Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 15 January 1932 — Page 1

THE POST-DEMOCRAT “HEW TO THE BLOCK; LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE >rHEY MIGHT” ,

VOLUME XII, No. 1

MUNCIE, INDIANA, JANUARY 15, 1932

PRICE 5 CENTS

CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK IS ORDER

Torment By Helful Surton FIRST PAGE, FIRST COLUMN— The Evening Press runs a col- j umn of “Comment” by Wilbur Sutton, and the Morning Star ^l column of “Today” by Arthur Brisbane. Constant Reader wants to know is Mr. Sutton imagines he is a big writer like Mr. Brisbane, or whether Mr. Brisbane aspires to be a common-’tater like Mr! Sutton. It might be interesting to

know.

And then again, Constant Reader, while .,i .lie inquiring mood, would like ;o know who, if anybodys reads the articles by Jarge Knockwood.

MAYBE HE’LL BE GOVERNOR—

John Tooley, aged 13, of Princeton, Indiana, proved so incorrigible that neither his parents nor the county authorities could do anything with him, so he was sent to Plainfield. There Governor Leslie saw him and talked with him. Mr. Sutton, in commenting on this opines that maybe John will be governor some day. Maybe he will. We’ll bet anything that John is a Republican. So it wouldn’t be the first time that the

TRAFFIC POLICE ARE EULOGIZED

Pittsburg Woman Makes Some Observations— Entertaining Story

MAYOR’S CORNER

By Daddas Williams i President Hoover thinks a lot of i young Teddy Roosevelt, so he sent ; him to the Philippines—just as [far away as it is possible for him ‘ t o go.

I was greatly interested in a series of three art- !

Governor’s chair. A few years ane was sent to the Federal Prison at. Atlanta, another escaped prosecution by pleading the statutes of Limitation, and still another was so dumb that he became the laughing-stock not only of the state, but of the nation. Yes, maybe John'll he governor.

The police certainly are favorite editorial subjects but unfortunately always from the critical viewpoint. So rare are articles of praise and trifmte to police that when ones does appear once In every so long while, it is duly appreciated by the much-abused cop-

pers.

“When I first came to Muncie, one of ils customs struck me with sharp force. It made me feel at home more than any other gesture. I thought, “Why, this city has a friendly heart!” “And if there’s one thing above all else that makes me long to be rich and able to distribute largesse, it is the sighf of these brave and brawny men standing there like beacons of good cheer, bowing and saluting, not only to the cars that stop beside them, hut all others, too. “You will wonder, what queer chemistry would turn my thoughts

Republicans had a criminal in the to a far day as Christmas, on

FULL TIME

EMPLOYMENT—

Mr. C., who has been out of a I ; UUl a mocK comma h fnv <2r\n\LL tjrvw* ™ majestically aside in one

a panting, swdoning day, myself a, gasping greas-spot.

“I’ll tell you:

“When the day was ending, and I picked up my chr and joined the honking caravan of motors cramming Fhe narrow arteries of downtown’s inadequate exits, a car shoved me right into the path of a traffic officer—my front wheels fairly straddled him. 1 skidded my

tires in stopping.

“I,honked a loud sharp honk; and with a mock command waved

job for some time, now reports that he has full-time employment. By the time he has made the rounds of Mr. Dyke’s comittee and subcommittee on unemployment and depression, the Social Service Bureau, the trustee’s office, interviewed Santa Claps, and worked J out Jits ticket' fm* a mess'of jo^P bacon and beans, it is Saturday evening, and on Monday morning he can start on the same round again for another mess of jowl bacon and beans. It’s a great life!

SAYS . WHICH?— Charles G. Dawes, who has just resigned as ambassador to Great Britain to devote his remaining days to banking and bunking, has announced that he ik in favor of Herbert Hoover for another term. We have heard of one other guy that favors, a second term for Hoover, but we can’t recall his name just now. . —,—-—o KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT

Attention! Attention! You have heard of dirt chasers, fire chasers and what not in the chaser line, hut when it comes to ambulance chasing you will ha,ve to see and talk to Humane Officer Harious.

