MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1939.
PAGE TWO
PLATTSMOUTH SEMI - WEEKLY JOUENAL
i
Ihe jPlattsmoutfa Journal
PUBLISHED SEMI-WEEKLY AT PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA
Entered at Postoffice. Plattsmouth. Neb., as second-class mail matter
MRS. R. A. BATES, Publisher
SUBSCBIPTION PRICE $2.00 A YEAR IN FIRST POSTAL ZONE
Subscribers living in Second Postal Zone, ?2.50 per year. Beyond
600 miles, $3.00 per year. Rate to Canada and foreign countries,
J 3.60 per year. All subscriptions are payable strictly in advance.
War Casualties
in Spain Reach
750,000 in Year
Armies Deadlocked Along Ebro and
Segre Since July Franco Mas
ters Two-thirds of Spain.
PARIS (UP) Another year of
hostilities, which has added 750,000
civil and military casualties to the
total, draws to a close with three
armies aggregating more than 800,
000 men deadlocked in civil war.
Generalissimo Francisco Franco
is master of two-thirds of Spain, but
cince late July the armies have been
deadlocked along the Ebro and Segre j
rivers. Fighting in these sectors has
added 100,000 to the death toll with
out either force striking a decisive
blow.
Thi3 year has seen a legally con
stituted civil cabinet take over the
government of the nationalist prov
inces from the military, junta which
began the insurrection against tbe
Madrid republican government.
Erief Picture of War
At the close of 1938, the situation
may be charted:
The war has cost Spain 55,000,
000,000 pre-war pesetas.
A total of 1,250,000 casualties,
with nearly 1,000,000 dead, includ
ing civilians.
Franco holds 34 of the continental
provincial capitals; the republican
government hold3 13, divided into
two zones.
Franco holds outright 30 of these
47 provinces; the government nine,
while eight others Lerida, Tarra
gona, Castellon, Madrid, Guadala
jara, Toledo, Granada and Jaen
form th-i present "no-man's-land."
Cf Spain's 1,470 miles of coast
line, Franco controls 935 miles, and
the republic 535 miles.
Sixty-one per cent of the contin
ental population i3 under Franco's
red and gold flag; 39 per cent under
the republican flag.
Two Significant Campaigns
Frcm a military point of view, the
year wa3 marked by two outstanding
campaigns in which glory was shared
equally by the two sides: Franco's
successful march to the sea from the
Belchite line, and Gen. Vicente Rojo's
successful 113 day stand in a small
loop of the Ebro river facing Gan
desa, where for nearly four months
he obliged Franco to concentrate all
his reserves and in that way success-
fully halted the drive on Valencia
Madrid's last gateway to the outer
world.
Of only slightly less importance
were the fall and recapture of Teruel,
in January; the unsuccessful drive
by Generals Saliquet and Queipo de
Llano to within striking distance of
the Almaden mercury mines, and dur
ing the last part of the year Franco's
"otalitarian" air offensive against
republican war factories, ports and
other military objectives contained in
a "black list" of 108 towns and vil
lages which the nationalict caudillo
warned he would raid.
Loyalist Division Trapped
Those operations, and the purely
local trapping in a Pyrenees pocket
and eventual retreat to France of the
43rd Loyalist division, provided the
whole of the military operations of
the year. Rojo's timely Ebro ma
neuver localized fighting to a small
sector for five months of the year
but the cost in men and munitions
was so severe that the loyalist army
of Catalonia was unable to recuper
ate for another offensive before the
year end.
Technically, the year's military
operations resulted in nationalist vic
tories exclusively, for the loyalists
were forced to abandon Teruel six
weeks after its capture, they were
forced to retreat from the Aragon
heights to the shores of the Mediter
ranean and after crossing the Ebro
river and holding the west bank for
113- days, they were forced back
acrpss that river.
At the year end. the rivers of
Spain virtually mark the division be
tween Nationalist Spain and the two
republican zones, for the front gen
erally follows the Noguera-Pallaresa
river and the Segre and Ebro -rivers
from Pyrenees to Amposta la the
Catalan sector, and the Palancia
river. Manzanares river, Tage river
and Guadiana river to form the loop
ing front around Madrid.
