The Howe Messenger (Howe, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 31, Ed. 1 Friday, August 30, 1940 Page: 2 of 8
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THE HOWE MESSENGER
Friday, August 30, 1940
GENERAL
HUGH S.
JOHNSON
Jays':
United Features ' WNU Service
Washington, D. C.
WILLKIE
Three days of observation of Wen-
dell Willkie have been eye-openers
ito me—well as I thought I knew
him. This column isn’t going to
make the mistake it made in 1936
and take a strong partisan position.
But it feels a certain sense of re-
sponsibility for insisting on the avail-
ability of this man for almost two
years and getting a good many rasp-
berries for its alleged “goofiness.”
The “eye-opener” was this guy’s
sturdy independence. I think he is
Another, but a pleasanter, Grover
Cleveland. I sensed, and sometimes
saw, the strongest kinds of pulls
and pressures applied to him in
these few days. Some of them were
from the mightiest of political lead-
ers. Others were of the modern
telegraph-barrage variety—“Speak-
ing for 6,000,000 farmers, we urge”;
“Speaking for 21,000,000 Catholics,
we demand”; “As representative oi
13,000,000 Negroes we ask”; “If you
won’t do so-and-so, you will lose New
York state and the whole Atlantic
seaboard.”
The candidate answers genially
and courteously. He checks facts
from every source he can command.
He continues to pursue the even
tenor of his way and thought with a
smiling urbanity that seems a mira-
cle to me. I know only one other
man who could take such pushing,
pulling and yawing with as much
gooa nature, as little disturbance of
his convictions and as little loss of
sleep. His name is Franklin Roose-
velt.
I do not for a moment mean to
suggest that Wendell Willkie is a
stubborn dogmatist. He is just the
reverse of that He has the usual
business habit of putting up an alert
defensive to any professional sales
talk. But he also uses the efficient
business man’s practice of overlook-
ing no promising "proposition” and
of getting every fact and expert
opinion available before he decides.
There has been a good deal of spec-
ulation about why I went to Colorado
Springs. Mr. Willkie asked me to
come to give my opinion on cer-
tain aspects of the farm, labor and
defense problems, with all of which
I have had some experience and
have expressed strong views.
Well, he winnowed whatever
brains I have with a fine-tooth comb,
so far as I know accepted nothing,
put up as able and well informed
debate as I have yet encountered—
and left me in complete ignorance
as to his final judgment.
To me, all this seems a good sign.
The greatest blunder in a recent
government has been, I think, a
sort of trout-like snapping at and
swallowing whole of any attractive
fclrainstorm, with little or no attempt
to get an objective analysis or hear
any worthwhile contrary opinion.
Of one thing I am sure. Nobody
is going to shove this shaggy Hoosier
around, sell him any gold bricks or
push him off of any important moral
position, for the sake of any expedi-
ent political advantage. The latter
has, to my knowledge, been vainly
attempted with dire threats of de-
feat if Willkie did not instantly
knuckle. He just laughed.
He has another quality of Franklin
Roosevelt. Nobody rejected ever
goes away mad. But while the Pres-
ident accomplishes this by saying.*
“Yes, yes, yes—you are perfectly
right,” and then acts just as he
pleases; Mr. Willkie somehow man-
ages to keep them cheerful with
something like: “Yours received and
contents noted. I will study it care-
fully. Just now it looks lousy”or
“attractive,” as the case may be.
I still say he would be a great
President.
* • *
THOSE 50 DESTROYERS
NEW YORK.—The fight to sell 50
of our destroyers to Britain is led
by the two whirling dervishes of
the third-term assault on American
tradition—the glamorous Senators
Josh Lee and Claude Pepper. Each
has a right to be as fanatical as he
pleases—as Pepper is for Old Doc
Townsend’s cruel deceit of the
aged; as Josh is for the uncompen-
sated confiscation of property.
Both schemes would wreck beyond
repair the economic strength of this
country in a time of great danger.
During our Civil war. Great Brit-
ain permitted swift Confederate
commerce destroyers to be fitted out
in British ports. They gave the final
push to our once-supreme merchant
marine—a blow from which it never
recovered. Our protests continued
for years. The British finally ad-
mitted that for this sort of illegal
participation in undercover war, the
offending country is responsible in
daVnages for every loss its unlawful
act has imposed.
