anaheim-gazette 1932-07-07

Orgy of Over-Building Railroads Chief Cause of 1870 Depression; Dr. Klein Warns Against Hurried Building Plans Declares Civilization Not a Matter of Bricks and Stones, but That With Every Major Mental Development Corresponding Building Developments Made; Unwise Public Works By DR. JULIUS KLEIN Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Editor's note: Dr. Klein delivered this address recently, under the title "The Planning of Public Works." It is of such direct interest to the taxpayers and citizens of the United States, and touches so directly on fly-by-night schemes to relieve unemployment, that the address is reprinted in full.) Civilization, we all know, is not a matter of bricks and stone. Well-constructed buildings, highways, and other material works do not make a nation "civilized" any more than a well-tailored suit of clothes makes a man intelligent or cultured. Yet there is a very real connection between civilization, in the highest, most spiritual sense of the word, and the construction of material things. There never has been a "golden age" of intellectual achievement and spiritual progress that has not been distinguished as well by remarkable construction activities. Ancient Greece is important to us for her philosophic and artistic contributions to the ages, but while these were being developed, the Greeks were also erecting magnificent temples or theaters whose stately walls, in many cases, are still standing. The Romans, two thousand years ago, were incidentally, building water-supply systems, and parts of their original aqueducts are still used today. And the foundations of many of the fine European motor roads of today were first laid for the use of Caesar's legions. So, while a nation cannot be called civilized just because its construction industry is highly developed, there is a very real connection between national advancement and the wood and stone, steel and concrete, of its citizens' physical environment. While this applies, of course, to private construction of homes, office buildings, and factories, it is perhaps even more true of public works as the expression of the spirit, the aspirations, of the community as a whole. Today the most vital of public building activities is that extremely important function of providing light and evening—unless they are carefully planned. Take highways and streets, for instance. No one can deny that they are one of the most essential forms of public construction. Yet, is it possible for a nation to spend too much on ways of communication, to build ahead of itself, as it were? Our magnificent system of public roads has been one of the principal factors in our economic progress during recent years, but because we have found that the nation has drawn real dividends from adequate highways we must not jump to the conclusion that a reckless extension of roads in every direction will do just that much more good. The ghosts of tragic economic disaster of our own history hold up a warning hand here. The boom in canal and well-founded pl civilized just because its construction industry is highly developed, there is a very real connection between national advancement and the wood and stone, steel and concrete of its citizens' physical environment. While this applies, of course, to private construction of homes, office buildings, and factories, it is perhaps even more true of public works as the expression of the spirit, the aspirations, of the community as a whole. Today the most vital of public building activities is that extremely important function of providing work for the jobless. If we could bring an end to this period of economic readjustment and give jobs to everybody by embarking on a huge program of public works it would indeed be "a consummation devoutly to be wished." Put, unfortunately, somebody has to pay the bills for public construction, and unless the work is something that that "somebody" (who, of course, is that same taxpayer that has to pay a good many more bills than he likes, these days) really needs then an indiscriminate expenditure of his money is not going to make the country any better off than it would if a vast army of men were to be set to work building a ladder to the moon. Quotes Hoover "There is enough being said and written on this subject today so that I do not think I need lead you into any mazes of economics to expose the fallacy of the argument that public works. In themselves, are the one cure all the country needs. The situation was well epitomized by President Hoover last month, when he declared. "I have for many years advocated the speeding up of public works in times of depression as an aid to business and unemployment. That has been done upon a huge scale and is proceeding at as great a pace as fiscal stability will warrant. All branches of government—Federal, State, and municipal—have greatly expanded their 'public works' and have now reached a stage where they have anticipated the need for many such works for a long time to come. Therefore, the new projects which might be undertaken are of even more remote usefulness. From January, 1930, to July 1st, 1932, the Federal Government will have expended $1,500,-000,000 on 'public works'. The budget for the next fiscal year carries a further $575,000,000 of such expenditures (compared with about $250,000,000 normal) and includes all the items I have felt are justified by sound engineering and sound finance. Thus by the end of next year the Federal Government will have expended over $2,000,000,000 on public works, which represents an increase over normal of perhaps $1,-200,000,000. Thus we have largely anticipated the future and have rendered further expansion beyond our present program of very remote usefulness and certainly not justified for some time to it possible for a nation to spend too much on ways of communication, to build ahead of itself, as it were? Our magnificent system of public roads has been one of the principal factors in our economic progress during recent years, but because we have found that the nation has drawn real dividends from adequate highways we must not jump to the conclusion that a reckless extension of roads in every direction will do just that much more good. The ghosts of tragic economic disaster of our own history hold up a warning hand here. The boom in canal and turnpike promotive projects preceded the terrific crashes of the 'thirties and 'fifties, when the country went through ghastly losses. Railways also furnish an important precedent. In the 10 years after the Civil War, over 40,000 miles of railroad tracks were laid in the United States—enough to encircle [the world]. In later decades the nation finally grew to a point where this tremendous stretch of trackage was required, but, at the time, the effect was disastrous, and the veritable orgy of over-building on the part of American railroads was a chief cause of the deep and prolonged depression of the 1870's. As an editorial writer of the New York Sun sadly lamented from the depths of the dark days of 1873," We have built too many railways on credit. We have lived too fast." Nothing Visionary How then can we as citizens of the Nation or of a State or a city know to what extent public construction is wise and to what point it may be carried before it actually defeats the end it was intended to serve? The answer is, by intelligent planning of public work; by deciding in advance whether the taxpayers' dollars that are to be spent for given projects will be put to really worthwhile use. Mind you, we are concerned tonight simply with the perhaps cold-blooded, dollars-and-cents aspects of this problem. The question as to whether public works should be considered, at this time, purely from their effect on employment, without regard to who pays the bills, is a far larger social and political issue than I can discuss in a talk of this sort. We hear much of industrial and business planning, and it is well that we should; it is a vital topic. Let us examine one of the things the Federal Government is doing in the way of planning for its own needs and, equally important, in the way of helping States and municipalities to plan for their needs. A year ago, Congress passed a law creating the Federal Employment Stabilization Board, composed of the Secretary of Commerce, as chairman, and the secretaries of three other executive departments—Treasury, Agriculture and Labor. The administration of its affairs is entrusted to a trained staff with Colonel D. H. Sawyer as Director. There is nothing visionary or academic about this board. AIR Believed to be west, a course at University deals with these powers, and pigs gators. well-founded place of our cities, co-inclusive proven lessens expenditure thing better for Long-range guesswork and uniform basis requirements are made in connection budget. By co-ordination of various public constructors to insure that each or small will be proper time. Public works: not entirely any roads, and street; the modernization when the common new ways of making almost ever conditioning; for achievement whiten by private that it will some place in any sort one of those new possibilities that play its part in any sense conditions; radio and the dustries; contrifined United States o Mind you, I that every city in the land be equipping apparatus want to suggest stallations are one boost may be typically America entally, the rationals that have development of these were demonstration country during t to July 2. Interested Whatever the local government through long-running wide fluctuation year to which you had to try to add be generally refine business condition ward eliminating the construction (including suppliers, and contractors the necessity for for the next fiscal year carries a further $575,000,000 of such expenditures (compared with about $250,000,000 normal) and includes all the items I have felt are justified by sound engineering and sound finance. Thus by the end of next year the Federal Government will have expended over $2,000,000,000 on public works, which represents an increase over normal of perhaps $1,200,000,000. Thus we have largely anticipated the future and have rendered further expansion beyond our present program of very remote usefulness and certainly not justified for some time to come, even were there no fiscal difficulties. They represent building of a community beyond its necessities. We cannot thus squander ourselves into prosperity." There are three classes of public construction, whether it be considered from the national point of view of from that of the smallest village. First, there are the buildings that must be provided to house the activities of government: State Capitals, the buildings of governmental branches at Washington, postoffices, town halls or municipal buildings, etc. The Government concerned must pay for such housing, either by constructing the buildings or by renting quarters, which is usually more expensive in the long run. Then there is the construction incidental to the protection of life and property—works for the use of the army, navy, coast guard, lighthouse service, and so on, in the case of a national government, and for the use of police and fire departments when we are considering public building by a municipality. There is no question of the essential nature of construction in these two categories; the only question is that of how far it can be carried out to serve the purposes for which it is intended without prejudice to the public concerned. Over-Building Railroads But beyond these groups of governmental housing and defense, there is perhaps the largest class of public works of all, including highways, streets, reclamation projects, parks, drainage, etc. It is in this last group of public works that difficulties are most likely to arise—and this is the one point I want particularly to emphasize this planning for its own needs and, equally important, in the way of helping States and municipalities to plan for their needs. A year ago, Congress passed a law creating the Federal Employment Stabilization Board, composed of the Secretary of Commerce, as chairman, and the secretaries of three other executive departments—Treasury, Agriculture and Labor. The administration of its affairs is entrusted to a trained staff with Colonel D. H. Sawyer as Director. There is nothing visionary or academic about this board. Among its duties is that of keeping the President currently informed as to the trends of construction. Secondly, it is charged with a most vital obligation, the preparation of plans, six years in advance, for public works that may be required by the various Governmental activities. Finally (and here is a point that should be mighty interesting to everyone who pays State, county, or city taxes), this board is ordered by law to cooperate with the executive departments of all such governmental units in the preparation of scientific plans for public works. These smaller governmental units, States, cities, and counties, normally spend just about ten times as much for improvements as does the Federal. Make Preparations Public planning is no more complicated in its essentials than is the family budget with which every housewife is familiar. It means, first, having the money to spend when it will do the most good and second, spending the money in a judicious manner. Is it not logical enough that during boom periods some of the public works, either of a nation or a city, be held in reserve for leaner years? But we cannot properly increase suddenly the volume of public works materially above normal unless adequate preparations are made in advance. And only scientific planning will make this possible. Certainly genuine benefits will result from the wise administration of well-conceived public-works programs, but those who pay the bills (and do not forget that means the taxpayers) are entitled to the protection afforded by a Interested Whatever the local government through long-range year to which it had to try to adhere generally refines business conditions ward eliminating the construction (including suppliers), and contrives the necessity formation equipment, demands, and ongoing when the deeds Long-range plan made deliberately to give adequate involved and therefore alternative schemes certain to produce less cost than was sought in times speed is the only result of planning public expenditure the proper financial munty and provide rowing power availes. For adequacy to the acceleration emergencies. The Federal Education Board has given knowledge of the methods of government in final planning public really big steps in value received to So have many State principal governments this very common will inevitably receive good of the nation units of which it Stages Winning Battle Mrs. Dollie Gann, sister of Vice-President Curtis, who stirred the interest of delegates in her winning battle at Chicago for the renomination of "brother Charles" as Hoover's running-mate. There was a social slant to the battle, Mrs. Nicholas Longworth encouraging the opposition, so 'twas reported. SHERIFF GUEST CRITIC R. C. Sheriff, author of "Journey's End", was guest critic at the 1932 Apolliad of U. S. C. school of speech, annual spring program of creative arts in which collegiate authors and composers present their original work to the public. AIR LAW STUDY Believed to be the only one in the west, a course of study in air law at the University of Southern California deals with the governmental rights, powers, and privileges of aerial navigators. THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON (Correspondence to the Gazette) Washington, D. C.—The Republican National Convention performed precisely as was forecast in these dispatches; it re-nominated Hoover and Curtis—and there was nothing that looked like a contest over anything but the Prohibition plank. And that plank, as adopted with President Hoover's approval, is precisely what was forecast by your correspondent. Those who understand the ins and outs of politics and have more than a superficial knowledge of the state of public opinion are offering bets that when the early shouting is all over there will be so little to choose between the pronouncements of the Republicans and Democrats on the prohibition question as to make it a secondary issue in the Presidential campaign. And that is what the statesmanlike leaders of both parties hope will come about. In the meantime, however, the President and the Republicans who follow his leadership, are under a violent attack by the extreme repealists led by Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, President of Columbia University. President Herbert Hoover regards the whole Butler school of thought as subversive and un-American. Dr. Butler regards Mr. Hoover's methods and policies as inept and un-Republican. The difference between two individuals is unimportant except as indicating as much difference of opinion inside the Republican Party as there is inside the Democratic Party. In the matter of Prohibition, however, Mr. Hoover and his friends who forced the adoption of the party declaration on the subject adhered very closely indeed to the historical position of the Republican party. "Sacrament" Topic For Lesson-Sermon Communion services will be conducted on Sunday in all branches of Mother Church, The First Church Christ, Scientist, in Boston. Mr. "Sacrament" is the subject of Lesson-Sermon. One of the Scriptural selections includes these verses from John: "Je knowing that the Father had given things into his hands, and that he come from God, and went to God; riseth from supper, and laid aside garments; and took a towel, girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wipe the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he girded... So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garment, and was set down again, he said unto them. Know ye what I have done you? Ye call me Master and Lord; ye say well; for so I am. If I think your Lord and Master, have was your feet; ye also ought to wash another's feet. For I have given you an exequine, that ye should do as have done to you." A passage from "Science and Heard with Key to the Scriptures," by Mr. Baker Eddy, states: "Christianity holds human thought in line with selfed love, receives directly the vine power." AIR LAW STUDY Believed to be the only one in the west, a course of study in air law at the University of Southern California deals with the governmental rights, powers, and privileges of aerial navigators. Long-range planning eliminates guesswork and furnishes a sound and uniform basis for predicting financial requirements and the various estimates made in connection with the public budget. By correlating the activities of the various agencies concerned with public construction it is made possible to insure that each improvement, great or small, will be undertaken at its proper time. Public works, let us not forget, are not entirely a matter of new buildings, roads, and streets. They may include the modernization of existing buildings when the community can afford it. And new ways of modernizing are developing almost every day. Consider air-conditioning, for instance, a scientific achievement whose enthusiastic adoption by private builders would indicate that it will some day be a commonplace in any sort of construction. It is one of those new industries with vast possibilities that is springing up to play its part in restoring normal business conditions, perhaps just as the radio and the automobile, as new industries, contributed to pulling the United States out of past depressions. Mind you, I am not recommending that every city hall and schoolhouse in the land be equipped with air-conditioning apparatus immediately. I simply want to suggest that when such installations are economically justifiable, a boost may be given to a rising and typically American industry. Incidentally, the rather phenomenal advances that have been made in the development of this sort of equipment were demonstrated throughout the country during the week from June 25 to July 2. Interested In Government Whatever the various national or local government agencies can do, through long-range planning, to avoid the wide fluctuations from year to year to which, unfortunately, we have had to try to accustom ourselves, will be generally reflected in more stable business conditions. It will go far toward eliminating the costly wastes in the construction industry in general (including supply houses, manufacturers, and contractors) that are due to the necessity for maintaining our subversive and un-American Dr. Butler regards Mr. Hoover's methods and policies as inept and un-Republican. The difference between two individuals is unimportant except as indicating as much difference of opinion inside the Republican Party as there is inside the Democratic Party. In the matter of Prohibition, however, Mr. Hoover and his friends who forced the adoption of the party declaration on the subject adhered very closely indeed to the historical position of the Republican party. That position, since the time of Lincoln has been conservative. Every change that has been made in fundamental laws in the past 60 years has been put forward in the first instance by the Democrats. The income tax, the direct election of U.S. Senators, prohibition and woman suffrage. Once in the Constitution, however, it has always been the Republican policy to stand behind them, against further change. Historically, too, the Republican party has been the "dry" party since time immemorial; its voting strength coming largely from the states which voted themselves dry long before national prohibition. In the light of this historical position of the Republicans, political observers here are asking what Dr. Butler or anybody else expected the Republican Convention to do on Prohibition, beyond what it did? And at the same time they are asking what the Democrats could do to come any nearer satisfying the repealists. Repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment without any qualifying restrictions would throw the liquor question right back where it was, open saloon and everything. Neither of the two great parties could well afford to propose that, even if its leadership were unanimous in wanting the saloon back, which is far from the case. There is no way under the Constitution for a referendum whereby the total number of individual votes on each side can be counted for or against the proposal. The Federal government knows the individual voter only as a source of taxes or as a violator of a Federal statute. In all other aspects the contact of Washington with the people of the United States is through the States of which we are citizens. And any change in the Constitution must be made by the states as such, three-quarters of them being required to make a change regardless of whether they are the largest or the smallest states. The Republican plank on Prohibition adopted at Chicago conforms precisely to the party's historical position and present political necessities. It promises a submission to the states of a new constitutional amendment, which would, if ratified by conventions called for, surpass our purposes. Interested in Government Whatever the various national or local government agencies can do, through long-range planning, to avoid the wide fluctuations from year to year to which, unfortunately, we have had to try to accustom ourselves, will be generally reflected in more stable business conditions. It will go far toward eliminating the costly wastes in the construction industry in general (including supply houses, manufacturers, and contractors) that are due to the necessity for maintaining organization, equipment, and supplies for peak demands, and on the other hand skimping when the demand is slack. Long-range planning means plans made deliberately with sufficient times to give adequate study to the factors involved and the relative merits of alternative schemes. This procedure is certain to produce better results at less cost than would those expedients sought in times of emergency when speed is the only consideration. As a result of planning, the aggregate of public expenditures can be held within the proper financial means of the community and provide a surplus of borrowing power available for emergencies. For adequate credit is essential to the acceleration of public works in emergencies. The Federal Employment Stabilization Board has gained an important knowledge of the means to be pursued to accomplish the purposes of long-range planning, and I think it should be generally known that it will genuinely welcome opportunities to place its experience and assistance at the disposal of interested State or local officials or groups in any way that they might consider helpful. All of us, I believe, are especially interested today in improving business methods of government. The Federal Government is finding that this matter of planning public works is one of the really big steps it can take to give value received to the people it serves. So have many State, county, and municipal governments. Extension of this very common-sense public policy will inevitably redound to the real good of the nation as a whole and the units of which it is composed. And any change in the Constitution must be made by the states as such, three-quarters of them being required to make a change regardless of whether they are the largest or the smallest states. The Republican plank on Prohibition adopted at Chicago conforms precisely to the party's historical position and present political necessities. It promises a submission to the states of a new constitutional amendment, which would, if ratified by conventions called for the purpose in 36 states, permit each state to decide for itself whether it wants state-wide prohibition or not. What the outright repealists object to, however, is the declaration that the amendment to be proposed, in case the Republican Party is able to get it adopted by Congress, must contain a provision enabling the Federal Government to protect the dry states against illicit liquor distribution and that states which want to go wet must adopt measure to prevent the return of the saloon. In other words, the Republican Party again puts itself on record as the dry party, which it indubitably is, and hopes to retain the votes of the dry element by its platform promise "to preserve the gains already made in dealing with the evils inherent in the liquor traffic." Conservative in this as in everything else, the party opposes any radical change. The Republican plank pleases neither that element of the dry wing which regards prohibition as something holy and the use of alcohol as sinful, nor that section of the wet wing, which would throw away all restrictions on the liquor traffic. Mr. Hoover's advisers believe that neither of these elements is as numerous as it is noisy, and that the level-headed average citizen will accept the Prohibition plank in the assurance, not only that there isn't a Chinaman's chance of thirty-six states concurring even to that extent, but that anything which the Democratic Party proposes will either be substantially the same thing or will alienate the entire dry vote from that party. "Document” Topic For Lesson-Sermon ion services will be conductday in all branches of The church, The First Church of studentist, in Boston, Mass. It is the subject of the sermon. the Scriptural selections insevere verses from John: "Jesus that the Father had given all his hands, and that he was God, and went to God; he in supper, and laid aside his hand and took a towel, and self. After that he poureth a basin, and began to wash hes’ feet, and to wipe