Washington Merry-Go-Rqund
By DREW PEARSON
-".EDITORIAL PAGE
La Grande Evening Observer
Frank Schiro, Publisher
MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 20, 1945
Otherwise Unconditional Surrender Won't Be Complete
" '
THOUGHT IX)K TODAY
The fear of some divine and supreme
power keeps men in obedience. Burton,
Reconversion and Congress
The several million workers facing:
at least temporary unemployment as
the speedy aftermath of peace prob
ably experienced varying degrees of re
assurance as result of the statement
of Senate majority leader A I b c n W.
Gnrkley that "human elements" of rev
conversion will be the first order of
business w h o n congress reconvenes
next Sept. 5.
There is reassurance in the fact that
congress seems awake to the urgency
of the "human element" which, to the
worker, means nothing m o r e or loss
than a job. Loss encouraging to those
facing unemployment is their knowl
edge of the record of congress for leis
urely handling of practically all legis
lation that conies before it, Many per
sons doubtless fear with justification
that they will be jobless a long time
if they are forced to wail until congress
(loos something to relieve them.
In theory, and probably in lacl, those
likely to bo affected doubtless are bet
tor equipped to cope with a period of
unemployment than over has boon true
of such a group in history. Most of them
have war bonds and other savings to
tide them over the rainy day they knew
would come with peace. Hut people with
such reserves will bo reluctant, on the
whole, to draw upon them. And there
can bo no escaping the problem repre
sented by the many thousands of per
son who failed for various reasons to
be prepared for the problems now con
fronting them. The fact that most such
people may have themselves to blame
for their immediate prospects does not
remove nor lessen the problems with
which they and the nation are con
fronted. No matter where the biame may lie,
and no matter how well prepared those
affected may be, the joblessness of sev
eral million people for a n y extended
period will be an unhealthy, and pos
sibly dangerous, condition both for the
unemployed and for the nation as a
whole. The least such a condition can
do is to breed the sort f discontent in
which such things as communism will
flourish. Idle hands arc dangerous both
for the individual and for the nation.
The national welfare therefore de
mands that congress follow the course
promised by Senator 1'arkloy. It is of
an importance impossible to exagger
ate that congress make the "human el
ements" of reconversion its first order
of business. It is even more important
that action designed to relieve the sit
uation be prompt.
Mennw liile, the outlook for th" un
employed, and the prospectively unem
ployed, probably is as favorable as con
gross can make it at this time. Congress
seems awake to the importance and the
urgency of the problem. This, of course,
does not guarantee that curative legis
lative .i'Otion may bo as speedy as may
lie desired. P.ut it does provide reason
for hope that, our national legislators
will bo diligent in providing whatever
relief congress can provide.
Funny Business
a-
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2
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VT.v i
if.
SO THEY SAY
Only through the monopoly of
.11011110 force by a world organ
ization can we hope to abolish
war.
-Hobort M. tlnU'hins. chancellor,
t'liivcvsily of Chicago.
Safety of flying personnel and
the public will be protected if
planes Hie not flown over cities
except in direct emergencies.
Hloomington, 111. Pantagraph.
Russia's move will bo a disap
pointment to those who have
licen trying to foment war be
tween the United States and the
Soviet Union.
The Very liev Dean John
Chepeleff, Russian Orthodox
cathedral, Detroit.
, U't lie new tamtam hone rubber conservation, you knowl"
There's one page we might take
from the communist's book with
profit to democracy. The Com
mie works harder to be a good
comimitiisl than vvv work at do
mocracy.
Beloit, Wis., News.
(Ed. Note While Drew Pearson is on
a brief vacation, his column will be writ
ten by several distinguished guest colum
nists today by Henry J. Kaiser, the fa
mous west coast industrialist and shipbuilder.)
Page Two
By HENRY J. KAISER
SAN FRANCISCO For one who has, on
occasion, been taken for a. ride on Drew
Pearson's merry-go-round, It is difficult to
refuse a free ride when it is offered.
During the war, I have come to know
something of the Washington covered in this
column. What understanding of its prob
lems I have asquired stems from my discov
ery that the war department, navy, and war
production board consist of a lot of individ
ual men, each and everyone doing his best.
