Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1941 Washington, D. C. WINTER PLANS As far as can be ascertained, the most important point under dis cussion between Hitler and Musso lini during their recent visit to the Russian battle lines was a plan by which Italian troops would hold down a sizeable portion of the Ger man front during the Russian winter stalemate. Naturally, no one outside the Fascist-Nazi high command really knows the details of what happened. However, Mussolini squawked so loudly over Hitler’s demands, that their general nature leaked out in Rome—where a lot of army leaders are none too friendly to the Axis. Hitler’s theory, bluntly put, was that the Italians were no good as fighters; so during the winter months when there was no fighting to be done, they could move into the trenches and protect the German lines. Then Hitler could ship his troops down to Africa, and could clean up the whole of North Africa before spring and good fighting weather re turned to Russia. Hitler figured that during the winter he could take over all of French North Africa, Egypt and the Suez canal, then pene trate to Dakar—from which he would have a base against South America. It has long been known that Hitler realizes he has to move fast in Af rica and the South Atlantic, or the United States will be strong enough to block him. Mussolini’s reaction to this plan was anything but enthusiastic. Aside from the ignominy of with drawing from Italy’s proposed field of conquest—Africa—II Duce argued that Italian troops could not stand Russian winters. They would die of pneumonia in such a rigorous cli mate. Whether Mussolini finally agreed is not known. Note: The Nazi plan apparently is to put 250,000 Hungarian troops in the Russian trenches during the winter; plus 200,000 Rumanians; plus about 50,000 Slovaks and about 500,- 000 Italians. The German army during the winter would be reduced to a mere skeleton of about 100,000 men. • • • NEW IMPRESSIONS Washington newsmen, after see ing Roosevelt twice a week for eight years, have only dull impressions when they walk into a press confer ence. A fresh impression comes from Jack Moffitt, ace Hollywood reporter, who saw the President the other day for the first time. “There was charm in the setting,” Moffitt said. “The mementoes on his desk indicate a man of imagina tion who can extract pleasant mem ories from past experiences . . . He costumes well. Hoover’s choker collar became a symbol of Tory America. Coolidge dressed like a small town banker. Roosevelt avoids the foppish, but hits a cer tain suburban ease in his dress which sells quickly to the public. “He was impressive in handling himself. There was ease and frank ness, and a quickness in response to questions. He was at all times master of the interview. “I was struck by his paleness and the lines in his face, contradicting the smirk I’ve seen in a thousand cartoons. If I were a casting di rector, looking for an actor for this part, I’d cast him as a man who is working hard under great strain.” * • * UNDER WAR SECRETARY Newsmen sat three deep around a long polished table in the new war department building. They fired questions at the man with a sun tanned face sitting at the head of the table. He was the under secre tary of war. What’s a T-6 tank like? . . . Are M-3 tanks available for the maneu vers? . . . Did the French find the 75 mm. tank gun effective? . . . What is the altitude range of the 90 mm. anti-aircraft gun? ... Is the army in Iceland? . . . What do you think about the Russian resistance? He ducked the last two questions, but answered all the technical ques tions with the assurance of a soldier trained all his life in ordnance. But he isn’t a life-long soldier. He is a lawyer, an ex-circuit court judge, who scarcely a year ago was concerned with such non-military subjects as the reorganization of the New York subway. This was a press conference with the under secretary of war, Robert P. Patterson. A judge in 1940, he is a soldier in 1941, with a complete grasp of the technical information of his job. • • • CAPITAL CHAFF The President is wearing a black four-in-hand tie these days, as well as the black armband. Latest addition to Roosevelt’s trinket-laden desk is a white porce lain figure of Churchill with a cigar in his mouth. OPM has a defense job waiting for movie star Marlene Dietrich as soon as her broken ankle is mended. They want to use her glamorous gams (legs) to publicize cotton stock ings for women, made necessary by the shutting off of Japanese silk. THE VEGETABLE SEDAN Henry Ford has just turned out a car