Smoot suggests that Europe use silver, as a substitute for gold payments. So far, however, she has found brass, a satisfafctory substitute.

stern, chiding gesture. He looked up for an instant, amazement in his face; then, at sight of my amusement, burst into a loud peal, and scuttled out of the way of my wheels like any street gamin.

Kaiser Bill Stuff

see

him still laughing. And today again he grinned widely to give me a sign that we shared a huge joke. Yet, as I passed on up the street, it seemed to me that every ‘cop’ along the way was grinning just as widely. And it occurred to me: where else, in all the world, /was I to find a class of men so generally nice? (And when I say “Nice” I mean the word its very Biggest way. “There’s a Nice man!” you say; and if you’re me,

it covers everything!)

“Now who else but a traffic cop would grin at me for pretending to lord it over him and act as if I iwet'e the Crown Prince of Germany before the war, and honk him

out of my way?

‘Who else but a traffic cop could even so much as stand there without collapsing for 10 steady hours, loaded down on the hottest day of summer with enough paraphernalia to make him sag into a grease-spot! Consider the clothing of our traffic cops; a high wool shirt strangling the throat; heavy wool pants tightly covering the legs to within two inches of the ankles; great leather puttees over themp shoes that weigh pounds; a Sam Br.own belt strapped tight to (Continued to Page Six)

Why doesn’t Mr.' Dyke send

ides on Milwaukee that appeared on the first page of fits ticket men to help nm

of the Star in its Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday !:

isSUeS why pick on the si reel depart

The Star very appropriately called editorial alone?

attention to the series and expressed the hope that The star announces that it its readers would study them carefully in order tobow VaT become acquainted with real methods of handling /or iioan, of Milwaukee, has brought ivi 11 n i cm ton 1 tv i'Cy VyI aiyy q hat. city out of debt and how an municipal piomems. L uormous surplus in the treasury. They were read by me very carefully, and I 1 why doesn’t the star run an artendorse what the Star said about the advantage of m'.L'!"? studying Milwaukee methods. | — Dan Hoan, a socialist, has been mayor of Mil- Jack Garner is big enough pres waukee fifteen years, when he took hold the city ;bue he wm he satisfied with any was hopelessly in debt- j^ ouinP democrat. On the first of January, 1932, according to the 1 The boys 0 , f (h e s(reet dei)art . first of the series of Milwaukee articles in the Star, went are glad to he working the city had ]*»d its bills and boasted of $2,000,000 HZJXJ'SS, in the city treasury. jVnosity (?) of the uncomomn eounJust why the Star should go to Milwaukee to[ , n , l 1 o r e T I ne r n aJd’an 1 'wooing 3 eighl

find an example of municipal thrift, is not exactly apparent to me. If its editor had used a lead pencil for a moment, a slight amount of*mathematical calculation should have convinced him that the Star was overlooking an acre of diamonds right here in

Muncie.

FIRE ONE CAUSE UNEMPtOYMENT

Yours a day, to bring the department up to the highest point of efficiency. But, of course, one . hould not expect too much of the

qouncil.

J Now that the administration’s I$5,000,000,000 relief measure has

.... „ , T TT , ; iws.-d, no doubt we shall 1 he performance ol Mayor Hoan or Milwaukee ; ram hear that.prosperity is just

was referred to as a miracle of scientific city management and it took him fifteen years to start with

n. ound the corner. But the exact, orner hasn’t been pointed out yet. hat’s the reason it keeps every-

all the

nothing and acquire a bank roll of two million dol-|;^ ' vat( ' hing the < ‘ orners lars for his city. E; ——

Let’s figure a minute. The pepulation of Mil- Tr : ,h e

•i • , i ii i a .. 1 1 . o operate a little uuuu umweiy waukee is twelve and a halt times as great as the!with the street Department they

mid help make Muncie a cleane

merchants w r ould

closely

i i» -rt land more attractive city. True, became mayor ol Mun-j .snu- of them are giving splendid

NjF’mijYhHi. yv.hile Qibepi.^uve not ieai-ifer ' thtfeV' wayY'-

sweep their floors and

sidewalks, instead of sweeping the litter into the streets ami alleys, they should gather it up and put it in barels and boxes, and place these receptacles next to the al-

