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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1937)
SEEN and HEARD ardund the NATIONAL CAPITAL By Carter Field ^ Washington. — In connection with President Roosevelt's proposed gov ernment reorganization and Su preme court changes, several sen ators have shrewdly recalled the origin of the ''filibuster.'’ Every one knows that when one or more senators begin talking against time, normally against the passage of some measure to which they ob ject, it is cafied a filibuster. But very few realize, these senators are pointing out, the origin of the use of the word in this connection. Originally the word meant pre cisely what it means in connection with a revolution—gun-running. Un der cover of night, or darkness, or bj creating a commotion in one place and then rushing the guns, ammunition and supplies ashore aomewhere else, things were gotten through to the insurgents needing them. That's filibustering in the original, Richard Harding Davis sense. And precisely that sort of thing was called filibustering when the word was first applied to the prac tice of lengthy speaking against time when it grew up in the senate. For the object of the original sen ate fllibusterers was to get some thing through—not to kill it. A sen ator would learn that the leaders had decided not to permit passage of his bill appropriating $500,000 for a new federal building in his home town of Squeedunk. So he would take the floor, towards the close of the session, pile up hiS desk with ponderous tomes, and get word sec retly to the leaders that he in tended to talk and talk and talk, thus stopping all sorts of bills that they wanted passed. They Gave In Generally they capitulated. In sev eral instances, back in the days when the control of the house and senate was more frequently vested in a few leaders in each house than at the other end of Pennsylvania avenue, word was sent by the sen ate leaders to the house leaders that the program had been changed— that senator B's bill must pass the house. They knew if they could not get this co-operation from the house that bills in which both senate and house leaders were vitally interested would be talked to death by Sen ator A. When the practice expanded to in clude talking primarily to kill a measure, instead of primarily to smuggle another bill through, the word was not changed, though vio lence had been done to its original meaning. In the present session of congress there are a lot of measures that President Roosevelt wants passed. There are also a lot of others he does not want passed, but against which he does not care to come out openly. He has provided, in the proposed Supreme court changes and govern ment reorganization, plenty of diver sion. The spotlight will be centered on these two debates. No matter what question is officially before the senate, any speech on either one of these, especially the Supreme court, will get the newspaper head lines. Which provides, the senators re calling the history of the word “fili buster" point out, an admirable sit uation from the White House view point. For bills can be rushed through and others can be rushed into pigeonholes without attracting nearly the attention that would oth erwise be the case. Supreme Court Senator Henry F. Ashurst of Ari zona, chairman of the senate judi ciary committee, is one of the ex planations why the number of Su preme court justices may be in creased to fifteen, as President Roos evelt wishes, despite the very strong opposition to such a move. It is far too early to predict what will really happen—at the moment there is no accurate gauge of public opin ion. The old habit of judging the pub lic reaction by reading newspaper editorials passed into history with the 1936 campaign. The public was heavily against the President and for Governor Alfred M. Landon, if that test meant anything. Hence the present cross section of newspaper editorial opinion, as reported here, does not frighten the White House. More important, it does not deter senators and representatives from willingness to follow the President. But when Henry F. Ashurst in dicates a right-about-face it is news of the page one variety, for the shrewd Arizonan knows what it is all about, politically. In fact, he is one of the shrewdest and most ac curate gaugers of public opinion ex tant in American political life. Maybe he should be ranked next to J. Hamilton Lewis, and maybe on a par with Lewis. It is difficult to say. But to go back just a few years. Senator Ashurst saw the handwrit ing on the wall when Woodrow Wil son began his fight with the senate over the League of Nations. Marcus A Smith, his colleague, was coming up for re-election very shortly. Ash urst, seeing the approaching storm so clearly, and having a personal fondness for Mark Smith, went to that gentleman and advised him to come out strongly for all sorts of changes in the pact of Versailles, despite the fact that this meant op posing his President and the head of his party. Ashurst was not, at that time, coming up for election for several years. But he made a big noise about a few reservations to the treaty himself, just to be on the safe side. Ashurst’s Record Let's look at his record. Elected unanimously to the United States senate by the first legislature of the then new state of Arizona in 1912, and then re-elected in 1910, 1922, 1928 and 1934. Never in real danger a single time, either in primaries or general election! The present significance is that Senator Ashurst has just announced he will introduce a bill providing the Judicial changes