THE B O N N E V I L L E DAM CHRONICLE
TWO
News Review o f Current Events_____
JAPS GIRD FOR LONG WAR
Mass 30,000 Troops Near Peiping...Wages and Hours
Bill Passed by Senate . . . Take Up Low-Cost Housing
line of advance were reported sur­ each naturalized citizen with his cit­
rendering or fleeing. Insurgents izenship papers. The book, exhibit­
claimed to have captured large num­ ed in the house, is a handsome af­
bers of automobiles and supplies of fair, all done up in blue and gold.
The cover contains, in large letters,
arms, munitions and clothing.
Latest news from the Madrid front the inscription: “ The Story of the
indicated that a rebel attack in the Constitution, by Sol Bloom. Copy­
Usera sector southeast of the city right, by Sol Bloom.”
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had been repulsed by machine gun­
ners and dynamiters.
U. S. W eighs Embargo
Taking inventories of their forces
S THE conflict in North China
in the Madrid conflict, the govern­
blazed into open, if undeclared,
ment and the insurgents disagreed;
warfare,
the United States prepared
each claimed the other’ s losses had
to declare that a state of war ex­
been greatest. Rebels reported the
isted between China and Japan and
government had lost 300 fighting
planes and had had 30,000 casualties. to place an embargo upon the ship­
ment of arms to the two countries,
The government declared Franco
under the neutrality act. The Pres
had lost at least 100 planes to its 20
ident, who has the power to declare
or 30, had lost 20,000 to 25,000 men,
and had consumed $15,000,000 worth that a state of war exists, kept in
close touch with affairs in the Far
of war materials.
East, assisted by Secretary of State
Cordell Hull.
New Court Bill Drafted
Proclamation of an embargo pro­
17 OUR important provisions were hibits the sale of arms, ammuni­
P contained in the new court "re­ tions and implements of war to the
form” bill reported out of the senate belligerent countries. It forbids
judiciary committee, but none of loans or the extension of credit to
them involved any changes in or either of them, and makes it illegal
additions to the personnel of the Su­ for Americans to travel upon the
preme court. The new bill provides ships of the belligerents.
for:
Secretary Hull said that confer­
(a) Direct appeals to the Supreme ences had been held among em­
court from decisions in the district bassy attaches, commanders of for­
courts involving the constitutional­ eign troops in Peiping and others,
ity of federal statutes.
to lay plans for removing Ameri­
(b) Intervention by the Depart­ cans and other foreign nationals
ment of Justice in all suits involv­ from the danger zone.
ing the validity of federal statutes.
It was reported that there were
(c) Trial of all suits to enjoin 223 United States military person­
the operation of federal statutes by nel and dependents and 403 Ameri­
a court of three judges—one judge can civilians registered in Tientsin,
from the circuit court of appeals in addition to 750 American officers
and two district judges.
and men.
(d) Reassignment of district court
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judges by the senior circuit judge
of each circuit, wherever additional $700,000,000 for Housing
AVING disposed of wages and
help may be needed to relieve con­
hours legislation, the senate
gested dockets. Judges sitting away
took
up the Wagner-Steagall low-
from home would receive $10 a day
cost
housing
bill. This would au­
additional pay.
thorize the flotation
— -k—
of a $700,000,000
W om en Hear W a r C ry
bond issue by a
NE of China’ s chief agitators
United States hous­
for war was Mme. Chiang Kai-
ing authority.
To
shek, Wellesley-educated wife of the
meet operating ex­
dictator. She urged women to fight
penses of the pro­
Japan "according to their ability,”
gram’ s first year,
citing the fashion in which the wom­
$26,000,000 would be
en of Spain are occupying the fight­
appropriated imme­
ing lines.
diately.
The pro­
“ In the World war the women of
posed bond i s s u e
every country gave their best,” she
was cut from $1,-
declared. “ The women of China are
Sen. Wagner 000,000,000 as a com ­
no less patriotic or capable of phys­ promise with ths Treasury depart­
ical endurance.
ment, which objected to so high a
"China is facing the gravest crisis figure.
in its history. This means we must
The bill would aid low-cost hous­
sacrifice many of our soldiers, ing projects in two ways. It would
masses of our innocent people,
make loans to the full amount of
much of the nation’ s wealth and see
contracted projects, aiding the re­
ruthlessly destroyed the results of
payment of the loans by direct
our reconstruction.”
grants if the sponsors kept rents suf­
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ficiently low; or it would make di­
El Caudillo Is the Boss
rect grants not to exceed 25 per
NSURGENT Spain has a "head cent of the cost of a project. Under
man” and also has a name for this latter method, the President
him now. In Germany things are would be authorized to make an ad­
bossed by “ Der Fuehrer,” and Ital­ ditional 15 per cent grant from re­
ians scurry to obey "II Duce.” Now lief funds, to be used only for the
Sponsors
Rebel Spain has dubbed Gen. employment of labor.
