Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-02-27
Ieeqq12sle.
TsM1afM
WARRINGTON
TO ADJOURN MAY LIST?
SEEKING AMERICAN UNITY
NO TAX ON ADVERTISING
MONEY FOR FARMERS
NAVAL AGREEMENT
PrTTMAN ON JAPAN
NEW HOUSING PLAN
GREEN FOR AMENDMENT
TO PROTECT INDEPENDENTS

Last week congressional leaders viz
tually abandoned all efforts to pass a
permanent neutrality measure and
thus took a step toward securing an
early adjournment. A brief must list
included new aid legislation, a tax bill
to raise $500, 0OO, 900 for the farm pro-
gram, an appropriation for work relief
and the regular departmental supply
bills Other legislation may be called
for as a result of future decisions of
the Supreme Court and while this may
prolong the session, some of the lead
ers have tentatively set May 1st as the
approximate end of the session.
49,
President Roosevelt has taken up
with all American Republics the pos
sitility of organizing peace machinery
idea of carrying out the policy of the
good neighbor." the idea is to provide
methods of settling disputes by peace
full means and possibly to re-defne
the Monroe Doctrine in a way agree
able to the other rations and thereby
to secure multilateral endorsement.
That the famous doctrine will be the
subject of discussion is certain even
if Washington wishes to avoid it. Pos
sibly the new doctrine will include
general responsibility of all Western
nations for a warning to the rest OF
the word to keep their hands off.
Is a unanimous opinion, the United
States Supreme Court abolished the
effort of the State of Louisiana to tax
the gross advertising revenue of the
larger newspapers in that state. The
Court held that the law was a de
hberate and calculated device" to
withhold information from the people
of Louisiana and that its plain purpose
was to penalize a selected group OF
newspapers. Holding that newspapers,
magazines and other journals shed
light on the public and business af-
fairs of the nation and that any sup
preston or abridgement of such pub
licity cannot be regarded otherwise
than with grave concern, the Court
lost little time in throwing out the
tax imposed which affected only thir-
teen newspapers published in the lar
ger centers Of Louisiana.
Last week, it seemed probable that
the Administration, in financing the
stop-gap farm relief program, would
use a schedule of excuses covering a
broadened list of agricultural COM
modities. In addition to wheat, cotton,
tobacco, rice and hogs, subject to pro-
cessing taxes heretofore, similar taxes
were being considered on beef, corn,
rye, oats and hops. Moreover, compen-
satory levies on products competitive
with those to be taxed were being
studied. The idea seems to be to widen
the base of the taxes SO that the levies
will not be as high as the invalidated
processing taxes.
Last week the United States, Great
Britain, France and Italy agreed not to
build any cruisers over 5000 tons in
size or mounting heavier guns than
6.1 inches in calibre for a period OF
five years, with the success OF the pact
depending on whether Japan and Ger
many are willing to accept its rules.
This means a waiver on the part OF
the United States on its big cruiser
policy which the Navy Department
has insisted upon in the face of foreign
opposition since the end Of the Wash
ington Naval Conference fourteen
years ago.
The existing 10,O00-ton cruisers will
not be scrapped and may be replaced
by others of the same size when they
become over-age. At present, the
United States and Great Britain have
nineteen Class A cruisers, with gun.
of more than 81 inches, fourteen fol
Japan, eleven for Italy, and ten foi
France. In smaller cruisers Grear
Britain, with as, leads the parade, fol-
lowed by Japan with rs, the United
States and Italy with 10 and France
with IA.
On the Army's side of the prepar-
edness record, it should be noted tina
Congress took up last week the Wa
Department supply bill, carrying 1914,
981 ,521 for military activities, an in.
crease of $23, 1903 sol over the presen
fiscal year. The House bill provide
for 10000 enlisted men in the Army
or 5000 less than the total approves
last year. National Guards will be in
creased 5000 to a total of 200 900 of
fcers and men. Funds were allowet
for SOS new combat %airplanes.
Senator Key Pittman of Nevada
Chairman of the Foreign Relation
Committee, delivered the first out
spoken criticism Of Japan from an
government quarter for some time il
his recent speech in the Senate, assail
ing the policies of Japan in the Fa
East. With the general idea that tn
American Navy is MOI as strong as tn
navy the japanese have in operatioi
in the Far Pacific, the Senator de
nounced Japanese violation of treat
les, ridiculed her claim that the Jap
anese policy in China resembled tina
of the United States in Latin Americ
and predicted that the Island Empir
was determined to exclude Americ
from mmerc in Asia. He was give
some support by Senator Lewis of II
linois, who told the Senate that TIL
country has not one real frien
among the nations Of the world" an
then presented a new idea of Fa
Eastern relations by predicting tn;
Japan and Russia, irstead Of fighting
would form an alliance, thus combin
ing a strong navy with a great arm
to assert and maintain their suprem
acy of the whole zone from Russia
Siberia, involving both China and ia
pan.