with a plastic body made largely from vegetables. It is part salad and part automobile. * * • It marks the triumph of the vegetable over the steel industry. * * * Henry has been experimenting with the idea for years. He is a man who always looks ahead. And wipes his own windshield. • • • A farm boy, Hank always nour ished the notion that the “Man With the Hoe” could do anything that could be done by the “Vice Presi dent With the Blueprint.” And after all there was nothing so fanciful m the idea of making an auto out of vegetables. Henry had been mak ing spinach out of automobiles all his life. • • • Henry’s first problem was to find out which vegetables would go best in automobiles. He could dismiss the cucumber at the start. Too many people won’t have anything to do with cucumbers. • • • He then considered onions, but dropped them quickly. After all, he was making a car, not a hamburger. • • • Lettuce and tomatoes were suggested, but vetoed after the opening debate. Mr. Ford did not want the public to get his car confused with a reducing diet. • • * The soybean had begun to poke its noggin up and attract attention for some time. Of all vegetables, none has gotten ahead in life like the soj’bean. • • • The jelly bean, the string bean and the lima bean were better known, but never got anywhere in dustrially. (Once in October, 1928, a string bean did succeed in getting into the reception room of Mr. Ford’s offices, but it was kept wait ing so long that when the word final ly came, “Mr. Ford will see you now,” it had gone stale.—Ed note.) • * * But it was soon found that almost anything from a harmonica to a trailer could be made from the soy bean, and Henry always liked a bean that was ambitious and full of get- up and go. * * * In 1932 somebody suggested that automobiles could be made from hay, but word came from Detroit that Mr. Ford was satisfied to keep on making hay from automobiles. • • • Anyhow, Henry has succeeded in his experiments, and in the priori ties crisis has found a way to make a flivver almost entirely from the vegetable garden. The plastic ma terial has 10 times the strength of steel in resisting a blow. It’s the iron in the vegetables. • • • Of course, the government can throw a monkey wrench into Mr. Ford’s car by putting the soybean and other vegetables on a priorities list. Anyhow, good luck to the idea. But we hope we don’t get another one of those tire jacks made out of mashed potatoes. • • • THE CALL (“OPM wants Marlene Dietrich’s legs for use in drive to popularize stockings made from silk substi tutes.”—News item.) Hark, Marlene! The OPM’s Calling for Those famous stems Listen, kid— Your country begs For the right To use those legs. All must make Some sacrifice; Give those legs! They will suffice. Ankles such As yours, Marlene, In a war A lot may mean. Forward, then, With calf and kno-i— In the cause Of victory! • • • LAMENT Baby fingerprints to poets Are sweet and quite a thrill; Methinks they’ve never washed ’em off A grimy windowsill. —Beatrice Gittleman. • • • The Chrysler company is turning out scores of tanks per week. Of course it had the advantage of still retaining the designs for that model it turned out about 10 years ago with both ends alike. London? Not a Bit! This Is Gotham! No longer does New York lag behind densely populated metropolitan areas in the ways and means of co:.. bating possible gas attacks. New York firemen are given conrses in such technique at the fire college i: Long Island City. Picture at left shows assistant chief of the fire department, James Quinn, instructing tbr men how to put on the gas masks. At right men with the masks on go into the gas chamber. * —— Kids Stand Ready to Defend National Capital The spirit of national defense has permeated the children of Washington, D. C. At the right an anti-aii craft gun crew of the Washington junior home defense battalion is ready for action. The “gun” is a piece c pipe. Picture at left shows group treating a member who has become a “casualty” during a “raid.” And r the center, equipped with binoculars and megaphone, a tot is all ready to do her bit for the city’s defense Morgenthau’s Son Naval Reserve Graduate Sueceeds Wavell Three generations of Morgenthaus are pictured at graduation exer cises of the U. S. naval reserve midshipmen on board the U. S. S. Prairie State, anchored in the Hudson river. Left to right, Henry Mor- genthau, secretary of the treasury; his son, R. M. Morgenthau, who is graduating, and Henry Morgenthau Sr. Now that General Wavell has been transferred to Syria, the command of the potential “hot spot” in Africa