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4 Salem, Oregon, Monday, December 12, 1949
' Johnson Boasts of Defense Cuts
Secretary of Defense Johnson is talking more and more
like a presidential hopeful.
Last week it the National Association of Manufacturers'
convention in New York Johnson told the businessmen that
he and President Truman were deserving of support for the
administration's financial policies. Johnson claimed the
reason why these policies were deserving was because
sound government finances were an essential rampart in
American defenses. Johnson did not explain how he fig
ured the Truman financial policies were sound.
The defense secretary assured conventioners that econ
omies he had put into effect would keep military expendi
tures for the current fiscal year down $lij billions. If
Johnson has cut expenditures that much, he deserves credit
for economies. All will applaud his actions which would
lessen the waste and duplication, and at the same time
give "greater efficiency."
Johnson explained that since the United States had no
aggressive id-aas, it was anticipated that the first blow
would be struck by the enemy. "We shall make sure that
no 4 o'clock in the morning attack will leave us prostrate
at 5," he remarked. Johnson proceeded to outline the
changeover then by the nation from a defense to an of
fense, with the Navy leading off by carrying troops to for
eign shores.
Johnson's mishandling of the recent Admiral Denfeld
case and his verbal reliance on the Navy to lead the offense
don't jibe with those watching from the sidelines. Or per
haps Johnson has finally realized the importance of the
Navy.
Johnson can take a bow for his proposed economies, pro
viding those economies have not weakened the nation's de
fenses. Since he is responsible for those defenses, the
country, almost has to take him at his word.
Now that Johnson has taken bows for his proposed econ
omies, the people want to know what he is doing to counter
the piling evidence of what Russia has done to increase its
offensive power, thus making American defenses rela
tively weaker. Johnson, too, could well spend his time
working with the state department and the White House
in trying to bring forth a gobal strategy for the nation's
foreign affairs. After all, the armed forces play a part in
that strategy.
Johnson couid be more effective and helpful to the peo
ple if he would keep the nation more informed on the rela
tive merits of the nation's defense system instead of boast
ing of his cuts in expenditures.
That is the case even if he is trying to point the record
toward a run at the presidency in '52.
More Discord Over Jerusalem
Decision of the United Nations to internationalize Jeru
salem has brought new dissension to the turbulous Middle
East. Both Jewish Israel and Arab Hashemite Jordan,
battle-time opponents and present occupiers of the Holy
City, have united in defiance of the UN decision and
threaten war.
Accepting the United Nations' verdict as a "lesser evil,"
are the remaining six members of the Arab league
Egypt, Iraq, Saudi, Arabia, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, all
of whom voted in the UN assembly for internationalization.
There was no official indication of what action Israel or
Jordan would take to prevent the proposed international
regime from taking over. From both countries, however,
came threats even of armed action. Dr. Daniel Auster,
mayor of Jewish Jerusalem (the new city), said his gov
ernment would fight, "if necessary with arms," any nt-
tempt to set up the international regime. One of Jordan s
political leaders, Ismail Bilbasi of the Annahda party, said
his country would fight against the internationalization.
Jordan controls the old walled city of Jerusalem containing
most of the religious shrines.
King Abdullah's minister in Cairo, Baha Eddin Tou'kan,
Baid his government "does not accept internationalization"
and has cabled UN Secretary General Trygve Lie protest
ing the decision. Azzam Pasha, secretary general of the
Arab league, said the -thc-r Arab and Moslem states ac
cepted the UN decision "with a feeling of satisfaction and
relief" since Jerusalem "will not be under Jewish control."
In Tel Aviv, the Israeli capital, Jewish opinion appeared
determined to block the international regime by any means
short of armed force. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion
said no UN vote could alter "the historic fact that Jeru
salem is an inseparable part of Israel and her eternal capi
tal." The Tsraoli parliament has already adopted a motion
refusing any foreign or international regime entry to Jeru
salem and declaring the Holy City will remain a part of
Israel.
What slops will be taken by the protectants remain to
be seen, but some effort is expected to create a bilateral
pact to preserve the present division of the city into Arab
and Jewish halves before the United Nations creates its
occupation force.
