1
seen”
and
HEARD
arbund the
NATIONAL
Washington.—A careful listener
•could have heard long sighs of re
lief over the collapse of Hie sena
torial effort to write a more dras
tic neutrality law. The relief was
most pronounced at the White
House and State department, but It
was evident In many other quar
ters, notably among senators rep
resenting states whose ports and
the railroads leading to them thrive
on foreign trade. And among South
ern congressmen, who feared that
In some way or other they would
find cotton embargoed If the law
were mude too drastic.
All of which makes all tlie activ
ities of Senator Gerald P. Nye so
far this session just about a per
fect batting average In futility. He
tried to smear J. P. Morgan, and
the elderly financier emerged with
even Nye unable to hate him. He
tried to make Woodrow Wilson both
putty in the bankers' hands and a
liar, and got thoroughly spnnked.
He tried to force u drastic neu
trality law, and the committee on
foreign relations, after long consid
eration, decided merely to extend
the present law. Then he attempt
ed an insurgent meeting, even
threatening to block extension of
the present law In order to force
-one more drastic, and that Is peter
ing out
There Is a great deal of hypoc
risy being displayed on this whole
neutrality business. Lota of sena
tors wonld like to see the present
law die, and nothing whatever put
In Its place. They know perfectly
well, for example, that the present
embargo on “arms, ammunition and
Implements of war" Is Just divert
ing business, which would give em
ployment In New England and other
arms and ammunition plants, to
similar plants In England, Japan,
Belgium and Czechoslovakia. Which
Is espelally annoying because the
shipments of these countries to
Halle Selassie’s army are being paid
for In gold and silver. So there Is
no danger of either loss or of be
coming Involved through extension
of credit
Avoid Quotation
But very few people Indeed in po
litical life or out of It are willing
to talk that way for quotation. They
know they would be denounced by
the Nye crowd as being willing to
take “blood money," at the best, or
as being in the pay of ttie Du Pouts,
at the worst. Meanwhile, of course,
the very nation that tkie chairman
of the foreign relations committee.
Senator Key Pittman, says is like
ly to make war on the United States
—that is Japan— Is building up her
munitions Industry as a result of
America’s neutrality law.
But that is something else again.
The relief over the collapse of
Nye’s attempt to make the pres
ent embargo more drastic, both for
the present war In Africa and for
any future war anwyhere else—ex
cept of course In Latin America—
is due more to other interests than
to arms and ammunition. It ex
tends to the oil Industry, and to cop
per, to steel and to mules. In fact,
conditions might arise which would
make almost any given product Im
portant in the conduct of a war.
Whereupon, to be neutral In the
Nye sense of the term, it would be
necessary for the United States
to bar shipments of that com mod
lty. In the opinion of some others,
of course, such an embargo would
be anything but a neutral act—de
pending upon whose ox is gored.
The greatest relief of all, per
haps, was in the office of Janies A.
Farley. Not because of his Job as
postmaster general, hut In his func
tion as chairman of the Democratic
National committee, conducting the
campaign for the re-election of
President Roosevelt.
For there is Just no way of meas
uring the amount of grief that a
really tough neutrality bill of the
Nye pattern could cause in certain
states whose electoral votes are very
important
Still Puzzling
Passauiaquoildy and the Florida
ship canal are still puzzling every
body but President Roosevelt and
Budget Director Bell. Best reports
are that Mr. Bell is the only New
Dealer now satisfied with the Presi
dent’s action In deciding to give con
gress a chance to vote on whether
more money should be spent on
these two projects or not. Certainly
Mr. Roosevelt has had plenty of
grief since he sent them up to the
Capitol.
The first big surprise came, of
course, when the house appropria
tions (<>mmlttee decided to side
track the two big projects. The
President had thought,. of course,
to get the projects into the regular
congressional pork barrel. Then he
would retain all the credit for hav
ing started them, and congress
would be put into the position of
approving them as sound.
