Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 19 April 1935 — Page 1
THE POST-DEMOCRAT “HEW TO THE BLOCK; LET THE CHIPS PALL WHERE THEY MIGHT.”
TRUTHFUL
VOLUME 16—NUMBER 13.
MUNC1E, INDIANA. FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1935.
PRICE: FIVE CENTS
Director Crabbs Must Go, Or Park Board Will Hand in Resignations
NEIGHBORING
Important Post! STATES AFTER
INFORMATION
PUBLIC ENEMIES
OAV VVALin-EA)
Such, At Least, Is Information Reaching the Woman Cabinet Post-Democrat — Closed Meeting Held Member to Keep
—Took Vote on it—Tie—Mayor Bunch Cast Deciding Vote — Result, Newshounds Barred—Will Bunch Show Yellow
Streak?
Secretary of Labor Explodes Rum-
ors That She is Tired
of Federal Job.
ana Does
Stuff
Her
o ( Tuitt!ng P p™"L h n- 8 Roosevelt’s! Want to Know How Indi
cabinet. “Madame Secretary” j
- j ma( j e that clear on Saturday night j
It would be very foolish that the park program 1 1n uie course of an address at a, - - - i dinner arranged by the Woman’s
Hardly a week passes that a delegation from some neighboring or distant state does not come to Indiana on an official trip of inspection. They come to make notes on the working of the numerous
(if any) should be ruined by unnecessary conflict j N atw"n^SrX “fab. raging within administrative circles. . i Washington loves its rumors, The appointment or removal of any one set of | haveTeer'printtag men, from the park board down to the director or j the rumor that Miss Perkins was any man in the empioy of the park system should not! .
be of sufficient importance to affect the real function Frank Murphy, former mayor of 1 Democratic contributions to
of the parks, to afford recreation and entertainment j ^ p\t ™ i " e f ,vwnor I £
for Muncie and the people of Eastern Indiana. The resignation of an employe favored by the park board who had a run-in with Director Crabbs was merely an incident in the life of the chief execu-
tive responsible for all major appointments. Park Board Members Want “Show-Down.”
The resignation of the employe and the appointment by Mayor Bunch of another man to fill his place was not satisfactory to the park board and calls for a “show-down,” according to statements at-
tributed to the park board members. The “show-down,” we have beenj-~~^~~ —
Herbert H. Evans Has Yellow Streak
of the Philippines.
“Don’t worry about those reports,” said Miss Perkins, and the
women cheered.
Similar stories have been circulated concerning Postmaster General Farley. Apparently they, too, are groundless, though “Jim” may leave the cabinet sometime next year in order to devote all his energies to the President’s campaign
for re-election.
informed is to determine whether the park board or the mayor is to be the final word in determining :
park policies.
The park board, the Post-Demo-crat is informed, says Crabbs must ^ go or they will resign in a body.
- Thr^-favrfr bbfirrt fiffl
meeting the other night but as reporters were “politely told to stay out,” as the Star put it, nobody
knows exactly what happened. Mayor Casts Deciding Vote
The Star ajso said that a vote was taken on the question of admitting reporters; that two members voted in favor of admitting the newspapers, two voted against it and that Mayor Bunch cast the deciding vote that excluded them. Another great newspaper authority, the Muncie Press, came out later in the day with a statement that no vote was taken. Since both reporters of the Press as wftll as the Star were kept out of the star chamber meeting, citizens, who don’t count, will have to draw their own conclusions as to which
one was right in its guess.
At any rate the Press reporter was kicked out as well as the Star representative and both had to get
their information second hand.
