Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 3 January 1941 — Page 1

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THE POST-DEMOCRAT

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VOLUME 21—NUMBER 23.

MUNCIE, INDIANA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1941

PRICE: FIVE CENTS

ses And Tracks Will Replace Traction Line q

Bays and Democratic Senators Open Attack n Program of G. 0. P.

Over 40 Years of Rail Service Will Cease

January 18 On Interurban From Indianapolis To Fort Wayne; Few Changes To Be Made In Present Time Schedules and Station Will Be In Same Building.

CONGRESS IS IN 77TH SESSION Awaits Presidents Ad-

dress Before Beginning Active Work

Traction service which has been in operations! ™ tor more than forty years will be replaced on Janu- ! 76th congress merge* into the 77th ary 18th by busses and motor trucks. The interur- i at noon today and then awaits

ban lines from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne which run i

through Muncie and from Muncie to New Castle will cendent problems of national decease operations on that date and all passenger and j and greater aid to Great Brit -

freight service extended by the interurbans will be made by motor vehicles from that time on. It is announced that few changes

Indiana Ranks At Top Now As a Shorthorn State

ARM FRACTURES IN SERIES Lawrence, Mass.—Three times i times within three months Clyde ! F. Roberts, 16, suffered a broken left arm while at play. Despite his misfortune he hasn’t missed a session at Lawrence high school where he is a third-year student.

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will be made in the present time schedules and no changes are expected to be made in the various stations since they will continue to use the same buildings. New

At year’s end, Indiana was third {company for use after discontinu-

1 ance of the rail service and truck drivers have been making the routes at intervals during the past several weeks in order to acquaint themselves with the various routes

and stops.

Only one interurban line will be I in operation in Indiana after Jan-

Indiana had 73 new members for uary ]8th w hich will be the Seythe year, while Illinois, the highest j'mour to Indianapolis line. The state had 101 and Iowa the runner- electric rail service is being sup-

planted by rubberized motor equip-

Today’s ceremonies were chiefly formalities of organization. But after Mr. Roosevelt delivers in person his state of the union address, the Congress will begin work that may make it one of the most momentous sessions in his-

tory.

A brief prelude to 1941 debate

busses and trucks have been pur- i occurred in both the senate and chased by the Indiana Rai 1 road I h ? uy „ whe . n , i OI,p ‘\ nen ^

highest state in the nation in number of new members in the American Shorthorn Breeders’ Association, Chicago, according to H. J. Gramlich, secretary of the organi-

zation.

up had 98. Following the three leaders in the high 10 states are Kansas, Texas, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan and Oklahoma. During the year 903 new members

ment due to the non-profitable basis on which such lines have been operating during the past number of years. Freight and pas-

affiliated with the Shorthorn As- j sengers have gone to patronizing

sociation, which is a 22 percent increase over even the very good 1939. The Shorthorn Association, in fact, experienced the largest volume of business in over a decade. In 1940 revenue from recordings and transfers, says Gramlich, Indiana was fifth, being nosed out for top honors only by Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota' and Kansas. The greatest number of transfers in 10 years attest to the increase number of sales among purebred Shorthorns. Registrations also show a steady increase. Steer winnings also highlighted the past year for the breed, Gramlich says. For the calendar year 1940, grand championships have been awarded to Shorthorn steers in 74 shows and reserve grand championships have gone to 29 steers. The shows in which these honors were won varied Trom large to small, though the average competition numbered 96 head. This is (he greatest record for reds, whites and roans in many a year, adds Secretary Gramlich. By rocket ship to the moon! No, it's not fiction—for the flight has been already scheduled for A. D. 2033. Wagner Schlesinger, distinguished director, of the Pels Planetarium, Philadelphia, tells you all about it in The American Weekly, the magazine distributed with next week’s Sunday Chicago HeraldAmerican.

trucking lines for freight and motor busses for transportation in preference to the interurbans. The street car services in nearly all cities of Indiana have been discontinued and replaced with motor busses. Indianapolis, which was once considered the world’s leading interurban center is rapidly losing this reputation due to the last discontinuance of electric rail service in Indiana during the past several years. OPERATORS GET TESTS

City of Mexico—Rigid physical and mental examinations were given the 431 male and one female elevator operators in the City of Mexico recently and all passed the tests. o MAY EVICT UNEMPLOYED

Uruguay has decreed that landlords may evict unemployed workmen and that the government shall compensate the landlord. 0— RUSSIANS MAKE CEMENT

Cement is being made from the ashes of heat and power stations by two scientists in Moscow Russia. HIGHWAYS LEAD

Ten times more passenger mileage is carried on highways than in all other forms of travel combined.