There Is more to this than Just the
idea of general congressional ap
proval. For In every pork barrel
type of hill members have to vote,
naturally, for many things they do
not approve.
Florida Ship Canal
Representative Green of Florida
Is leading the fight to restore the
Florida ship canal. He has already
put the hlame for its defeat in the
committee on the ship companies,
which he says do not want to have
their mall carrying fees reduced by
having the mileage on trips to gulf
ports reduced. The Idea of trans
porting mall from New York to New
Orleans by a boat that takes five
days, when regular trains make the
Journey In two nights, seems a bit
odd, but attacks on all corporations
seem In fashion.
Rut the point arises: suppose
congress sticks by the action of the
house appropriations committee?
Suppose the end of the session finds
no appropriation for carrying on
Quoddy and the Florida canal?
The President then facps disagree
able alternatives. He can accept
the repudiation for his two projects,
admitting right in the midst of his
campaign for re-election, that both
simply squandered the taxpayers’
money on projects which are not
going to be finished—and which his
own party In congress did not think
worth finishing. Or he can still di
vert WPA or PVVA funds for carry
ing on the work.
In thnt case, however, he would
lay hiniRelf open to violent criticism
from another standpoint. It would
lend force to the argument that
congress had actually turned over
all Its powers to a dictator—that
Roosevelt’s action In permitting
congress to pass on Quoddy and
the Florida canal was much like
that of a cat which lets a captured
mouse run for a couple of feet be
fore pouncing on It again.
New Farm Bill
The statement of Senator David
I. Walsh of Massachusetts that the
only benefits clnlmed from the new
farm hill are that It would continue
the rain of checks to the fnrmers,
and tend toward cutting the value
of the dollar—or Inflation—has
started comparisons between the
present administration’s farm plan
and, oddly enough, the Hoover for
eign policy.
Both, It Is contended, were "shnre
the wealth" plnns ns surely as
though the late Louisiana Klngflsh
had designed them. It Is the dif
ferences that are Interesting.
Dbsplte all the clamor about the
foreign loans which later went sour,
all that the United States, as a
whole, lost wns goods—just farm
products and manufactured articles,
j The trouble Is that they were never
paid for, In so muny Instances. But
here Is the comparison being made:
Who paid or pays the bill? In
the AAA farm plan, everybody who
eats and wears clothes, thus being
obliged to pay processing taxes.
Thus money wng taken from ull the
citizens and given to one class, the
farmers, on the accepted argument
that the farmers were not getting
their shnre In the ordinary proc
esses of wealth distribution. In the
new farm plan, taxes will be more
widely distributed, but will continue
to hit the same people, the burden
continuing to fall more heavily on
the poor.
Who paid the bill In the bad for
eign loan case? The people who had
money enough to buy the bonds,
plus some who were hit because
their banks and Insurance com
panies Invested in them. But by
far the greater amount came from
people with sizable fortunes.
Who got the money? In the
farm bills, the farmers. In the bad
foreign loan case, more than IK) per
cent of It went to the farmers and
the workers of this country. The
wicked bankers one hears so much
nbout skimmed a nice fat profit, fat
because of the amount, but actually
very small In percentage. And of
course a sizable fraction of that
went to the treasury eventually In
income taxes. And some of the
“profits" went to bond salesmen, an
occupation, by the way, that once
used a lot of white collar workers.
Where It Went
But the great bulk of It went to
the men who grew the crops, the
men who fabricated the goods for
wages, the railroad workers who
hauled the goods and crops to sen
board, the miners who dug the coal
to provide the power, etc.
It was a very real distribution of
wealth, which was what the AAA
was, and the new so-called con
servation plan Is Intended to be.
