Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 29 September 1939 — Page 1

M

THE POST - DEMOCRAT

VOLUME 20—NUMBER 18.

MUNCIE, INDIAN^ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1939.

PRICE: FIVE ( ENTS

Local Tax Increase Highest In Indiana

Muncie’s Proposed Rate of $3.68 is 48 Cents Greater Than Present Levy and Tops the List of Cities With Populations Between 25,000 and 50,000 in the State; Cities With Lowered Rates Own and Operate Public Utilities; Campaign Pledges Turn to Stone But Taxpayer’s Association Appeals Bud-

gets To State Board.

According to a survey made by the Associated Press, the largest increase in local tax rates throughout Indiana for cities in population between 25,000 and 50,000 and among the nine second class cities of this state, is proposed in Muncie for 1940. Even after reductions were made by local taxing officials from the original proposed levies for next year, the total tax rate in Muncie stands at a 48-cent boost over the present year. The taxpayers of this city have been handed this extra burden in spite of all the campaign promises offered for tax reduction and the organization of a taxpayers association

The proposed total rate of !j>3.86

DOG “SMOKE EATER” GETS FIREMEN’S HONOR BURIAL

Chester Pa.—Socks, an English bulldog that answered all fire alarms in Chester, received a |ceremonious burial by Moyameirsing Hook and Ladder company. The- dog was placed in a silk-lined'coffin and one of the volunteer firemen acted as undertaken. Socks, who had a special harness to prevent falling from the fire truck, had learned to drag a length of hose, climb ladders and carry a water bucket. ANOTHER ISSUE IS MISSING FOR 1940 CAMPAIGN Vicious Attacks On ExGov. McNutt Have Fallen Flat

now rests on appeal with the state tax commission and a further . hearing will be conducted on the ' various local budgets before final approval is given to the 1940 levies. The local taxpayer’s association has sponsored the appeal from the increased rate. The proposed $3.86 total levy for Muncie sets a record for t\ie highest in this city. The record to date is the $3.80 rate established in 1937 and payable last year. The tax levy survey of cities in Indiana shows that reductions have been made in cities where public utilities are owned and operated by the city. The lowest rate s is at Logansport with a $1.74 total ^ t tax levy. This city owns and operates it’s public utilities as also does the city of Richmond which reports a decrease "in their 1940 taxes. All cities that have municipally owned utilities do not show a decreased tax rate for next year but with few exceptions they have either been able to do without major increases, maintain their present levies, or make some reductions (for thefr ta^palers. The civil city, "the county, and the township poor relief costs have been responsible for the 48cent increase in taxes proposed in Muncie next year. The civil city budgets and tax levies were proposed at first with a 21-cent boost but the city council rimmed 6y 2 cents from the first estimate and the county adjustment board took another ten cents from his increase. The costs of civil city government was greatly increased during the Bunch administration and the present regime finds it difficult to adjust their expenditures back to where they were five to ten years ago. Campaign pledges of strict economy sounded good to the voters, and taxpayers but after a taste of spending public funds, the present administration found it much easier to do than getting along with less money. The county rate was increased because of election expenses which are necessary to be paid next year. Poor relief estimates for next year have been greatly increased which sent the taxes to be raised for such purposes upward and accounts for another major ■ portion of the highest tax levy increase in Indiana among cities with populations from 25,000 to 50,000. The citizens and taxpayers of Muncie may credit the local taxing officials with placing this city on top again but this time on top is the wrong place to be. Additional industry which might be invited to Muncie will no doubt back away from the high tax rates and industry already located here are not going to be encouraged by the advancement of their costs of operations due to higher taxes.

j When the state government of i Indiana was reorganized by Paul V. McNutt, the foes of the party raised the cry that McNutt had become a dictator, that he was the Hoosier Hitler, that he was the reincarnation of every tyrant, another Napoleon on horseback. From the Democratic editorial meeting at French Lick, we hear

coming from this

Pythian Sisters of Indiana will hoK j dictator. We hear him saying that

the duty of every American is to

Knights Pythias Convention South Bend, October 3-5

The Grand Lodge Knights of

Pythias and the Grand Temple j strange words

their annual state conventions a South Bend, October 3rd, 4th anc 5th. The business sessions of both conventions will open officially on Wednesday morning, October 4th continuing throughout that day and Thursday. Preliminary events on October 3rd consist of the annual banquet of the Grand Temple and Grand Lodge at the Oliver Hotel during which the members of the two organizations will be welcomed to South Bend by Mayor Jesse I. Pavey, Judge Dan Pyle of the St. Joseph Circuit Court, and Mrs. Eva Mandick, Most Excellent Chief of the South Bend Pythian Sisters. The annual fall ceremonial of Kal Mura Temple No. 184, D. O. K. K., “Sunshine Department” of the Knights of Pythias will be held Tuesday evening following the

banquet.

