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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 17, 1945)
EDITORIAL PAGE La Grande Evening Observer Frank Schiro, Publisher MONDAY EVENINd, SEITEMIJER 17, 1945 About Time We All 1 L- YKorrers St7Z Wanted Officers in chniffe of army sepuni lion centers say that many veteran, particularly younjfer men, are not Uik-inj- advantage of the army's job-coun-.seliiiK' service and seem to be in no hurry to find work. This is natural. These men need a time for rest and readjustment. Most of them have been through several varieties of hell. They have been lonj' away from families and sweethenrts, from soft beds and homo cooking and the delightful privilege of doing what they please when it pleases them. And those without immediate family respon sibilities can't be blamed for taking a lil lie lime off to catch up. A lot of war workers must feel the came way. Of course, nobody has shot at them. They haven't suffered expo sure to tropic heal and arctic cold. They haven't gone aching, danger-filled days w ithoul sleep, or slept in rain-filled fox holes when a chance for rest came. Their lot can't be compared with the combat soldier's or sailor's. Hut for many workers, the war years were no picnic. They made gooil money, but they worked hard and long for it. iMany moved far from home to live in temporary, una t tractive, uncomfortable dwellings. In spite of absenteeism, the majority of them stuck faithfully to their important work. Holidays and op portunities for recreation were few. Much work and little play may have made a good many Jacks and Jills pros perous, but they also had a tendency Funny liusiness "Quick! Go back in and tako $50 worth more lo pay i bUll" Page Two Did a Little Worrying it riizFiArartw was . to make them weary and impatient. So now most of the war work is finished, and wholesale layoffs have commenced. With them have come signs of war workers' weariness and impatience. There seems to be a tend ency to seek unemployment compensa tion first and let job-hunting go till later. There is also an apparent tend ency toward strikes, in spite of the resident's request that an interim no strike pledge be observed. It isn't hard to understand the weary war workers' feeling's. But neither is it hard to see that protracted vacations and strikes will add difficulties to this period of industrial and economic re adjustment. The country has the ingredients for its first postwar economic stimulant a pent-up demand for scarce goods, savings with which to buy them, indus trial capacity, and an abundant labor force, lint this stimulant, to be effec tive, should be administered as quick ly as possible. Delay can cause confusion and un certainty, and freeze activity all along the line. Some delay is unavoidable, but not all of it. And while it would be pleasant to think that displaced work ers might lake long and deserved vaca tions, or give full vent to their griev ances, such actions hold a considerable risk if long continued. So, for the good of all, there is an clivious ami immediate need for these displaced workers to take jobs instead of unemployment compensation. SO THEY SAY Our rent control will be just as lough as it ever has boon, and maybe n little tougher. Loo F. Gontnor, acting OPA regional administrator, New York. Under the American govern ment, no man is irroplacable. No one succeeding to the presidency lias over failed to rise to the highest requirements of the of fice. Ncwburgh. N. Y., News. Once wo roomed with a Now Yoiker who referred to Chicago as "a nice little town," which is further evidence that a great deal depends upon the point of view. Ponea City, Okl , Ncwj. It wV take SO years to recon stru .Germany and the Euro-, poan political scene is very com plicated right now. but 1 am al most optimistic about the business future in Europe. William 3. Knudsen. for the doctor tt I Washington Merry-Go-Round By DREW PEAHSCN WASHINGTON No one on Capitol Hill will admit it openly, but President Truman's own confidential memo regarding the $23-a-week Kilgore unemployment bill was clev erly used backstage to defeat the measure. The White House memo, supposed to be secret, was read out loud by Chairman George of Georgia in the closed-door session of the senate finance committee. This ended the battle. It gave an out to certain anti administration democrats (Radcliffe of Mary land, Gerry of Rhode Island, Byrd of Vir ginia, Bailey of North Carolina, and George.) They used the Truman memo to defeat the bill which he had placed at the top of his message to congress. Here is the inside story of what happened. Truman has followed the same procedure as FDR in sending senate majority leader Barkley memos on bills which he considers vital to his program. These memos are sup posed to be secret, for the information of Barkley and a few other leaders. The Truman memo on the Kilgore bill was kept secret at first. During one session of the senate finance committee, Senator George had the memo in front of him and admitted that he had it, but did not read it aloud. Debate Gels Hot During the next closed-door session, de mate really got hot. Most vocal opponent of the bill was GOP Senator Albert Hawkes of New Jersey, former Head of the national association of manufacturers. He contended that if people thought they could get $25 a week, they wouldn't work. Kentucky's Barkley hit into this argument. "I have more faith in the American people than that," he said. "The American people arc not going to sit by and collect unemploy ment insurance when there are jobs to be had. And they have enough faith in us to expect us to provide for them when, through no fault of their own, they run into hard times even temporary hard times." Finally, a sub-committee was appointed to WE, THE WOMEN By RUTH MILLETT In the world of sports Mrs. Byron Nelson, wife of the golfer, is something of an od dity. When her famous husband plays in an important tournament Mrs. Nelson doesn't follow him breathlessly around the links. Instead, she sits quietly knitting in her ho tel room. She claims she isn't even a golf enthu siast, that golf is her husband's business and she doesn't feci that she should check up on his business day any more than any wife would. Perhaps the reason why that makes Mrs. Nelson seem unusual among sports wives is because in the world of sport the little woman who sits biting her nails while her husband comes up to bat, steps into the ring, or heads for a touchdown is so familiar a picture. Wives have felt it their duty to be their husbands' most loyal fans. But maybe Mrs. Nelson has the right idea in thinking the man who makes a sport career and the means of earning his livli hood doesn't need a wife on hand to cheer him on, any more than any other husband needs a wife lo watch his daily battle for a Behind Scenes in Washington By PETER EDSON. La Grande Erening Obserrer Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON Checkups on what is be ing done to counteract Japanese propaganda to the Japanese people reveal that the ef fort doesn't amount to a toot in a typhoon thus far. The Japs haven't begun to get the line story of the atomic bomb, their own atrocities against their American prisoners, the war guilt of their loaders. A few feeble short wave office of war information broad casts go out beamed to Japan, but this is all. Responsibility for this lack of an Amor ican information policy for Japan is kicked around in a Washington reorganization. OWI says it's up to the psychological warfare division of the army. War department savs its up to OWI's overseas division of which has just been transferred to the department of state. State has William Benton coming in as assistant secretary in charge of in formation policy and he has not had time to find out what he might want to do with OWI. All these agencies admit that in the long run its up to supreme commander Douglas MacArthur. What the general intends to do about it doesn't seem to bo officially known in Washington. General MacArthur has an assistant chief oi stall in cnargc ot an iniormation control section. He is Brig. Gon, Brenner F. Fellers, whose record does not indicate he has had any experience in Japan. General MacAr thur's political advisor, George Atcheson of the state department, is an experienced and able China hand but he has never served in Japan, never met MacArthur, and was net scheduled to leave Washington for Japan before Sept. l.V In the meantime. General MacArthur has appointed a chief censor, and he has sus pended Japan's short wave radio. The gen eral's Sept. 10 directive to the Imperial Jap anese government tells them to stop put ting out news that does not adhere to the truth or which will disturb public tran quility. But so far, there is no sign of any kind of V. S. information serviur to ijive llio Japanese people the facts of postwar life. This is in conspicuous contrast to the job that was done when MacArthur landed in the Philippines. Al Leylc, a Philippine consider the matter and next day when the full committee m e t again behind closed doors, Senator George proceeded to read Truman's confidential memo. The memo di vided the Kilgore bill into three categories: (1) Indispensable; (2) Essential;' (3) Desir able. Very significantly, Truman failed to list the $25-a-week unemployment compen sation as "indispensable." He merely called it "desirable," and suggested leaving it to the individual states as to whether this amount should be paid. This $25 payment is the crux of the bill. And Truman's run-out cut the ground right from under Kilgore, despite the unequivocal send-off Trman gave the bill in his message to congress. Vandenbeig Storms "This senate committee is not going to retreat in public while the president retreats in private," stormed GOP Senator Vanden burg of Michigan, who had always opposed the Kilgore bill but is under terifie pres sure from unemployed Detroit auto workers. Other republican senators looked on amus ed at the consternation of their democrat colleagues. GOP Senator Brewster of Maine leaned over to his democrat New England colleague, Brien McMahon of Connecticut, and said in a stage whisper: "Well, Brien, this means a third party." (He was referring to the republican hope labor will bolt the southern conservative leadership of the democrats.) "If this is a pattern of things to come, you'll probably sec a third party all right," admitted McMahon, Final Showdown However, McMahon was the only demo crat present smart enough to force the sen ators to declare themselves for or against the Kilgore bill, including its much-debated $25 payment. George and Barkley were about to proceed with compromise measures, when the Connecticut senator spoke up. "Before we vote cn anything else," he See WASHINGTON . . . Page 4 living. Perhaps the best place for the little woman is sitting home tending to her own knitting, where her husband can find her when the day's work is over. Certainly, the men whose wives are al ways on hand to cheer them on lack the opportunKy of coining home anld letting the little woman in on all the important happenings of the day. You can't tell a wom an anything if she already knows all about , it, and already has her own opinions on the subject The surgeon's wife isn't on hand to cheer him on when he is performing a delicate operation. The lawyer's wife isn't on hand when he is making a dramatic plea in court. The reporter's wife doesn't help him cover a fire. So why should the wife of a golf, tennis, baseball or football pro feel she has to share his career with him. It may be fun for the wives to get