Francisco Franco “ El Caudillo.” would be required to contribute at
Throughout the realm on walls and least 20 per cent of the cost
The housing authority would also
fences are signs bearing the motto,
"Homenaje el Caudillo” — "Obey the be permitted to spend $25,000,000 on
leader.” And the people salute him demonstration projects to illustrate
to communities the benefits of elimi­
by raising the right arm.
Franco’ s followers are protesting nating slums and providing ade­
that he is not a fascist, but he has quate housing at low cost. The proj­
never announced just what form of ects would be sold "as soon as
government he will propose for the practical” to local housing agencies.
Under the first plan the housing
nation. There is said to be a scheme
afoot to shape it along the lines of authority would be given power to
Portugal’ s corporative government. enter subsidy agreements totaling
Since he openly declared on July 19 $20,000,000 annually.
that he believes the restoration of a
monarchy is vital to cohesion of
Sugar Bit for II Duce
Spain, it is believed that this is what
T WAS hinted that the British gov­
he will eventually effect Prince
ernment would soon recognize of­
Juan, third son of the former King
ficially the Italian conquest of Ethi­
Alfonso XIII. is the likely candidate
opia as a bit of sugar to sweeten
for the crown.
Mussolini, with a view to obtaining
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another "Locarno pact” as a guar­
Ambition in Bloom
antee of peace in western Europe.
The London Daily Telegraph’ s dip­
ONGRESSMAN SOL BLOOM of
New York, who, it is said lomatic correspondent reported:
"I learn that Mr. Chamberlain
(by Congressman Bloom), is the
“ spittin’ image” of George Wash­ (the prime minister) personally is
ington, and once posed for a bust desirous that Britain’s position
labeled "The Father of His Coun­ should be clarified fully this autumn
try,” sponsored a brief bill in the so as to remove one of the most im­
lower house, but unfortunately (for portant obstacles to any practical
Congressman Bloom) It was reject­ advance toward European advance­
ed—in fact it never even came to ment.” He added that if the League
of Nations would place on record
a vote.
It provided that a book be given, the fact that the Ethiopian state has
at the government’ s expense, to ceased to exist "the governments of
A
Japanese soldiers cremate their dead at Fengtal.
SMmvul W. P id c^ -------
^ ^
SUMMARIZES THE WORLD’S WEEK
C Western Newspaper Union.
North China Powder Keg
powder keg of the
T IENTSIN,
hostilities in North China, was
being attacked from many angles
as Japan apparently prepared to
fight a long term war. Japanese
bombers rained death and destruc­
tion from the skies, artillery pep­
pered the city with shells and, as if
that were not enough, a serious
earthquake shook the metropolis’
foundations.
A surprise Chinese attack, by
three armies along a 95-mile front
from Taku (Tientsin’ s port) to Peip­
ing drove Japan away from three
key railroad stations, provoking
Nippon’ s retaliation. In the wake
of the bursting bombs, flames en­
gulfed Tientsin’ s principal build­
ings, including the central railway
station, the militia headquarters,
the famed Nankai university and
the Chinkiang international bridge
connecting the Chinese city to the
foreign concessions. In the streets.
Chinese and Japanese soldiers
fought hand to hand, with entrench­
ments in some places no more than
100 feet apart.
Chinese troops declared that
"Thousands of non-combatant men,
women and children were killed or
injured’ ’ by the airmen.
Russia protested vigorously to the
Japanese embassy in Nanking
against the "pillaging of the Russian
consulate in Tientsin by White Rus­
sian ruffians assisted by Japanese."
The Japanese denied that any of
their countrymen were implicated,
and ridiculed the idea that the Jap­
anese planned any future attacks
against Russian consulates.
In the Fengtai-Lukouchiao district
southwest of Peiping, 30,000 veteran
Japanese troops massed for an at­
tack upon five divisions of China’ s
central government army, number­
ing approximately 60,000. Including
the remnants of the twenty-ninth
army, driven from Peiping by the
Japanese, there were said to be
100,000 Chinese. Both sides were
well equipped with airplanes.
Further evidence of Japan’ s ex­
pectation of real war were the
sweeping changes in military per­
sonnel made after a conference be­
tween Premier Konoye and Emper­
or Hirohito. Four new division com ­
manders were named, as well as a
new commander for the island of
Formosa. It was regarded as sig­
nificant that all of the new ap­
pointees were soldiers with exten­
sive experience in China. The gov­
ernment was attempting to push
through an appropriation of $115,-
000.000 for operations in North
China.
Japanese metropolitan centers—
such as Osako, Nogoya and K io to -
bristled with war-time enthusiasm.
Tains leaving every station were
packed with warriors leaving for
North China,
while vociferous
crowds cheered them on their way
with frenzied cries of "Banzai!”
It was believed that only a com ­
plete capitulation by the Chinese
central government at Nanking
would avert war. Yet it was not
likely that the Japanese would be­
gin any major drive until autumn
when the maize and sorghum, in
which the Chinese soldier is adept
at hiding, would be removed by
harvest.
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Bill Green Saves the Day
William Green, president
A FTER
of the American Federation of
Labor had been prevailed upon by
President Roosevelt to grace the
wages and hours
bill with an approv­
al slightly less than
lukewarm, the sen­
ate passed it, 56 to
28. Southern sena­
tors, led by Pat Har­
rison of Mississippi
and obviously dis­
pleased with the
bill, pressed a move­
ment to recommit it
to the education and
William
labor
committee,
Green
but their motion
was defeated, 48 to 36.
It seemed certain that the south­
erners would have enough votes to
defeat the measure when the metals
and building units of the Federa­
tion voiced their dissatisfaction also,
while Green at first refused to com ­
ment. But under pressure from the
White House, Green gave out a
statement that, while the bill was
still unacceptable to him, he would
like to have it passed in the senate
and then improved in the house.
As the senate passed it, the Wag-
ner-Connery bill to regulate hours
and wages would create a labor
standards board empowered to set
minimum wages up to 40 cents an
hour and maximum work weeks
down to 40 hours a week.
The draft prepared by the house
labor committee was far broader in
scope than that of the senate. It
would extend the limits to permit
the board to set minimum wages
up to 70 cents an hour and set the
maximum working week as low as
35 hours.
In the house, too. there was oppo­
sition by the southern Democrats.
They objected to the wide latitude
given the board. Most of them felt
the bill would have a detrimental
effect upon the industrial growth of
the South.
W e d ge to Split Loyalists
S THE battle of Madrid con­
tinued to rage. Gen. Francisco
Franco’ s eastern army was driving
an ever-widening wedge into the ter­
ritory near the junction of Teruel,
Cuenca and Valencia provinces 100
miles east of Madrid. His object
is to impose a barrier between Ma­
drid and the loyalist government’s
capital at Valencia.
Government forces all along the
A
H
O
I
I
C
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1937
all the league states presumably
would come away from Geneva feel­
ing they were free to recognize the
new situation de jure whenever they
thought it fit to do so.”
'Pack the W hite House'
a roll call vote of 260 to
W ITH
88, the house of representa­
tives voted to give President Roose­
velt six new secretaries at $10,000 a
_ year each. The de-
k l bate on the bill pro­
voked some quaint
comment. Republi­
can Dewey Short of
Missouri offered an
amendment provid­
ing that the six new
positions should be
given
to
Elliott,
Franklin, Jr., and
John
Roosevelt,
sons of the Presi­
Elliott
dent; Mrs. A n n a
Roosevelt
B o e 11 i g e r, his
daughter; and “ Sistie” and “ Buz-
zie” Dali, his grandchildren. It
failed to carry.
Democrat Ross Collins of Missis­
sippi offered an amendment that
would provide a new secretary for
each member of congress. “ The
President may need additional sec­
retaries,” he said. "How about the
overworked members of congress?
We need extra help also.”
If the bill became law, it would
raise the total of the President’ s
$10,000-a-year secretaries to nine,
for he already has three—James
Roosevelt, Stephen Early and Mar»
vin McIntyre.
India Has More People
Than the United States
India accounts for more than two-
thirds of the population of the Brit­
ish empire. It has nearly three
times as many people as has the
United States, though its area is on­
ly a little more than half as large.
But the more than 351,399,000 In­
dians crowded into the triangular
peninsula that juts out from Asia
are far from unified—culturally, re­
ligiously, or politically, according to
a writer in the Chicago Tribune. The
land is a crazy-quilt of presidencies,
native states, provinces, protector­
ates, tribal areas, and even a few
foreign owned patches. Some parts
have been governed by modem
British law; others by native
princes ruling with Arabian Nights
splendor, holding the power of life
and death over their minions, main­
taining their own armies, and sub­
ject indirectly to the king.
India is usually thought of as en­
tirely British, but France and Portu­
gal keep tiny toeholds on the edges
of the huge British domain. Of these
remnants of the days when all three
powers were competing for Indian
trade and riches France has about
200 square miles of colonies along
the east and west coasts, while
there are 1,461 square miles of Por­
tuguese territory on the western
side of the peninsula.
Only Unhealthy Oysters
Are Producers o f Pearls
Oriental poets used to say that
pearls grew from dew-drops swal­
lowed by the oysters. Actual fact
proves that only unhealthy oysters
produce pearls; essentially those
with crumpled shells, writes Edward
Samuel in the Illustrated Weekly of
India. The growth is the result of
grit, sand grains or splinters being
driven into the mantle or flap of skin
in the oyster. The foreign substance
becomes coated with mother-of-
pearL
The pearling industry Is a double­
headed one, pearls and shells—with
shell as the main item and pearls as
subsidiary. The first shell In Aus­
tralia was gathered by datives at
low tide, and when this supply was
exhausted, they waded and dived for
it. Still later, they dived from boats
In two or three fathoms of water,
and early profits were enormous.
Forty or fifty feet was the limit
for native divers, but the shell went
much deeper. The Japs adopted
close-fitting goggles, but over fifty
years ago regular diving dress was
adopted. Fully clad in this suit,
with glass-fronted helmet and air-
pipe, down goes the diver. On ar­
rival at the bottom the "Safe Down”
signal is jerked on the guide rope.