Evening Star Newspaper, December 14, 1936, Page 9

Business Lost Chance for Exprasion Snubbing of Berry’s Conference Fails to \Settle Problems. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. ITTLE noticed, yet deeply sig- nificant, was the meeting of the Council for Industrial Progress, otherwise known as *Ma). Berry's Conference,” which has fust ended its sessions here. The episode was important bécause 1t illustrates the ‘way business men make strategic mistakes and then wonder after- ward why public epinion goes against them. The Berry conference was boycotted by the principal busi- nesses and indus- tries of the coun- try. The ostensi- ble reason given was that the dates of the wmeeting conflicted with the dates of the Council of Amer- fcan Industry called by the National Association of Manufacturers to meet tn New York City last week. Maj. Berry could easily have selected some other dates. Weeks in advance however, important men in the busi- neas world turned thumbs down on the Berry conference. Privately, some said they felt he had forfeited his usefulness by becoming a political per- sonality in the last election at the head of “Labor's Non-partisan League,” while others said he was so definite partisan in behalf of labor's side in controversial matters that he did not fulfill the requirement of an impar- tial chairman of such an all impor- tant conference. Participation Inevitable. Granting that both these accusa- tions have some justification—and it will be noted that Maj. Berry told a radio audience he was prepared to withdraw if he himself was an obstacle to progress—the fact remains that the Berry conference did tackle some wvital problems and that the business men of America must sooner or later begin to participate in just such con- ferences if they are to keep the United States from embarking on even more radical experiments than heretofore. Conference and consultation does not mean commitment. It does mean debate, discussion, exploration of prin- £iples, examination of fundamentals, and if American business men do not have the qualified spokesmen to hold up their end of the argument in any form of this kind, then they can hardly blame the public for assuming their cause is on those points without merit. Plans Further Consideration. The Berry conference did nothing more than adopt a report for further consideration on such important ques- tions as maximum hours and mini- mum wages, fair trade practices, re- vision of anti-trust laws and means of furnishing working capital to small businesses. All of these points are absolutely vital to the recovery moyement in American, and it will be conceded that once 9,000,000 persons are employed, there will be a tendency for radicalism to subside because it will lose its prin- eipal renson for existence. But doubtless business leaders, as they viewed the program in advance, did not wish to commit themselves on the matter of minimum wages or maximum hours. These are, to be sure, knotty problems, but there is every reason for presenting economic tnformation and facts to the confer- ence as well as to the court of public opinion so that hasty action will not be taken. ‘What are the objections to a Fed- eral regulation of maximum hours? The industries of the United States ean present the difficulties in certain specific lines. Thus, there is an abun- dance of information which shows that there is a shortagé of skilled labor and that lengthening of hours 1s absolutely essential if prices are not to go out of bounds and injure the eonsumers’ pocketbook. Proof Wanted. T it is proved, for example, that in many industries hours are being lengthened because no apprentices have been trained during the years of the depression, then the proposal to fix maximum hours becomes nothing more nor less than a camouflage for the purpose of raising wages unduly and hence shoving up consumer costs more rapidly than his pay envelope ean absorb: Until the American people fully wunderstand that the vast body of con- sumers, especially persons who work in unorganized flelds, cannot be ex- pected to get wage increases as rap- idly as their brethren and that real bardship comes from precipitate in- ereases in the cost of living for every- body, the whole question of fixing maximum hours by legislation takes on a different color. ‘The history of industrial United States reveals a gradual curtailment in the hours of work per week, and the tendency toward shorter and ghorter hours from a health stand- point is well recognized. But when “shorter hours cut down the wealth of the Nation and make difficult the David Lawrence. omists as well as by political leaders thet America’s future prosperity, and tocidentally her political stability, de- on what is done for the low- groups. This is best tackled by