But be that as it may, neither newspaper was ever barred from
INSPECTION OF ALL TRUCKS AT END OF LONG RUN
Shoving the White flag of his
type of citizenship, Herbert H. Evans, Republican floor leader in the 1935 General Assembly proposed that all thirty-five Republican members resign if Governor Paul V. McNutt issues a call for a special session of the legislature. The people of Indiana may be thankful that (there are among the Republican minority some upright citizens who who would not be a party to such a betrayal of public trust. Mr. Evans, who is a candidate for the Republican nomination as Governor, might learn to his sorrow that the members of his own party would not look upon such horseplay as being of any service to Hoosier welfare- If a member of the general assembly is elected by the people of his district for any purpose at all it is to he their true representatives in aR matters of law-making. Representative cannot say that his
Safety First” Slogan of Indiana Motor Traffic
Associatioin
any meeting of any board during j duty is done by flatly refusing to
the last administration when the mayor, was present. The public is entitled to full information con-
participate in legislative deliberations. That might be the way to draw attention to one’s candidacy
cerning the acts of its officials j f 0 r Governor but it is not the way and as the reporters know, they of a sincere citizen or a loyal rep- ‘
Continued on Page 4 resentative of the people.
Fire Fighters Will Fight The board of safety and public works should make the world safe for fire chiefs and should admonish firemen that public work on the chief’s pan is not according to Hoyle. Stash Hellis, a fireman, one day this week met Zooky Babb, his chief, in a local beer “tavern.” What the racket was all about, outside of the liquid refreshment present in large quantities, has not been thoroughly determined, but the consensus is that Stash socked the chief in the eye, after the latter had admitted that he Was responsible ‘ for Stab’s failure to get a captain’s job, which he charged had been promised to him. Reports vary as to the conflict, many contending that Stash shaded his opponent. All agree, however, that the encounter between the two was merely a preliminary bout. An adjournment by all parties to another beer parlor was taken and the two are said to have again socked each other plenty and that the chief got that decision. Personally we think it was all a publicity stunt, preparatory to a finish combat, horse and horse, grudge fight and all that sort of thing. Zooky and Stash are not only great fire fighters but now they may qualify for the ring, if persistent reports are true. It is conceded that even privates in the fire department have a right to get mad if promises made by others are queered by the chief, but we hope that the mutual socking will end the conflict and that they will shake hands and call the big fight off. We hope at least that hostilities will not be resumed at the next fire. The fire wouldn’t wait for the decision.
Through safety inspection of all trucks by the operator at the end of every long run and provision of up-to-date safety devices on all units are urged by the safety committee of Indiana Motor Traffic Association, Inc. in a special bulletin issued to the trucking industry of the state. Announcement of the bulletin was made by D. F Mitzner, association secretary, for the committee, headed by Ray S. Shook of South Bend and including Jack Morgan of Austin, L. E. Berry of Evansville and John S. Quinn and O W. Shaw of Indianapolis., The committee advances the suggestion that one, perhaps two, flares or flags in addition to the two now required by Indiana law be put in case of forced stoppage on the highway, as a greater protection to other motorists and to ( the broken-down unit and its j
drivers.
Placing of a lighted fuse at the . rear of the truck immediately upon 1 its emergency stopping is recom- I mended by the committee. A driver j of a truck was killed recently while j preparing to place his flares.
Inspections Desirable
Welcoming an intensive J campaign by Indiana state police and | other authorities to check lights, brakes, flags, flares and other safety appliances, the committee declared that such safety inspections of all motor vehicles at frequent intervals are highly desirable. All truck operators and other motorists are urged to cooper-
ate.
investigate:
Our tnodel state banking
and the non-partisan s^p commission of financial institutions;
How model insurance .laws oper-
ate.
How Indiana has balanced her state budget. How our progressive corporation laws and blue sky security regu- ! lation operate. I How Indiana has reduced the tax j burden on real estate and has I broadened the tax base. How th e gross income, intangibles and excise taxes work to assure equal educational opportunities for all Indiana children. How our conservation and state park systems progress and hold the interest of all citizens. How our state Health system (utilizes the facilities pf university laboratories -and engages the cooperation of public-minded citi-
I zens.
| How public debt has been reduced anld cyjttzen, control over tax spending and bonding have been established. How public safety, a stat e police system with radio communications and twenty-four hour war on crime have been advanced How a public counsellor protects the interests *of public utility patrons. How business methods applied to government have reduced costs and vastly improved services to the people. Welcome to these visitors from other states. Many more of them will com e to see and to learn when new works and achievements of Indiana’s Democratic stewards get underway. Welcome, indeed, to these from other states who honestly appreciate and are willing to copy for their own many of the New Deal accomplishments here. We are only sorry that biased views of one kind or another will not permit some of the home folk among us to recognize the merit and facts as our visitors see them.
“Parkinson Plan” Has Been Appealed to Tax Commission
DEMOCRACY IN INDIANA IS IN GOOD HEALTH
Many Candidates in the Field Sign of Good Condition
Signed Petition Against Action of Council Looks Like a Registration Blank at a Bankers’ Convention, Bearing the Names of Eleven Financiers—Co-operation With Dale Administration Would Have Seen Sewage Plan Well On Way to Completion by This Time-—Bankers Are Funny, The recently authorized $221,000 bond issue and the appropriating ordinances by the city council with which to carry out the “Parkinson plan” has been appealed by local taxpayers to the state board of tax commissioners. The signed petition against the council looked very much like a registration blank at a banker’s convention bearing the names of
Russell
> Daniel in the lion’s den had nothing on the Jay Walker.
The Jay Walker is effrontery j exists in the ranks of the personified as he saunters into' Democratic party,” said Chairman rhe face of all care. ! Jackson who again voiced the State ! Jav Walkers occupy half f/ttfi Committee's motto for organizabifins reserved for those kill'd iion success - The Motto 18: A c j jins reserved jor mose RUt^a United Democracy for a Democra-
Democracy in Indiana is enjoy- i ing exceeding good health as evi- | denced by the early 1935 crop of j candidates, said 0»mer Stores Jackson, Democratic State Chairman, in an organization address here last night before the Green County Women’s Democratic club. “Discussion of candidacies and
re e ran“tMw“e? a yr her puMc! Myron Gray Frank Bernard, F. D. Rose, office in the field far in advance i Isenbarger, H. L. Almy, M. F. Spencer, Tom Mann, of the Democratic primaries can j q ^ Penzel, J. L. Kimbrough, Charles Grafton, and
in traffic. By crossing in the middle of the block, thev ojten soalR
to their own graves.
HITS AND MISSES (By Will Harley)
can
c thing—that 8 a^heaiVhy''condt | George Higman, all banking officials.
Ball Family Has Not Given “Go” Sign. A coalition of Muncie realtors, headed by Mark
Miltenberger, with the bankers and sprinkled with a few other freeholders of the city, totaling 37 signatures in all, contend that no emergency exists for the borrowing and expending of this amount of money from the taxpayers pockets of Muncie. If things every | the state tax board are convinced of these excessive of the Demo-1 expenditures at the hearing to be designated soon,
with
DISGUSTED
i
One evening in October When 1 was far from sober And dragging home a load
manly px-ide.
My feet began to stutter. So I laid down in the gutter And a pig came up and parked right by my side. Then I wax bled : “It’s fair weather When good fellows get together” Till a lady passing by was heard
to say:
“You can tell a man who boozes By the playmates that he chooses.” Then the pig got up and slowly walked away. —Our Sunday Visitor.
Abyssinia Traded By John Bull For Peace in Europe To frustrate Japanese imperialism in Abyssinia and to avoid a major European war England is forcing Italy into a campaign against Ethiopia, Jay Fx-anklin reveals in this week’s issue of Lib-
erty.
Declaring that “in the long run
l “The legitimate truqk- operator I Italy has to do what England wants I Who’’is interested uin, reduping ac- | her .to do” he says that London has
I c(Meats; 1 ■cutting his insurance rates, j ordered the entxre move, holding down his own losses and j , 1’ 0 get ^^ rm f ny s
1 costs and keeps his equipment in j ^°t to bomb England from the axx
at all times will l,i n case of another war, England
agreement
proper condition
welcome such a campaign. H e will know that it is to his interest,”
the committee said. o
Enemy of Tobacco Trust Succumbs; Friend of Labor
Uncle Jeb Pruden sez: “We been notisin fer sometime, that not all the men an’ wimmen who contrackted matr’mony, an’ got fooled, wer’ mar’ed on April Fool’s Day.”
tic Indiana ”
“I expect to continue crusading up and down the State” said Mr. Jackson, “insisting everywhere
go that above all
^loyal Democratic worfker should
!stand for success
• cratic party.
