anaheim-gazette 1931-11-26

THE ANAHEIM GAZETTE HENRY KUCHEL, Editor and Publisher ESTABLISHED 1870 ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY SUBSCRIPTION PER YEAR ... $2.00 SIX MONTHS ... $1.00 Entered at the Anaheim, California Postoffice as second-class matter. THANKSGIVING Thanksgiving Day has become such a universally observed national holiday that few people realize that its general observance on the last Thursday in November is quite a recent development. All of the states of New England and some of the other northern states, had an annual day of Thanksgiving by the proclamation of the Governor, but while this custom came from the earliest colonial times, it seldom happened that more than two or three states picked the same day. The real "mother of Thanksgiving Day" was Mrs. Sarah Josepha Male, who was the editor of the first magazine published especially for women, Godey's Lady's Book, Mrs. Hale, before 1850, tried to get the President of the United States to issue a proclamation for a national Thanksgiving Day. Mrs. Ruth E. Finley, in her new book, "The Lady of Godey's," tells how she bombarded president after president with her demand until, in 1863, President Lincoln issued his famous national thanksgiving proclamation, naming the last Thursday in November as its date. From that time on every President has issued such a proclamation, and since the 1870's the Governor of every state has also proclaim the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. Since there has never been an act of Congress on the subject, Thanksgiving Day is not technically a national holiday, but if would be difficult to keep the people of any state from observing it, even if the Governor forgot to issue his proclamation. In recent years there has been a tendency to take Thanksgiving Day lightly. We are all to much inclined, in good times, to take credit to ourselves for our blessings, whatever they may be, while in times of distress it is a very human inclination to ask "what have I got to be thankful for?" We hear lots of people asking that question this year, but in our opinion one of the best and since the 1870's the Governor of every state has also proclaim the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. Since there has never been an act of Congress on the subject, Thanksgiving Day is not technically a national holiday, but if would be difficult to keep the people of any state from observing it, even if the Governor forgot to issue his proclamation. In recent years there has been a tendency to take Thanksgiving Day lightly. We are all to much inclined, in good times, to take credit to ourselves for our blessings, whatever they may be, while in times of distress it is a very human inclination to ask "what have I got to be thankful for?" We hear lots of people asking that question this year, but in our opinion one of the best cures for pessimism is to stop thinking of your hard luck and try for one day to think of all the good things that have come your way since last Thanksgiving. There is, perhaps, small consolation in that for people who have lost their faith in spiritual things. But we believe that the great majority of Americans, by whatever name they may call their religious creeds, still believe that there is a Divine Providence which has guided and still will guide our nation, and when we consider the state of most of the people of the rest of the world, we feel that there is ample ground for a National Thanksgiving Day. Since the League of Nations seems unable to do anything to settle the Chinese-Japanese war, why not refer the whole mess to Artie Brisbane and Harry Carr, who know all about everything? WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH AMERICA? We have not seen any more intelligent or biting explanation of the economic depression from which the country seems now to be beginning to emerge than that which was written a little while ago by Miss Emily Woodward, editor of the Vienna (Ga.) News. This is what Miss Woodward said about it: A people, for the most part accustomed to living moderately and even frugally prior to the war, we launched into an orgy of spending such hail never been known in the history of man. Although endowed with a modicum of reasoning power we have deliberately thrown discretion to the winds changing our standards of living from quiet simplicity to frenzied luxury. Equipped with sufficient mathematical knowledge to know that four from two leaves minus two, men and women with incomes of $200.00 a month have spent at the rate of $400.00. This has applied quite generally whether the income has been $25.00 or $2500.00. Farmers and other businesses are more or less demoralized, but it is not due altogether to 5 cent cotton and the traffit. It is due in part to our waste, abuse of credit, poor business management and laziness. Before we see the end of this many of us who are now riding may be walking, but that probably would be as it should be. The men and women who honestly work their ways out of the present economic labyrinth will be those possessed of the proper intestinal stamina. For some time now, we have needed something to divide the sheep from the goats. Crooks and dead-beats have been sailing along in the vanguard of society and the church, enjoying all the privileges and often more than