There are two Important differ
ences. In the farm plans the indus
trial workers of the country benefit
only Indirectly—as a result of the
Increased buying power of the farm
ers. Whereas in the foreign loan
plan both workers and farmers ben
efited directly. One class of work
ers. those in transportation, benefit
ed enormously by the foreign loan
plan, but have been actually hurt a
little by the farm plan due to sharp
curtailment of production—hence
less freight movement. Incidentally,
the stock yards workers suffered
even more from the farm plan,
though it is promised that there
will he nothing so drastic as that
again.
The other big difference Is In who
pays the bills. A much larger pro
portion of the cost of the farm plan
falls on very small Income people.
Of course, no one ever called
the sour foreign loan system a
“plan.” It was Just a phase of the
often decried In brain trust circles,
profit motive.
Copyright.—WNU Servloo.
(yrifiorng.(kuvas,
RLteAs
A South Sea Island Penthouse.
Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington. L). C.—WNU Service.
□USTOX1S have changed little
in some of the South Sea
islands despite frequent vis
its of white men. On the island of
Ontong Java, a native's power is
based upon ills wealth. The wealthy
native pays higher prices Ilian Ids
poor neighbors.
As a daughter becomes old enough
for marriage, the parents bedeck her
with colored dyes. First they smear
the youthful body witli coconut oil
and then rub on the dyes, forming
gay patterns. A string of shark's
teeth then is placed on her head
and ornaments of turtle shell sus
pended from t he lobes of her ears.
Holes in the two alae (the outer
portions of the nostrils) and the sep
tum of her nose are made dur
ing babyhood. Small shell orna
ments hang from the septum and
feathers plucked from birds adorn
Hie nostrils and hair. Around her
neck Is a necklace of human hair
and her belt and bracelet are of
white coconut leaves. Thus adorned,
and with a bright yellow skirt cov
ering the lower portion of her body,
she parades with her father and
senior relatives around the village.
At this lime the prospective hus
band knows it is time for him to
go to Ills wife. That evening he
visits her in her house. For a
time the young wife stays with her
parents. The groom visits Ids wife
at her parents’ house but he leaves
ills fishing paraphernalia at his fa
ther's house, lie must provide her
with n certain amount of raw food
and she gives him cooked food and
taro.
When priests were in power, the
mother, at the birth of the first
born child, went to the house of
one of them to preserve both her
self and the child from evil Influ
ences. She was, and still is, as
sisted by her mother, mother-in
law and a midwife. The husband
was present until the child was ac
tually born, hut then he had to
leave the house and remain away
for about a year. Tills custom is
still followed.
Two Days of Noise.
Shortly after the birth, the moth
er-in-law strikes a wooden pillow.
Tills Is the signal for everyone in
the house to make a noise by heat
ing on anything available. The din
Is kept up for -IS hours without
censing. It Is the expression of joy
that a new life has been added to
the community.
On this and the subsequent eve
Ing the relatives of the young moth
er and father assemble outside the
house in semlfestal dress—that Is
to say. oiled and adorned with
sweet smelling herbs and flowers.
They sing the birth song; then
march around the streets, singing
at every corner. The first-born Is al
ways named for a dead priest, hut
subsequent children receive names
of ancestors.
The young father, while he is ex
eluded from Ids wife, has two holes
cut In the nine of the nose, each
about half an Inch long. This Is
an extremely painful process, but
most men are willing to submit to
it because it is n sign that they
are now fathers and therefore men
j of some standing.
Pieces of coconut shell are cut
Into ring* about one Inch across
and one fifth of nn Inch wide. A
cut Is made in the ring, and the
two ends are forced apart by means
of a small stick placed diametrically
across. Four of the rings are fitted
on each side of the nose and tied
Into place. The pieces of stick are
then knocked out. The result Is
that the two ends of the ring bite
into the flesh of the nose, and in
two or three days a hole has been
cut through the flesh.
The rings are left In for about
ten days. They are then removed
and the holes are stuffed with fold
ed coconut leaves to prevent them
from closing up. On special occa
sions ornaments of turtle shell are
hung in the holes.