FAREWELL DINNER FOR GOVERNOR TOWNSEND It has been announced by the Democratic state committee that a farewell dinner will be held in the Riley room of the Claypool hotel at Indianapolis, Friday, January, 10th, in honor of the retiring governor of Indiana, M. Clifford Townsend. Lieutenant-governor Henry Schricker will be the principal speaker for the occasion while tributes to the retiring chief executive will also be made by various other state leaders. Schricker will be inaugurated governor on Monday, January 13th. A capacity audience is expected in the rotunda of the statehouse to witness the ceremonies. At-torney-general Samuel Jackson will serve as master-of-ceremonies and the new governor-elect will be introduced by Townsend. Judge Michael Pansier of the state Supreme Court will administer the oath to Schricker after which the latter will deliver a 15-minute inaugural address. < Charles Dawson, Republican lieutenant-governor-elect, will be introduced by Arch Bobbitt, G. O. P. state chairman, and will be sworn into office by Louis B. Ewbank, Indianapolis attorney and former state supreme court justice, Mr. Dawson will speak from the platform for ten minutes. Rev. William H. Eifert, pastor of the English Lutheran church of Indianapolis, will pronounce the invocation while Ref. M. H. Reynolds, pastor of the Woodside Methodist church of the same city, will close with the benediction. Superintendent of state police, Don Stiver, will act as sargeant-at-arms for the inauguration while uniformed officers will act as ushers. Immediately following the ceremonies, a reception will be held in the Governor’s office for Mr. Schricker and his family. Seats for the inauguration will be divided equally between each party state organization with state officials and members of the state legislature receiving first choice at them.

of President Roosevelt charged that the foreign policies were designed to take the country into war and supporters answered that the president was trying to save America by helping Britain. Many of the problems confronting the new congress were explored by the old one. Increasing tension abroad, however, places even more emphasis on them now. They

include

1. The form and extent of greater United States aid to Britain, involving a decision on the president’s proposal to take over British war orders and lend or lease the material to them. 2. Appropriation of at least another $10,000,000,000 for national defense, extension of the national debt limit to $65,000,000,000 or $70,000,000,000 to finance it, and enactment of new taxes to help pay

for it.

3. Extension of temporary New Deal agencies and powers, such as the present farm benefit program, the dollar devaluation authority, and the president’s monetary powers. / 4. Decisions on revision of laws governing industry-labor relations, including the Wagner Act and the wage-hour law. The old house definitely ended its session by adjourning ye'sterday without ceremony except for the adoption of a resolution praising speaker Sanm Rayburn. NEAR 5 MILLION ALIENS IN U, S. Department Of Justice Report Registry Of This Number The Department of Justice finished its four-month registration of aliens, the first special count of non-citizens ever made by Uncle Sam. The final figures are expected to reveal nearly 5,000,000 aliens, about 1,000,000 more than was indicated by the last regular

census.

Probably many aliens who hesitated to disclose themselves changed their minds and registered aftei hearing a radio talk by Robert H. Jackson, Attorney General, who promised that the government would give a “square deal” to anyone who registered and told the facts about his illegal entry into this country. “Leniency cannot be extended to criminals or to those engaged in subversive activities,” Jackson warned, but “there will be no ruthless treatment and no indiscriminate rejection of claims. The government has no desire to break up families or homes needlessly” The department of Justice and its division known as The Federal Bureau of Investigation have been very painstaking in efforts to protect aliens who have become citizens of the United States, and alienp who have registered during the past four months. There had been several million such registrations, with more than a million in New York Stqte, and about half as many registrations in Califor-

nia.

' The Immigration and Naturalization Service is also a division of the Justice Department. It has been engaged in examining Ger-man-American Bund lists and records. So many new Bund members have “joined” recently that the government wants to know why. The Immigration Service statement says that “the hospitality of the country ought not to be extended to those who are committed in principle to its abuse.” The Federal Departments and Bureaus must also be given full ^ red it for their efforts to protect loyal foreign-born citizens and native-born children of parents born abroad against unjustly accused of disloyalty to the United States.

ever they are available under fair conditions, John K. Jennings, state WPA administrator, an-

nounced.