those who make up the ranks of honest citizenry. If the present crisis serves as a leveler in the business and social realms, much will be gained. The seeming success of the dishonest during the reign of extravagance through which we have just passed, has a baneful effect, serving to give sanction to the theory that the way to win is through shady paths. He had been full days. For one thursday he were to have high them another is. "and then the S them. "We looked forward unemployment and mines," he adds, back benches where at dinner." He was twenty Now he is twenty hopes have faded. He thought he large part in chan Empire. Instead of his time answeri organizations order (a) to vote for beasts (b). to vote (a) to open cin close them. (a) to prohibit tend them." He has about r that all effort is world is on its wa Some of us who from our own e now at the age oment. We, too, determination to stanter. We were bungling of our should be no more lay! In a couple of y depths of de than we have ever. It is not clear just what is the w of human life. I reasonably appear. First, it does part of the prog lenium come quick won only as a rest and time. Second, as we g clearly how dest all the good ideas to become immense first two Great Vice I myself laxcessful. I think no mistakes. So in our later idea of a quick r do it in deep di say: "I cannot lie is one part of it I self. I'll see what It's a good spo who knows? May simple idea is the A few scatter this month but t string up of big show next ye The men and women who honestly work their ways out of the present economic labyrinth will be those possessed of the proper intestinal stamina. For some time now, we have needed something to divide the sheep from the goats. Crooks and dead-beats have been sailing along in the vanguard of society and the church, enjoying all the privileges and often more than those who make up the ranks of honest citizenry. If the present crisis serves as a leveler in the business and social realms, much will be gained. The seeming success of the dishonest during the reign of extravagance through which we have just passed, has a baneful effect, serving to give sanction to the theory that the way to win is through shady paths. President Hoover's Muscle Shoals commission recommends that the big Alabama power project be leased to private interests for 50 years. That is a good way to dispose of it, if the lease can be renewed for another half-century. WASHINGTON'S LOST PROCLAMATION Few Americans, we are told by the Washington Bicentennial Commission, know that the first National Thanksgiving proclamation was issued by our first President, George Washington, in 1789; and still fewer people know of the interesting history of that priceless document. It was on October 3, 1789, that he issued his proclamation calling for a national day of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26. This proclamation went into effect and was soon forgotten. No one apparently attached much importance to the document itself. It was completely lost sight of. Most likely it was misplaced or attached to some private papers in the process of moving official records from New York to Philadelphia, or from Philadelphia to Washington. All that is known is that the original document was not in the official archives of the Government until it was "found" in 1921 by Dr. J. C. Fitzpatrick, then assistant chief of the manuscripts division of the Library of Congress, and now editor of the forthcoming Bicentennial Commission series of Washington's writings. It was at an auction sale being held in the American Art galleries of New York City. Dr. Fitzpatrick, an expert on Washingtonia, examined the document and found it to be authentic. It was written in long hand by William Jackson, secretary to President Washington at the time, and was signed in George Washington's bold hand. Dr. Fitzpatrick purchased the document for $800 for the Library of Congress, where it is now kept as a treasure. And no amount of money could remove it. ANAHEM GAZETTE Aroused President's Ire William Howard Gardiner's criticisms of Mr Hoover's naval trenchment program have led to public airing of his charges. Smartest U. S. Frosh William R. Bowden, 17, Dunbar, Pa., freshman at Haverford College, defeated 35,000 others in a national contest by scoring 346 points out of 170 in an education competition. New Speaker of House John N. Garner, Texas Democrat, will be the new Speaker of the House of Representatives as a result of victories by his party in the by-elections. Bruce Barton Looks at Ways of Life A QUICK MILLENIUM When I was in London I read an interesting, and rather pathetic, newspaper article by the "baby member" of Parliament. His name is Frank Owen. He recalled his maiden speech in which he proclaimed: "High hopes brought this Parliament into being. We will make it a Parliament of high endeavor." He had been full of fine plans in those days. For one thing, the timber men were to have higher wages. "We got them another 1s. 6d. a week," he says, "and then the State sacked some of them." "We looked forward to the debates on unemployment and agriculture and the mines," he adds, "and spoke from the back benches when the heavy guns were produced more than $100,000,000 worth of silver annually compared with the United States production of about $65,-000,000. MEXICO'S SILVER MINES. Walter Palmer, leading Mexico silver mine owner, says it would be unwise to plan the reopening of Mexican silver mines in the near future because of the rise of silver to more than 34 cents a troy ounce. He said the rise was largely due to speculation. The advance of silver from around 25 cents an ounce a year ago has been sufficient to arouse the hopes of thousands of unemployed that closed mines and other plants would be reopened. During the slump only the richest silver veins have been operated profitably. Industrialists emphasize that as the value of the Mexican silver peso improves, producing prices must increase, and as Mexican currency becomes firmer the dollar must drop. There is not great optimism over the continuation of silver at the present price, but if it remains for any length of time it will greatly help Mexico's greatest industry. During normal years Mexico produced more than $100,000,000 worth of silver annually compared with the United States production of about $65,-000,000. Short Essays On Popular Topics A "BANKERS' DEPRESSION" By DR. LIONEL D. EDIE Former Professor of Finance at Chicago University. My reasons for calling this a "bankers' depression" are the extent to which banks deviated from a commercial banking business and to the extent to which the total stream of credit was allowed to undergo extreme fluctuations. In a broad sense, the two great commercial banking problems of today are how to get the commercial banks back into the commercial banking business and how to feed a more steady and orderly stream of credit to the community, with a view to oblating the excesses of alternating inflation and de- which he proclaimed: "High hopes brought this Parliament into being. We will make it a Parliament of high endeavor." He had been full of fine plans in those days. For one thing, the timber men were to have higher wages. "We got them another 1s. 6d. a week," he says, "and then the State sacked some of them. "We looked forward to the debates on unemployment and agriculture and the mines," he adds, "and spoke from the back benches when the heavy guns were at dinner." He was twenty-three in those days. Now he is twenty-five, and wiser. His hopes have faded. He thought he was going to play a large part in changing England and the Empire. Instead of this he is "spending his time answering letters issued by organizations ordering us" (a) to vote for humane slaughter of beasts (b) to vote against it. (a) to open cinemas on Sunday (b) to close them. (a) to prohibit sweepstakes (b) to extend them. He has about reached the conclusion that all effort is futile, and that the world is on its way to perdition. Some of us who are older can tell him from our own experience that he is now at the age of greatest discouragement. We, too, came into life full of determination to set things right instanter. We were frankly critical of the bungling of our predecessors. There should be no more mistakes and no delay! In a couple of years we, too, were in the depths of despair, deeper depths than we have ever been in since. It is not clear to any human mind just what is the whole purpose and plan of human life. But, two things are reasonably apparent. First, it does not seem to be any part of the program to have the millennium come quickly or easily. Gain is won only as a result of sweat and blood, and time. Second, as we get older we see more clearly how destructive it would be if all the good ideas of youth were allowed to become immediately effective. The first two Great Reformos in whose service I myself labored were both successful. I think now that both were bad mistakes. So in our later years we give up the idea of a quick millennium. Some of us do it in deep discouragement. Others say: "I cannot lick the world, but there is one part of it I can lick, namely, myself. I'll see what I can do with that." It's a good sporting proposition. And who knows? Maybe the spread of that simple idea is the real plan. A few scattered elections were held this month but they were only a sort outting up of the orchestra for the big show next year. Industrialists emphasize that as the value of the Mexican silver peso improves, producing prices must increase, and as Mexican currency becomes firmer the dollar must drop. There is not great optismism over the continuation of silver at the present price, but if it remains for any length of time it will greatly help Mexico's greatest industry. During normal years Mexico produced more than $100,000,000 worth of silver annually compared with the United States production of about $65,000,000. One of our contemporaries observes that no one knows how to cure a depression. But the number who think they know is legend—Boston Transcript. NO. WORK, NO FOOD. Relief budgets are the largest in the history of the Southwest, but officials assert that money will not be doled generously to every Tom, Dick and Harry that asks for aid. "No food without work" is the slogan in Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma, and wherever possible municipal woodpiles will be operated. In Lamar, Colo., the American Legion gathered 50,000 cords of wood, which will be cut into stove lengths by men who apply for food. In other towns sewers will be built by hand labor. In the road-building program in South-west