Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 50, DeMotte, Jasper County, 2 November 1939 — Page 3

Bruckart's Washington Digest Time for Showdown in Labor Situation Is Not Far Distant

SeJous Reaction Follows Attitude of NLRB; Public Also Resentful of Conditions Caused by Union Leaders; Inquiry May Bare Startling Facts.

WNU Service, National Press Bldg., Washington, D. C.

WASHINGTON.—There is every indication that the labor situation in this countryr-rgovernment policies, labor union policies, employer attitude—is fast approaching a new tangle. A reaction has set in on the part of the public to certain phases of the Roosevelt administration’s earlier (but not necessarily the current) policies. Likewise, labor union leadership has produced certain conditions that are not finding public support, and there are still some employers who continue to make fools of themselves by following Eighteenth century methods. I have suggested in these columns previously that the national labor relations board was riding for a fall. It was riding too high. There was bound to be a serious reaction. The board’s arrogance, unfairness, overbearing attitude, its general contempt for anyone disagreeing with its conclusions were elements certain to lead to an eventual showdown. The time of that show’dow’n seems not far distant. It is likely that the board and its staff of ismcontrolled theorists will pay a heavy price for failure to use common sense and adopt a judicial viewpoint. The same type of mentality as that which jeopardizes the principles of the national labor relations act also has caused a blowup in the wages and hours division of the labor department—the division which administers the year-old law limiting hours of work and prescribing minimum wages. Administrator Elmer F. Andrew’s was the goat, and he had to resign. No one probably ever will know’ whether it w’as foolhardiness on the part of Mr. Andrew’s or the treachery of his subordinates that brought about the explosion. But explode, it did; and as a result, Col. Phillip Fleming is in the job of w’age and hour administrator without benefit of senate confirmation of his appointment, although the senate is in session.

Lewis and Green Warfare Shows No Signs of Let-Up NcT cessation of the warfare between John L. Lewis’ C. I. O. and William Green’s A. F. of L., is foreseen. The Lewis faction of organized labor continues to do a lot of things that do not fit into the picture of Americanism, despite a strong denial by Mr. Lewis that communists are in key positions. Mr. Green’s organization is building up a magnificent record of fighting within itself. One craft is pitted against another, here, there and everywhere, with the result-that people generally are getting pretty tired of having to wait to get work done because carpenters and bricklayers, for example, both go on strike over the question of which one shall do particular work. The unhappy labor board has few defenders, any more. For a long time, the board, its attorneys and investigators were commonly regarded as an adjunct of the Lewis labor union. Surely, there was ground for such belief by the admissions that came from time to time, coupled with consistent and concerted attacks by leaders of the A. F. of L. Wherever it was necessary to make a choice between Lewis followers and Green supporters, it was an odds-on bet'that the Lewis group s contention would be sustained. ; All of this was followed ultimately by an attack from the C. I. O. on the functions of the board. That happened at the annual C. I. O. convention and came from Mr. Lewis. No one seems to know the real reason.' And, now. the labor board is confronted with an investigation by a special committee of the house of representatives. It is by far the most serious,effort to bring to light the processes that the board has used, the influences that have been active within its personnel or that have operated upon its personnel. If one may judge in advance of any congressional inquiry, the current inquiry is likely to produce reasonable conclusions. Expected-to Examine Facts And Then Propose a Remedy The house committee is headed by Rep. Howard Smith, a Virginia Democrat, who long has been noted for fairness. As far as his record goes, I believe it can be said that Mr. Smith has seldom been “anti” or “pro ’ on any question without first having facts. With him on the committee are Representatives Healey of Massachusetts and Murdock of Arizona, Democrats, and Halleck of Indiana and Routzahn of Ohio, Republicans. Mr. Healey is about the only member of the group who can be suspected of leaning violently one way or the other. Mr. Healey’s record marks him as a New Dealer on nearly all occasions, sometimes without too much reason. I have heard Mr. Halleck praised for his fairness any number of times in

By WILLIAM BRUCKART

house debate, and the commendation has come as much from Democrats as from the Republicans. So, there is every indication that the investigation w’ill be of the type that examines the facts and then proposes a remedy. Much evidence has been gathered, and will serve as the basis for further inquiry. Some of it is reported to be of a sensational character, but it is not Mr. Smith’s idea that the committee is operating solely to make newspaper headlines. Among other things, the house committee has sent out questionnaires to hundreds of employers, hundreds of labor leaders of both factions of unionism, and local officials, such as police chiefs and others charged w’ith law’ enforcement. The purposes of the questions are rather obvious. With the statements from all of these sources, the committee believes it can sift out much chaff from rumors, complaints, counter charges and propaganda. Further, the committee wants to ascertain w’hether there is evidence that the board, itself, had any connection with labor disturbances and, if so, w’hich of its personnel w r as involved.