National officers and out of state visitors who are expected to attend include Ray O. Garber of Des Moines, Iowa; Supreme Vice Chancellor; Dan F. Summey of Cincinnati, Ohio, Past Imperial Prince; S. W. F. Garnett of Owosso, Michigan, Past Grand Chancellor; Will E. Hampton of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Grand Keeper of Records and Seal of Michigan; Louis J. Dolson of Chicago, Supreme Regent, Princes of Syracuse; Mrs. Kathryn Detra of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Supreme Chief of the Pythian Sisters; Mrs. Elizabeth Hoyt of Chicago, Past Supreme Chief of the Pythian Sisters. The convention of the Grand Temple Pythian Sisters will mark the 51st annual session of that ladies’ auxiliary. Installation of officers and selection of a meeting place for 1940 will bring both conventions to a close Thursday afternoon. WILL HOLD OPEN HOUSE.

The Shelbyville Demcorat and Shelbyville Republican have issued invitations to all their friends to attend an open house on Sunday, October 1st, in order that the general public might visit their new office and plant. The new building and the mechanical equipment it

preserve our civil liberties, to which he adds in a most prophetic note, the “right of every citizen to vote as he pleases.” Out of all the expressions in recent months, this is perhaps the most encouraging for those who call themselves, and rightfully, liberals and list themselves at the ballot boxes as progressives and independents. Here is a challenge to all dictatorships and an appeal for the preservation of American

ideals.

No dictator ever trusts the bollot box. He relies upon force and the clanking - of sabers, the marching of soldiers to enforce his will, He affirms Avhat every dictator has denied from Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, the ability of the people to rule thdmselves. They scoff at the wisdom of people to select their servants, not their rulers. They laught at what is called democracy. He asserts its truth. This was exactly what Paul V. McNutt brought to Indiana when he advised a reorganization of state government, which placed responsibility where it belongs instead of offering an alibi tor the unfaithful to escape public wrath. He said that the head of state government should assume this power and authority, that there would be one place to which the people could go and demand justice and receive it. The issue raised by Paul V. McNutt is more than academic. It is a real issue, for in every Republican speech we listen to a distorted story of our history. We hear that this is a republic, not a democracy. We head that the right to vote must be based upon property rights. We hear that civil liberties must be limited and that power must be placed in the hands of the strong. We hear that free speech must be limited, that religion must be harnessed, that the people must be protected against themselves. Against this we have the clarion call of Paul V. McNutt when he warns that the one right to be guarded at all times is the right of every citizen to vote as. he pleases. It is the old battle, but

The Republican press agent recounts that recently he made a trip across the country and back and found that Franklin D. Roosevelt’s popularity had waned, that a shift in sentiment away from the New Deal had occurred, and that there was a general feeling among Republicans that if Air. i Roosevelt runs again he will be defeated more easily than if I

j the Democrats nominate a conservative.

Curiously enough the Democratic press agent made the j same trip at the same time and found that the President was las popular as ever; that the New Deal was being supported j I by all except those who have assailed it consistently, and | I that the President would run again. Moreover—and I think j this puts me one up on my distinguished contemporary — I I encountered a top-flight Republican economic royalist, who was taking time off from his daily hymn of hate for Roosevelt to bet with his fellow economic royalists, who consulted , their prejudice rather than their judgment—that is, he is ; betting that if the President is again a candidate he will be j elected again! ! I encountered many among the Democrats who hoped he! would run; others who hoped he would not run—either be- j

cause they feared the third-term issue, or were partizans °f I nilDQI F Ql HIA/KJ various candidates, but strangely enough, I missed all th e j |)|!y|jLl DLUvVuI

folks my colleague on the minority side found who were en- ‘ thusiastically confident of Republican success next year.