dolled up and sit in the grand stands cheering their men on, but it would probably be better for the men to have the little woman silting at home waiting to say, "Well, how did it go," newspaper was published the day after the invasion forces stormed ashore. From that time on there was never any doubt on the U. S. information policy toward the Fili pinos. Brig. G e n. Carlos P. Romulo has given full credit for the job thai was done on the Philippines to Fred Marouardt and a small staff of OWI people who served in Gen. MacArlhur's division of psychological warfare. Marouardt's job in the Philippines having been concluded, he has resigned and is now on his way back to the United States. There is no counterpart to his organization at work in Japan. The two OWI men in Japan today are cable and radio technicians. Neither is a policy maker. OWI is continuing its pre-war short wave broadcasts to the Pacific area from San Francisco. Honolulu and Manila. They are a mere spit in the ocean. These three stations, plus a medium-wave station on Saipan, operate on a 14 hour schedule but' the number of receiving sets which pick up these programs in Japan is of course limited. During the war they were probably moni tored by the Japanese government but little of this information was spread to the Jap anese people. Actually, the japs were get ting more American information before the surrender than they get today. While' the war was on the B-2rts dropped millions of leaflets on Japan, but even that is stopped now. What is happening in Japan is said to be an exact parallel to what happened in Ger many, When military government took over, the work of the OWI in Europe was sup pie.ood. The president has just sent Byron Price to Germany to try to straighten out the news policies in that theater. The job of tolling the German and Jap lnese people a straight American story is obviously the work of sonic civilian agency such as the OWI overseas organization now being transferred to state. Foreseeing that such a job would have to be done in Japan. OWI hod prepared full plans for super vising Jap publications and radio. But in the contusion of a double reorganization, nothing has been done about them. Side Glances COPB. Wi BY HZA SERVICE, IHC. T. M. BEO. 0. 9. PAT. OFF. " Hold that pose. Dad I'm drawing a picture of you to use as an illustration in my essay on erosion!" o McKENNEY ON BRIDGE By WILLIAM E. McKENNEY America's Card Authority UNEXPECTED SYLVIA DOES IT AGAIN Our unpredictable Sylvia lias been taking a vacation for the summer, but she is back at the A A J VQ1062 QJ53 K62 Sylvia A K 10 5 4 2 V953 872 95 A987 V A74 A96 AQ1043 W E S Dealer AQ63 VKJ8 K 104 A A J 8 7 Duplicate Neither vul. South West North East 1N.T. Pass 3N.T. Pass Opening A 9. 18 bridge table now and up to her old tricks. North and South were playing tho weak no trupT justificd South's opening bid of one no tiump. vVcsl decided he o BARBS With meats due to come off of rationing and a surplus of the barnyard delicacy reported, we'll be glad to see a couple of old friends get together again ham and eggs! Little Willie's sleeve will be glad to know that more paper napkins are appearing in the stores. "Miss America of 1!)45," picked at Atlantic City, will pass up a stage or movie career in order to study music which is not in tune with the usual procedure. We hear there will he plenty of turkeys for everybody on Thanksgiving. Get set to gobble, gobble, gobble! Joe Sheeltetski is the new back field coach at Notre Dame. We Irish must stick together. Scientists seem agreed that the atomic age means "one world or none." We'll take the "one," thank you! Nothing feels more disgusted over extreme vanity than a big foot in a little shoe. This Curious World COPR. m! BY HLA SEfiVlCt, INC. M OSTRI04 GG IS EfilMi-IM CONTENTS' TO 5 MtV &-&S . . AND IT TAKES HA0-80IL CXB cm THSAA T.M.acau.s.rT opr. 0 tSij U ANSWER: Near Marietta. Georgia. NEXT: The mighty Utile atom is mighly little had as good a chance of finding his partner with spades as any other suit, and opened the spade nine; the jack was played from dummy. What would you play from the East hand? The king, and then return a spade? Well, Sylvia did not. She played the ten-spot. When West got in with the ace of hearts, ho led another spade. Declarer had to establish the dia monds in order to make nine tricks. When West was in again with the diamond ace, he led the third spade, and Sylvia cashed her three good spade tricks. IN FORMER YEARS Thirty Years Ago Six silos are being constructed in Union county today and more are to go up as soon as possible. Farmers are planning on filling their silos in the spring with wheat and again in the fall with corn. Money invested in silos will pay the biggest interest of arv improvement, it is contended. It has been demonstrated by a few of the farmers of this valley that corn can be successfully grown and that it is a good crop to have. Al Good, whose farm is situated a couple of miles north of La Grande, has been planting upwards of 20 acres in corn for a number of years and he is us ually successful. Notwithstanding the long period of the present season in which the precipitation has been scant. Good says his corn crop is among the best he has over had. Fifteen Years Ago If the Mt. Emily scenic high way is constructed through the cooperation of government, coun ty and tfily, La Grande must pledge $500 by Sept. 18, the cham ber of commerce was told today. Bringing the total to 45, 20 deer were reported killed yesterday with the largest one brought in by H. B. Barton, weighing 258 pounds and having four points. Ten Years Ago President H. E. Inlow of East ern Oregon Normal school un derwent an appendicitis opera tion in Portland last night and was reported in fair condition today following a restless night.
