Evening star. [volume], May 02, 1947, Page A-8, Image 8

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

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With Sunday Morning Edition.
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Help From α Strong Source
Representative Walt Horan's
chairmanship of the House Subcom
mittee on District Appropriations
has made him a key figure in Con
gress in all money matters con
cerning Washington. Tradition and
practice lodge in his hands a great
amount of influence. Washington
has benefited or suffered in the
past, depending on the attitude of
his predecessors. Some of them
have been great figures in the de
velopment of the Capital; the
whims, ignorance and prejudice of
others have contributed to many of
the inequities and stupidities of
Congressional local government
which have retarded this develop
ment.
It is all the more gratifying,
therefore, to note Mr. Horan's spon
sorship of legislation to fix a method
for annual measurement of the
amount the Federal Government
should pay in local appropriations.
It indicates Mr. Horan's recognition
of this step as the foundation of
any new, fair and workable method
of dividing National Capital ex
penses between the exclusively
controlling Federal Government and
the unrepresented, taxpaying local
community. For the past several
years the chairmen of the same
committee on the Senate side have
sponsored such legislation. Senator
Overton did a vast amount of con
structive work in working out a
formula. His plan was modified and
perfected by Senator O'Mahoney.
Senator Cain has recognized the
importance of the principle, with
out committing himself to any defi
nite fnrmula.
On the House side Representative
Hebert has sponsored the Overton
CMahoney formula. But Mr. Ho
ran's bill assumes new significance.
It Is based, like others, on the ratio
of Government-owned, tax-free
property in Washington to the total
taxable property. By a slightly dif
ferent approach, it reaches a compa
rable conclusion—that there should
be a fixed and definite relationship
between what the Federal Govern
ment pays and what the local com
munity pays; that the extent of the
Federal obligation should be meas
ured each year in dollars and cents
and that when it is so measured the
Federal Government's rightful share
is substantially in excess of what it
Is now paying.
The adoption by Congress of some
«uch formula should be Point Num
ber One of the pending tax-raising
program. Coming from so influen
tial a member of the powerful House
Appropriations Committee, the bill
sponsored by Mr. Horan should
facilitate the task of the Joint
Legislative Committee now working
for a fair and practical revenue
raising program.
Forgotten Inventor
Millions of people have used cellu
loid camera film without for a
moment pausing to wonder to whom
they owe its invention. Hannibal
Williston Goodwin is as completely
forgotten as any modern benefactor
possibly could be. In a recent test
of professional workers in the pho
tographic industry not even veterans
with more than four decades of
experience remembered his name.
Yet it is obvious that he was a man
deserving of the gratitude of subse
quent generations. If only because
of his services to medicine and
surgery, he merits recollection.
Mr. Goodwin was a native of
Taughannock in Tompkins County,
New York, born April 30, 1822. He
was educated for the ministry at
Union College and the General
Theological Seminary and was or
dained and appointed rector of
Christ Church at Bordentown, New
Jersey, in 1851. Later he preached
and taught at St. Paul's, Newark,
and in Trinity parish in the same
city, which he organized. His health
failing temporarily, he moved to San
Francisco in 1860 and, recovering,
became rector of Grace Church
there. By 1867, however, he was
back in Newark, where during the
next two decades he was in charge
of the House of Prayer. His interest
in photography began with the idea
that the religious education of young
people could be advanced most effec
tively through the employment of
Illustrations relating the story of
the Scriptures. He obtained a stere
optican outfit for this purpose but
soon discovered that he would be
obliged to make his own pictures.
This led him to a long series of
experiments in search for a substi
tute for glass. During the whole
progress of ten years he strove to
solve the problem thus outlined,
finally on May 2, 1887. he applied
for » patent on what he called a
•photographic pellicle." Shortly
*>
thereafter Henry M. Reichenbach
also applied ior a patent for "flexible
photographic film."
The Dictionary of American Biog
raphy says: "The Patent Office
thereupon declared an interference
between the two patentees and a
bitter fight was precipitated," but
Mr. Goodwin "had little difficulty in
proving that he was the original
inventor of the celluloid photo
graphic film" and patent papers
eventually were issued to him on
September 13, 1898. A decision of
the United States Circuit Court con
firmed his priority and cleared the
way for the payment of $5,000,000 to
his representatives in 1914. Mean
while, the inventor himself, aged
seventy-eight, had died on the last
day of the nineteenth century.
