Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 1 November 1946 — Page 1

AIR MAIL NOW

THE POST-DEMOCRAT The Only Democratic Paper In Delaware County Carrying the Union Label

HIT HOME

VOjL. 27—NO. 49.

MUNCIE, IND., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1946.

PRICE 5 CENTS

LATE

HEWS

DELAY WILLKIE TRIBUTE Rushvile, Ind.—Rushville civic leaders today postponed indefinitely the unveilin? of a cemetery memorial to the late Wendell L. Willkie. The ceremonies were scheduled for Nov. 10, and former New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia was booked as speaker. The Rotary Club announced after a meeting last night that the unveiling was postponed because of the “inability of several speakers” to be present on the previously announced date. The ceremony will honor the memory of the 1940 Republican Presidential nominee, who married a Rushville woman and later bought extensive farm holdings in Rush County. o FISTS FLY IN CHURCH London — Prayer books, religious leaflets and fists flew today when the Bishop of London stepped into the pulpit of St. Colombs Church during the celebration of high mass. Crux of the disturbance was a protest against mass in St» Colombs, a Church of England house of worship. The National Union of Protestants had delivered an* “ultimatum” to the bishop protesting the “Romish” service. o ENGLISHMAN HANGED London—Arthur Robert Boyce, 45, was hanged at Pentonville Prison today for the murder of Elizabeth McLindon, 41-year-old housekeeper for King George of the Hellenes. Miss McLindon was found shot to death June 13 at a Westminster house, which she was preparing for the King’s occupancy while he waited for results of the Greek plebiscite returning him to the throne. o UN ASSEMBLY STRESSED Moscow — Soviet newspapers printed today a column and a half overall lead on the United Nations Assembly, featuring Russian disarmament proposals, together with digests of speeches by Warren Austin of the United States and Dimitri Manuilsky of the Ukraine. The papers also had two columns of world press reaction to Premier Stalin’s cable interview with President Hugh Bailie of the United Press. o TROOP STRENGTH CUT Berlin — American troop strength in Berlin has been cut 30 per cent to 7,800 men, Col. Bryan L. Milburn, chief of the newly created Berlin Command, announced today. The reduction by Lt. Gen. Lucius Clay, Deputy Militory Governor, was effective today. Milburn said it brought U. S. strength down to probably “considerable less” than that of any of the other three occupation forces in the city. Milburn said the cut was made possible through the absorption of the Office of Military Government of the purely military Berlin district headquarters. c, 100 ITEMS DECONTROLLED Washington. — OPA today removed . price controls on nearly 100 items, including some dairy machinery and machine tools, matches and paper diapers. o CHILD A DELINQUENT Superior, Wis.—Janet Lind, the 12-year-old girl who confessed killing her father “to make mamma happy,” was declared a delinquent today and committed to a home for Wayward girls. Juvenile Judge A. Walter Dahl ordered that Janet should spend the time until she becomes 21 in the House of the Good Shepherd at Wauwatosa, Wis., a suburb of Milwaukee. Until she is freed from the school, she will be a ward of the state. Dahl passed the decree after two days of closed hearings on a petition by District Attorney Andy Borg. o NEGROES TO BE RETURNED Chicago.—Federal District Judge William J. Campbell today ordered the removal to Ft. Wayne, Ind., of two Negroes charged with kidnaping 83-year-old A. M. Sherrick and his 70-year-old wife last Oct.

24.

The two, Henry Black pf Nashville, Tenn., and Albert Webster of Chicago, waived objections to removal. Both are 18. They are charged with having taken over Sherrick’s car near Van Wert, O., after it collided with a stolen one in which they were riding. They were charged with raping Mrs. Sherrick en route. The Sherricks escaped in Ft. Wayne.