Fronts Total 962 Miles
The Catalan front now measures
162 miles and is held by 240,000
loyalist troops chiefly Catalans, Na
varrese and Basque exiles and four
nationalist army corps of about 225,-
000 men, chiefly Basque?, Navarrese,
Galkians, Aragonese, Morrocans and
the Foreign Legion, as well as the
remnants of the Italian divisions.
The Southern sector has a con
tinuous front line 800 miles long
and is held by about 180,000 loyal
ists under Gen. Jose Miaja and 160,
000 Nationalists, chiefly Falangists,
Castillians and the conscript levies
from Estremadure, Asturia and An
dalusia. About 90 per cent of the
physically fit Spanish males from IS
to 35 are under arms or employed
In war factories or on fortifications as
volunteers, conscripts, hostages or
prisoners of war.
FAN MAIL COSTS DAVEY O'BRIEN
FORT WORTH, Tex. (UP) Davey
O'Brien, Texas Christian University
football star, is ready to believe that
national recognition ought to carry
a stipend for postage.
O'Brien is the 152-pound quarter-
Lack who was chosen virtually unani
mously on all-America teams and
voted the outstanding player of the
year. His fan mail became so large
that Miss Frances Buster, whom
Davey describes as "that certain
girl," was commissioned to handle it
for him.
Miss Buster, a T.C.U. co-ed and
former band "sweetheart," has be
come an unofficial secretary. But
the couple hasn't decided yet how
they can buy stamps to reply to more
than 2,500 letters that came to
O'Brien from persons living from
Honolulu to New York City.
A $75 stamp bill would put a
crimp in O'Brien's budget for several
months. He is, however, answering
as many as his time and money per
mit. Eastern fans seem to have "adopt
ed" O'Brien. Most of the letters
are from small boys, and the "Dead
End Kids" of Hollywood cinema
fame sent in their praise. A sopho
more in the University of Honolulu
sent in a letter.
The most consistent O'Brien fans,
however, were three nurses in a Ken
tucky hospital. They wrote to him
before every game, and telegraphed
congratulations before the game with
jSouthern Methodist University, which
j decided the Southwest conference
championship
APPORTIONS HIGHWAY FUNDS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UP)
Secretary of Agriculture Henry A.
Wallace today apportioned $135,
000,000 to states for highway im
provement and grade crossing elim
ination. Wallace assigned $25,000,000 of
the federal funds for extension of
the federal program for elimination
of hazards at grade crossings.
With the exception of the grade
elimination allocations, the states
naust match the highway funds on a
dollar for dollar basis. The allot
ments will be available to the states
July 1, 1939.
The funds were authorized bv the
federal aid highway act of 1938, a
further development of the long range
federal program of federal asistance
in building truck highway and second
ary roads. Nebraska was allotted a
total of 52,698,614 including $2,044,
283 for truck. highways, $306,642 for
secondary roads and $347,689 for
grade crossing elimination.
RIVAL OIL COMPANIES
POOL FIRE EQUIPMENT
ATLANTIC CITY, N. J. (UP) Oil
companies with storage tank plants
near here have pooled their fire
fighting equipment to prevent repeti
tion of the disastrous fire which
swept a Pure Oil company storage
plant here In July, 1937.
William F. Richartz. division oper
ating manager of Socony-Vacuum Oil
company, said the companies would
join in maintaining supplies of foam-
ite, a frcthy chemical used to blan
ket and smother oil fires.-
Appeal by the
President for U.
S. Nat. Defense
Repudiation of Dictatorship Fore
shadowed in the Annual Mes
sage to Congress.
By LYLE C. WILSON
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UP)
Preview reports of President Roose
velt's annual message to congress
foretold tcday a pulse-stirring call
for "national defense and a blister
ing repudiation of dictatorship.
Mr. Roosevelt's associates believe
it will be his most vigorous speech
of his career. The message will be
delivered shortly after noon Wednes
day before a joint session of house
.nd senate.
