Washington ivierry-Lio-nouna
Br DREW PEAKBGN
La Grande Evening Observer
Frank Schlro, Publisher '
MONDAY -EVENING, -SEPTEMBER 10, 194")
"We Kept the
Jore Information, Pleace
Senator Murray of Montana, author
of the pending: full employment bill, linn
explained in a letter to the New York
Timet that this piece of herniation is
essentially an affirmation of faith in
private enterprise. It leaves private en
terprise "completely free," says the hihi
ntor, "to exercise its own ingenuity and
initiative, which are the qualities that
have made this country prosperous.
But earlier in the same letter Senator
Murray has this to say: "Well, private
enterprise has been left to its own de
vices from 1870 to 1930 and the record
shows a succession of depressions with
resulting unemployment."
It might have been well if he .had ex
plained the difference between private
enterprise's "own devices" and its "own
initiative and ingenuity." lie apparently
discerns the distinction, but he doesn't
say how he is going to curb the depression-causing
"devices" while leaving the
prosperity-producing "ingenuity and in
itiative" untouched.
The senator says that his bill "con
tains no provisions for regimenting or
managing private enterprise." Yet one
of its purposes is to stimulate increased
employment opportunities by private
enterprise through promotion of non
federal investments and expenditures.
This would be the last step before Up
hill's proposed public .spending program
and it would be interesting to know how
the stimulation could be applied without
any pressure on private management.
It would also be interesting to know
Funny liusiiwss
-I M-- - -
. ,..;;::;t't;.-:MV,:.
...
"Hey, you irothl Don't got the Idea this is lor
Page Two
Faith, Buddy!"
how accurately the government could
translate the general term, "full employ
ment," into an arbitrary number of per
sons to be employed, and how accurately
it could make long-range forecasts of
future unemployment an estimate on
which, apparently, Mr. Murray's whole
program rests.
It would be not only interesting, but
necessary, to know how this whole pro
position can be made to work efficiently
w ithout a return to the whoppingly ex
pensive philosophy of deficit spending,
w ithout a commitment to permanent in
flation, and without opening the door to
an expanded government control of
business.
Mr. Murry's rich if somewhat cantra
diclory praise of private enterprise
doesn't plug all the possible loopholes in
his bill through which nn administra
tion with a mind to do so could intro
duce a form of state socialism without
the country's direct sanction. Such an
administration might set an impossible
goal of employment, then announce that
private enterprise had failed and there
you would have it.
One doesn't need to be an altruist to
share Senator Murray's desire for full
employment. The eventual prosperity
of all of us, rich or poor, requires it. For
that very reason this bill which seeks
to attain it should have an exhaustive
examination. And there should be a
clear understanding of further legisla
tion required to put it into practice be
fore the government or the people even
think of committing themselves to its
program.
SO THEY SAY
Nobody wants another WPA.
tint there is nuieh constructive
government work that could be
done. There's n lot of difference
between building n bridge onri
raking leaves.
Sen. U. U. Hickcnloopor of Iowa
The realization that the new
(atomic) b o m b is not only a
weapon for use in war. but an
uncqualed weapon against war. is
one of the best reasons for its
creation.
Williamsport, Pa., Sun.
Some people go to trouble to
get into trouble, and then go to
a lot of tumble to get out of
trouble so they can get in trouble
again.
Salisbuty, N. C., Post.
T It e men's clothing industry
undoubtedly can look forward to
u rather long period of unirr
dentc.l activity.
Jeitime I. L'dell, clolhilif mami-
lacturer.
i
kcepsl"
awe rS
WASHINGTON The army is determined
that returned European war veterans shall
no longer appeal to congressmen or news
papermen to hasten their discharge from
the army or to protest redeployment to Ja
pan for police duty. .'
Severe "secret" orders have just beenjs
sued to this effect over the signature of
Brig. Gen. A. M. Gurney, chief of staff for
Lieut. Gen, Lloyd R. Fredendall, command
er of the second army. The order, which has
been secretly circulated, reads:
"Recently members of a division in the
United States scheduled for redeployment
to the Pacific area appealed to the press and
radio protesting ogainsu transfer of the di
vision to the Pacific theater . . . Action of
this nature, if concerted, may subject par
ticipants to disciplinary action . .
