Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE SUN. NEWBERRY, S. Cn FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1940 Washington, D. C, DESPERATE TIN SCARCITY It hasn’t leaked out yet, but after years of delay, and after facing what may be a desperate tin short age, the state department is about to negotiate a contract with the Bo livian government for the purchase of about half of Bolivia’s tin output. This tin ore will be shipped to the United States for refining in newly established tin smelters. This is a big achievement for Bo livian Minister Guachalla who, for four years, has been hammering home at the state department the idea that Bolivia has something which the United States needs vi tally. But it by no means solves the tin problem for the United States, for Bolivia’s production meets only about one-half of this country’s nor mal requirements. To tide over the present tin cri sis, the national defense commission contracted to buy 75,000 tons of re fined tin from the Dutch and British East Indies. This is enough to last for one year, but the question is, will it ever be delivered? The answer is doubtful. Only 12,- . 000 tons can arrive by January 1, and even this may be held up by German defeat of England or a Jap anese blitzkrieg on the Dutch East Indies. Most amazing feature of the deal is that the national defense com mission is not attempting to buy new tin ore from the Far East, but only the refined, metallic tin. In other words, the tin is to be refined in the Far East, then shipped here. Reason for this is: (1) because the British put a 50 per cent tax on the export of crude ore to keep us from setting up a tin smelting business of our own; and (2) because the state department still is following a policy of dealing gently with British interests. In other words, while we will set up a system of temporarily smelt ing Bolivian tin in the United States, the British still will attempt to hang on to their monopoly by smelting as much as possible themselves— and up to a point high U. S. offi cials seem reluctant to break awzy from the British system. • • • NEW AGRICULTURE SECRETARY It looks as if Franklin Roosevelt was going to play the cards close to his chest and go into the campaign without much enlargement of his of ficial family. For his new secretary of agriculture, replacing Henry Wal lace, will be promoted from the ranks. He is Claud R. Wickard of Indi ana, now undersecretary of agricul ture, an able gentleman, but carry ing no political weight and of no great help to Roosevelt or Wallace in a presidential year. Paul H. Ap pleby, Wallace’s right hand assist ant, and the man who vigorously urges Wickard’s promotion, will step up as undersecretary. • * * AMBASSADOR CUDAHY New recipe for political success: get a diplomatic post, speak out of turn, take a spanking for it, then announce for political office. The recipe was set by James H. R. Cromwell, whose remarks as minister to Canada brought him a state department reprimand. He is now running for the Senate. Same recipe apparently may be followed by John Cudahy, ambassa dor to Belgium, who rode in high spirits through his White House rep rimand the other day, and is being urged for governor of Wisconsin. In fact, the President himself, be fore the “spanking" was over, urged Cudahy to run. • • • WILLKIE REVAMPS CAMPAIGN MACHINERY In some G. O. P. quarters Will- kie’s protracted western stay drew discreet but critical protests. He was wasting valuable time, came the complaints, handling too much organizational detail himself. It was true that the tousle-haired Republican standard bearer did oc cupy himself extensively with organ ization details. But he did not waste time—as plenty of old-line Republi can politicos are privately, and very grumpily, attesting. He was far too busy to suit them or see much of them. For the big untold story behind Willkie’s long and mysterious labors in Colorado is that he completely revamped the traditional G. O. P. campaign machinery. It’s a closely guarded secret but under the new set-up, the Republi can national committee and its na tion-wide network of state and local units, made up largely of veteran professionals, have been relegated to a secondary role. Playing first fiddle in Willkie’s new organization are the 800 Willkie clubs dotting every state, and the “inde pendent Democrats” organization headed by ex-Roosevelt office hold ers Johnny Hanes, former under secretary of the treasury, and Lewis Douglas, former budget director. Di rectly controlled by Willkie and his personal lieutenants, these are the organizations on which he is depend ing to carry him into the White House. He is convinced that to be elected he must win the big “floating" mass