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Show THE SMITHFIELD SENTINEL, SM1THFIELU. Li Ait News Review of Current Events the World Over President Still Insists on Supreme Court Bill, Which Raymond Moley Scores Disturbing Developments in the Field of Organized Labor. W. PICKARD By EDWARD Write Newipjptr Union. 6 j i I T ALIDATION of the. social secu- - rity act by the Supreme court was most pleasing to President Roosevelt, but he did not agree with the general opinion that this would put a stop to his program for enlargement of the highest tribunal He more than intimated in a press conference that the fight for his court bill would be fought to a finish and that he was not satisfied with the ap- Rayraond parently slender Moley liberal majority ,ln the court, since a number of administration policies are still to be passed upon by the Supreme court. He cited four issues raised by the new wages and hours bill, namely, child labor, minimum wages, maximum hours, and the question whether goods produced under unfair practices can be regulated by the government. He also mentioned TVA, the problems of flood .control on the Ohio watershed, the right of municipalities to borrow federal funds to construct electric 'light plants, and whether the government can condemn property for a housing program. One of those who believe the Presidents court plan is doomed to defeat is Raymond Moley, former head of the brain trust. Addressing the Illinois Bankers contention In Chicago, Dr. Moley scathingly attacked the scheme. The President, he said, has spoken of the dangers of a government of men. Well, there is something worse than a government of men; it is a government by a man. Most law and all constitutional government down the ages are realty halters and check-rein-s upon this unlovely tendency in rulers to lose their heads in the intoxication of power. . . . There are incidental factors that have contributed to the defeat of the Presidents proposal to violate in this way the spirit of the constitution. The change in the philosophy dominating the majority opinion of the court has helped. The scattering of the attorney generals insincere, insubstantial statistics by the chief justice is another. The retirement of Justice Van Devanter has helped, too. But behind all this has been a slow and powerful surge of public opinion. The people prefer the stability of constitutional institutions as against the unpredictable will of leaders, even very popular leaders. C' INAL passage of the (1,500,000,-- 1 000 work relief bill by the house was delayed by rebellion against the practice of writing blank checks which give the President and Harry Hopkins power to spend relief funds as they deem fit. The opponents of this policy found in the revolt a chance to obtain a lot of pork by the earmarking of more than half a billion from the total appropriation for projects that would get votes. In a day of wild debate these major changes in the bill were voted: (55,000,000 to be set aside for flood control and water conservation work. (300,000,000 to be earmarked' for PWA projects. (150,000,000 to be spent on highway and grade crossing elimination projects. Authority to use work - relief money for construction of power lines into rural sections for nonprofit and co - operative utility groups. Unskilled and agricultural workers who refuse private jobs will be as long as ineligible for work-reli- the union, an A. F. of L. affiliate, as sole bargaining agency. PORD employees at the Rouge 1 plant, Detroit, took matters into their own hands and severely pum-mele-d a number of U. A. W. A. men who undertook to distribute at the plant gates handbills designed to offset the Fordisms" card that had been given Henry's workers. Among the union men beaten up were Walter Reuther, R. T. Frankensteen, J. J. Kennedy and Robert Canter. cam-paig- i ! 'T HE social security act, which President Roosevelt considers Frankensteen telegraphed John director of the Committee for the soul of the New Deal, is constiIndustrial Organization, at Washing- tutional, in the opinion of a majority of the Supreme ton, asking: court. The unemWill the C. I. O. in ployment insurance simultaneous nationwide demonstraprovisions of the law tion before Ford salesrooms to prowere upheld by five test brutality at Fords today and of the justices. Van establish the right to. organize? ' Devanter, Butler, At the same time a strike of C. and McReynolds I. O. men closed the Ford assembly Sutherland dissentat Richmond, Calif., forcing plant ing. The old age 1,800 workers into idleness. The lopension provisions cal union head there predicted were declared constrikes might spread rapidly from stitutional by all the that beginning, possibly to all the except Suthjustices Ford plants. erland and Van Devanter. TJT EADS of unions affiliated with Justice Cardozo wrote the two maA the A. F. of L., meeting in jority opinions, and, as it chanced, Cincinnati with President William delivered them on his Green and the executive council, birthday. Administration leaders went ahead with the declared they completely justified plans to combat the Presidents broad interpretation Lewis and the C. I. of the general welfare clause of the O. One of their first Constitution and his policy of exsteps, it was indi- tending federal power, and it would cated, is to be an seem that this is true. In another 5 to 4 decision the invasion of Lewis' own union, the Unit- court upheld the Alabama state uned