Evening star. [volume], July 29, 1948, Page A-14, Image 14

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THURSDAY, July 29, 1948
A Premature Call
In view of all the tub-thumping which
has accompanied the President’s call for
a special session of Congress to deal with
high prices, one would think that, at the
least, some member of his administration
other than Paul Porter, wnose real job is
that of private lawyer, would have been
ready to lay specific proposals before
the legislators. But the administration
is far from ready.
When Mr. Truman announced the spe
cial session call in his political speech to
the Democratic convention he said there
was no reason why Congress could not
act on his recommendations in two weeks.
It appears now, however, that at least a
week must pass before any administration
spokesman will be ready to testify on such
important matters as the President’s
request for restoration of the excess profits
tax and consumer credit controls, regula
tion of inflationary bank credit, and con
trol of speculation on the commodity
exchanges.
This state of affairs came to light yes
terday when Chairman Tobey of the Sen
ate Banking Committee, who is far more
in sympathy with the President’s requests
than are most Republicans, tried to line
up some witnesses to appear before his
committee.
A call to Thomas B. McCabe, chairman
of the Federal Reserve System’s Board of.
Governors, is said to have elicited the
response that he ‘ couldn’t possibly” testify
before next week. And Secretary of the
Treasury Snyder, who might be expected
to lead the procession of administration
witnesses on the tax and credit aspects
of the President’s program, is reported to
have said that he would not be prepared
to testify until after Mr. McCabe makes
his appearance.
The effect of all this is to lend a some
what farcical touch to the special session
call and to discredit the note of urgency
which Mr. Truman has sought to inject
into his demand for immediate action by
the Congress. The President may be sure
that the Republicans, who are looking for
any opportunity to turn the tables on him,
will make the most of this procrastination
on the part of his aides.
Atomic Policy for Now
In his statement accompanying the
fourth semiannual report of the United
States Atomic Energy Commission, Presi
dent Truman has reaffirmed and re
emphasized what has been fixed American
policy ever since the Russians revealed the
uncompromising nature of their refusal
to agree to genuine international control
of the atom.
The policy is as simple as it is impelauvc,
It, consists chiefly of holding on to the
strictest kind of secrecy for security pur
poses and of sparing no effort to keep the
Natiqn supreme in the field of A-weapons.
At the same time, though priority is thus
accorded the military aspects of the atom,
the AEC, in close co-operation with uni
versities, private industry, etc., is to do
everything possible to promote the develop
ment of nuclear fission for peacetime uses
designed to promote the economic and
physical well-being of mankind.
As far as the military phase is concerned,
both the President and the AEC have
made clear that our A-weapons have been ;
"substantially improved” since the first
bomb erased Hiroshima—a fact demon
strated by the recent tests at Eniwetok
Atoll in the Pacific. The details of those
tests continue to be a closely guarded
secret, but enough official information has
been vouchsafed us to leave no room for
doubt that our power to wage atomic war
fare is deadlier than ever and that the
grim fullness of its potentialities is still
undergoing progressive development. Civil
ian cbntrol of our nuclear-fission enterprise
has had no impeding effect. On the con
trary—and this underscores the wisdom
of the President’s argument for retaining
such control—it probably has been an im
portant stimulant.
As for the peacetime uses of the atom,
the AEC's report and the President's state
ment strongly indicate that real progress
is being made in spite of the necessary
emphasis on military development. Atomic
energy to supplement power resources like
coal, oil and falling water is not likely to
be available in quantity for effective in
dustrial application for another twenty
years or so, but its beneficial possibilities
in other fields probably will be realized
long before that. The work being con
ducted throughout the country with radio
isotopes is particularly significant. It
promises discoveries whose influences are
expected to be of incalculable value in
advancing public heklth, aiding industry
and Increasing agricultural productivity
in our own land and other parts of the
world.
Nevertheless, despite the great good im
plicit In the atom, the fact remains that
the outlook regarding this revolutionary
new force will continue bleak as long as
the Soviet Union—alone among the major
powers of the world—refuses to join in
setting up an effective system of vetoless
control. Pending the establishment of
such a system, the United States has no
choice—from the standpoint of self-pres
ervation—but to make itself so pre-eminent
in the field that no potential aggressor will
dare to strike for fear of suffering instant
and overwhelming retaliation. Given that,
then perhaps the Kremlin may be per
suaded in time to act as if it were really
a member of the United Nations.