af independent votes. General HUGH s. JOHNSON Jour: Unlu* Fount W WNU Stnrtn Washington, D. C. THIS MAN WILLKIE Three days of observation of Wen dell Willkie have been eye-openers to me—well as I thought I knew him. This column isn’t going to ■ make the mistake it made in 1936 and take a strong partisan position. But it feels a certain sense of re sponsibility for insisting on the avail ability of this man for almost two years and getting a good many rasp berries for its alleged “goofiness.” The “eye-opener” was this guy’s sturdy independence. I think he is another, but a pleasanter, Grover Cleveland. I sensed, and sometimes saw, the strongest kinds of pulls and pressures applied to him in these few days. Some of them were from the mightiest of political lead ers. Others were of the modern telegraph-barrage variety—“Speak ing for 6,000,000 farmers, we urge”; “Speaking for 21,000,000 Catholics, we demand”; “As representative of 13,000,000 Negroes we ask”; “If you won’t do so-and-so, you will lose New York state and the whole Atlantic seaboard.” The candidate answers genially and courteously. He checks facts from every source he can command. He continues to pursue the even tenor of his way and thought with a smiling urbanity that seems a mira cle to me. I know only one other man who could take such pushing, pulling and pawing with as much good nature, as little disturbance of his convictions and as little loss of sleep. His name is Franklin Roose velt. I do not for a moment mean to suggest that Wendell Willkie is a stubborn dogmatist. He is just the reverse of that. He has the usual business habit of putting up an alert defensive to any professional sales talk. But he also uses the efficient business man’s practice of overlook ing no promising “proposition” and of getting every fact and expert opinion available before he decides. There has been a good deal of spec ulation about why I went to Colorado | Springs. Mr. Willkie asked me to I come to give my opinion on cer- < tain aspects of the farm, labor and defense problems, with all of which I have had some experience and have expressed strong views. Well, he winnowed whatever brains I have with a fine-tooth comb, so far as I know accepted nothing, put up as able and well informed debate as I have yet encountered— and left me in complete ignorance as to his final judgment. To me, all this seems a good sign. The greatest blunder in a recent government has been, I think, a sort of trout-like snapping at and swallowing whole of any attractive brainstorm, with little or no attempt to get an objective analysis or hear any worthwhile contrary opinion. Of one thing I am sure. Nobody is going to shove this shaggy Hoosier around, sell him any gold bricks or push him off of any important moral position, for the sake of any expedi ent political advantage. The latter has, to my knowledge, been vainly attempted with dire threats of de feat if Willkie did not instantly knuckle. He just laughed. He has another quality of Franklin Roosevelt. Nobody rejected ever goes away mad. But while the Pres ident accomplishes this by saying, “Yes, yes, yes—you are perfectly right,” and then acts just as he pleases; Mr. Willkie somehow man ages to keep them cheerful with something Lke: “Yours received and contents noted. I will study it care fully. Just now it looks lousy”—or “attractive,” as the case may be. I still say he would be a great President. • • • THOSE 50 DESTROYERS NEW YORK.—The fight to sell 50 Of our destroyers to Britain is led by the two whirling dervishes of the third-term assault on American tradition—the glamorous Senators Josh Lee and Claude Pepper. Each has a right to be as fanatical as he pleases—as Pepper is for Old Doc Townsend’s cruel deceit of the aged; as Josh is for the uncompen sated confiscation of property. Both schemes would wreck beyond repair the economic strength of this country in a lime of great danger. During our Civil war, Great Brit ain permitted swift Confederate commerce destroyers to be fitted out in British ports. They gave the final push to our once-supreme merchant marine—a blow from which it never recovered. Our protests continued for years. The British finally ad mitted that for this sort of illegal participation in undercover war, the offending country is responsible in damages for every loss its unlawful act has imposed. Apart from any such quibbling as Josh Lee is doing to make a mock ery of statutory and treaty obliga tions, let’s not overlook the Ala bama claims. They involved, in the main, only two wooden ships. What would 50 destroyers involve? There are some vital factual ques tions which should be considered against all this juramentado third- term hokum. Are these vessels “obsolete”? If