National Affairs

Third Winter

"One good old word--work" was President Hoover's first prescription for meeting the Depression which crashed down upon the country in the fall of 1929. On his orders a potent army of industrialists, railmen, motormen, bankers, manufacturers, public utilitarians and labor leaders marched to the White House where they pledged "business-as-usual." More public works were planned to absorb unemployment. Private companies were urged to go in heavily for new construction. Income taxes were cut 1% to spur economic recovery.

In spite of the President's best efforts, the conservative American Federation of Labor counted 3,700,000 workers out of jobs that first winter of the Depression.

Late last October when business did not bulge as expected, President Hoover started to prepare for a second winter of Unemployment and distress. His relief formula: Each community must rely on local charity and help itself, with not a penny from the Federal Treasury. Though nothing was to come from Washington but advice, sympathy and cooperation, President Hoover held another round of conferences. The public buildings program was pressed harder. Announced the President: "As a nation we must prevent hunger and cold to our citizens who are in honest difficulties."

In a special January count the Census Bureau estimated that the unemployed of the nation had increased to 6,050,000 the second winter (1930-31) of the Depression.

This year President Hoover did not wait until late autumn before preparing for a hard winter. In June he inaugurated his moratorium plan as a world business stimulant. This he followed up by requesting all Community Chests, through their national organization, to survey joblessness, determine well in advance the "load of distress" they would have to meet. As before, he summoned Big Business to the White House for advice and comfort. Said he reassuringly, "The problem of Unemployment and Relief, whatever it may be, will be met." Before him loomed the A. F. of L.'s prediction for the third winter of the Depression: 7,000,000 jobless.

TRIALS

Long Journey

Sucking a coughdrop, Alphonse Capone faced Judge James Herbert Wilkerson in Chicago's Federal Court last week. Snorkey was nervous. Fortnight ago a jury had found him guilty of failing to pay an income tax during the years 1924-28, had decided he feloniously "attempted to evade & defeat" payment during three of those years. Now he was to be sentenced. As a concession to the solemnity of the occasion he had left off his jewelry, was wearing a comparatively sober pinchback suit of blue. He fondled a bandaged right fore-(trigger)-finger, sucked and sucked on his coughdrop.

Judge Wilkerson was nervous too. In a low voice he ordered Snorkey to stand up. Snorkey clambered to his feet, gulped, swallowed his coughdrop. Slowly, Judge Wilkerson sentenced him to the limit--17 years in prison, $50,000 in fines. Snorkey hiccuped, regurgitated his coughdrop.

Snorkey's 235-lb. body seemed to lose weight as he stood before the bar. Finally he got down his coughdrop, smiled weakly at his attorneys, Michael Ahern & Albert Fink. Up stepped Messrs. Ahern & Fink, pleaded for leniency. Said the Judge: "I think I will adhere to my ruling." Then he ordered Capone to jail. Sighed Snorkey: "Well, pal, I'm going on a long journey."

Thus ended the greatest courtroom victory in many a year. Three years ago softspoken, wild-haired U. S. District Attorney George Emmerson Q (for nothing) Johnson began his campaign to dispose of gangsters by jailing them for nonpayment of taxes. Said Mr. Johnson: "This is the beginning of the end of Chicago's gangs." This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.