Governor Hartley & Education

Sirs:

My attention has been called to article "Controlled Washington'' in TIME. Aug. 8. TIME, I understand, wishes to be terse and fair.

"Controlled Washington" article sets forth erroneous and misleading statements which, to be fair to the State of Washington and its splendid University, should be corrected.

Letters from indignant citizens, many deeply interested in our educational system, are before me, asking that "Controlled Washington" be answered with the truth about the University and the smashing of the so-called "log jam."

More Washingtonians have had their faith in the usefulness of their University restored under its present administration.

Its funds now are used to build a greater University instead of promoting and glorifying the personal ambition of its president.

Matthew Hill, the "best" self-advertised Washington alumnus and political lieutenant for the former president, is no longer illegally receiving a monthly salary from State funds amounting to average salary paid for two regular instructors.

Since he was separated from the payroll and these funds are now used to pay instructors more nearly what they should receive, he fears for the well-being of Washington.

You speak of shaking up a log jam to send bobbing away much of the educational machinery the former president had built. . . . Yes, I have had considerable experience smashing real log jams, as well as the log jams of extravagance and waste. . . .

The charge I am not in sympathy with progressive education is ridiculous. My two sons attended Yale University. A daughter was graduated this year from Vassar. They were sent to eastern institutions to give them the advantages, if any, that would accrue from wider contacts and associations. . . .

ROLAND H. HARTLEY

Governor of Washington Olympia, Wash.

Louisiana's Broussard

Sirs:

The following constitutents of Senator Edwin S. Broussard of Louisiana would like to have you publish the record and achievements of Senator Broussard.

C. C. DE GRAVELLES, M.D.

J. L. FISHER

L. D. LANSFORD

SOPHIE MILLER

MEYER LEHMANX

Morgan City, La.

The record of Senator Edwin Sidney Broussard of Louisiana is as follows:

Born: In Iberia Parish, La.. Dec. 4. 1874.

Career: His family was French Acadian, long isolated in the Mississippi Delta region. After public school, he was graduated by the Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. Followed two years of itinerant school teaching. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War he joined the 2nd U. S. Volunteer Infantry, was elected Captain of Company I. He served a year in Cuba, fighting through the Santiago campaign. As an assistant secretary, he went to the Philippines with the Taft Commission. Back in Louisiana he got a quick law degree from Tulane University, was admitted to the bar in 1901, hung out his shingle at New Iberia, still his home. He served five years as a local prosecuting attorney, turned temporarily Progressive, made a losing run for lieutenant governor. His brother Robert, ten years his senior, had served 18 years (1897-1915) in the House of Representatives when he was advanced to the Senate. There he died in 1918. Two years later, largely on the strength of Robert's reputation, the younger brother was also elected to the Senate where he has served continuously since 1921.

In Congress: He has busied himself with a mass of small matters none of which will perpetuate his memory as a national legislator. His only worthwhile committee is Appropriations and two other Democrats (Carter Glass and Kenneth McKellar) are in line ahead of him for the chair should the Senate go Democratic. On the Commerce Committee three Democrats. all his juniors, outrank him. At the last session his principal activity was government aid for cattle tick eradication and a merchant marine school at New Orleans.

He voted for: Fordney-McCumber Tariff (1922); Hawley-Smoot Tariff (1930); Bonus (1924, 1932); Tax reduction (1924, 1929): Tax lipping (1932); Equalization Fee (1928); Federal Farm Board (1929); Boulder Dam (1928); 15-Cruiser Bill (1929): Government operation of Muscle Shoals (1931): War Debt Moratorium (1931), "Lame Duck" Constitutional Amendment (1932); Sales Tax (1932): Beer tax for relief (1932); Borah currency inflation plan (1932).

He voted against: Jones ("Five & Ten") Act (1929): Reapportionment (1929); War-time income surtaxes (1932).

He votes Wet, drinks Wet.

Legislative hobby: a top-notch tariff on sugar to benefit Louisiana's cane industry. Even Utah's Republican Smoot is no higher protectionist than he. He ardently advocates Philippine independence to put that possession's sugar crop outside the tariff wall. He voted for coal, oil and copper tariffs in the 1932 Revenue Act. Because of his passion for Republican tariffs most Democratic leaders eye him with political distrust. To the press gallery he is a Democrat in name only and his vote can generally be anticipated. His proudest political feat was inducing Republicans to agree to legislation naming a new Washington street after his State.

A shut-mouthed Senator, he rarely speaks on the floor. His words are tame, uninspiring. Though he is fairly attentive to debate, his colleagues are inclined to regard him as lazy in the chamber and committee. He is short, plump, with a round, bland face. His clothes are in quiet good taste. A Roman Catholic, he does not chum with other Southern Democrats, lives quietly in his Washington home on Mintwood Place.

Outside Congress: Despite twelve years' minute attention to his local political fences, he is now confronted with the battle of his career to retain his Senate seat. Louisiana holds its Democratic primary Sept. 13. Two years ago Huey Pierce ("Kingfish") Long, State boss, turned bewhiskered old Joseph Eugene Ransdell out of the Senate to get his seat. This year Senator Long has picked a neophyte Representative named John Holmes Overton to turn out Senator Broussard, give himself complete domination of Louisiana's Senatorial delegation. Campaigning vigorously, Senator Broussard has been denouncing the Long economic theories as Communistic, promising the people revision of the Jadwin flood control plan. That he did not expect to win the primary was indicated when he declared: "It will do me no good to take my case, if I am robbed, into the [State] courts, so I'm going straight into the Senate." With sound-truck and ballyhoo Senator Long has been doing most of the talking for his man Overton. An outcast among regular Senate Democrats, Long flays Broussard for not favoring his plan "to break up big fortunes." He explains the Broussard opposition to Prohibition thus: "He was afraid enforcement of Prohibition would be so strict that he could not get his bottle. You will never wean Edwin from the bottle but we are going to wean him from the Senate."

Impartial Senate observers rate him thus: a friendless high-tariff Democrat who has long occupied himself with legislative trifles; a conservative, not over-diligent Senator whose only influence upon national matters is his own vote. His term expires March 3, 1933.--ED.

Scrap & Junk

Sirs:

I have no doubt that the story which you wrote on "Scrap" in your issue of Aug. 22, was intended to be constructive and informative to the public for which you primarily wrote the article. . . .

Unfortunately, some misunderstanding may arise in the minds of some readers, chiefly due to the style of writing, which is characteristic of your magazine. . . .

As much as I appreciate the compliment that I have "placed the junk business on a dignified plane," it has proved embarrassing because I would be the first to disclaim any such distinction or accomplishment. . . .

The problem of raising business ethics to higher standards is a problem of American business in general. Having been connected with other industries, I have been impressed with many of the comparatively higher standards that prevail in the scrap iron industry. Millions of dollars of business have been conducted over the telephone every week without any written contracts, and it is extremely rare in my experience that such obligations have not been filled. . . .

Some confusion is bound to arise from your use of the word "junk," which covers a large number of waste materials, in conjunction with scrap iron. The impression is made that there is a great deal of wealth to be made in the waste industry. The only element of truth that may be taken from such an impression is that the scrap dealer creates national wealth out of waste materials, but not personal wealth. The margin of profit in this industry is small; the knowledge required to preserve even this small margin of profit is a specialized knowledge. To the layman, all scrap may be "junk"; to the scrap iron dealer, there are approximately 75 specifications of scrap iron with which he must be acquainted if he is to stay in the business. . . .

BENJAMIN SCHWARTZ

Director General

Institute of Scrap Iron & Steel, Inc.

New York City

Sirs:

. . . I never realized the importance and the extent of the scrap iron industry and the service that it rendered in American business. I have acquired a decided degree of respect for the so-called junk or scrap man as the result of your interesting article, and I sincerely hope that in these days, when businessmen are looking for every encouragement, scrap iron will prove to be the reliable barometer of business prospects in the near future, which I now learn it can be.

HARRY D. COLE

Mt. Vernon, N. Y.

Sirs:

We are probating the estate of William H. Kearns, deceased, mentioned under the heading "Rags" on p. 31 of your issue of Aug. 15. Understanding that you will pride yourself on the accuracy of your statements I will say that the fact is that the Kearns family has been prominent in Chicago for 84 years and that one of its members was the late Monsignor Kearns, a learned, cultivated and saintly priest.

The late Mr. Kearns entered the burlap business in '88, succeeding with his brother the firm of J. P. Kearns & Co. dealing in burlaps, a pioneer in that line. Instead of doing business from dilapidated hand carts he bought and sold in carload lots, until his retirement from business in 1922. . . . When he retired from business he continued to invest his money and was known along La Salle Street as a shrewd bond buyer. He never dealt in old rags, junk or bottles and was never known as "Bill."

MITCHELL D. FOLLANSBEE

Chicago, Ill.

Mr. Gazzera Flayed

Sirs:

It is surprising reading when the leading American newsmagazine prints a letter by a fellow named Cazzora or Gazaza or something like that, to the effect that the difference between a group of Mussolinites and a group of American veterans is that the Mussolinites have "guts."

Now, Mr. Pazaza may be an excellent spat salesman but it is very apparent he knows nothing at all about wars. An American veteran was an American soldier. Some of these Americans that Mr. Gerzzora refers to have walked right up and into barrages. Anybody who can do that has "guts," be he French, British, Italian, German or American.

If Mr. Piazza doesn't think we're made of the right stuff over here he better put on his black shirt, pick up his guitar and go back to Venice and paddle his gondola.

GEORGE "BUCK" WILSON

San Francisco, Calif.

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