Mine Workers of employment insurance act, declarAmerica, through ing the relief of unemployment a the granting of a valid state function. Yet another opinion was handed charter to its rival, Progressive down by five of the justices, upthe William Green Miner union in Il- holding Wisconsins law prohibiting linois. Drives are injunctions against peaceful picket--, expected in the anthracite .fields of ing in labor disputes. Pennsylvania and the soft coal fields of Virginia, where there is considT N ORDER to determine the per-1- 1 erable opposition to Lewis. formance of farmThe United Garment Workers al- ers in the soil conservation proso declared war on the Amalgamatgram, the Agricultural Adjustment ed Clothing Workers whose chief is administration has employed thirSidney Hillman, first lieutenant of teen aviation firms to make aerial Lewis in the C. I. O. maps of 377 agricultural counties in . In the Cincinnati conference John 22 states, the cost to be (753,909. P. Frey, veteran president of the From a of the photographs federation's metal trades depart- agriculturalstudy will be able to experts ment, accused the C. I. O. and the communist party of sleeping in the same bed and under the same tent. Communists had obtained such a Lewis movement that grip C. L O. leaders could not shake them off if they wanted to, Frey said. He contended the C. I. O. had sixty Communist organizers on its pay roll and that C. tactics were discussed in Moscow long before they were discussed in Lewis Bro-ph- y, sixty-sevent- on-th- e I.-- office. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT in a special message asked congress to enact a new law for the benefit of workers in interstate industries, regulating the hours of work, the wages and the employment of Immedichildren. ately after it was read, Chairman Hugo L. Black of the senate labor committee and Chairman William R. of the Connery house labor committee introduced iden- tical bills designed Senator Black to carry out the proposals of the President. The measure had been agreed upon in conferences at the White House and was promptly referred to committees with prospect of quick action. It had been approved by John L. Lewis, head of the C. I. O., but since laws setting minimum wages for men have always been opposed by leaders of a private job is available. the American Federation of Labor, it was considered probable that orgaCONTINUING its vigorous n nization would not like the bill. to organize the steel inThe twin bills originally had produstry, the C. I. O. called out on posed a forty hour maximum week strike the employees of the inde- and a 40 cents an hour minimum pendent companies that refused to wage. But, at the last moment, sign contracts for collective bar- these limits were eliminated and gaining. These companies were In- spaces in the measures left blank land Steel, Republic Steel and for congress to fill. Youngstown Sheet and Tube. More than 20 plants employing about 5, CTANLEY BALDWIN, prime min- 000 men were involved. Philip Murister of Great Britain, enterray, chairman of the organizing tained the king and queen at dinner committee, said it was the purpose and then retired from his high ofof the committee to conduct the fice. He is succeeded as head of the strike peacefully. In the Chicago government by Neville Chamberlain, district police arrested a number of who has been chancellor of the exmen for violating the rule against chequer, and a few other changes mass picketing and for other of- in the cabinet were made. fenses, and there was some trouble If another war comes, the British aRalo. empire will not be caught unpreof the Sharon Steel pared. The imperial conference in London turned its attention to this lpwed the example & Laughlin con- - matter and a special committee was formed to organize all the empire's qjjority, so the resources for an instant shift to war rfrom those footing if that becomes necessary. A subcommittee studied the probittsburgh lem of American competition with ,mpany British shipping in the Pacific. Britpi the ish ship owners charge that the Americans are driving them out of business there because the latter re heavily subsidized. ef AN FRANCISCO put on a wonderfully brilliant festival to celebrate the opening of the Golden Gate bridge, the fulfillment of the fcitys dream of half a century. The battle fleet of the United States navy was there, and so were represents- tives of the states, of numerous cities and of many foreign nations. Automobile cavalcades from Ore- gon, Utah, Wyoming, Mexico and Canada, as well as from parts of California, joined in the great pa- rade, with bands, floats and fiesta units. John Thomas, noted baritone, and a cast of 3,000 presented a pageant depicting the history o f California and the West, and a week- long program of sports events was begun. The Golden Gate bridge is a single deck suspension bridge, the longest single clear span in the world. It is feet in length from end to end, and 4,200 feet center to center of It crosses over San Francisco bay at a height of 250 feet and connects San Francisco by highway directly with the redwood empire of Northern California. h j Poor Los Revival, ANTA MONICA, CALIF. X U Despite the hlessinSS civilization which we nave stowed upon them, including diseases, whisky, soda pop, and p , j j tvf overalls, ue American dians are increasing, In- - I have frequently these columns the natural result -- was workers were thrownthat brothers red and the