Red Iron Curtain Falls on China
Emaciated United States Consul General Angus Ward
and his 19 .nonibcr party are on their way on an evacua
tion ship, Liberty Victory, to Japan, enroute to their
native land after suffering "hellish treatment" at the
hands of the Chinese communists at Mukden. At the same
time two half starved American officials are back at Seoul,
after 81 days' imprisonment by North Korean Reds.
Ward, who was caught at his consulate at the fall of Muk
den 13 months ago, 28 days of which were spent in prison in
solitary confinement on trumped up charges on a diet of
six slices of bread and hot water during which he lost
25 pounds, refused to "guess" at the cause of their treat
ment. The two released officials from North Korea, who
"looked like skeletons," lay their imprisonment to an at
tempt to get some form of United States recognition in
exchange for their release.
It is not hard to guess at the motive of the Chinese Reds,
who are following a similar pattern all over China, of abuse
of Americans, a policy directed by the Kremlin. They
seek to purge China of Americans, whom the Chinese like,
and turn them against the United States, their former ally.
It is the same Moscow policy followed everywhere of drop
ping an iron curtain of isolation, so the world will not learn
of what is going on as well as to abolish our "open door"
policy and kil. our Oriental commerce. And yet the com
munists expect, not without cause, recognition by both
the United Nations and the United States of Red China.
BY BECK
Things to Worry About
THAT COMPLETES OUR CHRISTMAS MJ
rMM LIST... EXCEPT FOR MERTON..ANOl
( Kin HEAVEN KNOWS. HE'S HINTED mgffMi
I Mm) ENOUGH ?OUT WHAT HE WANTS. 1 M
flCN T'OTHER HAND, HE HAWmwi
"VESDROPPI NG THROUGH
"THE HOT-AIR REGISTER.
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND
Justice Dept. Should Check
Payroll of Rep. Wickersham
By DREW PEARSON
Washington Now that the case of Congressman Parnell
Thomas has been disposed of, the Justice department might take
a look at another congressman, this one a democrat.
He is Victor Wickersham of Mangum, Okla., a likeable gentle
man, with considerable skill at manipulating the congressional
payroll.
BY CLARE BARNES, JR.
White Collar Zoo
SIPS FOR SUPPER
Congressm a n
Wick e r s h a m
states in his
self-penned bio
graphy in the
Con gressional
Record that he,
was "reared on
cotton, wheat
and dairy farm
near Mangum,
Okla., and on
wheat and poul
try farm near Greensburg, Kan."
For a farm boy, the congress
man has come a long way. He
now operates his own real estate
business, not merely in Okla
homa, but right in the nation's
capital, and has one real estate
agent drawing money from the
congressional payroll.
1 n
IW" 1
Drew Pc.noD
Q.: Well, do you work full
time for Mr. Wickersham?
A.: Yes.
Q.: I thought you said you
worked for the Herd Equipment
Company.
A.: Well, I'm on contract with
them. I work on contract.
Q.: Do you kick back any
part of your salary to Congress
man Wickersham?
A.: No, sir!
Q.: Then how do you explain
getting $7,700 a year for just
answering a few letters?
A.: Well, I better call you
back, I'll call you tomorrow.
Mr. Taylor did not call back.
...
This column also put through
a call to the other secretary,
Lloyd Matthews. Here is the
No Raids Expected
By DON UPJOHN
Football pools, baseball pools, bingo games, sales of lottery
tickets on quilts, et cetera and all of those sorts of things are
taboo under the law and raise quite a commotion every once in
awhile. But the seasons for baseball and football pools have
passed and so. another kind of a venemous lottery snake has raised
iis head in the .
cows are mighty sick." The vet
made his examination and then
diagnosed their ailment. "Drunk
as lords," he said, adding that
they will be all right after get
ting over hangovers. He spec
ulated the boisterous bovines
found a liquor still while graz
ing, decided to have a short one
for old time's sake and then
just didn't know when to stop.
