, 1935-10-16
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker

W@NAMM"AN4 AAAWMNEA AA4W AWA1 MAA@
League OF Nations cracks down, |
authentic diplomatic advices re-
port that Italy Is prepared for q
two-year war against the world. II
Duce Is supposed to have sailed
away enough gold and raw mate
rials to subsiSt for that period
without commercial or financial
reinforcements from the outside.
Mussolini's own gold supply and
appropriation Of foreign securities
held by Italians give him q none
tary basis totalling more than
$A. 0O0 900. Within hts GAVIN
dominions he has sufficient copper.
cotton, oil, ETC., to feed his war
machine and this does not allow
for imports from Austria, Hungary.
Germany and the Balkans.
But Italy's deep and gnawing
fear II the effect OF Great Britain's
enmity. Though he has console
dated his military and economic
position at home, Mussolini cannot
combat Britain's world influence.
Greece, Spain and Portugal-Medi-
terranean nations-are tradition
ally pro-British. and SO is the
United States for that matter. II
Duce cannot c~ounternct British
propagandists In the world forum
Though he may win his present
fight, he realizes that he may
emerge as q world outlaw. He
doesn't like the prospect at all.
Gypped Comptroller General
McCarl may force a sweeping re-
vision OF the schedule under
which the United States pays out
$2S. ZOO. 900 q year for ocean mail
subsidies.
IN seven years tire government
has dished out more than $780,
O0o, 900 10 lines whI n carry the
mail. The c1ntraL : are based on
the speed and tonnage Of the ships
emnloyed--ti.c faster the speed. the
higher the payment. The subsidies
| range from $50 to Si2 90 q pound
depending on the swiftness Of the
ship. No checks we're made TO de-
ternine VII -tlser the lines were
NlowBg the time required under
lutH CUQLfdCU&i
But Mr.. McCarl grew suspicious
when he scrutinized the logs OF
sample vessels. Ships supposed 70
make Is knots an hour were bare
ly making 10, and SC on More
tnan a year ago he ordered q Sc
ries OF tests to determine whether
the government was getting the
speed II paid for. He got nc &C
/ ton until he refused payment or
$4,000 to a certain shipping
company. Then the Pest Office
drafted naval navigators and en-
gineers 20 investigate. So Tar
only three OF twelve tests have
proved up to standard.
Wet - Senator Capper's pre-
diction that prohibition Is just
around the corner does not strike
the governments liquor poobahS
as fantastic. They dc not dis
cuss publicly the troubles they
are having with some Of the ma
tons liquor disti!ers and brew
erS.
Beer and liquor makers have
made more than hay during the
time when there was virtually no
federal supervision Of their in
dustries a period Of almost
eight months. On the ground
that the federal law refers only
to interstate commerce" brew
crs have financed saloons within
states and defied Uncle Sam to
prosecute. A certain Chicago
brewery Is Furnishings fixin-s.
commercial backing and adver-
Using funds TO 1000 saloons. Dis
tillers which agreed to eliminate
ads ~portraying women as lovers
Of liquor have contrs I I'd fcr
space depicting feminine tastes.
They seem TO have gone mad for
profits.
These excuses have revived talk
OF government monopoly OF IL
Quor manufacture and sale. Pres
ident Roosevelt favored that sys-
tenn in the early days, but SO
many influential democrats own
ed large liquor stocks that It got
nowhere. NOW certain White
House advisers think IL the only
solution If this experiment Is to
Smart-whirligig has often re-
ported that Morris Cooke was the
administrations ~cleverest diplomat
on the power front. Unrevealed de-
velopmentS now prove that his pro-
gram OF cancellation Is producing re-
suits.
Several leading power companies
have agreed to undertake construc-
ION OF rural power lines as a re-
suit Of conversations with Mr.. Coc.e.
Though he has offered To furnish
government subsidies. they prefer TO
60 ahead on their own. Among the
companies which viii soon furnish
low-cost Juice 70 farmers r the
u. @. I. Of Philadelphia. the Mia
CARA a. Hudson OF northern New