The Syracuse Journal, Volume 28, Number 10, Syracuse, Kosciusko County, 4 July 1935 — Page 2

2

BRISBANE] THIS WEEK We Know How to Spend Only the Electric Chair Anglo-French Rift < Surprise for Bine Eagle Uncle Sam la learning to spend. A few lines tri! you that the Bankhead bill, making the

government guarantee a loan of one thousand million dollars to help tenant farm er s buy their farms, is ' passed. No fuss or excitement about It Senator King wanted to cut the I one thousand milI lions to two hunI deed millions, but I was "shouted I down." Do you recall the excitement -when j

Arthar Brisbaar

Theodore Roosevelt wanted to build : the Panama canal for two or three | hundred millions) Now “one billion** Is almost “small : change." Some young criminals, apparently.* can be adequately managed only by the electric chair. In their case it seems useless to talk of reform, or “another chance." They are distinctly t of the rattlesnake class. Consider a twenty-five-year-old machinist, captured In Peoria, who confessed to murder when the clothing of a dead girl was tossed Into his lap. “Yes. I did It." he sobbed. This young ‘ murderer kept a diary, which In one | month recorded is attacks on young : women. The electric chair should cure his nobbing. In the lute of Anglo-French friend- , ship and understanding there comes a rift, wide enough to let a coach and four drive through. England, dealing directly with Germany and I’li’ler. now rejects the French suggestion of a “consultative pact," which would com- j pel Britain to consult France before ; reaching any Important diplomatic coo- ; elusions. That ought to Interest this country, which agreed to consult everybody oa earth before building more ships, or tilting Its big guns to the most effective angle. It Is stated, bluntly, by British officials: “Britain is placing greater stress on friendly co-operation with Germany, closer consultations with the British dominions, and a steady drift toward co-operation with the United States." News from the Department of Or - merce would surprise the rect.it deceased Blue Eagle, and prt»*.s: “Rus!“harp efiturn throughout death of Blue Eagle." This Is the skeleton announcement; the details show retail sales Increasing. In spite of abominable spring weather. In some of the big cities. Union labor demands.that all United States railroads be owned by the people, run by the government . Reason? Private owners do not know bdw to run them. The roads would be bought, not confiscated, presumably, which would mean twenty to thirty more billions of national debt Douglas Fairbanks. Jr., and Laura La Plante—surely you know her—after work on the set near Monte Carlota gambling room dressed up and presented themselves for an evening's entertainment The doorkeeper said bluntly: “You work In Monaco, so you may not eater the gambling rooms. That's the rule." To tbelr amazement they did not enter the gambling rooms, although young M!r. Fairbanks is said to have threatens! to buy the whole institution. Monte Carlo wisdom Is In that rule. The Casino spreads money among Monaco's inhabitants, but will not take the Inhabitants* money, and so avoids trouble. Another wise ruler Is Mr. Bradley, who owns the tourists' “wide open" gambling house at Palm Be but will not allow natives to lose In his place. When you gamble, you know, I you lose. If you do not know It. try. Mussolini has a habit, annoying to Britons especially, of digging up past history. He is expected to tell the British: “I want a protectorate over Ethiopia, with a free hand, and I Invite you to remember what happened to Germany’s colonies after the war. You promised to give Italy her share if she joined the allies, which she did. . The war ended, and you British gob* bled up all the German colonies worth having." Sheriff Miller of Martinez. Calif., knows that the weakest thing tn superstitious man Is his mind. Attack that and you have him. Anacieto Tor* rest said he had not killed Area Cab* rera. In a locked drawer In a cell occupied by To crest the sheriff con* reeled a loud speaker, muffled to make it sound ghostly, and continually Torrest. not knowing whence It came, heard a voice saying In Spanish: “You killed me. I am Area's ghost. You had better confess. You know yoca killed me." Torrest thought It unwise to Ignore the advice of a ghost and confessed accordingly. Kbur rvararas 8j!•«. WNU fcrrk*. Canada “Yonng" Coentry Canada has its share of national parks ami primeval wilderness. A great portion of Canada is known, geologically, as "young" country and abounds In mountains and turbulent streams and thousands of lakes all bearing descriptive French names. Copyright Net for Facts Copyright Is not for facts, but for literary forma. What Is protected ia the compiler's arrangement and so long as the work as a whole represents original effort, tt can be copyrighted. ■

News Review of Current Events the World Over Nye Committee Points Need of Protecting Defense Funds From Shipbuilders—Congress Divorces Tax-the-Rich Bill From Nuisance Tax. / ~ By EDWARD W. PICKARD C Western Newspaper Union.