The new 76th congress will meet
at noon Tuesday. It would be a per
functory gathering but for decision
of the senate campaign expenditures
committee to release at that moment
its report concerning Works Progress
Administration political activity in
the fall election campaigns in some of
15 states covered by the inquiry.
Some persons describe the report as a
"blast" at the WPA system.
Former WPA Administrator Harry
L. Hopkins was appointed to the
cabinet as secretary of commerce last
week and Aubrey Williams, his chief
assistant, was put in charge of the
National Youth Administration.
But WPA and other domestic is
sues will be subordinated in the
president's message if it is presented
in the form in which his close asso
ciates assert they most recently saw
it. National defense and continental
solidarity of the western hemisphere
against armed or ideological invasion
by dictator nations has become the
new deal theme.
The message, therefore, is expected
to reverse the Roosevelt precedent
of making domestic problems the
framework and substance of the an
nual address with only limited if
consistently pessimistic - reference
to world affairs. The urgent prob
lems of federal finance, deficits and
relief costs which keep the treasury
in the red will be discussed later in
the week when the president pre
sents his annual budget message. An
other deficit budget is assured unless
Mr. Roosevelt adopts new bookkeep
ing methods such as have been sug
gested by some friends of Xhe new
deal. These include establishing a
new category of federal credits to
supplant accounts now carried as
debits. A self-liquidating project, for
Instance, might be carried as a capital
asset instead of its cost appearing on
the debit side as a part of the fed
eral expenditure and of the deficit.
Tuesday's strictures on WPA poli
tical activity will start the new con
gress off on an anti-new deal zig but
it is likely to zag back in the presi
dent's favor when he raises the ban
ner of democracy against dictator
ship the following day. Thencefor
ward, the congress promises to pur
sue an uneven course which, in the
aggregate, probably will be more ad
verse than favorable to the adminis
tration. An anti-third term resolution al
ready assured of almost uniform re
publican support and of some demo
cratic votes is ready for presentation
In the senate. Hopkins, the baby cab
inet member, must be confirmed, and
probably will be, but only after a
searching and unfriendly review of
ii3 WPA career by several members
of the senate commerce committee.
Chairman Josiah W. Bailey, a demo
crat, likewise is an anti-new dealer.
But the critical campaign expen
ditures committee report is aimed at
Hcpkins scarcely at all. It i3 direct
ed, rather, at the WPA system and
the potentiality of political activity
in the relief organization. It has be
come evident now that the adminis
tration is aware that WPA is in bad
and that Mr. Roosevelt will go along
with a remedial program.
There 13 no convincing evidence,
however, that the president regards
the November election as a major
new deal reverse although republi
cans made substantial congressional
and state gains. The president's con
grersional visitors come away talk
ing of a chart on which he has
analyzed the returns and upon the
basis of which he ccmcs to the con
clusion that most of the democratic
reverses were attributable to local
issues. With that interpretation the
conservative democrats, including
Vice President Garner, do not agree.
If the president holds to his in
terpretation of tbe election returns,
there is small chance of major com
promise at this session between con
servative and new deal democrats.
There will be rather, a spectacular
collision and contest for control of
the party looking toward the show
down battle over a presidential nom
inee in 1940.
- -HJ.. , ' !-v - :
Spice Mincemeat Shortcake with Foamy Sauce Is tender, spicy and
altogether delicious.
For Gay Days Let Us Have
GAY DESSERTS
says Dorothy Greig
U A FINE, dessert sends everyone from the table feenn'g
x happy," mother used to declare. And it's true. All is
sweetness and light in the average family after a meal climaxed
bv a elorious dessert.
This is the time of year, too, when
fine desserts really come into their
own. Parties and gay doings are in
the very air. So let us serve our
most toothsome desserts. There is
no better time.
1 give you two of my cherished
successes. One is a pudding and the
other is a shortcake. They are
light, spicy and delicious.
Surprise Raisin Cake
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cupful sugar
1 egg (well beaten)
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 cupfuls flour
1 teaspoonful ground cloves
V2 teaspoonful mace
Vz teaspoonful nutmeg
teaspoonful baking soda
3 teaspoonfuls baking powder
1 cupful honey dipped bleached
raisins
or
1 cupful seeded' raisins
Sift flour, then measure, add
spices, baking soda, and baking
powder and sift again. Wash and
cut the raisins and roll them in two
tablespoonfuls of the flour mixture.
