Eugene register-guard., April 21, 1952, Image 8

It Must Be Very Disconcerting
Marquis Childs
an Independent newspaper
PUBLISHER Alton F. Baker
EDITOR William M. Tugman MANAGING EDITOR Alton T. Baker Jr.
SERVICES Full Associated Press, United Press, Audit Bureau of Circulations.
The Register-Guard's policy is the complete and Impartial publication in its news
pages of all news and statements on news. On this page the editors of The Register
Guard offer their opinions on events of the day and matters of importance to the
community endeavoring to be candid but fair and helpful in the development of con
structive community policy. A newspaper is A CITIZEN OF ITS COMMUNITY.
Entered at the Post Office at Eugene, Oregon, as second-class matter.
AGE EIGHT EUGENE, OREGON, MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1952
JHarry Truman Is 'Himself Again
tors when he left the stage in the stuffy
auditorium of the National Museum.
Even the blackest of the Republicans
- WASHINGTON; D.C. For nearly
an hour Thursday afternoon Harry Tru
man met the press (the combined forces
of-350 members of the American Asso
ciation of Newspaper Editors and the
regular White House reporters) and he
Same off with a "decision on points" in
tne sparring match.
It was Harry Truman at his best, ac
cording to old-timers this was the un
inhibited, genial Truman they used to
Inow in the Senate, before he acquired
presidential worries and crotchets.
" (Despite his long flight over the flood
stricken areas in the Missouri and Mississippi
galleys, the President looked fresher and
'fitter than many of the editors who had
founded into Washington in sleeping ears).
To be sure, the visiting editors were
quite considerate. They did not prod
him about corruption (having had quite
in earful of that story from Delaware's
Senator Williams and the ex-Stable Boy
-frewbold Morris).
They asked him about his "philosophy
of retirement" and he said that as an
ex-president he intended to make him
elf available for any public service he
"might be called upon to perform in the
pattern set by Herbert Hoover, whom
-lie praised highly for the report on ad
.".jninistrative reorganization.
They wanted to know if he intended
to run for Senate in his home state of
'Missouri and he said it would not be
l"ethical" for him to compete for that
offices while still carrying the prestige
of the presidency. ,
" Likewise he stated that he would
.;NOT attend the Democratic party's na
tional convention lest he be accused of
'throwing weight.". He expressed his
tregret at Adlai Stevenson's refusal to be
candidate and said kind words about
iAverell Harriman (which some in
terpreted as a "blessing").
; Very deftly, Mr. Truman avoided
,'ny statement of just what part he
would play in selecting a candidate, but
-his tongue may have slipped a bit when
$ie said that he was not going to "say
here" what he would do. (A New York
Reporter nailed him on that).
The biggest "roar" greeted his re
'sponse to the question of an editor from
the Deep South who wanted to know if
rMr. Truman thought that either Ke
ffauver or Russell, the two Southerners
how in the race, could be nominated
'.and elected. The question was would
3he Northern Democrats "come along"?
Mr. Truman said that any Southerner
rcould be nominated and elected IF he
would accept the platform of the Demo
cratic party!
Z Truman got a big hand from the edi-
M
:Not Out of the Woods
. In all the gloom of the taxpayer's
Spring, he can find one bright spot. The
Estate apparently has more money than
'31-thought it was going to have. Chances
are, an interim legislative tax commit
tee learned this week, the 1953 legis
lature will go to work with a little
surplus in the state's treasury.
While this is welcome news, after
ell the calamity howling that has come
out of Salem since the last legislature
Tmet, there is nothing in It to suggest
that Oregon Is out of the fiscal woods
Lyet by any means. The wiser course Is
.to howl calamity some more, and to
."keep howling it. -
Z It Is sobering, for example, to note
iJhat some of the increased state revenue
Tjcomes from higher state income taxes
paid this year by the citizens of Oregon.