Mr. Jennings stated that an arrangement has been made with the United States Employment Service whereby requests which the service receives for workers, both skilled unskilled, will be turned over to the WPA employment office. Workers selected for such employment will be notified by the WPA to report for work and if they fail to do so, they will face immediate dismissal, he said. The state WPA administrator ordered notices of • the policy of the WPA toward such employment posted on all WPA project sites in the states In transmitting the notice to Indiana WPA district man-

agers, he said in part:

“The expansion of private and public employment is providing in creased employment opportunities, and it is essential to the interests of certified persons and of the nation that every effort be made, consistent with established federal policy, to facilitate the obtain-

WPA EMPLOYES MUST TAKE JOBS

Will Be Dismissed Unless

They Do, Is Order

Now

Will Resist Attempt To Cut Powers Of Schricker

Fred F. Bays, Democratic state chairman, has declared that the Republicans have “the mistaken idea that they received a mandate from the people to do what they

pleased.”

“They didn’t receive any such mandate,” he said. “The people elected Henry-F. Schricker as governor and they expect and want

him to be governor.”

Mr. Bays took part in a meeting j of Democratic state senators who | will form the minority in the 1941

j general assembly.

I The minority members of the upImmediate dismissal will face per house decided to “fight to the

WPA employees who refuse to ! last ditch” against any G. O. P. attake private or public jobs, either j tempts to deprive Governor-elect temporary or permanent, when- Schricker of power to such an ex-

tent that he would be a “puppet governor,” Senator Walter S. Chambers of New Castle, spokesman for the group, said. Course of Action Delayed Senator Chambers said the Dem ocratic members had not decided on their course of action or determined just what powers they would fight to retain for the governor, explaining that “we don’t know yet how far they’ll try to

go.”

The Democratic state chairman added that The Republican leadership, at least those who seem to be in the saddle, have been listening too much to the job hunters.” The voters, Mr. Bays said, elected Mr. Schricker because “they have faith and confidence in him and believed in the things he advocated.” No Bills Are Drafted “The Republicans ought to know that the voters re-elected Mr. Tucker (James M. Tucker, secretary of state) because they wanted him to be secretary of state, and all the other Republicans because

ing by certified persons of private) the voters wanted those particular

and public jobs for which they qualify. The assignment and continued employment of such persons on projects financed with WPA funds is secondary to the responsibility of facilitating the obtaining by such persons of private or public jobs. “This responsibility of the Indiana Work Projects Administration shall be scrupulously observed and shall not be mitigated by the labor requirements of either defense or non-defense projects. Certified persons have a responsibility as well as a right to take advantage of private and public employment opportunities, and this responsibility shall be protected even though their services are needed on projects. Both defense and nondefense projects shall release certified employees when appropriate private or public emloyment is

available.”

Increase In Funds In Delaware Co. Granted To NYA

Funds allotted to the secondary schools in Delaware county by the National Youth Administration for the employment of needy students on part-time jobs have been increased $410 for the second three months’ period of the present school year, Robert S. Richey, state NYA administrator, has announced. This increase makes available to the 10 schools operating an NYA program in the county a total of $2,382 for the next three months and will help approximately 198 students to continue in school, Mr. Richey said. Work which these NYA students do in their schools is designed and supervised by school officials. Types of projects on which they are employed may include clerical and stenographic work, buildings and grounds improvement and maintenance, departmental and laboratory assistance or recreational leadership. To be eligible for NYA work students must be between 16 and 25 years of age, and unable to continue their schooling properly without some assistance. To remain on the NYA program they must not only perform their NYA project work satisfactorily, but maintain a passing average in at least threefourths of a norma] course of study. The NYA student work program is aiding nearly 9,000 young people in more than 750 secondary schools in Indiana and approximately 4,000 students in 40 colleges and universities in the state. Secondary students may earn between $3 and $6 per month while college and universities students may earn between $10 and $20 per month. 0 Radio telephone service between the United States and Australia was opened 10 years ago on October 27, 1930.

people to run the offices to which they were elected,” Mr. Bays said. “But that is all. The voters didn’t mandate the Republicans to do anything else but that.” Senator Chambers said no bills Avere drafted at the meeting yesterday, and added that another meeting might be held before the legislature convenes January 9. The Democratic bills may not be drafted until the early part of the legislature session, Senator Cham-

bers said.

The Democratic senators discussed bills which had already been agreed upon at an earlier conference of minority legislative leaders. These included measures providing for free school textbooks, placing state office candidates in the primary election, limiting campaign expenditures by the state and county party organizations, repeal of the poll tax, increased job and old-age assistance grants, and liberalization of workmen's compensation allowances.

