Jap columns near juncture in South China
U.S. planes blast enemy troops
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Aimee McPherson’s followers pray for her resurrection
Evangelist dies of heart attack; ‘kidnapping’ story of 1926 recalled
By Frederick C. Othman, United Press staff writer
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Perkins: Communist meeting backs Roosevelt to last comrade
Dewey characterized as ‘Hoover stooge’ with dangerous Fascist tendencies
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
Washington –
In one of this non-voting city’s infrequent political meetings, the leading Communists of the community made it clear last night beyond any doubt where their votes will go this year – they are for FDR to the last comrade.
Governor Thomas E. Dewey was characterized as not only a “Hoover stooge" but as a dangerous person of pronounced Fascist tendencies, something like Hitler.
James W. Ford, Negro and three-time vice-presidential nominee of the Communist Party, did this characterizing in a calm and cultured voice. Comrade Ford drew the comparison of Dewey with Hitler as follows:
Dewey is unable to answer the questions raised by Roosevelt so he adopts the Hitler policy of telling big lies. With added boldness following his speech in Oklahoma City he has adopted the Hitler purge policy – he says he will purge Earl Browder, the CIO-PAC, Sidney. Hillman, Madame Perkins, and Ickes.
National anthem opens meeting
The proceedings opened with “The Star-Spangled Banner.” There was an appeal for blood donors for war purposes, and $38 was collected to buy Christmas packages for local Communists serving in the Armed Forces.
Also, there was a plug for a new book by Earl Browder, Tehran, and the paid circulation of that Production was increased on the spot by 25. Mr. Browder, the habitual presidential candidate of the former Communist Party, is now president of the Communist Political Association. The meeting was in observance of the 25th anniversary of the Communist movement in the United States.
James L. Branca, a paid organizer of the party and president of the Washington branch, explains that the Communist Party no longer exists and that its place has been taken by the Association, the motives of which, he said, are “educational.”
Praises Negroes’ progress
Mr. Ford devoted much of his speech to praising the progress of Negroes in recent years, and he credited nearly all of it to President Roosevelt, and especially to the latter’s use of his executive power in creating the Fair Employment Practice Committee.
He described both major parties as part of the “bourgeois democracy system,” and said Mr. Roosevelt is a representative of “bourgeois democracy.” So, he said, is Mr. Dewey, but not as acceptable a one as Mr. Roosevelt. This was the nearest he got to the vernacular of the Marxian philosophy to which the American Communists cling.
Denounces Negro leader
Mr. Ford bitterly denounced Edgar Brown of Washington, head of the National Negro Council, who is opposing reelection of President Roosevelt.
But Mr. Ford had kind words for a leading spokesman for the American capitalistic system – none other than Eric Johnston, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He quoted Mr. Johnston as saying, “The present capitalistic system is on trial, and we must make it work.” Mr. Ford, referring to Mr. Johnston’s recent visit to Moscow, remarked “He has learned much in recent months.”
Mr. Ford said, to prolonged applause:
Basically, the policies of President Roosevelt are those we have fought for. Our inevitable duty is to see that he is again elected.
Stokes: Dewey optimism
By Thomas L. Stokes
With Dewey party –
Governor Dewey came back to New York from his transcontinental trip in quest of the Presidency, with his spirits and those of his campaign managers in a state of optimism, largely as a result of the fighting technique he adopted in the final stages with his direct attack on President Roosevelt at Oklahoma City.
Throwing off the wraps had an obviously elating effect upon the Republican presidential candidate, again the young District Attorney prosecuting a case, as it did upon Republican Party workers encountered since, in Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Talking back to Mr. Roosevelt is the medicine that was needed to pep up the campaign, they said.
The enthusiastic response of his audience at Oklahoma City had an exhilarating reaction upon Governor Dewey. His managers immediately scheduled four additional stops in Oklahoma and Missouri.
About once an hour until midnight he was out on the back platform, smiling down upon hilarious crowds at every stop, a rousing stump speaker denouncing Sidney Hillman, Earl Browder, Secretaries Harold Ickes, and Frances Perkins and Harry Hopkins, pledging a housecleaning it he goes to Washington, satirizing bureaucratic government.
Different figure now
Mr. Dewey was a different figure than the calmer man who had devoted his previous major speeches to catching up with the New Deal social welfare program as he traveled down the Pacific Coast, now with a bit of the air of the rabblerouser. He spit out harsh adjectives, calling the New Dealers “that motley crew,” “that leprous collection,” and referring to the minions of the big city bosses – Ed Kelly of Chicago and Frank Hague of Jersey City and Tom Pendergast of Kansas City – as “hoodlums.”
Comparing notes in the private car, the candidate and his aides toted up these gains as they saw them from his western tour:
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They forced President Roosevelt to take the political stump earlier than had been expected, noting that the President has now added additional “political” speeches to his October program.
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They drew blood from the administration by the charge that it was planning to keep millions of men in the Army after the war to take up probable unemployment, at least that is what they read in Maj. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey’s statement that Selective Service accepted responsibility for demobilization and the lifting of controls by the War Manpower Commission on veterans so they could seek any sort of civilian jobs they wanted.
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Governor Dewey has now removed the post-war international organization issue and the New Deal social welfare program from the realm of debate, leaving him free now to devote himself to an analysis of the defects of administration by the Roosevelt administration.
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He injected new enthusiasm into part workers by the conferences he held with them in the states he visited.
Republicans optimistic
Republicans were found by newspaper correspondents who talked with them on the trip to be in a very optimistic frame of mind, even in states now seemingly safe for President Roosevelt, working hard, expecting some sort of break to play into their hands, and ready to capitalize upon it.
The campaign plainly took a new turn with Governor Dewey’s frontal attack on President at Oklahoma City, and it will be interesting to watch whether this is the beginning of a trend, or whether President Roosevelt can still hold the advantage that he apparently now holds.
All tired out, Ernie Pyle gets no rest in New York
His name and face are better known than ever but his year-old hat still fits
By Lee G. Miller, Scripps-Howard staff writer
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Gracie Allen Reporting
Hollywood, California –
The World Series situation has the men in our neighborhood all excited, but it has me all confused. George refuses to discuss it with me – he says I don’t understand baseball. Would his face be red if he knew my brother used to be a quarterback!
But anyway, there must be millions of you wives in the same fix, so I’ve figured this thing out by reading the newspapers and I’ll explain it to you.
It seems that the Browns of St. Louis – and there must be thousands of them in a city of that size – have a baseball team, and they are practically tied with the Detroit team for the lead. And the newspaper headline says: “The Winning Team Will Play Cards.” Well, that doesn’t make sense at all. You’d think the losing team would play cards and the winning team would play baseball.
That’s all I’ve figured out up to now, but I’ll have more information about it later.