Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS 1 Truman Ignores Program Setback, Insists Congress Is Cooperating; Approval Seen for Vets’ Pension (EDITOR’S When opinion! are expressed In these columns, they are those of Western Newspaper Union’s news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.) PRESjbENCY: 'Say ft Isn't So' Was President Truman emu- ' la ting the ostrich with the old “head in the sand” technique, or was he naive enough to believe what he was saying? This seemed a fair question when Mr. Truman, despite multiple set backs in congress for his legisla tive program, declared he and the congress were cooperating and that only "troublemakers” talked of bad feeling between them. MR. TRUMAN had suffered three major setbacks in attempting to have his campaign pledges en acted into law. He had been blocked on rent controls, appoint ment of Mon C. Walgren as a key figure in the national defense set up, and civil rights proposals. But, the President shook off these reverses by ignoring them in a speech to the United States con ference of mayors in Washington. Instead, he told the mayors: "Of course I differ with the congress on some points and where these differences are important I shall continue to urge the course I think is right. “BUT, BASICALLY, the congress and the President are working to gether and will continue to work together for the good of the whole country. We are going to agree on a lot more things than we disagree on.” Many observers took the view that the President's remarks in dicated adoption of new strategy in dealing with congress—that an attitude of “soft words” might be held more advisable than angry denunciations of the lawmakers. PENSIONS: Who Pays? It was beginning to appear that a veteran’s pension bill in some form would be enacted by the 81st congress. Prodded by Rep. John Rankin (D., Miss.), of the house veteran’s affairs committee, the measure under consideration would give veterans of World Wars I and II automatic pensions of $90 a month at age 65. Budget bureau experts contend this would cost the nation upwards of 125 billion dol lars over the next 50 years. WHO WOULD PAY the cost of the pensions? American taxpapers, of course, and among these would be all the veterans who might some day receive the bonus. As one- young war veteran put it, “By the time I reached 65, I would have gone broke trying to pay taxes to grant me a pension.” That’s the viewpoint of some veterans. There are many others who honestly feel they are entitled to a pension and would readily accept an “installment” tax pay ment period between their present age and age 65 in order to get the pension. SOME OPPONENTS of the pen sion measure favored restricting pensions only to veterans of World War I, but it was obvious no such proposal as this would be enacted. There were too many World War II veterans who would oppose that simply on the principle of discrimi nation, no matter how they might feel basically about the pension proposal. On the first test of the measure. It was almost lost, but swift par liamentary maneuvering saved it from being returned to committee where it might have died a nat ural death. DRAFT: Easing Off Military draft eligibles could re lax — Maj. Gen. John E. Dahl- quist, army personnel chief, said no more men will be inducted into the army before July, 1950; and that’s when the present peacetime draft act expires. SO, IT SEEMED that the peace time draft was virtually over, ex cept for the possibility of enact ment of a new act or extension by congress of the present law. However, the national defense es tablishment hastened to state that General Dahlquist was giving only his opinion — that no draft policy has been laid down, and that no one knows what the future holds. IT WAS REGARDED as signifi cant that there have been no induc tions under the present law since the end of January because volun tary enlistments have filled quotas, and army officials have said that budget reductions forced them to cut their proposed strength. Dean Acheson, secretary of state, explains north Atlantic pact at special press conference at the state department. PACT: Reds Burn The Kremlin and Its satellites were literally burned up over the north Atlantic treaty alliance. To the Russians the pact was a “deceptive instrument of war aimed against” them. THE CONTROLLED Russian press and radio joined in the clamor, branding the pact as the work of war-mongers trying- to wreck the United Nations. The general theme was that the alliance was the “main weapon of the aggressive policy of the ruling circles of the United States, Brit ain and France.” The Russian stew was under standable. By this diplomatic coup western powers had managed to abate somewhat the legeiyi of Soviet invincibility among the smaller countries and at the same time to serve notice on the Russians that any further violence or aggression within the pact area would mean war. THE TERMS OF the pact do not actually say that; but they say something which is the same. That is that pact nations shall construe an attack on any member as an attack upon them all, and even the dumbest Muscovite could under stand what that meant. The treaty, however, was not without its critics at home. John Foster Dulles, slated to be secre tary of state had Dewey nabbed the presidency, was anything but enthusiastic about the alliance. In fact, Dulles observations on the subject were such as to raise the ire of Dean Acheson, secretary of state, who charged that Dulles was put out because he, Dulles, couldn’t get over Dewey’s defeat and how he might have been secretary of state himself but for that. RENT CURBS: Outlook Dim Overriding administration recom mendations, the senate voted to let town and city governments abolish rent controls in their areas — if the state governors approve. THERE WERE MANY who would discern instantly the political im plication inherent in such a move. In states where governors are per mitted under law to succeed them selves — and even in states which do not permit this — governors are usually concerned with re-election or with naming their successors. Abolition of rent control power could be used as a potent weapon with which to beat recalcitrant voters into line. As anyone familiar with legisla tive processes knows, organiza tions are always the most power ful and effective lobbyists. Land lords have a national organization which already has been vociferously vocal at Washington. There has been no organization of renters and tenants, not even at the state or county leveL Those who are heard in law-making assemblies are those who are organized and who know how to obtain hearings. And these organizations usually manage to do rather well for themselves. IN WHATEVER FORM the bill finally emerges from the senate, it must go to a conference committee in order to iron out differences be tween house and senate versions. States righters would herald the local option features of the control bill with elation and landlord groups would find it easier to attempt legislative pressure in their own back yards. INSIDE 'SHORT STORY • / 'Boss' Censored President's Swim Photos Whatever else the incident of the censorship of pictures showing Harry S. Truman swimming in Florida may have done, it put him solid with most American males whose choice of pastime is so fre quently influenced by the distaff side at home. For, at last, the secret of the confiscated photographs was out— and the gentleman who broke the “inside story” was none other than Mr. Truman himself. It wasn’t censorship at all, the President said, which caused presi dential party attaches to seize photos taken of Mr. Truman while he was swimming. It was just that Mrs. Bess Truman doesn’t want her husband traipsin' around clad only in bathing trunks, and Harry S. Truman jolly well knows it MEMORY: Ours Is Short To many who had experienced the horrors of war and who had i met German foemen in battle, ' American policy in Germany was almost maddening. Official ap proval of selection of a group of ex- Nazis to manage the Ruhr—Ger- ' many’s greatest war-making poten tial—was bringing cries of protest from all over the nation. The grasp of the ex-Hitlerites was reaching farther and farther into Germany’s vital affairs and the optimism of the group that their desires would be fulfilled was sig nificant. L'atest manifestation of the trend was a statement by Hans Thomsen, who was the Nazis’ last charge d’af faires in Washington, that he and other veteran Hitler diplomats ex pected to resume their careers in the “new Germany.” There was no lack of cockiness in Thomsen’s stand. Said he: “The new German government cannot get along without the old Wilhelm- strasse men—who know their busi ness.” He is now in the banking business in Hamburg. The old pattern was becoming increasingly clear. Smart diplo mats, seeking a rampart against communism, were using this same objective to re-create Germany as a European power—a buffer against the Reds. SWALLOWS: Unfailing Legend The old, old legend was unfailing. Always the swallows had come back to Capistrano, and this time they came again. THE LEGEND was fulfilled to the day. Through the long, lazy centuries that the birds have al ways been coming back to San Juan Capistrano, their return has always been on the same day each year— Stj Joseph’s day. And this year there was no devia tion. On St Joseph’s day the birds came sweeping back at dawn to fly into their homes under the eaves of the historic old mission. “They do not come in huge swarms as some reports have it,” an old padre said. “Instead they arrive in small contingents, 50 to 75 at a time.” Father Hutchinson, pastor, said that the birds usually leave in July after their young can fly. They travel to nearby canyons to feed where insects are plentiful, he in dicated. BOGEY MAN: Scions Defiant Figuratively thumbing its col lective nose at the “big man” the United States senate by a vote of 50 to 11 confirmed the appointment of Dr. James Boyd as director of the federal bureau of mines. THE “BIG MAN” was John L. Lewis, leader of the United Mine Workers of America, and he wanted no part of Dr. Boyd in the federal mine regulation setup. The senate action came while Lewis had the pressure on. Lewis’ miners were in the second week of a 14-day shutdown ordered by Lewis who termed the stoppage a “memorial” to miners killed and injured last year. Chief speculation concerned the import of the senate action. Did it mean that government, finally, was ready to clamp down on the dictatorial Lewis and abolish his power as a continuing threat to American industry? It could mean that, if Lewis’ mine stoppage resulted in a re versal of labor sentiment among some members of congress and a really “get-tough” labor law wer* to be enacted. What Next? Coal operators and coal con sumers were wondering what would be the next move in John L. Lewis’ campaign strategy. Lewis, above, had called the miners out in a two-week stop page which he described as a “memorial” to miners killed and hurt in 1948. Burglar Irked In Champaign, 111., Carl Fletcher, 23, was so irked at finding nothing worth stealing after housebreaking that he called police and reported his own burglary. Fletcher broke into a filling sta tion, then telephoned the sheriff and police to “come get” him. He waited for them and unlocked the door to let them