recommended by the President Despite the fact that within ten days of the President’s surprise mes sage on the judicial situation Sen ator Ashurst had said, on the floor of the senate: ‘‘In all tyrannical governments, no monarch, no tyrant, makes any progress whatever unless and until he seizes in his hands the legisla tive, the executive and the judicial powers. The first thing a wise, pru dent, scheming, subtle monarch in Europe does, if he wants complete control, is to seize legislative, execu tive and judicial powers.” The point of all this is that Sen ator Ashurst has proved beyond per adventure that he knows his way around politically—that he does not bat his head against brick walls on political issues, and that he does not permit himself to be put in a posi tion where he would be easy picking for some younger political opponent. Trade Treaties No rule has been adopted to this effect, but American manufacturers and producers interested in tariff duties can very generally rely on one point ,in connection with tho reciprocal trade treaties to come. This is hat most rates of duty will be held at the level fixed in the 1922 tariff act—the Fordney-McCum ber law. There will be exceptions to this, but by and large exceptions will be made only, in what are palpably flagrant cases of too high duties. Any manufacturer can calculate the danger spots without inside informa tion, for the obvious reason that no matter what he says publicly he knows privately whether the duty imposed on any commodity in the Fordney-McCumber act is consid erably in excess of the difference in cost of production at home and in the foreign countries producing it. Actually this rough rule that no duties will »*9 reduced below the 1922 level except in exceptional cir cumstances has never been formu lated, much less approved. It is ab solutely unofficial. Its existence was wondered about by some interested parties, who Just happened to note how accurately it was working, and queried the State department to dis cover if they could rely on it in trade treaties yet to be made. What has developed is a state of mind on the part of the men negoti ating these treaties. Always, it is insisted by the State department, before any duty is reduced in a reciprocal trade treaty, a very care ful study of possible consequences is made—especially consequences to American producers. It has gradually developed that lots of business men engaged in various productive lines after the passage of the Fordney-McCumber act. Little Criticism There is a strong presumption that many of them had in their minds the tariff duties fixed in the then law ns a permanent protection. There is the fact also that, while this measure was bitterly fought, it seemed to have the support of a very large majority, and there was comparatively little criticism after the passage of the act as compared for instance with the criticism of the 1930 (Smoot-Hawley) law, passed under President Hoover’s admin istration. The situation that has crystalized in the State department will be very interesting to any future historian seeking tariff data, for in effect the Democratic party, after bom barding the Smoot-Hawley law as few tariff acts have ever been at tacked, is virtually seeking to bring about the precise tariff situation that existed prior to the passage of that act. The really striking feature of the method, however, is that instead of a blanket repeal, which so many persons expected after President Roosevelt’s inauguration, the repeal is being made very slowly, bit by bit. in return for concessions from countries with which we wish to in crease trade. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, all his life regarded previously as al most a fanatic for free trade, has been working to eliminate not only our own but foreign trade barriers. But the amusing angle is that for the time being at least the rock bottom of our concessions is the gen eral line of the Republican Fordney McCumber tariff act, which at the time of its passage Hull regarded as little short of a crime! © Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service. Lord Howe Island ^ n Mk Transportation on Lord Howe Island. Prepared by National Oeographlc Society. Washington, D. C.—WNU Service. LORD HOWE Island, verdant spot of land in the Pacific east of Australia, where the monopolistic sale of palm seed has built an unusual social system, believes in starting its newlyweds off right. If a young islander wishes to marry and establish his own home, he notifies the board of con trol, which assigns him a block of land on which to build a home and to use for gardens, pasturage, or cultivation. Before erecting a house, however, he must submit plans and particulars to the board for ap proval. As the land is made available only on a "permissive occupancy" basis, the islander legally has no claim to it or to the buildings he may erect thereon. This tenancy at will, however, is not as severe as it may sound, and the board has never yet evicted a person! The system of taxation is unique. Non-islanders who stay on the island for lengthy periods are obliged to contribute at the rate of 5 pounds (normally $25) per annum to the island funds. Participants in t h e palm seed industry pay no taxes on property, but those who earn an income from any other source than the community fund are taxed by the reduction of one share in eight of their holdings for all earnings over 24 pounds. Such income necessarily comes from one of two sources—salary or wages paid for labor or income from invested capital. The latter is heavi ily taxed, on the theory that