goes to Gen. Sir Claude Auchinleck (left), shown with Maj. Gen. H. B, W. Hughes, in Egypt. World’s Biggest Non-Rigid Airship His Ship Sunk The world’s largest non-rigid airship, the K-3, which was described by naval commander C. S. Knox as satisfactory, following a test flight at Akron, Ohio. After acceptance by the navy, the 246-foot, $325,000 blimp will be equipped with machine guns, torpedoes and depth charges. Capt. J. D. Halliday of the S. S. Steel Seafarer, bombed and sunk in the Red sea. Captain Halliday and his crew of 35 were saved by a Brit, ish warship. Eleanor Roosevelt RETAILERS AND DEFENSE One noon, I went to buy a stamp at the exhibition which opened “Re tailers For Defense Week.” This effort on the part of retailers to do a real job for defense is a very wise move. While it may curtail some of the buying at the present time, it will put money in people’s pockets for future use. We shall need that money to keep us from too great a business slump during the transition from defense work to normal activities. It seems to me that in everything we do today we should have* an eye to our present needs, but at the same time think far enough ahead to guard against some of the dif ficulties we have undergone in the past. For instance, if the production of automobiles is going to be drastical ly curtailed in order that industry may take a bigger share in defense work, why not plan to put money, which in ordinary times we might set aside for a new automobile, into Defense Stamps, and call those stamps: “Our Automobile Fund” for the future? We may have to use our old car a bit longer than we would ordinar ily think wise, or even economically sound, but at least we can arrange our own finances so that they are helpful to the government at pres ent and useful to us when the day comes for buying that new car. » • • WOMEN AND BUSINESS Women are as interested in all these business questions as men. During the second week of October which will be observed as Business and Professional Women’s week throughout the nation, there will be special emphasis on the plans laid by which women, many of whom are influential in business and pro fessional groups, can aid the de fense program. I wish they would all think not only of the problems which come before them in business, but also of the many local problems which in the end are going to be very vital in national defense. A particularly vital problem is participation of volunteers in work where their ef forts will be valuable. I am counting on these important women’s organizations to make a valuable contribution in the working out of the volunteer services. They must be rendered on a very large scale if this country is ever to be really well prepared and fully de fended. I was very much interested to see that the “Reader’s Digest” is going to be published in Portuguese as well as in Spanish. This publication has proved that it is possibleeto bring out in this country a magazine that is read by our South and Central American neighbors with interest, and I wish this new venture great success. • • • ‘SHAPE OF THE FUTURE’ I want to tell you about a series of articles which the magazine “Common Sense” is announcing. They plan later to have them pub lished in book form, but in the meantime, both the subject matter and the authors make me feel that none of us will want to miss them. They deal in a general way with the “shape of the future.” The editors, in their announce ment, say a few things which, if they are really carried out by the articles, mean that we shall be given something vital to think about. One statement reads: “The crucial question for believ ers in democracy is whether the constructive possibilities are to be realized . . . We can not hope merely to save what we have. No Maginot Line can hold back the tide of change.” • » • CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS A conference one morning with Miss Eloise Davison to talk over some of the things in connec tion with civilian volunteer partici pation in national defense. I am trying, as far as possible, to familiarize myself with the or ganization which now exists. I am studying its accomplishments and publications, so that when I do go to the office, I shall not find myself meeting people whose names I do not know and who are functioning in ways which I do not as yet under stand. I am very much interested in a pamphlet which has been compiled for the organizations which are deal ing with the registration of volun teers. It is intended to aid in set ting up volunteer registration cen ters. This seems to be a valuable step, but it will take some time to set them up so they function smoothly. I like Mayor LaGuardia’s idea that registering people is compar atively useless, but enrolling them to do definite things is well worth while. Obviously, it accomplishes two things at once. It gives a card catalogue of people who may be called upon at any time, and actual ly places people in positions where they function in their communities. I talked also that morning with Miss Jane Seaver, who is the youth member on the Committee of Forty- Five on Volunteer Participation. She has worked out a preliminary program for youth participation. XTASHVILLE, TENN.—This is the ^ story of one of the greatest pitchers—and one of the oddest ball players—that ever wore a spike or threw a curve ball. He started his pitching career here at Sulphur Dell well over 40 years ago—and he is still working out every day at Redland field, Cin cinnati. His name is Noodles Hahn. Noodles Hahn, a slender left hand er, set a record of 16 strikeouts for the revised National league. This was back in 1901 with the Reds. He floated his dinky-dinks by hostile bats year after year, back in the forgotten days. But last fall I saw him working out before the first World series game in Cincinnati between Reds and Tigers. "I haven’t missed a day’s work out for 40 years,” Hahn told me. This means that Hahn, out of base ball for at least 25 years—still puts on the old uniform and takes over the day’s warm up with the Reds. “I haven’t missed a work out in this same park sinte 1915,” he said again. That’s some sort of a record, whatever it means. For 1899 wasn’t Grove yesterday. And you’ll still find Noodles Hahn working out with Bucky Walters, Paul Derringer and other Red pitchers who were bom long after Hahn set his 16 strike outs mark. Hahn was a left hander who be longed to the Herb Pennock, Eddie Plank school. He lacked the blazing speed of a Grove or a Rnbe Wad dell, but he could tie up batters into more knots than 10 sailors could untie in a week. And you could see the seams on the ball as it came floating up. Great Left Handers Who are the greatest left handers baseball has ever known? Rube Waddell and Noodles Hahn, perfect opposites, were two of the best, dat ing back to 1900. Each held a strike out record of 16. To this pair, covering the last *44 years, you can add Eddie Plank, Nap Rucker, Rube Marquard, Doe White (the left hander who always baffled Ty Cobb), Herb Pennock, the star of the stylists, Carl Hubbell and Robert Moses Grove. From this list Rube Waddell and Lefty Grove undoubtedly had the big edge in physical stuff—which largely consists in speed. Speed— and a fast curve. Waddell had the fastest breaking curve ever thrown. On the right handed side this dis tinction belonged to Dazzy Vance. Waddell and Vance could start a fast curve for your Adams’ apple and have it kick up dust in front of the plate. So could Nap Rucker—minus the speed. I happened to swing a few bats against Nap Rucker around 1903—swinging shoulder high—only to see the catcher take the pitch ankle high. Toad Ramsey, one of the great est, goes on back beyond the 40- year span. Toad had a curve ball you couldn’t hit with two planks. His record was phenomenal. But that was too far away and too long ago. How They Rank Here’s the left handed ranking I’ll give you since 1900—all in order— 1. Lefty Grove; 2. Eddie Plank; 3. Rube Waddell; 4. Herb Pennock; 5. Carl Hubbell; 6. Nap Rucker. And Hubbell might be moved up into third place. A great pitcher. From this list Grove and Waddell had the physical stuff. Waddell was the greatest genius of the lot—but too much on the erratic side. The Rube would rather fish or act as bartender than pitch a World series game. Grove and Plank, both under Connie Mack’s direction, were the two great est combinations of brilliancy and con sistency. They won the most games—which is a big part of the answer. More than a few have ranked Herb Pennock as the top left hander of the long parade—for brains, con trol, style and the rest of it. Pen nock was Bill Hanna’s nomination and Bill Hanna knew his share of baseball. Carl Hubbell We’ll still string with Grove, Plank, Waddell, Pennock, and Hub- bell, in that order. Grove, at his greatest physical peak, was still learning how to pitch. I’ve seen him strike out six of the first nine Yankees and be hammered from the box two innings later. When Grove got to be canny and cunning he was almost unbeatable. For example 1931—when he won 31 and lost 4. That’s what you might call pitch ing. Compare this to any 1941 rec ord—I mean Feller or any of the others.