OCR Text |
Show News Review of Current Events the World Over World Court Adherence Proposal Sidetracked in the Senate President's Social Security Plan Arouses Storm of Discussion. By EDWARD W. PICKARD by Western Newspaper Union. RATIFICATION of the world court protocols received a setback set-back wlicn Senator Uiram Johnson, republican, California, bitterly de- nounced sucn action ac-tion as a "back door entry" to the League of Nations, and senate leaders rather than risk an Immediate vote, delayed de-layed definite action. ac-tion. Senator Johnson's John-son's attack came on the heels of a special uips-unc w Sen. Hiram tjie s(5nate from Johnson president Roosevelt Roose-velt who asked for early ratification of the protocols. It was the most determined movement yet made to put the United States into the court. Johnson supported his opening attack at-tack on the court by offering four embnrrassing reservations to the resolution of ratification: 1. rrohlbit the court from entertaining enter-taining jurisdiction on any question relating wholly or in part to inr ternal affairs. 2. Permit recourse to the court only by agreement through general or special treaties between the parties par-ties In dispute. 3. Prohibit the court and the league of nations from trying to assume as-sume jurisdiction on any question which depends upon or relates to the Monroe doctrine. 4. Declare the United States, by Joining the court, assumes no obligations. obli-gations. Through Johnson's action, these questions must be voted upon before be-fore a final vote can be reached on the resolution of adherence. Although the question has been sidetracked for a time, it will be brought up soon, it is said, and Senator Robinson, Democratic leader, lead-er, has stated that he was confident of ratilication when the final test j comes. 'T"UE third phase of testimony A presented by the state in the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, charged with the murder of Col. Charles A. Lindbergh's son, has begun. be-gun. Eight handwriting experts called by the prosecution have completed com-pleted their testimony, ea-ch declaring declar-ing that in his opinion, the dour ex-carpenter ex-carpenter was author of the ransom ran-som notes, and the state now moves on to the story of finding the tiny corpse in a shallow grave in the woods near Hopewell, N. J., two months and twelve days after the kidnaping on the night of March 1, 1U32. Following this, the story of how Hauptmann was captured cap-tured last September through identification iden-tification of one of the gold certificates certifi-cates which made up the ransom, will be told. Obviously wearied by the lengthy technicalities of the handwriting experts, the jury had difficulty In following the testimony. Even Hauptmann admitted that he had not been listening to the experts. Eight men, who have qualified with the court as experts, have declared, de-clared, that Hauptmann penned the ransom notes. Photographic enlargements en-largements of the notes and of Hanptmann's admitted writings have been shown in the court, and each peculiarity of each character has been carefully gone over. Defense lawyers have fought each scrap of testimony bit by bit. An attempt has been made to show that some one might have forged Ilauptmann's handwriting in an effort ef-fort to throw suspicion on him, but this has been vigorously refuted by witnesses who have been firm in their assertions that only the prisoner pris-oner could have been the author. An attempt to forestall efforts of the defense to pin the crime on Isador Fisch, furrier, who died in Germany, is being made by New Jersey officials. Pinkus Fisch, brother of Isador; his wife, Czerna, his sister, Hannah, and Fisch's nurse, Minne Steingnitz, have been brought from Germany to testify. Pinkus has asserted his belief that his brother is not guilty. pHE Saar will be returned to A Germany on March 1, a special tommittee of the League of Nations has decided. The proposal will be submitted to Berlin at once. Opposition Op-position to this proposal is expected, expect-ed, since the reich originally demanded de-manded the basin's return formally formal-ly on or before February 15. Another difficulty arises over France's demand that Article 42 of the Versailles treaty establishing a demilitarized zone should be applied ap-plied to the Saarland. This would ban Nazi storm troops and Brown Shirts from the territory after its return. Compliance with this de-I de-I m.md would be an admission from Germany that the Brown Shirts are a semi-military organization, and this Berlin has long denied in computing com-puting her military strength. Germany won an overwhelming victory in the plebiscite held to determine de-termine