SENATOR NYE of North Dakota and his committee on munitions do not have a very high opinion of Atn«lean shipbuilders and they feel that

strong legislation is needed to keep them from confusing “public defense needs with their private pocketbooks." Therefore the committee. In a preliminary report, asks that laws be enacted to do these things 7 L Prevent “coll uslon” in bidding for navy construction jobs.

Senator Nys

2. Prevent American patents from getting Into the hands of foreign powers. 3. Limit profits to 5 per cent of the total cost to the government, in cases where the government assumes the risks of the enterprise, or to 10 per cent where the government does not 4. Require that shipbuilders’ 'nobby lets" register with the government and disclose their Income and expen- ' dltures. The committee finds. In the matter (of collusion, that there was “telepathy" among shipyard officials so that in bidding for many contracts each concern was able to get the contracts it wanted at profits that ran as high as 36 per cent. It says the navy has : been at the mercy of the shipyards In preparing plans for war vessels and also In determining what were fair ' prices. *'A series of blds are put before the navy," the report recites, “and the navy has to take the low one and the taxpayers have to hope and pray that [ the low one Is somewhere within a few million dollars of being reasonable." Construction of naval vessels is declared to be more costly in private yards than In government yards. “While the evidence is not all in," th report says, “the indications are that the private yards cost the government from one to two million dollars more per cruiser than the navy yards." The committee charges big shipbuilders with breaking up the Geneva naval limitation conference In 1927 and immediately launching a price-increase campaign that “made profits of 35 and 25.4 and 36.9 per cent on the cruisers." LEGISLATIVE administration leaders. for a while in a frenzy of anxiety to hitch the President’s tax-the-rich program to the resolution extending th® so-called “nuisance" excise taxes, thereby speeding it through the Washington legislative factory in four days, suddenly disclaimed any Intention of such procedure, and let the $500,000.000 tax extension ride along unappended. Congress will consider the new taxation program during early July. This program is expected to produce some $340,000,000 tn new revenue, principally from Inheritance and gift taxes, increased taxes on the highest Income brackets, and corporation taxes graduated froth 10 per cent to 1"H per cent. The program has been held up as a sweetmeat to placate the sugar palate of Louisiana's Kingfish. Actually, a j wealth of $340,000,000 shared among 120.000,000 Americans would amount to about $2.83 a head—all of which would be applied to a public debt of $29.000.000.000 and a budget of $8,500,000.000, anyway. The net taxable worth of the 133 estates which paid taxes based on a valuation of $1,000,000 each In 1933 was $284,000,000. If the government had taxed these estate* 100 per cent, arising them entirely, they would have been worth only $2.37 a head to the American population. If the governtnent confiscated all income of more than $1,000,000 In 1933. It would have taken an army of trucks loaded with small change to distribute It, for each j American would get only 45 ceniin. And the general opinion of administration leaders In the senate was that the taxes obtained from the rich might possibly eliminate the necessity of the “nuisance" taxes after another year. YOUTH between sixteen and twentyfive will be served $50,000,000 for a nation-wide Job hunt and further training of young men and women to hold jobs after they get them, through President Roosevelt's new “national youth administration." itself administered under the works-relief program by Miss Josephine Roche, assistant secretary of the treasury, and Aubrey Williams, assistant to Harry L. Hopkins, workspregreas administrator. The new organization will endeavor to: 1. Find employment tn private Industry for unemployed youth. 2. Train and retrain for industrial, technical and professional employment opportunities. 3. Provide tor a continuing attendance at high school and college. 4. Provide work-relief projects designed to meet the needs of youth. The average payment for youths on relief work will be sls a month; those going to high school would be given $6 a month, and those attending college, sls a month. "I have determined that we shall do something for the nation's unemployed junto.", said toe President, “because we can 111 afford to lose the skill and energy of these young men and women. They must have their ahance tn school, their turn as apprentices and their opportunity tor jobs—a chance to sort: and earn tor themselves.” The problem of what to do with the youth who finishes school, supposedly equipped to make his real start in life, and finds what few jobs there are are given to older and married men and women, as well as the youth who to unable to finish school because of

