RESIDENT ROOSEVELT and the New Dealers breathed easier after the United States Supreme court hand- ed down its decision sustaining inval- {dation of “gold clauses” in private contracts, but not on federal bonds. While it was held that the government must pay off its bonds In gold or its equivalent in de- valued currency, an- other ruling that the Court of Claims had no jurisdiction over such cases means that it would be impossible for holders of federal bonds to collect on their old gold basis In other words, the holder of a $1,000 federal bond is entitled to a technical value of $1,600, but in reality it would be impractical to make any collection of that amount, since the Claims is the only tribunal which suits against the President Roosevelt hefore cial act of The court also held that those who held gold certificates had no cause of action not sue the CONEress, and could with currency was fully upheld Not only this country, but the entire world, awaited what the “nine lonely old men" of the Supreme court had to say about the Roosevelt monetary pol fcies. The decision is ranked with the court's decisions In the Dartmouth col lege cases in 1818 which upheld the sanctity of contract, and In the Dred Scott slavery case In 1857 which had much to do with hastening the out break of the Civil war. Briefly, the ruling said: promises to pay In gold contained in the bonds of private corporations 2. A gold certificate is worth only its face value in present devalued cur- rency. Congressional power over the currency includes the right to estab lish circumstances under which gold certificates need not be redeemed In gold or its equivalent, 8. Congress has no authority under the Constitution to abrogate the pay- ment-in-gold clause of government bonds, but, as no actual damage bas been shown, therefore there is no basis for suit for recovery. The decision was read by Chief Jus tice Charles Evans Hughes, who voted with Justices Brandeis, Stone, Roberts and Cardozo in the majority. Dissent. ers were Justices McReynolds, Van Devanter, Sutherland and Butler, the four so-called conservatives. Satisfaction within the administra- tion was evident at once. Justice McReynolds was spokesman for the dissenters. He unleashed a scathing attack on the majority views. His voice vibrant, he said: it is gone.” “If given effect, the enactments here challenged will bring about confisea- tion of property rights and repudia- tion of national obligations.” “Just men regard spoliation of citi zens by their sovereign with abhor. rence, but we are asked to affirm that the Constitution has granted power to accomplish both.” “No definite delegation of such a power exists; and we cannot believe the farseeing framers, who labored with hope of establishing justice and securing the blessings of liberty, in tended that the expected government should have authority to annihilate its own obligations and destroy the very rights which they were endeavoring to protect.” Notified that Chief Justice Hughes was reading the decision, President Roosevelt went to the cabinet room, where he listened to telephone reports from an aid. Three cabinet officers were at his side. The Chief Executive was prepared to take swift action to protect the credit of the government in case an adverse decision was hand- ed down, but executive orders were unnecessary. The carefully prepared program was not needed. WO more years of the NRA, with clarification of policies, more effec. tive enforcement of codes and the granting of “unquestioned power” to the federal government, were urged by the President In a message to congress. The national recovery act termi: nates June 16 this year. “Abandon ment would be unthinkable,” he said, naming the act as “the biggest factor in giving re-employment to approxi mately 4,000,000 people.” He sald congress must maintain the fundamental principles of the act to establish at least a minimum fair trade practice and labor relations standard, pleading that child labor must stay out and that fixing of wages and hours was practical and necessary, Answering recent protests of labor, he sald: “The rights of employees freely to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining should be fully protected.” He urged more strict application of anti-trust laws, condemned monopolies and private price fixing, opposed hind rances to fair competition, and pro posed further protection of smal en- terprises against discrimination and oppression, His suggestions, If adopted, would Keep code violators from behind the bars. “The way to enforce laws, codes and regulations relating to Industrial practices is not to seek to put people in jall” he sald. Admitting some mistakes, the Presi dent was well satisfied that the NRA had done a good Job considering its short existence. “Only carping critics and those who seek political advantage and the right again to Indulge in unfair practices or exploitation of labor or consumers de hiberately seek to quarrel over the ob vious fact that a great code of law, of order and of decent business cannot created in a day or a year,” Mr. loosevelt declared. All detalls of the legislation were left to congress. While this Is in