ELEVEN AND TWO By I. O, U. P. D. Q. In this pantic stricken age, Is there nothing to assuage, Just a little for the nonsense that it brings, For this writer, “Eleven and Two” Who says Dale is mad clear thru Seems possessed of very ordinary brains. Embryotic are his thoughts, Though his face with smiles are wrought, He’s too BIG to rob a nest of eggs, But when the chicks creep from their shell, What he would do is hard to tell, ■ For he’s got a willing set of legs. Let him practice rank deception, We’ll get even next election, His shallow thoughts and adons few deceive; He’d now be a smarter Dad, Had his teacher with her gad, Taught him apperception, so he’d believe. Well, sometimes I have to smile, For I knew it all the while, That when once we learnt to diflferenciate ; We would then possess a notion, To get up and make a motion, That we make investigation of his pate. But there is no recompense, For the lack of common sense, So we’ll have to wait a little for our laugh; Then we’ll fling his name oh high As a big bamboozling guy, When we separate the grain from out the chaff.

population of Muncie. Two years ago when I

cie, the city was in about Uiajsame shape-that Mil’ waukee was in fifteen years ago. She was practical When they

ally broke.

On January 1st, 1932, Muncie had paid her bills and had a bank balance of $200,000. Comparing the

population of the two cities we find therefore, by a leys, so that the city trucks can simple problem of equation, which could easily be R up a , n . d haul ft away ;. wm? solved by any fitteen year old pupil of the public one. or the cleanest cities in the schools, that Muncie is in better shape, per capita, statt - why not give lt a trial?

from a bank balance standpoint, . that the city of Milwaukee. And it was done in two years, instead

of fifteen. ' . ,

If the flexible mind of the Star editorial writer stopped long enough to consider the thought that comparisons might be in order, the subject was no doubt cavalierly dismissed on the theory that it was a miracle in Milwaukee and just a case of dumb luck

in Muncie. • . : .

I hope all within the sound of my voice will read those three articles in the Star, if you have not already done so, study them carefully and you will find that in a general way the city of Muncie has been operating for the past two years on the Milwaukee plan. Here it is known as the Muncie plan. In Milwaukee as the Schlitz plan. You will read in these Star articles that Mayor Hoan of Milwaukee believes in a tax rate sufficient to prevent the city from borrowing moneys and

floating bond issues.

He very truthfully says that the greatest curse to a community is the borrowing habit and what he calls a “terrible curse” is the issuance of certificates

of indebtedness to contractors of public work to pay orawfordsviiiedty purchased for the city’s portion of paving projects. |^ 1 a l r ’ r ^p n ? l,mper rnglne for firo <le ' I will say that Muncie’s greatest curse is a city.' Warsaw—New post office buiid-

council that takes no heed for the morrow, and of al ing daily newspaper that advocates the verv things that are declared by Mayor Dan Hoon, the Star’s miracle man, to be an abomination upon the face of the

earth.

You should all urge the editor of the Star to take a dose of the medicine he prescribes for you. Tell the editor of the Star to read his own stories about Milwaukee, and profit by them, that he may see the light as St- Paul did, when the scales fell from his unseeing eyes. My dear friends get this straight. It is not taxes that eat you up here in Muncie. It is the devastating interest paid to the banks out of your tax dollar that confiscates your homes and puts your name on the delinquent tax list. I hope you have not forgotten my violent objection to the “terrible curse” of certificates of indebtedness, fastened upon the city by the last administration. I hope you have not forgotten that one of my (Continued to Page Five.) /

Last fall a number of us tried to puff Ball for Congres, and Vestal failed to snow Ball under, but on the contrary the election returns showed him to bq a high Ball, now wouldn’t he be a base Ball not to take his seat? “There,

little girl, don’t bawl!”

In looking over the “Jist Hyar and Thar” column in the Star we see that the editor admits that the Police Department ought to have a telephone. Isn’t that just a little hit of extravagance? Why not have the burglars, robbers, bootleggers, hi-jackers and gamblers, just walk over to headquarters and report their crimes? That would he simpler and cheaper! Now,

wouldn’t it?