May Uncover Facts That Will Startle Legislators Copies of records in nearly all of the board’s hearings are being examined by the committee staff. Board decisions have been under fire many, many times. It seems to have been the rule, rather than an exception, that the board w’as willing always to listen to C. I. O. attorneys and almost never pay attention to alleged facts which employers or others tried to submit. From this source, alone, there is every reason to believe the committee w’ill uncover enough abuse of power to stun the legislators who fought for passage of a law’ which the administration described as perfect. In any event, if the principle of the labor relations act is to survive and become a workable part of governmental interference in relations betw’een worker and employer, it seems that the Smith committee must produce the proper basis. Concerning the wages and hours bureaucracy, however, there is less optimism that a sound solution can be found. Colonel Fleming is taking over the job with feeling among all types of partisans at fever heat. That is a handicap. Mr. Andrew’s w’ent in with wishes of good, luck, but he had to administer and enforce a law that was loosely drawn, a principle untried. As in the case of labor board personnel, either through his own mistakes or because nutty individuals were forced upon him, Mr. Andrew’s immediately was surrounded by a sour group of subordinates. It seemed almost that if a wrong way to solve the problem was available, the wage and hour division folks w’ould find it. As far as I can ascertain. Colonel Fleming has had only the minimum of experience in dealing with such principles and problems as now face him. His states is rather indefinite, because the law' requires that the appointment of a wages and hours administrator shall be confirmed by the senate, as a policy making official. But Mr. Roosevelt had asked congress to consider only the socalled neutrality legislation at the extra session, and hence he did not submit Colonel Fleming’s name.

Another Army Officer Takes Job Outside Military Work .Colonel Fleming is the third army officer to take over a job outside of the military service, lately. First, there was Col. F. C. Harrington, who was made head of the WPA; secondly, Brigadier General Watson was made Mr. Roosevelt’s secretary, and lastly, there came the appointment of Colonel Fleming. It is rather hard to forecast how an army officer is going to deal with one particular part of the job now undertaken by Colonel Fleming—application of the law to certain types of farm labor and to businesses directly connected with farming. A number of organizations, affiliated directly or indirectly, with farm operations have been engaged in a do-or-die struggle here in Washington with Mr. Andrews. I think the mere change in headship of the wage and hour division is not likely to quiet those people, because the increase in wages that became effective October 24 represents the difference between profit and loss in most instances. Probably, the seers who invented the idea of federal control of wages and hours never milked a cow after dark or husked corn on a frosty morning. These conditions were not of the making of Colonel Fleming, but his is the task of attempting to reconcile an inflexible law with conditions that vary in every county in the United States. If he can succeed, some political party ought to nominate him as its presidential candidate next year.

THE KANKAKEE VALLEY POST

IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

By HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST. D. D.

Dean of The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. (Released by Western Newspaper Union.)

Lesson for November 5 Lesson subjects and Scripture texts selected and copyrighted by International Council of Religious Education; used by permission. RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE KINGDOM LESSON TEXT—Matthew •: 17-20, 38-45; 6.1-4. GOLDEN TEXT—Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect;—Matthew 5:48. “Righteousness in the kingdom,” the title of our lesson, properly relates its teaching to the kingdom of the Messiah w’hich is to come on the earth, and to the condition w’hich shall then prevail. At the same time w r e agree w’ith Dr. James M. Gray that “it would be wrong to press this too far and to say that the Sermon on the Mount has no application whatever to the Christian church or the time in which we live, for God is the same through all dispensations and the underlying principles of His government never change.” Certainly it is true that if all of the men and all of the nations of the earth were, on this Armistice Sunday true followers of Christ and ready to carry out the teachings of this lesson, there would no longer be any possibility of war. This means that the best peace propaganda is the sending of missionaries and teachers to all the earth to win men to Christ. Our lesson should be studied and taught with great care lest we confuse morality w’ith Christianity and make it appear that men are justified before God by their good works rather than by their faith in Christ. I. Christ Fulfills the Law (5:17-20). The law of God is eternal, never to be abrogated, never set aside. Christ Himself, although we might properly say that He w’as in reality the Law-giver and thus had pow’er arid authority over the law’, indicated His purpose in coming to be that of giving the law its full meaning, not of destroying it. One could wish that those who profess to be His servants might have the same measure of regard for God’s law. If they did, they obviously w’ould not be so ready to ignore it, so quick to change it or explain it away, and far more ready to accept with their Master every “jot and tittle,” that is, even the minutest detail of His Word, Recognizing Christ as the fulfillment of the law should • prepare one to manifest obedience to every moral precept through His grace and by His strength. Certainly it should not lead anyone to lawlessness or carelessness regarding details of the daily walk. Fellowship with the Saviour should be revealed in consistent living (v. 20). 11. Christ Explains the Law (5: 38-45). Look at verses 21 to 37. The spirit of murder is anger (vv. 21, 22). A lustful look is adultery (vv. 27-30), and it is better to be blind than to be guilty of it. Divorce is linked very plainly with adultery (vv. 31, $2). Swearing is forbidden (vv. 33-37). Thus Christ strips outward conformity to tile law of its apparent virtue and reveals that with God it is the spirit that gives meaning to the act. He goes on to make plain that God alone is wise enough to' take vengeance, that w r e ought never to retaliate with evil for evil. Note that verse 39 probably refers to-an insult rather than to physical violence; that in verse 40 it is a question of a difference of opinion in which the other man feels that he has a legal right to your coat; and that here, as in verses 41 and 42, it is not a matter of letting a wicked or scheming person defraud you of your rights or property, but rather of doing what is required of you in an ungrudging spirit and of being generous with others who are in need. In Christ we are to be like our heavenly Father and love our enemies (vv. 43-45). 111. Christ Illustrates the Law (6: 1-4). Possibly it would be more appropriate for us to say that Christ here illustrates the right and the wrong way of fulfilling the law. How very clear He makes it that the one who, while ostensibly doing the will of God, actually is seeking the recognition and glory of men has received his full reward, for men have applauded his act ot generosity. The transaction is complete and God has nothing to do with it at all. On the other hand, the one who gives in the spirit of Christ, not wanting men to know of his faithful stewardship (v. 4), and in fact making no reckoning of it himself (v. 3), may be certain that he has a heavenly Father who takes careful account of the loving deeds of His children and who will reward him, both in this world and in the world to come.

