. EDITORIALS . . .
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THE OMAHA GUIDE
Pabliahed every Saturday at SH618-W 9mA Streak,
Omaha, Nebraska
Phone Wlbater 17Sf__
Entered as Seooad dam Matter March IS, 1W7, at the Pest Of
fice at Omaha, Nah., uadertheActof Oonyrem ef Mareh I, ISTt.
TERMS OF SURSORIPTION $8 00 ~P IB TEAM
Raoe prejudice must go. The Patharhesd ef 9td ml
the Brotherhood ef Mao most prevail These are the
enly priciples which will stead the aatd teal ef gmmi
GOVERNMENT WITHOUT RED INK
In a recent address, Governor Frnnk D. Fitzgerald of Mich
igan told about “Govenunlent Without Red Ink”—using his
own state as an example of how that happy condition of affairs
jcaji be reached. And in his talk, he made some points that,
simple and even obvious os they are, seem to havte been forgot
ten by a good many high officials.
“I have not come here,” the governor said, “posing as the
originator of some magic formula that will cure the country of
its ailments, economic and otherwise. There is nothing of the
miraculous in what we have done in Michigan. We
are as plain as an old boot. We’vuj just gone on ... .
following certain rules of simple arithmetic and fundamental
•economies—rules that you and I learned in our grammar school
days; rules so plain it would seem almost ridiculous that an
occasion would arise for anyone to get up in public and ex
pound them.
“I{y keeping the operating expenses of the state govern
ment within its income, by refusing to create new taxes or ad
ditional debts, by actually cutting down taxes in some instances,
by trying to find new ways to save money instead of spending,
we’ve managed to balance our budget.
“We’ve thrown away the red ink bottle, forever, I hope.”
Just simple horse-senseT Certainly! Rut in these days of
soaring taxes and public debts, and of prodigal yvaste of the
taxpayer's hard-earned dollars, it would be a great thing if
more of the men (entrusted with government affairs sought “to
find new ways to save money instead of spending it.”
Michigan, like Kansas, is fortunate in having officials who
realize that every bill contracted must eventually he paid, ami
that the money with which to pay must be taken from the pock
ets of the people. May their tribe increase!
BOOSTING “SURPLUS” INCOME
What does the thrifty family do that wants to get to
get ahead in the world! It studies how to save by eliminating
waste. If it spends fifty dollars a month for food, a ten percent
saving on price would mean an increase of $5.00 per month in
the family purchasing power.
The great bulk of the average family's income must be
closely budgeted—so much for food, so much for rent, so much
for clothing, and so on. It is reliably estimated that not over
ten percent of that income is “surplus" that can be used for
amusement, savings and similar things beyond mere existenoe.
Take a family with an income of $150 per month. If it
now has a surplus of $15.00 per month, that is 10 percent of its
income. If its food bill is $50.00, a 10 percent reduction would
add $5.00 to its surplus, an increase of 33 1-3 percent.
Thus, a mere ten percent saving in the monthly food bill
would increase our average family’s “surplus" by one-third
—-more money for everything that make life pleasurable anil
secure. And when millions of families have such an increase
in their surplus, the total runs far into the billions each year
—purchasing power released for other uses.
In this simple illustration is proof of the soundness of mer
chandising methods that cut food costs by eliminating over
head and middleman waste.
PEOPLE AGAINST FRANKENSTEIN
Observers of press common and public opinion throughout
the nation are forcibly impressed with two facts: First, the
desire of the people to maintain the neutrality of this nation
and avoid war and foreign entanglements, and, second, the
growing demand for balanced budgets and reduced taxation.
Congressmen who have just returned to Washington after
some months at home among their constituents, have felt this
sentiment. They know that nothing causes greater worry to
millions of citizens—Republicans and Democrats alike—than
the soaring national debt and the Frankenstein menace of new
and higher taxes. They know that the general thinking public
is begining to understand that eventual tax reduction is es
sential to permanent prosperity.
It’s a rare Congressman who doesn’t keep his oar to the
ground, and it’s also a rare Congressman who hasn’t heard
from his constitutents that an economy program in Federal
government is now desired, and is indispensable to increased
employment, industrial expansion, building activity and relief
for the land owner.
The trend of public opinion was well demonstrated by the
general approval of the President’s recent statement on neu
trality and his expressed belief that new or higher taxes were
neither necessary nor desirable.
SAFETY FIRST.PROFIT SECOND
Much has been heard about the safety of life insurance.
'The question is repeatedly asked, “Why is it safe!"
A true answer would run somewhat as follows: “life in
• surance is safe because its assets represent practically every
thing that is sound, productive anl essential in American eco
nomic life.”
The investment portfolio of a respreeentative life insurance
company contains the most varied array of securities it is pos
sible to conceive. First of all, there are government bonds.
Next there are bonds and stocks—usually preferred—issued by
basic industries, industries supplying commodities and services
that are in permanent demand. Then there are mortgages on
farm and urban property, and large real estate holdings. And,
finally, loans on policies, and a geat cash reserve maintained for
the purpose of fulfilling insurance contracts in spite of market
conditions that may make it inadvisable to dispose of securities.
Diversity of risk is the very essence of life insurance’s in
vestment program, that demands safety first, profit second. It
is a statisical fact that, during years in which failure after
failure has occured within almost every industry, large and
small, practically every life insurance company has come
through with flying colors.
MINING PROGRESS GOES ON
The mining industry had some tough going even before de
pression, labor difficulties, discouraging tax laws- and unfavor
able legislation hampered it.
Yet mining progress never ends. A glance at the program
for the forthcoming convention of the American Institute of
Mining and Metallurgical Engineers proves that.
New techique, new processes, new inventions, make it pos
sible to recover higher grade metals, at lower cost. Much pro
gress in this direction has already been achieved—more pro
gress is just over the horizon. Ores that were considered worth
less a few years ago are now being successfully developed.
America is fortunate to possess a progressive mining in
dutry—an industry which is as essential to our life in times of
peace as in times of war.
FIREMEN FACE DANGER
OF DUST EXPLOSIONS
In the past 19 years there weriei at least 386 dust explisions
in connection with the milling, processing and handling of pro
ducts of agricultural origin. At least 311 persons were killed,
693 injured and property damaged to the extent of $35,000,0001
—an average of about $90,000 for each exploson.
There are 28,000 industrial plants in the United States in
which dust explosions are possible. Thlese factories normally
employ 1.325,000 persons and manufacture products having an
annual value of 10 billion dollars.
A number of disastrous explosions have occured during
fire-fighting operations. Sometimes these have taken place
when firemen attempted to remove contents of bins or other
enclosures that contained materials in powdered form. In other
eases, the falling of a floor or the dropping of the bottom of
storagfl bins forced a dust cloud on the fire. Again, a heavy
pressure stream of water striking a pile of powdered material
has been known to throw the dust into the flames and bring
about an explosion. Another possibility is the chemical reaction
between the water and certain types of metallic dust.
David J. Price, engineer of the U. S. Bureau of Chemistry
and Soils, recommends that the contents of bins in w'hich a fire
has occured be thoroughly drenched before removal is attempt
ed; that firemen systematically inspect factories to inform
themselves on the dust explosion hazard, in order to avoid unnec
essary exposure to danger; that a spray is preferable to the
heavy pressure of a hose in wetting explosive dusts ston'd in
piles; that firemen make a study of dust explosions that have
occured during fire-fighting operations; that linemen in indus
trial centers acquaint themselves with the dust 'explosion pre
vention work of the U. S. Bureau of Chemistry and Soils, mak
ing use of the Runeau's publications.
In view of the present upward trend in fire losses, as re
ported by the National Board of Fire Underwriters, these pre
cautions and all others tending to bring about greater fire safe
ty aro of the utmost importance. To firemen they may mean
life or death.
THE UTILITY MESS
“The present relations between the government and the
utilities are little short, of being a disgrace to the country,"
wrote Walter Lippman recently, in a syndicated article entitled
“The Utility Mess”.
Continuing, Mr. Lippman pointed out. that the utilities have
made by public officials to f omul ate a policy which would cor
rect abuses, fairly regulate the industry in the interest of con
sumer and investor, and permit it to develop normally. The new
utility policy said, in effect, Utility A must be eliminated,
seeks to penali*e and destroy the best-managed companies be
cause of the shortcomings of the few. Little or no effort was
made by public officials to formulate a policy which would cor
rect abuses, fairly regulate the industry in the interest of con
sumer and inTaftor, and permit it to develop normally. The new
utility policy said, in effect, Utility A must be eliminated.
Therefore let us destroy Utilities B, C, I), E, and so on, in order
to get rid of A.
“A statesman-like and workable! utility policy,"' to quote
Mr. Lippman again, “would have been based on the principle
of an nlliance with the enlightened members of the industry
against the unenlightened members.’' It will be remembered
that responsible utility execuiives have been among the first
in pointing to the need for regulation to restrain the wild-catters
within thjeir industry. And if federal officials showed a will
ingness to proceed along reasonable lines, these executives would
work wdth them to the ultimate of their energies and abilities.
Mr. Lippman is known as a liberal. He is without political
connections. He is not a tool of the power-trust., that stock
phrase applied to hrow commentators who have the courage
of the well-known mien, in all fields, who are. sickened and dis
gusted by political hypocrisy as expressed in utility legislation.
ALTAVESTA
▲ antLl PHOBLBM*
(By Vktetti Iih)
Dear Daddy:—It seems so
strange that I’ve always got
some new thing to bother you
about. Do you get tired of read
ing about these things that
bother me and sometimes worry
me! Must I stop asking you
about them! If I must, I don’t
know what I’ll do. I won't know
what to do and how to act, if
I can’t ask you.
Now. Daddy, this is about
shows. A man lectured at our
school. He was a very serious
looking man and I wonder if he
was a preacher because preach
ers are so serious that I’m afraid
of them. Well, this man said
some pictures are good and we
can learn from them and some
are so bad the companies ought
not ba allowed to show them. I'
never thought a picture could
be bad and could hurt anybody.
He said we mustn’t go to see
^he bad pictures, and he con
demned the ones we like, detec
tive and shooting. They are so
funny and so exciting, too.
I What do you think about this
jDaddy t I wonder if this man is
right. Sometimes I think he is,
but I like the very pictures he
doesn’t want us to go to see.
Well, this letter is long
enough, now, so I’ll just stop
writing. Lovingly—Alta Vesta.
SERMONETTE
By Artfaar B. KMnov
A severe cold has gripped
city and country. The frozen
snow defies the sun, and the
wind is disporting itself in icy
blasts. As I look out upon the
wintry scene, I am deeply
thankful for God’s in-doors.
God’s out-of-doors has been
extolled in prose and poetry,
and justly so but God may be
in-doors as well as out-of-doors.
True, the shelters of tent and
wall are man-made, but the
urge to build and furnish them
is as truly divine as the creative
j force expressed in field and
I woods. It would be difficult to
iconceive of a home that is not
in-doors. Even prehistoric man
chose beautified a caves where
his wife could nurse her child
ren in safety, and where he
i could better concentrate as he
I began to ponder the meaning
|of things and cultivate his inner
life. And certainly in modern
times there is hardly a home
.without God’s in-doors.
Nor a church. It is not as
easy to worship out-of-doors as
in-doors, even though enthus
iasts speak rapturously of the
temples of nature. To be sure,
he burning bush has never ceas
h! to be afire with God, and
the still small voice is really
never still, but few are attuned
to the divine as Moses and
Elijah were to most of us nature
is too distracting to help us
think of God. Therefore, man,
even in the early periods of his
existence, built himself temples,
their architecture emblematic
of wistful longings and precious
traditions, in order to help him
concentrate upon the divine.
Cherish God’s in-doors. Without
it we shall never be able to ap
preciate God’s out-of-doors.
WHAT MAKES A MAH
It is not what a man may own,
To what extent he may be known
Whither arrear or in the van,
Tis character that makes the
man!
it matters not what one may know
How glamorous may be his show,
How long or short the human span
Tis character that makes the
man!
It matters not what one may boast
Or what obsession claims him
most.
Nor what his life’s ambitious plan,
’Tis character that makes the
man!
One ned not yield to circumstance,
Opposing, if he’s made advance,
If he would conquer these, he can—
Tis character that makes the
man!
ECONOMIC
HIGHLIGHTS
Happenings That Affect the Din
ner Pails, Dividend Checks and
....Tax Bills of Every 'individual
Now that stock has finally been
taken of industry’s experience in
1935, the business experts are at
work forecasting what will happen
in 1936
On one point, most experts
agree- They forecast that business
will be better this year. Famed
prognosticator Roger Babson re
cently said that, on the average,
business will be ten per cent bet
ter this year than in 1936
A well-rounded forecast recent
ly appeared in Business Week,
which has had a good record in
peering into the future. Here are
some of its predictions, hased on
exhaustive surveys and analyses
by its experienced staff:
Farm Implements—Manufactur
ers in the field expect the best
year in their history.
Agriculture—B o t h production
and income will be larger than in
1935, despite the death of the A.
A-A. at the hands of the Supreme
Court
Construction—Last year resi
dential construction about doubled
1934 total. It is doubtful if such
improvement will occur this year,
though it seems inevitable that a
gain wil be made. The construc
tion business in general was hard
est hit of any industry during the
depresion, and practically reached
the vanishing point. It is slowly
recovering.
UJectnc Power—This industry
reached a new all-time record for
power output last year. New rec
ords will be established this year,
and will be reflected in wide-spread
building and expansion. The indus
try’s building budget for the year
will involve the spending of more
than $300,000,000, and some think
this figure must be raised. Before
1929, the industry was spending
around $1,000,000,000 annually,
say this figure would again be
and spokesmen for the utilities
say this figure would again be
reached or passed if it were free
from “political attack,”
Motors—This industry was the
bellweather of the recovery move
ment during 1934-1935. It will con
tinue to go places this year—mak
ers are already laying ambitious
plans for the introduction of 1937
model cars. Machine tool makers
wil prosper as a consequence, all
j car manufacturers will have to
I spend heavily for retooling pro
grams.