Merger Stalemate
Advocates of Army-Navy merger
legislation have good reason to be
worried over the painfully slow
progress being made at the Capitol
in reporting out a bill that can pass
at this session of Congress. It is
I becoming increasingly evident that
a virtual stalemate has developed in
the Senate Armed Forces Committee
over the administration bill, a stale
mate which, unless broken very
quickly, could mean the death of
this important defense measure as
far as the present session is con
cerned.
The differences which exist among
committee members over the Presi
dent's bill do not appear to be
insurmountable. Most of the objec
tions raised against the bill are met
in the proposed executive order to
be issued under the legislation. It
would be a relatively simple matter
to transfer to the bill some of the
language of the order and thus
eliminate much of the criticism
which is delaying action.
For example, several influential
members of the committee feel
strongly that the powers of the
supersecretary of national defense
should be more clearly defined in
the bill and that the integrity of
Naval Aviation and the Marine Corps
should be guaranteed not only in
the executive order, as is the case
now, but also in the basic legisla
tion. These members fear that
unless the bill is made more explicit,
an arbitrary secretary sometime in
the future, with executive approval,
could reduce Naval Aviation and the
Marine Corps to a state of military
impotence. But efforts to revise the
bill so as to preclude such arbitrary
action have been resisted by other
committee members and by the War
Department on the ground that the
bill should not be cluttered up with
"details." Guaranteeing the preser
vation of Naval Aviation and the
Marines is something more than a
detail to those vital branches of the
Navy, however.
The really alarming aspect of the
τπργρργ delav is the effect it is havine
: on joint Army-Navy planning for
I national defense. Neither service
i feels free to go ahead with major
undertakings deemed essential to
the security of the United States
until they know where they stand
under the merger legislation. The
planning, manning, maintenance
and operation of certain bases and
installations are matters of uncer
tainty until Congress has acted
finally, one way or the other.
In these circumstances, it behooves
Congress to come to some decision
expeditiously. It can be done if the
task is approached on a give-and
take basis and with an eye to the
dangers of interminable debate.
Perhaps the best way to thresh
matters out and come to an agree
ment would be around the confer
ence table—at a meeting of com
mitteemen, heads of the armed serv
ices and perhaps a representative of
the President. There have been
enough indications recently of a
disposition to compromise to war
rant the belief that such a round
table discussion might break the
present deadlock and start the mer
ger moving toward reality.
A distinct improvement in diplo
matic negotiations with the Soviet
is noted. Often the Russians wait
twenty-four hours before saying
"no."
Apply the Remedy Now
wai 15 a. uutuiiuuùiy w^tciui wuw
ness, especially when it comes to a
nation unpreparéd for combat on
a world-wide scale. An idea of just
how wasteful war can be may be
obtained from a perusal of the report
on "Unified Logistics Support of the
United States Armed Services" by
Lieutenant General Leroy Lutes.
Army procurement director.
The report, submitted to the Sen
ate Armed Forces Committee, de
clares that failure of the Army and
the Navy properly to co-ordinate
their supply activities cost the tax
payers more than a billion dollars
of unnecessary expense. General
Lutes lays the blame for costly
duplication and overlapping in the
procurement field not on either serv
ice but on the inefficient system
under which in the past they have
been compelled to wage war.
His findings are, of course, an im
pressive argument for the type of
consolidated procurement setup con
templated under the pending merger
legislation. Supply officers of both
services themselves decried the
waste which they saw as World War
II mushroomed to global proportions.
Some of them got together and did
something about it voluntarily. The
j War and Navy Departments joined
in seeking ways to reduce the
amount of duplication, with varying
measures of success.
It was not easy, however, in the
midst of the fighting, to make any
drastic reorganizations in the in
terest of economy. Our enemies
gave us little time to think about
tj
the cost of victory. We had to con
cern ourselves chiefly with the task
of winning, whatever the cost. That
there was a needless squandering of
our money and our material re
sources, along with the loss of lives,
was inevitable.
But the late war made such heavy
inroads on our financial and natural
wealth that we cannot afford longer
to ignore the lessons which that war
and which every war of the past has
given us, but which we have been too
prone to forget once peace has been
restored. The time to set up a sup
ply system which will prevent a
recurrence of the extravagances of
the past is now, while the lessons
still are fresh in our minds. Unless
proper steps are taken today, a
future sudden emergency may find
us less prepared than ever to stand
up under the terrific strains which
will be put on our depleted financial,
industrial and natural resources.
