.096 2.023 Rice 925 1.069 1,006 Grain sorghums, all 8.389 8,582 9,779 Potatoe 3,361 3,069 3.076 Sweet potatoes and yams 860 883 880 Tobacco 1.675 1,627 1,695 Beans, dry edible . 1.951 1.753 1,727 Soybeans 4,716 6.858 7,691 Cowpeas 2.475 3,057 3,028 Peanuts 1.877 2,183 2,319 Tame hay 55,746 56.309 57,231 Mexico Last year Mexico’s President La- zaro Cardenas chased U. S. and British oil companies out of the country and seized their properties. A big enough problem in itself, ex propriation loomed still more im portant in the light of U. S. efforts to solidify the Americas against for eign economic intervention. Mean while Mexico made hay by selling its ill-gotten oil to Germany while Pan-American nerves neared the breaking point. Like other American nations which have tried barter trade agree ments with the Reich, Mexico soon discovered she was unable to use the manufactured items Germany offered in lieu of cash. Seizing the opportunity, victimized oil compa nies sent Donald Richberg, attorney and former “brain truster” to make peace with Senor Cardenas. Richberg terms: Control of the properties should be returned to the Companies long enough for them to break even on all past and present investments. Then the property would revert to Mexico. Cardenas terms: Co-operative Mexican-company operation of the oil properties, with U. S. and British firms to invest new cash for their development. But Mexico would maintain complete control over the industry. After two weeks of consultation brought no solution, Mr. Richberg returned home, promising to come back late in April. Hardly had he left, however, before President Car denas announced his own final terms before 40,000 cheering work ers. Mexico will keep the wells, paying indemnification with oil tak en from them. People Appointed, to the U. S. Supreme court poet vacated by Louis D. Brandeis, Securities and Exchange Commissioner William O. Douglas, easterner whose western back ground balances the court geograph ically. • Declined, by Dr. Arthur Compton, Nobel prize-winning physicist, presi dency of Ohio State University. Headliners COL. VLADIMAR S. HURBAN Though a Slovak, and although Hitler has made Slovaks inde pendent of Czechs, Col. Hurban has so much dislike for Germany and Hungary, and so much pride in the late Czecho slovak nation, that he refused to surrender the Czech legation in Washington to the German ambas sador. Bom in the Carpathian mountains, h e knew Magyar op- Col. Vladimar pression as a S. Hurban child. Becoming a soldier, he went to Russia 30 years ago to accept a professor ship in the czar’s war coUege. When the World war broke out he and 70,000 other Czechs joined the Russian army. During the revolution these Czechs made their historic movement to Vladi vostok, where the group collected funds to send Hurban to Washing ton. There he joined Dr. Thomas Masaryk in founding the Czech nation. After the government was established he returned to Washington as Czech military at tache, later going to Egypt as charge d’affaires, to Sweden as minister, and in 1936 back to Washington as minister. His greatest accomplishment here was consummation of the Czech- U. S. trade treaty last year, now abrogated under Hitler’s “protec torate” regime. Oldest U. S. Sunrise Ceremony Still Greets Easter Morning si n Thit Easter morning, B. J. Pfohl (left) leads for the fifty- first year a band which has played at Winston-Salem, N. C., every Easter morning for more than 175 years. The strangest band in the world, possibly the largest, thU group draws from 300 to 400 players for Us once- a-year performance. i‘f fi > * V(< J - ^ Parade V- . * •fPPif Salem’s band was founded by Moravian settlers from Germany but thu Easter it awakens not a village but a city of 95,000. Above S hoto shows the group assembling for its rehearsal at the old Home Moravian church. Mr. Pfohl estimates he has inducted about 4,000 members into the band during hw more than 50 years experience. ■ ■> * % r **> & C/'* i ‘ £* .illisii playii band Touring the cUy in busses and ying under streetlighu, the md awakens Salemiles each Easter in a traditional ceremony that has gone unbroken through the years. Later bandsmen go to the old Belo home where ladies of the Moravian church have a hot breakfast ready for them. Then they proceed to God’s acre, the Moravian cemetery, to lead the ancient sunrise service. Right: The Moravian band starts them young. ThU lad began in Pfohl’s Sunday school band classes, as have many Salem musicians. mm; i Hi igel WHO’S NEWS THIS WEEK By LEMUEL F. PARTON "NJ EW YORK.—When James D. ' Ross was .appointed by the President as chief of Bonneville, the biggest dam in the world, in Octo- _ . . ber, 1937, it was Bonneville Chief believed in some Soothes Hostile .quarters that his Power People selection would sharpen the dis agreement between the administra tion and the power companies. To day it appears that Mr. Ross has allayed, rather than provoked hos tilities. The utilities rate him as ‘reasonable." Bonneville has been the bete noir of western power de velopment. This writer hears there is now a better chance for two-way appeasement than at any time.in the past. Mr. Ross, for 20 years head of the municipal power develop ment of Seattle, has human traits which perhaps account for his expedient rather than doc trinal trend. No mere doctri naire would amuse himself by keeping a copper bail in the air with no visible means of support —just because he loves kilowatts and likes to see them work. He was a consulting engineer for the New York power authority and the St. Lawrence seaway, a con sultant for PWA power development and later a member of the SEC be fore the President made him the Bonneville boss. As a boy, he rode his bike from Chatham, Ont., to New York city, to learn pharmacy. He got a job as an apprentice chem ist, but pestling seemed piffling, so he hit the long grind back to Chat ham—but he kept on pedaling. He headed up through Edmonton to the Alaska gold-fields, and, when dry land failed him, he made his own boat and pushed on. In Seattle, years