"Incidents such as noted in paragraph 3
above (the paragraph just quoted)," con
tinued the secret order, "will be dealt with
drastically by this headqunfrters and the
commander concerned will be summarily
relieved."
The division referred to probably was the
0th, stationed at Camp Shelby, Miss., which
sent all sorts of appeals to newspapermen
and radio commentators against being trans
ferred from Europe to Japan. Apparently
the protests worked, for the order to send
the 95th to Japan was rescinded.
Presidential Poker.
Those who traveled with President Tru
man on his various trips to Washington
State and Potsdam found him a delightful
and entertaining company. One story they
tell about Truman's trip to the northwest
was regarding his salmon fishing off the
Washington coast.
While the motor boat was chugging back to
shore, Truman and his old senatorial friends,
Gov. Mon Wallgren and Senator Warren
Magnuson of Washington, ployed poker. The
stukes were low, but the thrifty Truman
was trying hard to come out ahead. It was
agreed that, no matter who was ahead, the
game would stop the minute the boat hit
short.
So the president kept up a line of banter
to the Norwegian skipper.
"Slow her down, Christiansen," he said,
"I'm behind. I need a little extra time to
catch up."
Or, again, it was: "Speed her up, Chris
tiansen, I'm ahead now. Let's get to shore
WE, THE WOMEN
By RUTH MILLETT
A British military critic claims that we
will be able to tell from women's styles
whether "the future will bring another
great upheaval or a return to peaceful
stability.
He points out that in tranquil periods
women, who ore extremely sensitive crea
tures, go for soft fashions that accentuate
their normal outline.
But, says he, when women begin to flat
ten their figures and wear exaggerated hats,
there is trouble brewing.
That is a handy explanation of style
trends for women to tuck away in the back
of their minds.
It is a perfect answer to the man who
wise cracks about the now fashions and
claims that women ore nothing but a bunch
of sheep who would wear anything under
the sun if they were persuaded it was high
style.
Behind Scenes in Washington
By PETER EDSON. La Grand Era-ling Observer Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON In spite of the last sur
render of Japanese forces, that two days
bingo in celebration of the end of the fight
ing, President Truman's V-J day proclama
tion and various other justifiable causes for
rejoicing, the lawyers in government are
having a tough time trying to decide whether
the war is over and if not, just when it will
be. And since there will apparently be no
peace conference that the late enemies have
anything to say about, it seems probable
that congress will have to pass a resolution,
setting some arbitrary dale, to moke end
of the war legal.
You may not realize it, but it is really im
portant to know when this war is over,
officially.A lot of things depend upon it.
For instance, six months after the "termina
tion of the war,' 'it will be illegal to enlist
WACs, WAVEs, SPARs or Lady Marines.
Six months after the "termination of hos
tilities," however, there can't be any more
tax-free distribution of cigarettes to mem
bers of the armed forces.
What the difference is between these and
other trick phases is something that only
lawyers and other congressmen could think
up. If congress didn't pass something to
make it official, the war might go on for
ever and you wouldn't know the difference.
What this proves is that it is congress which
reully wins the wars, not armies or navies.
But even an act of congress doesn't end
the war adequately. Every individual has
his own final V day. and the dates will
differ.
For some people the war won't be over till
the last tin can can be stepped on, the Inst
pound of fat turned in at the btuchcr's. the
last scrap of paper saved.
When you can light a bonfire with your
ration book, say along about next Fourth of
July, that will be good. When you can get
all the beefsteak you want and have it
fried in butter, that will be better.
For others, wives, mothers and best girls
h war won't really to over till a cer
tain wry sprcial man in uniform can come
home from the armies of occupation in
before the governor catches up."
Finally, the motor boat touched shore
with the president of the United States a
few- cents ahead. Skipper Christiansen was
just as pleased as Truman.
OPA Crackdowns
Just before V-J day, the justice depart
ment announced an important drive to
crack down on black marketeers and vio
lators of OPA ceilings. Some people are
now wondering whether the department's
laudable move will fall by the wayside now
that the war is over. ,
, Those OPA prosecutions will come large
ly under the new assistant attorney general
in charge of the criminal division, Theron
Lamar Caudle.
