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Show THE BULLETIN Bruckarft Washington Digest U. S. Awaits Second Phase of Jap Crisis Wisdom of Constitution Is Seen When Abrogated Pact Dies Next Winter In Revolt of House on Spending y w$rA.;.y Not Politics Alone Involved in Congress Opposition to President's Spending Policy ; Response to Will of People at Last Reflected in Members Action. WASHINGTON. The Constitution of the United States that document that has served us so well notwithstanding the razzing given It by enlightened thinkers of recent years-s- ays in Article I that "all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the house of representatives." It further says with an emphasis that, "no moneys shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law." There is, of course, nothing at all new in the above paragraph. It is Important, however, to remember those provisions of the basic law of our nation for In them again we see wisdom and a rather clear understanding of what happened just before congress adjourned its first session. It Is as though the authors of the Constitution were laying a prophecy when one considers the recent revolt ofthe house of repre- sentatives against President Roosevelt's i program. pending-lendin- g (And, by the way, during the debates on this program it became known as the "splending" program among those terrible people who opposed it.) I assume that throughout the land there was much talk about the revolt against the President's policies for current spending as being purely politics. I have heard from many sections of the country, and the story was the same; politics. That is only partly true. Obviously, the house members had their weather eye on the political aftermath of what they were doing when they refused even to give consideration to Mr. Roosevelt's f pending-lendin- g plan that originally involved more than (3.000,000,000. They considered politics, too, when they refused to debate the merits of the 1800,000.000 housing bill, although I believe they should have debated that thing in order that the country could know that it would have cost several billion dollars of taxpayers' money before it is Anally wound bp 60 years hence. Not Polities Alone Moved House to Oppose President The refusal of the house members to do the bidding of the Chief Executive must be examined in something more than just a political light, however, because of the two provisions of the Constitution that I quoted. It must be recalled that the authors of the Constitution contrived to build a national legislative body with a dual purpose: 1. to represent the Union of states which is accomplished through the senate, and, 2. to represent the individual citizens which is accomplished through the house of representatives. The house, therefore, is held to be the body more responsive to individual thinking among the people and to react more quickly to changes in public sentiment. That matter of having taxation originate in the house, therefore, is seen to be an attempt to reflect in the legislative acts the willingness or unwillingness of the people to stand for taxes, since the house members must stand for election each two years. Again, when the Constitution said that appropriations had to be enacted as law before money is paid out of the treasury, there was a patent curb on wild and profligate spending. The house, being closer to the people, first felt the call of the people for government spending and responded. Since the senators, too, are elected by direct vote of the people, they also heard the siren call and voted out money with the greatest of ease. But the house led seldom is seen going in the wrong direction if the votes of his constituents are concerned. Whether the economy wave that swept through the house in the last few weeks of a session that is destined to be historically important will be maintained In the next session of the Seventy-sixt- h congress, of course, is a matter of conjecture. It is to be noted that primaries for nominations come along early next spring and summer. Following those primaries in natural sequence are the November elections. If the members of the house and senate who have balked at running the federal government further into debt take the same position In the session starting next January, then I am inclined to the opinion that our nation will be on the way out of its troubles. I always hedge statements about congress, however, because politicians will sometimes place party above principle. They might deem it necessary to buy a few votes with taxpayers' money in advance of the primaries next year. Whether the representatives and senators have such ideas in mind, or not, I wish the voters would put every one of them on the spot by 'demanding to know whether they are going to let this nation go any further into debt. The debt now is so large that each of us is going to pay and pay and pay in taxes, and after we have passed on, our children and theirs will pay. Congress Failed to See That Money Was Properly Spent I always have opposed congressional action that delegates power settled on the congress by the Constitution. In these columns, there has never been any deviation from that conviction. Since 1933, there has been a constant trend in the wrong direction. New powers have been given the President time after time. Particularly, has this been true in the matter of handling money. Congress obeyed the dictates of the Constitution by appropriating the money, but it did not do that which there certainly is a duty to do, namely, see that the money is spent properly. In an examination of the latest spending-Iendinscheme put forward by the President and rudely shattered by the house, therefore, it strikes me that another device to get more power away