That is a signpost that state govern
ment is going to cost more, that the
; men and women who work for the state
present admitted that he had given "a
superb performance," even though he
did not give out much real information
about Korea, United Nations, the crisis
In the steel industry or anything else.
There was one "crack" which may
or may not be significant. Some editor
asked him if his seizure of the steel in
dustry would set a pattern for seizing
the press and communications media of
the United States. Mr. Truman's reply
was that, the President must do what is
for the good of the people in a time of
crisis.
(The McCormick-operated Times-Herald
has seized on this statement to mean that
Truman would seize newspapers, if he
thought it necessary. The Washington Post
and the friendlier papers have interpreted
the president's statement as merely a passing
remark).
In his appearance Thursday, Truman
was as nimble "as Franklin Roosevelt at
his best," according to the old hands.
He was jovial, carefree and displayed
none of the vindictiveness and bitter
ness which has characterized some of
his acts.
"What will history say of Harry Truman
as president?"
It will probably describe him as a
man who was remarkable for native in
telligence, personal charm and many of
the talents which are associated with
statecraft, but hampered by a sort of
moral astigmatism. At times he en
visions noble ideals, a lofty patriotism,
but much of the time he cannot see be
yond the grubby, dirty surroundings
which he calls politics.
(Time and again Thursday he referred to
his love of politics and his belief that every
citizen should be a working politician).
An editor from one of the Mississippi
river towns offered this analogy:
"Truman reminds me of old Ike Parsons
in our town who grew up on a shanty boat
down by the river. An uncle out west, died
and left Ike a million, and a widder married
him and they moved to a fine mansion on
the hill, but Ike couldn't live without his
shanty town friends. The widder divorced
him for holding a catfish fry in the drawing
room,"
Truman's shantytown friends have
been holding fish fries all over the place
and carting off the furniture and silver
ware, Mr. Truman seems to be surprised
that anybody should think that unusual
in politics. Nevertheless, you can't say
that Mr. Truman is without ethics or
ideals. His code will not permit him to
run against his old friend Senator
Kemp. In some respects the rules ior
the political fish fry are very strict.
or who provide goods and services for
the state are going to be paying higher
state income taxes, too. And higher in
come taxes are a sign of higher incomes,
and so we go.
California, with eight times the pop
ulation of Oregon, spends 14 times as
much money on its state government.
All of this is not fluff. Some goes for
legitimate goods and services which the
state should provide. Oregon has a long
way to go in highway, education,
higher education, state institutions,
parks, welfare, and the many other
functions of state government. These
cost money, and it costs money to hire
people to do the work. While we're
thankful for any bright spots in the
state's fiscal picture, we can't believe
it's time to feel all our financial prob
lems are solved. The 1953 legislature,
and the legislatures to follow will still
have problems tplenty.
(By R.B.F.)
Z An Indiana girl knocked a man down
;with her umbrella after he flirted with
her. Business of falling before and
-after.
Lots of girls already have bought
their 1952 bathing suits. Be patient,
men, and they'll have their pictures
taken.
A magazine story tells of numerous
things that can be made out old cravats.
.'How about a gravy boat?
In the old days of carriages there
were as many careless drivers, but not
as many accidents. Horse sense!
CHILDS
Sawyer Faces
Steel Impasse
WASHINGTON If It were not such
an altogether grim business, there would
be something almost comic in the fact that
the steel controversy with all Its bitterness
has been dumped In the lap of Secretary of
Commerce Charles Saw
yer. He is conservative in
his outlook, the on,y mil
lionaire member of Presi
dent Truman's cabinet.
But now it is Sawyer
who must try to find a
way out of the impassa
resulting from seizure by
the government of the
steel industry. This is not
merely a matter of arriv
ing at an adjustment of
wages and prices that the secretary him
self might consider fair to both sides. He
must then persuade both industry and
labor to accept such a settlement. If the
cautious Sawyer comes out of this obstacle
race without a bad fall It will be little
short of a miracle.
