By EDWARD W. PICKARD OFTY ideals, beautifully worded and eloquently voiced. That seems to be a fair description of the second inaugural address of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Standing bareheaded on the capitol portico in a cold, pelting rain, he took the oath of office administered by black robed Chief Justice Hughes, and then, in ringing words carried by radio to the ends of the earth, he pledged his administration to carry on its fight for the social security and material prosperity and happiness of the entire people of the United States. In effect, he promised that the federal govern- ment would bring about a better life for one-third of the nation now underprivileged, and that the pro- gram of planned economy would be continued. For forty millions President Roosevelt the nation's material benefits the government will provide homes, food, clothing, education, recreation and increased incomes. The President's listeners inter- preted some of his phrases as a challenge to the Supreme court, as when he said: “Nearly all of us recognize that as intricacies of human relation- ships increase, so power to govern them also must increase—power to stop evil; power to do good. The essential democracy of our nation and the safety of our people depend not upon the absence of power but upon lodging it with those the people can change or continue at stated intervals through an hon- est and free system of elections The constitution of 1787 did make our democracy impotent. “In fact, in these last four years, we have made the exercise of all power more for we have begun to bring private auto- cratic powers into their proper sub- ordination to the public's govern- ment. The legend that they were invincible—above and beyond democratic; shattered. They have been chal- lenged and beaten.” Jefore the inauguration cere- monies, Mr. Roosevelt and mem- bers of his family attended a special service in St. John's Episcopal church. After delivering his address the President reviewed the military parade from a cupola built in front of the White House. In addition to the soldiers, sailors and marines, samples of the Civilian Conserva- administration were in the line, as were the governors of 46 states with their staffs. ECRETARY OF LABOR FRAN- CES PERKINS herself undertook the difficult task of breaking the renewed deadlock in the General Motors strike, but at this writing she had not made much progress. Governor Murphy of Michi- gan, who went to Washington for the inauguration, helped her, arrang- Ing separate meet- ings with John L. Lewis, C. I. O. lead- A er, and President E R Sloan of the motor Secretary corporation. But his Perkins efforts to bring these two gentle- men together seemed futile. Lew- is summoned Homer Martin, head of the striking union, and John Brophy, C. I. O. lieutenant, from Detroit and conferred with them on ‘“‘strategy’’. All the union lead- ers appeared supremely confident, and Lewis insisted the demand that the union be recognized as the sole bargaining agency must be conced- ed if there were to be any strike settlement negotiations. Secretary Perkins, after talking with both sides, went directly to the White House. She said she was “keeping the President informed” of developments. The belief was general that it would be necessary to invoke the personal aid of Mr. Roosevelt to bring about a peace- ful settlement. Lewis brought about the tempo- rary suspension of negotiations by a statement he gave the press. With brutal frankness he said: “We have advised the secretary of labor that the ‘economic royal- ists’—and the du Ponts and Mr. Sloan are among them-—used their money to try to drive Mr. Roose- velt out of the White House. “Labor rallied to the President's support when they attacked him. “These same economic royalists now have their fangs in labor, and labor now expects the government to support labor in its legal and logi- cal objectives.” This was too much for Sloan, who started for home with the remark: “We find it useless to attempt any further negotiations in Washington. Any time the President sends for us we'll be there.” Lewis’ position was strengthened by the settlement of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass company strike and in- creased prospects that Libbey- Owens-Ford glass workers would return to their jobs. His strategy has been to curtail General Motors production, and interfere with its principal competitors, Ford and Chrysler, as little as possible. Re- sumption of production by glass manufacturers would permit Ford and Chrysler to produce at full speed while sit-down strikers keep General Motors plants inoperative. ONGRESS did not wait for the inauguration to rush through the bill asked by the President ex- tending for two and one-half years his power to control the two billion dollar