X m a s holiday
season in the
form of the
Christmas
parties planned
around town at
which the names
of all of the
proposed guests
at same are toss
ed into a hat
and then drawn
out again to see
T 1
It is important to remember transcript of the conversation:
that congressional payrolls are Question: Do you work for
not paid for by a member of Congressman Wickersham?
congress. They are paid by the Matthews: Yes.
taxpayers, and allotted to each Q.: In his congressional of-
member of congress in order to fice?
help him run his office and per- A.: No, I work for
form services for the people of estate company.
his district. Thus, when money O.: If you don't work in his
voted for this purpose is divert- congressional office, how do you
ed to run a real estate firm, it account for the fact that you are
actually robs the people who on his congressional payroll?
send a congressman to Washing- A.: (Pause) How do you know
ton. I'm on his congressional pav-
1
. . I want to think about it."
"Leave this material with me .
his real pQQR MAN$ PHILOSOPHER
Water Shortage in N. Y.
Starts a Run on the Faucets
The congressman from Okla
homa has two interesting names
on his payroll:
1. James W. ' Taylor Who
does not work in the congress
man's office at all, but is a sales
man for the Herd Equipment
a
than 150
per-
There seems to be no end to
who'll give a gift to who. This the verasility of Oregon larcen-
seems to be a lottery of the deep ists. In Portland over the week-
dyed sort but we doubt if many
raids will be staged.
Grade AAA Milk
Louisville, Ga. (U.R) Veterin
arian W. 'xj. Yearns was called
end the basement of a home was
ransacked. The loot taken, 50
freshly-washed diapers.
So far this year precipitation
around here this year is about
50 per cent below that of last
in during the week-end to treat year. But that doesn't include
two gay old cows who had gone today. The way she blew and
off on a spree. "Come quick," rained this a.m., should make
a farmer told Yearns. "My two up for some lost time.
Taxis Boost Church Hour
Springfield, III., Dec. 12 (IP) Attendance at the Stuart
street Christian church Sunday night "Happy Hour" has in
creased since Inauguration of free taxicab service.
The plan to give free cab service to persons desiring to at
tend the services was started two weeks ago. The attendance
has increased by 50 each Sunday, said the Rev. Donald Finley.
Air. Finley said the money spent on taxicab fares about
equals the increase in offerings.
"We come out even on the cost," he said. "It's working fine
and we're going to make it permanent."
One taxicab company provides the transportation to and
from the church at reduced rates.
MacKENZIE'S COLUMN
More Terrible Phase of War
In China About to Begin
" By DeWITT MacKENZIE
Ul) Foreign Affair Analyst)
China's civil conflict appears to be entering a new and per
haps even more terrible phase the waging of guerrila strife by
the Nationalists against the now victorious Communist armies.
This means underground fighting. It means stealthy blows
struck under cloak of night when no man knows whether he is
facing friend or
loe. It means
destruction by
the torch. 11
means the awful
plague of the
scorched earth
for the hungry
masses.
The orthodox
phase of the pro
tracted warfare
was formally
cnacci inu.s uij province and the mountain-rim
when the nationalist government ni,, ioi r:-mir
abandoned its temporary capi-
roll?
Q.: There's no mistake about
that. I saw it.
A.: Well, when I sav I don't
work in his congressional office,
that doesn't preclude the pos
sibility that I work for him on
the outside.
n . t ........... ,i i , i
Company of Oklahoma City. He , TV " ' " Z T- , W TJr, V. .o
j . for the congresman in his real polttan reser
" ' j ;,,, ; estate otfice. That s the point, voirs were
U"E,BSS"'""' a-u ,,uuu ior Why should the taxpayers pay down to 34.7
ill J IT . P S an0lh yu for tha'? P cent of nor-
17 5ft fmm fho tavnauarc jactcVi "
v,v, in v,. f- r A-: 1 mean secretarial work, mal capacity.
pension Q" Do you do secretarial
pension. WQrk Qn the outside for the con
2. Lloyd Matthews Who gressman?
hasn't been around the congress- A.: You will have to talk to
man's office since last summer, Mr. Wickersham about that
but has been employed in the ...
congressman's real estate firm
By HAL BOYLE
New York IIP) If cleanliness is next to Godliness, then the
average New Yorker today is a neighbor to heaven.
He's so spotless he shines. He's never been so clean before.
It's all because of the great water famine. City Hall suddenly
iscovered that folks were using 1,200,000,000 gallons of water
day more
And the wa
ter level is
shrinking. S o
Manhattan, sur
rounded by one
the nearest tap and drink him
self unconscious.