so, how can it be urged that the life of the British navy depends on them? Newly Formed ‘Green Guards of Amerie If the “blitz” strikes this country the women of Washington will be prepared to do their bit in the way of defense. Several hundred have already been enrolled in Camp No. 1 of the “Green Guards of America,” an organization which will take up first aid and ambulance corps duties in time of war—duties for which they have started training. Members of the newly formed “Guards” arc shown here in their dark green uniforms and over-seas caps. 175,000 Hear Willkie’s Acceptance Speech Wendell L. Willkie, Elwood, Indiana’s most famous son, (indicated by arrow) comes home to accept the Republican presidential nomination. A crowd estimated at more than 175,000 heard his speech of acceptance at the notification ceremonies in Callaway park. Formal notification of his nomination was made by National Chairman Joseph Martin of Massachusetts. Running Mates in Shirt Sleeves ‘Blitzkrieg Bob’ A picture of informality, President Roosevelt and Secretary of Agri culture Henry A. Wallace, Democratic vice presidential nominee, greet ing women Democratic party workers assembled at Mrs. Roosevelt’s Val-Kill cottage in Hyde Park, N. Y. The President drove over from tho family home to introduce Wallace as his 1940 running mate. Private William Hanyak of the Eleventh Infantry, takes time out from the “Battle of the St. Lawrence Valley,” at Ogdensburg, N. Y., to have his crowning glory pruned. Hanyak hails from Philadelphia. Paints Call to Arms for Uncle Sam This Is ‘The Nuts’ Maj. Thomas B. Woodburn at Governors island. New York, with his latest poster for the U. S. army, completed with the collaboration of his wife, Margaret (shown) also a well known artist. Tho poster is entitled “Defend Your Country.” Dressed for sultry weather, seven- month-old Carole Russell of Miami cools off on the inside with coco nut milk direct from the shell. A large nipple does the trick. ("Nazi Germany hat prohibited the enameling of nails by women, also lip rouge and the wearing of slacks in public, it brands these customs as pagan,"— News item.) ] To slaughter and to pillage I Is quite a proper course; | One bombs the Red Cross emblem ! Without the least remorse; ' To lie and trick and threaten I Is something big and fine ; But polished nails and lip rouge— They are a pagan sign! H. , To tear up written treaties— Ah, that is quite okay; ; To break the solemn promise— | It’s done by us each day! : To jump on little nations Is not wrong in the least. But lacquer on a lady— I It truly marks the beast! in. Machine-gunning the aged Is something done in stride; Great racial persecutions Just help to swell our pride; A blitzkrieg is a process Most civilized and gay— But fingernails when colored They mark the heathen way. IV. To set the world on fire Is quite a normal act; ; To terrorize a planet Is normal; it’s a fact! The U-boat and the bomffbr We do not think unkind But slacks upon a woman Reveal a savage mind. V. A gas mask on a baby. Ah, there’s a pretty sight! An ambulance when burning Is perfectly all right; A child in bombproof shelter Is nothing very sad, But lip rouge on a woman— Ach, Gott! but that is bad! • • • Tokyo is terribly indignant be cause Uncle Sam has decided not to sell her any more gasoline. Na tions that chase democracies up dark alleys and run over them every chance they get can’t see what on earth could make a democracy stop furnishing the gas and oil. HOME EMERGENCY The way the Yanks are going, why isn’t it a good idea to forget about giving those 50 destroyers to Eng land and give them to Joe Mc Carthy? • • • The question put by the French court to all those former leaders will be obviously, “Do you plead guilty or guilty?” • • • The treasury department reports that there were only 50 Americans in 1938 with incomes of more than a million dollars. And nobody is more surprised over it than the Americans with the incomes. • • • NEW VERSION You are a gudrdsman now. You are a guardsman now; To stay in one state Your chance isn’t great— You are a guardsman now. • • • Quenffh Reynolds calls General De Gaulle “The Man Who Didn’t Quit.” He’s one Gaulle, says Dinah Shore, whom Hitler would like to divide into three parts. * • » Nothing stumps Mayor LaGuardia of New York. Now he addresses 200 housewives on how to cook and run a home. “Never throw away a soupbone,” he warns. “It isn’t economy.” “Cook a pie,” advises the mayor, "only when you have a roast on, so that you will save fuel.” “Nonsense,” cries Elmer Twitchell, the great pastry lover. “Never cook a roast unless you have a pie on.” • • • Nothing in years has made us feel that our national safety is so in secure as the recent newspaper and newsreel pictures of three pudgy, middle-aged United States congress men on their knees, aiming army rifles at cameras, and all under the caption, “Study United States De fenses.” • • • PROOFS THAT IT’S A CRAZY WORLD Neville Chamberlain says he is not for appeasement. A Democrat has won the Repub lican nomination for the presidency. Adolf Hitler is spending the sum mer in Paris. The Brooklyn baseball club looks like a pennant winner. Henry Ford has said “Yes” to a proposition from President Roose velt. The Foch peace car is now in Ber lin. ”1 like,” said the Duffer serenely, “To read of the faults in this game, Of faults that are almost obscenely Blockading the highway of fame. Of those who are stymied or bunk ered, Who don’t pivot right on the tee. So please print a lot of the incorrect clutch Of those who are swaying or duck ing too much (Just any old fault is a personal touch) For that’s what’s the matter with me. C ARATOGA, N. Y.—The top horse- ^ man of the world today is in the general direction of his eightieth year—high up in the seventies. He schooled his first steeplechaser 61 years ago—and aft er 61 years he is still many lengths in front under wraps. He is also one of the top sportsmen of all time, one of the most remarkable men I’ve ever known in sport. His name is Thomas Hitchcock, father of Tommy Hitchcock Jr., who will stand as the all-time polo player until some su perman comes along. And there are no supermen. Everyone has admired the ef ficiency of Connie Mack, 77, and Lonnie Stagg, 77, at baseball and football. But the name of Thomas Hitchcock belongs in this slender group of amazing veterans who have thrown clocks and calendars away and ignored time. They have made the years their vassals, ignoring such puny details as half-centuries. Training Winners I met Mr. Hitchcock just after one of his horses had won another steeplechase. I wanted to know how he did it. I asked him first why*it was that he never had the front feet of his jump ers shod. “This,” he said, “is quite a sim ple matter. A horse gets his drive and balance from his hind feet. His forefeet have a tendency to expand. His hoofs will nearly always spread. Now if you encase these hoofs in an iron band there can be no ex pansion. There can be no give. I have known this after some 60 years of study and observation. That is the reason my jumpers are never shod to the front. “The trouble most horses have is with their hoofs or legs. I have never had any such trouble.” Other Angles to Consider I asked Mr. Hitchcock just what system he followed to bring about such an amazing success. “First of all,” he answered, “I would say the word is ‘patience.*- You can’t drive a horse at a bar rier and force him over. Not con sistently. I want natural jumpers. Not synthetic jumpers. So I start them in this direction when they are less than a year old. I give them minor jumps to make on their way to eat—jumps of less than a foot. I gradually increase this height. I get them to feel that a jump is m part of their lives—something they have to make before they can eat. “These jumps are made higher and higher. But there is no force about it. There is nothing new about it. It is something that be longs to their earlier memories— something they handle instinctively.” I asked Mr. Hitchcock about other details. “For one thing,” he said, “you must know and love horses. Few are alike. They have their own whims and personalities. But to get them accustomed to people I have young riders, 10 or 12 years old, who ride or play with them as yearlings. I get them accustomed to the prob lems they must face later on. I get them used to other horses which may be crowding in. “All this,” he said, “takes a world of patience. The horse must be schooled over and over and over. What you want him to do must be made a habit that he understands. “Hie same thing goes for pole ponies. I have known experts who went out for speed. But a polo pony must be trained and taught to turn in a split second. Speed, of course, is a factor. But so is turn ing agility. These are things that take time. “To my mind a horse doesn’t reach or approach his prime until he is six years old. This applies especially to jumping and to polo. You haven’t time to teach young horses what they need to know at these two sports.” Back Over the Years “Just when did you begin this schooling work?” I asked. “When I was at Oxford, in 1881,” he said. “No, it was before that. Probably around 1879. I was a little younger then,” he added, “than I am now.” That was 61 years ago. But I doubt he was younger then. “There is so much to do,” he said rather plaintively, “and so little time in which to do it. When yea must be patient you must have time in which to work.”