prog ress, the senate finance committee pro- be vestigation of the NRA administration and codes. The judiciary subcommit tee reported no funds available. but the inquiry, which has the President's approval, will be attempted money. without MORE than 100 men were reported : killed or wounded in a skirmish in the “demilitarized” zone which lles between Manchukuo and China north of Tientsin, The clash was between the recently formed Peace Preserva tion corps and the Lwanchow militia The Peace Preservation corps, which has the approval of the Chinese gov. was receiving money and the Japanese, it was al The militia 1: supported by lo- Chinese Interests. leged, TICTOR A. CHRISTGAU, from his position of second rank ing officer of AAA in the recent shake-up which Involved several al leged radicals, resigned In protest. Chester C. Davis, administrator, had not accepted the resignation and Sec retary of Agriculture Wallace was at. tempting to persuade Christgau © change his mind, Wallace hinted that there had been differences between Christgan and A. H. Lauterbach, chief of the AAA dairy sec tion. over the milk policy. A protege of Un- dersecretary Rexford Guay Tugwell, Christ gan was also supposed to have encountered “friction” with other members of the partment, rise to new rumors that Brain Truster Tugwell will resign be fore his Influence In the AAA Is too severely curtailed by the demotion and his con freres, demoted the de his gave Secretary Wallace ouster of Meanwhile amendments to the Agri cultural Adjustment act were declared to conceal dangerous, arbitrary and autocratic powers over farmers, mano- facturers and distributors of farm products, by the legislative committee of the agricultural Industries confer ence In Washington. he committee cited the provision that the AAA may require that a licensed processor pur chase only from those who sign con- tracts. It charges that the amend ments make no provision for the farm. er to express himself In the matter of licenses, but contain provisions for price control, markets, production and purchasing. Through indirect restrie tion of the farmer's market, these pro visions are equivalent to a licensing of the farmer, according to the com mittee. “The entire economic life of communities could be directed from Washington,” the committee said. RUNO RICHARD HAUPTMANN escaped the electric chair at least temporarily when a writ of error filed by defense attorneys earned him = stay of the execution sentence which was to be carried out at Trenton, N. J, March 18. The Bronx ecarpen ter's life is safe at least until Sep tember or October, since a further ap peal ean be made to the court of par dons If the court of errors and ap peals falls to uphold the writ. Lloyd C. Fisher and Frederick A. Pope pre sented the appeal after a battle with Chief Defense Counsel Edward J. Reilly, who subsequently threatened that either he or Fisher would have to withdraw from the Hauptmann de fense. The hearing will probably take place at the next session of the court, which begins May 21. Part of the dissension among de fense attorneys was thought to exist because Reilly never challenged the assumption that the body of the dead baby was that of Lindbergh's son. George H. Foster, former investigator for the defense, declared that seven autopsies were ready to show that the baby could not have been Lindy's be cause it was four Inches taller than Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr.; was in a less Identifiable condition than would have been possible In the mild weath- er following the kidnaping, and was embalmed. HIRTY-ONE shot killed a guard inmates ly afterward and a man-hunt Is on for the others. guns which had been them, forced a “trusty” turnkey to open up for them, corralled 20 visl tors in the visitors’ room and, using them for a shield, made their escape, Her prison already the subject of In- vestigation into its moral and man- agerial standards, the warden, Mrs, G. A. "Mother" Waters, was ordered re placed by a man, Gov. E. W, Marland declaring that a woman “Just can't manage” a prison. Defiantly, she re fused to clear out until completed in vestigations vindicated her. N THE heels of court's gold ruling, former Pres ident Herbert Hoover demanded re establishment of the gold standard In the United States as the only way "to re store confidence in our currency.” This could only be done by mak- ing the dollar Immedi- ately convertible at the present 50 cents of gold—the "modern method of specie pay ment.” The only living ex. President sald that such action wonld put more of the 12000000 men back to work than step, The United States the d In returning to standard, he sald, declaring that “There 18 no need to wait on foreign nations before we re-establish the gold standard and restore confidence in our fol the Supreme Herbert Hoover unemployed any other should take lea the currency. They would be bound to low some time, They are more afrald of our doing just this than they are of any American ‘managed currency.” R. F. E. Townsend of California whose pension plan for the aged has gained the support of many thou sands of America’s citizens, went before the senate finance