fixing minimum wages, whether by the States or the Federal Govern- ment or by both. But progress is not by avoiding discussion and de- an e News Behind the News King Edward’s Dislike for Job Advanced as Reason For His Abdication. BY PAUL MALLOM, r I:ddn dispatches said: “The sovereign sacrificed his throne for love.” The official gossips here (that is the authorities who are in & position to know a little and guess a lot) said: “Fooey! Mr. Wind- sor decided he did not like his job many months ago. The tip-off came when little Princess Elizabeth was taken out of ordinary regal schooling shortly after her grandfather's death and placed in charge of special tu- tors to prepare her for queendom. “Premier Baldwin was not only not shocked at the turn of events, but co-operated wholeheartedly with Mr. Windsor in his scheme to get out at the first opportunity. Mrs. Simpson merely furnished the opportunity.” Take your choice of these inter- pretations, but be assured, in either event, that & lot of sawdust has run in the past week. Note—George Bernard Shaw called the turn on it. * ok k% There is more than a suspicion in semi-official quarters here that the Duke of York will complete the disillusionment by being & Victorian mon- arch. He is a splendid character, they say, but incapable of fulfilling the {llusion that kings are necessarily a higher type of rulers. The English are a resilient people. They can adjust them= selves to mearly anything, but possibly not to the stammering Duke of York. The current cycle of British events, some believe, began when Musso- lini escaped unharmed with laughter at the British Lion by conquering Ethiopia. The British Empire has been maintained for centuries by the simple but effective method of conquering the seas. They built more and better ships than any one else, and therefore ruled the waves which tied together their world dominions. Since then, the airplane has been developed. Small nations with & few million dollars’ worth of air bombers ean cut the British lifeline any time they choose. Note—The reason the British press is talking up Princess Elizabeth is that she is far more popular with the people than her father. * ok k% A complete reorganization of ‘the White House secretariat is supposed to be in the President’s mind. The departure of Steve Early January 1 to fill one of those several offered jobs will open the way for it. No matter how it finally is worked out officially, the real secretariat is composed of the following, who may or may not show their faces publicly: Thomas Corcoran, R. F. C. attorney, co-author with Ben Cohen of the holding companies act, etc, now in excellent standing as a result of his campaign help on speeches. (Corcoran wisely will not take an official White House position, because it would nail down his activities with an official stamp. He can work better unofficially.) Dr. Sanley High, the former radio preacher, who injected the religious touches in the President’s campaign speeches with great success. Charles O. West, the phantom liaison man with Congress, who has been working lately on the Ohio delegation for Mr. Rayburn’s election as floor leader, and who is Assistant Secretary of the Interior, in name only. (He might get Louis Howe's desk.) Norman Baxter, publicity man for Jesse Jones, who was rushed up to Maine to edit 8 newspaper which Mr. Farley bought in an effort to swing that State. The liberals do not like him because he is Jones' man. Edward Roddan, than whom there is no better newspaper man. He left Hearst to join the Roosevelt campaign crowd as assistant to Charles Michelson, and really could do-as good & job as Michelson will get the credit for, * k¥ Peace people have been pestering the War Department with telephone calls since the new war mobilization scheme was given out. They assert such publicity helps to create war. The War Department is polite but unrepenting. Its business is war, in peace time as well as in war time. ‘The background of its mobiliza- tion scheme is somewhat like the old American Legion plan. It would not seize industry, but it has ean- vassed about 20,000 industrial plants, of which 12,000 have been obligated to co-operate on 34 hours’ notice. Also, it has a plan to establish & war finance board which would finance plant changes. The plan covers everything from silk socks to big guns. The department says if this country gets into another war it will not have to go through a transition period, as it did last time. The best tip on the current trend of affairs lies within the plat- form adopted by the National Association of Manufacturers at its annual convention. Fundamentally, it is an invitation to business leaders to make their own New Deal before Mr. Roosevelt does it for them. The significant thing about the report is the signatures to it. Mem- bers of the committee which drew it up include most of the prominent men who financed the Liberty League and the campaign against Mr. Roosevelt, including a du Pont. (Copyright, 1936.) ——— -~ BUT = = what at fault for not clearing up the ‘ was established to achieve the very question of Maj. Berry's future status, | purpose which Maj. Berry's confer- especially since the Business and Ad- | ence has sought to accomplish. visory Council in the Department of (Copyright. 1936, by the North Americas Commerce, set up by Secretary Roper, Newspaper Alliance, Ine.) .:515 F STREET GROSNER OF Genuine Pigskin Gloves The real thing in natural color. An unusual value at this spe- cial feature price. $1.95 Silk-Lined Brocaded Robes A luxurious double-breasted rmth ;hl'}l‘ collar and t sash. Navy, green, black, tan and gray. $10.95 Pajamas From handsome broadcloth to ous pure silk, in plain and fancy designs. .. all colors and sizes. $1.95 to $8.50 Mufllers" Styled in the Grosner manner! Woolens, silks, woven fabrics, knits . . . plain, fancies, fig- ures, stripes and plaids. Grand gifts—see them! $1.50 to $7.50 T HE opinions of the writers on this page are their ‘own, not necessarily The Star’s. Such opinions are presented in The Star’s eflort to give all sides of questions of interest ‘to its readers, although such opinions may be contradictory among themaselves and directly opposed to The Star’s. Abdication Loosens Empire Dominions Likely Now to See Econmomic Forces Without Sentiment of Crown. BY JAY FRANKLIN. HE human-interest angles of King Edward’s romance and the constitutional flub-dub of Prime Minister Baldwin's struggle with the legal head of the British Empire have hidden the real meaning of the roysl abdication. As the consequences of this event unroll in the years to come, it will be discovered that the United King- dom has turned the dominions a little more adrift and has thrown in its lot a little closer to the fate of Europe. To us, this will mean closer rela- tions with Canada, Australia and New Zealand, whose defense will depend increasingly upon the Amer- ican Navy. To the British, it will mean a more active policy on the European continent, beginning with the Spanish situation. The Anglo- French joint proposal to Portugal, Italy, Germany and Russia for medi- ation in Spain is a clear sign that England feels freer to act in Europe, now that the crown has been reduced to its old position as the private property of the British Parliament. ‘ Dissolves Link. This threatens to scrap the post- war statute of Westminister, under which the British dominions had s vested interest in the crown equal to that of the United Kingdom. Despite the long-distance wig-wagging be= tween London and the dominion cap- itals and despite the fact that Mr. Baldwin, strongly backed by his own Parliament, was convinced that the dominion cabinets sympathized with his position, it is & fact that the dominion parliaments, of which their cabinets are merely the executive committees, were not consulted on this serious step. It should also be noted that the British Parliament itself was not consulted—merely faced with an accomplished fact resulting from Mr. Baldwin's pressure on King Edward, without opportunity to learn the facts of the dispute or to consult the will of the electorate. The fact that forced abdication was thus possible, on & minor issue of marital and constitutional correct- itude, explodes the entire legal theory of the King-Emperor who served as the golden link in the British com-| monwealth of nations. Since the crown was also the symbol of the| power of the British Navy, the nowi of British trade and the circulation of British finance, nothing real has been changed. But the way is now open for & freer play on the part of natural economic and political forces—with less senti- mental distortion. Thus the abdica~ tion ‘s part of the long process by whick the dominions have been drift- ing away from the mother country. This reached an acute stage shortly after the outbreak of the war, when dominion entanglement in a conflict which they had not helped to create led to the establishment of the Im- perial War Council to separate diplo- matic representation at the Peace Conference in the League if Nations and at other international gather- ings. The statute of Westminster, passed in December, 1931, went a little too far in giving legal expression to this trend, for it was apparent that so long as nations like New Zea- land and Australia had to rely on the British Navy for defense, they could not in fact enjoy practical inde- pendence. Crown's Prestige Staggers. Developments since 1931, however, have modified the political chemistry of empire sentiment. The rise of an aggressive Japan which the British, entagled in Europe, are powerless to oppose, has increased the strategic and political dependence of Australia, New Zealand and Canada upon the United States. The threat of war in Europe, with the rise of Mussolini and Hitler, has compelled England to become part of the old European balance of power which dragged the empire and ourselves into the last World War. Our big navy policy and—whisper it not in gath'—Mr, Hull's trade agreements policy, have put us in the position to undertake the responsibility of the defense of Canada—as part of the Monroe Doc- trine—and to consider the defense of the Pacific dominions as well. Under these circumstances, with the real bonds of empire steadily loosening, the symbolic bond becomes less important. And at this moment in history, the British cabinet and the ex-King together have dealt a serious blow to the prestige of the crown. The result is that the far- flung empire has been flung a little farther—for & small loss—and that we move a little closer to our natural pasition as the center of gravity of the English-speaking world. (Copyright, 1936,) MRS. BOETTIGER BEGINS WORK ON SEATTLE P.-I. Becomes Director of Homemakers’ Club of Northwest, Paper Announces. BY the Associated Press. SEATTLE, December 14.—Mrs. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Boettiger, daughter of President and Mrs. Pranklin D. Roosevelt, took over Saturday her first work on the Seattle Post-Intelli- gencer, of which her husband, John Boettiger, is publisher. ' ‘The newspaper announced she had ‘been appointed director of its Home- makers' Club of the Northwest. ‘Whether Mrs. Boettiger personally would edit & page devoted to the club was not announced. Boettiger, former Chicago and ‘Washington, D. C., newspaper man Pleasing Him is our business! 7/ All-W ool Flannel Robes $6.95 A complete color as- sortment including maroon, navy blue, brown, tan and black; ' shawl ith con Mmm‘:'u. GROSNE -of 1325 and assistant to Will Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, was appointed publisher November 25 by Willlam Randolph Hearst. . Electric Map Answers Queries. An electrified map in the Los An- geles office of the Automobile Club of Southern California answers mo- torists' mileage queries by flashing the number and also the location of This Changing World “Edward the Quitter” History’s Label Likely for Former King. BY CONSTANTINE BROWN. ‘Whatever the smotional feeling may be regarding Edward's right to Hve like any other ordinary mortal, there is little doubt that history will label him as “Edward the quitter.” For the sake of maintaining the prestige of the crown—badly shaken throughout the Empire—the prime minister” and the other officials of England have thrown bouquets at the abdicated monarch. But there is & strong feeling that, regardiess as to what his heart nclinations were, the former monarch had no right to abandon his throne at the present moment, when , Great Brihl: is in grave danger. * * % ‘There is no doubt that as far as shirking responsibilities, Edward left the throne at the right mo- ment. His brother, King George VI is taking over under most dif- ficult circumstances. ‘The atmosphere in Europe is becoming almost unbearable. Eu- ropean statesmen expect a war to break within the next few months. Some pessimists think it might take only s few weeks and believe that the chief danger point is once more in Spain. ** k% The Spanish civil war has been internationalized. Germans and Italians have complete control over Pranco's exhausted armies. One hears mostly the Italian language spoken at Salamanca, the headquarters of Franco, while in the press bureau of the revo- lutionary government you are out of luck if you do mot speak German. There are 5,000 Germans in Spain ready to enter the firing line, while some 10,000 Italian “volunteers” are being eurolled in the “Spanish Leagion” in Italy and are expected to land on Spanish soil in the course of this week. Franco's troops have been checked before Madrid by the “foreign column,” composed mostly of French “volunteers.” Soviet military advisers hold the most responsible positions in the Loyalist Army. It is needless to add that the aviation of both belligerants is Italian and German on Pranco’s side and Russian on the Loyalist side. What will be the repercussion in Europe when these “volunteers” clash for th@first time is difficult to say. But there is no doubt that their first encounter is expected with tremendous apprehension. * ko % The British government realizes the dangers of the situation and while determined to keep out of trouble it is afraid that it will not be able to stay out of the fray for long. The necessary preparations to meet the emergency are being taken in London. A food defense plan department has beem set up within the Board of Trade. It