Cream the shortening, then add the
sugar gradually, and cream to
gether well. Add beaten egg and
mix thoroughly. Then add the flour
mixture alternately with the tomato
soup. Stir until mixture is smooth.
Then fold in the raisins which have
been combined with some of the
flour. Bake in. a greased loaf cake
pan S x 4 in a moderate oven- (350
375") for 1 hour.
Cream Cheese Icing
2 packages (6 ounces) cream
cheese ,
?S cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cream the cheese until soft, then
add the sugar gradually and stir un
Democrats See
Harmony in Sen
atorial Group
Select Senator Barkley as Leader in
Today's Caucus Forecast
Unity of Action
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UP)
Democrats in a harmony rTly, today
re-elected Senatdr Albcn W. Barkley.1
D., Ky., as the majority leader of ijc
76th congress.
Barkley's re-election came a ew
minutes after another party solidar
ity action the -decision of Senator
John Hamilton Lewis, D.. III., to re
tain his party whip post. Lewis' de
cision was influenced by President
Roosevelt who acted after Lewis had
indicated his desire to quit the job
because of differences over some ad
ministration policies and a desire to
sponsor legislation of his own.
In striking contrast to the bitter
democratic battle over senate lead
ership last session, Barkley won the
post today by unanimous vote in a
session that lasted only twenty min
utes. Last year he was named to
succeed the late Senator Joseph T.
Robinson, democrat, of Arkansas, by
a single vote margin in a contest
with Senator Pat Harrison, demo
crat, cf Mississippi.
Harrison removed the last obstacle
tc. Barkley's selection when he urged
that his friends not place hi3 name
ii: nomination.
Barkley said the caucus was "the
most harmonious meeting of the con
ferences in the senate that I have
ever attended." '
He said that he felt that the har
monious meeting today was "an in
dication that we are going to work
together" during the 76th congress.
As the democrats met, however
Vice President John N. Garner
emerged from a series of conferences
with cabinet members and other.high
new deal officials as the pivotal fig-,
urein pre-session activities. .-? j
Garner, who, in the past, has let
til smooth. Add the lemon juice.
Spread this on the cool cake.
Spice Mincemeat Shortcake with
Foamy Sauce
1 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Vz teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon nutmeg
J,4 teaspoon cloves
3 tablespoons shortening
(Vs butter)
cup sugar
1 egg
1 can condensed tomato soup
Sift flour, then measure add the
baking powder, soda and slices and
sift again. Cream the shortening,
add the sugar gradually and cream
well. Then add the beaten egg. At
the last add the flour mixture alter
nately with the condensed tomato
soup. Pour into a well-buttered 9
inch square baking pan. Bake in a
moderate oven (350 F.) for 30-40
minutes.
Mincemeat for Filling
Heat Wz cups mincemeat until
the suet or fat has melted.
To serve: Cut spice pudding into
approximately nine pieces. Split
each piece and fill center with one
spoonful hot mincemeat. Replace
the top half of cake and serve
foamy sauce over the top. . .
Foamy Sauce .
1 ejjg. separated
i cup powdered sugaf ,
,2 cup whipped cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Beat the egg white until stiff, then
beat in the sugar gradually. Add
the egg yolk and continue beating.
Fold in the whipped cream at the
last and then add the lemon juice.
it be known through his friends that
he was not in agreement with the
administration on many policies, was
seen as the man in the senate upon
whom may depend the outcome of
the present split in the democratic
party.
Garner is influential among anti-
new deal senators. He would be the
logical person through which to at
tempt a compromise on policy be
tween democrats opposed to the
Roosevelt program and those seek
ing to maintain or extend it.
Two of the major issues confront
ing congress controversy over the
farm program and antagonism to
ward the Works Progress Adminis
tration presumably were discussed
by Garner with Secretary of Agricul
ture Henry A. Wallace and Secretary
of Commerce Harry L. Hopkins yes
terday.