those who have it do not need as much as those who are wholly dependent on the sale of the palm sreds. By contributing thus, its recipients help to equalize the incomes of all is landers, and thus prevent any devel opment of classes who might be called rich or poor. So with the income from labor. Since the amount of work on the island for which wages might be paid is small, few can share in it; hence, those who do have work con tribute a portion of their wages to the community fund. Two Labor Conditions. Human nature is vecy much the same, however, on Lord Howe Is land ns it is elsewhere. Even in so small and homogeneous a popula tion one finds at one extreme those who are unambitious, if not ac tually lazy, and at the other those who like to work to improve their condition, and desire luxuries as well as comforts. As a consequence two interesting and rather amusing labor conditions have developed to complicate the problem of the am bitious. The first concerns continuous la bor, what is often called "service.” Life on the island is so pleasant, so relatively carefree, and so simple that it does not require steady work to live comfortably. Few, if any, is landers are willing to engage in work by the month or week. They are not necessarily lazy; they just don’t care to be exploited by other islanders for personal gain. Hence the proprietors of the two lodging houses, who must have "service,” have to secure their help in Austra lia. The labor problem is also com plicated by rats! Somewhere around twenty years ago a vessel was wrecked on Lord Howe and rats came ashore, found local conditions to their taste, and multiplied excessively. Today they are not only a nuisance but a men ace, and the islanders wage relent less war upon them. Aiding in this campaign are the dogs of the is land, a breed of short-haired ter riers. . A bounty of fourpence a rat is paid from the community fund; so many thousands of rats are killed annually. Since the bounty is paid from the community fund, it is not subject to the income tax, and hence becomes a profitable side line. Some diligent rat hunters turn over as many as a thousand rats every quarterly period. Besides the income from palm seeds, money comes to the island with visitors from Australia or, very | rarely, from other parts of the out I side world. Such visitors are neces I sarily limited in number, for there is only one boat which visits Lord | Howe island regularly, the steamer | which plies between Sydney and the New Hebrides. She is a little ! vessel of some 2,025 tons, with ac commodations for about 40 passen gers, and many of these are bound for Norfolk island or the New Heb rides. May Have to Stay Five Weeks. Moreover, this boat usually runs but once in five weeks; hence visit ors are not only restricted as to numbers, but as to the time of their visit and the length of their stay. Twenty-two days after leaving her passengers at Lord Howe, the boat returns from the islands to the north and picks up those who are ready to return to Sydney. Those who are not ready must stay five weeks, or some multiple thereof, before they have another chance to return to the mainland. Only at periods when the steamer journeys just to Norfolk island and back, instead of making the full run to the New Heb rides, can the visitor enjoy a short er sojourn on Lord Howe. The scenic beauty of the island and the fishing lure visitors, as do the thrilling mountain climbing and the enjoyment of sea and shore. The lagoon is unsurpassed for bath ing and the excitement of surf bath ing may be found on the beaches of the eastern coast. The climbing of Mount Gower is arduous enough to satisfy even seasoned mountain eers; the ascent of Mount Lidgbird is seldom made because of the real danger involved. Numerous walks about the island and wandering through the woods serve to unfold the wealth of trees, shrubs, ferns, and flowers. Many islanders cultivate beauti fully foliaged plants and brilliant flowers, and the gardens are worth going far to see. Begonias grow to enormous size and are often of extraordinary color. The palms are everywhere, and there are numer ous other trees, notably the Norfolk island pine, which grows to large size, and the banyan. Plenty of Good Fishing Perhaps because of the coral reefs, there is an extraordinary abundance of fish about the island and many of these are game fish of fine quality. They Itnay be cap tured directly from the shore as well as from a boat, and both meth ods are in constant use to add va riety to the sport. Perhaps the most notable and ed ible of these fish is called “salmon,” but the flesh is pure white, and neither it nor the fish itself recalls the salmon of the Northern Hemi sphere. The Lord Howe variety reaches a length of three feet, and, once hooked, is a valiant fighter. The labor and excitement of landing one make a thrilling experience. In addition to the salmon, the waters of the island are noted for the beautiful blueflsh which abounds there. It grows to about four pounds, is also a good fighter, and makes a splendid meal. An unusual feature of this ocean fishing is the bait used—not a fly, or a worm, or any artificial device, but a young bird! Fortunately this shearwater occurs in such numbers that there seems to be little danger of its being appreciably decreased. It is locally known as “mutton bird.” As it feeds far out at sea, it is rarely seen except at a distance, in the late afternoon or very early in the morning. This bird nests on the heights of Lord Howe, particularly around the summit of Mount Lidgbird, in in credible numbers. It excavates bur