We wonder if, when Governor Leslie appointed the Telephone Man on the unemployment com mission, he intended for him to be the/ Dyke-tater of the entire county. How d’ye do, Mussolini?

o

One-Half Billion \ Dollar Fire IjOss a Contributing Factor

• Speaking over the radio recently, Govern Ritchie of Maryland emphasized the necessity of mak ing it possible for men. women and children to enjoy the privileges of well-equipped factories and store.. Handing idle or operating no re duced force, and to willing workers unable to find employmeni “Under present conditions, unnec essary and costly waste should h> reduced to a minimum.” he said referring to the fact that our one half billion dollar yearly fire loss is equal to the assets of the recently otiganized National Credit Institution formed to aid banks in said that this figure also represents two and a half limes the cost of the Panama Canal and was the loss from preventable fires is a significant factor in our economic situation, since there is no salvage in the national ash -heap. He referred also to the appalling loss Yf human life resulting from fire. He developed a point which is usually overlooked in considering 'are losses: that a decreased store of raw materials actually means less potential prosperity and that although insurance Usually covers he cost of reconstruction, business activities often become temporarily demoralized and industries lose customers and profits. \ reduction in the number of preventable fires will aid in assuring workers now engaged, since there is almost certain to be a loss of employment during the reconstruction, period after an industrial fire. Governor Ritchie dwelt upon he principal causes of fire: defective chimneys accumulations of uimbusiible wastjfc materials, de >i-t lations, and exposure to fire on adjacent property, indicating that it is also important to maintain property so as to avoid fire hazards and to build to resist fire. The National Fire Waste Council of the United States Chamber of Commerce has proclaimed 1932 as a year of concerted effort in fire, prevention throughout the country. Governor Ritchie pointed out that the Council speaks with authority and is in earnest, and said: “May I urge that you make a resolution of vigilant fire carefulness throughout the year 1932, and that you mean it and carry it out, and thus contribute to waste elimination and to the return of our economic prosperity.” A DISGRACE TO INTELLIGENCE

Industrial Review

Brookston—Laying of pavement completed on State Road No. 43 to connect Soldiers’ Home pavement with south end of road

south from city.

Pennville—$4,000 Stutz pumper fire truck purchased by city. Indianapolis—State Highway Department completed 320 miles of pavement in fiscal year ending

September 30.

Rochester—Construction of Federal fish hatchery at Lake Manitou during coming summer assur-

pd.

, Lafayette—State Road No. 43 opened to traffic from West Lafayette north. North Salem citizens ask Highway Commission to build road to Turkey Run from Danville via North Salem. Rensselaer — State Highway Commission awarded $203,795 contract to Cast Construction Co. of Warsaw, for building State Road No. 16 from Weldom service station on Highway No. 41 east to State Road No. 53, near city. o “The new Germany has developed a great enthusiasm for games.” Especially playing ’possum.

Board of Works Orders Hydrant on Broderick Boiler Works Property Discontinu-ed-Fire Truck Unable to Jump Fences.

Carlessness, Ignorance, Drunkiness Cause of Most Auto Deaths

At the end of 1931, the National Safety Council said that It had becorrte increasingly evidently that the traffic toll would reach an alltime record of 35,000 fatalities for

he year.

Here is a record that none of us want. It was within our power to prevent it last year, exactly as it| is In our power to prevent the es-; tablishment of another grisly record of automobile deaths in 1932. Safetiy on streets and highways j ■omes as a result of the realiza-i lion of the individual's duty to drive his car at all times in a Carelessness, ignorance, drunken-’ less at the wheel, an irresponsible attitude, lack of ordinary courtesy- • hese things have caused pract+c-i ally all of the 85,000 deaths. The really unavoidable accident is ex-i iremely rare. An informed and active public, consciousness can do much, as the| National Safety Council has found I out. In nearly one-half of our cities united action on the part of puhlio officials, civic or-ganizations and public spirited individuals held the death rate in check. But in the re mainder there has been a woeful spirit of apathy toward a problem hat menaces the lives of us all. We have entered a new year-a year of, many-problems. And we thould remember that one of the most important of these is to do our bit to promote the cause of carefulness and competence in automobile driving. o

When the present administration took over the affairs of municipal government, the opposition on each other’s shoulders over the plight that was to be Muncie’s now. What a calamity for her, she now was to have a newspaper man for mayor instead of a business man, as were past mayors and their own condidate. “Thank God, Mayor Dale is not the same species of business man as his predecessors,” said a citizen todTiy. “If he were, Muncie would not have the surplus in the Old Iron Treasure~Ghest that she has now, after two years of the present administration, but, would he broke or in debt as she was on January 6, 1930. Boards appointed under previous administrations would, evidently, check very carefully any claims filed against the city by individuals for $10 or less, but, if it were a bill of claim filed by some important company or public utility for thousands of dollars, they would fix their signatures to the claim without question. These signatures on this claim was as an assurance to the Controller that the claim had been checked by them, the amount was correct and a check should he issued to this company or public utility covering same. Are all people who are working for public utilities angels of the Lord, or are they especially blessed by the Lord, that they are immune from making mistakes more than an individual? Are they perfect in all things, just because they happen to be employed by this certain concern or utility? The answer is No. When the Dale administration took office, no lists could be found around the city hall showing the number of street, alley or boulevard lights, or the number of fire hydrants installed in the city of Muncie. There was no way of checking on the claims paid by the city annually, semi-annually or monthly by the city. The city in previous years had paid these hills without question. Under the present administration, the board of works asked these utilities for lists of lights and fire hydrants charged to the city. The cost to the city for each street or boulevard light installed in Muncie is $50 per year, for each alley light the cost is $25 per year and for each fire hydrant the cost is $41.66 per year. You will agree with me that the cost is great enough to merrit a close check-up on all claims. teFtheTitilttFes sent m Hsts as un-tvied, m check-up was made on these lists. A few months ago the board of works made the discovery that the city had been paying for a fire hydrant on the property of the Broderick Boiler Works, and north of their factory. This hydrant would benefit only the Broderick Boiler Works. It was located on their grounds and the fire truck would have to jump a fence to reach the hydrant. There- is not to our knowledge any fire trucks or any other trucks, which have been so constructed as to be able to jump fences. Therefore, the board of works ordered the Muncie Water Works to discontinue that hydrant, as it was costing the city $41.66 each year for no protection at all. Checking further it was found that this hydrant Was installed and the city has been paying for it since July 1908. The rate charged on each hydrant at that time was $33.33 and. the rate remained the same for thirteen years or until July 1921. The cost to the city for the time from July 1908 until July 1921 was $433.29. In July 1921 the rate was raised to $41.66 per year, and has since remained at that figure. The cost to the city for the ten years from July 1921 to July 1931 for this hydrant was $416.60, making a total cost to the city of $849.89 for this one hydrant alone. When interest is added, this amounts to more than one thousand dollars. More than a thousand dollars of the taxpayers’ money spent for a fire hydrant that benefit n6 one. We are now asking you: Which is more business-like, a newspaper man, who discovers such errors as these, or a so-called business man who does not?

Americanism: college to acquire sion magazines.

Girls attending culture confes-

“Questions and Answers” By W. J. D. What do bankers live on? Answer: Interest. What makes cities go broke? Answer: Borrowed money. How does the landlord collect rent from ticket men? Answer: He don’t. What will make 1931 long remembered? Answer: The Depression. Who has the gasoline tax belonging to Muncie? Answer: The bankers. Who should have the gasoline tax? Answer: The street department to fill up mudholes. What became of the resolution passed by the city council to investigate the office of the Secretary of State? Answer: Ask the Councilmen. What became of the potatoes raised on the Community Garden? Answer: Ask Mr. Dyke. How many open gambling houses are there in Muncie? Answer: None. Who closed them up? Answer: Mayor Dale. WTiat are the funniest things in this world? Answer: The people who inhabit it. Why are the people the funniest thing in the world? Answer: They can not make a living in a land of plenty. Why don’t we need a fence around a graveyard? Answer: Because those who are in, can’t get out, and those who are out don’t want in.