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National Topics Interpreted
National Press Building
SR———
LITRE EEE
4 Washington.—Word comes from
Rio de Janeiro that the government
: s of Brazil has de-
Brazil Quits cided at long last
Crop Control to place its coffee
business again on
a competitive basis. That is to say,
Brazilian coffee once more will be
sold in world market conditions. It
was 14 years ago that crop control
was started, and now it has flopped
finally after costing the growers
losses accountable in millions and
after virtually wrecking some por-
tions of Brazil's foreign trade.
I think it might be said also that
the fallacy of the coffee control pol-
icy was among the real causes
which eventuated in the dictatorship
that established itself in Brazil re-
cently. President Getulio Vargas
succeeded in placing himself at the
head of the nation “indefinitely’’ and
he did so, he said, because of ‘“‘un-
rest among the peoples’ of the prov-
inces. The first dictatorship in the
Western hemisphere, therefore, is
a fact.
But to get to the coffee question:
it was the determination of the Bra-
zilian leaders that a policy of scar-
city would force coffee prices higher
in the world market. The state of
Sao Paulo initiated the scheme. It
failed to work, and its sponsors
said the reason was its scope was
limited. Thus, it was expanded un-
til the whole nation was embraced.
Still, coffee prices did not go high
enough and it was then that actual
destruction of coffee began. Mil-
lions of tons were dumped into the
Atlantic ocean and other millions
were burned—even as we in this
country burned surplus wheat and
corn and killed 6,000,000 pigs.
As the destruction continued and
the growers found themselves tied
tighter with regulations and de-
crees, there were some increases in
prices. But the promised great
profits proved to be as illusory as a
mirage on the desert.
The whole thing was a boomer-
ang. Not only were the producers
in Brazil disillusioned by failure to
gain the record returns they had
been led to expect, but they found
another sad and wholly disadvan-
tageous result staring them in the
face. There was some increase in
the price—just enough, indeed, to
reduce consumption to some extent
—for the growers, but with Brazil
reducing available supplies others
got into the producing business.
Among these new coffee growing
areas, Colombia sprang into prom-
inence. Maybe Colombia coffee was
not as good as Brazil's, in quality.
Maybe it was not quite as accepta-
ble otherwise. But it was cheaper,
and it was profitable for Colombia
planters to produce. They found a
ready sale.
That, however, was not the worst.
When other coffee-using nations
bought coffee from Colombia and
other growing areas, Colombia was
able to buy other commodities from
the nations buying her coffee. New
trade agreements suddenly showed
up; new relationships were estab-
lished, and some of Brazil's former
business connections throughout the
world are gone with the wind. They
may never be re-established.
We, in the United States, ought to
give quite a bit of thought to Bra-
zil's coffee experiment for we have
had, and are threatening to have
more, experiments of a kindred na-
ture. Lessons in crop control are
right expensive, and more impor-
tant is the fact that sooner or later
all through history, they have had
to be abandoned. And when I re-
fer to crop control, I include all
kinds of production control whether
agricultural or industrial. Some-
body always has to pay dearly for
it and usually the cost has been ex-
tended. It is reflected in other com-
modities and in taxes until the ac-
tual loss from the experiment is
multiplied many times over.
> » -
Speaking of congress, the way it
has started off makes me think that
— the extra session
Political was purely a po-
Move
litical move. I am
quite sure it is go-
ing to accomplish some great good
like amending the neutrality act. Of
course, I suppose 1 should not be
selfish. I ought to consider that the
representatives and senators must
have time to make speeches for this
or that or the other so that their
constituencies back home will be
duly impressed with their impor-
tance. Maybe so! But I repeat that
the prospect of anything worth while
in either the special session or in the
regular session to follow in January
is decidedly dull.
Politically, there are several
things to watch for in the time that
congress will be heave-ho-ing. One
of these definitely now visible is the
maneuvering among the Democrats
to find out whether President Roose-
velt really wants to be a candidate
for a third term.
1 think I am violating no confi-
dence when I say that a good many
of the President's real friends at
the Capitol would like to know, and
know now, whether he is going after
a third term. He hasn't told them
in a way that is convincing. He
made a speech at the “victory din-
ner” last March 4 in which he said
he had an ambition to leave the
President's chair and desk with
“the nation intact, a nation at
peace, a nation prosperous,’ etc.
He said he planned to do that in
January, 1941,
That would seem to be clear
enough. Yet, it is amazing how
many members of the President's
party at the Capitol contend that
those remarks did not constitute a
final withdrawal. They point as well |
to the fact that other Presidents, |
after being re-elected for a second
term, have come out flat-footed with |
their announcements and have told |
their party, in effect, “Go out and |
get yourselves a new candidate.”