in. *T just got mad,” he said, “at finding nothing worth taking." THE NEWBERRY SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C. FILES SUIT . . . Talullah Bank- bead, famed stage and screen ac tress, has filed suit against a man ufacturer, a radio chain and an advertising agency asking a mil lion doUars in damages because, she claims, she was humiliated by hair shampoo advertising. MARRIED MAN HAS MANY PROBLEMS ... A famUy to support and no means of doing it is the problem of Carl Harvey Blake, Jr., late •f the sixth grade. A five-foot, six-inch tall youngster, he weighs 176 pounds and is only 13 years old. Shown here with his wife, Winifred, 16, and their baby, Charles, Carl just “stays home, minding his son.” Carl’s age is below the allowable working age in Michigan, so his top problem is where and how to earn the price of baby’s little shoes. EINSTEIN HONORED ON 70TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY . . . Internationally-renowned scientist Albert Einstein, right, is shown as he received an honorary doctor of philosophy degree from Dr. Israel S. Wecbsler in behalf of the Hebrew university of Jerusalem. Presen. tation was made at Einstein’s home in Princeton, N. J. Dr. Wecbsler is president of the American friends of the Hebrew university. PLEADS GUILTY . . . Mrs. Ann F. Sullivan, Roxbury, Mass., pleaded guilty to neglect of son Gerald, 14, whom she kept locked in a room, without schooling, for more than eight years. The boy, clad in woman's ragged clothing, escaped, was picked up on the streets. WINE FAIR . . . Preparing for the nationwide spring whm fair in AprU, Charlotte Mayer adapts the traditional California Rhine wine bottle as a novel and distinctive vase for spring flowers. Agricul ture and business are uniting to present the spring wine fair. REFUGEE ORPHANS FLY IN TO NEW LIFE . . . The first contin gent of a group of 250 refugee orphans to be resettled in the United States under the auspices of the U. S. committe for the care of European children, is shown leaving the plane that brought them to New York. The children were flown from Hamburg, Germany, on a plane char tered by the international refugee organization. I’M AN AMERICAN!” . . . That’s what three-year old Betsy Ann Schmidt of Pittsburgh is saying as she waves an American flag fol lowing her naturalization in fed* eral court. Bloom Overworked ^ ^yNE THING that contributed to the death of much-loved Con gressman Sol Bloom was overwork. And his work load was increased by the fact that many Democratic members of the house foreign af fairs committee brazenly loafed on the job, leaving most of the work to Sol and the Republicans. While the 11 Republican members of the committee usually are pres ent, sometimes as few as three Democrats have turned up. This once caused conscientious Con gressman John Kee of West Vir ginia to remark, “maybe what we need is a police force to get our colleagues to attend meetings.” So far statesmanlike Congress man Charles Eaton of New Jersey, leader of the Republi cans, hasn’t taken advantage of this. But he could easily turn the tables on the Demo crats and put the Republicans in the position of running American foreign policy. As a result the first act of new Democratic Chairman John Kee, when he took over following Sol Bloom’s death, was to warn Demo cratic congressmen it was time for them to quit playing hookey. Note—Sometimes it has even been necessary to telegraph Demo crat Joseph L. Pfeifer of Brooklyn at his home to insure his attendance for committee votes. Servant of Brotherhood When Forrest Warren, now on the San Diego Journal, was a re porter on the Atchison (Kas.) Globe, he lost his wife under the wheels of a train. Perhaps that tragedy had something to do with causing Warren to spend much of his time since then listening to th > sorrows of others and doing some thing about them. At any rate, Warren has become a tireless worker for his fellow men. He has organized a revolving wheel-chair service in which there are move than 600 wheel chairs and many walkers for polio victims. He originated the San Diego shoe fund, collecting $40,000 and more than 100,000 pairs of shoes that were re paired and given to needy children. At Christmas time Warren con ducts a Santa-helper program' by which 4,000 men, women and chil dren are cheered with holiday pres ents. He has collected money to buy books projected on the ceiling via films so that flat-on-the-back patients may read pages on the ceiling above their beds. Warren, now 71 years old, does all this in addition to his regular work on the San Diego Journal. He is a- real servant of brotherhood. Plumps for Peron No newspaper in the U. S. A. has fought Harry Tnrnan more vit riolically, vehemently and vigor ously than the Clucago Tribune These attacks have also been cen tered on Truman’s military aide Gen. Harry Vaughan. Neverthe less. Tribune publisher Colonel Me Cormick now has found something in common with Harry Trunian and Harry Vaughan. He is an admirer of dictator Peron of Argentina. CoL McCormick has been trav eling through Latin America spending an average of 30 hours in each of four capitals—but spent more time in Buenos Aires where President Peron pinned a medal on his breast—the same kind of medal given to General Vaughan. After lunching with Peron, Mc Cormick informed the press that he and the dictator were in com plete accord on western hemi sphere affairs. Other things about the Colo nel’s trip were interesting. One was the way American ambas sadors kowtowed to McCormick, giving the impression that the publisher’s views were sym pathetically received in Wash ington. Wherever he stopped McCormick was wined and dined by the U.S. envoy, with top government officials of each country invited. Another interesting fact was Mc Cormick’s rabid attitude toward Europe which became so violent ly manifest that even his own in terpreter toned down his remarks, ANOTHER F.D.R. TOSSES HAT IN POLITICAL RING . . . Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., third son of the late President Roosevelt, has an nounced his candidacy for congress from the New York district served by the late Sol Bloom, who succumbed recently after a heart attack. Just 35 years old, F.D.R., Jr., is regarded by many as national politi cal timber and has the support of many of his father’s old friends la Washington and New York. BAFFLES SCIENCE . . . Five- year old Marguerite Missirlian, Long Island City, N. Y., baffles science with a temperature rang ing from 103 to 107 degrees, which she has had for the past 18 months. She is otherwise normal. Drooping Merchant Marine Democratic Sen. Warren Magnu- son has informed Presidential As sistant John Steelman that he will 1 do some tough talking on the sen ate floor if the White House doesn’t wake up to the plight of our mer chant marinO. It’s time we realized that the American flag is going off the seas, declared Magnuson. Our private commercial shippers have fewer vessels in service than the approxi mate 360-vessel seagoing fleet of the army. Furthermore, 95 per cent i of our relief shipments to Denmark and 60 per cent of our shipments to England are being carried in foreign bottoms. As a result, declared Magnuson, about 48,000 U.S. merchant seamen have been beached in the last sevatr months. Ways to Better Government C ONGRESS has received all ai the report of the commission named to study the administrative departments of the federal govern ment, and make recommendations for the effective reorganization of such departments. The commission was, in every sense, strictly nonpartisan. It con sisted of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, both in and out of the government. It was named by President Truman, the speaker of the house of repre sentatives, and the president of the senate. Each named an equal numr ber of both the major political par ties. The then -speaker, Joe Martin, named former President Herbert Hoover as a member of the com mission, and, at the suggestion of President Truman, Mr. Hoover was selected as chairman of the group. Partisan politics had no place or part in the selection of the commission members, nor in its months of deliberation, study of conditions, nor its fi nal recommendations. The i —and only—purpose of members was to untangle badly-tangled departments, bw- reaus, administrations, v j what have you, that had a growth of many years. In fewer words, the purpose was to provide a better administra tion of government, and redoee the cost. The recommendations the mission has submitted to co would, if enacted into law, ace plish, in a large way, all of the sired ends. Those recommeadat were made without any tion of their effect on any party, or any group, or of government emp The only consideration was of simplifying the government erations in the interests of all American people and reducing ' cost. We send to Washington, to : sent us in both the house ate, some whose attitude is: ty first, country second.” representatives and senators, gardless of party affiliation, ! askance of anything that affect partisan patronage; would reduce the number of ernment employees. The ^01 ment employees, whose Jobs be affected, hre persistent in efforts to prevent legislation which they are selfishly fearful. The great majority of the , American people want recommendations M that mission enacted info law; they want the simplified govern ment for which the reojmmen- dations provide, the elimina tion of needless red tape, and the overlapping authority of many departments and bu reaus; they want the savings— some three billion dollars each year—to be effected. How badly do the American voters want these resalts? How great is their individual interest in their government? Do they want such things badly enough to cause them to express their wishes to the two senators from their state and to the congressman from their dis trict? Or is the interest of each great enough? If the result is not worth small effort on the part of each American voter, the government is hardly worth saving as far as they are concerned. The partisan politician, seeing a threat to some of the patronage he has enjoyed, or may enjoy in the future; the mil lions of federal government em ployees, facing a possible loss of his or her job, all will be actively opposing the enactment into law of the recommendations of the commission. • • • The sentimentalists of this and other countries are agitated over Holland’s treatment of the so- called native government in the East Indies. The fact is it is not a government “of, for and by the people.” It is the attempted rule of a self-appointed dictator whose outside support now comes from the Communists and did come from the war party in Japan. The people of Indonesia were far better off under Holland’s rule and would be better off if that rule could con tinue. The Indonesians are in nd way prepared for self-government. It took better than 40 years to prepare the Filipinos for such a task. „ • There are 15,830,889 people on the federal government's “hand out” lists and more are trying to get on. All are sure they should have larger bene factions than they have \beeo receiving. Those nearly 16 million people vote and they do not “bite the hand that feeds them.” Punishment for the traitor Is death. We do not so much as pro nounce a sentence of banishment even when they confess.