Apart from any such quibbling as
Josh Lee is doing to make a mock-
ery of statutory and treaty obliga-
ions, let’s not overlook the Ala-
iama claims. They involved, in the
nain, only two wooden ships. What
vould 50 destroyers involve?
e are some vital factual ques-
hich should be considered
all this juramentado third-
kum.
vessels “obsolete”? If
it be urged that the
“ h navy depends on
Washington Digest
Congressional Attention Focused
On National Preparedness Plan
Suggest Investigation of Progress Made; Roosevelt
Takes Personal Charge of Defense Program;
Army Leaders Prepare for Draft.
By G. F.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
WASHINGTON.—Congress is an-
noyed by slow motion in the nation-
al defense program.
The war department recently re-
ported to a joint committee of the
house and senate that although ap-
proximately $400,000,000 had been
appropriated in June for army air-
planes, engines and accessories, ac-
tual contracts had been signed for
only 33 planes.
The appropriation bills provided
funds for 4,000 planes, but seven
weeks later only 33 planes actually
.were under contract—and those will
not be delivered before January or
February, 1941.
In the same hearing, the national
defense commission reported that
the army would not have full equip-
ment for 750,000 men before 1942.
Inasmuch as congress has appro-
priated and authorized $14,000,000,-
000 for national defense since Jan-
uary, 1940, members of the house
and senate are pressing for a thor-
ough investigation of the prepared-
ness slow-down.
Some leaders favor establishment
of a joint committee of the house
and senate to conduct a continuing
“audit” of the defense contracts.
Such an arrangement would keep
congress fully abreast of new orders.
Capitol Hill has been grumbling
sotto voce for several weeks over
.reports of confusion and conflict in
the military departments. Whatev-
er the cause, heavy defense equip-
ment is not yet being produced in
any considerable quantity. This ap-
iplies particularly to long-range guns
for the coast artillery, heavy naval
guns, land tanks, and long-range
bombing planes. Congress is de-
termined to find the bottleneck.
One course of friction has been
located in the procurement division
of the treasury department, which
long has been the general purchas-
ing agency for the government.
Secretary Morgenthau feels his de-
partment should continue to place
the contracts. On the other hand,
the army and the navy insist they
should place their own orders for
highly specialized equipment. Third,
the new defense commission feel
they should place all orders for
.equipment not heretofore purchased
by the government.
In this scramble many orders are
falling between the three contend-
ing authorities, or being delayed by
departmental red-tape.
Secretary Morgenthau has in-
formed congress that out of the
$14,000,000,000 now available for de-
fense, not more than $5,000,000,000
could be spent by July 1, 1941, un-
der the present schedule of buying.
% * • /
American industry has made ev-
ery effort to get the preparedness
wheels turning. Thousands of man-
ufacturers have come to Washing-
ton at their own expense to offer
their plants to the government.
Some have returned home without
having conferred with the official
sought. Confusion prevails in the
purchasing agencies, due to conflicts
of authority under the hastily writ-
ten emergency legislation. The de-
fense commission is now appealing
to business managers not to come
to Washington, but to wait until they
receive inquiries by mail.
• • •
President Roosevelt has taken di-
rect personal charge of the entire
defense program. Although heavily
burdened by acute problems in for-
eign relations, and a multitude of
pressing domestic issues, Mr. Roose-
velt wants to give personal approv-
al of every major contract for de-
fense equipment. His long experi-
ence as assistant secretary of the
navy equipped him with special
technical knowledge of fighting sea-
craft. He is not equally familiar
with modern airplanes and army
equipment. The whole system of
military aviation in the modern
sense, has developed since Mr.
Roosevelt left the navy department
in 1921. Giant tanks and motorized
army units likewise are a recent
development. Delicate technical
problems are involved in all this
modern equipment. Some military
experts have cautiously expressed
the opinion that President Roosevelt
should not undertake to deal per-
sonally with all these complex tech-
nical problems. But their sense of
loyalty and patriotism restrains all
public criticism of the commander-
in-chief.
anti-conscription sentiment is based
largely on the general knowledge
that supplies, material and equip-
ment are not yet available for a
conscript army.
M^ny critics insist that volun-
tary' enlistments should be given a
trial, at least to the point at which
surplus military equipment will be
available over and above that need-
ed for the present standing army
and National Guard.
The wave of anti-conscription mail
is making a deep impression upon
congressional sentiment. What pur-
pose will be served by registering
12,000,000 young men for compulsory
military service when there ^ no
field equipment available for even
750,000 men? So runs the cloak-
room discussion on Capitol Hill.