Criticism of their performance should be
tempered by comprehension of the fact that,
in our free society, the initiative in domes
tic affairs should originate elsewhere, out
side of the government, n the ranks of man
agement, labor, and agriculture In which the
real responsibility for the progress of our
nation resides.
After all, if the government were too effi
cient when it takes over the functions of
business, it would be difficult to compete
with it, and perhaps make it impossible for
Drew Pearson to work. The chorus of com
plaint arises largely from those citizens who
have lost ther taste for competition.
It was thrilling, during the United Nations
conference on International organization at
San Francisco, to watch oui' nation's new
frleds from the world abroad climax their
discovery of America by discovering the sec
ret of America's great power. For many of
them it was at first difficult to understand
how such coordinated industrial might could
flow from a system of economic freedom
motivated by self interest. The secret, of
course, is the force of competition.
Inevitably, when men compete to reduce
the price, improve the quality, and increase
the volume of production, they achieve bene
fits for the whole nation. In the resulting
expansion of earning power, labor partici
pates to the extent of at least 75 percent.
America will go on growing just as long
as we enlarge the scope and widen the op
portunities of competition.
Little Mayo Clinics
Let me again talk about health competi
tive health. At the invitation of the Pepper
committee of the senate, I have drafted a
bill for federal legislation to achieve com
petitive health. This bill has in mind the
future and the hopes of the half million
veterans of war who are going td come home
not only doctors, but nurses, pharmacists,
and battalion aid men.. It would empower
the federal housing agency, which; has fi
nanced the ownership of nearly a million
American homes, to guarantee 90 percent
of local bank loans to build and equip hos
pitals. This financing would be made avail
able to groups, that undertake to' provide
prepaid medical care. -
Here is an opportunity! In the armed
forces, doctors have learned to work and
live together in group practice. Under the
bill, they could invest the funds set up for''
them by the G. 'I. 'Hill of rights in their own
group practice dirties at home. Together,
10 of them could make up a pool of $25,000
and get a, loan of $250,000 to set up much
ncded medical facilities. : , . ' .
I can see little Mayo clinics springing up
all over thp nation. Founded on the sound
economics of prepaid medicine, .these. ,clin- . .
ics would operate as going business enter
prises, competing to reduce their cost, im
prove the quality and expand the scope of
their service to the public.
Postwar Employment
Health is the first project of the four-point
postwar program that has been on my mind
since the war began health, homes, high-,
ways, and transportation. . Competition will
speed them all forward for the creation 'of
employment. , For' the' sake, of slirring up
some competition, "wo made full disclosure
of our plan's in 'the Home building field two
days after V-E day. We are going to build .
whole communities of homes.
Highways are also a good subject for com
petition. The states thnt'haVe the best high
ways will lead the parade when tho citizens
of the U. S. set out to rediscover this coun
try once again. California has started .the
snowball rolling with a recent announce
ment of a $400,000,000 postwar highway pro
gram. "
Now let me talk about steel. Here Is a
glorious prospect! The great steel Corpora
tions, by virtue of the fact that steel ingo!
capacity has beon installed in the west, arc
now going to have competition. In the
press this week, Ernest Weir was the latest
eastern steel man to confess his concern
ovsr western competition. Two great new
steel plants have been built in the west:
the Kaiser steel plant, at Fontarta; Califor-'
nia, owned and operated by Kaiser com
pany, inc., and the D. P. C. plant at Geneva,
Utah, owned by the people of the United
See WASHINGTON . . '. Page 4
con.nwamuURVicc.ne. t.m. mo. v. a. mt. off. '''gJJgi
"Its cruising speed is pretty slow, I guess, but I'll settle 'for-' this as
my bomber from now on!"
' (fOC
O McKENNEY ON BRIDGE
I .!
By WILLIAM E. McKENNEY America's Card Authority
EVALUATE BIDDING
IN CHOOSING A LEAD
Mrs. R. C. (Sally) Young of
Philadelphia was rated for sever
al years the world's outstanding
woman bridge player. When the
war came along, Sally went into
war work and in addition, drove
a laxicab. However, I have seen
her around at tournaments late
ly rand she may be out to win
back her crown.