Italian Labor Splits
The rift in the ranks of Italian organized
labor between the Communists and their
opponents has now reached an acute stage.
Formal schism was precipitated by the
Communists when the Red majority in the
Executive Committee of the General Con
federation of Labor voted to expel all
Christian Democratic members.
This action was, however, a tactical
move to, forestall a breakaway from the
confederation by the Catholic labor unions
which their leaders had scheduled for Sep
tember. It was taken most reluctantly,
the aim being to tag the dissident unions
as expellees rather than voluntary seceders.
This prestige victory will, however, be
a minor and hollow one. Every one knows
the true facts of the case and under
stands that the crisis was precipitated by
the Communists themselves in using the
labor confederation for revolutionary po
litical ends.
The crucial test came with the calling
of the general strike after the attempt on
the life of Palmiro Togliatti, chief of
Italy’s Communist Party. The confedera
tion’s constitution forbids the calling of
strikes for purely political reasons. Under
those conditions, the radical and conserva
tive wings of the labor movement have
been able to work together for mutual
economic advantages. And the conserva
tives have long had their own organization
within the confederation—the Catholic
Association of Italian Workers, which is
strong in certain labor categories, especially
peasants, railroad men and white-collar
workers.
So long as the confederation was domi
nated by the Socialists, the letter and spirit
of the constitution were observed. But the
passing of power to the Communists had
its inevitable results. On the political side
the Socialist Party had its first split nearly
a year ago, when the non-Communist
minority broke away from, the fellow
travelling majority. And it now looks as
though another breakaway is imminent,
this time with the radical wing throwing
in its lot with the Communists while the
balance throws off Communist dictation
and presumably joins the original seceders
in a reorganized party devoted to orthodox
Socialist principles. The breakaway of the
Catholic unions from the confederation
presumably heralds the same process of
revolt from Communist domination. The
Catholic association, as a separate body,
expects to have a membership of some
2,000.000. And this split should normally
increase the restiveness of the non
Communist elements still within the fed
eration over Communist exploitation for
partisan, revolutionary ends.
There is an interesting parallel in all
this with the similar secession of the non
Communist workers from the French
General Confederation of Labor which
occurred some months ago. This break
away was headed by the veteran Socialist
labor leader, Leon Jouhaux. Although a
majority of French workers still adhere
to the general confederation, the non
Communist organization has proved a
staunch rival and Communist leadership
has had to walk more warily in the calling
of French strikes for political reasons. In
both countries, therefore, organized labor
is waking up to the Communist menace to
their own welfare and that of the nation.
An expedition is off to explore a sub
marine mountain range, which may prove
the long-sought compromise for the va
cationing family unable to agree on salt
water or the hills.
Mrs. W. asks a Chicago medical colum
nist, "Is the tendency to lie inherited?”
Why? What has the golfer’s little boy
been saying?
What About West Germany?
The negotiations between the military
governors of the three western zones of
occupied Germany and the local German
authorities are being conducted in a grow
ing atmosphere of unreality.
For several weeks the city of Frankfort
on-the Vain has witnessed the unusual
spectackXof the vanquished seeking to
decline l \ * evade political concessions
offered by he victors. Those concessions
were emboa \d in the program adopted
by the London Conference of the Western
Powers last spring. Under it, the Ameri
can. British and French zohes were to be
unified in a regime which, while lacking
the basic attributes of sovereignty, were to
have a common executive, legislature and
judiciary, while the economic barriers be
tween the zones were to be abolished. The
resultant would be an entity which, with
Western Allied backing and integration
into the Marshall Plan, could hope notably
to further the recovery of West Germany.
Nevertheless, the leaders of West Ger
many have hesitated to subscribe to the
London program,, especially on its political
side. The reasons for this seeming paradox
are complex. To begin with, the establish
ment of such a regime would tend to
emphasize the split between West Germany
and the eastern zone under Russian -occu
pation. This had, indeed, been stressed by
Moscow, which has consistently condemned
the entire London program as an illegal
violation of the Potsdam Four-Power
Agreement for the treatment of Germany.