Party Platforms Subject

Affair Planned to Present Platforms of A Parties, In Order To Acquaint Voters of the Various Issues — Republicans Failed To Send a Speaker To the Meeting — Republican Controlled Legislature Criticized—Candidates for Democratic and Pro-

hibition Parties Introduced.

n PICKS CREW TO RUN CONGRESS

Taft, Hoffman And Knutson Seek Important

Posts

There are many excellent reasons why a Democratic Con-

In spite of the inclemency of the weather Thursday night, the meeting called by the Women’s Civic Council was well attended. This women’s organization which is supposed to be non-partisan called this special meeting in order to allow representatives from the Democratic, Republican and Prohibition parties of Delaware County to present their party platforms. Just a few men attended, the audience being made up almost entirely of women voters of

Delaware County.

Mrs. Grace Woody, general chairwoman, opened the meeting and introduced the officers of the organization .She then turned the meeting over to Mrs. Charles VanCleve who introduced the candidates. Mrs. VanCleve said, “Your presence here tonight represents a very wholesome attitude toward a willingness to have a good government by the people.” Although the Republican party of Delaware County had been invited to send a representative to explain the aims and principals of its party, the GOP had no representative present. Prior to the meeting, it was rumored about that the Republicans were unable to find anyone in their ranks who was willing to match wits with the eloquent Francis Shaw who represented the Prohibitionists at this meeting. He is their candidate for prosecutor. Mr. Shaw said: “Citizenship is primary; party allegiance entirely secondary.” “The Prohibition party in this county stands for law enforcement, for morality, for a people’s rule, for a stable and efficient government. This party offers the citizens a new broom that will sweep clean.” The principals of the Democratic party and portions of the party platform, were ably outlined by J. Irwin Walsh, a candidate for reelection to the state legislature from Delaware County. Mr. Walsh said, “I have only ten minutes to give you a lifetime of Democratic

platform.

“In this preamble,” he said, “our platform says that we are opposed to the Ku Klux Klan, Communism and Fascism.” We pledge to our soldiers “our hearts, our hands and our resources in their complete rehabilitation.” “The Democrats believe that the United Nations is the proper step toward world peace”. “It says here that we recommend a continuation of the soil conservation program. That’s under the AAA. And right here I wish to emphasize that it’s always been voluntary; don’t let me hear anything about regimentation.” He criticized the Republican controlled legislature for “complete hypocricy” as regards its administration of the liquor laws. “The last Republican controlled legislature added eighteen bureaus, and in each one, gave the chairman of these so-called nonpartisan boards two votes. Is that democracy?” Mr. Walsh also referred to the plank in his party’s platform calling for direct primary in the selection of state and senatorial candidates as being progressive

thinking.

At the close of this ten minute talk the candidates from the Democrat and Prohibition parties were introduced. LaRue Leonard, the other Democratic candidate for state legislature, brought down the house when he said, “I shall pledge my support to the women of Delaware County that they shall have representation on the

school board.” A letter was circulated at the meeting giving facts of interest to the women voters of this state. It was entitled “Think It Over.” It contained the following data: “1. Census bureaus recently disclosed that there are 1,171,948 more women of voting age than men. “2. Of 942 state officials, board and commission members, 77 are women; 865, men. “3. School boards: Of 571 school board members in Indiana, 28 are women; 543 are men. “4. County offices and boards, 1946: There are three women; one, an office holder, and two as members of the county welfare board.” o GOP Campaigners Whisper, Whine Indiana voters are not being misled by a change in Republican campaign policy from the “whispering” campaign of former years to a “whining” for votes in 1946. The American people are not whiners and they will not be misguided by such Republican tactics. To those, however, who have lost their sense of proportion after what has been one of the most concentrated press campaigns of calamity howling in all time, the following facts should be reviewed: America alone, of all the great nations of the world, came through the war relatively unscathed. While death, starvation and apparent hoplessness grip millions of people in almost every part of the globe, America is enjoying a period of unprecedented prosperity. Despite war dislocations, civilian production is booming as it never has before. Despite war-time shortages, people here are buying and consuming more of many kinds of goods than ever before. Business profits are high and business failures are at an alltime low. Over 58,000,000 people are employed, the largest army of wageearners the nation has ever known. Income payments to individuals are higher than ever before — about $167 billions a year. Farm income has reached an all-time high and farmers have reduced their mortgage indebtedness to approximately one-half its former figure. Never have farmers been in such a liquid financial position as they are at present. Tht is what has been achieved under the Democratic administration. And that is the kind of achievement that would be undone by a Republican Congress, dedicated in advance, to a philosophy of boom-and-bust. o— Try as it might, the OPA hasn’t yet been able to put a ceiling on houses. About as far as the average builder can get is the basement.

GO TO THE POLLS! In theory, we have government by majority in this nation. In practice, we frequently have government by minority. A glance at the voting figures of your town, county, and state will substantiate this. Time and time again, well under half of the registered voters go to the polls on election day. This is particularly true of local elections, and national elections in off-years when there is no race for the presidency. And when that happens, the “voice of the people” is a small and ineffectual voice indeed. Our ancestors fought for centuries to win and maintain the right of franchise. It is the basic guardian of free government—and of all the other freedoms which are possible only under free government. It is the first right to be abrogated by dictators—as the travesties on the “free” election system which used to occur periodically in Germany, Italy and elsewhere prove. It is the greatest defense against oppression. The citizen who fails to vote shirks a basic and inescapable responsibility. Go to^the polls on election day and cast your ballot for the men and measures of your choice. That is both a great duty and great privilege.

gress must be elected this November 5th. But one of the best and most self-evident arguments appears when one looks at what would happen to the important Congnessional Committees in the event of a Republican

victory.

Let’s take a look at some of the Republicans who are standing in the wings, hoping to come forward and take their places as Committee Chairmen. A more unsavory and reactionary crew would be difficult to imagine. None other than the real estate lobby’s pet Jesse Wolcott of Michigan is eyeing the House Banking and Currency Chairmanship. It was Wolcott who tried to take the housing out of the Veterans Emergency Housing Act, and the control out of price control. No thanks, Mr. Reece, we’ll stick with the capable, progressive Democratic chairman, Brent Spence of Kentucky. Appropriations — Tabor Congressman John Tabor of New York wants the Appropriations Committee. Under Tabor’s philosophy of anything to save a dollar, he would probably do away with all government services except the carrier pigeons. Taber is perfectly willing to collect the people’s taxes, but he can’t see why the people should want their money spent for their own benefit. Leo' Alten of mmols is the Republican candidate for Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee. Allen is the man who helped keep the Wagner-Ellender -Taft Housing Bill from ever reaching the floor. In the key post of chairman of the Rules Committee, Allen would be able to throttle any measure not palatable to the National Association of Manufacturers, or Real Estate

Boards.

If they didn’t know it before, the American voters should look at Allen and be doubly thankful that the fighting liberal, Adolph Sabath, still hold the Rules chairmanship. Other Republican chairmen would be Knutson of Minnesota in Ways and Means, and Hoffman of Michigan on Executive Expenditures. Knutson wants to reduce taxes 20 per cent, but he hasn’t yet said how he’ll do it. Even he won’t come out openly and tell his plans for taking the tax burden off the shoulders of the upper bracket set. Hoffman! ’Nuff Said And the less said about Hoffman the better. Right up until the shooting started he thought we should play ball with Hitler. What a character for chairmanship of an important House Com-

mittee!