refining industr? our problems This should give have confronted nmg at barely cause for worry. Suppose they got t and continue t o capacity. so numerous that To show confront the com0 we gave this wha . merce and industry of the United pened: Importer try back to them? are we States. However one may regard table use came from Already the ethics of the business interests amount of about one thZaM debted to these orig- ' of the nation, I think everyone must m 1925. In liaj, Inal inhabitants for admit that business has its prob-- i hundred thousand ton, cocaine, quinine, lems that are just as serious as the sugar was imported. It cotton, chocolate, job of earning a living is to you or some since and for everTo? corn, tobacco, me. This has been especially true Ported, naturally the refirL beans, squashes grapeduring the period of the depression of this country have had pumpkins, and it is equally true at this stage ume reduced. fruit, huckleberries of economic recovery. and hundreds of othT President Business, moreover, is affected to er remedial drugs Irvin Cobb a greater extent than you or me by that is fair to nil interests??! or foodstuffs. More- over, an eminent authority says the. any governmental policy that is Fair to All 8Jhi methods of the old medi-- gued or any legislation that is interest! SntCTcstM man had values which in many acted by congress or by state are desirous o( white infi clieaP legislative bodies. In consequence, respects excelled what the man has produced and suggests our it seems to be a fair statement to labor m preference to AnS scientists might well adopt certain say that business lives by the will labor and they arc and the whim of the elected rep- - idents bill. It is k aspects of the aborigine's plan. those repre-the- cast what is going to happen . whether resentatives and What if we did that very thing d there is be local, state or every evidence that AmK by the way of exchange, invit- sentatives can owned sugar companies in mb the tribesmen to take over such tional. Those observations should dem- iff these foreign areas are dofe trifling problems as an unbalanced onstrate fully the importance of one their utmost to kill the kgisl52 budget, our European debts, strikes and the younger gen- piece of legislation now pending in which would substantially redan congress. I refer to the so called the importations of this eration? permanent sugar bill. Seldom in sugar. Now there is a question of forein history, I believe, has a single unit the Stage. Cleaning np iff industry found itself in a position policy that is involved and that four-lost LTAVING their licenses, part teen burlesque houses in New where it is so utterly dependent of the situation in congress coits existence for ncerns the State department The York wont ever get them back if upon federal policy foe officials keep their word about as is the case now with those eight- home industry, of course, enm- -n een or twenty plants that refine the Department of Agriculture but it. per cent of all there is the Department of the b. With this example to go by, au- about seventy-fiv- e use on our tables terior also to be considered because we the sugar of the idea next thorities might try and otherwise in this nation. of the insular territories over whtii cleaning up the legitimate stage The situation, succinctly, is that it has supervision. On the surface, the spawning place and there Roosevelt has recom- it is made to appear that the sebreeding ground of shows which President to congress that it adopt cretaries of these three ezecutivn filthy lines and filthier scenes are mended d audiences legislation of a permanent character departments arc at loggerheads freely offered to recruited from what we call our to protect the interest of each over what shall be done and as far and assure as I can see none of the three is best families. Poisoning the moral group concerned, meanwhile that the interest of the paying much attention to protection atmosphere of the theater appears consumer shall have due consideraof the refining people who have to be the favorite sport of a new school of dramatists who, when they tion. Pursuant to the Presidents been caught between the upper and were little boys, had their mouths proposal of March 1, last, the house nether millstones. My conversation washed out with soap for using dirty committee on agriculture is work- with members of the house cowords, yet never got over the habit. ing out a piece of legislation which mmittee who have studied the proseeks to reconcile the differences blem backward and forward coof all the various interests and nvinces me that congress had better The Fate of Beauty Queens. a permanent policy for once do its own reasoning and make 80 which thereby e.wefther this country may follow as pay less attention to the three cautttqt catch any-the binet members, each of whom is reardg car mu be remembered that the seeking to push forward the iof annual monotony known as united States imports something nterests of his own department the beauty contest will stir the popu-- like .eventy-eigr cent of The whole situation can be ;ace to Jjpts of the utmost indif-consumes. The other summed up in one statement; if BUgar. rence. There wiU be no dress reper cent is produced congress wants to preserve the suhearsals beforehand. With beauty twenty.tw0 jjy our Sugar beet and sugar cane gar refining industry in this country farmers a consequential industry (an industry that is more