a Si SEEN HEARD around the National Capital ESSSeSS By CARTER FIELD SSS Washington.—Holding back a threat- ened epidemic of strikes until union labor leaders can get what they want in Washington in the way of legisia- tion is proving a difficult task for Willlam Green, president of the Amerl- can Federation of Labor, and his lieutenants, In Akron the rubber com- “pany employees are chafing at the bit So It is In a hundred other lines, John I. Lewis, president of United Mine Workers, had less culty with his union. He wants, as Green does, to hold back the but he set the obvious goal 16, which is the date the law NRA expires Green, Lewis, the dim strikes, of June creating and all their friends here have the same object. If the administration proves too lukewarm on the things they want, they can lay the pending strike situation on the ‘White House doorstep, President Roosevelt will then be faced with the apparent alternative of giving in, or of precipitating so many strikes that a terrific blow will be dealt returning prosperity. The importance of this to the Presl- dent can be realized only by examin- ing the political prospects. Next year the President, all of the house, and a third of the senate come up for re- election. In short, the New Deal goes on trial before the country. Already there is the serious threat of a third party, growing out of the doctrines being preached over the radio by Huey Long, Father Coughlin, The Presi- dent is perfectly familiar with this, but relies on attracting enough con- servatives to his own support to win, and win easily. But attracting these is a precarious undertaking. line Republicans do not think he do it. That is why they have sprucing up lately. The only to date has been: will the geare the conservatives turn them to Roosevelt for safety? ete. been question One answer to this question Is: unless Roosevelt the that he is really prosperity. tives would not p not country leading it back to the conserva- ut their trust in him, shows Otherwise publican. Which wou radicals, withdrawing so much of Roosevelt's support, would seriously jeopardize Roosevelt's chances, Economic Menace So that the threar of a strike epl- demic is more than an economic men ace. It is a political bugaboo of dark- est shade. And no one better than F. D. R. appreciates it. Which explains why shrewd observ ers in Washington are not writing off the Wagner labor relations bill as sure to die—why they are not certain the 80-hour week bill will not be’ com- promised (say at 36 or 38 hours), and why there is so much uncertainty about NRA. Union labor officials would rather have the Wagner bill than a contin- nance of NRA. Down in their hearts, but most confidentially, they would far rather have the Wagner bill than the 30-hour week-—even without com- promise. The answer fo both 1s simple, but you cannot confirm the second in pub- He. As to preferring the Wagner bill to NRA, the Wagner bill permanent legislation, As to ferring it to the 30-hour week, Wagnér measure leaves more done by union officials, 30-hour week leaves less appeal to un- pre- and begin paying dues. NRA and the 30-hour week move directly toward an ultimate goal which would sharply curtall the power, Influence, need for perquisites of union labor leaders. The government would step In and perform most of their functions. It would gain for the workers what the unions now have to fight with private Industry to attain, And union” labor leaders are very hu- man. They like their Jobs and their power, and want to keep them. Hits Export Trade Great Britain's highly successful drive to compel Poland and other En. ropean countries to buy more British goods, If Britain Is going to continue buying theirs, has played hob with prospects for American export trade. So has Italy's setting up of an “Am torg"—ecalled the National Institute for Foreign Trade—which is to handle all Imports and exports for that country This government will beyond doubt denounce its commercial treaties with Italy, Portugal, Denmark and Poland in the near future. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, father of recipro- cal trade agreements as a means of lowering economie barriers, has been reluctantly forced to this position. The action would have been taken al ready had it not been for the delicate situation in Europe caused by all the war talk. There Is no real hope that any negotiations short of the strong arm methods of treaty denunciation will lead to results, One of the effects of discriminations against American goods In Europe has been to boost rhe stock of George N. Peck, who stands for barter as the only effective way of hurdling artifl. clal national barriers, as against See retary Hull's reciprocal plan. For example, the Chrysler automobile peo- ple, enthusiastic about the Hull plan until Poland Imposed a quota sys tem, have reluctantly come to the con clusion that only the forthright Peek wethods can accomplish anything. As showing the wheels within wheels, this Chrysler situation is most inter esting. Chrysler has enjoyed a very profitable market in Poland, selling many American cars there. Now Po land, under pressure from Great Britain, has Instituted a quota sys tem, which will cut auto imports from America to the bone. jut this does not hurt General Mo- tors, or Ford, anything like as much, Both have factories in European coun- tries, which are not hurt by the quota, American Labor Loses But every General Motors car sold in most European countries, instead of a Chrysler, deprives American work. men of just so much labor. For ex- ample, In its factory In Belgium, Gen- eral Motors, bullding the Opel car, uses European made motors and Euro- pean made tires. Whereas the Chrysler plant in Antwerp is really warehouse than a factory. can parts are used, Moreover, made parts is not all. treaty with Belgium provides for a parts than the tariff on cars. But ‘the Italian situation is more serious. Within a few weeks her new restrictions will bar all Amer- fein wheat and tobacco, and will limit to 25 per cent of 1034 figures imports of American autos. The striction to imports applies products! to 200 attempt to adjust her long unfavorable balance of trade, tion. But America to even 1034 exports Italy were not big. represented a very lean year for most American exporters. The restriction on cotton is expected to have repercus- sions all through the South. Mean- while Italy hopes either to Increase the output of her Fiat and other tories, or to manufacturers of cars to establish branch Italy. Either of which would provide work for Italls Wheat Is in a different Formerly the United States about 80.0000 bushel to Italy. With the tariff on wh protect American farmers from hard Canadian Canada simply took over this market. encourage all American factories In shipped is of wheat a year boosting of the eat to wheat, White House irritation radio companies, for permitting Huey Long to much free time, Is growing pretty hot. But it is not easy to make the To put it clearly and simply would lay the White House open to a charge of attempted censor- ship, and Senator Schall of Minnesota more to talk about. That was irritating enough at the time, But the fact Is that Huey's attacks have been annoying the administration, from the President any other one thing. It is not really the Immediate political prospect of a third party, at all It annoyance, against the get 80 case, give The political situation, from the ad- ministration standpoint, Is fine. If Huey succeeds In stirring up a radieal third party, the President, slightly to the right, will simply annex what is left of the old Republican Party's conservative wing velt's re-election would be as sure as was Hoover's defeat last time, or more accurately, as Taft's defeat was In 1912, Moreover, the Republicans have have would They have thought that in a split of the President's following could any Republican have a chance. radical Democrat, garnering Democratic here and there, or at least might elect a Re publican, lin game They been hoping get voles the Whi smiles when te House. There were even seneral Johnson took broadcast, and threw a over Huey, White House had anticipated. He did not follow the course of Coughlin and devote himself to annihilating John- son, while professing the highest ad miration for the President. Huey pro- ceeded to ignore Johnson and to be icles one by one and presenting them in an almost ludicrous light. Too many people are annoyed at the codes, flow in, for such tactics not to hurt. And they do hurt. Now what burns up the administra: tion Is that Long has been getting most of his time over the radio for nothing. The radio companies do not like this. They are very uneasy about itt. They know that both Long and Father Coughlin are tremendous draw- ing cards over the radio. But they do not like the idea of giving away time to some one who will produce irritation at the White House. It may spell trouble for them in other ways. They would much prefer to cut them off altogether, But they had agreed, some rime back, to give a certain amount of time to discussions of public questions, on the theory that such use of radio time was educational, in the best interest of the country, and a generous contribution by a prosperous business to general welfare. They did not originate this attitude, It was virtually forced on them. Partly by the radio commission and partly by senators and members of the house, Copyright—-WNU Services down cruise to the Atlantie coast, ——— on its shake- of Europe View in the litt national intrigue, and, Inset, Pont Du Gard There is something ironical In the thought that the Pont du Gard which was bullt across the Rhone In the should have sur 2000 years of Invasions, floods, and other forms of vived nearly revolutions, ened with destruct of the traffic on a neighboring bridge. Nearly 300 yards long and 160 of the most man occupation of France. The only damage which the aqueduct has un- dergone occurred In the Fifth century. The structure, as it stands, exactly the same as it was a the time The reich is eager to reg English Salt One million nine hundred and thousands tons of salt are made in Eng alnd every and pearly all of it comes ont of Chesire and Worcester shire, factories, but a good deal as fertili Three bushels per acre of creases the yield of wheat by twelve bushels per scree. Some plants, do not like It. Among are the apple tree, the cherry, vine, In dressing land with year, however, these salt includ Salt Is one of the most distributed thrown ing weeds, widely is even out by Montreal Her. ald. ania and of much inter. Memel formerly belonged to Prussis Stomach Gas Zxploded In an English medical journal Dr. T. East reports of a man who complained of after supper, but took his wife to | a movie just the same. In the wait be- | tween shows the man took out a cigs- | rette and scratched a match, but when | he applied the light to the end of the | the the case a stomach cigarette there was an explosion which | cigarette rows | mustache | Doctor East | was caused by i the gas from the victim's stomach min- gling with air taken in by breathing | in just the right proportions to make | it inflammable. He literally ignited his | breath, causing the explosion —Wall { Street Journal | a Across several of seats, singed the man's and burned his fingers, mishap Early Settlers’ Chests : Considered Best Friends The chest was the best friend to the early settlers of America, not only after their arrival, but in England be- fore their departure, for these huge, solidly constructed pleces served the purpose of holding a large share of the worldly goods of these adventurous people, says a writer in the Detroit News, To the master of the house In New England usually fell the task of mak- ing the chest and for this reason it was a simple affair, as there was much necessary work to be done that there was little time to spare on mak- ing the chests decorative. However, this did not detract from thelr charm, for in the crudeness of line lay their attractiveness, The chests made in England were usually and often had paneled lids “hinged” with wires run through holes in the lid the chest, of oak and back of Oak and pine in making the the top, back of the latter, and oak for the The reason for this must have that pine was so much easler to work with, being soft, and it that it is the reason so many lids are missing from the old chests, for the frequent lifting soon the wearing through of the wire and the lid soon became a separate plece, The first chests were without legs, but the sides extended lower than the fronts, which allowed it to the appearance of legs combined England, being made were often chest in New nA Bay ang bottom rest, been is sald caused have HE INVENTED IT Can Make Own Photograph ] in direct contact with a photographic plate, butterfly not on ie to prox ture of tion photograph by sulp from ment death. —Colller iy al itself by when alive, slow decomp —ag long as 50 Weekly. years after Wet and Wetter Seasons Most of us fact that tropical ox have two the Mal: pen the Fede ra Le much rain that as the wet season are familiar with the intries usual ¥ But we find has so seasons, wet and dry insula, wh Malay the seasor ere sintes, are kn« and welter season wa Nh Ld possible! 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