I asked Sally once if she had
-"il'M-
' A 10 6 4
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South West North East
I Pass l 2
Pass 3 Pass 3 A
Puss 3 N. T. Pass 4 A
21
partner iriay hold a sirrgttrtb'h dia-
mond or may even bevold-'in dia
monds." ..' ':. ,. . -.joteW .
In this particular., case. ,Soulh
cashed the ace of diirmorVIs and
led the deuce, which North' ruff
ed. A club was returnoob South
won and led onotheri.tltamond.
Thus, before the opponents start
ed, North and South "touk four '
tricks. .' . .,!-.ryn; .
O IN FORMER
YEARS
: :fc
-ull
WE, THE WOMEN
it;
By RUTH MILLETT
Where is that war wife who only the oth
er day was worrying about her own family
problems of postwar readjustment? Who
grew blue and despondent, just thinking
about the job ahead of her when her man
would come home and onbe more would
have to get acquainted with his wife and
children again, to assume the responsibility
for getting a job and settling down?
That woman Who was getting so much
conflicting advice on how to treat her re
turned serviceman, she wondered if shj
would ever be equal to the, task?
The girl who was wondering if she would
ever have the wisdom, the understanding,
the patience, the taet to make a go of things
when her man came back to her?
Where is that harassed and lonely crea
ture? No wonder you can't find her. The weight
of uncertainty and advice has slipped from
her shoulders.
There is a spripg to her step and her head
is up in the clouds. She isn't "a poor little
thing" any more. She doesn't need sym-
pathy and advice.1' :'(.,";' ? !'" :?'?".
She is a sure creature, who. doesn't figure
there is any problem in the world that can
lick her now. Don't worry about her any
more. She doesn't need anyone to hold her
hand.
There is just one thing on her mind, now.
When is Joe coming home? How many
days, how many weeks, how many months?
And, oh yes, she has another 'problem or
two. But she'll solve them. They're really
simple though they seem stupendous at the
moment. What is she going to wear when '
she nieels her man at the railroad station?
And, how is she going to manage her
p6inls: so as to have the pantry anil, tec box
well stocked for his return?
There may be tough problems ahead of
her and later she may want some advice
but. not now. Not on anything more ser
ious than, say, is her new permanent really
becoming?
That "poor little war wife", is the happiest
woman in the world. : C. .
any specific theories on opening
leads, and she said, "Definitely
yes. I think that most people
make the wrong lead because
they do noi Mop to think."
Then she gave me today's hand.
"Surprisingly," she said, "many
players will open the king of
lute. But lrstQn..tolhe.bidding.
asf has- bid.' two diamonds and'
latet three;.spsdes,. so he prob
ably has five diamonds. West
helped the diamonds, probably
holding three, possibly four.
South has bid clubs. Therefore
the only correct opening is the
ace" of diamonds, because your
O BARBS
In dealing with the Jap war
lords we should continue to "Re
member Pearl Harbor."
We wonder if the new washers
or ironcrs will have a gadget
that will put the buttons back on.
One of the greatest signs of
better times will take place
aboard the U. S. S. Missouri.
Behind Scenes in Washington
By PETER EDSON, La Grande Erening Observer Washington Correspondent
As far as. we're concerned, be
it ever : so humble, there's no
place like home for the German
prisoners of war now in the U.
S. ; . The sooner they're ' shipped
back, the better!
WASHINGTON If, as expected, Edward
Frederick Lindlcy Wood, Earl of Halifax,
retires from his post in Washington, he will
bring to a close one of the most successful
embassies in British history.
Lord Halifax is now in Britain, having
left Washington bejorc the votes were count
ed in the recent election. Hc is expected
back sometime in the early fall but few peo
ple expect him to stay. Even if the con
servatives had won it is believed doubtful
the all, lanky nobleman would have re
turned to Washington for any length of time.
Now that labor has won its overwhelming
victory, it seems almost certain that he will
return to his Yorkshire home for good.
Halifax came here at the very beginning
of America's participation iii the war. Nev
er before had Anglo-American relationships
taken on such enormous importance. In
addition he succeeded the highly popular
Lord Lothian who had dkd tragically Doc.
12. 1941 just five days after Pearl Harbor
The fact Churchill chose his foreign min
ister and one of the chief Members of the
inner war cabinet to come to (he United
States as ambassador is an indication of the
importance assigned to the post. On top
of that Churchill sent Halifax to America
aboard Britain's newest and finest battle
ship, the King George V:
To give point to the crucial nature of his
mission, President Roosevelt personally
went to meet the boat when it anchored in
Chesapeake bay, an honor previously re
solved only for heads of states.
Despite all this, the appointment of Lord
Halifax drew loud cues of anguish from
many left-wingers who were suspicious of
his conservative views. Many Washington-
ians. . also believed the supposedly austere
ambassador would renew the chilly atmos
phere which had pervaded the huge embassy
on Massachusetts avenue unlit it had-been
lifted by the ebullient Lothian.
It is doubtful if any ambassador ever had
a bigger job than Halifax or that any ever
worked harder at it. Naturally austere or
not, Lord Halifax set about learning about
Americans and making friends with them.
Perhaps no ambassador of a, 'foreign power
has covered so much Amarican.tcrWtory.'In-'
stead of remaining in the customary orbit
o fdiploniats which may include Washing
ton. New York. Florida, and New England
for the summers. Halifax visited such places
as Montgomery. Ala., and Oklahoma- City.
Ho wore ton gallon hats and Indian head
dresses in the well established custom of
public figures in the U. S., and his speeches
were. events in many out of the way places.
Ho filled the subsidiary posts in his embassy
wi'h many young, able and friendly people.
Today a labor leader is likely to be as wel
come at the embassy as a socially prominent
international banker, perhaps more so.
If Lord Halifax worked hard, so did his
wife. A small, likeable woman, she soon
was on easy terms with Washington, and
helped her husband make friends on his
many nips.
Washington will miss the Halifaxcs and
is wondering what kind of man will be
picked to succeed him. Some Britishers in
the capital believe that a trained career man
like Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr, now bis ma
jesty's ambassador at Moscow willVbe chos
en Otlivis think that a prominent member
of the labor party will be stfht'.' In irhy-'case.
he will have a hafd time equaling the Hali
fax record, -
Scientists believe civilization,,
can gain great benefits from the
atomic bomb. And what if help
ed bring about in Japan proves
the thought.
30 Years Ago tr .
Arrangements to put jhe Beav
er creek dam employes ? under
the state industrial .commission
benefits were comp!eted,,jps!. eve
ning at the midweek jsqssion o!'
the city commission. ,
It is expected that the 'hearing
relative to grade, crossing in En
terprise will be concluittdrtoday.
Superintendent William; jJBoIlons
and Division Engineer Lyons,
who have been representing the
O-Ws interests in tfiftthfearing,
are expected out timigW''ifi'wiricJv i
time it is - also- expected that'''
Chairman Canipell ofitfriii public '
utilities commission Witt ''return
to La Grande after hfeflg pre
sided at the hearing. I"
15 Years Ago1"'
With a franchise nearly as
sured, the Natural Gas corpora
tion of Oregon is making plans to
enter La Grande and erect an at
tractive mission style 'Sffljding to
house the gas equiprna
F. M. Sturgill, and ifi
nccted with him in .tlr
Construction company
grossing rapidly on the
widening the state hicbjW
twecn Hot Lake and iarande.
The grade is being cxter)(fed five
feet on each Side makirigUfc road
ten feet wider on th(4s(raight
stretch. . :X.tm '
-,- The Cove' schooi gymj'ill be
completed before the fiVs&gf Sep
tember. The color of li$ paint
is attractive, being lighlj.brown
wilh a grcen,roof. Tlyjffiainting
inside is not yet compfeisrj;
10 Years Ago &
The Crystal- Plungc'?vjjmming
pool here, which has 5ieWl oper
ated tor ten'' weeks jfjic L
Grande Lions club in coljjfinction .
wilh the summer playground pro-':
gram, was' closed last'evening.
This Curious World
S THE ORDER IN WHICH S f, ..; x i . J . I
( THS MAJOR LEAGUE' ( , T . 1
( BASEBALL. TEAMS ( ' : sfc ;Vi t
OWftAAANJ
SHARKS
ARC NOW SEIN6 PSINTEO IN
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ANSWER: Western South Dakota.
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