The new boss of the steel industry
could undoubtedly find a compromise,
giving ' the steel union most of what it
asks wage-and-benefit-wise, minus the
union shop. In such a compromise he
would be Inclined to grant the companies
more price relief than the administration
has hitherto conceded. But to impose such
a settlement would be, In effect, com
pulsory arbitration. That would be a
dangerous precedent and one that Sawyer
certainly hopes to avoid.
But an even more ticklish question is
involved. That is whether any. such settle
ment can be successfully "sold" by gov
ernment to the two parties.
Theoretically, labor cannot strike
against the federal government, which is
now in technical possession of the steel
mills. But Sawyer is not entirely sure of
what a settlement for less than the award
of the wage stabilization board might pro
duce. That award has been firmly fixed
in the union's view with the official decree
of an arm of the government. Philip
Murray, head of the CIO and the Steel
workers, makes no secret of the fact that
he intends to reserve freedom of action
under all circumstances.
A STRIKE WOULD, of course, have
serious consequences in public opinion.
But labor might express its protest through
something short of an open strike. Rail
road unions have in the past used the de
vice of members reporting sick in whole
sale lots.
As for the companies, if they do not
like the Sawyer compromise, they can
continue the fight in the courts. That is
a lengthy process, winding 'Its way
eventually to the Supreme Court. Con
ceivably, Sawyer could be held personally
responsible for damages during the period
of government operation.
Price Stabilizer Ellis Arnall haj publicly
opposed granting the companies any price
Increase other than the minimum allowed
under the Capehart Amendment. With
this went an intimation that he would
resign if any other course were followed.
But that would be a comparatively minor
casualty in a war that has already
devastated so many fronts.
These are some of the . eggs on which
Sawyer must walk with gentleness, and
yet firmness. One of his concerns Is that
labor, considering him a prejudiced arbi
trator, will reject any compromise he
comes up with. He has consistently taken,
as most secretaries of commerce have
done In the past, the business viewpoint,
And he disapproves of much of the Fair
Deal program.
THE SECRETARY'S researchers have
come up with some documentation to show
that he has been friendly to labor. Speak
ing before the American Iron and Steel
Institute in 1949, he praised the leaders of
organized labor for being In the "vanguard
of our battle with communism' In that
same speech he said:
"... I would certainly not sit by and
see our economy disintegrate because the
government believed it was helpless and
could do nothing to save its people from
disaster ... If over any reasonable
period of time our industrial machine Is
grinding to a halt because of a stubborn
and unreasonable refusal of steel men to
produce what the economy demands, I
would be willing to advocate and support
drastic measures to prevent that un
fortunate result.
The urgency of self-interest may brush
aside the obstacles at this moment loom
ing so large. The steel companies are
making generous profits. As Sen. Wayne
Morse (R Ore.)' pointed out on the Senate
floor, In 1951 the total profit after taxes
was $596,000,000. Conceivably, the union
would accept a wage increase sufficient
to bring steelworkers up with the wage
procession. But many hot words hava
been spoken and firm stands taken. In a
political year there are those who will
want to keep the Issue in tht political
arena.
(Copyrilht 1MI. by United reeture Syndicate, Inc.)
So They Say
I would like Dr. (George) Docherty
(who defended Evangelist Billy Graham)
as a mature biblical scholar ... to support
from the Scripture Dr. Graham's assertion
that heaven is a 1600-mile cube containing
trees that produce a different kind of fruit
each month. Rev. A. Powell Davles, pas
tor, All Soul's Unitarian Church, Washington.
V. It doesn't pay to blow up when a
Ltlre does. The opinions of those with
!you are much harder to change.
It's not against the law to think your
neighbor's children are awful just an
awful waste of time.
The Shepherd
LABOR
"ftilIII your works, your daily tasks."
Ex. 5.JJ
I thank You, Lord, for giving me , , ,
A trying task that just must b . . ,
Done on this day, I'm on the spot . .