poor circumstances, has been one of the most discouraging aspects of the entire depression. The NYA will attempt to remedy ft by divisions set up to work with private Industry and schools In each state, co-ordinated by national beadquarters in Washington. LIKE most Utopias, the new one In Alaska's Matanuska valley has [ been reported a nest of discontent; the disillusionment apparently was manifest even quicker than usual in I this case. Minnesota. Michigan and ■ Wisconsin farm families who made up a large share of the recent expedition I to begin life anew in the North Pa- | ciflc territory drafted a list of griev- i ances for the FERA trouble shooter. I Eugene Carr. Many of them said the project was misrepresented, that the land is poor and that housing Is not what they j were led to believe u would be. Neither are medical service, school facilities, seeds disbursed for planting, .the climate and prices for groceries measuring up to advance word-pictures. There is considerable jealousy existent over the distribution of farm land. And to top it all off. the Utopians want government pay for their work. GEN. HUGH S. JOHNSON, once ambitious to direct the $3,000,000,000 public works program, was named I to direct a comparatively small part

of the President's now $4.000.000.W0 works-re- I lief schedule. As director of works-relief in | New York city, he will j co-ordinate the program in that area. With the famed fight- I ing jaw determinedly set, he revealed the four conditions under which he accepted the new job: [ He will get no pay.

I Gen. Johnson

only 17,800 for a year’s expenses. (He grot 16,000 a year for this purpose during most of his time as keeper of the Blue Eagle.) His job will end October L unless he and the administration agree that it shall continue. He will devote a minimum of four days a week to his official duties. And he will consult with Mayor Florello H. La Guardia as far -6 possible, but will be responsible to Harry L. Hopkins alone. NEW YORK’S Harlem and its kindred negro populations throughout the land- resounded tn jubilation, with chicken an’ ham In every fryin’ ■ pan and juniper juice flowing freely, as Joe Louis, the first great brown hope of pugilism since Jack Johnson, I established himself as a real threat ' to the world’s heavyweight boxing i championship. „ Showing ring generalship far beyond his brief professional experience, boxing ability conspicuous by its absence from the heavyweight ranks since the days of Corbett, and a wallop like the kick of a cotton-belt mule, the dusky Detroiter cut Primo Camera, Italian human skyscraper, to ribbons for five rounds, knocked him down three times in the sixth, and was declared the winner by technical knockout in a bout at the Yankee stadium. Louts, former golden gloves champion. will probably meet Baer and Schmeling before getting a crack at Champion James J. Braddock’s title. *«t ABOR policy in a democracy Lz Is not a program conceived by a government. It is a program of action which the people who earn their living as wage earners and those who employ them in profit-making enters prises must work out together.” So asserts Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins In her annual report to congress, and she sets forth these six specific, duties of the government in this respect: \ 1. To do everything in its power to establish minimum basic standards for labor, below which competition should not be permitted to force standards of health, wages and hours. 2. To further peaceful settlements of controversies and relieve labor of the necessity of resorting to strikes in order .o secure equitable conditions and the right to be heard. 3. Through legislation and fostering co-operation between employers and workers to make every job the best that ths human mind (gan devise as to physical conditions, human relations and wages. < To encoura.: such organization and development of wage earners as will give status and stability to labor as a recognized important .group of citizens baring a contribution to make to economic and political thought and to the cultural life of the community. 6. To arrange that labor play Its part In the study and development of any future economic policies. 6. To encourage mutuality between labor and employers in the improvement of production and the development in both groups of a philosophy of self-government in the public interest. OF SPECIAL interest to the crim-inal-lawyer who is more criminal than lawyer win be the news of Atty. Louis Ptquett’s conviction tn Chicago. i He was found guilty of haring harbored and concealed Homer Van Meter, right-hand man of John Dillinger, during the summer weeks of 1934 before both these public enemies were slain by "G-men." . Plquett was given the maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of 3MXOO& It was Attorney General Cummings* persistence which i resulted in the conviction. Piquett was tried earlier on a charge of haring harbored Dillinger himself, but was acquitted.