I “The thought I have uppermost in my mind and for which I am i most earnestly campaigning, is [that, regardless of personal ambiI ti4n for public office, the thing ! now most vital is the success of j the Democratic party. In order | to have and to hold that measure ! of success which our party deseri ves, we must have unity in the ranks of our Democracy. By clinging first to Democratic px-inciples
of government, 1 am sure that — y -- — members of the party, when the sale although they contend in their proper time comes, will select j nplpeal that the interest (rate of candidates to fill out the ticket ! 4 1-2 per cent is even excessive, who will best serve all the inter- j A year ago these same bankers ests of the Democratic party. j were dissatisfied with the 4 1-2 “If every Democrat makes the i per cent interest bearing rate continuing success of the Dexno-{claiming-that it was insufficient, cratic party his first concern from ! What Bond Issue Contemplates, this date and on, and if we keep (', The proposed bond issue conthat attitude regardless of what templated the purchase of new
equipment for several of the city
a last a last
departments was not
it appears that the Parkinson plan will take appears that the Parkinson plan will take count such as the Townsend or Long plans.
Evidently, the Ball > family, which holds a tight grip on the city administration, has not given the “go” sign on this contemplated bond issue and has taken steps to pick the bad bonds out of the good ones. No doubt the bankers do not wish to be embarrassed by the offering of these bonds for
The actions of Hitler the German Dictatoi\ who wate once a poor paper-hangex - , might be improved one hundred per cent, if someone would give him a good “pasting.” It seems like a shame to plow under so much cotton, when it might have been used to advantage to make shrouds, for all those poor little pigs.
All fair minded people are agreed that there is nothing the matter with the new deal, and the President's plan for handling it, if the “brain trusters” would stop dealing from the bottom. In case of another European wax 1 , we wonder who will furnish the warring nations with choice foodstuffs, and eat substitutes, like we did in 1917-1918?
When our minister tells us “that it is more blessed to give than to receive,” we wonder if he didn’t at some time get a , hard “sock on the nose?”
Woodford F. Axton, head Of the largest independent tobacco manufacturing company in the world and a staunch advocate of union labor, died here last week after an illness of six weeks. H e was
63 years old.
As president of the Axton-Fisher Tobacco Company, Mr. v Axton not only operated a union factory for 38 years but went up and down the land urging employers to give labor and consumers a square deal. Less than a month ago he gave his unqualified indorsement to the Wagner bill outlawing “company In 1933, after a year in which (Continued to Rage Four)
promised not to interfere with Germany over Austria. London made its second step and negotiated the withdrawal from Austria’s borders of 11 Duce’s troops by promising Italy free rein in Abys-
sinia.
Whether Italy wants the African
territory or not makes no diffex--ence, Mr. Franklin states. “Italy
will take it and like it—yards.” England’s diplomatic moyes
throughout the controversy had its oxigin in Greek revolution when it was clearly demonstiated that an airforce could whip a battle fleet operating in narrow waters. “It will be remembered, says Franklin, “that the loyal Greek
force decisively conquered
the rebel fleet under Venizelos. England did not want a show- I Q^e down between its fleet and Ger-
many’s powerful airforce.”
It has just come to light that there is a river flowing under a nart of Kansas. Gosh! Wouldn’t it be awful after all those vears of drought, if “dry” Kansasd iscov-
f-eggers,
had been using sub-marines?
The size of ones trouble is often magnified beyond reasonable proportions, but descend gradually to earth after exchanging expexiences with some friend who has
had real troubles.
What this city needs worst of all, is more parking space, so that when a fellow finds a place to park his car, he won’t have to hire a
taxi to take him to work.
Many people enjoy playing with the law, and when they pull a fast they have been known to
XL
. A— '->1 1 r\ oIt-.
th e opposition might say, we will not be long in perfecting a United Democracy for a Democratic
Indiana.”
