The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-01-10
Wings
Washin8tn

preme Court are directors behind
the scenes as the curtain rolls Up
for another annual show on the
! Washington stage.
The year 1885 began with an
open season for hunters Of the
dove Of peace; it ended in open
warfare. America demonstrated
its Isolation" by leading in war
preparations, with a record war
budget of more than a billion and
a big nuvy program.
Munitioneers were probed SEN
sationally by a Senate committee
But their business has continued
to boom. Their dividend prospects
are excellent in 1886.
Anticipating the Fascist rape OF
Ethiopia, Congress resolved in ad-
vance to look the other way. It
passed a neutrality bill against
sending weapons to either side.
When the League of Nations de-
cided on police measures against
the rapist, Uncle Sam showed his
chivalry by evidencing also disin-
cllnation to trip up the cops and
by cracking down on war exports.
The year ended with some of
the League cops quarreling over
their share of the graft, and with
effective sanctions still unapplied
to MussoGni. Labor demands fol-
collective action for peace increas-
ed meanwhile, as European work
ers saw the hypocrisy of their
rulers evidenced in the Hearst
Laval proposal for the division of
Ethiopia. Congress in 1886 finds
difinition of its attitude to the
war about the first order of bus
mess, with many amendments to
the neutrality act to consider.
The number of American Job
less was variOusly estimated
between 10 and Is millions in
1884. Another year of Gre
cOvery" in 1885 made little
dent in the totals. Production
and profits increased, but en-
plOyers managed to get more
work done with fewer workers.
Latest figures of the American
Federation of Labor in 1885
showed 11,65O,0OO unemployed.
Early in the year four billion
dollars were voted for a work.
relief program which was to
end federal direct relief. Some
8 IL million from the relief
rolls were reported to be en-
plOyed on the work projects as
1885 ended. Millions of SOCIAL
led unemplOyables found them
selves dropped from federal re-
lief and left to the buck-pass-
ing mercies of state and local
authorities. The effect of the
program on private employ
ment appeared to be negligible,
with Dept. of Labor job figures
actually declining when last
heard from.
Having thus disposed of the
present unemployed, Congress
at last got around to giving
thought to social insurance for
the future jObless. Trailing
decades behind nearly every
other civilized country in the
world, the United States placed
the social security act on the
books in 1885. The detail of
placing it into effect with an
appropriation was neglected,
however. Congress and the
states will have much social in
surance in 1886 before it be-
comes a reality.
Nine old men in a dingv little
chamber of the Capitol proved
that age does not have to be. fed
monkey glands to be able to raise
hell. The Supreme Courts sick
chicken decision was the biggest
domestic sensation of the wear,
outrating even the Dillinger hunt.
It knocked NRA for a loop, and
George L. Berry was still TRYING
to pick up the pieces as the year
ended.
Installed now in a magnificent
new temple, the same nine Judges
are getting more than their share
Of the veneration that is due to
old age. They and their constitu-
ton have been adopted as a year
around Santa Claus by the Ameri-
can Liberty League, the Republi-
can party and the MI. Assn. of
Manufacturers.
These nine men have it in their
power to undo nearly everything
that Congress did in 1885, and
particularly, it seems, the mea-
sures that most affect labor and
the farmers. Besides wringing
the neck of the Blue Eagle, the
Supreme Court threw onto the
scrape heap a railroad pension
law and a farm mortgage mora
forum act. Congress then I'D and
passed similar measures again,
which the Court will again pass
on in the coming year. The AAA
and security programs and the
Gutfey coal control act will also
come before it.
The experience of the New Deal
with variegated labor boards be-
came crystalized in the Wagner
labor relations act of 1885. The