Mr. Caudle is a charming, likeable gentle
man from Wadesboro, N. C, who was U. S.
attorney for western North Carolina. Based
on previous happenings in his district, it
would appear that Mr. Caudle is not en
ergetic in pressing for prosecution of OPA
violations.
Last November, the Cox Lumber company
in Caudle's home town of Wadesboro was
prosecuted by the OPA for violating price
regulations. The suit was for $450,000, and
the OPA brought criminal charges.
However, the Cox Lumber company re
tained very distinguished counsel, Clyde
Hoey, former governor of North Carolina,
now U. S. senator and a good friend of Mr.
Caudle. Mr. Hoey at that time was not ac
tually serving as U. S. senator. He had been
nominated, which is equivalent to election,
but he had not taken the oath of office.
Otherwise he would have violated the law
which says a member of congress cannot
handle a case against the U. S. government.
However, Mr. Hoey, just before he official
ly became a senator, made some representa
tions to justice deportment officials.
Suddenly the criminal case against Hoey's
clients, the Cox Lumber company, was drop
ped. There is no evidence that Caudle had
anything to do with this. Subsequently,
however, Hoey urged that his friend U. S.
Attorney Caudle promoted to the key job
of assistant attorney general in Washington
in charge of the justice department's crim
inal division. Caudle got the job. Now he is
in charge, not merely of OPA violations in
western North Carolina, but of OPA viola
tions throughout the entire United States.
We aren't sheep, Mister. We're just sen
sitive sensitive to the events our intuition
tells us you are cooking up. There's strife
and unrest ahead. Okay, we reflect it in the
styles you call crazy.
If you want us to wear the kind of clothes
that make us look extremely feminine and
that really become us, then build us a peace
ful, happy world, where a woman isn't faced
with the possibility of having to step into
some man's shoes.
And if you scoff at this explanation for
our fashion trends, then we can say, "Well,
I'm just telling it to you for what it is worth.
It's not my idea. A man thought it up
and a military expert at that.
"And what's wrong with this hat, any
how? This high crown is the very latest
thing, and besides everybody is wearing
crazy rats like this."
Germany and Japan. Maybe two, maybe
five years from now. The last man out
should signify something.
When the last displaced war-plant worker
finds a peace-time job, when the last bit
of surplus war property is disposed of, when
the last record of WPB, WLB and all other
alphabetical war agencies is bound in red
tape and shipped to the Archives building,
when the last war-criminal is tried and
sentenced, when the Inst war refuge gets his
belly full of food and finds a new home,
when the last ruin is reconstructed, when
the last reparation is paid, when the un
known soldiers of World War II whisper,
"Move over, Buddy." to the unknown sol
diets of World War I. and are properly en
shrined. When the new United Nations organiza
tion succeeds in stopping the next war any
next war that will be something to cele
brate. It will signify that this war to end
all wars was not a phoney war to end w ars,
like the last one. If and when Germany and
Japan are admitted to this new united na
tions organization as repentant, reconstruct
ed, peace-loving nations, that should call
for a holiday. When all the nations of the
world are so well behaved they can call
for disarmament, it should rate another
double holiday, with triple pay and a half
this time for the essential drones who have
to work to keep the world wagging.
When the last war savings bond is cashed
in, some time in 1056. it should be spent
for whoopee.
As the veterans' bureau was recently re
ported still paying a pension to a descend
ant of a veteran of the war of 1812, which
was fought 133 years ago. it is reasonable
to assume that the veterans' bureau will be
paying benefits to the descendants of thi;
war, 133 years hence. That would put the
end of the war in the year 2(178.
With luck and good management the tril
!:on dollar cost of this war might be written
off and the books closed in the year 2100.
The point of all this is that wars really
never end. Silly things, aren't tliev?
COHt 1W BY HIA KWVlCt, WC. T. M. WO. U. . PAT. Off.
"So you say I'm cocky because I'm making too much money well,
there's nothing to stop you from taking out a hack license your
self and making what I dot"
McKENNEY ON BRIDGE
By WILLIAM E. McKENNEY America's Card Authority
ASK BID WITH
FOUR NO TRUMP '
, Today's hand in my opinion is
the most interesting of the recent
national tournament. It came up
in the finals of the Masters team-
gin of 390 points.
The bidding shown occurred at
the table at which Schenekn and
Hymes played. Schenken's bid of
four no trump requested his part
ner to select a suit. After South's
duuble, Hymes' pass said, "Part
ner, you select the suit." Schen
ken then bid his longest suit,
which was promptly doubled.
Schenkcn double finessed the
clubs and lost only a heart and
a diamond trick. The interesting
point of the hand is that North
and South can make five spades,
even though West opens a spade
and leads another when he gets
in with a heart. It can be made
either by establishing the fifth
diamond or by end-playing West
after stripping his hand of spades
and hearts.
O IN FORMER
YEARS
A K Q 10 6 5
V 10 7
K8642
6
Hymes
82
VKQ8
A .1 9 S
73
Sclienken
A None
VJ952
O 10 7 3
IW E
s
fcAQIO'J
Dealer
87532
AAJU743
V A643
None
KJ4
Duplicate N.-S. vul.
.South
1 A
4 A
Double
Double
West
Double
Pass
Pass
Pass
North East
3 A Pass
Pass 4 N. T.
Pass 5 A
Pass Pass
II
Opening A. A,
of-four, in which the team of Os
wald Jacoby, Howard Schenken,
T. A. Lightner, Sam Fry, jr., and
Edward H y m e s, jr., defeated
Waldcmar von Zedtwitz, Lee Ha
zen, Cpl. Alvin Roth and Harry
J. Fishbein by the narrow mar
Thirty Years Ago
Spud crops throughout eastern
Oregon and southern Idaho, are
badly damaged by two potato
diseases, and in some counties,
particularly Malheur, there will
not be enough for home con
sumption. Union county will pro
duce just about enough to keep
her own people supplied with
potatoes.
o BARBS
Whipping cream is back! For
some folks it was a long wait
to put on a lot of weight!
Fifteen Years Ago
The Payette - Cooperative
creamery to be located in this
county, will be erected at Union,
a group from the Grande Ronde
was assured at a meeting held
today at Baker.
The Natural Gas Corporation
of Oregon, which is to establish
a gas plant and mains in La
Grande during this fall and
winter, has purchased a two and
a half-acre lot in the east section
of the city.
Huey Long was elected gover
nor of Louisiana.
How busy isn't as important as
why busy. The bee is appreciat
ed the mosquito swatted.
That wartime plea to auto driv
ers, "Stay off the highway." has
changed to a peacetime warning,
"Stay on it!"
The average person's troubles
are chiefly imaginary the kind
hardest to cure.
The Japs were the only ones on
the Missouri in full formal out
fits. All dressed up and no place
to go!
Ten Years Ago
Gunshot wound was fatal to
Senator Huey Long.
Maj. Walter A. Bean of La
Grande has received blue prints
of the proposed La Grande na
tional guard armory, for which
a request for more than $52,000
in WPA funds has been made.
Happiness consists of not being
too particular.
Everybody knows exactly how
to raise children except the peo
ple who live next door.
This Curious World
IT Took SiriFUTicre
HtNOREDS OP YEARS
TO CaciCE OERNITELY THAT
iKMitS WERE ASSMALS.
not plants.
T. M. REG. u. I PAT. 0T
9-ii I UHCHe-x-Pr
, r- WANTaSD, ZUSF..., I
? ) MORE OF THESE
Jfc- SREAT BIRDS
ONCE FILLED THE AIR (1 ft
WITH THEIR NOISY (A
(SCREAAMN& FLIGHTS, Tk I
I BUT TODf THEY STAND ) a K ." 1
I ON THE VERY BRINK OF S t a " V I
( EXTINCTION LESS THAN ("""' vF I
isyiiililitiiil
COPRm BY MEA SERVICE. WC.
ANSWER: In the northwest corner of New Mexico.
NEXT: Tha world't moil thickly populated land.
Jl'