commiitee and” tried to explain how the govern ment could get out of Its economic troubles by paying $200 monthly pen glons to all persons over sixty, pro vided each one must spend his $200 for commodities or services within the country each month The senators didn't treat the proposition with much seriousness, Chairman Harrison sald that with 10,000,000 or more aged, the plan would cost $24.000000000 a year, ut a 2 per cent tax would raise only $5000, 000,000, leaving a deficit of $19,000 000,000 a year. “Yes,” Townsend sald, "but we will not be able to put 10,000,000 on the pension Immediately. It took two years to get 4.000000 men Into the army. We would have to examine each citizen for his citizenship and age, as we examined applicants for the army.” A Naz! leaders, who will put their plan into effect on April 1. The scheme, the most drastic yet announced, will force most young to give up their paying Jobs and join the government labor service which will send them to construction “voluntary” la bor eamps, and to farms In this way, positions will be opened for older men and those with depend ents. All jobs for persons under twen ty-five will be state-controiled and the entire labor market will be under Nazi domination. Jobless at the pres ent time are estimated at 2.000.000 Another feature of the campaign is the getting of a definite goa! of 800.000 as the number to be left without work as “chronically unemployed.” NEW assault on Germany's unem ployment problem Is announced by people projec ts ERMANY'S reply to the Anglo French proposals for a European security pact was not very specific but “welcomed the spirit of trustful dis cussion between the individual govern ments” and promised that the reich would examine thoroughly “the whole document concerning the Euaropean questions contained in it.” The note declared the air agreement might be one step toward solution of other prob lems, and promised that Germany would examine the question of how to avold the danger of an armaments race. No mention was made of the proposed Danublan and Eastern pacts The German conciliatory attitude to ward a pact which recognizes iis re armament was generally considered to put the French In an uncomfortable position, since it was believed that the pact was drawn in terms that were ex pected to find quick German refusal EALM LEADER HITLER refused to exercise his prerogative of mercy and two Berlin society women were beheaded bLy the official execu tioner for divulging military secrets Another woman and a Polish nobleman were sentenced to life Imprisonment at hard work. The execution of the two women was carried out at dawn with such secrecy that it was hours pefore thelr exact fate could be learned. OfMcials nally admitted that the women had gone to the block where thelr heads were severed by a silk-hat. ted executioner with a medieval battle ax. ——— TEPS to curb the inroads of Jap anese landholders In the rich hemp growing province of Davao are being taken by the Philippine government. Strict application of insular laws gov erning land holdings by aliens will be made, according to Euloglo Rodrk gues, secretary of agriculture, who schemes a wholesale cancellation eof subleases of public lands, which he maintains are llegal SEEN~<HEARD around the National Capital Washington.~Probability that some compromise on the so-called 30-hour week bill, probably limiting the hours of work In any Industry to 30 or 48 hours, but with perhaps a few special exemptions, will be enacted by the present congress 1s growing. Flat pre- diction that such a compromise would be enacted is made privately by half a dozen of the more important figures In the house, and by an equal number of Influential senators. The importance of this prediction would be enormously enhanced If the names of the senators and members of the house could be mentioned, with thelr exact views, Incidentally some of those making the prediction sald that they personally opposed the idea; they were merely giving thelr opinion as to what would happen, not what they wanted. Nor were these just personal con versations. In each case the state. ments were made to a group of men who came to Washington seeking to find out what the prospect was—men who wanted to adjust thelr situations to the probabilities. They did not come to argue for or against the meas. ure, though all of them, for private reasons, happen to be opposed to IL The tremendous for the measure does not result primarily from the fact that the American Federation of Labor is strongly for it. Nor from the fact that virtually every other Ia- bor group is for it evidences that picked up somewhat unemg not by gnmnme pressure It comes from the though business has yment has diminished anything like the extent, S80. In short, the thought is a “share the work™ rather than a social betterment It Is simed at redocing unemploy- ment, not at bettering living cond! tions. In fact there is some talk of smending the proposal of the Federa- tion of Labor, as embodied in the Con. nery bill, in a way that would be very displeasing Indeed to labor, and which iden, idea, wonld oppose vinlently. Just a Possibility This is instead of the the hut