Name of the Century
In California, a land of many won
ders, a man called Miswald Cends
Wrandvakist has petitioned the
Alameda County Superior Court to
change his name. Mr. Wrandvakist
is superstitious. He feels that his
luck would improve if he were free
to reintroduce himself to everybody
as Linkols Dislgrowels Wrandvans
gilmolkets.
At the moment it is not known
how the court will decide. Of course,
it could say to Mr. Wrandvakist that
changing his name will not neces
sarily change his luck. Day after
day a lot of people try to make for
tune smile on them by resorting to
ever so many devices, such as carry
ing a rabbit's foot, knocking on
wood, throwing spilt salt over the
left shoulder or being particularly
careful about not stepping on cracks
in the sidewalk. These measures,
however, are of little avail. One's
destiny, after all, is in one's self;
it is not in the stars or in odd
maneuvers like having the law let
Mr. Wrandvakist call himself Linkols
Dislgiowels Wrandvansgilmolkets.
Yet, although the Alameda court
may deny the petition, one is
tempted to hope that it will not.
There is a certain grandeur in what
Mr. Wrandvakist proposes. Most of
us in a similar situation would ask
for a change to something like Tom
Smith or Bill Jones. But he has
been inspired. He has thought up
what is probably the most arresting
name of the century—a thing that
thunders and haunts at the same
time, like the primitive beat of dis
tant tom-toms.
Linkols Dislgrowels Wrandvans
gilmolkets—what a name to roll off
the tongue! It is such things that
lend color to our world. All of us
will seem robbed of something,
somehow, if the Alameda court rules
against Mr. Wrandvakist and holds
him already yclept spectacularly
enough.
This and That
By Charles E. Tracewell.
"FALLS CHURCH, V».
"Dear Sir:
"This morning, very early, there came
to my garden a pair of newcomers.
"He was black, with dull brown head
and neck, and she was dull brown all
over and slightly smaller.
"In walk and mannerisms they re
sembled grackles but though It has
been many years since last I saw their
I species, they were known to me then as
' 'cowbirds' because of their habit of fre
quenting cow pastures.
"Is this correct and is there such a
s bird in the lexicon?
"As a small boy I frequently found an
unusual egg in the nests of English
sparrows and was told by elders that it
was a cowbird's egg, that they never
nested but were parasites who let other
birds hatch their eggs for them.
"What part of this is truth and how
much is fancy?
"Inquisitively yours, Ε. H."
* * * *
It is all true.
The cowbird is a fine-looking creature,
but his habits are not so good.
Our correspondent's elders told him
the straight facts about this bird.
He—or rather she—sneaks her eggs
into the nests of other species, partic
ularly the warblers.
The disparity in size between the true
babies of the warblers and the ungainly
cowbird baby makes him get the lion's
share of the food.
In this way the young cowbird thrives
at the expense—literally—of the baby
warblers.
Mostly the young warblers die, leaving
the cowbird to grow to full size and ma
turity.
Thus for every new cowbird in the
world, it has been estimated, probably
five other native birds must die.
This is a rather high price to pay for
cowbirds, some believe.
But when you see them in your yard,
you will not think of this, perhaps, but
welcome them as beautiful birds, good
! additions to the landscape, and we· are
I not sure that you will not be right.
It is impossible, at least unwise, for
j the watcher to take part in all the
! quarrels of nature.
There is no end to them, for one
thing, and in the second place it isn't
at all necessary.
Nature has been taking care of her
scheme of things for many thousands
of years.
Cowbirds have been putting their eggs
i into others' nests all that time and we
still have other birds.
That is the point.
It will do no observer good and do very
little good in any way, for him to grow
; red in the face at "the very idea" of the
nefarious work of the mother cowbirfl.
From our human standards she does
wrong, but who knows what the stand
ards of nature really are?
Maybe nature chuckles to herself &t
the clever cowbirds.
AnX neamiT fhom in fViA rerH ire miict
agree with her that they are fine speci
mens, pleasant to look at and nice to
have around.
Pour of them visited our feeding sta
tions recently. They got along with all
the other birds and we were able to
watch them at close range and to see
just how beautiful they are.
TTiey really are handsome.
Perhaps we may evaluate the male
cowbird. Perhaps he knows nothing of
the devious ways of his good wife.
This leaves the female, as usual, to
take the blame.