stabilization fund and to devalue the dollar. Senator Van- denberg and Representative Snell, minority leaders, made futile treasury to submit to complete audit and report upon the operations of the fund after the expiration date in 1939. The fund originated three years ago at the time of the 40 per cent debasement of the dollar. Gold holdings of private individuals, banks and the reserve banks com- mandeered by the Treasury, were “revalued’. Each of gold formerly valued officially at $20.67 raised to This resulted in a two billion, 800 million dollar *“‘profit”’ for the Treasury. The odd 800 millions diately diverted account to cover Two billi use as a stabiliza- New legislation was secretary ounce was federal ns were al- expenditures. for fund authorizing the tion fund to manipulate the value of the dollar in transactions, to purchase silver and gold and to rig the United States government securities market. quotations on said the condition of Pope Pius XI was steadily growing worse. He was suffering excruciating pain, especially in the right leg. The pon- tiff, however, insist- conducting of his office, telli Archbishop Cast oni he was deter- mined to work as long as breath re- mained in his body The pope was greatly distressed to hear of the death of Pope Pius Bishop M. J. Gallagher of Detroit, the superior of Father Charles Coughlin, ‘radio priest.” Bishop Gallagher made a visit to the Vati- can about six months ago. HE conflict between fascism and communism in the Old World grows more intense day by day, and the German Nazi leaders insist every nation must espouse one side or the other. Air Minister Goering declares England especially should align herself with Germany and Italy, but Foreign Minister Eden in a speech before parliament virtually handed back to Germany the question of Europe's fate. “We cannot cure the world by pacts or treaties,” said he, “or by political creeds, no matter what they be.” He demanded to know whether Ger- many intended to use the ‘““mani- fold gifts of her people to restore confidence to a world sick of an- tagonism,” or ‘to the sharpening of international antagonism and a pol- icy of even greater economic isola- tion.” German officials called Eden's speech “‘untimely;” and Ulrich von Hassel, German ambassador to Italy, speaking in Cologne, described the “axis of Rome-Berlin” as a “central pivot around which the whole of Europe revolves.” “Germany and Italy,” he said, ‘‘are destined to fight the false doc- trines of the east (Russia) and sur- mount western capitalism. Germany and Italy are reither east nor west, but the center, and Europe will be able to keep in harmony only if hey remain the strong central ax- It was said in Berlin that a mixed German-Japanese commission has been named to carry out provisions of the Berlin-Tokio anti-communist agreement of last November. Over in Japan Foreign Minister Hachiro Arita opened the parlia- ment with a speech in which he declared communism was to blame for the political troubles of the world. He ‘defended the German-Japanese pact as directed only against com- munism and not intended to foment dispute with world powers. He ad- vocated that all colonial possessions of all nations be opened to free trade, : OSEPH E. DAVIES, our new am- bassador to Russia, arrived in Moscow and at once declared: *‘It is amazing! Russia is one of the most interesting countries in the world.” Then he and his party of ten moved into Spasso house, the official residence of the ambassador, and prepared for a lively social season. The envoy's group was preceded to the capital by another party of al- most equal size, including maids, chauffeurs, other house servants, a personal physician, Commander N. W. Bunkley of the United States navy, and others. Mr, Davies said he intended to entertain extensively but not on the lavish plan previous reports had intimated. EPRESENTATIVES of five rail- way brotherhoods who have been in conference in Chicago de- cided to demand a 20 per cent raise in wages for the members of those unions, numbering about 250,- 000. These are employees in the train service classification—conduc- tors, engineers, firemen, trainmen and switchmen. Based on the October, 1936, pay roll statistics issued by the inter- state commerce commission, a 20 per cent pay raise for these work- ers would require an increase of 116 million dollars in the annual pay rolls of the country’s railroads. The total pay roll for 251,508 train service employees last October was $48,623,261. UMORS were current in Wash- ington that Dr. Arthur E. Mor- gan would soon resign as chairman of the Tennessee Valley authority as the result of his long and bitter dis- agreement with Di- rector David Lilien- thal over TVA poli- cies. Both the gen- tlemen were in the capital and it ap- peared they had laid their cases be- fore