Hopkins visit was considered es
pecially significant in view of his
recent elevation to the cabinet from
the post of WPA administrator. Al
though his appointment was expect
ed to be confirmed, there was little
doubt that debate over it and the
senate campaign committee's forth
coming report on its investigation of
political activity in WPA threatened
a" congressional investigation and re
vision of the administration's relief
policies.
One congressional leader, it was
learned, has urged President Roose-
velt to establish an agency to co-
ordinate the activities of WPA, the
Public Works Administration, Na
tional Youth Administration, United
States Employment Service and other
relief and employment agencies.
The suggestion has been consider
ed with those which would establish
advisory boards in each county to In
vestigate' complaints involving WPA
personnel and place administrative
officers of the WPA under civil ser
vice. Harrison's decision not to" be a
candidate for .the leadership this
year, was understood to have been
made after a drive to enlist him had
gained considerable headway.
Phone new items to no. e.
EECITATI0N WINS SUSPENSION
NAPPANEE, Ind., Dec. 31 (UP)
" . . . but only God can make a tree."
Thus did Gerald Banghart, 17, high
school basketball star, conclude his
recitation of Joyce Kilmer's "Trees"
end look up hopefully at City Judge
Frank Trecklo.
"Well done," said Judge Trecklo,
"1 suspend your fine."
The Judge had fined Gerald $13 for
cutting down a tree which overhung
the tennis court on town park, but
offered to suspend the penalty if
Gerald could give a perfect recita
tion of "Trees" within a week.
Senator Reed
i to Seek Repeal of
Two State Laws
Cream Grading Law and Compul
sory Motor Vehicle Testing
laws Face Attack.
LINCOLN, Dec. 31 (UP) State
Senator-elect James E. Reed of Lin
coln announced today two bills will
be drafted at his request proposed
elimination of compulsory motor ve
hicle testing and repeal of the cream
grading law.
He said the measures will be intro
duced In the 1939 legislative session
which convenes Tuesday. Reed de
scribed both laws, enacted by the
1937 legislature, as "having proved
ineffective and a distinct burden to
the public.
"I think all the discussion about
the car testing law thus far has
shown it to be unfair, particularly
to farmers who can't afford high
priced automobiles and who have dif
ficulty in getting them approved. I
know of one farmer who had to drive
80 miles to have his car tested."
Concerning the cream grading
law, Reed asserted "it has been a
severe blow to independent stations,
especially with respect to the stiff
license fees ($25). As an example of
how ineffective the law is, the agri
culture department tells me only 65
out of a possible 300 independent
cream stations have complied with
the license fee provision."
LACKED COURAGE TO FACE
LIFE. BUT NOT TO DD2
CHICAGO, Dec. 31 (UP) Prin
cess Trowbridge, 21, daughter of a
Baptist minister, couldn't face life,
but she had the courage to face
death.
She peivned a farewell note to her
mother last night then walked to
the Rock Island railroad right of
way and threw herself in front of
a train. Police took her body to an
undertaker. There they found the
note pinhed to her dress.
"Dear mother," it said, "do not
make yourself too unhappy over this.
Think that I am happier this way.
I was not made for this world.
"I am afraid of people and all
competition. This is a callous thing
to do but though I do not have the
courage to face life, I will have the
courage to face death."
She was one of four children of
the Rev. L. B. Trowbridge, secretary
of the Chicago Tract Society. She
was a junior at the National College
of Education in suburban Evanston.
Friends were unable to explain
the cause of her unhappiness.
LOYALIST OFFENSIVE
IIENDAYE, Franco Spanish Fron
tier, Dec. 31 (UP) Spanish loyalists
struck at the nationalists today with
a counter offensive which they as
serted had thrown back the Italian
fascist divisions and temporarily stop
pod the insurgents on the lower Segre
river.
The loyalists sent crack shock troops
into their counter drive, under, three
of their most brilliant leaders Gen
eral Sarrabia, .General Lister and
Colonel Modesto. j
Dispatches from Barcelona, the
loyalist emergency capital were care
ful to point out that the counter of
fensive was "unimportant" and was
only a diversional one to relieve pres-
sure on other sectors.