the wishes of the inhabitants inhab-itants of the rich Saar basin as to the future status of that territory. The complete vote as announced by the commission was,: for return to Germany 477,119, for annexation to France 2,121, and to return to present pres-ent status under League of Nations control 4G.513. Their margin of victory exceeded the hopes of even the most optimistic Nazi leaders. Opposition forces, terrorized by fear of reprisals, Immediately prepared pre-pared to leave the Saar as soon as departure of foreign troops removes assurance of protection. It has been estimated that more than 400 Jews left their homes within the first two days after the election, some of them preparing to locate in Luxembourg, Lux-embourg, and others leaving for Palestine. Love of the fatherland won over antipathy to Hitler principles In Influencing the voters. The Saar-landers Saar-landers In voting to return to reich rule exchange their personal and political po-litical liberties for the regimentation regimenta-tion of a dictatorship with its curb on the press, free speech and individualism. indi-vidualism. The plebiscite was conducted under un-der the direction of Geoffrey Knox, nppointed president by the League of Nations to administer the affairs of the turbulent region while the vote was being taken. Repercussions of events which will immediately follow the Saar vote are awaited with uneasiness In world capitals. A spokesman for the Italian government expressed hope that transfer of the territory to Germany would take place Immediately. Im-mediately. Fears were also expressed ex-pressed that exuberance over the victorious vote would lead Nazi supporters sup-porters to excesses elsewhere. Signs of a renewal of Nazi activity In Austria Aus-tria are being watched closely by Italy. THE most far-flung innovation the New Deal has proposed thus far the "social security plan" proposed pro-posed by President Roosevelt lias aroused a storm of discussion. Administration Admin-istration adherents greeted the scheme with wild enthusiasm, enthusi-asm, while the opposition op-position led by Senator Sen-ator Borah, Idaho, has voiced vigorous criticisms. All business In congress has been President mit imme(liale ac. Roosevelt Qn thfi prQ posed measure. Public hearings have already been started in the senate finance committee, and the house ways and means committee has postponed consideration of the bonus bill to work on the security plan. This is being done at the President's behest. The plan provides pro-vides : Flexible, but compulsory unemployment unem-ployment insurance under a federal-state system restricted to workers and finauced by a 3 per cent tax on pay rolls after January Janu-ary 1, 103S. The government will aid in bearing the administration costs and the treasury will handle the fund. Ninety per cent of the pay roll tax is to be refunded to employers who contributed to state unemployment plans. A maximum of 15 a week of compensation to begin be-gin four weeks after the worker loses his job and to last for not more than sixteen weeks is contemplated. The second part of the plan provides pro-vides for old-age pensions. The government gov-ernment is to co-operate with the states and pay a maximum of $30 a month to persons over sixty-five. The national government is also to aid states in formulating a plan for persons ilnder sixty-five which will be financed jointly by employer employ-er and employee through a pay roll tax; the funds to be handled by the federal government ; the amount of pensions to be a percentage of the employee's wage, with non-manual non-manual employees receiving more than $250 a month to be exempt from the plan. The third section of the scheme provides for appropriations to give better facilities to caring for mothers, moth-ers, and dependent and crippled children, and the fourth section would furnish larger appropriations for public health aid, investigation and research. Cost of the entire program to the federal government will be ?100.-000.000 ?100.-000.000 next year and S200.000.000 In succeeding years. The cost to the states will be $75,000,000 next year and $150,000,000 in succeeding years. Some idea of the size of the plan may be gained from the report re-port of the President's cabinet which said reserves for old-age pensions must be maintained after some years at $15,250,000,000. GENERAL revision of air mail rates to prevent possible destruction de-struction of commercial aviation has been recommended by the bureau bu-reau of air mail of the Interstate Commerce commission. An Investigation Investi-gation conducted by the bureau discloses dis-closes that most of the routes are being operated at substantial losses, and rate Increases were recommended