SYRACUSE JOURNAL

DESPITE Germany’s promise never to engage In unrestricted submania rine warfare, France entered an immediate and strong protest to the relch’g bilateral pact with Great Britain, permitting Germany to Increase naval tonnage. Capt Anthony Eden was hurried over to Paris to explain the British action and justify It. Premier Laval told him that the French national doctrine was and would continue to be that organization of cob lectlre security must precede any legalization of Gtlrman rearmament Capt Ed£p then went to Rome and Mussolini told him flatly that he sided with France and could not approve the manner In which the Anglo-Ger-man accord was reached without consulting Italy and France. No more success did Capt Eden have in trying to get II Duce to submit to a compromise allowing Italy certain concessions in Abyssinia in return for the guarantee that there would be no war with the African monarchy. Mussolini refused to talk about it Great Britain was faced with two remaining choices: To influence the Abyssinian government to accede to Italian demands in toto or | simply give up and let the apparently [ Inevitable war go on. The feeling in , I diplomatic circles is that England j would rather waive her protests than j have Italy withdraw from the League of Nations as a result EpOR some reason that Isn’t entirely * clear an attempt was made to I blow up the American embassy In Mexico City. A bomb made of dynamite

and percussion caps was burled from an automobile into the embassy garden where it exploded, tearing a hole in the, garden wall and breaking a window tn the private j office of Ambassador Josephus Daniels. No | one was injured and I the damage was slight, i Mr. Daniels said the I incident was “of no importance at all” ami

declined to make a complaint, but the I acting secretary of foreign relations, Senor Ceniceros, called to express rej gret and extra police and detectives were placed about the embassy. /CONGRESSMAN MARTIN DIES of Texas has before congress a bill the enactment and enforcement of which would evoke cheers from millions of tax-weary citizens, for It provides for the deportation of about 6.000,000 aliens who are receiving dole or holding jobs that should be held by citizens who are on the relief rolls. A campaign to get congressional action on this measure has been started by 155 organizations estimated by Mr. Dies to represent 5,000.000 people, and he says at least 150 congressmen have j promised to support the bill Outlining the provisions of the measure, Mr. I Dies said: “First, it bars all immigration of I pioneer Immigrants who do not have relatives in this country. "Second, it makes mandatory deportation of 3.500,000 aliens estimated of illegal entry. “Third, it gives about 4,000,000 aliens legally tn this country 12 months to which to become citizens, or go home. “Fourth, all aliens must secure La- ' bor department permits to work and j permits would be Issued only when era- < ployers show they can’t find United I States citizens to do the jotx “Fifth. It provides for gradual reI union of families not likely to become j public charges when the economic situation is improved.” j /CITIZENS everywhere were urged i Uj by Atty. Gen. Cummings to assist I the federal government in “cracking down" on bucket shops which are

swindling the public out of millions of dollars. He declared that a nation-wide chain is operating. Most of their victims are doctors, lawyers, professors and business men, he said. “We know the names of the ringleaders," said Mr. Cummings, "but It will take co-operation of both the public and

Ik. Atty. Gen. Cumming*

legitimate brokers to put them where they belong—behind the bars," Most of the victims believe that they have lost their money legitimately, he said, and are afraid of complaining to federal officers because they are in debt after they have been “cleaned.” SECRETARY of the Navy Swanson' Oasked bids from private yards on 13 vessels and was prepared to negotiate for 11 more, launching the navy’s 1935-36 construction program w||hta 20 hours after receiving the required funds from congress. Included in the program are: Two new cruisers of 10,000 tons each, equipped with sixinch guns and at least four airplanes apiece; one aircraft carrier, three heavy destroyers, twelve light destroyers and six submarines. HERE is something to make the men chuckle. At a conference in Atlantic City the National Women's party adopted resolutions advocating equal rights before the law for men and women, equal pay for equal work, equal domicile, property, and guardianship rights, and “equal alimony in cases of divorce and equal consideration for men in cases of breach of promise.* DEATH for four of the leaders in the Spanish revolution of last October was decreed by the military tribunal at Oviedo. Thirty-six others were sentenced to life Imprisonment and seven to twelve years. Sixteen were acquitted for lack of evidence. MQMILIN'G 808- SWEITZER, for 24 O years Cook county (lit) clerk, smiled a little less cheerfully as auditors of the state's attorney's office revealed that their accounting shows his shortage while in office may total nearer to $570,000 than the $414,000 first agreed upon. They are reported to have found evidence that more than $150,000 additional interest was earned bat not accounted for.