later, he helped design the first municipal power plant. Above:. The democracy of the dead. In Winston-Salem, the Mo ravians permit no ostentatious marks upon their graves. ThU Easter morning scene includes a section of God’s acre, showing how each member of the con gregation has a grave marked wUh simple uniformity. The dead are buried in plots, accord ing to age, sex and whether mar ried or not. There are no “fam ily plots” and no distinctions of\ any description. Left: Oldest member of the musicians-for-a- day citisens’ band U H. E. Pusey, 80, who never plays at any time except for Bandmaster Pfohl at the traditional Easter sunrise service at God’s acre. But he makes “good music.” TIPS to (jrardeners Changing Methods /CERTAIN garden practices widely followed a generation ago have now been proved un wise. Gardeners formerly allowed vegetables to grow as large as possible. According to Walter H. Nixon, vegetable expert, this prac tice gave a higher yield in pounds, but very often lowered the quality of the vegetables. Some vegetables, of course, like tomato, must be mature to be pal atable; but carrots, cucumbers, beets, summer squash, turnips, radishes and others are more ten der and tasty when not much more than half grown. To keep a regular supply at vegetables of proper eating size, gardeners are finding also that it is advisable to plant oftener than once or twice a year. Gardens prove more enjoyable and more profitable when successive plant ings of favorite crops are made every two or three weeks, provid ing garden-fresh vegetables for the table over a long season. Few gardeners nowadays save flower seeds. Fine powers grow ing in the home garden often are cross-pollinated by others of the same species, making flowers grown from their seed inferior and untrue. Sun Controls Tides There are several islands in the South Pacific, notably Tahiti, where the tidal influence of the sun equals or exceeds that of the moon, reports Collier’s. Conse quently these tides come and go at approximately the same hours instead of having the daily 60- minute retardation that occurs in most of the world. Y" OUNG America is naturally en- vious of Capt. Harold E. Gray, who will be at the controls when the Yankee Clipper, huge Pan- Gray Skipped No Step to Fly takes off for its Air Leviathan across the Atlantic. It is now trying a few preliminary crow- hops around New York harbor. Captain Gray, it seems, had a system, in qualifying for this stellar role in aviation. First he became a licensed airplane mechanic; then he qualified as an aeronautical engineer, a master mariner and a radio technician; after aU, he took diplomas in metereology, sea manship, international law, ad miralty law and business admin istration. That seems to be about par for the lad who would be a skipper on one of these new leviathans of the air. All this, and many years of hazard ous flying over the mountain wilder ness of Mexico and Central America bring Captain Gray to the ripe old age of 33. He left college in his second year at the University of Iowa and was aloft for the first time at the age of 19. His home town is Guttenberg, Iowa. • Yy ARREN LEE PIERSON, head v v of the Export-Import bank, ap pears to rate an assist in the Nazi put-out in Brazil. The big credit _. . . deal, to clear the Pierson Assists trade ways be _ In Nazi Put-Out tween the two In Brazil Game countries, is widely accepted as a goose-egg for the Reich. The young and energetic Mr. Pier son, who became head of the bank in 1936, toured the Latin-American countries last summer and fall and returned with a lot of sizzling new ideas about hopping up South Amer ican trade, and resisting the totali tarian drive, by deploying credit judiciously where it is needed most to grease the trade run-around. When it came to Brazil, he got eager attention from both the state department and the admin istration, as Brazil is an impor tant consideration of naval geog raphy as well as trade. Shoul dering far out into the Atlantic, with the new fascist threat to the Canary Islands, it would, if hostile, pinch ns in a narrowing seaway, with Argentina, on the whole not so clubby with the U. S. A., away down under. For both strategic and commercial reasons, Brazil is our entrepot to South America, if we keep on being neighborly. In Harvard law school Mr. Pier son was obsessed with foreign trade and directed his studies to practice in this field. Practicing law in Los Angeles, his opportunity came in 1934, when he was appointed general counsel for the Export-Import bank. In 1936, there was, for him, a time ly New Deal row, which resulted in the resignation of George N. Peek as head of the bank and the upping of Mr. Pierson. • Consolidated News Features. WNU Service. SEEDS DON'T LIVE FOREVER! Plant FERRY’S SEEDS Thay’re Dated/ Seeds grow old, too! Past MTTjriTh of sotting only seed* Each year Ferry’s £ rigid tests for vitality and tion before being packeted. Then — for your protection — each packet U dated. Be sure You* seed packets are marked “Packed for Season 1939.’’ Select them from the convenient Ferry’s display at your dealer’s. Popular favorites and new introduc tions — flower and vegetable varieties — ALL SELECTED FOR YOUR LOCALITY. • FERRY-MORSi SED CO., Soad Orowars, Datroit sad Sea Froaclsco. Makars •( Fairy’s Oordsa Spray — acaaaailcal, aaa- KUi’ FERRY’S / ^SEEDS Character Earned Property may be inherited; character must be won. RHEUMATISMK'a t o 5 o Truth and Hypocrisy Truth speaks too low, hypocri sy too loud.—Dryden. OUT OF SORTS? Her« Is Amazing Rallaf for Conditions Duo to Sluggish Bowoto , If you think anil r net Hike. Just t all vegetable la So mud, tool dek hea^atoet^biBoSi jydh. tired feeling mediated with eonaUpedon. _ ^ . Without Risk U no* dough tod. return tbs box to rotaod tbo parebsoo ^ -TVoSi ALWAYS CARMY. wn QUICK REUEF ■ FOR ACID FlNDIGESTIOII a DVERTISEMENTS are your guide ■ to modern living. They bring yon today’s NEWS abont the food yon eat «■»«* the clothes yon wear. And the place to find oat about these new things is right in this newspaper.