Eut now and then the smaller bird
mothers outwit her. The yellow warbler
has been known to build a second nest
right over the cowbird s eggs and even a
third one over thatl
A
Letters to The Star
Viewing Art Gallery Guards
From a New Angle.
To th· Editor of The Star:
It is well known that every night at
the stroke of twelve the pictures in the
National Gallery can leave their frames
if they wish and talk over the affairs
of the day. So timid, however, are they
that eavesdropping has not theretofore
been possible; but last night an ingen
ious art lover concealed a wire recorder
in one of the courtyards on the second
floor and this morning it was played
over. The conversation:
The White Girl: I'm sure my hair's
a fright. If I could only get out in the
daytime to a beauty shop! I could, too,
-if it wasn't for those guards.
L'Andalouse: You should show your
contempt for them the way I do. I
turn my back.
L'Odalisque: Now wait a minute, you!
I like to have men around. Those
guards really help to keep us from get
ting lonely.
The Old Musician: Yes, but I wish
they'd stand aside some time so we
could see the people.
The Dead Toreador (sitting up): Is
it that bad? I never noticed.
The Old Musician: In your condition
you couldn't notice anything. But as
far as that's concerned, I'm surprised
there are not a lew more like you lying
around here.
Mercury (his voice comes in from the
central fountain): I know what you
mean, old fellow. Look at me. I've
been trying to get away from them for
years.
A Cupid: Lefr me join you.
A Moulin Rouge Dancer: Boys, boys!
Aren't you being a little unfair to our
guards?
Armed With Guns.
Cupid: How can I be unfair to any
body who's armed with a gun? Me with
my bow and arrow?
The Laughing Cavalier (losing his
smile): But our guards aren't armed,
are they? I wouldn't see any reason
for it.
The Old Musician: Don't get to the
•Sunday night concerts, do you? Those
guards have little gadgets strapped to
their waists that ain't costume jewelry.
The White Girl: Dear me, dear me!
The very thought of shooting upsets
me. Now I feel worse than ever.
A Ballet Dancer: You look it!
Voltaire: Girls! Quiet, please! Why
accuse folks of crimes they haven't
committed? The guards haven't shot
anyone yet, have they?
The Old Musician (under his breath) :
No. So far the musicians have gotten
away unscathed.
Lady Caroline Howard (her childish
voice comes from across the hall) : But
what are the guards afraid of?
Martha Washington: Now, dear, don't
inquire into matters too deep for you.
They're afraid of riots.
The Laughing Cavalier: Riots, did
you say?
The Old Musician: Sure! Suppose
somebody came to the concerts expect
ing to hear Haydn and got Hindemith.
Van Gogh (himself): Or came to
hear Hindemith and got Haydn.
The Old Musician: Look who's talk
ing! You can't Judge music without
an ear!
Van Gogh: At least my ear wasn't
shot off, as some of you people's are
ii«Lciy to oc ii bomeining isnc aone.
The Laughing Cavalier: Armed
guards at concerts! Riots! What cen
tury is this anyway?
Voltaire: The twentieth, the great
century of progress! In Washington
especially.
The Laughing Cavalier: Hmm—I
wonder what I've been laughing at all
these years.
Voltaire: You may well ask. S-h-h!
I hear a guard. JAMES WHARTON.
Weems, Va.
Importance of Princess Elizabeth
To the Editor ol The St«r:
I am sure all good Americans wished
Princess Elizabeth, heir presumptive to
the British throne, ardent felicitations
upon her reaching her majority and
thus upon her assuming greater in
fluence in British affairs.
America is not a monarchy. In fact,
it has a long tradition of opposition to
inherited political power. But Amer
ica has demonstrated time and time
again that she Is willing to give po
litical power to the children of polit
ically important persons when they
have proved themselves. Kings and
Queens have been losing out purely and
simply because of their own personal
stupidities and not for any other rea
son. The world to date has been ruled
much longer by monarchs than by
popularly elected leaders. Popularly
elected rulers hold their power because
It is assumed that popular elections
can produce more intelligent leader
ship. If this theory—and it still is a
theory—be proved mistaken, the world
probably will return to monarchy—or
devolve quite quickly to anarchy,
ι Princess Elizabeth no doubt is the
key individual in the continuance of
monarchy, not only in Britain, but
throughout the monarchical world. If
she ascends the British throne and aids
Britons in wise rulership, she never
will have to write an apology for her
position. America does not seek to
supplant wise monarchs. Wise rulers
are a rarity, whatever their previous
or present condition of servitude or
exaltation. HENRY STONER.