How It Looks to a Neutral *

It is conceivable, of course, that a couple of propagandists fitting between Washington and California might hear mostly what they want to hear, so perhaps it would be more informing to turn to a less interested source to ascertain political sentiment. It so happens that the New York Daily News, which, I believe, has the largest circulation of any paper in the United States, has a scout out doing the very thing sys-1 tematically that we were doing incidentally and casually. Until the national conventions have been held and the opposing candidates nominated no perfectly satisfactory survey of probable majorities can be offered, but the G. O. P. publicity director tells his party of the “general feeling among Republicans that Mr. Roosevelt more easily could be defeated next year than a more conservative Democrat.” By a happy coincidence Air. Pasley, the News’ political surveyor, takes Air. Roosevelt as his test candidate, and on that basis we can'compare what he concludes after devoting more time to a state than we spent on our whole voyage, with what my Republican contemporary thinks he learned. California, according to the News man, is 61 per cent Democratic on this basis. Nevada, next door, goes along with 55 per cent. Utah surpasses California with a 66 per cent vote for the Democrat, and Texas goes still farther up,

for the forecast there is 70 per cent.

Next in the file before me is a border state—Missouri.— which according to the itinerant News reporter is a trifle

Street Repair Program

Blockades City Traffic

the jitters. Too many were fooled by this bubble. They were fooled by the metropolitan newspapers and the propaganda machine. They were misled by this artificial display. They failed to recognize the fact that the people who did the claiming and the talking were those who have always been Republican payrollers and that it did not come from farmers, from workers and independent business men. When the President’s plan for unemployment was halted by a Congress coalition, the cry went out that Roosevelt was defeated. His enemies failed to call, attention

m j. t* 16 tact that workers and busi-

more Democratic than Nevada ftfr its New Deal percentage- ness Rdnse--

houses are said to be right up to

the minute. We extend congratula- ever new. It is the battle between

tions.

LOCAL BOY TO DANVILLE

Leo Donovan of Yorktown, Delaware County, has enrolled in Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana, for the fall term. o Ruthland county, in England, has ha dno crime for 13 years.

COL. LINDBERGH AND NEUTRAUTY Breaking an eight years’ silence, Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh last week called on the American people to stay out of Europe’s war. In a nation-wide broadcast over the three major networks, the “Lone Eagle” contended that by remaining aloof we may bring peace to Europe more quickly. The Colonel’s neutrality talk would no doubt carry more weight with the American public today, if the public could forget about one little incident—his comparative recent decoration with the high Nazi emblem that was personally bestowed upon him by Hitler. There has been much talk recently that he is. being built up again to be the next Republican presidential candidate.

nublic servants and public rulers. It is the philosophy of Thomas Jefferson, . again challenged by the Tories of the present day. “Protect our civil liberties,” says Paul McNutt. Every progressive and independent voter will approve. Every true liberal will applaud. Another fog disappears and another issue is gone. But Indiana has always known where he stood

and will stand.

BLACKFORD DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CHAIRMAN DIES

Ross Daugherty, Democratic county chairman of Blackford county, passed away after a long illness last Saturday evening at his home in Hartford City. He had been head of the local license branch since 1934 and was active in the civic affairs of his community. He was a close personal friend of Gov. M. Clifford Townsend who together ^vith .other state officials attended his funeral. To the wife and daughter who survive we extend our sympathy. —— -o— MOTOR VEHICLES INCREASE Australia now has over 760.000 motor vehicles.

is 56. Oklahoma promises to go along with 59 per cent. He gives the Democrat the edge in Ohio after polling Cleveland and Columbus. On the other hand the News man gives the Republicans a shade the best of it—percentages not recorded—in Illinois, and turns Kansas and Nebraska out of the Democratic column. Doubt In the Cow Country My (temporarily) Republican contemporary likewise sees the cow and sheep country furious at Roosevelt, because of his utterance re Argentine corned beef, etc. But Pasley says Colorado and Wyoming are both in the doubtful column. The cities are for Roosevelt; the rural sections against. Of course, the tally is not complete but so far as his reports have appeared, he thinks Illinois and Kansas are the only Republican bright spots. I do not accept these figures for other than a more or less intelligent guess—which is my attitude on all of these straw polls that are cluttering up the journalistic columns these days—but I submit that they are more credible than the deductions with which I have compared them. Not having anything on which to base an opinion as to whether the Democrats will be able to draft Franklin D. Roosevelt, or who will come out of either of the national conventions next year as the candidates, it seems to me that it might be the part of wisdom for us propagandists to be a little careful in venturing on the field of prophecy. For my own part it seems that all the auguries are on my side. We have won election after election for the past nine years. I cannot see where the Republicans, with no program and no outstanding candidate, can detach any considerable group from the Democratic strength, and with the majorities we have had I cannot see anything to awake anxiety as to the outcome of 1940.