Kansas machinery will be replaced by manual labor. Relief authorities say the towns are in good shape to handle their local problems, but the transient unemployed will not fare so well. Communities have invoked an iron-clad rule to prevent transient charity cases crowding out the local needy. Notices have been served on counties in adjoining States that a practice of dumping the needy will entail suffering and misery. The country has gotten one thing out of the past two years. It has been thoroughly cleaned and pressed—Omaha World-Herald. DEER AIDED BY JOKER Missouri deer did not fare so badly during the recent three-day open season, one first in seven years in that state. A total of 1600 deer hunting licenses were issued and latest reports are that only fifty-two deer were killed, the limit being one per man. Perhaps the reason for the slim showing was not so much the scarcity of deer as the joker that crept into the bill passed by the legislature which permitted a revival of shooting. The intent of the bill was to permit the killing of deer with four prongs only. By mistake the measure as passed provided that the deer must have four prongs on each horn, a total of eight. Obviously by the time a hunter counted eight prongs his intended victim was out of sight and no shots were fired. Just before the present depression began the country banks were invited to attend group conferences where they were advised of the perils of local loans. There was a flood of supposedly educational propaganda to convince the country banker that his loans to local tradesmen and farmers could easily become frozen, whereas, if he put his funds into bonds, his liquid position would be assured. The country banker had to depend upon the bond salesmen and upon the security affiliates of city banks for advice as to which bonds to purchase. The result was, in a great many cases, a portfolio of bonds which proved, at the crucial stage of the depression, to be unmarketable except on terms of ruinous loss. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park contains a giant mushroom weighing 12 pounds. MONKEY IN CIRCULATION Cecil Brown, newsboy of Waycross, Georgia, recently demonstrated an ability to do much with little which would arouse envy in any ambitious financier. Cecil, with other boys, was at the office of the Journal-Herald, the afternoon newspaper of Waycross. He had 5 cents, his sole capital, and put it to work with astonishing results. Here is the story, according to Cecil: "There were four of us boys, and I owed one of em a dime. I paid him a nickel on account. He paid another boy a nickel he owed him, and that one paid the fourth boy. This last boy happened to owe me 5 cents, and he paid me. That gave me my nickel back. So I handed it to the boy to whom I had owed a dime, so that when he got the five-cent piece a second time he was paid in full. One nickel got all four of us out of debt. Waycross financiers and economists are considering taking Cecil on a tour of South Georgia to show people what can be done if somebody will spend some money and start the pay-up ball rolling." So in our later years we give up the idea of a quick millennium. Some of us do it in deep discouragement. Others say: "I cannot lick the world, but there is one part of it I can lick, namely, myself. I'll see what I can do with that." It's a good sporting proposition. And who knows? Maybe the spread of that simple idea is the real plan. A few scattered elections were held this month but they were only a sort of thing up of the orchestra for the big show next year. Perhaps the reason for the slim showing was not so much the scarcity of deer as the joker that crept into the bill passed by the legislature which permitted a revival of shooting. The intent of the bill was to permit the killing of deer with four prongs only. By mistake the measure as passed provided that the deer must have four prongs on each horn, a total of eight. Obviously by the time a hunter counted eight prongs his intended victim was out of sight and no shots were fired. HEY BUD, COME HERE, QUICK WILL YA ANSWER ME A QUESTION? HOW DOES A BLACK COW, LIKE THAT, WHEN IT EATS GREEN GRASS, GIVE WHITE MILK? I DONT KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S HER BUSINESS OBSERVATIONS AND BANG SHE WENT One of the officers on an illfated vessel that went on the rocks up the coast stated he knew they were off the course but he waited ten minutes before giving the alarm! STUNG AGAIN "Your husband deals in stocks, does he not," asked one wife of another woman at the bridge game. "Yep," replied the woman glowingly. "And he makes a lot of money. Why don't you tell your man to get into the game." She did. He did. And then came the big blow-off. TIEING TINCAN ONTO ITS TAIL When the big stock blowup came, leaving a lotta guys high and dry, it made many of them sick, and of course they blamed it on the administration. GOSH, THE BAT MUSTTA BEEN AWAY The ink hardly got dry on the last bunch of indictments against men in that smelly oil stock scandal that rocked the country, when another bunch of bozos were listed for a shakeup. How those guys could get that way is a mystery. It seems for an alibi these fellers in the latest flareup lay it all onto frozen assets, but to some of the victims it looks like a lot of dry rot, or maybe a