Telephone Company Refunds
To the Editor of The Star:
1 While suspended telephone services
may have their disadvantages, think
i what we subscribers are storing up in
I the way of credits on our bills. Last
year, when the C. & P. Telephone Co.
! cents, including Federal tax. Considering
ι I was a suburban subscriber, on a rate
of $2 per month, city subscribers should
do better than a mere 10 per cent
for a week or more's suspension. As I
calculate the rate of this "Credit for
Interruption of Service Due to Work
Stoppage" if I had no service for a year,
it would only cost me about $15 instead
of the full $24. Paying something for
nothing like this may not be a good
deal, but it's better than a kick in the
teeth. PRO BONO PUBLICO.
Says Congress Hurts Morale
To thî Editor of The Star:
I am sure that those members of
Congress, who have waged their war
of nerves against defenseless Federal
clerks for months past will be happy to
know that it is succeeding.
Saturday I took the clerical exami
nation. In previous examinations
which were far more difficult, but given
under normal American conditions,
with no pre-examination torture of
candidates, I was calm and without
they are veterans they can do as they
please. This does not bring about
either the efficiency or economy which
Congress pretends to desire. ■
True economy, efficiency and a sane
reduction of force could have been ac
complished if every agency had been
allowed to make its own adjustments
without outside interference, Under the
rules of common sense and practicality.
Good workers could have been retained
and given "permanent" status, poor
ones weeded out.
No private business could survive such
erratic and eccentric attacks as are
made on Government functions by
Congress. G. B.
To the Editor of the Star: I
It is amusing, to say the least, to see
ex-public spender "Honest Harold" Ickes
use your valuable columns to denounce
members of a House subcommittee for
cutting Interior appropriations. In! his
column of April 25, Ickes really got
rough with the subcommittee. It makes
a wholesome impression, I am sure, on
our youth to see a former cabinet officer
describe economy-minded Congressmen
as "political vandals" out to "exploit"
the Indians.
Unfortunately, most readers do not
know the background of this tirade.
Although Ickes, as Secretary of Interior,
bossed many projects and people, he was
singularly unsuccessful in getting all of
the money he said he needed from Con
gress. So the self-styled "prudent"
guardian of the Nation's natural re
sources is mad at the "dunderheads"
who seek to cut Federal spending and
taxes. He says that certain Congress
men "should be told that they are living
in the year 1947 and not in the year
1897." Perhaps Ickes should be re
minded that he is living in 1947 and not
In the days of PWA. J. G. B.
A Brickbat for Mr
k
fear. Consequently, I was able to make
excellent grades. As a result of one
such examination, I entered a Govern
ment agency as a war service appointee
nearly five years ago. During Satur
day's examination, however, I was in a
condition of paralyzing fear, which I
realized was a culmination of the
months of worry, helpless resentment |
and humiliation prevalent among Gov- !
ernment employes since the attacks by
Congress began. Because of my fright,
I failed in the simplest section of the
examination, one requiring only a robot
likp checking of a large number of
comparisons. In later sections of the
examinations, based on knowledge,
judgment and education, I was able to
do very well, because there training
and experienced outweighed the terror.
However, my failure in the purely me
chanical first sections will make a pass4
ing grade impossible. I learned that
other competitors had the same experi
j ence.
But I happen to be one of a small
group doing highly specialized clerical
work, which requires technical knowl
edge acquired only over a long period
of time. A minimum of two years'
experience is needed to become pro
fiicient. Presumably, however, Con
gress believes that it is economy to force
out well-trained and efficient employes
and replace them with new and inex
perienced ones.
There is much congressional talk
about turning out present Federal em
ployes to make way for veterans. This
might be commendable, if the veterans
always were as efficient as the employes
they replace. Unfortunately, they are
not. M$ny are excellent workers, but
too many behave like irresponsible teen
agers, wasting their own and others'
time, scarcely even pretending to work,
secure In the knowledge that because
/
Visitor From the Philippines
Vice President Quirino Has Helped to Cement Our
New Relationship With Youngest Republic
By James G. Wingo
Coming to Washington Tuesday, so
shortly after the visit of President
Miguel Aleman, is another distinguished
guest from abroad—Vice President El
pidio Quirino of the Philippines, which
for a long time was Mexico's sister
colony aryi ruled through the Spanish
King's viceroy in Mexico.