Funeral Rites.
After marriage ami birth the
most important customs relate to
death. There are elaborate funeral
rites and ceremonies, which are
practically identical for both men
and women.
As soon as the dying person’s
heart ceuses to beat, the mother,
wife's daughters, and other female
relatives give way to long-drawn
out wails at the top of their voices.
The walls never cease, except in
pauses for breath, until the corpse
is under ground. The louder the
wails, the more the other relatives
are pleased. Indeed, if the ululn
tions are not loud enough, neigh
bors and villagers are noisily crit
ical and foretell that the ghost of
the dead man will be annoyed and
send sickness.
Natives of Leuanlua, Ontong
Java, do not conceive of any causes
of illness except the supernatural.
All diseases and death ure caused
by the evil intervention of the
spirits of those already dead.
The corpse is taken into the road
in front of the house and washed.
It is then returned inside, the hair
is cut and the body Is rubbed thor
oughly with coconut oil. Turtle
shell ornaments nre put in the
ears and, if the dead person is a
man, larger specimens of these or
naments are hung from the holes
in the nine of the nose. In the ease
of a woman, a small ornament is
hung from the hole in the septum.
Garlands nre hung around the neck
and bound on the brow.
As soon as a person is seriously
ill, all his relatives are summoned
to he present for these prepara
tions. Curious neighbors peep in to
criticize arrangements that are not
being carried out with due decorum.
After such a visit the neighbors
are careful each to take a mouth
ful of water from bottles hung for
this purpose close to the door. They
spit the water into their hands
and throw It over themselves to re
move the contagion which contact
with the corpse tins laid upon
them.
The sons and daughters-in-law of
the dead person, he it man or wom
an, collect dry coconut leaves and
hind them into flares, which are
carried to the house where the
body lies. They then put on com
plete festal array, decorating them
selves with tumeric and garlands
of leaves. The women also wear
their circlets of sharks’ teeth.
Ceremony of Mourning.
After the evening meal, which Is
taken at 7 p. m. or slightly later
ttie mourning ceremony begins. The
corpse is laid on a new mat In
the center of the house. At its
feet, with their backs to it and their
faces to the Are, sit the sons and
daughters-in-law. It is the duty of
the eldest of these to see that a
(laming tire is kept burning all
night, so that the whole place is
brilliantly illuminated. The others
sit motionless, with their fans be
fore their faces, all through the
night, without speaking.
The rest of the house is tilled
with the other relatives of the dead
person. If he was a man of wealth
and Importance, as many of the vil
lagers as can possibly squeeze In
will do so and many others crowd
around the doors. In a climate like
that of Leuuaniua. which is only
live degrees south of the Equator,
a small house containing a corpse
and a huge tire and packed with
people and with all the normal ven
tilation blocked by others, the at
mosphere soon becomes almost In
tolerable.
The relatives and friends—except
the closer female relatives, who
continue weeping aloud, frequently
drowning the other voices—sins
dirges all through the night. The
latter embrace the corpse and at
intervals rub It with oil. In the
course of the wake the family of
the dead man give tobacco to all
and sundry. Almost everyone In
the village will come to the wake
held for a wealthy man, sure of
getting a few free sticks of to
bacco for a dirge.
With the dawn all save the hn
mediate relatives depart. Prepara
tions are then made for burial.
Something About a
New Broom—and a
New House Dress!
PATTERN No. t78T-B
/7<37-3
A house dress, after all, is a house
dress—yet It needn’t be “just anoth
er house dress,” as convincingly dem
onstrated In this unusually trim and
clever design. The V neck front and
back Is made in a contrasting mate
rial and emphasized by the effective
use of bright buttons. The short and
comfortable set-ln sleeves are fin
ished with pointed cuffs, also in con
trast and button trimmed. The
blouse is gathered to the skirt un
der a self-fabric belt, and the skirt
features a full-length front panel
with novel pockets achieved by the
distinctive cut of the side pieces.