Defense Plan To Hold Up the 1941 Road Program Final decision of the State Highway Commission on construction projects which will be financed with federal-aid funds that become available July 1, 1941, is being delayed until studies of highway needs created by the National Defense program are completed, T. A. Dicus, chairman of the Commission, reported today. While major attention has been centered on roads in the vicinity of the powder plant at Charlestown, a preliminary survey of the naval base being developed in Martin County has been made and a similar study is to be made at Union Center in LaPorte County Avhere a third military area has been established. The preliminary surveys are being made by Earl Lockridge, acting chief engineer of the Commission, and Major H. G. Oakes, district engineer for the IT. S. Public Roads Administration. The Highway Commission is awaiting approval of federal authorities on the inclusion of two roads serving Fort Harrison in the federal-aid system as a step in the improvement of these routes. Work on Road 62 near Charlestown which is already in the federal-aid system and possibjy other projects required by defense activities may absorb a substantial part of the 1941 federal-aid funds. In this event, construction work planned on other routes in the state highway system which are eligible for improvement with fed-eral-aid funds, may be deferred or in some cases of immediate necessity be financed with state funds. It is anticipated that final action on the program to be financed with the new federal aid funds can be determined within the next few weeks.

Citizens To Receive Information On Sewer

DRAFTEE RELIEF ACT EXPLAINED

Debt Moratorium Law is Aid To Men Called To Military Service To help clear misunderstandings in the matter of debts, insurance premiums, installment contracts, etc., the state selective service headquarters has issued a statement on the status of men called to a year of army life under the law. Major provision of the soldiers’ and sailors’ civil relief act is the wide discretionary power given all courts regarding enforcement of judgements as well as for protection of .defendants when suits are entered and heard. No man in service may lose a suit by default, and he is not bound by acts of an attorney the court might appoint for him. Stimmary of the act in the state headquarters statement: General relief—Persons in military service are granted an extension of time to apply to any court which has entered certain judgements against them while they Avere in service. Other relief in connection with legal proceedings also is provided. Rent, installment contracts and mortgages — The courts may be more lenient in certain nonpayment of rent cases for the dAvelling occupied by the wife, children or other dependents of the service men. Where personal property has been purchased on installment or deferred payment contracts before October 18, 1940, the man subsequently entering military service, the property cannot be repossessed without a court order. The court may stay proceedings or make such other disposition as may be equitable to conserve interests of all or any part of the deposit or installment payments refunded before repossession, or adjust the payments to the financial ability of the service man, or arrange for payments to be completed after the service period. The purchaser and seller can change or cancel the contract on terms they agree upon in''writing, or make a new contract. Similar relief is provided for real estate contracts and mortgages. With autos, at least 50 per cent, of purchape price must be pai(l before proceedings may be stayed. Life insurance—Persons in or entering into service may secure from military or naval authorities informations about applying to the Veterans’ administration for benefits of the act. Premiums for not more than $5,000 worth of life insurances in one or more policies on the legal reserve plan, under certain conditions, will be advanced in full or in part by the government. Amount of premiums paid by the governments remain as a lien against the policies unless the individual pays the company within one year after leaving service. Taxes—Payments of taxes or assessments, general or special, falling due during the service period in respect to real property owned and occupied for dAvelling agricultural or business purposes by a person in service or his dependents may be postponed for six months after termination of the service period by filing the prescribed affidavit with the tax collector. If the property hsa been sold or forfeited for taxes it may be redeemed within six months after termination of service by paying the back taxes Avith six per cent interest. Other penalties are to be waived.

Publication In Form of Questions and Answers, Together With Summary of Charges for Services; First Bill Small But Indications Are They Will Grow Larger with Time.

350 STUDY FARMING

There are more than 350,000 American boys enrolled in agricultural high schools supported by the Smith-Hughes act.

MANCHURIA TRADES FUR

Manchuria is shipping costly furs to the United States to obtain funds to buy less expensive ones in America.

SHOT IN HIP LONG IGNORED San Antonio, Tex.—Shot in the hip 40 years ago, Charles Charmoskey, 72, appeared the other day at the county hospital for treatment.

BANGKOK BUILDING BOOM

Modern steel buildings are being erected in Bankkok, Thailand. —o The world's most blissful ignorant ‘romance.” For sixteen years the wealthy man and beautiful girl lived in the same apartment; yet now they can’t agree on whether they were married or not. Don’t miss this surprising illustrated story in The American Weekly, the magazine distributed with next week’s Sunday Chicago Herald-American.

All citizens of Muncie who share in the benefits of the sewage disposal system are to receive a printied leaflet which has been issued by the city board of public works and safety with explanatory information concerning the project and charges that are made against all users for such service. The publication is in the form of questions and answers which are apt to concern the average citizen together with a summary of the rates charged for such sewage ser-

vices.

It is explained in the pamphlet)

that the project was undertaken as a sanitation measure ordered by the state board of health. It is well remembered that the state health board issued a number of demands upon the city officials of Muncie to clean up the local pollution of White river Avhich meant the con struction of a seAvage disposal system. All citizens of this community were in accord Avith the needs for such a plant but officials were faced with the problem of financ-

ing such a project.

