SOUTHERN OREGON MINER Page 2 Friendly Visitors From Nippon GENERAL Friday, Feb. 28, 1941 Against No. 1776 HUGH S. JOHNSON Jour: U. 8. FIRMS PAY AXIS POWERS WASHINGTON.—While the senate la preparing to enact the lend-lease bill committing this country to vast outlays for Great Britain, certain American Arms are paying out hun­ dreds of dollars monthly to Ger­ many and Italy, which funds are being used to fight both the United States and Britain. This secret Axis aid is being de­ livered in the form of royalty pay­ ments on industrial formulas, trade­ marks, copyrights and patents. The money is paid in dollars and is de­ posited to German and Italian ac­ counts in New York banks. The justice department, which has conducted a secret investigation, has uncovered these interesting facts 1. That the royalty payments are now running around $500.000 a month, of which Germany gets at least 80 per cent. 2. That a considerable portion of the money was used by Germany last year to buy U. S goods for de­ livery to Latin American buyers, to make good on contracts that Ger­ many confidently had signed after the fall of France but was unable to fill, because of the unshaken Brit­ ish blockade. 3. That Nazi and Fascist agents have drawn on the funds to finance racial and anti-defense propaganda in this country; also anti-American propaganda in South America. 4. That while U. S firms fork over their tribute in dollars, such royalties as Germany and Italy pay are in the form of blocked marks and export lira; that is. money that can be spent only in Germany or Italy. Actually, the money levy is a sec­ ondary consideration. What really worries the authorities is how much vital military production information these royalty agreements betray to the Axis. Since most royalties on patents are paid according to the number of units sold, it should be a simple matter for the Axis to obtain de­ tailed figures on types and rate of flow of important materials to the U. S. army and navy and to Britain. Last year the justice de­ partment cracked down on Bausch and Lomb when it discovered that under a secret royalty agreement the firm supplied the German licen­ sor with a detailed accounting of certain instruments delivered to the navy • • • H;.Phillips- »MV Washington. D. C. 'HUNCH' ON LEASE-LEND Tins is little more than a hunch story but it is a hunch based on a good many circumstances all facing in the same direction—the admin­ istration's willingness to compro­ mise on amendments on the lease- lend bill that do not conflict with it and its adamantine opposition to any amendments that do, the nature of the military and naval problem in its present phase, the opinions of some naval officers, the apparent de­ termination of Mr. Roosevelt to de­ fend the British empire wherever it is threatened. The hunch is that very shortly aft­ er that bill is passed, we shall see one of the most startling switches of American and British naval equip­ ment ever yet rumored or imagined. What is most needed to keep ocean lanes of supply open to beleaguered Britain and oppose the German air and submarine blockade are destroy­ ers. crui ers and other light swift warcraft. What is most needed if we are to challenge Japanese sea power in the west Pacific is battle­ ships. These latter take a long time to build and we are not too comfortably equipped in this category as com­ pared with Japan, especially con­ sidering distance, lack of bases and tricky defensive naval terrain of the Japanese Archipelago. Trading some of our lighter craft for just one British battleship would not be a very thrifty thing to do. It would be hard to fit it into a squadron otherwise composed of battleships of American design, cal­ iber of guns, fire-control and so forth. But getting a whole squadron of British battle wagons could be a much more effective addition to our naval strength if our purpose is to fight the Japanese navy. We are turning out some honeys of destroyers and doing it ahead of time. The conversion and moderni­ zation of our old destroyers is mov­ ing very rapidly in our own and Brit­ ish shipyards. The British are not experiencing the difficulty In man­ ning our light craft that we might have in manning theirs. But even with our difficulties, this whole idea of wholesale shifts is not so screwy, assuming always that we have decided to gamble our posi­ tion in the Atlantic on the British manning American ships and our go- I ing to tackle Japan in the Pacific I with Americans manning British I ships. WILI.KIE RATES CHURCHILL What we are possibly facing here OVER F. D. is a British-American pool of the In Wendell Willkie went all-out tor fighting ships of both navies. the President’s lend-lease bill, but the lease-lend bill as it now stands in personally he doesn’t like Mr. ' the senate, there is no financial or Roosevelt any better than before. ¡ other limit whatever on the Presi­ Willkie made this clear to friends dent’s power to make these shifts, following his conference at the even to the whole of our navy. White House. LABOR AND MANAGEMENT Winston Churchill, he indicated, On more than one occasion dur­ had it all over Roosevelt in ability afld personality, was "much simpler ing the World war when suggestions were made to the late great Samuel and more direct in manner." "There isn't anyone in America Gompers, that labor should have a quite like Churchill,” Willkie said. voice in industrial management, he "He was the most congenial com­ always shook his head—just as he panion I’ve met in a very long time. always shook his head at suggestions He has a gay buoyancy that is in­ of labor's greater participation in partisan politics. comparable.” His reasoning was clear and may Willkie also told bis friends that be fairly paraphrased thus: "If la­ he had absolutely no intention of bor is a party in management it par­ taking a job under Roosevelt takes in one of the great responsibil­ “The President hasn’t offered me ities of management, namely prof­ anything." he said, “and I hope he its. It is the business of labor or­ doesn’t because I’ll turn it down. ganizations to see that workers get One thing I don’t want is an ap­ a fair day’s pay for a fair day's pointive office. If war should come work. In hard times capital gets I will enlist in the arm?d forces, no wages. It can afford this for but I’m not taking a government long periods of time. Labor can job." not. We want neither that responsi­ Willkie is still undecided what he bility nor that sacrifice." will do, but is leaning toward a re­ As to close political affiliation, the turn to law. He has been offered a argument was that parties must number of lucrative positions, one compromise on a vast assortment of carrying a salary of $120.000 a year. issues which are not the direct con­ • * • cern of organized labor. That con­ NEW FARM BOARD cern is always to champion the cause After many years of supporting of workers. It must work political­ the New Deal farm program, the ly but it must do so in the manner powerful Farm Bureau federation that serves it best. It is not served wants to set up a new government best by entangling its fate with any farm agency which it would largely political faith where often the de­ dominate. mand on it may be "everything for In backstage congressional con­ the good of the party” .when at versations, the farm leaders have times that “everything” may be all proposed that the AAA, the soil con­ to the disadvantage of labor. servation service and the farm se­ That always seemed to me a very curity administration be taken away sound philosophy for a labor leader. from the department of agriculture It all seems now to be in the ash­ and be made a completely sepa­ can. In the defense set-up, organ­ rate agency. Then they want a five- ized labor, at least insofar as it is man board to run these important represented by Sidney Hillman, de­ bureaus. manded and got an authority over Naturally, they expect to have a industry in control of war produc­ goodly representation of members tion (which is all production) on a on that board. par with industrial management at So far, Vice President Henry Wal­ least insofar as it is represented lace and Secretary of Agriculture by Mr. Knudsen. Neither of these Wickard are vigorously opposed. So good men is completely representa­ also is the President. tive of his group, but this strange Note—Herbert Hoover established du-umvirate control was certainly ■ famous farm board to buy wheat. intended to signify at least partial labor management of industry. It was a mess. • • • • • • MERRY-GO-ROUND As Mr. Frank Kent has pointed Elder Statesman ex-Senator King out, there are many signs in this di­ of Utah is being promoted by friends rection and almost none in any con­ to become a commissioner of the trary direction. Mr. Phillip Mur­ ray, head of C. I. O., has proposed District of Columbia. Although hampered by having its a plan, whereby the sadly lacking offices scattered in six widely sepa­ organization of all-out American in­ rated buildings, the immigration bu­ dustrial mobilization shall be sup­ reau is mailing out 95,000 receipts plied by topside committee control ■ day to registered aliens. Pennsylvania Republican chiefs of whole industries—committees in will not have to ask Sen. (“Puddler which labor and management shall Jim") Davis twice to be their candi­ be equally represented in more or date for governor next year. He is less dictatorial administration of each regimented industry. panting for the chance. THE PAPERS OF PRIVATE PURKEY Dear Mom: I did not write you before because there is more work to be done in an army than I thought, so this is just to say I am well except for a little I flu. some trouble i with my arches and the fact I can't get used to not being able to say "Okay, later." when I am told to du something. Training has started and I guess I am being trained tp be a letter carrier from all the walking they make me do in all kinds of weather. A modern rifle arrived in camp to­ day and attracted wide attention. We expect to have several in time if there is no strike trouble. Only the top of my uniform was ready when I got here but the bot­ tom has arrived now. I am well and hope you are the same. Do not worry about me. mom. as I have to go to bed early and am too busy saluting to get into trouble, although if being in the army ain't being in trouble I don't know what Is. Love, Oscar. • • • Dear Mom: I thought I would drop you a few lines to let you know I have not seen no fighting yet. I heard funny noises last night and was very nerv­ ous. but everything was okay this morning so I guess it was all imag­ inary. They do not get you up by bugle no more in the army. They use an electric buzzer. 