* * *
So, I am making a small predic-
tion. There will be plenty of odd
maneuvers, unusu-
How About 4) situations, that
Third Term?
will appear to
“just happen”
that way. Their purpose will be to
bring about a circumstance wherein
President Roosevelt can appropri-
ately tell all of those who have so
faithfully stood by him that he is,
or is not, a candidate for a third
term.
The other phase of congressional
activity that will prove interesting
links in somewhat with the third
term question. It involves the per-
sonal political fortunes of the repre-
sentatives and senators who will |
seek re-election in 1938. It is easy
to see how many Democrats, if they |
know definitely that President |
Roosevelt will seek a third term,
will want to ride again on the New
Deal wagon. It is equally easy to
understand how some of them, de-
sirous of observing the tradition that
no man shall serve more than two
terms as President, may want to
take a stand opposing the course if
President Roosevelt decides that
way.
This condition leads far afield. I
am informed, for instance that
some senators and representatives
who have been back home in con-
servative sections of the country
want to dodge further support of
the New Deal. This class obviously
is biding its time for something to
happen to justify a jump. Announce-
ment by Mr. Roosevelt of intention
to be a candidate for the third time
would provide the reason. The con-
verse is true, as well, for there are
those in the house and senate who
have found the President's personal
popularity at home as great as ever
and they are looking for an excuse
to sound off that they believe in the
Roosevelt policies 100 per cent and
want him to have a third term.
The election results in various
parts of the country will have some
influence on the attitude of repre-
sentatives and senators as the ses-
sion continues. Take the vote in
Arkansas, for example. Representa-
tive Miller won the senatorship in
succession to the late Senator Joe
Robinson. His victory was over
Governor Bailey, who announced
that the New Deal was for him
and that his defeat would be a slap
at President Roosevelt. It is a fact
that New Dealers were pulling for
him-—but Representative Miller was
elected.
That is just a sample. The sena-
tors and representatives are going
to interpret such elections in the
light of sentiment in their own baili-
wicks. Undoubtedly, some are go-
ing to show more spunk in behalf
of the New Deal while others have
come back determined to foster
their ideas of Democratic principles
rather than those of New Deal.
» - - :
This date being what it is, I want |
to record a tribute in these cdlumns,
: a tribute to a
Tribute grand public serv-
to Halsey ant who never has |
sought publicity |
for himself nor claimed the credit
that is due him. For, it was 40
years ago this week that Col. Ed- |
win A. Halsey, of Tye River, Va., |
entered the employ of the senate. |
Now, he occupies the post of secre- |
tary of the senate, the highest avail. |
able outside of senate membership.
The senate never convenes but
that I am again impressed with the
smoothness of the senate organiza-
tion under ‘‘Eddie’’ Halsey's direc-
tion. I truly believe him to be the
best informed man at the Capitol on
legislative procedure. As his col-
ored messenger once said to me:
“Yessah! De cunnel he suah do
know his stuff.”
And that goes for Colonel Hal
sey’s political acumen, too. He has
performed the chores of the Demo-
cratic side of the senate to every-
body's satisfaction. I suppose some
of the senators who like to be re-
garded as big shots won't care for
this exposure, but I have seen them
saved from unnumbered mistakes
that would have made them the
laughing stock of their constituen-
c.es. Day after day, in season and
out, “Eddie” Halsey has done more
for the Democratic senators than
they can ever repay. He ought to
be called “the Sage of Tye River,”
as his counsel warrants that de-
scription. The state of Virginia
could do itself a good turn if it kept
“Eddie” Halsey in mind for some-
thing higher.
© Western Newspaper Union,
AAA AR AANA AAA
*
STAR
DUST
Movie «+ Radio
%%% By VIRGINIA VALE k&%
20 2 20 20 20 20 2 2 2 2
2 20 20 20 2 2h 2 2 2
HEN motion picture pro-
ducers wander away from
their office desks, they get the
most promising ideas for pic-
tures.
man of the 20th Century-Fox
and Sonja Henie in a film to-
At first he was horror-stricken to
capers,
but when he saw
that she learned
them as easily, and
safely, as she does
tap - dancing rou-
tines, he decided
that she must do a
skating picture with
her teacher.
At Paramount, the
big boss heard
shrieks of hilarity
the portrait photog-
rapher’s studio, and on investigat-
ing found W. C. Fields and John
Sonja Henie
meo and Juliet. Right away he was
inspired to cast them together in a
loony story called “Things Begin to
Happen."
si
Grown-ups may well envy the
school children of today who learn
an exciting medium as the R. K.
“Victoria the
Filmed in England with
Anna Neagle in the role of the
queen, this picture was made with
the hearty co-operation of govern-
ment officials, so all the glory of
real castles and authentic royal set-
tings make it a feast for the eyes.
Sixty years of her life are cov-
ered in this story, so it is a series
of dramatic high spots. And so
skillfully has the story been told,
it is just the story of a woman's
heart, a woman who was willful
and pathetic—with all her regal
splendor,
wns
Lanny Ross was all ready to sign
a contract to make pictures for
when it occurred to him
that with Nelson Eddy and Allan
Jones already signing on that lot,
there wasn't much room for another
singer. So, the shrewd Lanny hus-
tied over to Columbia Pictures’ stu-
for them instead. There he will be
sure to get all the good singing
roles.
—en
Those folks you hear on Gabriel
Heatter's ‘“We, the People’ pro-
gram certainly enjoy the evening of
that broadcast. After the first
broadcast, Heatter takes the whole
troupe of visitors across the street
to dinner. Afterward, they return
to the studio for the repeat western
broadcast.
ee
All the youngsters who were
thrilled over Dick Merrill's ocean
flights will want to arrive for the
first showing and stay all day when
“Atlantic Flight,” starring Dick
Merrill himself comes to their local
theater. In the picture he is the
same engaging, modest, casual
young man that he was in the news-
ws Won
All three of the Lane sisters are
now working for Warner Brothers.
Priscilla, who with her sister Rose-
provided many bright mo-
will do the same for the next “Gold
much longer than her sisters, will
— ee
Turning down several coast-to-
coast radio programs offered him,
tinguished stage ac-
tor, is going to try
again.
of Norma
About the time that
picture is ready for
Norma Shearer
« + « Clark Gable,
a swaggering, wi
wants to in a tense drama about the
Historic
Hoaxes
Po
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
© Western Newspaper Union
September Morn
O YOU remember back to the
days when college and prep
school boys shocked their elders by
displaying on the walls of their
rooms the picture of a nude girl
standing in a pool of water? It was
called “September Morn’ and, al-
though it was considered ‘highly
improper” in those days, it became
society of
York. It came about in this way:
The original painting had been re-
jected for a brewer's calendar and
was hung in the window of a New
York art shop which offered repro-
for ten cents But
Reichen-
bach came along and saw the pos
sibilities in it. He needed $45 to pay
his room rent and the art shop
promised to pay it if he could think
of an idea for disposing of the 2,000
copies in its stock
Reichenbach had a large display
of the picture put in the window and
then, pretending to be an outraged
citizen, phoned Comstock about it.
He persuaded others to do the same
thing and they all declared that the
picture was undermining the mor-
als of the youth of the city. Down
to the shop marched the virtuous
Anthony. He found a group of raga-
muffins (hired by Reichenbach) loi-
tering around in front of the shop
and making leering remarks about
the picture.
Convinced that ‘September Morn"
was indeed a menace to the youth of
the city, Comstock immediately ap-
pealed to the courts to stop the sale
of the reproductions. The result was
just what Reichenbach had hoped
for. In fact, the picture became
something of a national issue and
before the excitement over it died
down 7,000,000 copies had been sold
at $1.00 each!
The Magic Stone
‘“ AN the Ethiopian change his
skin, or the leopard his
spots?”
About 30 years ago a great many
people evidently believed that the
first half of that question could be
answered “ves” and, for a time,
this belief threatened to give Tulsa,
Okla., the largest negro population
of any city in the United States
It came about when J. Burr Gib-
bons, a reporter for the Tulsa Dem-
ocrat, wrole a news story announc-
ing the discovery of a negro having
an oil lease near Sapulpa who had
out of himself. According to the
story, the transformation resulted
because the negro drank from a
mineral spring on his lease. At
first, white spots began to appear
on his body. Then they gradually
spread until he was as white
skinned as any man of Caucasian
origin.
printed in other papers, an av-
alanche of mail descended upon the
Democrat. It almost swamped the
Tulsa post office. It came from
negroes all over the United States
who wanted to know more about
this magic spring, what were the
chances for finding employment in
Tulsa so they could bathe in it and
enjoy its wonder-working powers,
etc.
Of course, they were doomed to
disappointment but it was a long
time before the last inquirer was
convinced that there was no such
spring and before the last echoes
of the reporter's hoax died away.
