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The article comments on various news stories from the week of August 16, 1939. Topics discussed include the threat of a world war, French espionage laws, the Nazi spy ring in France, reforms to Social Security laws in the U.S., the National Labor Relations Board in the U.S., and the Rural Electrification Act.

Focuses on political and economic developments in the U.S. and all across the world. Efforts by Great Britain and France to bring about a solution of the Ethiopian conflict; Development of two lines of thought, the one, which is Right advocating for non-interference with Italy, while the other is People's Front pressing for sanctions against both Italy and Germany; Announcement of a formal alliance between Manchukuo and the autonomous region in Hopie and Chahar Provinces in North China; Passage of bills by the U.S. Congress embodying the administration proposal for making the Rural Electrification Administration a permanent agency to be financed by appropriations of $400,000,000 over a ten-year period; Existence of unemployment in the U.S. due to a combination of political corruption and laziness of the jobless; Peace strike to be demonstrated by American students against war; Argument pertaining to the removal of former Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles, which makes it easier the road to much needed agrarian and labor reforms; Proposal of Carl von Ossietzky's name for the Nobel Peace prize, who has been former editor of "Die Weltbūhne."

Comments on the public work relief program of President Frank D. Roosevelt in the U.S. Opposition to the public-works program from business took the form of protests against government spending; Development of the rural resettlement; Rural electrification; Prevention of soil erosion and flood control; Restoration of country's agricultural fertility; Identification of the hydro-electric development and low-cost housing as categories of public works; Position of the administration in competing for the construction workers and investment funds.

Focuses on the support of the Duke Endowment and other Duke businesses through Doris Duke, the richest girl in the world, to various charities and foundations in the U.S. Provision of a system of rural electrification by the Duke Power Co.; Benefits of Endowment grants to beneficiaries; Terms and conditions of the funds from the foundation.

Discusses the program presented to a Joint House and Senate Agricultural Committee by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to effect a long-range policy of abundance. Research, education and conservation programs; Use of fertilizers, pest controls, new strains and better techniques; Proposed legislation which would permit the establishment of a perpetual system of food tickets; Price-parity program; Anti-depression insurance; Initiatives to address excess farmers and their excess products; Rural electrification.

Focuses on the social and economic progress in Alabama, one of the Southern states the U.S. Description of the state's culture and life; Details of historical aspects of Alabama such as magic city of Birmingham, its capital Montgomery and the cradle of confederacy; Presentation of geographical attributes like the State's mellow springs, Turkey creek and Lower Peach tree and little towns; Improvement in social conditions of African Americans in the State; Emergence of farm cooperative, rural electrification and prosperity between Whites and African Americans; Information about political bodies of Alabama its Constitutional Convention, the Black Parliament and the Southern Conference for Human rights; Existence of democracy in the State.

This article presents information related to politics and government in the United States. The South Dakota legislature has opened the way for the state to become the second all-public-power state in the union, following its neighbor Nebraska. Public pressure against the private utilities forced Republican George T. Mickelson to call a special session of the U.S. legislature to enact a bill permitting organization of public-utility districts. Under federal law, preference for the power generated at the four big Missouri River dams now rising in the state must be given "public users" such as Rural Electrification cooperatives, municipally owned systems and public utility districts.

Focuses on the electrification program of the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in the U.S. Allegation of John Taber of New York, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, against the REA of getting more money than it needs; Reaction of the farmers to the allegation; Involvement of the electric-power industry in its fight for the farm-electrification program; Contributions of electricity in building community enterprises and rural industries.

Focuses on various political developments in the U.S. Criticism of policy of cooperation and moderation toward the administration of the U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, of political candidate Lyndon Johnson by the U.S. Democratic National Committee and its Advisory Council; Criticism of the foreign policy of Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, with reference to communism in China; Prospect of Under-Secretary Douglas Dillon for succeeding Dulles as the Secretary of State; Promise made by Budget Director, Maurice Stans, for a reduction in the budget, citing as special targets farm payments, veterans' benefits and rural electrification.

The article discusses some of the socio-political issues. Paul Martin, Health Minister of Canada, knew that the Salk vaccine would probably be successful. In Canada the government bought the non-profit vaccine; the cost being allocated 50-50 with the provinces, and parents were not exploited. In Washington, on the contrary, the government refused to govern. The Eisenhower policy is, in most respects, diluted New Dealism. There is one great, glaring exception that relates to public power. The fight here involves city workers whose electric bills go up and farmers whose Rural Electrification Administration, said last week, has its very life threatened by a hostile Grand Old Party.

Reports that U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's relief program seems to be rapidly collapsing, in large part because of his own deliberate policy. Decision taken by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to call the relief appropriations of Roosevelt's Administration unconstitutional, and to stop the Bound Brook, New Jersey, project of the Resettlement Administration; Consent given by Roosevelt to a bill proposing $1,425,000,000 for the coming year for federal relief, responding to the appeal made by Harry Hopkins, director of the Works Progress Administration; Appropriations made by Roosevelt for last year, are rural electrification, $10,000,000, road building, $500,000,000, Puerto Rican projects, $33,000,000, and the Reclamation Service, $76,000,000.

Focuses on the administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Prohibition of segregation and discrimination in all Army facilities by the War Department; Selection of African-Americans in the Navy Department; Measures adopted during the administration including, social security, equal pay for equal work, labor relations and rural electrification bill.

Reports on farmer-labor unity as a theme of many conferences held and scheduled to be held in the United States since the election in November 1949. Information on the seventh annual convention of the rural-electrification cooperatives held in New York City; Announcement that the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative will buy and distribute to 900 rural-electrification cooperatives throughout the United States enough aluminum conductor to string high-line wire to almost half of the nation's un-electrified farms; Invitation given to farm organizations by the Ohio State Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) Council to join in setting up farmer-labor councils on a county level; Report that labor education is expanding in a political direction; Announcement by John Connors, director of the Worker's Education Bureau, American Federation of Labor (AFL), on the opening of regional offices to increase educational work in collaboration with Labor's League for Political Education; Report that Tom Tippett, who created quite a stir several years ago with his books on Southern labor, is heading the educational department of the International Association of Machinists; Report that both AFL and CIO are centering their 1949 attack on municipal and state legislatures; Statement that the United World Federalists is probably the most rapidly expanding voluntary-membership organization in the country; Report that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has engaged Senator Burton K. Wheeler to represent the union at hearings before the Interstate Commerce Commission to force tighter regulation of the trucking industry.