1 kept getting up and looking for a front door on my tern because I thought it was the milkman or somebody. Where I made my mis­ take was going back to bed when I found no milkman, and just yelling “nuts" to the buzzer the rest of the morning. The guardhouse is not a bad place and I will be out in a few days. Love. Oscar. • • • Dear Mom: I am out of the guardhouse which I mentioned in my last letter but I still don't like buzzers. If the bu­ gle was good enough for Grant. Lee. Sherman, Teddy Roosevelt, and Per­ shing, it is good enough for me. I was talking this over with a buddy and he says he thinks the buzzer is being used just to make the army mad. An army is no gixxi unless it is mad, he says. Well the buzzer will do it. A bugle would make me mad at 5 a. m. too, mom, but it is sort of romantic. It kind of stirs you up and makes you feel like you was a fighter. A buzzer just makes you feel like you was a stenogra- pher. We have a couple of millionaires in my company. One of 'em is a Rockefeller. It is a funny thing how no matter whether you are rich or poor your feet hurt just the same. The photographers are always tak­ ing pictures of these rich guys but none of me but you know how I look anyhow so do not worry, lam well except for that buzzer. I can’t help hollering "Come in” whenever I hear it. Could you send me some warm socks, a homemade cake and some dice? Love, Oscar. Dear Mom: Well, just a line to let you know everything is still okay at the ar- senal of democracy as it is called in the newspapers. I am getting along well, except the coffee is lousy and the cream is plain sabotage. Another modern rifle arrived today, so I guess things are speeding up in the defense program. I nearly got in the guardhouse again. I asked the captain for a typewriter so I could write my letters that way and he said why should I think I rated a typewrit­ er, I said, "Well, this is a machine war, ain’t it?” He got very sore. Never mind I the dice I asked you to send me. The camp is now full of ’em. Dice are the one thing which ain't behind schedule. Love, Oscar. • • • This friendly visit of a Japanese military delegation to lhe llricb- chanccllery in Berlin to see Hitler may be symbolic of co-operative implications far beyond mere casualncsa, as Japan regarded the landing of Australian troops In Singapore as a "belligerent action." Standing be­ side Hitler is General Yamasnlta of Japan. Hen. Robert Reynolds (D.) of North Carolina, telling the »mate that Bill No. 1770 "may lead us di­ rectly toward a declaration of war." Reynolds became the first southern senator to oppose the bill. Patriot! When It Rains in California— Heavy downpour takes severe toll in property damage throughout southern California, causing landslides, washouts and floods. Topanga river becomes a raging torrent. This picture, taken In Topanga canyon, shows a home as it crumpled into the rampant waters. Rescue workers are attempting la, save a marooned family- Jean Greaux, ¡2, native of the Vir­ gin Islands, spent his savings to make a 4.000 mile trip to enter the army. Here he la receiving his uni­ form al Jefferson Barracks, Ht. I^iuls. He enlisted al Camp Robin­ son, Ark. Never-Ending Stream of Italian Prisoners Winning Ski Jump A seemingly never-ending stream of Italian prisoners la here shown pouring over a bridge following the capture of an Important base during the British sweep west through Libya, which was climaxed by the cap­ ture of Bengazi, an Italian stronghold. In all, lhe British captured 100,000 Italians, it was claimed. Torgcr Toklc of lhe Norway Ski club soars to victory In the F. l>. Roosevelt ski tourney at Bear Moun­ tain, N. Y. Hix poorest leap was 165 feet. Hix best was 180 feet, which beat by 9 inches the mark he established two years ago. Lifeboat for a Playroom Deportation? These British children were assigned to thia lifeboat on the 8. 8. Geòrgie during its hazardous Journey to New York. When the steamship docked the children used the boat, which was to be their watery home in case of torpedoing, as a sort of playroom. The Geòrgie was the first British passenger ship to dock in New York since November IS, 1940. Deportation proceedings against Harry Bridges, West coast labor leader (above), have been ordered by Attorney General Jackson. Ba­ sis for this action Is the FBI report that Bridges is a communist. THE DIZZY PACE (From the Conneautville, Pa., Courier) Gresh’s girls have measles. Mel Davis called on Harley Hills Monday. Mrs. Ruth Inman is up with an attack of lumbago. Our roads are so full of awful deep ruts that it is impossible to get by without a team along. Carl Hills was at the home of his parents, helping with wood. Fox hunters were out every day last week running foxes.