NIGHT SCHOOL FOR ADULTS TO BE STARTED HERE MONDAY OCT. 9

DOUBLE WHIPPING ORDER IN COURT ORDERS OF 1636

Boston—The General Court,

meeting at New Towne, in 1636, apparently felt that one whipping was insufficient for an anonymous Boston man convicted of knocking down

and kicking his master. That august body ruled that

he should be whipped at New Towne, and “after a convenient time,” receive a similar punishment at Salem, according to research workers for the Federal Historical Records Sur-

vey of the WPA. * o

UP BY THE GOP HAS BURSTED

Specious Arguments Put

Out Have Failed To

Fool People

Major Part of Business District Closed To Parking and Street Traffic Due to Re-Sur-facing Projects; Work To Be Completed By October I5th and Thoroughfares Will Be Opened; Indiana Railroad Consents to Track Removal On Walnut Street. Traffic in the business district of Muncie has been inconvenienced during the past week with blockades while a street resurfacing program has been in progress. It is planned to resurface Walnut street through the business district to the Big Four railroad tracks and several of the downtown business blocks have been cut off from driving and parkingtraffic. Jackson street from High to Mulberry streets was reopened to traffic Monday after completing the resurfacing of these two blocks. Work is now in progress on East Washington street from Mulberry to Madison streets. This stretch of thoroughfare has been torn up for several weeks and ; closed to all traffic.

A number of streets have been blockaded in the middle of certain

For a year Republicans have as- j

sumed that they could fool all the L. , . . , .. . .. citizens and would ride back to { Mock S instead ot at the street inpower in 1940. The Democrats had i te f ect ‘ ons whl( * has cause ? C °F

siderable congestion when traftic

Announcement is made by the \ skill in their respective occupa-

city school authorities that evening classes for adults will begin Monday, October 9th ,for vocational, trade and industrial training. These classes are conucted at the Central High school building md are open to all persons desiring to attend who are past sixteen vears of age and do not attend day school. There is a small registration fee required from each student who enrolls in these night classes. Instructors and teachers of such classes are selected from experienced workmen in local shops and businesses and are conducted for the purpose of giving additional training to tradesmen so that they might further advance in their work. The evening school classes were attacked this year by taxing critics who suggested the elirniuatiou of such schooling in order to hold down local school expenditures and costs. Trade unions in the city recommended that the classes he continued since it furnished the opportunity for many workmen to gain additional knowledge and

tions. It may be considered that all funds are well spent which would increase the education and practical knowledge of any citizen. Program Worth Whilte There could be a just argument that if such evening school classes were costing the taxpayers an excessive amount of money, that the program should be made to be as self-supporting as possible. However, if local tradesmen and women are benefitted to the extent that they are more capable to hold their present jobs and improve upon their future work through the extension of evening school classes, then, the entire program can be considered very

much worth-while.

It is stated that a wide assort- j operations,

ment of courses will be offered this year and registrations may be made at the high school in the vocational office. Each school. term will be for ten weeks and there will be three terms during the school year. H. F. Brickley, of the city schools, is in charge of the

(Continued On Page Four)

velt. Every setback of the New Deal was translated into a major

defeat.

It took but one blast from Fred F. Bays, Democraotic State Chairman, to burst this bubble of hope. The Republicans are back again, where they were in 1932, a party without an issue and a party without a program. From every county in the state, there is again enthusiasm and confidence. It comes from the people who have shown that they might have been discouraged, but never defeated. They have again joined in the ranks of a militant, enertretic party which stands for progress. They have demonstrated that they have never lost confidence in the Democratic party nor in its program. More dismaying to these scandalmongers is the disappearance of party quarrels and bickering. While Republican leaders have plenty of quarrels in their own ranks, they find little or none of them in the opposition party which has again responded to the call The Republicans are back where they started from—a party bewildered and lost by the display of courage and of confidence of the people in the New Deal under Democratic leadership. Confidence is a wonderful tiling, for a party as for a human being. One little puff and the Republican bubble of victory disappeared. Most Detours Will Be Ended By Oct. 15 Most of the detours now in effect on the state highway system will be eliminated by Oct. 15 through the completion of construction and improvement projects, T. A. Dicus, chairman of the State Highway Commission, announced today. Weather conditions during the next two weeks will be an important factor in the progress made in finishing work now in progress. Approximately five detours will be required during the winter on projects where construction work can not be completed until 1940. \mong these are: paving on Road 20, east of Michigan City; paving on Road 35, southeast of Michigan City; grading and paving on Road 67 between Martinsville and Brooklyn; ; surfacing Road 120 west of Orland, and surfacing Road 124, east from Road 27. It is possible that some of these sections of highway can be opened to traffic during the winter months, depending upon progress made before bad weather halts