reqgul to change idea so reducing hours per week Connery i does amount of dollars for the shorter ring-—as th the each that he paid week umber of the hil hours with no mention rate of pay should be ing to employers, and to of NRA which would would reduce of what In short, leav the revision endes follow, week would be This Is bility. not mentioned as a proba Only as a possibil iv. it is high ure will probahl ne, it all, with the requirement that the same wages be continued the cnt And. of course, the enim promise, ralsing the number of hours from the 30 proposed In bill to at least 340. will soften this blow regardless of in hours, the Connery as far as employers are concerned But, as a matter of fact, economists do not regard the question here as very important, except In so far as they apply to inflation. They reason that if the hours are rednced, and the pay per increased, the result will be Inflation just as surely as by any possible expedient proposed ty the followers of Senator Elmer Thomas, They reason that a wholesale ver tien! boost in wages, forced by law would result promptly and almost mathematically In an Increase In prices, reducing the purchasing power of the dollars earned hy the workers, Hence. the laborious arguments by the opponents of the 30-hour week, or any compromise of it, that It wonld result in lowering the standard of living In America, either by a smaller number of dollars to spend by each worker, If the pay is maintained at the same hourly rate, or by the smaller purchas. ing power of the dollars If the wage rate per week Is maintained The reasoning that Is expected to ptt the compromise over Is not con. cerned with this, It is concerned with getting more people to work, and cut. ting down the need for the dole and for work relief. Social Program Every Indication now is that Presi Roosevelt's social program-—old age pensions and unemployment insur. ance—will go through In very much the of wages hour of the Insurgents about a government The idea of taking all the money for unemployment payments, and old tions, People wonld like to dodge the Argument Is made that this tax counted, runs gradually up to § per cent, would heavily Increase the cost of production--assuming it is passed on to the consumer, Or else heavily cut into the spending power of the workers, But the great advantage that Pres tdent Roosevelt has had right along, and gives every prospect of continuing to hold—always excepting World court, gt. Lawrence seaway, and the bonus is that his epponents cannot agree. For example, the ten senators on the appropriations committee who a few days back voted to substitute the dole for work relief, with the avowed pur pose of saving the treasury two billion dollars, have maneuvered themselves into a position where it will be rather diffienlt for them to vote against the President on the social security bills, Or at least vote against him on the only roll-eull where the President's po- sition might otherwise have been In Jeopardy. When the roll-call comes on the question of paying all the cost out of the federal treasury—which will be the big test vote—those ten senators would be rather embarrassed to voile to make the treasury carry the joad-— after all thelr loud cries in the ap- propriations committee about the strain on the federal credit of spend- ing nearly five billlon dollars on work relief, Local Interest Which is highly Interesting because some of those ten senators were not worried in the slightest about the fed. era] credit when they voted against the President on that bill in commit. tee. They followed Glass and Adams, who made that Issue. But some of them were just voting on that excuse in the hope of getting thelr states, and the counties and cities back home, out of a jnm. They wanted a direct fed. eral gift to the unemployed as against a work project, which contemplates that the local governments shall pay a considerable percentage of the work rellef money back to the federal treas- ury, with interest. Which is very different, especially If the credit of their states, or local com- munities in thelr states which need re. Hef work ha ready breaking y, fee] that they have al- strained thelr credit to the point But every senator who the position bill credit has pu that the five was too great a strain on federal the far as t his social security bill in the only real For there Is expected to be only one roll is which And that is to shift the vole on pawn, as test vote Is concerned, eall of importance on those bi! will really be significant. the which will attempt the entire financial burden on to federal treasury. Some contend that the President has already taken one beating on this so- cin legislation. Their argu- ment is that he wanted both bills en- acted prior to the adjournment of the many legisiatures which are In session this winter. He did express a But it was a Dope, not =a convietion. It the stigmas de anyone holding up the proces gion, but the President really never ex- one security hope yt for 3 i has ntment about it any such quick action, an no disappo Actually Pres ident thought it would have been very unfortunate if the through, and been tion, so speedily, The