The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1941-02-20

ers a month. Later in the day
Secretary Of the Navy Knox was
asked at his press conference II we
have any destroyers to spare.
I'VE certainly have not" Knox
replied sharply, adding that we
need all we have to maintain 9
balanced fleet" When asked II
destroyers could be spared as new
ones are being built, the Navy
chief again replied in the negative
Mr.. Knox stated that all available
shipbuilding facilities for the con.
struction of destroyers are now in
use. He said, II just want to say
without commenting directly or
Mr.. WILKES statement that, as
Secretary Of the Navy, I am a.
gainst depicting our fleet any fur.
ther."
do not know how much Of an
authority Mr.. Willkie is on naval
matters but for my part I much
prefer to take the word Of the Sec
rotary Of the Navy on this import
ant subject that means so much to
national defense. He acts upon the
advice Of his Chief Of Naval Oper-
atoms and other admirals, whose
chief concern Is the defense of
America.
A New Industry
Northern Minnesota contains
millions Of cords Of poplar stump
age that is suitable for several pur-
poses, including the manufacture
of cellulose, employed extensively
in making explosives, and COM
modities that are widely used in
everyday life. The Forest Pro.
ducts Laboratory at Madison, Wis
consin, Is now experimenting with
poplar in the manufacture of cell
ulose and If their report Is favor
able I propose to get in touch with
eastern manufacturers of cellulose
in the hope Of interesting them in
building plants in the northern
counties. That would be a fine
thing for the poplar area as 1t
would provide a new and depend
able market for the wood.
A Futile Amendment
The House adopted an amend
ment to the Lease-Lend bill that
would enable Congress to recapture
the extraordinary powers the bill
confers upon the President, by
simply passing a concurrent resol-
ution that would not require pres
idential approval. The purpose of
the amendment is to obviatet the
necessity for passing regular legis-
lation that would have to be APP
proved by the President and, fail
ing in that, would require a two
thirds vote to override veto. Now
we find that the Constitution recog-
nizes no such procedure for the
elimination of acts from the statute
books so another way will have to
be devised to accomplish the ends
sought by the House. I doubt If
this can be done.
Congress should limit the length
Of time that the act Is to be in eff
feet and also provide a ceiling for
the amount that the President may
spend. We have reached a point
in national spending where we will
have to count our pennies and
nickels.
In his appearance last week to
present his views to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee Mr..
Willkie, recently returned from
England, declared for an early
passage of the measure with re-
strictions proposed by the minor
ity.
incidentally, my readers may
be interested in a rumored move
on the part of prominent New
Deal leaders to build Willkie up
for the 1914 Democratic nominal
ion. Democratic members Of the
House openly exhibit satisfaction
at Mr.. WILKES return to the fold.
The termination of his temporary
sojourn in the Republican party
has created about as much void as
would the withdrawal of finger
from a pail Of water.
violent r1cketing
The U. s. Supreme Court has
held that the states can, If they de-
sire, give their state courts author
ity to issue injunctions against
picketing when violence by union
members is closely associated with
the picketing.
This seems a reasonable decis-
ion. 1t does not limit the right to
picket peacefully and it does not
abridge free speech, depite the con-
ttrary opinions of Justices Black,
Douglas and Reed. AS justice
Frankfurter said for the majority,
the Constitution was not meant to
shelter 'utterance in a context OF
violence" Violent picketing is not
ian appeal to reason" but IAN in
strument of force"
State courts, of course, should
be extremely careful in use of the
INDUCTION against labor unions, linn
iting it to the restricted field sane
toned by the Supreme court. But
the country will welcome this evid-
ence that the Supreme Court re-
cognizes some circumstances in
which the law can curb union ex-
cesses. Especially so after the
other recent Frankfurter decision,
holding that the government cannot
invoke the antifrust laws against
a union which attempts to destroy
the business of a wholly innocent
employer because it is having a
jurisdictional fight with another
union.
A Rubber Blanket
There are times when 1t looks