Mr. Jackson complimented the women who in greater number than ever befor e have been taking interest in the political opportunities afforded them by the payty of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Young voters, he said, who most keenly appreciate the social and political reforms of the day are declaring their allegiance to the Democratic party long before they become of age. o Performances of Nature, at Times Are Very Strange Over the National Capital have hung great clouds of saffron-col-ored dust, and everyone from the pages in Congress to the highest officials of the land have looked out upon this strange performance of nature and wondering what it all might mean.-It seems almost beyond human comprehension to realize that millions of motorists along the Atlantic seaboard have gone out to their cars and before using them they have been compelled to wipe th e dust of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and other states off their windshields before they were able to go out into the traffic. But that has been the case more times in the last year or two than in all previous
history.
The thoughtful people see more than the dust on their cars; they see the, devastated farm lands and prairies_ denuded of their most fertile soil, and the tragedy that ; stalks in the great agricultural regions of the United States. There never has been as much thought given as at the present time to such measures as control of soil-erosion, shelter-belts, reforestation, and afforestation, drainage, flood and wind control. One member of the Administra-
departments and the repairs of 'certain! streets and highways ill Muncie with federal government paid labor and the city furnishing the materials. To date there has been no assurance that Muncie will receive any federal aid on these projects and the validity of bonds issued to acquire funds to be used with funds in anticipation is questionable. It was contended
by the Post-Democrat -when the pance of the proposed bonds there
and park necessary.
The street and park departments were furnished new trucks a year ago while the police department was also equipped with some new |utomobiles. These departments were left by the retiring administration in excellent condition for the continuation of service to the public. One piece of equipment was needed at the city barns and that was a street sweeper, which could be -bought for approximately $6,000. Another contention by the remonfetrators to the bond issue | was that the construction of the sewage disposal plant in Muncie was more of a necessity to the community than the widening and repairing of streets. No Money for Sewer Left. The authrization of the proposed $221,000 against the bonded indebtedness of the city of Muncie would total the outstanding \feht to,.; 1926,000. The linft of bonded indebtedness for the civil city of Muncie would approximate $780,000 or 2 per cent of the assessed valuation. With the issu-
issue was first proposed that the (necessity to purchase a lot of new equipment for the street, police.
/'would not remain a sufficient bonding credit for the city to con(Continued to Page Four)
“The average cost of a moving picture kiss is $53.70,” so we read. Well, they mhy cheapen this part of the production as far as we are
concerned.
jaw. It will he noted however, that tlon in Washington says that these _ _ j caoco itmowed destructive forces must be pre-
by “lockstep.’
Californians appear to be quite proud of their large numbers
Continued to Page Four)
.vented, but he doesn’t know just how, “if we are to avoid the fate of deforested China, with floods of | sand storms and famines a recur-
rent scourage.”
“Lucrative” or Not is the Question Charlie Fisher has declined the appointment of the commissioners to the ten-dollar-a-month job as Republican member of the local liquor control board. He says that somehow or other he wouldn’t amount to much as a member. He rather thinks Indianapolis will be the final word and besides he is so dry that he breathes dust storms and besides etc., etc., etcetery. Charlie announces further that it was too much like being invited to attend a bowling tournament and then handed a ball with no thumb and finger holds in it. Or, to make his alliteration more expansive , maybe he feels like the fellow who was handed a loving cup with no handle on his side. But Mayor Bunch still insists that City Clerk Ridgeway, whom he appointed to the important ten dollar job, is entitled to serve, regardless of an opinion of the excise department to the contrary. The law provides that no person shall hold two lucrative public offices. That is true, but the amount of the stipend does not control. Indiana decisions have declared that the office of councilman is not a lucrative one, yet the supreme court has held that members of the school board, drawing ten dollars a year, hold lucrative jobs. What the people here are wondering about, is the itch that Ridgeway and some others have for the job, if it is not lucrative. And besides these liquor control boards are new offices and consequently the courts have never ruled on the question of whether they are lucrative or not.