The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-21

FLIGHT

government May free
Conviets for fhe Amy
Bizarre Suggestion Has
Seeking in Many Quarters
Prison Population Could
Furnish Tough Fighters
ny RAY TUCKER
WASHINGTON Several key
governors demands that certain
types Of offenders against the law
Be INDICTED into the army may
result In adoption Of this seeming
" bizarre suggestion. For months
authorities and inmates OF state
and federal jails have urged this
step on Washington.
II would not be difficult. in the
consensus Of this expert opinion.
20 reclassify convicts and decide
which could serve without endanE-
ering society or the armed forces.
Most incarcerated men are inves-
tigated thoroughly on indictment
o. before sentencing. Penologists
know fairly well whether their
charges are innately vicious and
antisocial. or whether they were
merely the victims Of unhappy
fates. evil companions or unhealth-
" environments.
II n fel; that liquor violators.
income tax statute breakers. forg-
err. petty thieves and even thcse
convicted Of granddaughter under
extenuating circumstances could
b given temporary paroles in or
Ger to help preserve the -four
freedom"
Tue exact number OF the ma
tons walled population = local,
state and federal lis not known
here. but II 10 placed at approx
mately 10000. The belief Is that
at least $50. 900 tough fighters
could be CLEANED from that total
10 form an American unit similar
% the once famous French For
sign Legion.
White House supporters who
criticize the steagan ant-infla-
tionary bill apparently do not
know what President Roosevelt
asked in. his "deadline' message.
II 10. On close study. a far better
measure in many respects than
that framed by senatorial wheel
horses for the administration.
The chief executive demanded
100 instead of 10 per cent parity
on prices and he obtains II In the
house proposal. In fact, the fig
ure may drop after sufficient leg
islative trading. Banking and Cur
rency Chairman steagall has been
socked because he included the
cost Of labor a. = factor in de-
tsrmining proper levels. But here
a. what r. d. r. said in his Ia
NOUS document: calculations of
partity must include all costs Of
production. including the cost of
labor"
The house scheme II stronger
and more specific than that OF the
senate in requiring Sterilization
of wages. II directs the executive
to establish a fair equation be-
tween industrial income and the
growers return. The upper cham
bers more sioosely framed plan
permits r. ID. r. to do as he
pleases. II he pleases. Again, here
10 the presidential statement on
these inscparably related ques-
tions: What IL needed. therefore,
10 an overall sterilization Of
prices, salaries. wages and prof
its"
Heaviest fire has been aimed
o. the house provision fixing q
floor under agricultural charges
BY raising the foundation of CON-
modify loans on all nonoassc
products from s. To 100 per
cent. The inclusion Of pay en-
velopes a. an item In estimating
an equitable return 10 the tillers
precipitated the accusation that
the man from ozark. Alabama
has upset the ancient parity
formula. But the White House
insisted on q minimum figure in
the original speech and in pri-
waite conferences with congress
sionai leaders. Possible compro-
mise is 90. not 100 per cent
This latter stipulation is the
most important in II. r. T347
from the long range viewpoint al
though its significance was neg.
lected and misunderstood In the
initial confused burst Of comment
II guarantees farmers against the
disastrous drop in prices. the fore
ed sales of homesteads and the
privstions they suffered after the
First World War.
This Legislative assurance Of a
floor which holds good until three
years after a presidential procla'
nation Of the end of hostilitie'
has tremendous implications for
labor as well as agriculture. Oh
viously. consumers cannot pa,
present day charges for postwar
crops unless factory wages arr
kept at current levels by natnrs
forces or artificial stimulation