The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-03-31

Washington. Recent events in
Europe, coupled with the Japan
China war, have had a powerful in
fiuence in Washington. The opposi-
ton to the 'big navy" program has
almost vanished. The suspicion that
1ome sort of a secret agreement
existed between the United States
and Great Britain for joint action
in case of war has also been de-
layed. But that only makes more
convincing to members of Congress
the belief that the United States
must arm itself speedily for nation
al defense and be prepared to
resist any aggression from either
the East or the West, if it wants to
remain at peace in a war-mad
world.
The main concern of Congress is
to figure out some way by which
no one can possibly make any
money out of war. The belief that
wars in the past have been fostered
by interest which hoped to profit by
them has been so widely propagan.
died that it is hard to dispel it. It
would not be surprising if the au-
thorization Of a billion-dollar naval
expansion were supplemented by
joint resolution providing for the
conscription Of capital and industry
in case Of war, as well as Of man.
power.
Another Teapot Dome?
Not since Teapot Dome has there
been a Altuation about which so
much scandalous gossip is heard
in Washington as the row in the
T. v. A. director has started.
Rumors of graft on an enor-
nous scale, of illegal deals with
power companies, and numerus
reprehensible doings are heard on
every hand. T. v. A. Chairman I
Morgan's allegation of difficulty in
securing honesty, openness, decen-
cy and fairness in government, and
his charges against his fellow-di-
rectors of evasion, intrigue and
sharp strategy" have set tongues
wagging and aroused expectations
of revelations, once Congress be-
gins its investigation of the situa-
ton, which may not be realized.
The charge made by DR.. Morgan
that the claim of Senator George
Berry of Tennessee for millions in
damages by reason, of the flooding
of marble quarries in which he is
interested was 'barefaced fraud"
has brought one angle of T. V. A.
right into the halls of Congress-
The Presidents effort at concilia-
ton by personal investigation
failed because Chairman Morgan
disputed the Presidents authority
and refused to answer questions ex-
cept before Congressional investi-
eating committee. The outlook is
that the public will hear a great
deal of sensational news about T.
V. A. when the committee gets I'M
der way. Whether it will prove to
be as sensational as the current Cos
sip represent it is another question.
New Rail Rulings
The railroads are frankly disap-
pointed at the low rate of increase
in freight rates allowed them by
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. The rise in rates figure out an
average of 8 percent, which many
lines claim is insufficient to keep
them out of bankruptcy with the
present volume of traffic. Rumors
are circulating around Washington
OF impending wage cuts and lay
offs of railroad workers on a large
scale. Old plans for consolidation
of all the railroads into half dozen
systems are being being taken
down from the shelves of the I. c..
c. and busted off for re-examina-
ton. In the prosperous 192Os
comprehensive scheme for railroad
consolidation received a great deal
of attention and some of the i'm
portant railroads were not averse
to it, provided it gave them control
of competing lines. The theory is
that there are too many competing
railroads, operating too many miles
of parallel track, and terminals.
Consolidation would make for eco
nomy and efficiency in operation,
it is claimed, and would reduce the
number of railway workers. The
plan is gaining support in Admins
tration circles and some Senators |
and Representatives have expressed
themselves as preferring it to the
alternative of Government owner
ship and operation of the roads.
Much talk is heard about ga new
era of trust busting" as a result of
the appointment of Professor Thur
man W. Arnold of Yale as Assist
ant General Mr.. Arnold is the au-
thor of q hook on canifa1iSr in |