Much opposition to conscription is
based upon the fact that compulsory
military service has been a favored
device of the European dictators.
In ordinary times this hardly
would be a valid argument against
conscription in the United States.
But these are not ordinary times.
During the last seven years vast
discretionary powers have been del-
egated to the President by congress.
For the most part these powers are
all dormant for the time being. But
they may be called to active use
by a mere presidential proclama-
tion.
They Call It
POLITICS
By CARTER FIELD
(Bell Syndicate—WNU Service.)
WASHINGTON.—The question is
repeatedly asked: “Does the Presi-
dent know something he cannot
tell?” Meaning, of course, whether
Mr. Roosevelt knows of some specif-
ic threat to the United States which
is responsible for the feverish activ-
ity to get this country "prepared.”
Certainly the President has had a
lot of reports which he has not stat-
ed publicly.
For instance, it was the conviction
of the Military intelligence of the
U. S. army up to about a month
ago that the Germans would win the
“Battle of Britain” and would win it
within “four weeks” from the time
the Nazis started.
Since then Military intelligence
has revised its views sharply. The
revision has been due to two factors.
One is that the British air fighting
has surprised the world. For a con-
siderable period of time, AFTER the
French collapse and carrying
through to the last reports as this is
written, the British had been losing
only about one plane to four for the
Germans.
This is not enough to whittle the
Germans “down to size,” or to give
the British a sporting chance
against the Nazi air armadas. But
it has changed the picture tremen-
dously so far as any opinions as
to a “four-week conquest” are con-
cerned.
Naturally this “information,” at
the time it was believed by Military
intelligence, was not made public.
It was based on what the army of-
ficers regarded as the best reports
available—from their own observers
abroad-^but after all it was merely
opinion, convincing as it might be
to the army. Naturally also, this
prediction was reported to the Pres-
ident, and naturally it alarmed him,
especially as it so happens that most
of the predictions which Military
intelligence had made as to earlier
features of the war were amazingly
accurate.
The President has also heard
some gloomy forecasts from a cer-
tain naval source. The real point of
all this is that the President was
more pessimistic, and hence more
convinced of the necessity of
SPEEDY preparedness on the part
of this country, than he had the
right to explain to the country.
Why, it might be asked, should a
forecast of quick British defeat have
worried the President so far as THIS
country is concerned.
Because the President is much
worried about what the Nazis will
do if they conquer Britain. For in-
stance, there is the Caribbean,
where a victorious Germany might
attempt to seize possessions of the
conquered, possessions which would
make magnificent air bases for
eventual attack on the Panama
Opposition to compulsory military canal or the U. S. itself. For in-
service in peace times is rising in
many sections of the country. The
congressional mail indicates that
DEFENSE PROGRAM
Members of congress are great-
ly interested in the progress made
toward increasing preparedness
for national defense. They have
appropriated $14,000,000,000 for
this purpose since January, 1940.
President Roosevelt takes direct
personal charge of the defense
program in an effort to speed up
work. The value and need for
compulsory military - training
raises vital questions.
stance, in some Latin American
countries there are tremendous Ger-
man and Italian populations.
This is a perfect illustration of
the sort of things the President is
thinking about which he cannot men-
tion publicly. There are others.
Some of them are not quite so deli-
cate. As a matter of fact, a consid-
erable number of senators, repre-
sentatives and newspaper men knew
about this “four-weeks” prediction,
but it was not mentioned publicly
until AFTER Military intelligence
had changed its predictions. In
fact, if there had been no change
in the view of army leaders, the
subject would not have been men-
tioned even here.
New Autumn Suit Silhouette
Registers Rigorous Changes
Washington, D. C.
DESPERATE TIN SCARCITY
It hasn’t leaked out yet, but after
years of delay, and after facing
what may be a desperate tin short-
age, the' state department is about
to negotiate a contract with the Bo-
livian government for the purchase
of about half of Bolivia’s tin output.
This tin ore will be shipped to the
United States for refining in newly
established tin smelters.
This is a big achievement for Bo-
livian Minister Guachalla who, for
four years, has been hammering
home at the state department the
idea that Bolivia has something
which the United States needs vi-
tally.
But it by no means solves the tin
problem for the United States, for
Bolivia’s production meets only
about one-half of this country’s nor-
mal requirements.
