The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-30
Observations
Sedition Trial
Likely to be Long
Drawn Out
BY Helen Essary

Washlngton-At long last the
preliminaries are over and the gov
eminent has begun to unfold its
evidence against the - men and
two women accused of having cou.
spired seditiously with the German
Reich and the Nazi party TO UNI
dermine the morale OF Americas
armed forces.
Empaneling the jury took
month in itself, and during that
ume one OF the original SO defen-
dants died. Fully 1850 pages Of
Official record have been taken so.
far and three attorneys have been
fined from $50 to $3.50 for contempt
of court.
Alleged activities Of the defen-
dants have varied. one, George
sylvester Viereck, failed to regis
ter as a German agent. \ con
victed spy. Gehard Wilhelm kunze.
is another. There are several
Bundists among them and an as
sorted group Of rabble-rousers, in
Guiding three accused OF toment'
ing race riots in Detroit.
Most of the defendants have
asserted that they were acquainted
with only a few of the others and
never even heard Of some prior to
the prosecution.
But the government maintains
that however different were the di-
rections of their activities, they
had a common objectiye-the aim
of undermining morale and that
they have actively co-operated with
each other and With Nazi leaders
TO play the enemy's game in the
United States.
Meat eaters should enjoy their
har, est while they can because the
present rationfree windfall is due
10 be shortliyed.
The OPA which has repeatedly
noted that most staples are sub.
ject 10 seasonal market gluts, has
now served notice that meat will
soon go back on the ration list.
Severity OF future rationing will
depend upon midwest farm belt
weather conditions the next few
months. Farmers will consider
themselves lucky if their granaries
are well stocked this fall. Right
now. though, there's too much
meat on the market.
To combat the leather shortage.
the War Production Board is at.
tempting TO induce manufacturers
voluntarily to treat soles with oil.
wax or other substances to make
them wear longer.
WPB says that tests indicate
that such impregnsted soles will
outVear ordinary soles by % per
cent by keeping out foreign sub
stances such as water and dirt and
by reducing internal friction among
leather fibers
First WPB wants to see mems
street shoes thus treated, because
they take the most leather Of any
type Of footwear. It's such an i'm
portant topic al the moment that
the WPB ia conducting a special
meeting in Washington to discuss
the problem with experts OF the
industry.
Legislation on disposal OF sur
plus war property seems likely TO
be indefinitely DELAYED.
Congress is immensely fond of
VIII Clayton surplus, war property
administrator, and is inclined to
let Clayton have a free hand for
the present with legislation to
come sometime later If necessary.
Senate and House members lit.
tie fear that Clayton will get so
far out on a limb that legislation
will become impossible.
The biggest problem Of many at
the moment is 10 work out the poi.
1cies for disposal OF surplus con.
sumer goods. one firm of total
war surpluses may be in such
items, in fact-eyerything from un.
derwear to electrical gadgets.
Wholesalers and distributors are
opposing disposal OF such goods
and sealed bids for fear the biz
boys will outbid everyone else and
corner the supply.
Despite the announcement Of
Representative Martin Dies Cd
OF Texas that he will not seek re.
election. the House committee on
un-American activities. which ne
heads, will be continued in the next
Congress.
II the Republicans gain major.
iiy in the lower chamber after tho
November elections, it will mean
that the new chairman will be
Republican And the COP won't
have to look far for its head
Representative J. Parnei Thorn.
ars tR) OF New Jersey, ranking mi.
nority member OF the present
group since its organization in 1898,
has been a wholehearted supporter
Io1( E,r,-