rows in the soil, in which the female lays her single egg. After hatching the young, the parents bring fish to the burrow at the close of the day. During the night '.he birds re main in the burrows, but leave at break of day to fish far out at sea. Transportation on the island is chiefly on foot, for there are few wheeled vehicles. One is the two wheeled dump cart belonging to the community; the others are home made structures, simple platforms mounted on two axles, each with a 12-inch wheel at either end and with boxes nailed on for seats. There are also sleds, with low but stout runners, for freight and baggage. Good - looking and not overworked horses provide all necessary motive power. Social life on the island is simple and pleasant. Hospitality and friend liness are universal. If there are cliques or family quarrels, they are well concealed. Honesty is so uni versal and expected that property is seldom locked and theft is vir tually unknown. If there is another place in the world where the inn keeper says to his departing guest: "If it isn’t convenient to pay your account before leaving, you may deposit it to my account in Sydney next week,” that spot isn’t adver tised as it should be! There is no problem of poverty; every one has a home and an in come. Some have finer homes than others, but the difference rests more on diversity in ambition and taste than on opportunity. Division of Time— Quiet Pleasures to Punctuate the Rush of Life Are Sought THE rush of life that leaves per sons no time for deliberation, nor the pursuit of happiness in their own special ways, has seemed to reach its apex. Already there is a trend toward leisurely living, the sort that claims the right to dispose of hours not occu pied in business or housekeeping, in ways of personal choice rather than of group determining. Today, in the modern ways of living, time is divided into two units, one of which is work, the other diversion rather than play. As soon as work is over, or can be interrupted, the time is given over to diversion. Some persons work most of the time and some per sons spend most of their time in diversions. The division of hours between these two things is un even, but however divided, no waking time is left. Spare Time. While each of us should work part of our time, it is the matter of how we spend the rest of our time that is now coming under special consideration. There is a growing discontent that seems to bode good. Why should any of us be bound to do in time which is our own, what this or that group is doing because at the moment it is the popular thing? Can we have no evenings to ourselves? Must we fall in line with the wishes of friends? Must we do exactly as others are doing whether this means being with Household ® I ® Quesl/ons 1 If the roof should leak and stain your ceiling, cover the stain with block magnesia. Rub the block over the spot until the stain is covered, then smooth over with the tips of your finders. It works like magic. • * • Sometimes ink stains can be re moved from the hands by rubbing them with the inside of a banana peel. * * • A good cleaner for glassware having a deposit of lime from hard water, consists of a mixture of one cup vinegar in one quart of warm water into which six or eight slices of raw Irish pota toes have been cut. ♦ * * Carrots can be made crisp be fore cooking by scraping and leav ing in cold water for half an hour. * • • Potatoes that are to be French fried should stand in cold water at least an hour before cooking. • * * If you want to make bread crumbs in a hurry and have not a sieve or a large grater, put the bread in the oven or under the grill a few minutes to dry, but not to get brown. Then rub the two pieces together, and you will have quite good crumbs for eggs and bread crumbing or for stuffing. © Associated Newspapers.—WNU Service them, or simply doing such things as they do? Shall the rare pleasures of home be invaded? Or shall we decide to spend some quiet evenings in reading favorite books or delving into those new ones we realize would be liked? Shall we have time to devote to needlecraft, to music, to studying some language, to pursuing some hobby or doing anything to enrich ourselves or to make something beautiful? Enriching Diversions. All these things are diversions from necessary work, but they are the sort that repay us by making life more worth living, and not the kinds that merely absorb attention for the time being, and leave us depleted rather than replenished. If we wish to master time rather than be mastered by it, we must use at least a portion of our time when work is through in following out our own personal preferences in our diversions. Leisure. When we do this we have real leisure, one definition of which is, “time available for some particu lar purpose, spare time.” One great cause for being rushed is trying to do what everyone else is doing, rather than determining for ourselves what we will do. © Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service. "Quotations" -V Our supreme business in life is to carry and to pass on as we received it, or better, the sacred lamp of or ganic being that we bear within us.— Havelock Ellis. Pacifists are not necessarily cow ards, nor Militarists brave. War is not necessarily manly, nor Peace ef feminate.—A. A. Milne. Life is not half long enough for my taste.—H. G. Wells. Women have always been the su perior of men.—Sir Charles Higham. Devouring the Deed He that is proud eats up him self; pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.—Shakespeare. 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