than two worthy of protection from its gov hundred years old) it can do so by ernment but still quite unable to providing a low limitation on the satisfy demands for the commodity. amount of refined sugar that can Some of the sugar we import comes be imported and it can protect the from Puerto Rico; some comes from cane and beet growers of the United Hawaii; some from the Philippines, States by establishing a quota of but the bulk comes from Cuba. imports of both raw and refined Since Puerto Rico and Hawaii are sugar small enough to permit the insular territories of our nation, home market to absorb the eocfr they must receive consideration as plete output of the American cant an integral part of our nation. The and beet growers. Philippines are no longer a posI reach that conclusion becausa 1 session and yet there is something am an American who believes is of a fatherly interest, or should be, of American on our part. With reference to Cuba, as far as it is possible to g& dustry the United States long has attempttake the position further because ed to help the islands economically no other leading country in the and politically in order to insure world fails to protect its home the independence which our nation us try in the handling of sugar. helped them to establish. lateNearly everyone has realizedat an So it is seen that we have in the ly that prices are climbing rata sugar problem questions involving alarming Prices This has gone on (1). a home indusover a period try; (2) an indusClimbing about two years try in an insular possession; (3) an and there is nothing on the horizon nation newly born to indicate that the top has been and which we are trying to lead reached or that prices are becom' into a position of complete indefeel h ing stabilized. You and I pendence and solvency, and (4) of course, directly in what we pay the maintenance of our chief source for the things we oes esof sugar supply in a nation for food, furniture, and clothing, which our government yet feels sentials for the household. somewhat responsible, The situation is a bit disturbing That summary indicates the com- for several reasons. For one thing, plexity of the general problem to if prices continue to skyrocket, sow be dealt with in the current legisla- er or later we are going to be cotion but the picture omits a most nfronted with another condition important unit in the industry. I re- that of 1929 and no one can doubt fer again to those plants who must that If prices get too high, refine the sugar and must make will follow. If there is another spin it ready for home use or other tailspin like that of 1929, 1 a? to consumption. nation as such is HMV this that To make the picture complete, it . go to pieces. ought to be recalled that for sevNumerous factors are at woreKew eral years we have had a tempo- cause the price increases. rary law which fixed the amount Deal policies were formulated, nm of sugar that could be imported. It of with the idea of raising pw was managed through what is called to all, out of the cPrf. bring a quota system; that is, the law President usRoosevelt contended provided authority for the secretary had to be that way. of agriculture to prescribe how . being His program to force Prcc8JFT wise, should know belter, re- much sugar could, come in from er has been eminently successluL the ssue of of each opens whether many the regions that I' have In it has been too siicccssWi fact, people have a sense of humor. This described. This had the effect of lies one of the gr in and that provokes somebody to inquire what stabilizing sugar prices and guarmeans of c0, Effective is humor, anyhow? anteeing to the cane and beet grow- dangers. is every P there and are lacking I stand by this definitidh: Humor ers of the United States a dependmovemem the upward that is tragedy standing on its head with able market. But it had another ef- sibility it where the reach stage its pants torn. fect which was shown by the opera- may . Lots of folks think a sense of hu- tion of the law, an effect not so fall of its own weight. erf the price cause Another mor is predicated on the ability to painfully evident when the law was lnbor movcm laugh at other folks, which is wrong. enacted. This effect was to encour- tion has been the A real sense of humor is based on age the refining of sugar in the Throughout the nation, r6anlhrf Mg our ability to laugh at ourselves. areas outside of the United States bor has been 'demanding think th I and wages. higher You have to say, not as Puck did, where the bulk of it was grown. In can be no doubt but that labor What fools these mortals be, but, consequence of that, our own entitled to higher wages than refiners began to suffer and sugar "What foola we mortals be. dcprcssslon-ithey That's why few women have a true continued to suffer because refiners talncd during the many cases, according sense of humor. Usually a woman, operating in Cuba or Hawaii, to demand even a witty woman, takes herself mention two examples, were able ernment records, the been so 6 hove labor so seriously, she can never regard to employ labor that cost about organized a burden on induas much as the standard as to constitute herself unseriously. carrycannot it IRVIN 8. COBB. wages paid in this country. The stry whichWtitcra NawipnpM Un WMU that 1' j coun-6,45- I j i . pur-curati- ve J en-ci- ne j eKw n, , na-e- j ' sit-do- 1 pop-eye- .. EL ht ; j i in- cy in-- d -- buv-sh- i j8 w. n one-four- th - Scrvlca. |