recommend-ed on 19 routes. Rates on one route would remain unchanged, and 11 others would be decreased. The proposed new increases range up from nine cents per mile for poundage not to exceed 300 pound, per mile, while the reduction, ranged as high as 13.5 cent3per mile. Operation losses of $1,757,-993.39 $1,757,-993.39 were shown in tables submitted submit-ted by the 31 existing operating companies, and it was pointed out that the industry would be endangered endan-gered If the contractors were forced to continue operating at tremendous tremen-dous losses. ONE of the most spectacular prison breaks in history was effected when four convicts in the San Quentin (Calif.) state prison overpowered two guards, slugged the warden unconscious, kidnaped six hostages including four members mem-bers rf the state prison board, and fled In a state owned automobile. The felons were captured two hours later 54 miles from the prison after a running gun fight with prison guards and posses. One of the convicts con-victs was wounded, as were two of the hostages. Trouble has been expected at San Quentin, where some 6,000 prisoners pris-oners are housed in space designed for only 3,000. Unrest has been evident for some time, especially since It became necessary to put more than one man In each cell. Only 190 guards have been regularly regu-larly employed. THE final fate of the NRA seems to be up to the President. Reports Re-ports from the Capital say the National Na-tional Industrial Recovery board, . i iliiil llllillgllti liiiii successor to Gen. Hugh Johnson, who asserts NRA Is "as extinct as the dodo," has avoided a direct di-rect recommendation recommenda-tion that the institution insti-tution be made permanent per-manent Since this was evidently done with the approval of the President, the future of the Donald Bue Eage seems Richberg Q be aoraewh(lt clouded. The board, of which Donald Don-ald Richberg is chairman, pointed out three possible conrses which the President can . follow. The first course would be to make NRA permanent, per-manent, but in simplified form. Under Un-der this plan, every industry would have to go under a code fixing wage and hour limits and prohibiting prohib-iting child labor. Trade practice provision would be entirely voluntary. volun-tary. In rare eases where price fixing is employed, the government, not the industry, would fix the price. The second course would be to extend the NRA as it now stands, but for a limited period. Unless legislation ' of this kind is enacted, enact-ed, the act will expire automatically on June 1G. The third course would amend and extend the NRA. Most members of the board, it Is said, prefer the "permanent" plan which would broaden the government's govern-ment's regulation of business. No Industry would escape the wage and hour code. Today many industries, indus-tries, among them the telephone, telegraph, and tobacco industries, are not under trade codes, since these have not been able to agree on terms. The present law permits the President to impose a code only when an industry refuses to submit sub-mit voluntarily, such as in the case of the cotton garment industry. Observers are not at all sure the President t wants a permanent code. Several uncertainties have made it difficult for the President to decide, one of which is the status of section 7a, the collective bargaining bar-gaining clause. '"pWO principals of the Barker-- Karpis kidnap mob fell before the blazing guns of federal agents as the campaign against outlaws continued with unabated vigor. Fred Barker, thirty-two, and his mother, Kate Barker, fifty-five, fell in spectacular defense of their 01c-lawaha 01c-lawaha (Fla.) hideout after a six-hour six-hour battle. Ma Barker, often called the brains of the Bremer kidnaping, died with a machine gun In her hand. Her son fell pierced by 14 bullets. Agents immediately started a search for other members of the gang, whom they believed to be hiding hid-ing in Tampa. A NUMBER of important issues await the League of Nations as it convenes at Geneva on its fifteenth fif-teenth birthday. Five major disputes dis-putes will come before the body, of which the Saar plebiscite, involving as It does the disposition of the future fu-ture national allegiance of that rich territory, has, of course, the immediate imme-diate interest. Other decisions which await action ac-tion of the league include: the dispute dis-pute between Iraq and Persia over alleged border violations by the latter lat-ter ; the border conflict between Italy and Ethiopia; the Greek complaint that Greek minorities in Albania are being deprived of their guaranteed guaran-teed rights; and the extended war in the Cliaco Boreal between Bolivia Bo-livia and Paraguay. |