T* “ -g^QOQ - JvlOKDAY. SEPT. 30 , GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY: The accident to the HRotterdam,, makes one wonder whether there’s a sea jinx on this year 1935. I can recall no other periods when so many misfortunes at sea followed so closely upon each otners heels. We’d barely got over the drama and suspense of the grounding of the "Dixie’' when came this news of the "Rotterdam" landing on a reef. However, in this case there appears to be no cause for any alarm. There were nine hundred and seventy-six souls aboard that famous Holland-American liner, four hundred and fifty passengers and a crew of five hundred and twenty-six. And they're all perfectly safe, not in the slightest danger. The steamship Ariguani, a freighter from Glasgow, arrived at the scene of the accident this afternoon. The master of the Ariguani reported that he had found the Rotterdanf hard and fast on that reef, some sixty miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. He immediately started transferring passengers LEAD, - 2 from the grounded liner to the "Ariguani". Good luok was with them, because the sea was calm enough to enable the job to be done in CGrnple'te corR^ort and without; any hazard* Captain Van Dulken, the Rotterdam’s master, radios that not only are they out of danger, but the passengers are perfectly well, quiet, cheerful, and unafraid. The HAriguani" will carry them to Kingston. There they will get passage on another liner. The hurricane which blew the Rotterdam onto that reef is still rampaging around at sea. After killing thirty people in Cuba and two in Jamaica, it went northeast out into the Atlantic. At noon today it was blowing great guns almost a thousand miles east of the coast of Georgia. The terrific storm is still a menace to shipping* and it may start the paly trees waving in Bermuda WOQLWORTH - FOLLOW ETHIOPIA The war threat was the cause of a couple of international incidents today. First of all, five Italians were arrested at Valet ta on the island of Malta. One of them was formerly the Acting Vice Consul of Italy. He, his two sons, and two others, are to he deported from Malta as spies. And now word comes from Rome that the Duce's men have kicked out an American, James Donahue. He's one of the Woolworth heirs, the Jimmy Donahue who*8 a cousin of Barbara Hutton. He has accompanied the five-and-ten Countess-Princess-Heiress on many of her travels. But he won't accompany her to Italy again. The Pascisti nabbed him and politely but firmly escorted him to e the border. Their defense was that he had stood up in the Homan Forum where Cicero delivered his oration against Cataline and publicly called for three cheers for Ethiopia. Inspired by Cianti, perhaps. But evidently they considered the publicity of such conduct was not quite good manners. So the exuberant young five-and-ten millionaire was invited to go away and not come back. Whereupon he went to Paris, where he owns a home ETHIOPIA As time goes on, the Ethiopian puzzle seems to he more ' to re perplexing. Tonight again the page-one talk is: "War imminent within a few days." The political soothsayers announce that Haile Selassie's telegram to the League of Nations has rendered it impossible to avoid hostilities. That, of course, was the telegram in which the King of Kings informed the League that Italy’s actions were compelling him to order a general mobilization. However, the next thing we learn is that, although the Ethiopian Emperor has issued this warning, he has postponed the carrying out of his threat. So there you are. But a curious thing is, that the cables and the radio tell one story, the ticker tape tells a different one. The news warns us that Mussolini is on the verge of speaking the ^ix syllable Italian word which will give the signal for the advance of his armies. But the markets don’t reflect that warning at all. Por a few days there was real activity, activity which showed that the sutp* capitalists and business men were ETHIOPIA - 2 expecting the fight to begin m Africa. But that activity was short-lived. It stopped suddenly and since then everything has been in the doldrums. The stock exchanges Are in a state of----- t ocBpieWstagnation. Evidently, the men with money are just as puzzled by the state of affairs on the other side of the world as the rest of us. That deadlock between Italy and the League of III ;y‘ Nations has everybody guessing. And, while it is only a few days i ago that there was almost a panic over the prospect of a general European war, today those fears seem to have vanished. It is extraordinary picture. People have given up attempting to interpret the news from Geneva, Rome and Addis Ababa. It really isn’t safe to say anything, because the cables and the radio are liable to contradict It over night. Consider the market in Paris for instance. As recently as a week ago, it was oppressed by an atmosphere of complete gloom. Traders big and small could see no outcome of the situation other than a general war. And today the feeling on the banks of the Seine^a a complete contrast. There seems to be a belief that « neaceful negotiation of his quarrel Mussolini is willing to accept a peaceiux a with Ethiopia, and that the diplomats at Geneva will be able to find ETHIOPIA - 3 a way by which he can avoid war and still saVe his prestige. Anofehcy thing—that)—ha s helped to BSftk-e —the""ftirr-^-fftere - che-e^y —In—Pari-s—irs—th^ f? fael. that birgineae ■•fflen--£fee-,l- ..thfl.e 1 pod jay=» In London, where all business men were full of optimism last week, the sentiment has also changed completely. The men on Threadneedle Street declare that Mussolini^ willingness to argue is of itself proof that peace may be preserved. The feeling in the old City of London is that Italy will be able to get tremendous concessions without having to fight for them. T‘London has all along been puzzled by entire imbroglio. The feeling among English business men has been: nWhy on earth should spend that huge sum fighting for something that probably won't be worth it when he gets it?" In other words, England is skeptical as to the value of the much discussed oil and mineral deposits in Ethiopia. Whether that doubt is sound or not is another, matter. They believe th^Sitom*, could be completely blown away if some nation or some group of individuals would hand mil lion Pounds. In other words, Mussolini a loan of Two hundred million rcun „ -hn hpln him solve the economic problems around One billion dollars, to help mm of his country. ETHIOPIA - 4 The only important move today besides Haile Selassie^ cable to Geneva was a note from London to Paris. In this John Bull asked Premier Laval, "What will you do to back k ? us up if we are attacked? in other words, His Majesty's government would like to know to what extent they can rely on their Prench allies in the World War in case Mussolini opens fire upon the enormous aggregation of warships that England has collected in the Mediterranean. Doming Street has not yet received any reply to this question. However, we learn that it is being gravely studied in Paris, and that the French Cabinet Ministers are holding long conferences. Meanwhile there are rumors that the Italians have already crossed the Ethiopian border. Though this denied. BUSINESS FOLLOW ETHIOPIA Ttie standstill condition of today's markets in America is Just a reflection of the general confusion. To some extent this is being felt in the ranks of business men. Many who were about to make new plans, have postponed carrying them out until it becomes clear what really is what. However, there are some The National Industrial Conference Board reports that Two hundred and twenty thousand more men went back to work in August, men who had for some time been jobless. Altogether, there are now Three hundred and twenty-two thousand fewer unemployed than there were a year ago. Tha^s-the story■■ of' -empleyfflent SQT-fat*—poi tho-Ao-test■ figures' ohow» In nineteen out of twenty—five key industries, more men are being hired. encouraging Then that ultra-conservative body, the Amerlcan/B«s4rae:s» Association, adds a note of cheer to the symphony. The famous breathing-spell promised by President Roosevelt, say the bankers, has been a raa* stimulant to business, banking and industry. The most significant phrase in their report is comprised of the words, "Fear and uncertainty have almost disappeared. They no longer dominate the thinking and planning of careful, prudent managers BUSINESS FOLLOW ETHIOPIA - 2 ■T. and purchasing d epartroents,M When the bankers say 'that, it ought to mean something. They declare further that "there is a disposition among business men to take the President at his word and start the breathing again." ROOSEVELT People who heard President Roosevelt's speech at Boulder Dam observe that it was somewhat less dramatic than had been expected. We had all anticipated the President's taking the opportunity to come back at his critics with hard., sharp blows from the shoulder. Instead, although he replied to criticisms, it x* was indirectly. As when he said: "Y/ith work proceeding in every one of the more than three thousand counties in the United States, the actual credit of government agencies is on a stronger and safer basis than at any time in the last six years.” In short, in spite of the tremendous sums borrowed and laid out by Uncle Sam, his financial condition is actually better." So says the President. Then he added:- "It is a simple fact that government spending is already beginning to show definite signs of its effect on consumer spending.” He said further: "The putting of people to work by the government has put other people to work through private employment." Speaking of Boulder Pam, Mr. Roosevelt said it had already justified its existence. He reminded us that "In June a great flood came roaring down the canyons of the Colorado, ROOSEVELT - 2 through the Grand Canyon; tut it was caught and safely held behind Boulder Dam. M CRIME The old evil days of gangster guns and the vengeance of the mob are supposed to have passed away in this new era of relentless G-men. But today in Brooklyn there was a flare of the murderous way of the gunman, to remind one of the era of Chicago^ St. Valentine*s Day Mx murder in a garage. Today’s affair occurred likewise in a garage. Two racketeers drove their car in — one named Amberg* ^That's a familiar name to‘ the Mew York police. The brother of this Amberg lost his life in a wild shooting attempt to escape staged by a gang of prisoners in the Tombs. This was * one of the most grizzly and melodramatic affairs in Mew York police history^ Today the two racketeers had scarcely driven their car in an^seS^utf when they were approached by three young men A wearing overalls* Apparently they were workmen. But they were not - A something far more sinister, which soon became apparent in the form of swiftly drawn pistols. "Stand against the walll" they commanded. The two racketeers obeyed i^he three apparent workmen j hi a^ 1 nlstol fire. And that was were gang-executioners, di astern p the end of the two racketeers. CRIME 2 tolth their smoking pistols threatening several men working in the garage, the gunmen dashed away. A policeman saw them and gave chase. He managed to get in several shots, but li l n it whether he hit the fugitives^SSSr got away. A- A * A That savage affair in Brooklyn today is another reminder of the endless vigilence needed to crush the gangster*. accidents mien we hear that no fewer than Thirty-six thousand people are killed in America every year by automobile accidents, we are not much astonished, though the fact is shocking enough. But it amazed me to learn that almost as many people suffer accid ental d eath ©vyear in their own homes. The annual toll of people killed each year right by their own fireside is Thirty-four thousand, five hundred. These facts have been made public by Rear Admiral Cary T, Grayson, Chairman of the American Red Cross. The Eed Cross is starting a nationwide campaign to cut down this appalling total. There are more fatal accidents in the home than in factories, mines, and building construction. The young members of the Red Cross are running around today, distributing millions of "home accident hazard check lists". Admiral Grayson takes occasion to warn us of six particularly dangerous points. They include stairways, matches electrical appliances, particularly the and fires, garages, all Aflcpm^s - 2 cord of an electric iron and vacuum cleaner, and sharp and piercing instruments. Wet hands come in contact with electric cords or switches - and then - - * Your medicine cabinet is another focal point of danger. All medicines should be clearly labeled and there should be a good light near the cabinet. Moral: Make home safe as well as sweet or, move to the Waldorf, - or the Bel Ivue-St rat ford — or Mayflower or the Blackstone R. 0«T « G« Another curiosity in the day's news is the information that enrollment in the Reserve Officers Training Corps has increased prodigiously during the last year. Five thousand more young men are training now than last year. At first glance it was supposed that this was due to the contagion of the war talk from the other side of the Atlantic. But the heads of colleges say that has nothing to do with it. The increased enrollment in the R.O.T.C.s is attributed partly to the increase in the number of young men now going to college. Also, there is the incentive that the reserve officers can get jobs as commanders in the Civilian Conservation Camps. And furthermore, this year if you join the R.O.T.C., Uncle Sam provides your uniform. ^At any rate,say the college presidents, it’s not Mussolini who is responsible for this increase. I MOVING September thirtieth ie an exeiting day to many city dwellers. It's moving day. Tor some reason that has never been quite clear to me. The average Mew York seems to hate to hang up his hat in one apartment for many years. The result is a huge profit to express-men and furniture handlers, also to real estaters* As everybody wants to move on the same day, prices up fantastically and you are practically at the mercy of the movers The New York telephone Company reports that it has Eighteen thousand, seven hundred requests for transfers of telephones. Some people look upon this as a hopeful sign. They say it indicates that families who doubled up during the hard times are now able to find privacy in separate quarters. Maybe so,. Nevertheless, the city cave-dwellers passion for changing his cubicle every two years or so will always be a puzzle to me. Of all the excrutiating chores in the world, moving comes pretty near first. I trust these remarks won’t disturb the equanimity of people who are stumbling around in an alpine chaos of packing cases, trunks and furniture all in the wrong places. Anyhow it's moving day - moving minute for me, and SOLONG UNTIL TOMORROW.