To tide over the present tin cri-
sis, the national defense commission
contracted to buy 75,000 tons of re-
fined tin from the Dutch and British
East Indies. This is enough to last
for one year, but the question is,
will it ever be delivered?
The answer is doubtful. Only 12,-
000 tons can arrive by January 1,
and even this may be held up by
German defeat of England or a Jap-
anese blitzkrieg on the Dutch East
Indies.
Most amazing feature of the deal
is that the national defense com-
mission is not attempting to buy
new tin ore from the Far East, but
only the refined, metallic tin. In
other words, the tin is to be refined
in the Far East, then shipped here.
Reason for this is: (1) because the
British put a 50 per cent tax on the
export of crude ore to keep us from
setting up a tin smelting business
of our own; and (2) because the
state department still is following a
policy of dealing gently with British
interests.
In other words, while we will set
up a system of temporarily smelt-
ing Bolivian tin in the United States,
the British still will attempt to hang
on to their monopoly by smelting
as much as possible themselves
and up to a point high U. S. offi-
cials seem reluctant to break away
from the British system.
* * •
NEW AGRICULTURE
SECRETARY
It looks as if Franklin Roosevelt
was going to play the cards close to
his chest and go into the campaign
without much enlargement of his of-
ficial family. For his. new secretary
of agriculture, replacing Henry Wal-
lace, will be promoted from the
ranks.
He is Claud R. Wickard of Indi-
ana, now undersecretary of agricul-
ture, an able gentleman, but carry-
ing no political weight and of no
great help to Roosevelt of Wallace
in a presidential year. Paul H. Ap-
pleby, Wallace’s right hand assist-
ant, and the man who vigorously
urges Wickard’s promotion, will step
up as undersecretary.
• » •
AMBASSADOR CUDAHY
New recipe for political success:
get a diplomatic post, speak out of
turn, take a spanking for it, then
announce for political office.
The recipe was set by James H.
R. Cromwell, whose remarks as
minister to Canada brought him a
state department reprimand. He is
now running for the Senate.
Same recipe apparently may be
followed by John Cudahy, ambassa-
dor to Belgium, who rode in high
spirits through his White House rep-
rimand the other day, and is being
urged for governor of Wisconsin.
In fact, the President himself, be-
fore the “spanking” was over, urged
Cudahy to run.
* * +
WILLKIE REVAMPS CAMPAIGN
MACHINERY
In some G. O. P. quarters Will-
kie’s protracted western stay drew
discreet but critical protests. He
was wasting valuable time, came
the complaints, handling too much
organizational detail himself.
It was true that the tousle-haired
Republican standard bearer did oc-
cupy himself extensively with organ-
ization details. But he did not waste
time—as plenty of old-line Republi-
can politicos are privately, and very
grumpily, attesting. He was far too
busy to suit them or see much of
them.
For the big untold story behind
Willkie’s long and mysterious labors
in Colorado is that he completely
revamped the traditional G. O. P.
campaign machinery.
It’s a closely guarded secret but
under the new set-up, the Republi-
can national committee and its na-
tion-wide network of state and local
units, mad£ up largely of veteran
professionals, have been relegated
to a secondary role.
Playing first fiddle in Willkie’s new
organization are the 800 Willkie clubs
dotting every state, and the “inde-
pendent Democrats” organization
headed by ex-Roosevelt office hold-
ers Johnny Hanes, former under-
secretary of the treasury, and Lewis
Douglas, former budget director. Di-
rectly controlled by Willkie and his
personal lieutenants, these are the
organizations on which he is depend-
ing to carry him into the White
House.
He is convinced that to be elected
he must win the big “floating” mass
of independent votes.
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T>EST dressed women have long
•L* since proved through experience
the wisdom of investing in a new
suit at the very start-off of the au-
tumn season. In a smart suit and a
goodly supply of eye-thrilling ac-
cessories you have an investment
that will yield a hundred per cent to
the good right through until fur coat
time and then likely as not you will
be wearing your suit under your
coat on many a wintry day.
The call for a new suit (with ac-
cent on new) becomes positively
imperative this particular fall be-
cause lines have undergone such
drastic change they make a last-
year model look hopelessly passe.
The new silhouette somehow con-
trives to give the impression of be-
ing narrow and straight though as a
matter of fact it does not at all
times entirely eliminate pleats and
other devices that insure free and
easy movement. As to jackets, they
are slimmed and lengthened to give
the new long-torso look.