known fact that manufacturing costs are going to rise many advisers of the bids had gone into forced opera. has always been a stimulus to business. friends of civil service are interested In an lmn « would require than senator George W in elthe Nebraska, or of Senator C. O'Mahoney of Wyoming. goe 18 ellm- imposed prevents What they would Like to ination of the prohibition, by ap executive order, which any present en ployee of a office the nog post from taking the examination for postmastership. This provision, which seems rather hard to explain on any ground than pure spoils poli- ties, strikes at the heart of the whale civil idea. It bars advance ment to the top In any particular of- other service It Is this situation which plays Into the hands of the Curley faction In Massachusetts, preventing Postmaster Hurley from taking an examination unless he should resign In the mean. time—for appointment to the very job be now holds! This merely happens to be what seems to many & ridiculous side of the situation. For it might naturally be thought that the man who had been postmaster for a period of years, who had come up through the ranks just as if he had been employed In some pri. vate business, and who, according to the testimony of business firms in the city of Boston, had been giving satis faction, would and should stand a bet- ter show of passing first in an exami- nation for his own Job than anyone outside the office, But actually the present law-—for that Is what an executive amounts to—not only prevents Post. master Hurley from competing in an examination for the place he now holds. but it prevents any other em- competing. Favor Norris Plan Another phase of the present post of- fice situation, which Is very distressing to clvil service advocates, Is that bar ring anyone from an examination for postmaster who does not receive his mail at the particular office for which he is a candidate. In many western and other thinly populated states there | Birds Display Enmity at Sight of Airplane Birds are more frightened of air. { planes than are big game, an Eng- {| Ish aviator reports, When flying over Britain 1 have noticed that the i pheasant, partridge, domesticated hen, scared when an airplane drones in thelr direction. They appear to think that a plane Is a glant hawk about to swoop down on them, It is a eurl- ous assertion among who lived on the east of Britain during the World war that they re. ceived thelr first warning of | npen ing Zeppelin raids from pheasants, These pheasants invariably began calling to each other and scut- tered away in fright long before the noise of aero engines became appar- ent to human ears, There are several cases of con- dors attacking airplanes crossing the Andes, Once, it is told, espled an all-metal thr~ugh the blue, huge bird swooped down and struck the intruder with stunning force on the wing. All that was left to tell of the encounter was a large rent in the wing, some feathers, and a8 con- dor's leg complete with its foot, and faire even the thoroughly people const awoke, 1 a large condor airplane winging Immediately the Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets are the orig- inal little liver pills put up 80 years ago. They regulste liver and bowels. —Ady, The Final Argument Var wiil longer hen mankis that no be inevita yd wakes up t« Wars are even to the Barnes, Constipated? The doctors say . . . Use liquid treatment Here is the soundest advice anyone can give on the subject of laxatives, It is based on medical opinion. We want you to have the benefit of this information no matter what laxative you may buy: The secret of real relief from consti- pation is reduced dosage. You can't regulate the bowels unless vou can regulate the help you give them. That is why doctors use a liguid laxative; the dose can be measured to a drop. Avoid la ou can't cut down in do y those that seem to require larg r doses than when you began their use. Under the doctor's care, vou usual ly get a liquid laxative. ’ liquid laxative gives the of help, and the righ help. Smaller and s until you don’t need any. The liquid laxative generally used is Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin. It contains senna and cascara—natural laxatives that form no habit. Dr. Caldirells | SYRUP PEPSIN Watch the Speech ir word Quick, Safe Relief For Eyes. Irritated BTA STAT To Sun, Wind : and Dust — URINE. , LR EI Haw, Haw, Haw! “He's always giggling, low." “A real Magazine, that fel. he-he man, eh ?"—Tit-Bits ECZEMA... To quickly relieve the itching and | buming, and help nature restore | skin comfort, freely apply 'Resino HELP KIDNEYS your kidneys function badly | you have a lame, very little merit In it, civil service peo- cities, there was a Chinaman's chance of its going over. The Idea of a postmaster general divorced from politics, serving President after President on a long term appointment just as Comptroller McCarl has served in auditing ex- penditures, is, in the opinion of the civil service folks, Just too good to be true. And therefore not likely to hap- pen. ‘ Copyright. WNU Services a DOAN’S PILLS WNU-—4 9-85 TEA
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers