The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-07-20
NJ Frs STRIKE IN WEST VIRGINIA
ksssss.x. Se~%
BY THOMAS }. o'FLAAERrY

BY THOMAS J. O'FLAHERTY
THE number OF Georgia and Florida
4 banks that have closed their doors
within the past week is now almost
bacle was the sudden withdrawal of
bacle was the sudden withdrawal of
funds from those institutions. Now
that the real estate sharks have
scooped In all the available cash in
the pockets OF the get-rich-quick
spectators, the banks have decided
that 1t is about time they should clean
up. "As safe as a bank" constitutes
a causus belli in Georgia and Florida
today.
TlvEN such a conservative politician
~ as Governor Blaine of Wisconsin
declared recently that there were
more burglars sitting in the executive
chairs of banking institutions than in
the penitentiaries. This was said by
way of comment on the organization
of armed bands Of vigilantes by the
bankers, for the purpose of defending
their interests against holdup gangs.
The financial crash in Florida and
Georgia has attracted nationwide at
tention because OF the number of
banks involved and the relation Of the
debacle to the Florida land boom. But
thousands of depositors are robbed of
their savings every day by defaulting
bank officials.
A IMEE MCPHERSON should worry
even tho the grand jury decides
that she pulled off fraud in her
quite obviously staged kidnapping
stunt Aimee declares she was spirit
ed away and held for a half million
dollar ransom. incidentally the mother
she left behind cleaned up a nice bit
Of money from the faithful followers
OF the -four square" gospel. Both
Aimee and her fond parent now blame
the grand Jury quiz on the devil and
this explanation should stand up be-
fore any collection of religious luna
tics, particularly the kind that Los
Angeles produces.
THAT religion and business are not
Incompatible, Is further proved by
a telegram sent to the mayor Of Los
Angeles by Kenneth Orminston, al
legged to be- the unofficial lover of the
divinely inspired Aimee His name
was connected with the evangelist in
a manner not calculated to reflect
credit on his loyalty to the marriage
conventions. That gentleman justi-
fees his absence on the ground that
he stands to clean up one hundred
thousand dollars on a Florida land
boom and cannot leave for home until
the big chance is cinched. Now, people
are wondering If the plot does not
thicken. Perhaps, they say, Aimee, the
pretty bathing suit comforter of the
afflicted, and her former radio oper-
stor decided to stage the kidnapping,
blame 1t on the devil and his agents
and soak the faithful for capital to
start in business on large scale.
People are suspicious these days of the
lords agents unless they belong to
some respectable" institution.
CtAILLAUX is down if not out. Per-
~ haps he is down and out. So is
the franc. Edward Herriot, the radical.
seems to have more regard for ode
mocracy" than the Belgian socialists
who handed diotatorial powers to a
king. Herriot will fail even as Call
laux did. The franc will continue to
sag until France is ready to eat out
of the hands of the International bank
ers. The independence of Europe is
very much of myth today. With
England on the decline, the power of
the United States grows by leaps and
bounds and great part of the world
is already paying tribute to the
molochs OF Wall Street.
CTANLEY BALDWIN, British prime
~ minister, can be very religious and
loyal to the church when II suits his
purposes But when the church sug-