Just now the world of fashion is
all agog concerning the hand-
some, neat and trim black silk suits
made either of faille or bengaline
or smart moire. The charming suit
centered in the picture is tailored of
black moire. The skirt is interest-
ing because it is skilfully manipu-
lated to preserve the coveted slen-
der line so indicative of the new
trend, at the same time that un-
pressed pleats are introduced. Also
the long-torso contour, which is a
major fashion law this season, is in-
terpreted in the smartly tailored
c •*£ - ....
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jacket. The fastenings of gold but-
tons are especially significant, in
that they confirm the report that
gold jewelry and gadgets are to re-
turn this fall and winter. There’s
important news too, in the hat this
fashionably attired young lady is
wearing in that it is one of the dra-
matic profile shapes that’s the lat-
est, according to expert millinery
advice.
The suit to the left flashes impor-
tant highlights in more ways than
one. To begin with, the material
of which it is made is a finely ribbed
woolen and all the fashion notes will
tell you that ribbed weaves abound
in the fabric realm this fall. Again
this model gives.accent to the long-
er jacket vogue. The slenderizing
narrow skirt is also made a feature
in this instance. It is one of the very
new side drape types. And now for
the most telling fashion stroke of all
which this mode registers—jet but-
tons fasten it!
The new tweeds for fall are gor-
geous. The challenge is going to be
whether to buy an all black suit
such as the new style program pro-
claims for fall or to go in for color-
ful tweed with all your might. The
ideal course of action is to acquire
both, black for the more formal,
dignified moments, and a carefree
vividly colorful plaid contrasting a
monotone skirt for nonchalant go-
ing about. Make it an all-plaid suit
for that matter for the suit of plaid
looms up on fashion’s horizon in no
uncertain way. The practical thing
to do is to buy a plaid suit, also
a monotone skirt that picks up one of
the colors in the plaid. This will
give you welcome changes that tune
to time and event. For the model
pictured a vivid plaid is selected
for the long-torso jacket, the same
topping a narrow skirt done in mono-
tone.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
Long Gloves
8
>< t M
In this picture below-the-elbow
sleeves and long gloves meet in just
the right spot to look fashion-cor-
rect. These American-made slip-
ons of velvety soft mocha make a
dramatic contrast to the natural
Russian lynx jacket. While the
gloves’ extra length and their ex-
quisite finish give them an extrava-
gant air, the fact that they are
American made means long wear
and washability, thus keeping them
in the practical class.
Ladylike Fashions
Keynote for Fall
The new autumn style program
places the emphasis on dignity and'
conservatism in dress. The major-
ity of frocks arriving are simply*
fashioned carrying their style mes-
sage through an entirely new sil-
houette that narrows skirts into easy!
natural lines, modifies shoulders in-
bodice, blouse and jackets, length-,
ens sleeves to below elbow or to-
wrist.
The early call is for blacks and,
browns and rich greens in suit or
ensembles. Hats are not freakish-
and they are styled to fit snugly
and they are tuned to the type ofi
hairdress you adopt.
Materials say quality at a glance.(
The dresses in the new collections
are designed along simple wearable
lines, glorified with fetching details
that bespeak their newness.
And when all is said and done,,
you are going to be charmed with
the new order of things in that
good taste is evidenced all the way
through heightened with dramatic
touches of color in jewelry and
gloves and other accessories that
add fascination to the entire scheme
of costume design for the coming
months.
Military Headgear
From New Zealand
The picturesque headgear of the
Australian and New Zealand soldiers
is influencing much of the new mil-
linery shown by London “hat design-
ers. These style? have high pinched
crowns arrd wide brims. Some of
the brims are simply flat and
straight, while others turn up at one
side and fasten under the chin with
a military looking strap.
Jersey for Dress
The Coming Season
When you dress up this coming
season, you will ^robobly put on
jersey, but you may not recognize-
it as such, it will be so changed.
Afternoon dresses are being made
of uncut velvet jersey and dinner
gowns of ribbed crepe jersey. Eve-
ning gowns will be shown in thin
chiffon gauze jersey and a two-faced
iridescent 'jersey, each side a dif-
ferent color, while shiny white vel-
vet jersey will be seen in wedding
gowns.
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Bryant, Russell W. The Howe Messenger (Howe, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 31, Ed. 1 Friday, August 30, 1940, newspaper, August 30, 1940; Howe, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth848109/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .