anaheim-gazette 1933-02-09

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. WATER SITUATION CLEARS UP If every voter in Orange county had the privilege of taking an all-day tour of inspection, seeing with his own eyes how underground flow and return irrigation supplies water to Orange county, agitation for construction of any dam along the Santa Ana would disappear. Not only that, but propaganda directed against spending of $400,000 by the state for spreading channels, to be matched by the three counties benefiting, would be so clearly marked by selfish interests that it would hide from its own shadow. Arguments advanced for construction of a dam at either the upper or lower Prado sites, and talk about San Bernardino and Riverside counties robbing this county of water via spreading at the mouth of the Upper Santa Ana, heretofore have sounded as if they were advanced in the interests of Orange county. After carefully studying the situation the Gazette has come to the conclusion that the agitation is advanced under the guise of public welfare for the selfish interests of a few people. Last Saturday not more than one-tenth the water was flowing at the mouth of the Upper Santa Ana that was evident at the Orange county line. Not only that, but irrigation companies with prior rights were not taking their water, and the whole stream percolated before reaching Riverside. Yet at the Jurupa narrows considerable water came to the surface. Then consider that not until the water in the Santa Ana river reaches the Chapman bridge, thus giving all the opportunity in the world for percolation directly into the lower, or Santa Ana basin, does the Tri-Counties Water Conservation association begin its spreading operations. Last Saturday not more than one-tenth the water was flowing at the mouth of the Upper Santa Ana that was evident at the Orange county line. Not only that, but irrigation companies with prior rights were not taking their water, and the whole stream percolated before reaching Riverside. Yet at the Jurupa narrows considerable water came to the surface. Then consider that not until the water in the Santa Ana river reaches the Chapman bridge, thus giving all the opportunity in the world for percolation directly into the lower, or Santa Ana basin, does the Tri-Counties Water Conservation association begin its spreading operations. Thus, it becomes increasingly evident that spreading in the upper Santa Ana and its tributaries increases the underground flow of water, storing for future use this water for Orange county farmers. Of course, the spreading first benefits Riverside, Colton and San Bernardino, but return irrigation from those sources keeps the water flowing toward the Chino and Santa Ana basins, eventually benefiting growers in this district. Naturally, there are many plausible arguments in favor of dams for storing flood waters and protection of whole areas from overflow from river banks. But consider the actual circumstances. Not more than once in ten years is there a heavy enough storm to force any considerable amount of water to the ocean. Most of that, under improved spreading arrangements, could be saved. The cost of storing water underground is only about $1.40 per acre foot; for constructing dams to hold it, the cost runs from ten to one thousand times as much. A big dam in the Santa Ana would be a constant source of danger to the communities in the Santa Ana valley—witness the St. Francis disaster. Estimates for constructing dams do not include suits against the county for payment of lands affected by seepage. In the upper Prado site alone this one factor might easily make the total cost $60,000,000, instead of the $16,000,000 as engineers propose it. The logical conclusion is for Orange county to co-operate with San Bernardino and Riverside counties, under the Tri-County agreement for spreading, to match the $400,000 the state has set aside for promoting conservation of water in the Upper Santa Ana. We would be repaid many times in the years to come, and the cost would be negligible in comparison to the expense of constructing a dam to store flood waters. As the water situation stands now, it is more embroiled in politics than in engineering difficulties. OUR BURDEN OF DEBT There is just one fundamental trouble afflicting the people of the United States today. That trouble is debt. Debtors far outnumber creditors. Debtors are unable to pay their debts, for reasons which, for the most part, are outside of their individual control. The great mass of ordinary common people find themselves owing money which they cannot by any means pay, are being ground down by the burden of interest charges which they cannot meet, and there property has depreciated in value so that they can no longer raise money with which to pay taxes. The reason for this condition is the low price of commodities. Stated another way, it is the high price of the gold dollar. So long as money—that is gold—continues to be so expensive that in order to get any of it a man must run still further into debt, or work for wages which are not sufficient to maintain life, we shall continue to have hard times. American citizens to prices which will ensue comfort. Matthew Woll, vice Labor, said some thing statement. Among them: "Then, too, we national problems. America an idealistic profession. The world is not here America goes to piece." "We enter 1933 for hope in that fact. I am dependence upon government be helpful. But government We shall pay dearly bureaucracy. "The greatest sanity government is cooperative dustry. We have no instruments at our cost but use the tools that" "Certain it is that cannot find the remedy is and always has program for the allele toward disarmament age American does oben the burdens of E payers. The proposal gets a little monotone." Mr. Woll well stays on the government movement through the Reed agencies has lightened adversity and has slowed However, despite campaign the government pay everybody's debts. The government takes the government alone selves. A beginning passing out from undeago seemed to envelopomic chaos was at long along the road toward of 1932. Some of the shock of most of Europe alleviated, and Uncle Prices seem to have reasons which, for the most part, are outside of their individual control. The great mass of ordinary common people find themselves owing money which they cannot by any means pay, are being ground down by the burden of interest charges which they cannot meet, and there property has depreciated in value so that they can no longer raise money with which to pay taxes. The reason for this condition is the low price of commodities. Stated another way, it is the high price of the gold dollar. So long as money—that is gold—continues to be so expensive that in order to get any of it a man must run still further into debt, or work for wages which are not sufficient to maintain life, we shall continue to have hard times. We think that is the root of the whole economic situation. We are given to understand by those who have made a special study of such things that this high price of gold has been met in other countries by the abandonment of the gold standard and the use of cheaper money. Great Britain, for example, has gone on a paper money basis. Nearly forty other nations are on a silver basis. Only France and the United States and two or three of the very small nations of Europe remain on the gold standard. We are told that the most earnest and diligent efforts are being made by the leaders of the principal governments of the world to bring about some sort of international agreement which will remedy that state of things. The objective which these statesmen have in mind is the restoration of the principal nations of the world to the gold standard. One of the reasons why the European nations which still owe us money, loaned them for war purposes, cannot pay us is because their money is not as good as ours, and the war debt obligations call for payment in gold. Likewise, those countries cannot buy our surplus commodities because we have had to pay the cost of producing them in gold and we cannot sell them for cheap money except at a material loss to ourselves. It has been suggested, and, we understand, is being seriously considered by the Roosevelt Administration, that we could afford to make very material concessions in the matter of these war debts if we could be assured that such concessions would result in restoring the currencies of those countries to the gold basis and giving them the necessary additional purchasing power to absorb our surplus goods and so restore our own industrial and agricultural prosperity. We do not know whether it would work out that way or not. We believe, however, that that would be preferable to the abandonment of the gold standard by the United States. We are confident, however, that the year 1933 is going to see a readjustment of world currencies on some basis which will make gold cheaper—that is to say, which will make commodities dearer in terms of gold dollars—and that this will automatically make it possible for The government to take the government alone selves. A beginning in passing out from under ago seemed to envelopomic chaos was at hand along the road toward 1932. Some of the shock of most of Europe alleviated, and Uncle Prices seem to have the cave of depressing clouds. Next will come by the people themselves. The cooperative effort our minds and our hedividual powers of reel look for a pot of gold wait for Congress to difficulties before we such circumstances. Not long ago one "Don't take any wood in reading about its equivalent in var country. It is true that an will accept as money used money made from It had no value in itself and served all the pu Wampum wasn't a money which is being isn't any good outside except to such people of those communities. The plan is working a circulating medium out of a job, for exam for a pair of shoes, being done but the bla whereby the painter thing from the black accept for shoes. An time and only within that purpose. ANAHEIM GAZETTE Why Silas Isn't Getting Home By Albert T. Reid FILIBUSTER CONGRESSIONAL BULL American citizens to sell their commodities and their labor at prices which will enable them to pay their debts and to live in comfort. TODAY and NOW American citizens to sell their commodities and their labor at prices which will enable them to pay their debts and to live in comfort. LEANING ON GOVERNMENT Matthew Woll, vice president of the American Federation of Labor, said some things worth repeating, in his annual New Year statement. Among them were the following: "Then, too, we need to undertake a concentration upon national problems, American problems. Internationalism may be an idealistic profession, but it can likewise be a mistaken one. The world is not helped by professing internationalism, while America goes to pieces. "We enter 1933 facing a change in government. Many find hope in that fact. I should like to give warning against too much dependence upon government. Government can, and we hope will, be helpful. But government cannot and should not do all things. We shall pay dearly for every step toward paternalism and bureaucracy. "The greatest safeguard against too much dependence upon government is cooperation between voluntary groups within industry. We have no condition that cannot be remedied with the instruments at our command. We have no need for despair if we out use the tools that are at our command. "Certain it is that, in spite of the international bankers, we cannot find the remedy for