Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

war"Current EventsBy Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.CLOSING ARGUMENTSAs the Congressional campaign comes to a finish, someof the early issues, such as Communists in government or theeconomic recession, seem to be fading. Instead, the argumentcenters over whether a Republican or Democratic Congresswould best support President Eisenhower. The President andother Republican leaders point with pride to the sizable bodyof legislation enacted by the last Congress. They also claimthat if the Democrats got control of either house, they wouldstart a political "coldand block all legislation supportedby the Administration. The Democrats deny this and claimcredit for much of the recent legislation. Theythe Republican party has no unity and is incapable of leadermaintain thatship. Both sides obviously are prone to exaggerate. It seemsto us that a more basic issue the assumptions underlyingEisenhower's economic program, or what Democrats call the"giveaway"is receiving too little attention.PROMINENT JURIST DD3SThe roll of men taken from public service bysuddendeath mounts steadily. Robert H. Jackson, Associate Justice ofthe Supreme Court, died of a heart attack at the age of 62.He began public work in New York State when Franklin D.Roosevelt was governor, and held legal positions in variousfederal agencies from 1934 to 1938. He became Solicitor General, then Attorney General,Supreme Court. Jackson wrote manyon the Court, including some notable dissents. He was outand in 1941 was appointed to thevigorous opinions whilespoken in upholding civil rights, but also warned against usingthe Court as a policy-making body. In the last few years hebecame increasingly conservative. Probably his greatestachievement was in presiding over the Nuremburg international trial of Nazi war criminals in 1945. At this writing thereare still no reliable indications as to Jackson's successor on theSupreme Court.of six to ten inches in twenty-four hours, the damage amounted to many millions and over twenty lives were lost. TheChicago River went five feet above normal level and floodedthe Union Station and the basements of downtown skyscrapers. Damage would have been much greater if the locks at themouth of the river had not been opened to allow it to flowback into Lake Michigan. This was the first time this had beendone since the natural flow of the river was reversed in 1900.Over sixty towns in the Chicago area were hit by the floods.and thousands were driven from their homes.TRD3STE AGREEMENTItaly and Yugoslavia have finally signed an agreementfor the division of the disputed territory of Trieste, ending aquarrel which has poisoned their relations since World WarII. Italy gets the city of Trieste itself and "Zone A" surrounding it, which has been under Allied occupation. Yugoslavia willabsorb the larger but less heavily populated Zone B, which shehas occupied since the war. Minority rights are to be protected in both zones, and Yugoslavia is to have free accessto the port facilities of Trieste. The seven thousand Americanand British troops who have been occupying Zone A can nowbe withdrawn. The Italians are especiallyenthusiastic overthe agreement, for they have made Trieste a tremendous emotional issue. The settlement of this dispute definitely strengthens the free world. It opens the way for Italy to join the Balkan defense alliance of Yugoslavia, Greece, and Turkey. Itmay also lead our government to establish closer military andeconomic ties with Yugoslavia, since we can now do so without offending Italy.BAMBOO CURTAIN EXTENDEDThe Communist troops of Vietminh have taken overHanoi, leading city of northern Indochina, as scheduled in theGeneva peace agreement. The city of 300,000 put on an enthusiastic demonstration for the conquerors as the last ofCLEAR THE ROADHighways and superhighways continue to make news. Acommittee headed by General Lucius D. Clay has met to consider ways of carrying out President Eisenhower's proposal todouble highway expenditures over the next ten years. Most ofthe suggestions for financing the proposed expansion call fora federal lending agency, somewhat like the RFC.Indiana has begun work on her east-west turnpike whichwill become part of the system linking New York City andChicago. Kansas is also beginning a turnpike leading southwest from Kansas City, and West Virginia is building another.Canada is putting together a four-lane superhighway fromWindsor, opposite Detroit, across southern Ontario to theborder of Quebec. The 542-mile route will eliminate all obstacles to through travel. Some units, bypassing major cities,are already being completed, but the whole system will notbe finished for another ten years. It is believed that the construction can be financed from gasoline taxes without charginga toll.HIGH WATER MARKFall rains brought floods to several parts of the UnitedStates, the worst disaster strikingOctober 20, 1954at Chicago. With rainfallthe French retired across the Red River. The French took outall portable military equipment, but of course they could notremove their big airfield or the city's many public buildings.About a quarter of a million refugees have been taken toSouthern Viet Nam, and an equal number are still awaitingevacuation in the northern areas which the Communists havenot yet occupied.Many of the refugees are Catholics, but amajority of the Catholics are remaining in the north.AT THE POLLSGuatemala has given President Carlos Armas a large majority in a plebescite for the endorsement of his anti-Communist regime. The results may not mean much, however, forvoting was by voice and the voters could only say whetherthey did or did not approve of the administration. At the sametime deputies were chosen for an assembly which will drawup a new constitution.Twelve anti-American Socialists and one Communist wonseats in the parliament of Syria in recent national elections.Though they will make up less than one-tenth the membership, their victory was something of a shock to the West.Meanwhile Israel is protesting against American moves tosend arms to some of the Arab nations. It seems impossibleto be on good terms with everyone in the Near East.243