from congress was being proposed. In the first place, there was little, if any, hope that recovery could come out of the program. We have seen only slightly different schemes flop annually for several years. Further, these plans that are temporarily out of the window appeared to me to be a trick to evade the law in that the g financing was to be done without consideration of the national budget and finances. None of these new debts would show in the budget The program resembled a road that is cut around the edge of a town to avoid the business section, a by- pass. Respecting the merit of the spending-Iebill, itself, there is little in my opinion to warrant its adoption. In plain language, the proposal would have socialized credit in the United States and I can not believe that the United States is ready to take up state socialism after the manner of Mussolini or Hitl-- . nding President's Hints Sound the way. Like Admission of Failure Lately, however, there has been The smashing of the administraa change in that individual thinktion's scheme, of course, did have ing. The majority of the people its political repercussions and Mr. have begun to wonder where all of Roosevelt, feeling the toe of a stiff this spending was going to end; they boot as he obviously did feel such a began to wonder how the national political blow, will be carrying his debt now well above $43,000,000,000 case to "the people" soon. He said would ever be paid. They smelted in a press conference one day that fresh taxes. The senate heard, but "the people were entitled to know failed to heed, this new call. Sena- who was responsible," meaning the tors chiseled end nibbled at curtailHe also suggested that congress. ment, but they did not put their the people ought to know in advance mind to the business of cutting exwhy there would be more unemploypenditures. It was the house that ment and why there would be new led the way, again. And. as I said taxes to pay fur relief. All of which earlier, they acted definitely by re- sounds rather like an admission of fusing even to debate the two corfailure. That is to say, these nerstone bills the spending-lcndinschemes of spending, of pump primbill and the housing bill. ing, of creating new and greater debt, all have (ailed in returning Action of House Reflects the country to anything like a norWill of People on Spending mal condition. We have nothing tn It is made to appear, therefore, show for something like $25,000,000.-00that the concept of the Constitution's so expended excepting thn authors was correct. They felt that bonds uf the United States governthe house would hear from home, as ment that are outstanding. we say these days. And the house New Dealers, however, are still has heard. Politics, alone, wasiut I noted one of them said battling. responsible except insofar ss politics the other day that an extra session represents the shifts in position that of congress in November of this statesmen must take to meet the year was surely a necessity. That changes in public sentiment. proposal will bear watching. I have The bulk of the people, it seems, talked with many, many lenders in have suddenly awakened to the fact congress men of long experience that something must be done about and understanding and none of the continued spree upon which the them believes an extra session to be federal government has been en- necessary. (in'-gaged In the last five r si yr's. (Released by Western Nrv kp g 0 r i THIS H By RICHARD CREELY - Is (Released by Western Newspaper UnioA.) v.. M.... WEEK .... t.... - i with Japan worrying you? Read The refusal of the house to act cannot be catalogued otherwise than as reflecting the will of the people, for the politician who knows his onions NEWS v4J- On Probation, Nippon May Alter Tactics to Keep American Friendship. WASHINGTON. By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNU Service, National Tress Bide, Washington, D. C. rca4y WHO'S this: "For the pant few years the relations between Japan and the United States have Iteen a source of anxiety to friends of peace in both countries, and foreign statesmen, dijtlomats and publicists have predicted war Japan and the United States and have expressed astonishment that the United States should not see that war in the immediate future is inevitable, and hasten to place our country on a war footing." A By LEMUEL F. PARTON &yM "" YORK. Having failed to to Mars as the planet made its nearest approach to the earth since 1924, Dr. Clyde Fisher has not abandoned hope stai as opes that sometime Of Contacting and somehow less Neighbor Mars results negative will be obtained. And, at any rate, the honor is his for having been the conductor of the first interplanetary exploration ever attempted by the American Museum of Natural History, whose expeditions to various remote parts of the terrestrial sphere have been an important part of the service of this institution. Dr. Fisher is better known to the Sioux as "afraid of bear," a soubriquet applied to him when he was adopted by that tribe. His wife, Te Ata (Bearer of Light), is a Oklahoma Chickasaw Indian whom he met when she came to the museum in 1934 as a lecturer on Indian culture. NEW At h n be-twe- en very timely statement, except that it was written in 1911. Today, n with relations on the brink of another crisis, it seems equally timely. But if history repeats itself, the Rising Sun Empire of the Son of Heaven may again come to terms with Uncle Sam. Today's crisis was precipitated when Secretary of State Cordell Hull suddenly abrogated the trade treaty of 1911, which was signed a few years after President Theodore Rooseyelt had used the mailed fist to calm an Oriental uprising. It comes after more than two years of "incidents" involving American nationals in the Chinese war zone, during which protests have been smilingly rejected by Tokyo, It comes after Uncle Sam has decided to emulate Theodore Roosevelt and use the mailed fist again. Expires Next Tear. Five months from now, on January 28, 1940, the abrogated treaty will automatically expire, permitting congress to impose an arms embargo and other trade restrictions against Japan. She has Just a few more months' probation left, and she must make up her mind very soon. There's a lot at stake. As shown in the chart below, the United States has been supplying Nippon more than half her imported materials of war. An embargo would not prevent continuance of Japanese-America- full-blood- ed DEAD TREATY Next January this treaty, signed by of State Philander Knox in 1911, will die officially. the conflict against China (and the Tokyo to the United States for additub roia war with Russia) but it tional machinery which will take alwould put a serious crimp in Ja- most a year to fabricate. If the pan's plans. In the first place, she embargo is placed in effect before cannot turn to Britain, France or this machinery is finished, delivery Germany for these war materials, will be blocked. In Itself a serious because all those nations are utiliz- blow to Japan, the shock would be ing every resource in their own re- doubly hard because the new parts armament programs. The new pact are designed to supplement what with Germany, signed in direct re- she haa already Installed. Precise taliation against the United States machine-too- l, and the day after the 1911 treaty was abspecifications rogated, carries little economic required to dovetail with her latest weight it's just a military agree- plants cannot be obtained elsement. where. So most of the American Japan Bays Material. equipment already Installed must Scrap iron is not the only ma- be thrown out. terial at stake. Often forgotten are Several things might happen beJapan's heavy purchases of Ameri- fore next January; the burden rests can machinery for manufacturing with Japan, not with Washington. war materials. These purchases The optimistic viewpoint is that have been especially heavy the past America's embargo threat will stimtwo years and a few months ago ulate a hasty completion of the war $85,227,000 in gold was shipped from in China, whereupon Japan would feel free to relax and again seek the good graces of western nations. Or, she may suddenly sue for peace on the best possible terms, The following tabulation, prepared from United States governJapan Hay Get Angry ment sources by the Chinese Council for Economic Research, And here's the pessimistic viewshows America's share in world exports to Japan of materials point: The American abrogation, which President Roosevelt has World Exports U. S. Share Value Commodity Valae termed an act "short of war," may Per Cent Hides and ileitis 7.MS.S39 9 3.652.481 33.50 considered not so short by Jabe Leather 538.389 S.48 44,676 maddened or depan. Cock-surScrap rubber 249.791 14,864.069 1.68 Petroleum and orodueti 81.034.585 S3.135.67S 65.57 or another she way sperateone scrap or old iron and steel 22.061.213 90.39 24.407,069 Ferro-alloy- s might decide the United States ac2.619.420 2.331.879 82.71 Other iron and steel tion warrants hostilities. 20.973.343 11.251404 53.65 24.385.546 22.163.778 Copper 90.89 But Japanese are smart Though Aluminum 13.095.231 3.63 476,345 their militaristic leaders plunge Nickel 157.317 2.38 6.624,440 Lead 4.613.888 2.100454 45.52 heedlessly into war, scoffing at conZinc 2.794.622 26.768 0.96 sequences, the mine-ru- n Tokyo busiMetals and alloys, not elsewhere specified 319.566 99.33 321,711 nessman will think twice. He will 18.635.299 12.050.536 64.67 AuiomoDiiei, pans, etc.' .. a 36.448.527 67.09 24.454,707 machinery' recall that in 1929 American purInternal combustion engines' 1.658,875 32.71 542,637 chases reached a peak of $431,873,-00ana 22.692455 17.454.477 Aircran 76.92 partsT Arms and ammunition 14.42 696.186 By 1937, thanks to America's 100,365 for Japanese aggression, distaste Including shipments to Manchuria, this had been cut in half to tlncluding shipments to Manchuria, United States figure or 1938 includes Last year these exports shipments to Shanghai. dropped still more. Although the first five months of 1939 showed a gross of $50,000,000 compared to only $47,000,000 in the same period of 1938, American economists point out that the higher price of silk is responsible. Reaction In U. 8. These cases, similar to hundreds Most WASHINGTON. important to Americans is each year, prove the value la., ofarising another question: Would we suffer civil FBI's fingerprinting file an auto crash victim was started a few years ago and already by placing an embargo against Jaidentified at the morgue by bearing the prints of some 1,300,000 pan? Agriculturally speaking, no. Alfour reputable citizens. The people. They include John D. Rockethough Japan was once our best cotCowNoel mourners had barely assem- feller, Shirley Temple, ton the shift from comcustomer, ard, Jack Dempsey and thousands bled before fingerprints of folks, all "stamped" mercial to arms staples has brought checked in Washington with voluntarily either when visiting a steady decline in fiber exports. the federal bureau of investi- - FBI offices in Washington or during In the first five months of 1937 Jaa municipally conducted campaign pan bought 698,000 bales. In 1938, for the same period, only 471,000 somewhere else. bales were shipped. This year it Prints in this category are kept dropped to 360,000 bales. apart from FBI's highly prized colRestricted exports to Japan would lection of criminal prints. They mean restricted imports inevitably serve a double purpose. First, they as well, and it is here that Japaprotect the individual and his family nese trade would suffer most heavby providing a positive identificaSilk, once in heavy demand tion at any time. In cases of am- ily. the United States, has already by nesia, routine police Investigation, become a drug on the market even legal disputes and disasters, these though American manufacturers records have kept families together took $32,000,000 in the first five and prevented unjust prosecution. months of 1939. One reason for the Second, the prints safeguard pub- lack of demand is development of lic interest. Were employers, banks, silk substitutes, several of which are and Institutions affected with the Just being perfected here. As a republic interest to insist, in cases sult Japanese people are now wearwhere there was any possibility of ing their own silk clothing instead doubt, that positive identification be of American cotton. secured via the fingerprint route, Such is the import of Secretary huge sums would be saved. Swin- Hull's treaty abrogatill f TMBmiii n . ot.Usv: x.. . AMt- -j dlers would be kept from passing tion. In sue months we'll probably Fingerprint expert at federal themselves off as someone else. know the outcome. bureau of investigation in Wash- Chronic narcotic addicts, repeating check kitcrs would be ington examines files from the forgers and Barbers Belter Beware, brought to task. bureau's records. steel-fabricati- U. S. Loads Japan's Guns e, Metal-workln- 0. $204,-201,00- 0. FBI Fingerprints You and Me; Over Million Already Stamped Last you-and-- . gation proved the reputable citizens to be wrong. The mourners went home happy. About the same time, the body of a woman, decomposed to the point where ident- ification was impossible, wti identified by fingerprints as that of a former government employee, leading to investigation of a death theretofore clcwless. Eventually the FBI hopes to have all Americans fingerprinted, which would mean 100 times the number of prints already on file. Scores of organizations are cooperating In the drive, soliciting prints on cards supplied from Washington. In one northwestern state, for example, the Junior Chamber of Commerce Is sponsoring a WPA fingerprinting project which will eventually record prints of most of the state's Comb Now Cuts Hair Designed to meet the demand for some means of cutting one's own hair, a cutting tool for attachment to the comb has been patented. It clamps on the back of the comb and the cutting edge extends downward beside the comb's teeth when a blade has been Inserted in the holder provided for that purpose, says "Popular Mechanics." The cutter does its work as the user combs his or her hair. Lying In the astronomer's background la the little red school house whence so many eminent Americans have come to take significant part In the life of this nation. This particular seat of elementary learning was In Ohio, and there at 17 he had graduated from student to teacher. One summer daring his career as a you thiol pedagogue he registered for the summer coarse at Ohio Normal, and there an incident occurred desHe tined to affect his life. looked through a telescope. He just looked, that was all, and then returned to the more Important task of getting an education. Bat even In later years, as a graduate student at Johns Hopkins, working for a doctor's degree, that peep through a telescope of no extraordinary power, yet larger than any glass he had ever before seen, lingered in his mind and intrigued He became affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History in 1913, and while much of his work was concerned with this earth, its flora, fauna, fish and other manifestations of nature, he found time as president of the Amateur Astronomers association to search the heavens, and is credited with having done more than any fellow astronomer to popularize the science through presentation in terms of lay understanding. His mundane expedltiona have Included many remote and mysterious regions. With Carveth Wells he twice traversed little-knoSwedish and Norwegian Lapland, making valuable moving pictures. New Yorkers and untold thousands of visitors to the metropolis win know him best as curator of the Hayden planetarium. w: girl out in Miss Lillian Spalding was Michigan, she was not content with watching the boys play baseball. She got into the Same herself, . Scnoolmofatn to and won local Teach Her Boys wndlot fame nothing of importance in the way of thrown or batted balls get by her, and she poled out many a lusty drive. When she came te long skirls, as the Baying used to be, she had to give op baseball, bat I eve for the sport was firmly established in her. As teacher in an elementary school la Three Rivers, she watched with pain and with cumulative repugnance the efforts of her boys to express the national pastime. Bat, herself being a sandlot product, there was nothing much she could do about it. Tune then came when she was elevated to the post of principal, and last year she came to New York as a student In the summer season of teachers' college, Columbia university, working toward s master's degree In elementary edacaUon. Appearing again this year, she registered for the course In baseball which the faculty Instituted last year for the first time. Now, under instruction from a distinguished faculty consisting of Professors Gordon, Selkirk, Gomez. Pearson and Rolfe of the Yankee school of thought and Professors Gumbcrt, Danning. Jurgcs and Terry of the Giants, site expects to have learned enough by the time she returns home to take her boys in hand and teach them the iniquity of throwing to first when a runner is bound for second on an infield poke; the time and place for squeeze plays, and all sorts of inside stuff. She will not, she says, play herself; she will be quite content to be coach. (CensolldaUd Futures WNU Service.) |