Steel—Will be heavy spender
during the year, as it modernizes
and extends plant capacity.
Railroads—'Here is another in
dustry which has started an impor
tant modernization program, plans
to continue it into 1936. Air-con
ditioning of passenger trains is a
big item, and will account for a
substantial percentage of railroad
expansion budgets. And the trend
toward strean>lining trains, elec
tric, diesel and steam, is signifi
cant.
Textiles—Forecast is that there
will be a greater consumption of
cotton, rayon and silk than there
was in 1935, with a decline in
wool consumption.
Aviation—Has big plans for
1936. Planes will be bigger fast
er safer. International air service
will be extended and improved. The
industry hopes to get a steadily in
creasing share of the nation’s pas
senger traffic.
Finance—E x p e r ts anticipate
more new security issues in 1936
than in 1935, with refunding issues
dominating the capital markets. In
general, the outlook for industrial
profit is said to be steadily im
proving despite new and higher
taxes.
Prices—General wholesale level
for 1936 is forecast at about ten
per cent over 1935, declines will
probably be registered in food
prices.
There you have 1936 in a nut
shell, as the best guessers see it.
They make nvany errors—but they
are more often right than wrong.
Every indication is that the year
will be the best since 1929, in spite
of the old bogey of a general elec
tion year.
CONSTRUCTION OR
DESTRUCTION
As these terms are antithetic
al in definition, so are they in
influence. The progress of con
struction is slow and its pro
gress laborious and tedious.
Great projects, often require
years for completion. Construc
tive progress challanges the
best in us and requires the most
artful anl the most persistent
efforts. This truth applies to
governmental development, to
economic evolution, and to
PROVERBS
AND
PARABLES
by A- B. ICANN
for The Literary Service Bureau
Many people, especially many
colored people are afraid of the
night air. They imagine it ia
more dangerous than the day
air. A very thoughful Negro
minister gave us the epigram,
“It is not the night air, but
the night."
| The superstitution is foolish.
How could night air be more
hurtful than day airt If any
think the night air would be
less dangerous, for there is lesa
of dangerous germ-laden dust
in the air at night.
But it is the night that is so
seriously deterimental. This in
cludes lateness with of nec
essary sleep; abusing the stom
ach by eating foods difficult of
digestion effect of drinking,
smoking and excessive dancing
that usually are connected with
night parties; for the poor, ex
posure to cold waiting for
street cars; and there are oth
er things which enter into the
menace of the night. Giving the
matter due consideration and
viewing it with unbiased mind,
doubtless thousands will accept
as true the aphorism, “It is not
the night air, but the night.”
MAXIE MILLER
WRITES 1
(For tfco LttoM<r Borrioe Barooa)
(For odrieo. write to Maxie 1W
lor. ear* of Literary Sarrioe Do
*oh, 116 Mionooote Are., Kmmbs
City, Kuo. Hoc parpnoai roply
s«vl self-udtiraaaod stamped M
raiopo.)
Maxie Miller—I am a married
woman 23, a high school grad
uate anl a graduate from a bus
iness college. A man wants we
jto work in his office. IT© offers
me good salary, but he says he's
had his eye on me for a long
time and he likes me. This is
all he said in words, but I read
more in his eyes and in his
voice. I did not tell my husband
all of this because he's natural
ly jealous and I want to take
the job. This husband of mine
suspicions something and he’s
told me he’ll raise hell if he
catches up with us in any dirt.
I need the money as my hus
band doesn’t make much but
I’m afraid of trouble. What is
best for me to do t—Cassie
Bams.
Cassie I?arns—You may Re
mistaken in your conclusions
and your husband's suspicions
may be grossly wrong. My ad
vice is to take the job, check
your employer in the first ef
fort toward familiarity; if the
efforts continue inform him
that you 'll tell your husband; if
he persists in disturbing you,
you can give up the place. But
I would not throw away the op
portunity without an effort to
use it.
character building.
Using fire or some other form
of (explosive, one can destroy
in a few minutes any material
superstructure and make vain
the labors of many years. By
means of slander, calumny one
can destroy the reputation of
another and thus do injury ir
reparable and ruin a whole life.
What is true of material sup
erstructure and of character is
most certainly of organisations
and enterprises intended for
human betterment, and, in
many cases, the destruction is
so complete that the injury is
beyond repair. Under such con
dition construction means hu
man progress while destruction
means retrogression. And woe
be unto the individual who is
responsible for such destruction.
Better, more honorable and
more contributory is construc
tion than is destruction.
