, 1934-12-20
WASHINGTON
BY George Durno

~ $3.50"
If the sheet ever goes on the
street there should be a newspaper
war In New Orleans that would
make the Bonfils : Howard scrap In
Denver half a dozen years back
look like q prayer-meetlng.
Under ordinary circumstances, II
would take a brave man TO invade
the New Orleans field with the idea
of starting a paper cold. No pa
per can exist without advertising
and there is just 80 much available
In a given area.
But Kingfish Long has taken over
the City OF New Orleans with the
aid or his own personal Legislature
and the National Guard-plus some
! slight help from Governor o X. Al
len. AS r~esourceful a man as that
might be able to capture sdvertis-
ing also.
Senator Long already has pun
ished' the big Louisiana dailies for
fighting his di~ctatorial reign. He
had the legislature slap a 2 cent tax
on advertising In all papers OF any
size. The publishers are now chal-
longing validity Of this law In the
courts.
Baiting-Did you ever hear OF a
man who would like To be court
martialed? Who had furnished
what seemed to be grounds. but who
can't get any action?
Captain John II. Craige. one of
/ the country's best known Marines,
might qualify for the description.
Soldier OF fortune. n time amateur
heavyweight boxing phenom, chief
press agent for the Marine Corps
during its build-up stage, Craige Is
now retired as a result OF injuries
he received In an auto ACCIDENT
but he could still stand court-mar-
tial.
Captain Jack. who helped rule
Haiti with an iron hand during the
alng Marine occupation. wrote two
books and therein lies the story.
The last book Is called "Cannibal
Cousins The title comes from the
fact q cousin OF a recent Haitian
Minister TO the United states was
convicted by the Marines Of can
nibalism.
In his book Chaige calls q former
Marine Corps Commandant a rock
ing-chair soldier. He disSects activ-
tiles o. the high command. He ridi-
cules Haitian artistocracy. Ordin-
narily such statements by an Off
Ger would result In preferment OF
charees-but the military estab-
liShment seemingly Is mindful OF
the dynamite that developed from
courtS-martial Of political nature In
the not too distant past and IS turn
ing a blind eye.
The book has been on the stalls
for some weeks and selling well. But
oh. thinks Captain Craige. what a
, Christmas sale II the State and
Navy Departments had gotten ms
mad about II Is they should have
donel
Choice-There should be some
significance in the fact that the
other day the White House called
for the military records OF Major
General Malin Craig. commander OF
the 9th Corps Area. and Major Cen
eral George s. Simmodds. head Of
the Army War College.
A man on the curbstone might al
most think that these two officers
stood In the front rank for selection
as Chief Of Staff 10 succeed Gen
eral Douglas Macarthur. Inasmuch
Is Craig was reported on PoStmas-
ter General Farley's preferred list
he would seem to be standing two
PAGES forward.
General Craig is 50 years old. born
In 81. Louis. He has had a dis
tingulshed military career running
through the Spanish American War.
the China Relief Expedition and the
World War. In France he served In
several key positions Of the A. K. r,
high command.
General Simonds vas born I'm
CreSco. Iowa. so years ago. He. too.
has a splendid record running from
the Philippine and China troubles
at the turn OF the century through
the World War. during which he
commanded the American Embark
artion Center az lie Mans. AS head
OF the Army War College Simonds
worked out the war game that
stumped the General Staff last fall.
Thanks-State Department offici-
ais showed their gratitude for Fin
A larHtr 1avrnant - - eooo nn0 A.
Stallment on the War Debt BY per-
hitting neWsreel men to use the
4 staid old building as a setting for
a scenario recording the lone pay
ment. Minister T.. Astron was pho
tographed progressively getting out
OF his car. entering the building and
finally going into the office Of Act
ing Secretary Of State william Phil
lips.
But Uncle Sam won't ever try to
cash that check AStrom handed 10
Philips. The movie was taken three
days In advance OF payday and
that "checb" was perfectly blank.
On Dec. Is. though. the Minister
turned in one that's good NJ any
body's bank.
Chatties - The Air Our Minds
Club" may take In a new member
Immediately after the first of the
year.
This probably is a new one on
you but an outsider would be en-
titled to the belief the Air-Our-
Minds Club l. a rather potent fac
tor in Washington political life.