duster. Some men in high office have a way of handling other people's money that should lead in one direction only, to wit: the penitentiary. TREADING CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF In one of the late gloom chasing pitchers the subtle saying and whatnots are so cunningly devised, that the dual meaning of some of the wisecracks cause the fans to emit a chorus. Of Ooohs! and Ohs! And also nudges in the ribs of the guys next to you. IT MAKES A MAN FEEL LIKE A FOOL If you have worked for your boss for a year, and then you invite a lot of his friends to his house for a surprise party; and then if he fires you a day or two before the shindy, and you cannot cancel the announcements; and all hands show up at the punch bowl, including yourself, how would you feel about it or go fishing? THE MARINES MUSTTA CHAPERONED THAT PARTY IT MAKES A MAN FEEL LIKE A FOOL If you have worked for your boss for a year, and then you invite a lot of his friends to his house for a surprise party; and then if he fires you a day or two before the shindy, and you cannot cancel the announcements; and all hands show up at the punch bowl, including yourself, how would you feel about it or go fishing? THE MARINES MUST TA CHAPERONED THAT PARTY The other night the manager of a financial institution in an eastern city removed 24 million dollars from one bank to another, and there was not a gangster in sight. HEY, EDDIE, SNUFF OUT THAT LANTERN A man who owed a bill of $1.75 for forty years, recently paid up the principal, with compound interest, amounting to $19.98. WHICH MEANS QUIT LOOKING AT THE CLOCK A successful business man when asked for his opinion on several highly interesting questions that would keep a fellow along, gave one answer that carried a ton of weight. He said: "If you do just what you are paid for, you will be paid for just what you do." LEAST OF TWO EVILS A musical expert says, "teach a boy to blow a horn and he will never blow a safe." LETTING LOOSE TO GRAB A NEW HOLD After you have read some of the speeches of the big dollar a year men you come to the conclusion that we must have depressions if we want the prosperity. GETTING 'EM OUT OF THE TRENCHES A well known maker of motor vehicles says people liked to get rich quick without work and played the stock game. Then came the big stock blowout. He says the only way to straighten out an economic depression is by work. The man said a mouthful. And then as he went along he said he would rather have twenty men working seven hours a day, rather than have twice that many men working half that time. Well, that mixes up his piece. He allows those men then could buy industrial products. And go places and do things. Perhaps those things would be luxuries. The plot thickens. But if twice the number worked on half time they might not have money to buy cars and radios; but they surely would have Mazuma to buy the groceries and pay the rent. And that no doubt would cut down the bread lines. It all depends how you have been raised. People must get down to rawhide boots and off the cushioned seats. Lots of men who were in comfortable circumstances a couple of years ago and took a fling at the gambling game of stock speculation on Margin today are pretty well squeezed. THE RICH MAN PAYS AND PAYS A newspaper publisher advocates a five billion dollar bond issue to help out on the unemployment. Of course that would be artificial aid; and yet again it would help a lot of the poor, but cause groans from the property owners when the tax bills are received. The government should cure some of the ills we already THE RICH MAN PAYS AND PAYS A newspaper publisher advocates a five billion dollar bond issue to help out on the unemployment. Of course that would be artificial aid; and yet again it would help a lot of the poor, but cause groans from the property owners when the tax bills are received. The government should cure some of the ills we already have before picking up any more new ones. CLOCKING THE CANDIDATES Just about the time the Orange show closed one of the major political parties fired its first gun in the 1932 presidential sweepstakes, and it was heard around the world. Since then other pow wows have been held in another camp and the drums are beating. Much smoke is coming out of the wigwams and it looks like a real fight is on. Lots of the common folks get excited about the political question, while yet again others go fishing. CHIRPING THROUGH THE CHAPEAU Some editors write long winded editorials and after a fella gets through reading them he wonders what they are driving at. WORDS OF WISDOM President Hoover's address before the republican editorial association was masterful. If every voter in the United States would take that message, read it carefully, analyze it and think it over seriously, he would throw his hat in the air and shout three cheers for Hoover. People should look at the problems before this country calmly and should think twice before they leap. PHANTOM PENCIL PUSHERS Next to going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, if you crave excitement, is to "write" your biography—and have someone else do the writing. ALLOCATING THE ALLOWANCE A prominent club woman when asked what she though the female cared for the most, replied. "Good clothes, bridge games and cigarettes," Well, of all things!