President Roosevelt for his decision as to which should be the lead- er. Lilienthal, who was formerly Wisconsin utilities commissioner under Gov. Phil La Follette, favors unrelenting war- fare on private utility interests. Doctor Morgan, on the other hand, doesn't want a “fight to a finish” but, rather, a effort to pool public and private electric ity in the Southeast in order to end TVA's legal war with the private interests. The chairman, however, stood almost alone among those who are shaping the administration's power policy. He issued a state- ment to the press setting forth his views but it didn't arouse much sympathy in high circles. Decision in the controversy is nec- essary soon for the first big con- tract between TVA and private util- ity interests expires February 3 and the question of renewal must be set- tled before then. Drafting of a national power pol- A. E. Morgan co-operative a committee headed by Secretary Interior Ickes. He said that this policy, once established, and to new power developments as OWARD HUGHES, wealthy ranufacturer, motion picture producer and amateur aviator, set a new record for the flight from Burbank, Calif., to New York—7 was an astonishing performance. Hughes’ average speed for 2,480 miles over what he calls a “modi- fied great circle course” was 332 miles per hour. This achievement is the greatest sustained speed flight ever made. The flight was made without a stop, the cruising altitude being about 14,000 feet, and the motor of the plane could not be allowed to operate at full throttle for more than a small fraction of the time. The top speed reached was 380 miles an hour. RITAIN'S plan to bar from Spain volunteers from other na- tions met with a big setback when Russia refused to adopt prohibitive measures. Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinov handed to Ambas- sador Chilston a note saying: “The Soviet government, although it presently does not practice the dispatch of volunteer detachments, does not consider it expedient to adopt unilateral prohibitive meas- ures.” Explaining the refusal, Litvinov continued: “I consider it necessary to point out that in the Soviet gov- ernment’s opinion unilateral, pro- hibitive measures on the part of some participants in the London committee (on non-intervention) while other participants not only are free from obligations, but con- tinue sending military divisions to Spain, will not only fail to accom- piish the desired aim but will result in intervention.” A N ARMY communique issued in Tokio announced the conviction and sentencing of seven former army officers and eight civilians Washington.—Two messages to congress by the President have created more than the usual ex- citement attend- ant upon such «angs as the new session has set- tled down to its annual considera- tion of public affairs. In each of these were Presidential declara- tions that are beginning to rever- berate and that means they are highly controversial. In Mr. Roosevelt's annual mes- sage ‘‘on the state of the union,” congress “co- Messages Cause Stir how much he appreciated its the boldest statement he has since entering the White ably made term. He called upon the Supreme Court of the roundabout way to wo sratn'? co-operate nent, the legislative and ex ecutive. to say disturbance, was caused by the President's wsking congress for a wholesale re- special me rganization of the executi de- artments and agencies is proposal a plan for moderniz- ng the government calling } One can circulate through ridors and office buildings and terings aplenty and even it of outspoken and offices of the critic senators an * two circum ” ioned. Ther y the legi The fact is that ou ernment has becom ir far as the exe are concerned, th: an octopus. Abou these units and agencies are ucts of the New Deal rec program; they work at cross pur- poses; they move in their own sphere and make their cies with almost no direction from the White House. Certainly, the time is ripe to clean up that mess. Yet, in cleaning up these condi- tions, in reorganizing, it is undoubt- edly the consensus of those charged per Overy common sense must be used and discretion employed or else untold damage will be done to the govern- ment and to taxpayers. » * * The Presidential in charac- . . ter and that is the Reorganization ro540n why it has Program For example, the plan calls for placing the interstate commerce commission, the general commission largely inside of old- cabinet officers preside. in the past a political ap- made important So, it becomes plainly evi- agencies as those I have named in regular departments, is to place them completely under political domination. Where it is good, therefore, to place strictly administrative agen- cies under cabinet control, it be- comes equally dangerous to place under political domination such