COOKING AROUND AMERICA ..“San Francisco”—the fourth in a Series of Seven Color Pages Illustrated by Jamies Montgomery Flagg, appearing in The American Weekly, the Magazine Distributed with the SUNDAY CHICAGO HER-

ALD-AM ERICAN.

unfamiliar with the blockades has been forced to turn around in a narrow street and seek another passage to their destinations. Public utilities have been busy making improvements to their service lines underground in the streets before the resurfacing is done. It has been announced that the Indiana Railroad company agrees to permit the city to take up the car tracks on Walnut street but work has not begun on this project to date. It is understood that interurban cars will be permitted to run both north and soutn on Mulberry street when the Walnut sJxael tracks have been removed. Mulberry street is a ’one-way street with traffic going north and such traffic will continue as such except for the cars operated by the Indiana Railroad. The interurbans have been permitted to run south on Mulberry street since the south bound tracks on Walnut street hove been blockaded due to the street repairing program. All work on the downtown streets is expected to he completed by October 15th and local traffic will be relieved of a present inconvenience. The resurfacing projests have been contracted and paid from state gasoline tax funds distributed to this city. The firm Of Hayes and Brookman were contracted to resurface Walnut street while D. H. Binford, local supply dealer and contractor, is repaving East Washington street. The blockades against traffic and parking on Walnut street during the past two weeks has decreased the revenue from the parking meters. It is estimated that the loss has amounted to" more than one hundred dollars per week

from meter receipts since the program was begun.

Homecoming Game At Bloomington Saturday, Oct. 30 Bloomington, !nd.. Sept. 28.— Clashing in one of the top games of the nation, Indiana, and Nebraska will be featured in Hoosier football’s big kickoff here Saturday afternoon. The kickoff will be at 2 p. m. The game will be the fourth of the series which has become known a-s one of the outstanding rivalries of intercollegiate foothall. and will open" Indiana’s 54th season on the gridiron. Coach Bo McMillan will be sending out a veteran squad against the Cornhuskers, who also boast a battery of reliable veterans from last year. The previous three games have been played at Nebraska, two ending in victories for the Huskers, and last year’s encounter, between two sophomore teams, was a scoreless tie. This week’s work for the Hoosiers has been devoted chiefly to mastering defensive assignments, although the final workouts on Wednesday and Thursday were to include work on timing of offensive maneuvers Indiana expects to use during the contest. Rumors that the Hoosiers might rely upon the almost lost art of field goal kicking as a major offensive threat gained credence this week as Capt. Jim Logan, Gene White, Eddie Herber and Joe Tofir were schooled daily in this department. The game Saturday will climax the annual Homecoming festivities (Continued On Page Four)

BONDS ARE NOT WANTED The operations and existence of any unAmerican or ganizations within the United States may expect to have plenty of trouble from now on since the federal govern ment is taking steps to outlaw such groups and thereby place a damper on the increasing amount of plotting against the principles of our Democracy and government Every true American citizen respects the right of free speech and though, but they do not entertain the protection of those who would swear allegiance to other nations and destroy our own form of democratic government. The German-American Bund has been subject to a considerable amount of investigation during the past several weeks and the findings have not been acceptable to the patriotic public. It is difficult to understand why any person who comes to our shores to escape the hardships and tyrannical fears abroad, and enjoy the freedom and opportunities of this country, can even so much as think of affiliating with any organization that does not firmly uphold the principles of our government. It has been reported that there are many bund and communistic organizations throughout America of which the leaders are paid representatives of foreign dictators. It has even been rumored that such an organization exists in Muncie but to date no definite information has been established. The Dies committee of Congress is demanding that such organizations be forced to submit a list of members and if such is done then the public may learn of the identity of such undesirables. Some organizations of this kind may be headed by men or women who bear in mind no harm to this government but would extract any and all funds that may be derived from such groups. The former Ku Klux Klan had numerous leaders whose purpose was to make money from the initiation of the membership. This may be the case of some German-Bund organizations but whatever it may be there is positively no just cause for such groups in America and the sooner they are disbanded or otherwise ridded from existence, the better off we all will be.