However, dispatches from the na
tionalLst as well as the loyalist side
indicated strongly that the loyalists
now believed themselves in possession
after withstanding the greatest na
tionalist drive of the civil war for
eight days, to start a series of counter
moves.
WASP STING NEARLY FATAL
SIMSBURY, Conn. (UP) James
P. Curtiss is allergic to wasps and
when one stung him he almost died.
Doctors worked over him for five
houi-3 and administered adrenalin
before they could restore liiui to con
sciousness. 1
Rejects New
Order in China
Offers to Join in International Con
ference to Decide on Future
Policy in the Orient.
TOKYO, Dec. 31 (UP) The Unit
ed States today rejected Japan's pro
gram for a Japanese-dictated "new
order" in China and at the same time
offered to join in an international
conference to discuss China's future.
American Ambassador Joseph Clark
Grew delivered the note in which the
United States state department em
phatically expressed the views of the
American government o". the present
diplomatic situation.
The note was a rejection of the "new
order" program which Japan . out
lined Nov. 18 in reply to a United
States demand for an "open door"
policy in China.
It came at particularly unwelcome
moment immediately after the revel
ation that Wang Ching-Wei, who until
the start of the Chinese Japanese
war was premier of China, had brok
en with Generalissimo Chiang Kai
Shek and was negotiating vith Ja
panese agents for peace.
Japan's "new order" program was
based on the assertion that:
". . . . In the face of the new situ
ation fast developing in east Asia any
attempt to apply to conditions of to
day and tomorrow inapplicable ideas
of the past would neither contribute
toward the establishment of real peace
in east Asia or solve immediate is
sues." The American note:
1 Re-stated the traditional sup
port by the United States of the sanc
ity of treaties.
2 Reminded Japan of the inter
national covenants coverng the far
east.
3 Asserted that the United States
was cognizant of changed conditions
but was unsympathetic toward uni
lateral settlement of Chinese prob
lems, that is, settlement by direct ac
tion of one nation without i card to
others.
4 Reminded Japan that in the past
situations such cs that which has
arisen in China were settled through
consultation
i Assertea
the readiness of the
United States to join in an interna
tional conference to consider the Chin
ese problems.
Grew delivered the note to Renzo
Sawada, vice foreign minister, in the
absence of Foreign Minister Hachiro
Arita, who had left town Tor a New
Year holiday.
As Grew visited the foreign office.
Japanese newspapers were displaying
the sensational news that Former
Premier Wang of China, in a state
ment issued through his agents in
Hong Kong, had urged peace negoti
ations with Japan.
The same newspaper published new
year statements in which Foreign
Minister Arita said that Japan was
going to end the idea that the Orient
was a colony for occidential capital
istic countries and Admiral Mitsum
asa Yonai, navy minister said it was
imperative that Japan insure com
mand of the Western Pacific.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UP)
The United States flatly rejected
Japans "new order" in China but
tacitly invited Japan and other pow
ers concerned to enter ' negotiations
regarding possible revision of foreign
rights and interests in the far east.
Details of the note, made public
here disclosed that this government
charged Japan with unfair discrimin
ation against American trade and
commerce with China and with as
suming the powers of sovcricgnty in
China by the use of armed force in
violation of existing treaties, it said,
guaranteed the territorial indemnity
of China and equal rights for all
powers, are not subject to unilateral
nulification. However, it admitted, pos
sible desirability , of change and left
the door open to international conver-
I sation on the subject.
"Meanwhile" it said "this govern
ment reserves all rights of the Unit
ed States as they exist and docs not
give assent to impairment of any of
those rights.
The note wad the latest in a long
series of exchanges by the United
States and Japan regarding alleged
violation of the open door policy and
anfair treatment of Americans and
chcir interests by the Japanese mili
tary. RESIGNATION OF CUMMINGS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UP)
Attorney General Homer S. Cum
mlngB resignation from the cabinet
will become effective at noon on Mon
day, January 2, the White House an
nounced today.