The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-01

The ink was hardly dry on an article Capper wrote attacking Hull's trade agreements when he went before the SEC to ask ap- proval of a refunding operation.
 The Senator's vast publishing properties have been financed in an interesting way. He now owns seven newspapers and magazines with a circulation of over 100000. This includes Capper's Weekly, Capper's Far mer, Kansas City KanSan. Kansas Farmer and Mail and Breeze, Topeka Daily Capital, Missouri Ruralist and House. hold Magazine. In addition, Capper owns a controlling in- terest In Capper- Harmon Slo- cum, Inc., which publishes the Pennsylvania Farmer, Ohio Farmer and Michigan Farmer. Finally, he owns all the stock in two radio, stations. WIBW at Topeka and KCKN at Kansas City.
 Having expanded rather rap- idly, Capper put up his own personal unsecured notes, in some cases doing this to pay the interest on his old notes. His total indebtedness is now $3,97l,- $50 in personal notes renewable every six months and payable on thirty days notice.
 Meanwhile the Senator from Kansas is 72 years old. He is regular guest at Washington's gayest parties and he still dares to dance with the youngest debu- tante. His SEC application is apparently made to put his af- fairs in order.
 The SEC will probably permit registration of the issue, but only after demanding certain clarify- irTg amendments.
 KlanSman Black
 Justice Black, who still is sen- sitive over his baptism of fire over the Ku Klux Klan, was talk ing to a visitor the other day, and said
 "When I was elected to the Senate, almost every paper In Alabama carried big headlines that ! was a member of the Ku KIux Klan. It was no Scc- ret, and 1t never occurred to me for an instant that people did not know about It."
 Presidential Threats
 Two full page newspaper ad- vertisements bitterly attacking the president have been circulated quietly here and have caused amazement even among Roose- velt's severe critics.
 Full of the most scathing in- dictment, the advertisements were written and paid for by Percy Crosby, author of the comic strip ."Skippy." Twice Crosby urges his readers: "Never wound snake, but kill t."
 "Of what use are naval and military forces" Crosby says, If a power -crazed man. seizing the presidency of the United States and usurping the role of Commander In Chief of the armed forces, turns such forces against the pe0ple?"
 Crosby goes into further details regarding his snake idea as fol- lows.
 Perhaps in a mood of play. will take the pen and tickle the fangs of the lunglng specimen from the reptile house at Washington--a parry here and a parry there, then we seize 1t by the neck and the pen serves as 8 gag while venom drips on the page, and as 1t drips, one wonders whether this repre- sents the brain power of the Washington reptile house"
 NOTE-Crosby lives in Mclean, Virginia, frequently is to be seen lunching at Washington's most fashionable hotels. Although the Secret Service has investigated him. there Is not much 1t can do about indirect threats of this kind.
 The Spark?
 White House hopes that the new housing program will prove the "0pen sesame" to another re- covery cycle cannot be over-ex- aggerated. In large measure, the president is putting all his slump busting eggs in this one basket.
 It is a big risk, and he knows 1t. But Roosevelt is convinced it is a sound one. This confidence is based on the following eco- homie analysis formulated by his inner group of experts:
 For the first time since last May theye now exists business factors that open the way for