The fact that President Aleman does
not speak English while Vice President
Quirino speaks it very fluently, indicates
the wide divergence of the two former
Spanish colonies in their subsequent
development. Although Mexico has been
a next-door neighbor to the United
States the Philippines, 7,000 mileè away
across the Pacific, has received by far
the greater influence from America and
has been closer to her politically, cul
turally and economically than Mexico.
Since 1935, when the Philippines be
came semi-independent from the United
States, the Philippines has had three
Presidents, all English-speaking. Hie
third (and first of the fully independent
republic), Manuel Roxas, was educated
entirely under the American-established
public schools in the Philippines. So
was the man who will be the guest of
the United States Government next
week.
Vice President Quirino is Secretary of
Foreign Affairs and stands in line to
succeed the President of his country in
case of emergency. His first job as
Secretary of Foreign Affairs has been
to see to it that the close political,
economic, military and cultural ties
between the Philippines and the Upited
States, existing for nearly half a cen
tury as an American dependency, would
be continued on the basis of indepen
dent, equal partners.
Philippine Sovereignty Protected.
In the negotiations on American mili
tary, naval and air bases in the Philip
pines Mr. Quirino succeeded in estab
lishing the policy that nothing would
be included in any treaty to minimize
Philippine sovereignty; that feature? of
extraterritoriality unacceptable to a sov
ereign nation would not be tolerated on
Philippine soil, and that no American
bases would be established near civil
ian population centers. He was jeal
ously watchful of Philippine interests,
sovereignty and dignity.
In the final analysis Mr. Quirino did
as much as any other man to promote
better permanent relations between the
United States and the Philippines. Had
he indiscriminately succumbed to Amer
ican demands, grave damage would have
been inflicted upon American-Philip
pine amity. Filipinos would have pro
tested that the United States was tak
ing advantage of the war-weakened con
dition of their country.
Representing a weak, Impoverished,
infant republic, he stuck to his guns.
If any American in the Philippines ever
doubted the absoluteness and complete
ness of Philippine independence, he soon
learned the truth. ·
The result of the prolonged negotia
tions was undoubtedly what the over
whelming majority of the American and
Filipino people wanted in the first place.
Nothing would have hurt American feel
ings and influence more than any sus
picion in the Filipinos that they were
being pushed around or outsmarted.
Both Mr. Quirino and Ambassadôr
Paul V. McNutt, who has recently re
turned to Washington, saw to it that
there was a real meeting of minds.
They succeeded in laying the solid foun
dation of a lasting, friendly partnership
between the United States and the
Philippines. The various treaties which
resulted are definitely what the United
States Congress had envisioned—agree
ments of mutual benefit to the two in
dependent republics, voluntarily arrived
at.
In the amazingly successful campaign
to amend the Philippine constitution in
order to allow American citizens to par
ticipate in the economic development
of the Philippines and in the operation
of public utilities on equal terms with
Philippine citizens, Mr. Quirino played
a role second only to President Roxas.
His eloquent speeches all over the coun
try helped to overcome what might have
grown into an effective opposition along
the supernationalistic arguments ex
pounded by Jose P. Laurel, president
of the puppet Philippine republic dur
ing the Japanese occupation, and Ca
milo Qsias, former Philippine resident
commissioner in Washington and mem
ber of the Laurel cabinet. The amend
ment was accepted by the people with
out any serious opposition.
Portly Mr. Quirino is 57 years old and
comes from the Ilocano region of North
ern Luzon. He graduated from the law
college of the University of the Philip
pines with high honors. He first won
distinction in the public service as
private secretary to the late Manuel
Quezon when he was president of the
Philippine Senate. He served as mem
ber of both houses of the Philippine na
tional legislature "and held various posts
in President Quezon's cabinet. When
elected Vice President of the Philippines
a year ago he was president pro tempore
of the Senate, of which Mr. Roxas was
president.
Bereft by the War.
Mr. Quirino is bringing with him to
Washington a son and a daughter, rem
nants of his one-time big family. Dur
ing the battle for Manila in February,
1945, Mr. Quirino's wife, three other
children, mother-in-law and brother-in
law were killed by the retreating Japa
nese marines.
Before his Washington visit Mr. Qui
rino inspected the Philippine consulates
in Honolulu and San Francisco. After
his brief stay at the Blair-Lee House as
guest of the United States Government,
he will transfer to the Philippine Em
bassy on Sheridan Circle. His host, Am
bassador Joaquin M. Elizalde, will give
several parties in his honor. Then he
will go to New York, where the office
ofi Philippine Delegate to the United
Nations Carlos P. Romulo and another
Philippine consulate are located, and
where he plans to meet the various dele
gates to the United Nations.
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson
in listening to tne report or Jonn
Foster Dulles on the Moscow conference,
I had an overwhelming Impression of
the boldness, clarity, and long-range
prospect of success for the Soviet pro
gram for Germany, and of the timidity,
confusion, and inadequacy of our own.
Mr. Dulles accused the Russians of
not living up to the Potsdam agree
ment—as the Russians accuse us. Act
ually, Potsdam is in the ash can and'
good riddance. But when Mr. Dulles
said "the Potsdam agreement did not
work well in helping the Soviet Union,"
he assumed that all the Soviets wanted
was German machinery. That industry
cannot be ripped from its whole complex
of materials, communications and skills,
crated, and re-established 1,000 miles
off to function efficiently, was obvious
to any booby. That it would rust in
disuse was inevitable. But all the Pots
dam conferees agreed to it.
* * * ♦
What was accomplished, however,
was to intensify destruction, unemploy
ment, and physical arid intellectual
chaos in Germany and Europe. While
we are blaming the Russians, it might
be well to remember Mr. Morgenthau,
whose zeal for German deindustrializa
tion extended to permanently shutting,
down the Ruhr mines—the coal basin
of all Europe—and who, with his vocal
supporters, cast a lohg shadow over the
Quebec and Potsdam Conferences.
The condition which will help bring
about a Sovietization of Europe is a
falling off of its standard of living—
beneath the Soviet level—with the West
holding out no prospect of improvement.
To accompolish that, it has been neces
sary to complète the wreckage of Euro
pean industry. The center of European
industry was Germany. And the loudest
and most persistent wrecker-voices were
in the United · States.
Ruin and rule are Soviet and Commu
nist policy. If our leaders are just wak
ing up to that fact, they are getting a
belated education.
Now, when the German. Austrian
and Italian situations baffle the imagi
nation as the result of policies we also
promoted and Mr. Dulles himself is
blaming the Russians for advocating
the upping of German steel produc
tion—in a Europe starving for steel—
the Soviets say to the Germans, "join
us and all you have lost will be re
stored."
If the German people believed It.
nothlllg could halt Soviet success. We
are not frustrating that program. The
Soviets themselves are. Too many Ger
mans fought in Russia, and saw what
Soviet civilization does for the common
man. Too many know Russian be
havior in Koenigsberg. Too many are
sjck to the bone of reigns of terror.
Mr. Dulles clearly states what the
people of Europe want: "* * * not to
be divided against themselves · * · hot
to be unified under the domination of
a great power * · * to increase economic
productivity * * * human freedom."
* * * *
But those things imply the creation
of a European confederation, or several
interlocking federations in a common
wealth. No American statesman has
stated that. Mr. Dulles approaches it,
but shies away. He speaks of the
necessity of economic union, and of
"the freedom and independence of
Austria." Independence and union are
incompatible ideas. The latter implies
concessions to the former.
To accomplish the salvation of Eu
rope means to stop to think of "Ger
many" and "Prance" and to think of
Europe, with its many cultural parishes
and its common needs. "«It implies put
ting money, brains, and every effort
behind one single purpose—not a dozen
contradictory purposes.
The Soviets have one great asset
which we lack—singleness of purpose.
And we shall get nowhere by falling
back upon our "ideals." Ideals re
quire intelligence, boldness, sacrifice,
faith for their realization. History is
strewn with the dead bones of ideals,
and no period more than this one.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate. Inc.)
Phone Wage Increase
Will Mean Rate Raise
Battle Between 340,000 Striker·
And 695,660 Stockholders Seen
By David Lawrence
Ever since the telephone strike started
there have been references In the news
papers to the "national union" and to
the "company." But who is the tele
phone company? It is one man or one
group or several? And who is fighting
whom?
There are about 340,000 employes on
strike, but there are 695,ββΟ stockholders.
Thus, the number of persons Involved
on the ownership side exceeds those on
the union side.
More than one-half of the stockhold
ers are women, while 62 per cent of the
employes, Including nonstrikers, are
women.
The average number at shares held
by each stockholder is about 30 and no
stockholder holds as much as one-half
of 1 per cent of the total stock out
standing. The holders of from one to
Ave shares number 307,400, while 656,900
stockholders, or 94 per cent of the total,
hold less than 100 shares each.
The holders of 100 shares or more, In»
eluding insurance companies, colleges,
hospitals and other institutions, total
39,800 and hold a total of 47 per cent
of the stock.
50,000 Workers Own Stock.
In the Bell System Itself, about 50,000
employes own stock in the company.
Five States have more than 50,000 stock·
helders each, 26 States have more than
5,000 stockholders and no State haa
fewer than 500 stockholders.
These facts are to be derived from ft
reading of the 1946 annual report of
the American Telephone ii Telegraph
Co. issued on February 17 of this year.
Here, therefore, is a cross-section of
the American people who have qpved
their money and who have received
regular dividends from such investment.
It is because the Bell System has paid
regular dividends that so many people
consider its securities a sound Invest
ment. More and more money is needed
each year for expansion, and the people
furnish it out of their savings. Widows
and orphans and trust estates usually
buy Bell securities because of its sound
financial policies and careful planning
to meet the Nation's needs.
Now if there is to be an across-the
board Increase of several dollars per
week to employes, the management must
make up its mind if these increases can
be afforded. The income of the tele
phone company and its subsidiary com
panies throughout the · country is de
pendent on the rates that can be
charged. These, in turn, are fixed by
State commissions and by ft Federal
commission.
Local Level Bargaining.
Much of the controversy in the strike
has revolved around the proposal that
wages be arbitrated nationally or local
ly. The National Labor Relations Act
was established in order to certify proper
bargaining units. The local telephone
companies, known ajg subsidiaries, have
been certified as the appropriate bar
gaining units in their respective areas.
This means that, while the union may
be national in scope, the law a· inter
preted by the labor board require· bar
gaining at the local level.
The unions contend that they will
bargain locally but that the pattern
must be set and can be fixed by na
tional arbitration. The company con
tends that arbitration of wages is a fac
tor which belongs under bargaining and
that, as long as the local companies are
the legally designated bargaining agents,
4-Vin Kornre an/4 **λλλΙImhIikI _
ing any arbitration—must be carried on
by the subsidiaries or regional com
panies. There are about 16 of these com
panies which supply telephone service
and there are a few manufacturing
companies affilllated with the parent
company.
The annual report shows that the A.
T. and T. owns all or nearly all the stock
of the subsidiary companies. Notwith
standing this fact, the local or regional
companies have been designated as bar
gaining agents. Doubtless this is be
cause the rates of income are fixed local
ly by State commissions and hence wage
increases would have to be followed by
applications for rate Increases in each
area.
The telephone company represents a
significant example of popular owner
ship as contrasted with concentrated or
group ownership. The public, there
fore, is seeing a battle between nearly
700,000 owners and 340,000 striking em
ployes, each side acting through desig
nated representatives. The outcome ie
certain to be some increase In wages
and eventually some Increase in the
telephone rates.
(Reproduction RUht· Reserved.)
Where Women Are Better
From the St. Loul· Post-Dispatch.
The telephone strike is giving abun
dant proof, if proof were needed, of the
wisdom of the Bell System in employ
ing women as operators. Many of the
emergency operators on the job during
the strike are men and they don't have
the patience for the job. They seem
about as much In their place as boys
playing the part of girls in a high
i school comedy.
Some, let it be said bluntly, are plain
; catty. A St. Louis woman was trying the
other night to put through a call about
a new-born baby. The male operator
: seemed quite sympathetic.
"A new baby, well, well ! And how are
mother and baby doing?"
"Oh, splendidly!"
"Well, there's no emergency then tad
your call can't be put through."
When are thoee girls with patient
manner and polite voice coming back on
! th» ioh'
After Ten Years
(Wife to husbands
Now I have learned, I think as well as
any
What one must take, who takes love's
daily bread:
Think twice before you spend a foolish
penny;
Look thrice before you. give a dream
its head.
Now I am lessoned well enough to chart
How moonlight hid what courtship
really won:
The kitchen view of life, the nursemaid
part—
My marriage portion when all was said
and done.
But if to come o/ age means, more or less.
Knowing' I cannot have my flU of
clothes
Or a heaven of mad hats, I think you
guess
You. fill such needs 1 never think of
those.
And even through surface anger, you
must see
That in my heart Is written: So Jet
it be—
ETHEL BARNETT DE VITCX
I