will work in confunction with Sir Thomas Inakip, minister for co-ordination of defense. This new department has estimated the reserve of foodstuffs mecessary in the event of war to cover a period of 12 months, Great Britain is now in the market to purchase 3,650,000 tons of wheat, 5.000,000 tons of potatoes, 1,200,000 tons of cheese, 2,250,000 tons of onlons and 625,000 tons of butter. PR The food defense department is endeavoring at the present moment o obtain effective storage for these supplies and avoid as much as possible hoarding, control prices and fix prices on freights. Plans are being formulated for commandeering all home products of meat, wheat, barley, oats and milk. * % * % In Germany, where military preparations are rushed with the utmost possible speed, the govern- ment has started the rationing of foodstuffs and clothing. This ‘measure of the Berlin government worried the French government & more than the actual military preparations of the Reich. They take this control of food and clothing as a definite sign that Hitler considers that the moment to strike is rapidly approaching and he does not want to leave anything to chance. * % % ¥ Despite the official denials from Berlin and Tokio that there is no military understanding between the twn countries, reports from Berlin indicate that the Japanese military attache in Berlin, Gen. Oshima, is now a frequent caller at the Reich's foreign office. He also is frequently seen in the offices of the German chief of staff, an office only rarely visited by foreign officers. Gambling Casino Not to Open. As a protest against high taxes the Palais de la Mediterranee, the gam- Land Reclamation. A big project of land reclamation | and drainage is to be carried out in the points mentioned. It contains 13 | bling casino at Nice, Prance, will not | the mountainous districts of Tipperary, miles of wire, open for the Winter season. W ashington Waits for it! | Irish Free State. Headline Folk and What They Do Dancing Airplane Credited to Seversky, Russian War Ace. BY LEMUEL F. PARTON. AJ. ALEXANDRE DE SEVER- M BKY, racing from New York' to Havana as a detail of the “ceiling mero” Miami, is the impresario of the dancing airplane. The daring Russian fiyer, now s resident of the United States, first rigged his . Pirouetting plane in 1931. Using an alarm clock, a pair of head- phones and a dry battery, he makes his ship swoop and swirl to one- two-three waltz time, played op land. It's all done by music. Lovers may sit out “The Blue Danube” in the sky with no wear and tear on shoe leather. Maj. Ds Seversky, flying for Russia in the World war, was severely injured and wears & wooden leg. He loves waltze ing and has found a way to carry on. It sounds like a great labor savor, as one lusty band could waltz & thoue sand airplanes. In the war, Maj. De Seversky, & trim-rigged, gosd-looking young Ruse sian air ace, brought down 13 German planes, fiying on the Baltic front. In this country he became consulting engineer for the United States Air Service. He is a thorough-going teche nician, rigidly trained in his youth, but just plain flying is quite routine business these days, and he likes to work in interesting frills. For ine stance, he is the world greatest mase ter of stunt flying with a dead motor. In this pastime he is Lloyds' worst risk, but has never had a crack-up. Details of airplane design engross him, particularly problems invelving the adaptability of planes to land and water and to snow and ice. Hs has led in ski and pontoon design for planes. For this he once won a Russian naval prize. He designed the skis for Sir Robert Wilkins' Arctio plane and several others. Mrs. De Seversky was Evelyn Oli« phant, a New York society girl. She, too, is an expert pilot. When she had had only a few hours in the air, she piloted a guest home in the fame ily plane, in the absence of her huse band, this being her first turn at the controls, and she has been flying solo ever since. They have been married alr fete at De Seversky. | 10 years. Mrs. De Seversky savs the airplane is leveling barriers between | the sexes. Men can't patronize s woman who can hold her own in the sky tourneys. And Mrs. De Seversky cites ample evidence to show that women meet this test (Copyright, 1936.) Heather Is Disappearing. The heather hills of Scotland, whers King Edward often has hunted, are threatened with barrenness because of | the ravages of the heather beatle. IV ashington Welcomes it! ~ Clearance » GROSNER of 1325 F §. Group One: Regular $29.75 & $35 SUITS & O’COATS We've talked a lot about “Chesty,” “Tick” and “Sport Backs.” Modified drapes, too! $29.75 and $35 were the bottom prices! Single and double breasteds. Handsome grays, plain shades, checks or stripes. 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