The Hoaxer Hoaxed
O PHINEAS T. BARNUM one
day came a letter from a man in
Vermont saying that he had a sen-
sational attraction for his American
Museum on Broadway. It was a
cherry-colored cat which he would
for $200 but the terms were
cash-in-advance and immediate ac-
ceptance of the offer.
wonder, Barnum promptly sent on
rived, he discovered that it was only
an ordinary large black cat. At.
tached to its neck was a card which
read: "1 forgot to tell you that the
cherries up here are black ones.”
At first Barnum was furious at
the deception. Then he saw the hu-
mor of the situation and decided to
turn it to his own advantage. He
displayed the animal in his museum
and gave wide publicity to his ac-
quisition of a ‘genuine cherry-col
ored cat from Vermont.”
If a customer, upon seeing the
animal, complained that he had
been deceived and demanded his
money back, the showman ex
plained that he had bought the ani-
mal in good faith and that. further.
more, it really was the color of
cherries, only they were Vermont
black cherries Usually, however,
visitors to the museum were so de-
lighted to see how the master
hoaxer had been hoaxed that they
did not complain Instead they were
inclined to consider it a good joke
on themselves that they had been
taken in by Barnum’'s claim to own-
ership of a "‘cherry-colored cat.”
Young
and
for
Modern
layout supreme
America Miss
Mother Meticulous? Childish glee
sophisticated gusto and maternal
satisfaction will be the order of
the day when you have run-up
these swank wardrobe assets. Re-
member it's the natural thing to
Sew-Your-Own!
For Master or Miss,
It's grand to be young in the
wintertime; there's so much fun
to be had. Mother, to be sure
your edition
has his share of outdoor fun this
ski ensemble. (For either
boy or girl.) It is styled after a
real ski champion’s outfit and
makes an instant hit with every
young husky
Sophomore Sensation.
Here's a dress after your own
heart, Milady!—1 betcha. Sew-
Your-Own calls it its Sophomore
Sensation. From gay Paris comes
its concave silhouette; from S-Y-O
its concise, easy to follow sewing
instructions. Make your version
plete
this winter.
Carefully Planned.
Mothers are sweet in almost
any kind of dress, but in the trim
new model, above right, they're
superbly sweet. There's some-
thing genteel about its styling. It
was carefully planned to bring
you the best in style, the most in
comfort. A glance at the dia-
gram will convince the woman
who sews of its simplicity. Two
versions will be better than one
of this charming fashion. Any-
thing from percale to sheer wool
will do nicely as the material.
The Patterns.
Pattern 1965 is
sizes 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 years. Size
6 requires 2% yards of 54-inch
casions
Boys of America
F COURSE
right to expect
American boy
material for the ensemble plus %
| yard knitted fabric for hat, sleeve
| and trouser bands and 25 yard
zipper fastener for blouse front,
| Pattern 1359 is designed for
sizes 12 to 20 (30 to 40 bust). Size
| 14 requires 4% yards of 39-inch
| material. With three - quarter
| sleeves 4% yards are required.
| The bows and belt require 2%
| yards ribbon.
Pattern 1402 is designed for
sizes 34 to 48. Size 36 requires 4%
yards of 35-inch material. The
collar in contrast requires %
| yard.
Send your order to The Sewing
Circle Pattern Dept., 247 W,
| Forty-Third Street, New York, N.
| Y. Price of patterns, 15 cents (in
coins) each.
| New Pattern Book.
Send 15 cents for the Barbara
Bell Fall and Winter Pattern
Book. Make yourself attractive
| practical and becoming clothes,
| selecting designs from the Bar-
bara Bell well-planned, easy-to-
make patterns.
Advertising Reduced Cost
A third of a century ago the
price of the cheapest automobile
was about $5,000. Today a much
better car can be bought for
{around $700. Advertising created
demand, demand created mass
| production, with many times the
{number of jobs, and mass pro-
| duction improved the quality and
| reduced the price.
— . . ————————
CONSTIPATED
Many doctors recoms
mend Nu because
of its gentle action on
the bowels, Don't
confuse Nujol with
sinknown
products,
He must work hard and
prig.
play hard. He must
minded and clean-lived, and able
to hold his own under all circum-
stances and against all comers.
It is only on these conditions that
he will grow into the kind of a
man of whom America can really
be proud.—Theodore Roosevelt.
The moving finger of one’s hab-
its writes their story on his face.
MALARIA
in three days
Overlooking the advertisements