Of course, while the taps stii:
run, the shortage has its ad
vantages. A host no longer hai
to worry about his Scotch or ry
running out. "How about 1
highball or straight water?" hi
murmurs. "The real stuff?"
ocean and three
Coneressman Wiekprsham rip. rivers, is wondering dismally if
at a salary of $2,298 from the spite this diversion of congress- it is going to become a near-
ioahujco. lonai salaries, is too thrifty to desert island.
Unique fact is that Wicker- support his 72-year-old father, Well, you know how it is when
sham's office, when queried, Frank Wickersham, but got him a thing gets in short supply,
didn't even recognize Taylor's a job instead running an eleva- Folks figure, "By golly, I
name. The secretary in charge, tor for the construction workers ain't going to be cheated out of
Aubrey Witt, scratched his head, in the Capitol building. Previ- mv share "
finally recalled that the, con- ously, the elder Mr. Wickersham And peopie who once had to waler shortage.
gressman knew a Jim Taylor in had been on the government be driven screaming in protest "Darned if I'm going to gel
Hobart, Okla. Yet Taylor is payroll for seven years as a . v.: 'l.i antrrfn niahl caught in a black market in
highest on the office pay roster, watchman at the Library of Con- .rllhhint nro nnw takine two that." he grumbled. "I was to
na(...moKl dT.a.,U ha 1 1rne,U- fTnoee SirUUUlllg 1C 1IUW tailing iw iL . t,t.
Any day now I expect somi
character in a turned down ha'
and a turned up collar to sidh
over and whisper out of th
corner of his mouth, "Wanni
buy some black market water
Mac? We just smuggled some
in from New Jersey on a fasi
ferry.'
An acquaintance of mine sayi
he isn't going to miss out in th
baths a day and slipping home late in Betting into the black
presumably should be in Wash- gress.
ington working hard for the folks During the war, the Oklahoma at junci, for a shower markets during the war, and 1
back home. congressman also ran a used-car ... fc , . til't f..ot got stuck with five bags ol
Witt remembered Matthews lot on the rent-free, tax-free "n Vj61 ""Jlf. ,a,t dror-- sugar and tnree dozen wmt
without any trouble, but report- congressional parking lot. He " nlma!!d shirts."
ed he was working in the con- sold cars to at least 12 other JilJ"mB rf ta te sure When I asked him how he wai
gressman's real estate office. He congressmen and helped auto- , f" wt goinB to avoid he said:
hadn't been around the congress- mobile dealers from home to find tnl are, sl"1 a f " "I tied knots in my whit
(CopyrUht 194U
rounding territory is a serious
blow to the nationalists. My col
league. Chaijlcs A. Grumich, who
sprved as an AP correspondent
in China and now is on the AP
staff wi'h the United Nations,
says the Chinese Reds in their
sweep on Chengtu are grabbing
probably the richest farmlands
in the world.
...
'The conquest of Szechwan
tal nt Chengtu, western China,
and flew to Formosa
This great island off the south-
cast coast has been turned into
a IOrirCSS uy UL-iiu-mnaaimu
Chiang Kai-Shek and is defend-
med Chengtu plain," Grumich
adds,' "is their most important
triumph for control of food
sources that may be exploited
a.i a political weapon in hungry
ino. Thanks to centuries of
honey-pot' fertilization and an
ancient irrigation system that
ional office for months, Witt scarce cars. Between sales, Mr.
said. wickersham kept his automo-
... biles on the congressional park-
This column then put through Ing 10,1
a call to Mr. Taylor in Hobart,
Okla. Here is the transcript of
the conversation:
Question: You used to be in
the sheriff's office, didn't you,
Mr. Taylor?
Taylor: That's right.
Q.: Whom do you work for
now?
A.: The Herd Equipment Com
pany. Q.: Do you also work for Con
gressman Wickersham?
A.: Yes.
Q.: What do you do for the
congressman?
A.: Oh, I work as a clerk.
Q.: What kind of clerical work
do you do?
A.: Oh, I answer letters for
him.
Q.: Does the congressman get
many letters these days?
A.: No, not many.
Q.: You mean to say you get
$7,700 a year just to answer a
few letters?
A.: You ought to talk to the
congressman about that.
shirts, put them in the bathtub
1! I U1 31,11
new and filled them with water. Did
water drinkers. A man is afraid (. . ...