FolloAving the organization of the Public Works Administration, by the federal government for the purpose of loaning funds Avith which to make public improvements, the city of Muncie made application for such a loan and grant in 1933. The allocation of federal funds was authorized in the amount of $1,060,000 of Avhich 30% Avas to be an outright grant to the city and the balance a loan or purchase of revenue bonds issued by the city) After a year’s stalling by the city council, the federal government finally withdreAv the

allocation.

Later the Bunch administration made another application to the WPA for funds with which to aid in the construction of the project. Such a request was granted and the intercepting sewer was began in 1936 Avith labor costs being paid from federal funds and materials from the issuance of general obbeing furnished at costs to the city ligation bonds against city taxpayers. The next year, an application was made for additional money to be furnished by the federal government for the construction of the disposal plant. This request Avas also granted with the government paying for a great portion of the labor and revenue bonds being sold by the city to raise funds Avith Avhich to furnish

materials.

The project was placed in primary operations tAvo months ago and service charges to all Avater consumers in the city are being

mailed out for collection. Business concerns received bills last month for their seAver charges. The charges are based on the amount of water consumed by each residence in the city. However, water that is used for laAvn sprinkling or any other source Avhere such wa-

ter does not return to the sewer system, an allOAvance may be made in such charges. The summer months of the yeq.r Avhen lawn sprinkling is done are based on average consumption of Avater during the winter months so as to balance up the annual charges for

seAver services.

The people of Muncije have noAV received their first bill for service charge fqr the seAvage dispos-

al plant and interceptor.

Everyone seems surprised that their bills are so modest. The hills seemed to range from about 70 cents to $1.40 for private residents. It has been reported that bills have been sent to residents in some outlying sections of the city, who have neither sewer nor city

Avater.

We don’t understand hoAV the owner of such property could be compelled to pay anything on the sewage disposal plant. There seems to be a question as to Avhether the city can legally collect these payments. It Is pretty generally understood that the situation Avill he cleared up this coming legislature by a bill which Avill provide for legal collection hy the different cities of Indiana of sewer assessments. A number of the larger cities of the state that have recently put in intersepter sewers and disposal plants are up against the same question. There are said to be about one hundred such plants in

Indiana.

The people of Muncie should not be overjoyed about getting their first modest little bill. These bills just sent out are for only about one month’s service charge. That the bills later on, will of necessity be larger, there can be no doubl. The payments Avill have to he enlarged later on, not only to meet the permanent up-keep and operation of the plant, but Avill have to be enlarged later in the year to meet the retirement of the first bonds when due. The first bonds due will he about $60,000 to $65,-

000.

About the time Mr. taxpayer has to dig a lot deeper into his pockets to pay these larger bills, he is going to wonder just Avhat kind of schenanigan has been put over on him and he may rise up (Continue From Page One)

NEW COUNTY OFFICIALS ASSUME DUTIES Six new county officials assumed their duties in office last Wednesday, January 1st. All changes at the courthouse were the installation of Democrats due to the sweeping ’victory of their party at the polls on November 5th. The new officeholders include Clarence Higi, judge of the circuit court, Tom Cannon, prosecuting attorney, Lester E. Holloway, county treasurer, Elmer Card, surveyor, Gailon Stephens, coroner, and James Landess, county commissioner. Judge Higi who succeeded L. A. Guthrie named Fred Wilson as court bailiff, Chester Spears, reporter, and Mary Voyles Olsen. Mrs. Olsen tendered her resignation to Judge Guthrie on Decernoer 31st under protest. Guy Ogle, local attorney, was chosen to serve as deputy prosecutor by Cannon. The treasurer’s deputies include Mrs. Edna Alexander who was retained in that office, Stella Stewart of Yorktown, who was formerly employed in the office of county clerk, and Rita Carter of Muncie. All offices opened for business to the public on Thursday since the holiday on New Year’s day kept them closed on Wednesday. The rush for driver’s licenses and auto plates at the Muncie auto license branch forced many delinquent taxpayers to call at the treasurer’s office on Thursday to receive and pay for poll tax receipts. Mrs. Lola Wells Kiger who has long served as senior visitor with the Delaware county welfare department has resigned her position effective December 31st. Her successor will be one who is able to pass an examination and bears the approval of the county welfare board together with that of the welfare director. The services are now being rendered by a junior visitor of that department. The appointment does not come under the jurisdiction of the circuit court judge, it is advised by Judge Higi. The court names members of the welfare board, the board appoints a director, and the director supervises all other employment with approval of the board.