them towel wherewith he was. So after he had washed and had taken his garments, set down again, he said unto now ye what I have done to call me Master and Lord; and all; for so I am. If I then, and Master, have washed ye also ought to wash one fect. For I have given you me, that ye should do as I to you." from "Science and Health into the Scriptures," by Mary ly, states: "Christianity is of true healing. Whatever mind thought in line with angels, receives directly the diferent." THE ROAD IMPROVED and seven-tenth miles of the open Blythe, Riverside county, Warrenberg bridge, are being oil-surfaced. This is a the Sunkist Trail which extends Los Angeles to Phoenix, Olympian Army Converging On Southland As 50 Nations Prepare for Gigantic Games Advance Demands for Tickets Proving Heavy; Greek Letter Fraternities to Meet in Los Angeles Immediately After Games; Sight-Seeing Tours for Hordes of Game Fans Traveling by every modern mode of conveyance, the greatest Olympian army in world history is converging upon Los Angeles. Every incoming train and trans-oceanic steamship is crowded with passengers, a majority of them drawn here for the celebration of the 1932 Olympic games, July 30 to August 14, inclusive. Still greater throngs are arriving by automobile. Others alight from passenger-carrying airplanes. Unofficial estimates place the number of Olympic games visitors who will reach the city between now and the opening of the Olympic celebration at anywhere between 350,000 and 500,000. The 1932 Olympic games will not only break all records from the standpoint of attendance, but it likewise will shatter an all-time mark from the point of participation. At least 2,000 athletes, the largest assortment of world-record breakers ever assembled, will compete in the games. 50 Countries Evidence of universal interest in the games is found in the fact that advance ticket reservations have been received from all of the 50 Olympic countries participating and from every state in the Union, according to John F. Mackenzie, manager of the ticket department. Thousands of tickets have been sold to the main events and indications are that there will be a complete sell-out to the main stadium well in advance of the opening ceremony. Mackenzie stated. Many of the early arrivals in the city are persons who were sent here as delegates to national and international conventions to be held during the two weeks preceding the games. These include meetings of the International Association of Lions clubs, Rainbow Forty-Second Division, A. E. F., National Editorial association, Walther League of the Lutheran Synodical conference, and nearly a score of Greek letter societies. Fraternities and sororities which will meet in Los Angeles either immediately preceding or following the games, include Delta Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Rho Pi Phi, Phi Delta Chi, Zeta Psi, Phi Sigma Chi, Phi Kappa Tau, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Sigma Phi Alpha Delta (aw fraternity) and Beta Phi Sigma (non-academic fraternity). A majority of the delegates to these conventions have arranged sigat-seeing tours which will carry them through California and adjoining states before they return home. The fishing season opened June 1 at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, with good reports of trout fishing in Bright Angel Creek. spread before him was the great city . . he had been around it many times . . this 16-year-old boy—ignorant, unschooled, but with all a sturdy tugboat barge hand. Each succeeding trip found him gazing in growing fascination toward the piles of buildings banked upon the shore. He noted and remembered many things about the city . . the sharp metallic clang of fire engines . . the clatter of horses, iron-shod hoofs on Belgian blocks; the harsh rattle of elevated trains . . and fast they went . . would he ever ride on one? . . Where did life lead? The answer was but a few hours away . . that turn of the wheel which tossed him up amid surroundings as fearsome to him as a primitive jungle might be . . life unfolding in such a rapid series of sequence that his confused brain could scarce grasp its meaning. . . All of this tapped the well of a dormant quality in Johnny Breen. He founght back—he struck out boldly with his hard, brown fists . . and in this battle for food . . for a bed . . for knowledge . . for life itself, unfolds would he ever ride on one? . . . Where did life lead? The answer was but a few hours away . . . that turn of the wheel which tossed him up amid surroundings as fearsome to him as a primitive jungle might be . . . life unfolding in such a rapid series of sequence that his confused brain could scarce grasp its meaning. . . All of this tapped the well of a dormant quality in Johnny Breen. . . He founght back—he struck out boldly with his hard, brown fists . . . and in this battle for food . . . for a bed . . . for knowledge . . . for life itself, unfolds the thrilling sory of “FIRST LOVES.” “FIRST LOVES” touches upon all phases of life in that great melting pot of humanity—New York . . . from the Bowery to Park Avenue to Riverside Drive. . . It is a graphic picture of the people, the hates, the loves, the fears and the kindnesses of city dwellers in all walks of life. It is from the pen of Felix Riesenberg, author of “Endless River” and “Passing Strangers.” This story, “FIRST LOVES,” is an embracing study of the foundation of the greater city of New York—a story that will stir your emotions—from beginning to end. STARTING THIS WEEK - - SEE PAGE 7