...w w... villus win, 11IJ- 0UfidX
sacks, too. I'm already prepar
ed for the emergency."
to leave a visitor alone in his
room, for. fear he will rush to
Tot Takes a Beating
St. Anthony, Idaho, Dec. 12 P) Eighteen-month-old Wayne
Dunn took a beating. But he's expected to recover.
Wayne tumbled into the family washing machine while
his mother was elsewhere.
The agitator knocked Wayne unconscious. But finally the
machine stopped. Mrs. James Dunn returned to find her son
badly beaten 'and nearly drowned.
Doctors said the child would recover. He suffered multiple '
bruises. The soap injured his eyes.
Boy's Faith in Santa Is Shaken
Tyler, Tex., Dec. 12 (U.R) A little boy's faith in Santa Claus
was shaken today.
When their five-year-old son balked at taking a dose of
castor oil, a Tyler couple arranged for Santa Claus to tele
phone and advise the boy to take his medicine.
The youngster was impressed. He put down the telephone,
bolted for the bathroom, grabbed the castor oil bottle and
downed a half-pint.
A nice thing about the short
age is that they no longer bring
you fingerbowls in most restau
rants. In the midst of this aqua pura
panic one gent stands undismay
ed. This is Johnny Bo-bo.
Johnny got his name from his
habit of standing at the bar in
Fogarty's neighborhood saloon
belting himself with straight
bourbon and muttering at his
reflection in the mirror "Bo-bo,
Bo-bo-bo, Bo-bo-bo-bo-bo!"
"Any body wants my water
can have it," says Johnny Bo
bo. "I ain't touched the stuff
since the summer of 1921. I
know sooner or later somebody
would find it unpatriotic to
drink it."
n m
ed by some 300,000 troops, sup- traps and ,he mountain
ponea oy an ,r lu.u. vrters. the 'sea on land' and
'heaven on earth' of the old
Formosa long ago was pre- Chinese poets is productive al
parcd by the "Ginio", as they most beyond description. It
call Chiang, for his last ditch would feed large parts of China
stand. There the government but for the lack of transporta
will have its scat, from there tion.
the nationalist forces on the con- "Chengtu was one of Marco
tincnt will be directed. Polo's favorite cities and he
Thus Formosa becomes the wouldn't find it looking much
symbol of all nationalist China, different today except for the
So long as the flag-still flies scramble of the nationalists to
over this strategic island, and get out ahead of the oncoming
guerrilla nationalists continue communists.
the fight on the continent, just
so long can Chiang still main
tain that his government is a
going concern.
"The old walled city prides
itself on a culture that dates
from three centuries before
Christ and on the fact that this
The nationalist troops which ii the real China preserved
were defending the government through centuries of fighting."
in the temporary capital of Grummich also reminds us
Chengtu are being pulled back that Chengtu was the center of
further westward to Sichang, airfields that launched the first
in Sikang province. This will be land-based attacks on Japan by
mainland headquarters pending the B-29c of the American 20th
further developments. bomber command in 1944.
Whether this force will be ...
split up into guerrilla contin- And what does the future hold
gents probably will depend on for Chengtu and this rich farm
developments, ing area?
The loss of Chengtu and tur- Certainly the picture isn't
bright, with the Chinese Reds
rushing in for battle with the
nationalist army to the west.
There is, of course, the possi
bility of much fighting, especial
ly of the guerrilla type.
Nationalist tactics, as envisag
ed by observers, may involve
creation of a considerable num
ber of guerrilla "pockets" on the
mainland to harrass the com
munist forces. These pockets
could be supplied by airplanes
from Formosa. Paratroopers
from the island might also be
dropped at strategic points to
help organize peasant uprisings
against the communists.
If all these things material
ize, the country's 400 millions
may go through a hell which
will make past trials seem mild.
It depends on how well the na
tionalists are able to implement
the plans which they have in
mind. We mustn't overlook that
they are in a bad way and are
contemplating a last ditch stand.
The United Nations Thursday
developed an interesting side
light to this upheaval. The as
sembly called on all the world
to keep hands off China and to
respect her treaties.
This policy was initiated by
the United States with Austra
lia, Mexico. Pakistan and the
Philippines ai co-sponsors.
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