I TREMENDOUS I TRIFLES © By ELMO SCOTT WATSON TINY URGE, GREAT ADVENTURE THROUGHOUT his boyhood Ranald McDonald listened to the sailors’ tales of that far-off land across the Pacific where white men were unknown. The youth made up his mind that some day he would get to Japan. He wrote in his journal: “I am prepared to learn of them and if occasion should offer, to instruct them of us.” So, on a June dav. 1848. he sat in a small boat rolling In tHe wake of the ‘ whaler Plymouth, off the northernmost coast of Japan. He hs.l arranged with I Capt. Lawrence B. Edwards to be set adrift when the Plymouth approached i the shores of the “far-off country.” I The crew refused to cut the ropes that | held the small boat, feeling sure that ' McDonald was going to certain death. But the young man insisted and Lawrence left the frail craft and its lone occupant in a fog-shrouded sea. On July 2, near the village of Notsuka, McDonald capsized the boat deliberately, feeling sure that no race I would mistreat a shipwrecked sailor. But he was imprisoned for ten months. He put his time to good account, however. learning the language and customs of his captors who treated him ! fairly welt In return, he taught them . English. McDonald was freed and delivered to Captain Glynn of the “Preble” on ; April 6, 1849. His adventure bore . fruit in a strange way. One of his | pupils was a youth named Moriyama ; who became interpreter for Townsend ; Harris, the first minister from the j United States to Japan. Harris’ task | was one of the most difficult in the , history of American diplomacy. The j trail that McDonald had blazed Into the closed fastnesses of Japan resulted in the rise of an Oriental nation to a world power. • • * ONE-CANNON-BALL VICTORY s'TN JULY. 1812, a squadron of five j * British war vessels, led by the flag- ' ship “Royal George,’’ sailed to attack | Sackett’s Harbor, the chief American | outpost on Lake Ontario.”' It was held > by a small force of Americans, man-! ning a battery of six and nine-pound- 1 ers on top of a rocky bluff. They also had a heavy 32-pounder to which they had given the name of “Old Sow” because they had found it partly imbedded in the mud along the shore. As the British ships moved to the attack, Capt William Vaughan’s gunners opened fire with the “Old Sow.”’ | But the shot went wide because it was j I a 24-pound ball, wrapped tn carpet to : make it fit, and it drew from the sail- i ors on the “Royal George’’ a shout of i derisive laughter. Standing off out of range of the Americans’ smaller guns, the enemy , went into action. Most of their shots crashed againsj the rocks below the battery, but one, a 32-pound ball, came i hurtling over the bluff, plowed a deep I furrow in the ground and came to rest at the feet of a Sergeant Sider. Pick- j ing it up, he ran to Captain Vaughan, j “See! I’ve been playing ball with the redcoats and caught ’em out. See if they can catch it back again!” he exclaimed. In an instaflt Vaughan’s men had rammed the ball down the throat of the “Old Sow.”. It fit perfectly! As the flagship sailed in close to deliver a broadside, the “Old Sow” roared. The 32-pound ball crashed through the stern of the British vessel, raked her from end to end, sent splinters flying high in the air, killed 14 men and wounded 18 more! Seeing the destruction this one shot wrought, the British commander gave the signal to retreat. As his ships veered off, a mighty shout arose from the shore. The Americans were “laugh- ; tog last.” The “Old Sow’s” one shot had won the victory and saved Sackett’s Harbor. .• • • KENTUCKY (?) BLUE GRASS SAY “Kentucky” and the imagination conjures up a landscape of rolling »pasture lands, marked bj white painted fences with proud race horses pastur- * Ing on the luxuriant blue grass. - In 1752. it was a different picture when John Finley, an Irishman from Lancaster, I’a., took a stock of goods and with four white servants, went down the Ohio on a trading trip. Near Big Bone Lick, to what is dow Boone county, Finley met a party of Shawnee*, coming from a hunt In Illinois. He followed them to Howard’s Upper Creek and unloaded his canoes on toe river banks there, building a house with a stockade around it and settling down for the winter. Now these goods had been packed in Lancaster. Pa, and carefully, too. They were encased to quantities of dried English grass that Finley had used because he carried a large number of breakable items toto the wilderness. This packing stuff was dumped on the rich sol 1 as waste materiai and forgotten. * - The settlers who came into that region years later found a strong new kind of grass that had pushed the cane away. It was Kentucky blue grass . . the famous by-product of an Indian trader’s careless gesture! A. Westen® Newspaper Union. Model of Roman London In the All Hallows church, close to the Tower of London, and open to the public, is the great model of “Roman London” as It existed in the early part of the Fourth century. The total distance around this venerable section is a little more than three miles. The Largest Whalo The largest whale of which there is scientific record is the one 54 feet long which was captured and killed In 1907 and is on exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History.

MTCZj Josephus Daniela

National Topics Interpreted Xi by William Bruckart

Washington. — President Roosevelt took the country by surprise when he suddenly dispatched Plan to a message to conSoak the Rich grass asking for a new tax law that would have the same effect, although in a limited scope, of the “share-the-wealth” program advanced by Senator Huey Long and Father Coughlin,, the radio priest It may be said that the President not only surprised but stunned congress by the proposal. It 1 was a move concerning which there has been no forecast and it has taken some research to show how it links with other New Deal reform plans. But a link does" exist Os that there can be no doubt Succinctly, Mr. Roosevelt has demanded that congress enact a tax law that will yield, according to estimate, something like $1,000,000,000 annually. It is designed to place the heaviest drain on the rich, whether they be rich corporations rich individuals. In terms, the President observed that it was a program to tax “static wealth” and Increase purchasing power of those not blessed with this world’s goods. The key to the program is the tax on Inheritances and gifts. These two taxes must operate jointly if they are to succeed at alt If an individual ! of wealth wants to avoid already heavy Inheritance taxes, he has only tp give away his property before his death. In the new Roosevelt proposal, those slrho j receive these gifts would have to pay a tax upon them as they would on any ; other Income. There Is a question as ; to its constitutionality but many able i lawyers believe the gift tax wlllf be = sustained by the Supreme court. The second phase of the new tax j bill boosts rates of taxes on Incomes. At present,” the individual with an income of $1,000,000 is taxed at exactly the same rate as the Individual having an Income of $5,000,000. Os course, the $5,000,000 income pays more total tax but the point Is the rate Is the same as on the smaller Income. Mr. j Roosevelt proposes that the rate should ’ be gradually increased above i just as it is graduated from the lowest • income taxpayer to those receiving I $1,000,000 annually. There seems to be J little opposition to this particular item j in the bill although It Is natural to expect that attempts will be made to alter that suggestion since there is a school of economic thought which Insists that tax rates can be high enough to discourage investments bringing a return to the of a size large enough for the government j to take the bulk of that income. -.The third major Item In the Presl- • dent’s program provides for a gradu- ; ated tax on incomes of corporations, i Corporations now are taxed at the rate of 1314 per cent of their net Income whatever It may be. Mr. Rousevent thinks this basis is Improper. He proposes to have smaller corporations pay only per cent and that, as the capital of the corporations in--1 crease, they be subjected to a gradually higher rate until a top of 16M is applied on the Incomes of the largest i corporations. Certain modifications or classifications were offered to this connection so that some types of, corporations may not be compelled to pay the maximum rate. The President’s program for new taxes was received without particular en-

thusiasm in congress except fbr a > loud “Amen" by Senator Long. Tn-

More Groans Than Applause

* deed. the. President’s message was j right down Senator Long’s alley. The ! Louisiana senator has made hundreds j of speeches advocating some parts of the proposal now offered by the Chief j Executive. Congressional reaction to the Presii dent’s message Included more groans - than applause. A political campaign . Is due next year. Democratic leaders : In many Instances face re-election. It j does not require the services of a ! soothsayer to tell you that new taxes ’ are hard for a political candidate to I defend. Superficially, therefore, It wbuld I seem that Mr. Roosevelt was playing : bad politics when he proposed a tax bill at this time. Such is not the case Editorial conclusions by dozens of newspapers which understand the political situation in this country at this time are unanimous in terming it a political maneuver. Their conclusions are based on the fact that a candidate seeking political office can go out and say to people of small incomes: “Look what we are doing to the rich." Thus It is made to appear that a new wave of soak-the-rlch propaganda is about to engulf u& Business interests naturally are alarmed over the prospects. Thousands of corporations have barely, been able to make ends meet in these depression years. Now that there is a prospect for some additional business and meager profits, they are confronted with a Washington program of taxation designed to go beyond the present tax burden. It is true that some of them will be benefited by lower rates but many economists are of the opinion that these corporations receiving the benefit of lower rates actually are in the best financial condition of any in the country. Contrary to the argument often heard, the truth seems to be that the smaller business entitles have come through the depression much better than those units with great Investments and great capital Binds. The answer lies in the fact that in the case of the smaller corporations, the stock usually is closely held and they are units for the most part individually managed. In the case of the larger corporations thousands of stock holders have a voice in selection of the corporate management and this management , cannot be half as flexible as in instances where the word or direction of one man is controlling. In addition, small corporations are not subjected to great overhead exnensea like the larger bualnesa

THURSDAY,. JULY 4, 1935.

bodies:. The large corporation must maintain its organization and cannot even when work is slack cut down its fixed charges such as Interest on debt and plant operation to the same extent So, there are many who believe the high rate of tax becomes a penalty, the main object of which is to break up large corporations into smaller business units. • • • The Republican national committee is sitting virtually asleep in its easy

chair, but Mr. Roosevelt’s recent challenge of Supreme court decisions and

Roosevelt on a Hook

his demand for constitutional revision is not being allowed to die. Everywhere around Washington, opponents of the New Deal are making attempts to keep that issue alive. Their claim is that Mr. Roosevelt put himself on a political hook when he offered criticism of the Supreme court, a co-ordinate branch of the government. They are determined to keep him on that hook if they, can. It is interesting to note how Mr. Roosevelt, observing a bad reaction to his initial statements concerning the NRA decision, has maintained silence on the point since. It Is equally interesting to note how some of his mainstays and advisers have kept the Issue bobbing up here and there throughout the country. Such men as Senator Robinson of Arkansas, senate majority leader, and Senator Byrnes of South Carolina, probably the President's closest friend in the senate, have made speeches lately using much the same tone and language as did the President in that memorable press conference. Every other administration spokesman has done the same thing. These speeches together with the continual jabbing and poking by New Deal opponents are serving to keep the question before the’ country. New Deal opponents frankly are joyful at the opportunity they say the President provided them. In the meanwhile, as said above, the Republican national committee has ' been doing next to nothing. The condition is serving to build a fire under Henry P. Fletcher, chairman of the national committee, and is drawing criticism as well to Senator Hastings of Delaware? and Representative Bolton of Ohio, joint chairmen of the senatorial congressional committee. Some' Republicans are saying that the Roosevelt opposition is being allowed to wander without guide or anchor and that a golden chance to gain important results is being wholly wasted, because of the Inactivitly of these two committees. Considerable discussion Is being heard these days concerning the necessity for getting, new blood into the national organization and its headquarters. My own conviction is that Mr. Fletcher is due to go before long. He has failed to win the confidence of the several factions in the Republican party and has operated on a distinctly do-nothing basis. Neither Senator Hastings nor Representative Bolton has set the world afire with political Initiative or use of political opportunity available to them. The question naturally then is asked: How can the Republicans and the New Deal opposition generally expect to defeat Mr. Roosevelt for re-election in 1936 unless virility is shown in the party leadership 1 ? • • • An old tale about the Blue Eagle has Just come to light. It was not dis-

closed until after the Blue Eagle had been buried under the avalanche of a Su-

Prophetic Words

preme court decision holding NRA codes unconstitutional. The story Involves the patenting of the design. Artists conceived the Blue Eagle as the NRA Insignia. To protect it and prevent unauthorized use of the Insignia the design was rushed through the United States patent office. The design was then turned over to an artist at the patent office with instructions to make the necessary prints required by law. He had proceeded only for a brief period on the work when he left his desk to notify the commissioner of patents of what he deemed to be a mistake in the design. His words were prophetic. He called attention to the fact that one wing of the Blue Eagle contained more feathers than the other and added: . 1 “Any bird built like that can only fly in a circle." To shorten the narrative, let It be said that the artist was directed to proceed with his work. And let It be added, the Blue Eagle did fly only In a circle. Chairman Fletcher, of the Republican national committee, was making

a speech the other day and, as Is customary, copies were made available to the...

One on Fletcher

newspaper correspondents. Therein lies another story. The chairman’s speech contained several caustic criticisms of the New Deal and also of Mr. Roosevelt’s proposal to revise the Constitution. Mr. Fletcher defended the old document. At the same time, however, he disclosed some lack of understanding of Its history and Its provisions by referring to the Tenth amendment to the Constitution as the “Bill of Rights.” Our teaching always has been that the first ten amendments and not just the Tenth Amendment constituted the Bill of Rights, for these ten amendments were taken bodily from the old English bill of rights and were designed to protect the Individual from encroachment of a national government upon the rights of its citizens. © Western Jiewspkper Union. Accidental Dhcovery American process zinc oxide was accidentally discovered by the use of Franklinite ore for sealing up a smelting furnace, it is related.