quasi-judicial agencies as the ICC and the general accounting office. There can be no doubt of that fact. That is the crux of the disturb ance among the legislators under the reorganization proposal. Those of us who have had long experience as writers and observ- ers in Washington have seen evi- dence in almost every adminis- tration of attempts of politicians to get their fingers into the pie of rail- road rate making. They have adopt- ed all sorts of tricks; they have used subterfuges and they have em- ployed strong political pressure time after time to gain control of railroad rate making. Through all of these years since the ICC was established, there has always been enough sane minds in congress who, with White House backing, could resist this political move. Natur ally, therefore, it is a matter of some question why President Roose- velt should attempt to toss the in- erstate commerce commission and its rate making power straight in- to the laps of the politicians. Of course, the Presidential mes- sage on this point appears on its face to provide against the end that I have mentioned but old timers in congress point out how this wedge, driven only a little further, will bring about political domination of the ICC. * » * It is hardly necessary here to set that can emanate from political con- trol of such a vast structure as the railroads of the United States. It is unlimited in its possibilities. Dan- in any program with which the politi- cians are identified and it appears to be & mstance in 18 going to serve the erly, should call a halt. Potential Dangers which con- general unti f- plant to include it in again under the rule of an auditor general, the reorgani- zation scl simply will trol of pt litures back a u One of the eme set con- } 14 1 : » - earlier Presi no effort to conceal the 1 that could be the auditing unit of the gov- when he said, on an occa "we . i where the ch retary of the hat Secretary ce the Secretary Furs an appointee of ient and serves only at the President's les mind a link by the Whi trol determination of legality and of expenditures. Congress created the general ac- counting office in order that it would have an agency independent of the Chief Executive and the executive keep tab on how the Presic propriated. That was the reason why the office of comptroller gener- al was made to carry a fifteen- year appointment with removal only for malfeasance or misfeasance. Now it is proposed to tear down that structure and bring the whole inet officer. But there is another phase to be considered. It has been my good in Washington dur- ing the entire life of the general accounting office as well as for sev- edge, I can say that the general accounting office has recovered mil- lions of dollars of illegally disbursed funds as well as prevented illegal disbursement of other millions. » * » There seems to be more support for inclusion of the civil service . sommission in the Civil Service adminis- service executive department than there is support for breaking up of the fed- dent proposed. Neither of these agencies has such an as do the other two I have dis- cussed. The plan to make the civil siderably by the President by inclu- ernment employes below policy- ice laws, ent setup as prosecutor, judge and jury but many legislators believe this can be corrected without emas- culating the agency and destroy- ing its identity by putting it into an executive department. It ought to be free and independent and ought not to have any politician in a cabinet chair telling it what to do when it seeks to make business be honest. © Western Newspaper Union. Home Heating Hints % ke tardtey Heating Expert Way Means Most Heat at Lowest Fuel Cost HERE'S an art in refueling a furnace fire that enables you to get the most heat at the least cost. There's more to it than just scooping up a few shovelfuls of The economical way is simple, Shake the grates gently when necessary. Don’t do it vigorously and shake a lot of live coals into When you see a slight ing. Then pull a mound of live coals from the rear to the front of the firebox, just inside the fire- door, using your shovel or a hoe. Don’t disturb the ash under the . | COAL | wor | | spoT | 2 MVS Zz \ live coals. That bed sloping down fre the ves you a fire n the edge of coor wo the »r or NOW, into the shovel ¢ of fresh toward », being careful re OF coal the back of the furnac l ai8 In § ignite the ntact of causing F oreign Words and Phrases afresh (F.) Loyalty to of sol- improvvisa- npromptu poet or Mauvaise bad war or ence. Miss REE LEEF says: d’heure. (F.) A an awk- experi quart quarter of an hour; uncomfortable "CAPUDINE relieves HEADACHE quicker because it’s liquid... Be Worthy The only way to compel men to speak good of us is to do it.—Vol- taire.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers