Evening star. [volume], March 20, 1937, Page A-9, Image 9

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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1933 Panacea,
Devaluation,
Seen Upset
Danger Signals Hoisted
to Prevent Goal,
1926 Prices.
BV DAVID LAWRENCE.
IT ISN’T often in the history of a
big and powerful nation that a
major fallacy is confirmed within
a short space of four years. But
today—indeed within the past week—
there has come from a governmental
agency of the
New Deal, namely
the Federal Re
serve Board, a
frank confession
that prices can
not be controlled
by monetary de
vices.
The importance
of this admission
Will be noted
when it Is re
ealled that
throughout the
New Deal admin
istration every
body, including
David Lawrence.
the President himself, stated that the
purpose of devaluation of the dollar
was to send prices up to somewhere
around the 1926 level.
For weeks and weeks in 1933 and
1934, the big goal was the 1926 level.
It w'as assumed that 1926 prices repre
sented normal and that goid devalua
tion would force prices to that point
once more.
But what has happened? This very
week the index maintained by the
Federal Government covering an aver
age of 700 commodities shows that
we have reached only 87 per cent of
the 1926 level. In the same week
comes a statement from the governor
of the Federal Reserve Board that
prices are running away and that
monetary devices cannot help keep
Uiem down.
From,some points of view this might
mean that the New Deal is getting
ready to answer those critics who will
say that if the devaluation of the dol
lar sends the price level up too high,
then by the same process of reason
ing a revaluation of the dollar the
other way will hold the price level
down.
Fears to Change Arise.
But it is apparent that the New
Heal now is discarding the very the
ory of monetary manipulation which
was the cardinal point of its 1933 and
1934 policy. Today the dollar Is
plainly undervalued in terms of gold
throughout the world and many of
ficials here recognize it. But they are
afraid to advocate tinkering with the
dollar any more. They believe such
a policy would mean instability.
It is insisted also that the pound
and the dollar are now in a very good
ratio, something, however, that some
British experts dispute, for they are
credited with saying that the pound
ought to go lower in terms of the
dollar.
In any event, the selection of $35
an ounce for the price of gold was
an arbitrary guess upon the part of
our monetary authorities. A fixed
price for gold in a world as unsettled
as that which faces us on every side
today Is a difficult thing to defend
except on phyeliological grounds. But
with all the world selling gold to
America at $35 an ounce and with
world production of gold rapidly in
creasing, it is no wonder that the
Treasury is talking about “hot money”
from abroad. The foreigners are
sending gold into the United States
as fast as they can mine it, and they
are getting 35 American dollars in
exchange, and they promptly proceed
to buy equities in American companies
and keep the claim checks for the
future.
Revaluation Means Profit.
If gold is revalued downward, of
course, many of these foreigners will
have a handsome profit. But the
fact remains that the profits to these
foreign buyers are relatively small,
compared to the damage that may
he done by the continued willingness
of the United States to buy at $35 an
ounce all the gold that can be fur
nished. The Treasury was in some
what the same position with respect
to silver, and now many millions of
ounces of silver have been dumped
in America which cannot possibly
have a use in our monetary system
commensurate with the quantity be
ing stored up. The one offsetting ad
vantage, however, where silver is con
cerned, is That the United States does
not have to buy all the silver the
world produces, but only a certain
quantity and only over a long period
of time Today as gold is offered, how
ever. the United States Government
1* committed to buy from all corners
at $35 an ounce, no matter if the
world supply has increased to the point
where applying the law of supply and
demand the price of gold should logi
cally go down.
Reversal Since 1933.
All sorts or suggestions are being
made as to restricting the purchase
of gold at $35 only to metal mined
within the United States and letting
the price outside the United States
find its natural level. Gov. Eccles’
statement this week would seem to
indicate that these devices have been
for the moment at least pushed aside.
The Federal Reserve Board spokesman
would rather instead see price control
achieved through other legislative
methods. But the fact remains that
w hile in 1933 devaluation of the gold
content of the American dollar was
held forth as a great panacea and as a
means of bringing back 1926 prices, to
day danger signals are hoisted on the
theory that in effect a 1926 price
level would be menacing to the cost
of living and the w'hole economic
•tructure.
(Copyright. 1 037.)
G. W, ALUMNI TO HEAR
SIR WILLMOTT LEWIS
Sir Willmott Lewis. Washington
correspondent of the London Times,
will be principal speaker at the din
ner sponsored by the George Wash
ington University Alumni Association
in honor of Dean William C. Van
Vleck tonight at the Mayflower Hotel
at *7:30 o’clock.
Dean Van Vleck has completed his
twenty-fifth year as instructor, pro
fessor and dean of the Law School.
Guests of honor include members
ef the Board of Trustees of the uni
versity, Judge Pay Bentley of the
Juvenile Court and several justices
from the District Supreme Court.
Owing to death of his mother, Presi
dent Cloyd H. Marvin will be unable
to attend, and the university greetings j
will be tendered by Provast William C. j
Reudiger. i
News Behind the News
Viewers With Alarm Take Vacations on Sounding
Ringing Economic Warnings.
BY PAUL MALLON.
THE official smoking up of the national state of alarm is progressing a
little too well for the comfort of those who are doing it. Certain
of the ftre-fanners are now slipping away from the blaze they have
started and are emulating President Roosevelt by taking a Spring
vacation. (Messrs. Eccles, Bell, Roper, Morgenthau and many others have
left town or are leaving.) It may be too much to say some of them have
been overcome by the millions of their own. or by other, words, but cer
tainly they are not now relaxing in complete comfort,
For one thing, the Eccles tocsin rang a little too loud and clear.
Commodity speculators viewed it as they did the Hoover speeches
in the old days of the previous administration, and went off in a
direction opposite that to which Eccles pointed. The bond market
did likewise, to an extent which will make Morgenthau’s rest sporadic
or worse for some time
For another thing, the Lewis-to-King-to-Robinson play in the Senate
seemed to some critical observers to be a little too good. It smacked of
Tinker to Evers to Chance. Floor Leader Robinson seemed to overrun
tne bag by complaining so swiftly
of the helplessness of the Federal
Government to meet the sit-down
strike situation without a ruling
from the Supreme Court on the
Wagner case.
However, in fire building or in
base ball, a certain amount of over
playing is to be expected. In gen
eral, the boys seem to be fairly well
satisfied with the blaze of interest
they have started with price spirals
ana dictatorships, although content not to carry it too much further
right now.
♦ * * *
While Federal Reserve Chairman Eccles Is being given public credit
for being the best calamity success, the thing was really started by S. E. C.
Chairman Landis in his Georgia speech. After Eccles came Agriculture
secretary Wallace, then Commerce Secretary Roper, then Assistant Labor
Secretary McGrady, then Senators Lewis, King and Robinson.
These speeches and statements all advertise the severity of some
phase of the price-spiral inflation, and most blame it on foreign armaments
and monopolistic labor (sit-down strikes) and industry (steel price in
crease) in this country, which is true. The common motif of all also is that
the Federal Government is helpless, which may or may not be true.
Apparently the purpose is to cause the Nation to hand Mr. Roosevelt the
Supreme Court bucket, or at least more power to put out the flames.
There is a danger, however, in this type of subtle campaigning.
The grave danger is that the President may be handed a couple of
buckets more easily than the court; for example, a public clamor for
a disarmament conference, the enforcement of anti-trust laws,
enforcement of laws protecting private property, lowering of tangs
and other remedies which his friends do not desire to use.
"The time has come when our honorable President would be justified,
upon any action taken by this honorable body (the Senate), in suggesting
that we behold the strike situation as of concern to the Republic, not
standpoint of the Constitution or the line of demarcation between
the Federal Government and the States—those abstract doctrines which
have oftentimes wooed us to confusion. * *
This invitation was issued to the Chief Executive not by a Fascist, but
bv a United States Senator. J Ham Lewis, on March 17* (Record, page
3003). who denounced fascism and
feared dictatorship would develop
unless the President is given more
power.
♦ * * *
PARfcGRNPU
YouR OWN po&
DODOTON *i,l
,\ NEvGR O-ROW
ou>.
-''tmms'n
Tis.F \
CHIEF ,
The purposes of John Lewis are
announced more comprehensively
than elsewhere in a cartoon ap
pearing on the cover of his United
Mine Workers’ Journal for March
15. It shows "Steel, Autos, Elec
tricals and Glass" already in his
collective bargaining corner, while he is appealing to "Radios, Aluminum,
Rubber, Textiles, Oil and Cement" to "come forward, brothers now is
the time.”
The Postniaster-and-Democratic General Parley was in a spot. He
had a beautiful speech built up, all about how men became decrepit when
they have passed 70 years of age. But he was to deliver it in North Caro
lina, near the home of Representative Robert Doughton.
Now, Mr. Doughton has reached the age where he no longer
mentions it in his biographical sketch in the Congressional Directory.
As a matter of fact, he is 74, and smart enough to hold one of the
four most important Democratic posts in Congress, the chairman
ship of the Ways and Means Committee, handling such simple mat
ters as tariff, taxation and finance legislation. Some of his friends
believe his political career has just started and that he may run
for the Senate next year.
This situation might have the makings of a predicament for some,
but not for General Farley. He worked in only one extra sentence:
\our own distinguished Bob Doughton w'ill never grow old."
(Copyright, 1937.)
!......
Bedtime Stories
Forgetfulness.
BY THORTOX W. BURGESS.
Oh. what a world this world would be
It from forgetfulness 'twere free.
—Peter Rabbit.
HALF the trouble in the world,
perhaps more, is caused by
forgetfulness. Peter Rabbit
I would tell you that some of
the worst scrapes he ever has been
in were the direct result of forgetful
ness. Reddy Fox would tell you that
more often than not. when his life
has been in danger, it has been be
cause he had forgotten something. It
is just so everywhere with everybody
in the Green Forest and on the Green
Meadows. For that matter, it is just
so with men and women and boys and
girls.
Of course there are some things we I
would like to forget. Queerly enough,
those often are the very things we j
can't forget, no matter how we try. j
I And often the things we should re
j member are the things most easily
| forgotten. Unpleasant things are like j
j pitch—they stick. They stick in the |
! HUY;
PETER RABBIT AND JOHNNY
CHUCK!" SAID MRS. REDDY,
UNDER HER BREATH.
memory. Pleasant things are easily
forgotten. Important things some
times seem to have no stickum on
them and after a little drop right out
of the memory.
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck
were gossiping. Yes, sir, that is what
they were doing. Gossiping is a bad
habit for any one, but it is especially
bad for the little people of the Green
Meadows whose lives constantly de
pend on their watchfulness. You see,
it is difficult to gossip and be watch
ful at the same time.
Johnny Chuck, who when he had
first come out after his long Winter
sleep had still been so fat that he
waddled, was now lean and thin. In
fact, he was, if anything, even thin
ner than Peter Rabbit. He no longer
w-addled, he ran. He even ran fast,
surprisingly so for one with such short
legs. You see, there was as yet very
little food on the Green Meadows for
a Chuck to eat and Johnny had to do
a lot of running about to get that
little. Also, there was in him a
strange irresistible urge to go exploring.
So it was just as well that he was rid
of that fat and could run instead of
waddle.
Mrs. Reddy Fox was out hunting,
i She had come down from the Old
Pasture to hunt on the Green Mead
i ows, in the hope of catching Danny
Meadow Mouse or some of his rela
tives. In the winter Mrs. Reddy had
been shot and badly wounded. Now
' she had so far recovered that she
could do some hunting. She had not
fully regained her strength and was
not equal to long trips afield or to
hard running, so she had to be con
tent with Mouse hunting, which re
quired more patience than strength.
As she came onto the Green Mead
ows Mrs. Reddy raised up on her hind
feet for a look, over the Green Mead
ow's. At once she saw two figures over
toward the dear Old Briar-patch |
They were quite a little way out from
the latter.
"Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck,”
said Mrs. Reddy under her breath.
"Either one would make me a good
meal. If I can but get between them
and the Old Briar-patch I should be
able to catch one of them. Certainly
I should be able to catch Johnny
Chuck. Chuck is good eating. It would
be a change from Mice. I’m getting
just a bit tired of Mice.”
Mrs. Reddy had remained raised up
on her hind legs only long enough for ;
a good look. Then she had dropped j
down to all fours and, crouching as
low as possible, she was now moving
swiftly to get the dear Old Briar
patch between her and Peter and
Johnny, so that they would not dis
cover her.
Once around back of the dear Old
Briar-patch, she no longer had to
crouch. She trotted swiftly toward
it. When she reached it she turned
toward one end. As she approached
this she moved with the greatest
care. Peeping around the end, she
saw that her hopes were realized, for
Peter and Johnny were still there
gossiping, and a little farther from
the Old Briar-patch than they had
been when she had discovered them.
Not once did either look around. It
was clear that they had forgotten for
the time being that often danger is
nearest when there seems to be no
danger.
Mrs. Reddy’s eyes gleamed. She
grinned and in doing so showed all
her teeth. Then she prepared to
move quickly to get between the dear
Old Briar-patch and that forgetful
pair.
(Copyright, 1937.)
-•- —
german service
SET AT CONCORDIA
On Palm Sunday the German serv
ice will be held at 10 a.m. in Concordia
Lutheran Evangelical Church. Rev.
Charles Enders will preach on “The
Mind of Jesus.”
At 11:15 a.m. a class of 10 girls and
boys will be confirmed. The annual
confirmation reunion will be held at
8 p.m This will be a service of re
consecration.
The closing services dealing with the
“Seven Words Prom the Cross” will be
held Tuesday evening in German and
on Wednesday evening in English.
Holy communion will be observed
Maundy Thursday at 8 p.m.
On Good Friday a German service
with holy communion will be held at
10 a.m. A special offering for the
benefit of the Syrian Orphan Home at
Jerusalem will be received in this
servic*.
CJ’HE opinions of the writers on this page are their own, not
necessarily The Star’s. Such opinions are presented in
The Star’s effort to give all sides of questions of interest to its
readers, although such opinions may be contradictory among
themselves and directly opposed to The Star’s.
A Comparison Needed
Tracing Steps That Led Europe to Comniunism and
Fascism Would Be Service to U. S.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.
Developments in the Detroit
Chrysler strike will deter
mine much more than the
strike itself. The outcome
will be a milestone and index in the
whole area of change that is now
under way in America.
A useful service at this time could
be done by some
one having schol- |
arly background i
and at the same j
time having exact :
knowledge about i
the steps which
led to the recent
setting up of new
forms of govern
ment and society
in several Euro
pe a n countries.
Such a person
could take the
events and tides
now under way in
America, compare
Mark Sullivan.
them with what went on in the Euro
pean countries, point out the extent
of the analogy, and tell America just
how far we are on the way and
whether we can turn back.
It is not enough to point out the
bearing of any one of our American
phenomena, such as Mr. Roosevelts
court proposal. The comparison should
take in the sum of several present
conditions in America, including in
flation and especially the wave of ‘ sit
down” strikes.
A person well-equipped for this
task would be Miss Dorothy Thomp
son, She passed several years as an
American newspaper correspondent in
Europe during the period in which
several countries went through the
change to centralized, authoritarian
forms of government. I think I re
call she was expelled from Germany
: for describing what was under way
| there with an understanding that was
I too acute for the taste of Fuehrer
j Hitler.
Sees “Technique of Dictatorship.”
Miss Thompson's present writings
about events in America reflect clearly
j fear that America is in danger of what
! happened to some European countries.
| About Mr. Ro<^evelt's court proposal.
| she says that "some of us think that
j we see, and think that we see quite
! clearly, that the step which President
| Roosevelt now proposes to take, in
filling the Supreme Court with his
own appointees, is the first fateful
step toward establishing the legal
technique of dictatorship.”
To the same effect, Walter Lipp
mann, writing also of Mr. Roosevelt's
step about the court, says:
“Thus he has announced to a world
which is struggling desperately to pre
serve the essentials of lawful and or
! derly government that the great re
public of the West is unable to pro
| ceed except by the usurpation of
j power on the part of a supreme leader,
j That is enough to make men sick at
| heart—to have to admit that in the
great democracy of the New World, in
the oldest republic of them all, the
method of the coup d'etat has been
revived.”
Plain Analogy Needed.
But it is not enough merely to de
clare the analogy exists between what
is taking place in America, and the
steps that brought authoritarian, per
sonal governments in Europe. Some
one ought to make the analogy plain
in detail, so that every American
could see it.
A studious and able official of the
American Federation of Labor, Mr.
John P. Frey, has pointed out the
analogy between the technique of the
sit-down strike in America and the
technique by which the Soviets, in
the 1317 revolution, took over Russian
industry and property and finally gov
ernment. At the time Mr. Frey
pointed out this resemblance, he was
speaking of the first of the important
American sit-down strikes, the one
at Flint, Mich., last month. The
present sit-down In the Chrysler plant
goes farther than the Flint one, and
illustrates more fully the analogy to
the Soviet actions h. Russia in 1917.
In the changes in Europe, there Is
a common pattern. First, there is
an attempt at revolution toward the
Communist ideal. In one country,
Russia, it succeeded and established
itself. In other countries, especially
Italy and Germany, the original move
ment toward the Communist ideal did
not succeed. It did, however, go far
enough to create paralysis and chaos.
At that point, a counter movement
starts toward a different ideal, the
Fascist one. In Italy and Germany
the Fascist movement succeeded and
established itself firmly. In some
other countries the outcome is not
yet determined.
Detroit Is Weather Vane.
The early period of acute conflict
between the two ideals seems to be
illustrated by the immediately pres
ent phase of the situation In Detroit
Though we should bear in mind
that the condition in Detroit is, so
far, local and not as yet Nation
wide ) In Detroit, labor leaders hav
ing a purpose of getting advantage,
adopt the sit-down strike. The lead
ers, or some of them, have no in
tention beyond getting for themselves
and their followers ordinary ad
vantages about collective bargaining,
of a kind familiar in America. But
by adopting the sit-down strike they
find themselves embarked on the
technique which has been used in
Europe to accomplished the Com
munist ideal
They adopt violence, the static vio
lence of seizing properties and keep
ing out owners; and they equip them
selves for whatever active violence
they think necessary to resist the
agencies of law. Thereupon owners
of property, not only of the properties
invaded but all properties large or
small, and all persons who instinct
ively favor the principle of private
ownership and * favor the orderly
processes of Hw—such persoas, if the
European patterns works out here—
would come together on a program
which. In its final phase, would point
toward the Fascist ideal. As Mr. Frey
points out;
"Workmen taking physical posses
sion of manufacturing plants in Italy,
gave to Mussolini his opportu
nity * *
Struggle of Two Ideals.
In Europe the pattern Is, and in
America if it goes far enough it will
become, a struggle between the Fascist
ideal and the Communist one. In this
struggle, wherever it has taken place
in Europe, the democratic ideal is
ignored. The democratic ideal is
kicked about as an inconvenient
bystander in the struggle. The death
of democracy is taken for granted—
the number of countries having demo
cratic and parliamentary governments
hss been shrinking for nearly 20
years. Everywhere, the struggle is
between fascism and communism to
determine which shall occupy the
throne from which democracy is
ousted. The tragic thing is that, all
the persons with the dynamic instinct
to struggle take their stand in the
armies of either fascism or commu
nism. No one defends democracy,
certainly no one defends it strongly
enough.
This. too. is duplicated in Michigan.
There the courts lived up fully to their
part of the obligation to maintain the
American ideal. They issued warrants
to evict the sit-dowm strikers. But
the Governor of the State did not in
the Flint strike, and at this WTiting
has not in the Detroit strike, supplied
the force that was necessary to carry
out the court's orders. For whatever
motive, he permitted the processes of
democracy and law to be paralyzed
before his eyes.
• Copyright. 1931.)
Church Federation
At the meeting of the Board of
Directors on Thursday three new
churches were received: Metropolitan
A. M. E., John Wesley A. M. E Z. and
Tabor Presbyterian
The Hospital Work Committee met
Wednesday, March 11, the various
groups reporting about the activities
of the last year It has been the most
useful in the history of the federation,
the program being directed by Mrs.
Elizabeth W. Murray, who is aided by
two full-time volunteers, Mrs. E. O.
Brown and Miss Pauline Davis. Rev.
Leslie L. Bowers is chairman.
Approval was given the recent letter
of Wilbur La Roe, chairman of the
Committee in Civic Affairs, opposing
the bill in Congress to operate a race
track in the District.
Dr. Chesteen Smith reported the
financial campaign is progressing. In
practically all Of the churches thus
far heard from there has been an
increase of gifts over last year. The
work wall be continued quietly after
Easter until the amount needed is
secured.
The Woman's Council will have
their annual “ingathering” March 30
at 2 o’clock In National City Christian
Church. The speakers will be Miss
Margaret Wrong, chairman of the
Committee on African Literature of
the Foreign Missions Conference, and
Mrs. Jessie Burrall Eubanks of Cin
cinnati. Flowers will be brought for
distribution in the hospitals.
The Committee on Race Relations
will meet Tuesday in the McLachlen
Building.
The Social Service Committee Is
considering plans in connection with
the relief situation in the city. It is
hoped that definite announcement
may be made concerning them within
the next week.
Plans for the remodeling of the new
building are practically completed by
the architect, James J. Baldwin, and
will soon be submitted to the District
authorities for their examination. It
is expected that work will begin early
in April.
Middle Ages Cruel to Women.
In spite of the romantic idea, of the
lady in the Middle Ages, there was
never a time in the world’s history in
which women were more grossly in
sulted, more shamefully reviled or
more basely defamed. The number of
anecdotes that drag women in the
dirt is infinite. Only the scholar sees
them, whereas poetry and story tell of
romance, dignity and knight errantry.
Christian Endeavor
"The Challenge of the Cross” will
be presented at Luther Place Memorial
Church at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Students
from the Columbia College of Christ
ian Education will participate.
Kellor Memorial will unite tomor
row at 6:30 p.m. in a rally for the
confirmation classes of the church.
Westminster Presbyterian groups
will present a “Psalm and Song”
service tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., with
Grace McMains as leader.
First Brethren senior group will be
led by Russell Blomberg at 6:45 p.m.
in a consecration mission service.
The group will visit Hagerstown, Md„
April 10, for a bowling tournament.
United Brethren continues its joint
evening worship service, with both
groups joining with the church at
7:30 p.m. tomorrow. Plans are being
completed by the Executive Commit
tee.
New members will be installed at
Takoma Park Presbyterian on April
3 at a banquet sponsored by the group.
Dog Develops Ownership.
The idea of property and ownership
is very deeply rooted in human nature
and is even shared with man by many
of the lower animals. It is highly de
veloped in the dog, which resents and
resists any attempt of a stranger to
take property that the dog considers
his own or associates with his master.
Sonnysayings
c** mx rw»t iw ^
I don’t think much ob girls 1 Do you,
Tommy? What does you say t* a he
picnic out In the wood*?
We, the People
Factors Entering Supreme Court Fight Expected to
Permit No Solid Catholic Front.
BY JAY FRANKLIN.
IN HIS recent “fireside talk” in defense of his proposals to reform the
Supreme Court, Mr. Roosevelt mentioned briefly his devotion to civil
and religious liberty. This reference was designed to offset the at
tempt to persuade the leaders of the Catholic Church that the
Judiciary bill would deprive them of the protection of the Constitution
in such cases as those embodied in the Oregon school law decision and
other State interferences with freedom in Catholic education.
The strategy of the friends of judicial dictatorship is to repre
sent the “repacking” of the court as an attack on the civil and
religious liberties guaranteed by the bill of rights and as an invasion
of the peculiar interests of such regions as the “Solid Soutr. "
This strategy is the most serious single threat to the success of the
President’s plan, for if the Catholic church in America can be entirely
convinced that the measure might
impair freedom of worship or
jeopardize Its tremendous social
and financial investment in pa
rochial schools, etc., the measure
will surely fall of passage.
The success of Cardinal Hayes
in New York and of Cardinal
O’Connell In Massachusetts in
preventing ratification of the child
labor amendment has encouraged
the hope that the Tories can save
X<s\
their bacon by brandishing the bill of rights before the higher clergy.
The move has already had some success. It is believed that encourage
ment may be given the clergy in some dioceses to brand the Roosevelt
proposals as “fascism.”
* * * *
To counter-bala/ice this possible drive the administration relies on
two factors and one great argument. The first, and mast obvious factor,
is to produce as witnesses for the bill prominent Catholic laymen, such
as Judge Devaney of Minnesota, who can point; out to such Catholic
Senators as O Mahoney of Wyoming the dangers of using a constitutional
amendment as an alternative to this moderate reform. All this will be
done unobtrusively, without raising a specifically Catholic question in
connection with their testimony.
The second factor is embodied in the present cleavage between the
Eastern and Western Catholics in matters of social philosophy. This
cleavage reflects the historical rift between East and West m politics
and springs from the same source: The concentration of wealth and
power in the Northeastern section of the country. Since the East can
only lose by change, it is naturally conservative, but this conservatism
falters at the Potomac and the Alleghenies.
In the Great Valley and. on the West Coast, people are poorer;
economic and social privilege has existed for a shorter period; eco
nomic and social maladjustments are too glaring and the remedies
too simple to support a purely negative attitude toward national
political reform. Cardinal Mundelein of Chicago, the Fathers at
Notre Dame and the clergy elsewhere in the West speak and think
rather differently from the more conservative prelates in the priv
ileged East. So long as this situation prevails, therefore, it will be
difficult for Senator Walsh and his backers to make it appear that
the church is a unit m this problem of judicial reform. It would,
in fact, be a danger to Catholic interests to drag the church into a
position on the issue at all. The campaign of 1928 and the Father
Coughlin flop of 1926 were enough to convince the wiser leaders of
American Caholicism of the dangers of direct political action in
this country.
It will be easier for them to maintain a neutral attitude when they
consider the administration's argument on this point. The argument is
that the proposal to appoint additional Supreme Court justices is the
only method of constitutional reform which does not weaken the guar
antees of religious and civil liberty or threaten the rights of minorities
embodied in the present Constitution.
An amendment which provided for overriding judicial vetoes or
which extended the power of Congress to legislate on general matters, would
open the door to the sort of danger which they seek to avoid. The pro
posed O’Mahoney amendment, to insist on 7-to-2 decisions where veto of
State or congressional legislation is involved, would likewise give a minority
the power to uphold invasions of personal liberty. No one would blame
an ardent Catholic or—-for that matter—a solid southerner for feeling
uneasy at the thought of a general grant of power—such as was the
eighteenth amendment—invading the police powers of the States and
ignoring minority rights and minority interests.
The President's proposal avoids this danger by leaving the veto
powers of the court intact ant} by maintaining the principle of judicial
independence In a way which no amendment could do.
With this argument, the administration is confident that any
Catholic representations for or against the judiciary bill win be
made as the naturally divergent views of American citizens and not
as the political decisions of a religious body which fears lest its
interests be endangered by reform.
Since so large an element of Mr. Roosevelt's support came from
Catholic voters and since individual Catholics have played so important a
part in his administration, it would be a tragic miscalculation, for the
country and the church alike, if the opponents of this reform should succeed
fcn their design to use the cry of "religious liberty*' in order to destroy the
Spcial and moral interests of their religious community*.
(Copyright J 037.)
n
Nature’s Children
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionos)
BY LILLIAN COX ATHEY.
THE mule deer's first recorded
appearancce was in 1804. when
Lewis and Clark had the thrill
ing experience of meeting one.
In a few days they saw many others
and secured them for specimens.
After the deer had been carefully
examined for identifying points, he
received his scientific name, which
means “half mule.’’
In Winter the coat is a warm
brownish, gray with an abundance of
black-tiptoed hairs. The underparts
are white. The large black patch on
the forehead is more conspicuous be
cause of (the dull white of the face.
The tail Is white at the base, with a
black tip.
Among tihe deer tribe identification
may be made by the tail, or in other
W’ords it ts by their tails you shall
know them. If you made a drawing
of those you have met here in this
column or fseen elsewhere you would
have a Wear that would be surprising
and excellent for further use. The
mule deer’s tail is the longest.
In May the mule deer sheds his Win
ter color scheme for a more cheerful
one. this time red. His coat is worn
until September, and by this time it Is
a rusty, yellowish red and looks the
worse for wear.
The arrangement of the antlers is an
outstanding mark on these deer, too.
They are of even forklike formation
and do not have branches or snags.
They grow and are shed according to
true deer tradiWon.
A range that is more extended
seems to satisfy these creatures of
the plains—broken ground and wood
ed sections of South Dakota. At one
time they werevabundPnt in the Middle
States, but since 1900 the number has
diminished almost to the vanishing
point. Protection has since been given
them, and in some cases the number
has grown satisfactorily.
Mule deer like to roam. The migra
tions are to more pleasant situations.
At the tim* of their own prosper
ity they were of great value to the
Indians. To them it meant meat,
clothing and. shelter. Utensils were
fashioned from the bone, skin and
tendons. Even the teeth were made
into small tools. In the homes of the
cliff dwellers there was evidence that
the mule deer had played a part in
their economic needs.
The mule deer, like all members of
the deer family, hollow out for them
selves a neat in which to sleep. Usu
ally they ase about 4 feet across and
on the sunny side of slopes or where
they are sheltered not only from
sight but from sharp winds.
At the end of the Winter season,
when the tender grass appears, with
warmer winds and brighter days, the
mule deer look forward to happier
times. The sociable group of the
Winter disperse.
The mothers or does seek a place in
the woods, where privacy is assured.
Here, in a bed prepared by the mother,
a hollow deep enough to hide her
and her babies from sight, will be
born one. two or three beautiful fauns.
They have the white dappled livery of
the deer tribe, and when they are 6
weeks old they are proudly led forth.
By September (in Colorado) the
fauns will have acquired their new
coats, free from spots. They also
have had a liberal education from
their devoted mother.
(Copyright, 193?.)
-•
Woman Parachutist License.
The distinction of being England's
first woman to gain an air ministry
parachutist's license belongs to 20
vear-old Vera Turl of Tottenham.
An American
You Should
Know
Cammerer Likes to Help
Nation Enjoy Itself
in Parks.
BY DELIA PYNCHON.
IN THE Interior Department, sur
rounded by framed vistas of snow
capped mountains, stuffed Ameri
can eagles, giant pine cones and
enormous bear rugs, is Arno Cam
merer, director of the National Pars
Service. He is custodian of 15,500,000
acres of parks
and monuments,
which almost 10,- i
000,000 tourists j
visited last year.
Back in 1872
8 o m e forward- i
looking citizens
started the na
tlonal parks
movement. They
agreed to forego
profit for poster
ity. Yellowstone
Park was our
first aquisition.
Since then, by
successive acts of
Arno F. Cammfrer
Congress, 2o national parks and 70
national monuments have been
created. The impetus given to the
national parks movement here has
spread all over th** world. The great
Kruger National Park in South Africa,
is the latest recruit.
There is no commercialism in this
gigantic adventure in health, recrea
tion, education, inspiration. Trees
are not mere lumber. Wild animals
and birds are not prey, nor waterfalls
potential power. Intelligent planning
and preservation insures continuing
enjoyment forever.
Entered Service in 1919.
Cammerer first entered the National
Parks Service in 1919, when Franklin
K^ Lane, then Secretary of Interior,
offered him the position as assistant
director. Horace M. Albright was
director. When Albright resigned in
1933. Cammerer became director by
appointment of Secretary Ickes. Presi
dent Roosevelt consolidated the na
tional parks then to increase its scope
and duties four-fold. It now includes
jurisdiction over national parks, na
tional monuments, battlefields ar.d
military' parks. District of Columbia
parks and a historic site and building
program.
Cammerer, ambitious and fired by
intellectural curiosity, has risen
through his own efforts. The son of
a German Lutheran minister, he was
born in a sod house in Arapohoe,
Nebr. He lived in Michigan. Illinois,
Wisconsin and was appointed from
the latter State a bookkeeper in the
Treasury Department as a result of
civil service examinations.
Services in Various Capacities.
A graduate of Georgetown Uni
versity. he has served on many com
missions during his life. He is now
Federal representative on the District
of Columbia Zoning Commission, Alley
Dwelling Authority. National Park
and Planning Commission. Interna
tional Monument and others
He is essentially a career man. Of
ample build he is a genial, modest
man. who wants his actions to speak
for him. He came to Washington
originally, he says, "to go to school
and college and thereby better him
self for the future ” He feels that
any monetary secrifice is worth while,
as the National Parks Service offers a
“glamorous opportunity to provide for
the health, recreation, education and
enjoyment of the American people ”
DR. PRUDEN NAMES
SERMON SUBJECTS
“Crucified by Selfishness" will be
the subject of Dr. Edward Hughes
Pruden at the First Baptist Church
tomorrow mornine, and in the evening.
“Worthy of the Name."
The Euzelian Class will give a pro
gram at the Children's Emergency
Home, Central Union Mission, today,
Tuesday evening a group from the
B Y. P. U will be in charge of services
at Central Union Mission. A lecture,
with colored motion pictures, on “Col
orful Aspects of Gardens and Cities
of Europe" will be given at the church
by John V. Hansen Tuesday. 8 p m .
under the auspices of the Womens
Business Circle Dr Pruden on Thurs
day evening will give the concluding
talk in his series on evangelism, his
subject being "Causing the New Life
to Grow."
tefje Jticninn Slaf
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