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MERRT'BD'BOIfID
KAI drew pearson
JOHN L. LEWIS STRATEGY
WASHINGTON. John L. Lewis
confided his strike strategy to a
friend the other day as follows:
“Before you can get action,
you’ve got to have a crisis.
And in any crisis, someone’s
nerve has got to cracß. I al
ways bet that I can hold out
longer than the government or
the operators. My nerve won’t
crack first.”
• * •
GOP CONGRESSMAN
REWARDED
Few congressmen have enjoyed
n higher rating at the White House
in the last two decades than hard
hitting Richard Z. Welch of Califor
nia, a Republican congressman for
21 years.
Always subordinating party inter
est to the national welfare, Welch’s
rugged integrity won him the
esteem of both Presidents Hoover
and Roosevelt, with Harry Truman
equally fond of him.
It is an axiom in congress that
when Dick Welch wants something
at the White House, he gets it. His
last visit, to request Presidential
support of another bridge connect
ing San Francisco and Oakland,
was no exception.
Despite opposition from the
navy, which contends that ex
panded aircraft and water
transport facilities in the bay
area make a new bridge inad
visable, Welch told Truman that
the bridge was imperative.
Traffic on the present Oakland
bridge, he said, was moving
“bumper-to-bumper.”
“All we are asking is a public
hearing to state our case, Mr.
President,” said Welch, “but the
navy is even opposed to that.”
“This is an election year,” com
mented Welch with a grin, “but
there are no political considerations
in the bridge project as far as I
am concerned.”
Truman may have been thinking
of Welch’s unflinching battle to sup
port OPA as he replied:
“In your case, Dick, It
wouldn’t make any difference to
me whether there were any
political considerations in it or
not.”
♦ * •
CONGRESS RETREATS
It isn’t often that the public rises
up in protest so quickly and effec
tively as over the recent cutting of
price control in the house of repre
sentatives, However, the “Save
OPA” mail drive on congress now
appears to have scored a bull's eye.
Senate opposition to crippling
house amendments is mounting and
anti-price control senators one by
one are beginning to yell “uncle!”
Despite this, OPA Boss Paul
Porter and Economic Stabilizer
Chester Bowles are awaiting the
senate showdown with crossed
lingers. What they fear is a
compromise senate bill —a
watered-down, hut still danger
ous, version of the house “re
peal” measure.
Porter warned of this in a re
cent secret conference with Bowles
and other top officials when the
question was raised as to whether
the outspoken Bowles should con
tinue his cannonading for air-tight
OPA legislation. Bowles himself
felt that it might be smart for him
to pull punches temporarily.
Porter, however, vigorously ad
vised the contrary.
“This Is no time to trim our
sails or for you to let down,
Chester,” he told Bowles.
• • *
MISSOURI POUND CAKE
President Truman’s first cousins,
Nellie and Ethel Noland of Inde
pendence, Mo., are writing quite a
few letters these days about the fa
mous “pound cake” which long has
been a favorite delicacy of the Tru
man and Noland families.
Last Christmas, while Truman
was in Independence for the holi
days, one of the Noland sisters’
cakes was featured on the menu.
A writer for the Associated Press,
apparently inexperienced in the
kitchen, obtained the recipe and
published it. Later housewives
throughout the country tried their
hand at preparing the cake. But
something was wrong. Scores of
letters began pouring into the No
land mailbox at 216 North Dela
ware street. Housewives were hav
ing kitchen difficulties.
A check revealed the Associ
ated Press reporter had failed
to include in the recipe one
pound of butter necessary for
good results in baking the cake.
Perhaps the AP reporter was pa
triotic and didn’t think butter should
be used in cake in view of the edi
ble fats shortage. Anyway, Presi
dent Truman’s cousins have been
writing letters ever since.
* * •
MERRY-GO-ROUND
Eighty-five professors at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania’s Wharton
school of finance and commerce
were polled regarding the continu
ation of OPA. Eighty-one signed a
petition urging continuation of price
controls. . . . Telegrams were sent
to clothing manufacturers recently
by the civilian production adminis
tration asking a report on the
men’s suit shortage. Reply was that
the government’s goal of 28 million
men’s suits will be almost met. . . .
If that helps any.
APPLAUSE FOR LEWIS . . . Regardless of how the rest of the
nation may feel about John L. Lewis and the soft coal strike, he is
still popular with his own forces. Photograph shows the coal czar,
leader of United Mine workers, drawing applause as he arrives at a
meeting of his 250-man policy committee, in Washington, D. C.
WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS QUINTS . . . Above is Dr. L, J. Smith with
the Fairbury (Neb.) Cornhusker quints. They have been named after
the Big Five. Left to right, England, Russia, China, United States and
France. All but France arc bulls. Although less than half the weight
of average beef calves at birth, at SV& months they are fully as big and
as weighty as beef calves of the same age born singly. They will tour
leading fairs this summer. Chamber of Commerce at Fairbury has
built them a modern home. Wayne Photo.
CHINA’S FAMINE CORRIDOR . , . Chinese lad is shown carrying
his starving mother from their Hunan farm into the village of Kung
Ping, in the heart of Hunan’s famine corridor. Hunan sustained great
er losses of men and material than any other province. Estimates
are that 577,000 persons were killed, 1,500,000 wounded, 945 buildings
destroyed and 642 animals killed. Starvation is even worse today.
USO SERVING G.I.S IN BRAZIL ... In Brazil, home of the coffee
bean, G.l.s patronize the USO cafeteria for a cup of American java.
It accompanies the steak smothered in eggs which is the most popu
lar dish with servicemen at the Natal USO. The USO still carries on
In almost every country and section on the globe where G.l.s may be
found. Much of their work is now devoted to troops on foreign soil.
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL, PERRY, GEORGIA
PIONEER TO TEACH ... Dr. Lee
De Forest, 73, known as the “fa
ther of broadcasting,” has accept
ed the position of director of the
veterans training program in Chi
cago television laboratories. He
will have 2,200 veteran students. Dc
Forest is a veteran of the Spanish-
American war. He developed the
three-element (audion) tube.
FOR OPA . . . Secretary of the
Treasury Fred M. Vinson, as he
appeared before the senate bank
ing and currency committee, con
ducting hearings on bill to extend
life of OPA. He urged that the
office of price administration be
retained for the common good.
GETS NEW PAL . . . Life was
meaningless for six-year-old John
ny Conklin when his dog, Rex, w r as
killed by an auto, but things bright
ened when he acquired a new pal,
six-weeks-old Lady, given to him
by a sympathetic reader who saw
his picture in the paper.
,
;
MARINES IN DANGER . . . Says
Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift, to
senate naval affairs committee at
hearing on proposed merger of the
armed services. He stated that the
unification legislation will in all
probability spell extinction for the
marine corps.
* ' *
* iv
PROSECUTES JAPS . . . Joseph
B. Keenan, representing the Unit
ed States, as chief prosecutor at
Japanese war crimes trials, as he
presented the 55-count indict- I
ment against the criminals to be
tried.
I
#
Colder Winters Ahead
Cooler weather with old-fashioned
' winters like grandpop used to know
| are returning, the United States
j Weather bureau says. Weather
trends come in 50-year cycles, it
explains, and for the past half cen
! tury we have been moving away
; from the winters in which folks had
1 to dig through the snowdrifts to lo
cate clothespoles.
♦
Now will come a slow move back
to the days when grandpop often
walked into the second story of the
old farm right from the snow level.
♦
“And a good thing it will be to
toughen up the citizenry,” declared
Elmer Twitchell today. “We’ve
been getting soft in sissy-like win
ters when the folks thought a bliz
zard was any snowfall that kept a
limousine down to 40 miles an hour
in open country. ‘Blizzard Sweeps
Cty’ has been the routine headline
every time a snowdrift got half
way up a milk bottle on the wind
j ward porch.
♦
“What’s become of the old fash
ioned fellow who had three fingers
missing from the deep freezes?
Where’s the native once common
to every community who got around
|on a wooden leg most of his life
[because of exposure in an icepack
|in his own back yard? Where are
j the countless folks who went around
■ all their lives with tender ears and
noses because of frostbite in their
early days?
♦
“When I was a boy,” he contin
ued, “you had to face the house
southward or you’d get four or five
loads of snow in the bedroom right
through a door crack. It was noth
ing to have a fire freeze up over
night. Once every winter they had
to get a snowplow to dig me out
of bed . . . and I slept in the attic!
♦
“Big cities get out super-plows to
fight a snowstorm that old-timers
would tackle with a whiskbroom,
and without bothering to put on any
thing but a pair of pants and an
open shirt.
*
“Let the old-fashioned winters
come back for the good of the
race!” he concluded. “There will
be less squawkin’ about minor in
conveniences.”
* • •
Feltman’s famous restaurant
at Coney Island, in existence for
72 years and known to millions,
is changing hands. We link the
old place up with our first visit
to the big city. How it dazzled
us with its city-block dimensions,
its dozen separate restaurants
and its several bars. And how
we thought we were splurging
when we went there for a full
course dinner for $1.25! With
beer 5 cents a schooner! And
cocktails two for a quarter!
* • •
DIETING A PLEASURE
I’m giving my tummy to Poland—
To China I’m giving two chins;
A jowl I am giving to simplify
living
For Bnlgars and Slovenes and
Finns.
Those rolls on my waistline are
going
To help a cause worthy and great;
While famine now marches I’m giv
ing up starches—
This time my reducing can’t wait.
* * *
(“Henry and Clara Ford Married 58
years."—News item.)
Here’s to Henry Ford and Clara,
For so long a happy pair-a;
For 58 years they rode together—
That’s mileage, sir, in any weather!
Here’s to Clara and here’s to Hen!
On quite a journey they have been;
No couple made a journey finer;
I guess the bumps were pretty
minor!
• * •
The Hobos of America have
voted to hold their 1947 convention
in Miami, because the cities usual
ly chosen are too cold in the spring.
In this announcement you have a
reflection of the American mood
these days. A bum used to be will
ing to take his fun where he could
find it, and always convenience of
locale and economic considerations
counted most. But now the climate
must be right regardless of travel
ing distance and general expenses.
The modern hobo refuses to loaf
except near the Gulf Stream and he
prefers to get there by plane.
• * •
1946
This is the slogan for each dinner!
“Mother, slice the bread much thin
ner!”
• * •
“Truman asks Americans to Tight
en Belts.”—Headline.
•
The trouble with most Americans
is that they think their belts are
tightened if their pants don’t drop
to the floor when they inhale.
• * •
Governor Dewey has signed a bill
raising the speed limit in New York
to 50 miles an hour. The previous
limit was 35 to 40. The governor
says that while the previous limit
was seldom observed or enforced
the new one will be. Wanna bet?
mormi
Bffif I M
W I pk CfiANTIAND I M
A HU . MAN tidal wave, headed
almost any sort of S doh!
competition, has struck baseband
a record sweep. All past records J
being submerged in the wav of
tendance figures, even on the V
of those teams who are cone*)!
nothing better than sixth place !
It would not be surprising to „
the newly bedecked Yankee J
Edium, under ti
operation of ban
ma G rk 1 before'oj
b e r reports, u
Yankees are nrii
tically sure to J
an all-time count]
the busy turnstils
with the Tigers n,
I HHi * OO ar away, ti
Grantlandßice gu*,s and J
. L Dodgers also shod
surpass their best year, with man
thousands added to the list.
A sporting crowd is willing i
take a heavier beating than ai
other section of the human rae
All these frenzied multitudes ask i
a chance to buy a ticket, then i (
nature take its course, xhes
crowds make the sardine look i
a rover in the wide-open space
with room to spare.
The Kentucky Derby set a ne
high in several directions. So pro!
ably will the Louis - Conn inte
mingling at the Yankee stadium
June.
The Rush to Sport
We have been asked to explai
this overwhelming rush to spoi
After all, we have few who ca
match in ability and color tl
headliners of the Golden Age fi
lowing the First World war. I a
referring again to Babe Ruth, Jac
Dempsey, Bobby Jones, Man
War, Bill Tilden, Tommy Hitd
cock, Devereux Milburn, Walk
Hagen, Rogers Hornsby, Ea
Sande and Red Grange. We hai
no such galaxy of famous narni
with which to conjure, although J
Maggio, Williams, Nelson, Hoga
Arcaro, Blanchard, Davis and afe
others may be just as good.
It may be that the glamour
past years takes on too keen a bi
and glint. But that Golden Age
Sport produced a pretty fair ci
lection of talent and color. No sni
talent has been proved in this pr(
ent postwar era up to date, but
may happen later.
It may be that the coming seaaj
in various sports will give us chaJ
pious that can match the 01
Guard of the lost and golden ea
We don’t believe so. But we kne
that sport will give us great
crowds than ever were known
the past.
We know that there will be mo
money than ever before wageredi
the races through the mutuels ai
the bookmakers —a total surpai
ing 2 billion dollars. New Yc
alone will pass 500 million throiii
the mutuels.
In this era of peace following t!
blackness of the world’s, greate
war, there are two details tk
make this possible: (1) the real
for release the excuse for ta
nerves and (2) more widesprti
cash than this country has evi
known previously. It is the same
England, even more so. This is I
knock against the human race.
is only a natural reaction, even
it isn’t the wisest and the saw
reaction. When was the human rai
ever sane or wise?
♦ * ♦
Some Big Questions
The season will soon begin to n
roll a number of answers to vai
ous important questions.
No. 1. How will the Yankee pit®
Ing staff make out? Will it be ctj
sistently good enough to be M
fairly close to the pitching strenfj
of Tigers, Red Sox or Indians? 4
the Senators?
No. 2. Can the Tiger infield M
up well enough to give Ste.
O’Neill’s crack pitching staff §
chance to win again? j
No. 3. Can Leo Durocher
enough pitching to keep his Dodgsj
up with the Cardinals and Cut-1
Especially the Cubs.
No. 4. How far will the Cardin*!
be in front by the first of AuguH
No. 5, Will the Giants’ soirj
what jittery defensive play cr°]
Mel Ott’s team out of the first dm
sion?
No. 6. What about the seasoj
impending pitching duel betwM
Bob Feller and AI Newhouser?
No. 7. Also the A. L.’s all arot®
batting championship among
Williams, Joe DiMaggio and D 1
Wakefield?
No. 8. How many home runs c
Hank Greenberg deliver to
the natural and expected defied
foot speed?
No. 9. To what ball clubs
few of the Cardinals’ pitching s®
plus headed?
No. 10. How will Pesky
Doerr of the Red Sox compare
Rizzuto and Gordon of the Yan» e
No. 11. What are the odds
either Phillies or Athletics lea''
the ancient and moldy cedar \r,,
No. 12. How will the old •
York - Boston argutnent concern ■
the all-around ability of Joe
don and Bobby Doerr work ou •
No. 13. How far up will I W
Southworth be able to I' l
Braves in his first Boston sea
