Show WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS farmers set for bumper crop year reds plan industrial growth peron victory poses problem EDITORS NOTE when opinions a are r e ea expressed pressed in these columns they are those of western newspaper union news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper FARMERS all out again in stepping up crop acreage this year in answer to government demands for increased food production farmers are banking on the continued good growing weather ol of the war years and no adverse turn of the present tight labor machinery and equipment situation though falling short of government acreage goals for 16 major crops by 3 per cent farmers plans call for planting million acres this year in comparison with million in 1945 and million for the average of critical crops needed for overseas relief wheat is expected to exceed goals while prospects for vegetable oil seeds are less favorable oats peanuts tobacco and rice are also expected to surpass goals with corn hay sorghums sorg hums barley potatoes sugar beets dry beans and peas falling short with the indicated acreage of corn down from last year and only oats of all the feed grains expected to top goals additional reductions duct ions in livestock feeding through 1947 were forecast LABOR BILL senate version minus the stringent restrictions of the house approved case bill but providing for free movement of perishable farm goods to market 0 or r processing centers without interference the senates education and labor committee drew up its own labor measure for consideration of the upper chamber aheras the case bill had called for 30 day cooling off periods and creation of a labor management board to investigate disputes the senate measure would establish an independent mediation board designed to avert strikes by conciliating differences between workers and employers while the case bill would make unions liable for contract violations and outlaw inter union boycotts of employers engaged in disputes the senate measure would impose fines and imprisonment upon anyone resorting to violence and intimidation in seeking to stop truckers from hauling perishables to their destination sponsored by senator aiken rep vt the provision was opposed by a committee minority which charged discrimination against non farm carriers RUSSIA industrial plan looking not only to the rebuilding of its war shattered economy but also to the further development of the country russia proclaimed a new five year plan affecting industry housing education and research for industry russia plans a three thre e to fourfold four fold told increase in automobile production one and one half boost in chemical output and a 17 per cent raise in food processing in addition iron production would be stepped up to 19 million tons annually steel 25 million tons coal million tons oil 35 million tons and electric power 85 billion kilowatt hours over 3 billion dollars are scheduled to be spent on housing over the five year period and prewar expenditures tures tor for education and culture would be increased two and one quarter times to over 1314 billion dollars substantial sums also were reserved for scientific research including the release and utilization of atomic energy and weather forecasting W with money cheap and goods scarce german women dicker with russian soldiers for clothing in berlin black market despite efforts to suppress illegal trade pressing demands for goods result in reappearance of practice JAPAN production severely crimped by U S bombings through the war var japanese industry is making a slow but steady recovery under american military direction despite difficulties created by reduction of imports of material damaged plants and a riddled transport system showing a willingness to rebuild their once thriving economic machine in accord accordance nce with democratic democrat principle s laid sown b by y general macarthur the japanese have made noteworthy progress in reconverting war production facilities to peacetime output of farm machinery household utensils marine engines and parts for motor trucks at the same time there has been an increase in the manufacture of consumer goods from stocks of raw materials material on hand in line with government encouragement argement labor unions have been springing up especially in manufacturing transportation and coal mining while workers have been pressing for better conditions and pay no strikes have been called food while the japanese production outlook improved the immediate food situation caused grave concern leading general macarthur to recommend monthly imports of tons of wheat rice and other commodities modi ties to avert starvation much of the count rys food trouble has been attributed to farmers withholding of substantial rice tonnage from the market on top of the november harvest being one of the worst in years because of climatic conditions producers have shipped only 52 per cent of the rice demanded by the government for urban centers besides hanging onto their rice farmers have withheld their meager supplies of vegetables caused by diversion of acreage to rice last year farmers have also been getting substantial amounts of seafood because fishermen have gone to the rural areas to trade their catch for more rice DIPLOMACY V U S embarrassed juan domingo ferons smashing victory in Ar gentines presidential election has greatly complicated the U S s diplomatic position in south america since this country not only openly opposed his candidacy but also repeatedly insisted that it could not sign any treaty with a government headed by him second guessers guessels were quick to jump on the state departments back for underestimating ferons strength among the working classes and farmers and going out whole hog for the opposition the workers idolize peron for having pushed legislation for raising wages establishing social security and assuring vacations with pay while the farmers are in sympathy with his agrarian reforms now seated firmly in the saddle peron could relieve U S embarrassment ras by acting against the nazi industrialists and agents he is accused of harboring while britain has gone along with the U S in diplomatic protests against fascist penetrations in argentine observers believe london could not be expected to apply pressure against peron because of britaina Brit ains dependence upon the south american nation ti I 1 on for wheat and meat UNO back iran maintaining its firm position against encroachment on the sovereignty of small nations the U S pressed for UNOs consideration of arans complaint against russian occupation cu of the country in the face of soviet opposition evidencing no inclination to back down on its strong statement that it could not remain indifferent to russian activities in iran the U S bucked the reds request for a postponement pon ement of arans complaint because of their professed inability to assemble pertinent data in time for the hearing by opposing the russian demand the U S substantiated reports from teheran that this country had pledged iran to back its rights under the UNO charter arans complaint against russia was the second filed since UNO got uri underway derway teheran having I 1 previously protested against red support of an autonomous movement in azerbaijan province basis of the second complaint dussias Rus sias occupation of iran was seen as a move to piert pies pressure sure for obtaining oil concessions in the north northern rn half of the country adjoining the red petroleum alel fields ds around baku PEARL HARBOR late testimony in hs his long sought testimony to the congressional pearl harbor investigating vesti gating committee former secretary of war henry stimson revealed that president Roosevel ts cabinet had overruled his proposal for attacking japan first late in november 1941 and rather decided upon the dispatch of a secret appeal to the mikado submitting a written statement to the committee because of inability to personally testify on account of illness stimson said that he had counselled counseller coun selled action after learning of japanese movements southward off the asiatic coast high officials in washington were convinced that japanese expansion to the south threatened the philippines and aggression gres sion against british and abid dutch holdings constituted a menace to U S security he added stimson also disclosed that the U S had considered proposing a three month diplomatic truce to the japanese late in 1941 on condition that the nipponese would pull out of china while the truce might have afforded additional time for negotiation stimson said he feared the japs would have rejected it because of its stringent demands referring to the japanese attack on pearl harbor stimson declared that maj gen walter short had been adequately warned and possessed the facilities for detecting and breaking up the surer surprise i se assault while army intelligence should have supplied him with more information stimson said he was aware of the critical state of relations between the U S and japan FARM HELP less than in 45 As spring field work was getting off to an early start persons were at work on farms around the first of march 6 per cent more than a month earlier work days were shorter than a year ago for both operators and hired hands in almost every state the number of persons working on farms was less than a year earlier in all regions except the middle and south atlantic states where increases amounted to 1 per cent farm operators and unpaid members of their families doing farm work around march 1 totaled persons family employment increased 6 per cent from a month earlier compared with the average prewar 1935 39 increase of 4 per cent from february 1 to march 1 despite the greater than usual increase from froin a month earlier march I 1 family employment was 2 per cent less than on march 1 1945 family employment was up as much as or more than the usual seasonal advance in all regions except the pacific coast NATIONAL INCOME up to high total income payments to individuals set an all ah time high in 1945 with a total of according to the alexander hamilton institute this wae wasa an increase of 25 per cent over the in 1944 and per cent over the total of in 1939 salaries and wages in 1945 totaled somewhat under the 1944 figure of however a comparison of the 1945 figure with that of for salaries and wages in 1939 ind indi u cai that the war years brought alf ak a per cent increase in that category ci the 1945 decrease in salaries and wages was to a large extent due to the time lost in the shift from war production to civilian production after the close of the war and to the fact that many persons did not return to employment after the shift had taken place the institute s said aid the decline under the 1944 figure amounted to 14 per cent it was pointed out increases in other classifications of income payments in 1945 more than offset the decline in salaries and wages FRENCH BLUEBEARD waves flag y charged with committing 26 mf n ders tor for gain during the german occupation marcel went on trial in paris france insisting that he had killed 63 not 26 persons because they were traitors to the cause of liberation in pressing its case the prosecution charged that had lured his victims to his home on promise marcel left confers with attorney in court of rustling them out of nazi mccu pied france but then had slain them to steal their money and jewels mangled corpses human skeletons and charred bones were found in his residence along with rotted bodies in a lime pit in his garden with luggage of his victims pile bild pi ld d high in the courtroom the acau irico 1 3 bluebeard indignantly denied kille kill ing tor for gain waving the flag he said victims included gestapo men french police pole 1 e spies and informers A doctor formerly served as mayor of villeneuve sur yonne bonne |