And Moscow’s attitude has aroused the
fears of German nationalists besides serv
ing as a talking point for Communist
propaganda. The “Siege of Berlin” was
represented by Moscow as the logical
result of the unilateral actions of the
Western Powers. Furthermore, the hesi
tant German leaders knew that the
Western Powers were not firmly united
behind the London program. France had
adhered to it reluctantly under American
and British pressure, fearful that it would
result in a degree of German unification
which might menace future French
security.
German reluctance has been intensinea
by two recent events. One is the fall of
the Schuman government of France that
had approved the London program, with
no certainty that the subsequent govern
ment would follow its predecessor’s Ger
man policy. Even more Important has
been the change of diplomatic attitude by
America and Britain toward Moscow, look
ing toward the possibility of renewed
; Four-Power conferences on the entire
'German problem. Logically, this puts In
question the integrity of the London pro
gram. Indeed, everything that the Western
Powers have done in West Germany is
subject to revision in a possible over-all
settlement of Germany as a whole. Itj
certainly stamps with a provisional char
acter whatever arrangements may be con
cluded between the Western military
governors and the German authorities in
the western zones. The German problem
thus acquires a contingent fluidity not
visible since the close of the war, before
Potsdam.
A 'Horrible' Situation
Justice Alexander Holtzofl of District
Court did not exaggerate when he called
the Public Utilities Commission-Interstate
Commerce Commission battle over Penta
gon bus fares a “horrible contest of juris
diction between two regulatory agencies.”
The unhappy victim of the struggle is the
Capital Transit Company. As Justice
Holtzoff aptly said, the company is being
ground between two millstones. It is
entitled to relief.
Relief in the immediate situation can
come only through the courts. Justice
Holtzoff has directed continuance of the
present cut-rate fare arrangement between
Capital Transit and thei Virginia buslines,
pending settlement of legal issues by court
suit. He cited a 1945 Supreme Court ruling
that the ICC had authority to fix fares
for bus service to and from the Pentagon
and other war offices in Arlington. It
should be noted, however, that at that
time Capital Transit buses ran to the
Pentagon and certain other war agencies
in Virginia. The question to be decided
by the courts now is whether the ICC still
has jurisdiction, in view of abandonment
by Capital Transit of its Virginia oper
ations.
The PUC-ICC dispute is not the only
example of "horrible” conflict between
regulatory agencies in this vicinity, how
ever. Relief from these recurring squabbles
should be obtained somewhere other than
in the courts. Legislation, rather than
litigation, is the only hope of permanent
solution of the troubles peculiar to the
Metropolitan Area of Washington. There
is a twilight zone of Jurisdiction, covering
a fringe, of overlapping utilities problems,
that belongs to neither Federal, State nor
District of Columbia commissions. This
zone' calls for creation by compact of an
entirely new utilities agency empowered
to act in fringe cases that cut across State
lines, yet which are not properly the con
cern of the ICC or any other existing body.
It is too much to hope for consideration
of this proposal at the special session of
Congress. But eventually something will
have to be done—by Congress and the
State legislatures rather than by the courts
—if the present unsatisfactory conditions
are to be eliminated for good.
The State Department’s collection of
modern art, ridiculed by Congressmen, has
been auctioned at a 40 per cent profit.
Who knows—a knock from Capitol Hill
may yet be as eagerly sought as a Boston
book ban.
An Army recruit with a 15-E foot size
enlists in the West and the question arises:
Are shoes the thing, or caterpillar treads?
This and That
By Charles E. Tracervell
"DERWOOD, Md.
"Dear Sir:
"I live on a farm near Olney. A Jew morn
ings ago I scattered grain out for my hens,
then went into the hen house to fill the hopper
with laying mash, when I heard the old turkey
hen, with a terrified squawk, run for shelter,
and after her fluttered all the chickens.
“When I looked out the door, there about
20 feet away, stood an immense bird, with
a very long neck and long legs.
"It’s body* was as large as a turkey, though
chunky, instead of slim, with the general color
pure white.
"As soon as it saw me, and before I could
get a more accurate description, aud with its
long legs dangling, it spread its wings and
rapidly flew away.
"It must have been some kind of water
bird. We have no body of water nearer than
five miles. Can you help me out on the iden
tity?
* * * *
“I would also like to tell you that two weeks
ago when I went to let a chicken hen with a
fine brood of baby chickens less than a month
old out of her wooden coop, there inside the
doer lay a black snake, with three dead chick
ens around it, and upon counting them, two
more had been eaten, evidently, making the
shake so satiated that it would not move.
“The man who killed it, said it was four
feet long.
“He also said he did not like to kill black
snakes, because they were useful.
“How do you feel about them?
"Very truly, M. B. B.”
* * * *
The large white water bird may have been a
little blue heron in its adult, or white, stage.
They are often seen in and around the
National Zoological Park.
It is only after two years the birds take
on the pure white color and then only when
they are in perfect plumage.
Sometimes they are mistaken for egrets,
because of this white plumage.
* * * *
The black snake is regarded as the farmer’s
friend.
These large snakes look very ugly, but actu
ally are harmless to mankind and do a good
service in rodent control.
It is only now and then that they catch
birds.
As for baby chicks, black snakes will take
them, now and then, when they come across
them.
All wild creatures are opportunists. They
eat as they can and if it chances that they
run onto an unguarded hen and family, well,
something is likely to disappear.
But as a rule the ugly black snake does a
pretty good job of letting birds alone.
He is not a good tree climber, but can go
10 or so feet high.
There is another form, called the mountain
black snake, that is a real enemy to bird life.
He is known to get birds at every oppor
tunity, being a real tree climber, able to get
to almost any nest.
The regulation black snake, however, is
generally regarded as harmless.
He has many friends in the country, except
among those persons—and they are many—
who do not like snakes in any form.
* * * *
There is a theory that no one would be
afraid of snakes if some one else had not
inculcated the fear into him as a child.
Others doubt this.
It seems to them that the fear of shakes,
far from being purely psychological, is a
genuine thing in itself.
There is a good reason for this. Snakes go
too far back in time. They are ancient of
ancient; they bring back to even the .un
thinking something of primeval terror.
Let us remember that, no matter how bad
the world seems today, it once was worse,
far worse. Once upon a time a man could be
hanged for stealing a loaf of bread. If we can
consolidate our gains, maybe in time we can
! become "as wise as the serpent,” and as mild
1 as the lamb. It^f worth trying for.
Letters to The Star
School Auditoriums as Theaters
To the Editor of The Star:
At this late date there remains, apparently,
but one solution to the theater Impasse lacing
Washington this fall when we will achieve the
unenviable distinction of being the one major
world capital without a legitimate theater.
That is to make available for stopgap the
atrical use one of our school auditoriums, sev
eral of which are more than adequate for the
purpose and would provide a satisfactory solu
tion until a permanent theater can be opened.
While the effort to make the Belasco avail
able for theatrical use must be vigorously
pressed, it is too late now for it to be available
for fall productions.
School auditoriums throughout America are
constantly used by our citizenry. In Wash
ington they are used by many cultural civic
groups, among them the Columbia Light Opera
Co. and the Children's Theater.
J. G. FRAIN,
Executive Secretary, Washington Art Center
Association, Inc.
Mr. Wallace Won’t Be Shot
To the Editor ot The Star:
Henry Wallace advocates peace, abundance
and human rights. As a beginning, he says
that we should get out of Berlin because
Russia wants us out, in defiance of interna
tional agreement. His first step to peace is
the appeasement of dictators. Some years ago.
the democratic countries of Europe attempted
to appease dictators. Did they achieve peace,
abundance and human rights? No, indeed!
They got death for millions of human beings,
catastrophic destruction of property, incredible
privation and virtual slavery. Out of it, also,
the United States got hundreds of thousands
of dead and crippled, the biggest debt in his
tory, the highest prices ever known, and the
gravest perils since our country’s founding.
Now, Mr. Wallace would have us back out
of Berlin, then out of Germany, then out of
Europe and Asia. Finally, after Europe was
lost, we would be forced to back out of our
homes, our possessions, and our rights at the
point of dictator bayonets, as Europe did
before. Mr. Wallace gives aid and comfort
to our enemies. The Constitution says that
giving aid and comfort to our country’s ene
mies is treason. Mr. Wallace wants to be
President. Some millions of American voters
will be misled by his muddy thinking, allur
ing phrases, cheap ambition. If Mr. Wallace
were a Russian, and spoke against his govern
ment in Russia, he promptly would be shot.
But this is free America. A Bilbo, a Gerald
L. K. Smith, a Wallace, is safe.
CARLETON R. BALL.
Hyderabad to Be Democratized
To the Editor of The St*r:
The tragic division of India, which has given
rise to bloody communal strife between Moslem
and Hindu, has evoked a number of letters
to The Star. Unfortunately, however, many
of the correspondents have very little real
knowledge of the situation or are deliberately
misstating the facts. Discussions of the Hy
derabad problem—such as the letters of Karl
Jensen on July 14 and 21—have been parti
cularly distorted.
It is contended that*the difficulties between
Hyderabad and the Government of India are
parallel to the Russo-Finnish war of 1940
when the Red Army was supposedly “forced"
to invade the little nation for reasons of
“self defense,” A quick study of the history
of India will readily prove that the situation
there is not analogous.
In the first place, Finland was an independent
sovereign state, recognized and accepted by
the family of nations. Its people are not Rus
sian; they form a distinct nationality and have
a distinct culture and language of their own.
Hyderabad, on the other hand, was never
in history an independent state and its people
and culture are the same as those of India.
The history of Hyderabad goes back to 1720
when the Mogul Emperor of India appointed
one of his favorites, Nizam ul Mulk, as
governor of the southern administrative dis
trict of India. The Moguls, it should be
pointed, out, were foreign Mongol Invaders of
India who were ruling the country by op
pression and eventually tried to convert the
Hindus to* Mohammedanism by force. As a
result of their policy, the country had been
seriously weakened by internal resistance and
rebellion followed by the invasion of Britain
and France.
First Nizam Appointed by Mogul.
The Mogul ruler hoped that by appointing
Nizam ul Mulk, a man of some ability, he might
be able to save that part of the empire from
destruction. After the death of the Nizam,
his son asked the Emperor for the commission
as governor and his petition was granted.
During the remaining period of Mogul rule,
the Nizams of Hyderabad were individually
jommissioned by the Emperor as administrative
officers.
Finally, one of the Nizams came to the con
clusion that the destruction of Indian power
by the British was inevitable and he decided
to desert his own master and make a deal
with the invaders. He was granted the right
to rule the remaining portions of his ad
ministrative area by agreement with Great
Britain as a result of his desertion. Thus,
the Nizam of Hyderabad became a hereditary
vassal of the British crown by an act of
treason.
Under the entire period of British suzerainty
over India, the Nizam of Hyderabad was con
sidered to be subject to the central power
ruling India and his attempts at asserting
some measure of internal autonomy were
quickly rejected by the viceroy. In 1926, for
example, the liizam was told bluntly by Lord
Reading, viceroy and governor-general, that
“the right of the British government to in
tervene in the internal affairs of Indian states
is another instance of the consequence neces
sarily involved in the supremacy of the British
crown. Its supremacy is not based only upon
treaties and engagements but exists inde
pendently of them.”
With the establishment of an independent
Indian dominion, the crown renounced all sov
ereign power and terminated all treaties and
agreements with the Indian states. The
government of India thereupon automatically
succeeded to all sovereign rights. In other
words, the withdrawal of British power re
established the situation in India as it was
prior to British control and the "state” of
Hyderabad reverted to an administrative dis
trict whose ruler is subject to appointment,
Control and removal by the government of
India.
India has not made any such drastic de
mands. Thq government merely insists upon
the abolition of the autocratic rule of the
present Mohammedan' Nizam and upon the
Institution of a democratic regime. Today,
the will of .one man rules 18 million subjects,
of which only 2 million are Mohammedan,
within the heart of central India. There is
little difference between the desire of the
government to protect the people of Hyder
abad and the principles expressed 1» our own
Constitution. Article 4, Section 4, specifically
provides that “the United States shall guaran
tee to every State in the Union a Republican
form of Government.”
There is absolutely no basis upon which the
Nizam of Hyderabad can arrogate to himself
sovereign powers above the rights of the
Indian people.
Hypothetical Parallel Set Up.
The situation might be clearer if the follow
ing comparison were made: Suppose that the
Japanese had been able to conquer the United
\ v
Letters for publication must bear
the signature and address of the
writer, although it is permissible for
a writer known to The Star to use
a nom de plume. Please be brief.
Stales and were engaged in forcibly converting
the people to Shintoism. Internal resistance
to their brutal methods develops and weakens
their hold on the country. At the same time
Soviet Russia and Mexico invade the West
and begin to whittle away large sections of
territory. The Mikado thereupon appoints
a court favorite as governor of the Western
States and hopes that the invaders will be
repelled. After some time, the governor of
the West decides he can get a better deal
from the Kremlin and sells out to them on
condition that he is made hereditary com
missar of "Neutor&do”—the territory formerly
known as Nevada, Utah and Colorado. After
several decades, the American people finally
free themselves of Soviet rule and re-establish
their independence and their Nation. But
the Japanese commissar of Neutorado, sup
ported by a small group qf American quislings,
decides he wants to keep on ruling and refuses
to have any>deallngs with the central power
at v Washington. He proceeds to purchase
bombers fjbm Belgium and starts a gun-run
ning network—as the Nizam of Hyderabad
is doing today!
It is not difficult to imagine what would
happen to the Neutorado state. It would im
mediately be invaded and wiped out and the
commissar electrocuted for treason. It is re
markable that the government of India has
shown as much self-restraint as it has.
O. J. DEKOM,
Editor. Par Eastern News Letter.
Danger of Communism Stressed
To the Kaltor of The Star:
“Communism possesses a language which
every people can understand. Its elements
are hunger, envy and death.”
Today, the ideology proclaimed by Marx
and Engels evokes discussion and discord;
and the disunity occasioned by communism
is cause for concern accenting the question
of individual freedom versus the all-powerful
state.
The assertion is made that “every Com
munist is a potential enemy of the United
States” and it is known that Russia is exert
ing frenzied efforts to extol communism as
superior to other forms of government.
William Z. Poster, chairman of the Com
munist Party in the United States, when tes
tifying .before a congressional committee was
asked, “Do you owe allegiance to the Ameri
can flag?” Mr. Poster “stated very clearly,
that the Red flag is the flag of the revolu
tionary class, and all capitalist flags are flags
of the capitalist class, and we owe no alle
giance to them.”
Communism should be fought in the open;
there is no place in this Nation "for an ideology
contrary to the spirit upon which it was
founded. Ex-President Hoover in a recent
speech pointed out that as long as we follow
the precepts which in the past have contrib
uted to the Nation’s greatness, we Will over
come all our current problems, stressing the
fact that in those nations where truth no
lopger is a guiding principle totalitarian
“liberals” havq provided “the ladder ’upon
which the Communist pirates have boarded
the ship of state.”
It is obvious from the writing of Stalin
himself that Communists count on two events
to swing the world their way. The* first is a
depression in the United States. The second
is a'Third World War, not between the Soviet
Union and the United States primarily, but
between two capitalist nations with Russia
going in on one side and then licking its ally
afterwards.
Be advised; The ultimate Communist aim
is a Communist world empire.
Bluemont, Va. WALTER I. PRIEST.
Mercy-Convoy to Berlin
To the Kdltor of The Star:
War-shocked mankind looks in agonized in
decision toward the shambles of Berlin,
ghoulish^ symbol of Nemesis and the utter
futility of hate and war. Soldiers and the
anxious fathers of soldiers fearfully recall
Sarajevo and the Chinese dead on Marco Polo
bridge. Little did we think they were grim
portents- of two barbaric World Wars in which
there were no victors but death and infinite
sorrow.
Our worried leaders give us little hope that
the starvation-blockade of mortally-wounded
Berlin can be resolved without a showdown of
force. The high-level decision to fight famine
and plague in Berlin by doubling the mercy
runs of our airlift is a vicarious show of force.
The atheist slavemasters of the Politburo know
this and hesitate to call our dangerous hand.
Berlin is the best proof that our air power can
play other significant roles than break a
starvation-blockade by a former ally which has
become a predatory aggressor. Yet cold logic
consoles them with the belief that bankrupting
cost and their old ally winter will make the
airlift-rescue an ideological asset with dimin
ishing returns. The despair of the abandoned
will be the more paralyzing because it follows
breach of trust of our Nation’s honor in its
treaty obligations.
The campaign battle cry of Henry A. Wal
lace, '‘Abandon Berlin,” forces a high-level de
cision upon our perplexed leadership. Pormer
Vice President and now usurper of the mantle
of the champion of the Fouj- Freedoms, the
late Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Mr. Wallace
has become a sycophant and servile pleader
for the cynical masters of the Kremlin. Call
ing upon the gullible to abandon Berlin, we
safely may assume that Soviet-apologist Wal
lace is mouthing the atheist prayers of the
Politburo with hypnotized servility. Now Presi
dential Candidate Wallace, betrayer of the
Four Freedoms, presents the hopes of the
common man for peace, freedom and abun
dance with a choice of evils: Abandon Berlin
to the slavemasters of the police state; or
break the inhuman starvation-blockade wltn
force or Its inflammatory equivalent.
The plan herein proposed is predicated on
the belief that an armed convoy routed
through the besieging Soviet Zone via the
autobahn is a poor choice of evils. Those
sponsoring the armed-convoy break-through
argue that by having the showdown with
pawns, the principals are not committed by
a local gamble with the dice. Both sides caq
save face by saying the fate of civilisation
should not hang on the nervous trigger-finger
of either a bully or a victim of terror. This
would keep the eold war localized to a small
perimeter of undeclared war where active
belligerency exists without formal declaration
of all-out hostilities. Even if the armed
convoy does not at this time precipitate all
out hostilities the lack of final decision plays
into the hands of aggressor?.
But an unarmed convoy carrying food,
clothing and medicine, bearing Red Cross ln
stgnlas *n(i the flag of the United Nations,
could break the starvation-blockade in the
name erf common humanity. This wquld force
the predatory atheists of the Politburo to a
high-level decision of future policy and in
tention. If they vetoed or denied entry to
a mercy-convoy, they would declare their
criminally Insane ruthlessness so that even
their own enslaved people beyond the Iron
Curtain would know it beyond, reasonable
doubt. THOMAS E. MATTINGLY, M. D.
/*'
The Political Mill
High Prices and inflation
To Be Campaign Issues
Drop in Commodities Before Election
Would Stymie Truman’s Plans
By GoulJ Lincoln
The issue of high prices and inflation is
going into the coming presidential campaign
if President Truman can bring it about. Prob
ably nothing more disconcerting to the Tru
man campaign could happen than a falling off
of prices of important commodities between
now and next November. As far as the politics
of the situation is concerned, everything de
pends on whether the consumer will place the
blame for continued high prices on the Presi
dent or on the Republican Congress.
Obviously. Mr. Truman believes he has the
Republicans over a barrel. Just as obviously,
some of the Republicans are worried and
don’t know which way to turn. It’s a fact
the country confronts a condition—not a
theory—and people are paying a lot of money
for what they buy. On the other hand, the
people still have money to pay. If they didn't,
buying would stop, and goods would sell for
whatever the producers and merchants could
get for them, with a slump in prices.
In his message to Congress on the legisla
tion he wishes enacted, Mr. Truman said a
great deal about increase in prices, and very
little about the Increases in wages that have
gone along, too, except to say that he be
lieved some further increases could be granted.
He said a lot about production and the full
use of the production system. He failed, how
eveh to mention that this so-called full pro
duction was coming from a 40-hour or leas
work week, or to consider how much greater
the production could be in many lines if ths
workers labored a few hours longer.
Contributing Factors.
Several (acton art contributing to high and
higher prices. One of them, about which
apparently nothing can be done, la the huge
export of American commodities now going
on, with the European Recovery Program as
a main cause. Mr. Truman does not suggest
that anything material be done to eut down
the export of goods, nor does he suggest any
fundamental economic remedy.
Rationing and price control are the principal
planks of his program for meeting lntatlon,
and he Is pretty wary about these. He reaHses
that these controls are highly unpopular, ones
they are imposed. He has good reason
know this because he confronted that situa •
tion in 1946, when the people were complaining
bitterly against these controls which had corns
over from wartimes. Mr. Truman, when he
could not get Congress to continue the price
control legislation Just as he wanted it, began
scuttling the system In a hurry. Even so the
Democrats lost the congressional elections that
year—and control passed to the Republicans.
The effect of rationing and price control in
those days was to limit production and to
shunt great quantities of goods Into a black
market. A resumption of these controls would,
in all probability, bring about similar condl
lions and the people would be no happier with
less to buy—and having to pay higher prices
to get what they wanted in a black market.
Tough Nut to Crack.
It’s a tough nut to crack, with grave doubt
that any legislation would accomplish relief.
The Republicans, with good reason, stick to
the claim that retrenchment in Government
spending would be effective. If the Repub
licans do nothing, and inflation should gain
great headway, Mr. Truman will beat the
bushes with wide claims that had his program
been put into effect the people would have
been spared. On the other hand, if prices
do not Increase materially before November,
Mr. Truman's campaign will have little effect.
The Republicans In Congress, acting on the
advice of Gov. Dewey of New York, GOP
presidential nominee, have promised to give
Mr. Truman’s recommendations careful con
sideration. To do less would be stupid politi
cally. The country knows that Mr. Truman's
call for a special session was political, without
any expectation on his part that legislation
could be enacted, or If It was, that it would
be effective. The move seemed to give promise,
politically. It was something new. It will
soon cease, however, to have any novelty at
tached. One effect may be to low Mr. Truman
any chance whatever of carrying Southern
States, with the civil rights legislation coming
up.
Answers to Questions
A reader can set the tnawer to any duration nf
fact by wrltini The Ivenlnc Star Information
Bureau. S18 I atreet Nt Waahtncton t, D. C.
Pleaee incloae .1 cents for return poatan.
BY THE HASKINS SERVICE
Q. Did s legless msn once swim 150 miles
In the Hudson River?--J.. K. »
A. The handicap swim record Is held by
the legless Charlie Ztmmy, who swam tha
Hudson River from Albany to New York, a
matter of 147 miles In 1938, but without any
timing for his feat.
Q. In surnames like D'Ambrosca. should the
“D” be pronounced as ‘‘dee"?—P. D. A.
A. The preposition abbreviated In such
names as D'Andrea, D'Allesandro, and D'Am
brosca Is never so pronounced that It sounds as
if written “dee.” The very fact that the vowel
has been dropped before the first letter of the
proper noun Indicates that it has no separata
sound. The first letter of the prepositon blends
with the first letter of the basic name. D'Am
brosca is pronounced Dam-brhs'-kuh.
Q. What was the lowest temperature ever
recorded In North America?—W. P. E.
A. In 1947 a reading of 78.7 degrees F. below
zero was recorded at Snag, a small outpost on
the Alaska-Yuksn border. This was, according
to the Canadian Meteorological Service, the
lowest temperature reported In North America.
Q. Who named Broadway in New York City
■The Great White Way”?—P. R. Y.
• A. The nickname is derived from the title
of a play by A. B. Paine <19011 And refers to
its brilliant lighting.
Q. What became of ths hospital ship
U. S. 8. Mercy?—C. W.
A. The Department of the Navy says th#
U. 8. 8. Mercy, AH 8, is no longer in activg
service. This ship was transferred to the War
Assets Administration and sold.
Old Road
Here once a road
Down which the loggers drove
Their patient teams.
Yonder an elm
And there a poplar grove,
Where sunlight gleams.
And checker berries dot the moss that
grows
Between the ever-widening laurel rows.
Here once a road »
That farm folk used to take
fn route to town;
Bordered by cress
And sassafras and brake,
Stony and brown,
Winding around each hollow and each
knoll
As though in little haste to reach its goal
Here once a road;
Bemused, with heart aglow,
I lonely fare;
A Livingston,
A Stanley, I can go
Exploring, where
The only feet remembered are long dead,
And wild grapes tangle boughs above mg
head.
LALIA MITCHELL THORNTOH.
‘