These pieces, pointed and button
trimmed, harmonize with the motif
used in the collar and cuffs, and
there are kick pleats in the front
necessary for active household duties.
Choose your favorite cotton—per
cale, gingham, chambray. or pique—
in your most becoming color and
make it up in an hour or two.
Barbara Bell Pattern No. 17S7-B
is available In sizes 14, 16, 18, 20, 40,
42 and 44. Corresponding bust meas
urements 32, 34, 36, 38. 40, 42 and 44.
Size 16 (34) requires 3% yards of 35
inch material, and % yard contrast
ing. Every Barbara Bell Pattern in
cludes an illustrated instruction
guide which is easy to understand.
Barbara Bell Pattern No. 1787-B
can be procured for fifteen cents.
The Barbara Bell Pattern Book fea
turing winter designs is ready.
Send fifteen cents today for your
copy.
Send your order to The Sewing
Circle Pattern Dept., 367 W. Adams
St., Chicago. 111.
© Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
Devil Dislikes Blue
In Mexico there's a superstition
that painting the windows of a house
blue will keep the devil away. Many
home owners in the United States
are adopting the custom—if not the
superstition—and are selecting blue
as a trim color for the exterior of
their homes.
WNU—U 9—36
Giving of Civil Word Leaves
One With a Greater Store
If a civil word or two will render
a man happy, he must be a wretch,
indeed, who will not give them to
him. Such a disposition is like
lighting another man’s candle by
one's own, which loses none of its
brilliancy by what the other gains.—
Penn.
I’M SOLD
It always works
Just do what hospitals do, and the
doctors insist on. Use a good liquid
laxative, and aid Nature to restore
clocklike regularity without strain or
ill effect.
A liquid can always be taken in
gradually reduced doses. Reduced
dosage is the reed secret of relief from
constipation.
Ask a doctor about this. Ask your
druggist how very popular Dr. Cald
well’s Syrup Pepsin nas become. It
gives the right kind of help, and right
amount of help. Taking a little less
each time, gives the bowels a chance
to act of their own accord, until they
are moving regularly and thoroughly
without any help at all.
Dr. Caldwell’s Syrup Pepsin con
tains senna and cascara—both natural
laxatives that form no habit. The ac
tion is gentle, but sure. It will relieve
any sluggishness or bilious condition
due to constipation without upset.
ZmS Gt7a START
■ rimpies, blackheads, roughness—watch out I Prompt use
of Cuticura Soap and Ointment helps prevent these minor
blemishes due to external causes from developing into ugly,
serious skin afflictions. Cuticura’s medicinal and emol
lient properties check irritation, aid healing, help restore
natural skin loveliness. Get started on the Cuticura treat
ment today. Soap 25c, Ointment 25c at your druggist s. h or
FREE sample address “Cuticura,” Dept. 13, Malden, Mass.
WS&tf tames the tiqer!
■OBSSHEKl
SAY, OIZZY, W.wi. SURE! JUST 1
YOU SIGN THIS HOLO THE
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quick, spike! get]
CAROONI. THE
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DIZZY, DIZZY! HE’S
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STOPPING TIGERS
IS A SPECIALTY
WITH OLD 01Z
you stoppeo
him, oizzv! -
~ -Li- '■... h Ji v —
THAT TIGER- HE Vi WELL, MISTER,
“C VER* QUICK! BUT in BASEBALL
N NOT SO QUICK AS f YOU HAUE TO
YOU, SIGNOR, WHENB THINK QUICK
<5 YOU HIT HIM Wizj AND ACT QUICK
I 2E BALL f^niSJ —THAT CALLS
Ji -HF0R t-0T.S 0P ENERGY
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SOME OF THAT ” YOU EXERCISE
ENERGY OF OUTDOORS, GET j
YOURS, OlZZY- 6E0 EARLY AND
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