To get it done and like as not . . I'U
work tonight and do my best , . , And
rack my brain, try every test , . To
get results, but it will breed . Tha
self-control and strength I need , , . To
build assurance as I go , , , That Idle
folk will never know.
JUUEN C. HYER
2
7 Li.w,ri-,rvTZyywiJW7'Tancl.v3' l i
MR. DUDECK ""4
In The Editor's Mail Bag
RAISING JUNIOR!
SPRINGFIELD (To the Editor):
Youthful parents, or even newly
weds can purchase a book on
child training and psychology
which will tell that when your
young son tackles one of your
wooden bed legs with a saw to
shorten it, or perchance it might
be a table leg, or a chair leg,
whatever you do don't Interrupt
him, or even frown, or you may
ruin a wonderful wood-working
genius. Its the same advice when
you find him wrecking your sew
ing machine, your typewriter, or
even the piano. A great embry
onic master mind may be- in the
making right there before your
eyes."
One should tiptoe out of the
room noiselessly and let him work
his imaginative ingenuity to its
completeness just as the parents
of a young aspiring pugilist did
when they found their son punch
ing his grandmothers face, her
jaws were bleeding, her false
teeth were broken, her eyes were
black and blue, two ribs were
broken but there wasn't a thing
in the book on that subject. So
finally they decided that It would
be safest to seek to change his
train of thought and his impulses
by gently suggesting that he go
and enjoy an ice cream cone at a
nearby stand. In this way there
was no mental schock which
might have wrecked the future
career of a great pugilist.
Some people say that one can
still purchase such books. Some
say there are some P.T.A. leaders
who wrangle such thoughts
around in their minds and pass
them out. God help you young
parents; we oldsters never tried it
that way. This should be a won
derful world to live in, when your
children are grown, if you parents
survive the ordeal, but the devil
must smile and the angels must
weep as they watch your effort.
Grandpa and Grandma knew that
a stick at the bottom of any young
sprout - would make it grow
straight and normal. It still is the
best remedy, If it is applied at the
right time and in the right place.
W. W. WHEELER
TRUMAN CIRCUS
DEADWOOD (To the Editor)
Hurry, hurry, hurry folks, step
right this way and see the great
est show on earth. What you see
out here in front is only a sample
of what's inside, Take a look at
this little lady here on my left, no
this is not the usual bearded lady,
this lady is covered with the fur
of a platinum mink. No madam
this lady wasn't born that way,
this mink coat of hers is the result
of a successful graft, but step
right up folks and hurry, Now
right over her ladies and gentle
men is the Dean or all tatooed
men. Notice folks that his color
scheme is red. He's been red since
1932. No madam this man is not
tatooed on his back, only In front,
because he won't turn his back on
anyone. Notice here the picture of
a setting sun, marked "Yalta,
whatever that means. Here on his
manly chest is the picture of For
mosa. Anyone who wants to ex
amine this picture closely may do
so for he will not defend Formosa.
Over here on this side is the pic
ture, all in red, of an auction sale.
That represents the sell out of
China. Hurry, hurry folks, and
right over here we have the great
est attraction of them all, known
as the Mad Hatter. This, man can
throw rocks at music critics and
left hooks at anyone who dis
agrees with him, Don't get too
close folks for the Mad Hatter s a
little mad right now, Just recover
ing from a Boyle on his Caudle
appendage you know, yes sir this
man is the only man on earth that
can turn all kinds of handsprings
and somersaults but he hasn't a
leg to stand on. Hurry, hurry
folks step right up, pay your
money or use your Influence and
see the Truman circus. There's
never been anything like it and
you haven't seen anything yet.
Yours,
DAVE HOOVER
(Barker)
MR. DUDECK
EUGENE it. ...
" you are not too hi '.5t,
you would print it "0 1 J
employment JI Th, , i
mag; weli, Berh W
nclal remembers P.T"'
Editor, and ottL
Kemember the Janr. .!
education here at the ii i't1
sneaked baric . ,neU'0.sJ
Premier and instigaH
sacre at Pearl HaZ M
3000 lives were lost? i
remaps the .
blame for tryint iT . w
stupid law. Bi L ?!.
th. same with our Cffl
save human liu tu.
...i.u . i . . - e Hu t J
w.mine aiate Legislature id
that we need q
compel everyone to ChJ'J
examined hf. eo"W
seat in that body, ffi
include th. r.i. . 11 M
years back whim it. , 'l
substance this speech
1 Villi hava na.i . v" t
that should nev.r k.:.Xb,H
vou shnulH h.. i...''
it pass this tim. h,.i u .
yourself, was HA "
belfry? mmH
lair as a law pnmn.m.. .
to kiss every woman thit J
lu i-ne po!taW,J
ment has a ruling tfc.t ..
back" or otherwise delormu J
ouii auuuiu ut employed If i
carrier because nf k.; .
credit to the service even M
ne passea civil service enid
lion.
If the tax official j
Jap because he felt him to bJ
ais-service io me office he hi:
ngni 10 ao so in the public
terest. It's annth.p ,
lowing the "letter" or "spirir
the law. The "snlril snj i.i-,
the law" iS haH nnnnak .j.J
a. wut-
manes a slave ot the emplort
labor. But the cold letter t!
law is far worse ilnm a
some day place a Jap tn the i
ernors omce who will ipm
Immigration laws and assirt ,
anese smugglers to bring In
entals.
I often think o( TM
ftnnftfv.1t warnins "ThaluriJ
to command Int.rnatlAnil nJ
and good will is to hive i rtri
virile nationalism." Tmij
seem to have lost our nifd
spirit and become a nation il
temntinnal inivfrati tnHn,
buy friendship of other till
and allowing the enemy ill
our gates within the "Trl
horse" to betray m te ur
mies. I think the "proi
groups" are the pests ot the i
house and should be told to tl
shut nn nr ffet. nut mllrh lilrl
erai oacx seat driven frail
ders to a bus driver, I in1
that the man who introdueed
fair employment act wai a
preacher or professor ol iohi
rt.rh.na llvlntf In a rfratm VI
..Ufa ...,B ... - n
TW.ama mtA f.alHI.I will flM
unless directed by intemgasi
DORVIN BUracl
Dr. Edward P. DeKeMtl
Selective menee i
Arthritis- High BlMjPrf
ra. 5-4737 iim u"
sin
Ife 1952 HAitf
' r4-r TT-1
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hii iaa i
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S P I N B R I E R
with Power Flush-rinse!
Here't real newt for woman In lata than an h4U'"ftJ
who've alwayi wanted th you faatar drylnfl, ?','flrt,
speed, convenience, and Infl. Clothes s' ...j.1!..,,
wathability of a twe-tub Eay tpln-attlon Power fiuwn
Splndrierl Doot a week's wash -then are whirled
years or iim"-"- r
work-savln?,
EASY'S VALUE ROW
MODII ItS Hawaii araclail tatv wild
m.Hi foatiim that wuh clolhti dHiw, foiUr. 38 1 day
OOIl J14 - rower 'luih-rlnie. Sptrolalor Woik.
M Action Soop.iavt Fount. Oth feature!. 34
MO0ll 101 - No otSot wrlnaer waihw ever bvlh
to. notch the performance of thll (rest toiy. 29 day
dl(vri W
Otd wothtr
,( down eer"
ROBERTS BROS.
740 Willamette
Eugene, Ore.
EUGENE DEALERS
WEISFIELD'S INC.
681 Willamette
Eugene, Ore.
NELSON'S FURNITURE
177 W. 6th Ave.
Junction City, Ore.
-OUT OF TOWN DEALERS -
ST0CKSTAD APPLIANCE CO.
BRISBANE
2053 E. Main
Springfield, Oregor
ELECTRIC I
702 Main
Cottage Grovf. 0
m i r t. a.wzL, i at wm iaiiiwjiiii' - '