America's troubles in Europe. America is and always has been willing to cooperate in any constructive program for the alleviation of the world's troubles. Our moves toward disarmament are abundant proof of this. What the average American does object to is internationalist proposals to lighten the burdens of Europe at the expense of the American taxpayers. The proposal of having Uncle Sam do all the sacrificing gets a little monotonous when repeated too often." Mr. Woll well stated also that we must not depend too much on the government to pull us out of our difficulties. The government through the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and similar agencies has lightened the shock of the fall from prosperity to adversity and has slowed the course of deflation. However, despite some of the elaborate statements during the campaign the government cannot in itself cure the depression and pay everybody's debts. The government was not responsible for the depression and the government alone cannot cure it. The people must cure themselves. A beginning has already been made. As a people we are passing out from under the clouds of abject despair which a year ago seemed to envelop nearly everyone with the belief that economic chaos was at hand. We are now twelve months farther along the road toward recovery than we were at the beginning of 1932. Some of the worse hurdles have been overcome. The shock of most of Europe's falling from the gold standard has been alleviated, and Uncle Sam is no longer the victim of a gold raid. Prices seem to have reached bottom. It is time to come out of PROSPERITY at Chaska, Minn. My friend, James F. Faber, city editor of the Valley Herald, published at Chaska, Minnesota, sends me a memorandum of the claim of that thriving little city of the title of "the most prosperous town in America." With 2,000 inhabitants Chaska has a surplus of over $88,000 in the city treasury. Taxes have been cut 30 percent. The people of Chaska have almost $2,500,000 in the two banks, and the town never had a bank failure. There are no natives on the poorlist, and the city is providing a good living for nearly ninety business and professional men besides their employees. On top of that Chaska has had new businesses opening in each year of the depression, and has only five names on the delinquent tax list. I know of no other town the size of Chaska that can make such a showing. Do you? SAVINGS In the banks There is more money in the savings banks of the United States than ever before in our national history. In New York State alone savings bank deposits were more than five thousand million dollars on the first of January. This money is owned by more than five and one-half million depositors. The people of the United States are certainly not "broke" when savings deposits increase like that. Folks are putting their money into safe places instead of spending it because they are not quite sure yet what is going to happen in the future. Just as soon as conditions seem to be stabilized there will be plenty of funds available for investment in promising enterprises. CREDIT and an idea Taking the country as a whole, the banks are full of money, but it is harder than ever for the average person to borrow money from the banks. The reason for this is very clear. The government was not responsible for the depression and the government alone cannot cure it. The people must cure themselves. A beginning has already been made. As a people we are passing out from under the clouds of abject despair which a year ago seemed to envelop nearly everyone with the belief that economic chaos was at hand. We are now twelve months farther along the road toward recovery than we were at the beginning of 1932. Some of the worse hurdles have been overcome. The shock of most Europe's falling from the gold standard has been alleviated, and Uncle Sam is no longer the victim of a gold raid. Prices seem to have reached bottom. It is time to come out of the cave of depression and scan the horizon for breaks in the clouds. Next will come the task of rebuilding. This must be done by the people themselves. The government cannot do it for them. The cooperative effort of every one of us is required. If we keep our minds and our hearts in America and rely a little on our individual powers of recuperation things will come along. But if we look for a pot of gold at the end of the European rainbow and wait for Congress to make us rich we are still in for a lot of difficulties before we turn the corner, if we ever do turn it under such circumstances. "WOODEN MONEY" Not long ago one frequently heard the jocular admonition: "Don't take any wooden money." We have been reminded of this in reading about the successful introduction of wooden money or its equivalent in various communities in different parts of the country. It is true that any money is good money which everybody will accept as money. In the early days of America the Indians used money made from oyster shells, which they called wampum. It had no value in itself, but it was accepted everywhere as money, and served all the purposes of trade. Wampum wasn't any good in foreign commerce, and the paper money which is being used locally in various parts of the country isn't any good outside of the communities in which it is issued except to such people as have an opportunity to spend it inside of those communities. The plan is working successfully so far, however, in providing a circulating medium of exchange for local purposes. The painter out of a job, for example, is perfectly willing to trade his labor for a pair of shoes, but if the shoemaker doesn't need any painting done but the blacksmith does, there must be found a way whereby the painter can work for the blacksmith and get something from the blacksmith which the shoemaker is willing to accept for shoes. And this local money, good only for a limited time and only within certain geographical limits seems to answer what purpose. CREDIT Taking the country as a whole, the banks are full of money, but it is harder than ever for the average person to borrow money from the banks. The reason for this is very clear. Fewer people than ever before are in a position to give a banker reasonable assurance that they will be able to pay a loan when it is due. It is not shortage of money that is keeping us poor; it is shortage of credit. The few who have good credit can borrow money cheaper than ever before. I don't know how it would work, but it seems to me there is some merit in the suggestion that if the banks would lend everybody enough to pay their debts money would begin to circulate so fast that business would immediately pick up and every body's credit would be as good as it ever was. That idea is certainly not any more foolish than a good many of the inflationary proposals that have been offered in Congress. RABBITS Two adjoining Long Island towns voted a couple of years ago to permit no shooting and to suppress cats, in order to provide a bird refuge. But the townspeople forgot all about rabbits. Now Centre Island and Mill Neck are so full of rabbits that it is almost impossible to drive over the roads without running over a few cottontails. Farmers and gardeners are wondering what they are going to do to protect their lettuce, spinach and other garden crops in the spring. They are trying to get the local game ordinances amended to permit them to shoot the rabbits. What has happened in these Long Island towns is what happens whenever man interferes to upset the balance of nature. COINS Rare old coins still bring high prices. A penny sold at an auction in New York tha... A CONCEPTION OF GOD In Jesus' great acts of courage he was the successor, and the surpasser, of all the prophets who had gone before. We have spoken of the prophets as deficient in humor; but what they lacked in the amenities of life they made up richly in vision. Each one of them brought to the world a revolutionary idea, and we can not understand truly the significance of the work of Jesus unless we remember that he began where they left off, building on the firm foundations they had laid. Let us glance at them a moment, starting with Moses. What a miracle he wrought in the thinking of his race! The world was full of gods in his day—male gods, female gods, wooden and iron gods—it was a poverty stricken tribe which could not boast of a hundred at least. Along came Moses with one of the transcendent intellects of history. "There is one God," he cried. What an overwhelming idea and how magnificent its consequences. Moses died and the nation carried on under the momentum which he had given it, until there arose Amos, a worthy successor. "There is one God," Moses had said. "God is a God of justice," added Amos. That assertion is such an elementary part of our consciousness that we are almost shocked by the suggestion that it could ever have been new. But remember the gods that were current in Amos's day if you would have a true measure of the importance of his contribution. It was the high privilege of Amos to proclaim a God who could not be bought, whose ears were deaf to pleadings in judgment between the strong and weak, the rich and poor. Years passed and Hosea spoke. His had not been a happy life. His wife deserted him; heartbroken and vengeful he was determined to cast her off forever. Yet his love would not let him do it. He went to her, forgave her, and took her back. Then in his hours of lonely brooding a great thought came to him! If he, a mere man could love so selfishly one who had broken faith with him, must not God be capable of as great, or greater forgiveness, toward erring human beings?—a God so strong that he could destroy, yet so tender that he would not. One God. A just God. A good God. These were the three steps in the development of the greatest of all ideas. Hundreds of generations have died since the days of Moses, of Amos and Hosea. The thought of the world on almost every other subject has changed; but the conception of God which these three achieved has remained in control of men's thinking down to this very hour. Next Week: All Men Created Equal Copyright, Bobbs-Merrill Co. OBSERVATIONS SOMEBODY MAY BE EYEING YOU If you hide your life savings in a tin container, you may be seen by others. THINK IT OVAH A man steps up to say that the price of commodities should be fixed by the OBSERVATIONS SOMEBODY MAY BE EYEING YOU If you hide your life savings in a tin can you are lucky if you get the can back. One guy put his currency in a tobacco can, the house burned down, and all the fellow got was the smoke. MOMENTOUS QUESTION The public has been going around on tiptoes awaiting the final bell as to whether or not the children of a movie-land family would go in for the talkies. The parents are separated and are deadlocked regarding the boys' careers. The movie fans are all worked up over the matter even though we had a delightful summer. WHERE IS MY WANDERING BOY TONIGHT When a crooner got married he told the bride he would be on the road for quite a while, but that she must not worry. And after awhile she ups and sues for divorce. Mebbe she heard the story about the travelling salesman and the farmer's daughter. EVENED UP THE SCORE The government got into the World's War and got the people into a heck of a mess after the war was over. Things were up side down and people were running around in circles. Prices soared just after the war, and then collapsed. The only thing holding up property was the mortgage. Depression came, things were panicky. And then lo and behold the Reconstruction Finance corporation and the Home Loan Bank were created, people regained confidence, business was yanked out of the old ruts and everything is lovely and the goose hangs high. The U.S. government is O.K. PULLER A BLOOMER It is reported in banking circles that the tax on checks is not worth what it costs, and it is asserted that the measure is classed as a boner. REAL CAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT About a dozen congressmen inspected the Boulder Dam there awhile ago. By the way, senators, did you take a look at all the idle oil derricks, also. THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFE TIME Some men when they run for office believe every voter they meet is going part of our consciousness that we are almost shocked by the suggestion that it could ever have been new. But remember the gods that were current in THINK IT OVAH A man steps up to say that the price of commodities should be fixed by the government, and that the price should be the same everywhere, and no foolin'. PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF Now that some places have the 5-day week some of the folks have taken up various sidelines to pass the time away—while others go down to Tia Juana. LET'S SEE — WHY NOT SWIM THE CHANNEL 'A father got a well deserved decision forbidding his children from going into the movies; and now the ex-wife and mother will have to think up something else to get some pin money. HANGING OVER THE ROPES After everything has been said and done, Uncle Rueben rises up out of the rumble seat to say that those kid "Pitchers" have just about got the fans worn down to a frazzle. EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING A state act that has a lot to do with special county assessment, among other things provides for the highly educational and thrilling pastime of forcing those property owners who can pay to pungle up also for the assessments of those who have defaulted. That was enough to give a feller the heebee geeebees. But the attorney general has ruled, and wisely so, that property owners can be required to pay but their own share of the principal and interest and no more. BUT, MISTER, SEE WHAT THE GUY DID THE FIRST TIME The parole system is severely criticised for the secret way convicts are liberated. It gives a feller the shivvers. But the board counters and says publicity, when a felon is paroled, would hamper him in staging a comeback. TOOK A FALL OUT OF THE PRINCE There awhile ago the heir to a throne went into a cafe in gay Paree, attired in ordinary clothes. The head waiter didn't know him. He told the visitor that no one was allowed to sit at the table unless dressed according to hoyle. The visitor departed. The plot thickens. Had the visitor told the wafter he was REAL CAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT About a dozen congressmen inspected the Boulder Dam there awhile ago. By the way, senators, did you take a look at all the idle oil derricks, also. THRILL THAT COMES ONCE IN A LIFE TIME Some men when they run for office believe every voter they meet is going to vote for them. But after the votes are counted they don't name any streets after them and they go away back and sit down. PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK Last June when the depression scraped bottom and things began to mend, stocks bobbed up and down and then stayed up. The Bulls must have their moments. It signalled a return of prosperity from around the corner. And believe it or not the leaders of both big political parties claimed credit for it all, and then some. York the other day for sixty dollars. It was a copper cent dated 1799. Among the other rare coins sold at the same time were some copper "hard times" tokens issued from private mints between 1834 and 1841. One of them dated 1837, brought $22.50. Coins are not valuable merely because they are old; it is rarity that makes collectors bid for them. The silver dollar of 1804 is so rare that only four or five are known to be in existence, and anyone finding one of those coins can almost name his own price for it. Most of the silver dollars coined that year were sent to Europe for the payment of certain obligations and the ship was lost at sea. Last year the United States Mint made more coins than in the previous two years; there were more than twenty million of them, worth $68,000,000. One reason for the increased coinage was the large offerings of gold jewelry and ornaments, which the mint is obliged to purchase and give gold coins in exchange for. TOOK A FALL OUT OF THE PRINCE There awhile ago the heir to a throne went into a cafe in gay Paree, attired in ordinary clothes. The head waiter didn't know him. He told the visitor that no one was allowed to sit at the table unless dressed according to hoyle. The visitor departed. The plot thickens. Had the visitor told the waiter he was the Prince of Wales, no doubt the biscuit shooter would have replied: Huh! And I am Napoleon! STOP FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES What this country should do is to stop holding conferences, and appointing commissions, and get down to brass tacks and develop our national resources that have been lying dormant. EL BIEN GUSTO It is reported that when the former King of Spain was eating paprika chicken in Hungary a camera man tried to snap him in the act. But his highness rebelled, soaked the picture man, threw him out and then went back to eating the gayena. Our Dollar Mark The dollar mark—$—originated in hurried printing of the letters U. S.—United States—on federal currency. By error the letters were printed one upon the other from which came the dollar sign. The dollar was originally designated as 8-8 because the dollar was in the beginning divided into eight parts—each known as a reel.