Memories of Happy Days

Why is it that the memory of some days in the past, unmarked by any striking event, always come to us like the breath of spring? It may be that on those days, in reward for some forgotten act, God drew us close to Him, and that we absorbed something of His eternal peace and happiness.

African Troops Are Prepared To Help France on Battlefield

THESE PICTURES show two scenes from along the French colonial empire border in Africa and demonstrate how native troops have been trained under conditions similar to those they would fight under on European battlefronts. In Africa. France has a “Mareth” defense line with many military devices not unlike those along the famous Maginot and Siegfried lines on the Franco-German border.

Colonial Soldiers Are Valuable to Mother Country. Prepared by National Geographic Society, “ Washington, D. C.—WNU Service. France has received assurance of the loyalty of citizens of her colonies in West Africa, including the colony of Senegal which is smaller than Nebraska or South Dakota. French West Africa—the group name for France’s half dozen or more colonies in the western portion of the Dark continent has a population of nearly fifteen million. Included are the colonies of Senegal, French Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Dahomey, Mauritania, the Sudan and the Niger. In the World war, Senegal alone provided France with several hundred thousand n en. They proved courageous fighters, according, to the Germans, who spoke of them as strong, wild fellows who dashed over no-man’s land with a grin-, their black heads wrapped in dirty rags, some with rifles and bayonets fixed, others armed only with knives. While often preserving their superstitions and pagan practices, .throbbing tom-toms and strenuous dances, the majority of the Senegalese profess Mohammedanism. This religion permits the retention of their-fundamental Customs, particularly polygamy, long practiced especially in the middle classes. World’s Peanut Capital. Dakar, the principal seaport, has been called the peanut capital of the world. (Americans are sometimes confused because peanuts, in translated reports arid statistics, are called “groundnuts.”) During the harvesting season the quays are piled high with peanuts, from which ships are loaded to the hatches. Peanuts constitute the principal crop of Senegal, the production some years exceeding a billion pounds. About one-third of the 1,600,000 population of Senegal is made up of Jolofs, the more intelligent

TYPICAL NATIVE SOLDIER. This picture shows one of the typical native soldiers ready to serve France. According to reports from the U orld tear of 1914-18. these natives are courageous and daring fighters.

and influential of the many Negro tribes. Many are skillful workers in gold and silver, weavers and dyers. They largely dominate the colonial council which has considerable power both with respect to taxation and general legislation. Senegalese women are more interested in coiffeurs and trinkets than in clothing; their dress may be a loin cloth or an elaborate cotton print.

The French claim to have traded with the west African coast since sometime in the Fourteenth century. St. Louis, capital of Senegal, is said to have been the site of a European settlement in the Fifteenth century. French occupation is dated from the founding of St. Louis in 1626, when a fort was built on the island at the mouth of the Senegal river.

Wilhelmshaven Is Nazi Outlet To North Sea

Early War Reports Indicated Bombing by British. Prepared by National Geographic Society. Washington. D. C.—WNU Service. Early reports from the first days of the European war indicated that the British had bombed Wilhelmshaven, chief naval station of the Reich on the North sea. Situated on the western shore of Jade bay, dpe south of the island of Helgoland,' 1 German sentinel of the

GATEWAYS TO THE WEST. Map shows the locations of Wilhelmshaven and Cuxhaven, Germany's naval stations on the North sea. These important seaports are the Nazi navy's chief gateways to the west on the shores of the North sea.

North sea, Wilhelmshaven is about 365 miles by airline from London or less than two hours’ flight by modem military aircraft. Wilhelmshaven was planned as a naval station in 1853 when its site was purchased by Prussia from the grand duke of Oldenburg. The city is new as German cities go. It was built in 1855 and its harbor was not opened to commercial shipping until 14 years later. Its 25,000 inhabitants today are employed largely in the naval station, in the handling of shipping and in shipbuilding. Wilhelmshaven was the scene of the mutiny among seamen that spread over the German fleet in 1918. There are several large and small basins with shipyards and drydocks for the construction and repair of ships. Each of the three entrances to the basins has locks (necessitated by the tidal range) which are guarded by strong fortifications. Cuxhaven, another German naval base, where it is reported 5 of 12 attacking British military planes were brought down, is 400 miles by air from the British capital. The city lies on the west bank of the Elbe river only a few miles from the point at which the stream flows into the North sea. It is about 40 miles northeast of Wilhelmshaven. Hamburg, one of Germany’s leading ports, is 64 miles up the Elbe from this city.

Ask Me Another A General Quiz

The Questions 1. Where is Independence square? Red square? Union square? Trafalgar square? 2. What is the difference between parole and probation? 3. Can you name a country or continent that starts with “A” but does not end with an “a”? 4. Is it correct to say “Anybody can do as they please”? 5. Was a President’s child ever born in the White House? 6. What city in the United States is directly south of the North pole? 7. What is the estimated education of our population? 8. Where would you look for • fly leaf in a book? 9. How wide and high is the Victoria falls? 10. “All my possessions for a moment of time!” were the words spoken on the deathbed of what famous person? The Answers 1. Philadelphia, Moscow’, New York and London, respectively. 2. Parole is a conditional release of a prisoner from jail; probation is a suspended sentence of one convicted but not sent to jail. 3. Afghanistan. 4. No. “Anybody can do as he pleases” is correct. \ 5. Grover Cleveland’s daughter, Esther, whose birthday was September 9, 1893, was the only President's child born in White House. 6. All of them. 7. The median education of the country as a whole is completion of elementary school. Of the nation’s adults, 3.32 per cent are college graduates; 15.1 per cent are high school graduates. 8. Immediately inside the cover. 9. Victoria falls on the Zambezi river near Livingstone in Southern Rhodesia, is a mile wide and 350 feet high. On a clear day, its great clouds of spray are visible for 20 miles. 10. Queen Elizabeth of England.

Eels Drive Motors

Electric light has been obtained from the queerest sources, even lemons. At a meeting of the New York Zoological society, Mr. Christopher Coates, an official of the aquarium, recently demonstrated that an entire battery of neon lamps could be run by fixing the terminals to a large live eel from South American waters which is knowm to give off a tremendous discharge. He clamped two flexible metal bands round its body, connected these to the neon lamps, and tickled the eel into activity. At each discharge the bulbs flashed brilliantly. When a small electric motor was attached to the bands and the eel again tickled into action, the audience saw the flywheel spinning violently. Finally the eel was induced to generate more electricity, which worked a radio Keep your body free of accumulated waste, takeA7>. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets. 00 Pellets 30 cents. —Adv.

Life a Pastime

To maintain oneself on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime, if only one will live simply and wisely.—Thoreau.

How To Relieve Bronchitis Bronchitis, acute or chronic. Is an Inflammatory condition of the mucous membranes lining the bronchial tubes. Creomulsion goes right to the seat of the trouble to loosen germ laden phlegm, increase secretion and aid nature to soothe and heal raw, tender, inflamed bronchial mucous membranes. Tell your druggist to sell you a bottle of Creomulsion with the understanding that you are to like the way it quickly allays the cough or you are to have your money back. CREOMULSION for Coughs, Chest Colds, Bronchi til Our Will It is our will that determines, not oiar intellect.— Edmund Waller. CONSTIPATED? Here Is Amazing Relief of Conditions Duo to Sluggish Bowels If]fjflL'tcA-X&Jfnsvlft you all laxative* act i ußt try thia ell vsgstabls laxative. So mild, thorough, refreshing. invigorating. Dependable relief from sick headaches. bilious spells, tired feeling when associated with constipation. U/rfkmrf Dielr a ’ K>x of NR from your nlinuul HlMl druggist. Make the test—then if not delighted, return the box to us. We Will refund the purchase BARG AIMS] —that will save you many a dollar will escape you if <; you fail to read carefully and < ’ < J regularly the advertising of < • local merchants » » » <; [in this paper!