In the Senate, two examples are enough to give the flavor of the Republican candidates for Committee Chairmanships — Bridges of New Hampshire on Appropriations and Taft of Ohio on Finance. Bridges is a down-the-line follower of the old guard reactionary policies. On the Senate Appropriations Committee he would back stop Taber’s activities in the House. Taft — Finance Taft, of course, is the Republicans’ ideal of what a Senator should be—long, loud, and reactionary. As an open and outright spokesman for big business interests he would revise our tax laws to make them more acceptable to monopolists and profiteers. The Finance Committee also has jurisdiction over the Social Security Laws. If Taft was Chairman our Social Security would be confined to one-armed women over eighty who were the sole support of their grandmothers. American voters should take a good look at this collection of Republican would-be committee chairman. It’s one of the best reasons why the 80th Congress must be Democratic. o " Watchdog of the People. A fighting editor risked his life to help his community enforce its will on the unregenerate. Paul Gallico writes about it in The American Weekly, wie magazine distributed with next week’s CHICAGO SUNDAY HERALDAMERICAN. o •' Housewives prepare threefourths of the food consumed in the United States. The other one-fourth is prepared in restaurants, hotels and institutions.

SOAK-THE RICH IDEAS BANNED

Banned Textbook Has Been Used In Many Colleges For Several Years A college textbook on economics, written by a conservative professor at the conservative University of Pennsylvania, has been banned by the War Department fi'om courses given to army and nhvy personnel. Why? Because it advocated Communism or some other subversive form of government? Not on your life! It was dropped because it is “teaching soak-the-rich ideas,” according to Brigadier General C. | T. Lanham, chief of the army’s information and education division, who issued the order outlawing the book. Lanham admitted that action had been taken after the War Department had received protests from business groups, from Senator C. Wayland Brooks (Rep. 111.), and from the Chicago “Tribune.” The extent to which the book seeks to “soak the I'ich” is revealed in two paragraphs dealing with taxes One advocates “a progressive Federal inheritance tax which would take from the children of the wealthy the advantage they now enjoy through inheritance of property which places them economically far in advance of those who have not chosen their parents so shrewdly.” The second “offensive” paragraph calls for a graduated income tax, with “considerable increases in the high income brackets.” One business group which brought pressure on the War Department said “it would not be surprised to find this sort of thing being taught in foreign armies, but certainly we never expected anything like this to be taught by the War Department of the United

SMtes.”

lAs a matter of fact, the doctrine has been preached for half a century by such “Reds” as Theodore Roosevelt, his distinguished cousin, Franklin Roosevelt, Bryan, La Follette, Borah and thousands of other distinguished Americans. The banned textbook has been in use in many colleges for nine years. To the objections raised, its author Professor Paul F. Gemmill said. “It is true the book advocates progressive rates of taxation. There’s nothing new about that. Every text book I know advocates it. It’s the basis of taxation in every civilized country I know of including our own Federal estate and income tax system. “Of course progressive taxation always ‘soaks the rich’ by charging them a higher rate than the poor. What’s wrong with that?” recorTvote IS AIM OF DEMOS

Resources Will Be Aimed Toward Getting Full Vote, Tuesday Every resource of the Democratic National Committee, and of Party organizations throughout the country will be directed to the all-important, vital objective of a record vote in the coming Congressional election. The Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee, meeting in Washington the last week discussed at length ways and means of making certain that America’s electorate expresses itself in full. - In a resolution on this subject, the Executive Committee stated “we dedicate ourselves and our greatest efforts, during the time that remains, to the task of getting out the vote.” The resolution in full: “RESOLVED, that the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee, in meeting assembled, hereby declare its intention to exert every effort towards the objective of a full vote by the people of the United States on November 5, 1946. The decision which the electorate must make on that day is of the utmost importance to every citizen of the United States. We of the Democratic Party face this decision with the deep conviction that our program is in accord with the popular will. Knowing that our opposition offers no program, we are convinced that its appeal i% confined to a minority of the people. The desires of that minority would prevail if the great body of the electorate failed to express itself at the ballot box. This must not happen. And to the end that it shall ndt happen, we dedicate ourselves and our greatest efforts, during the time that remains, to the task of getting out the vote.”

Philosophies Of The GOP And Democratic Parties

TOWNSEND THE MAN FOR THE JOB

Senatorial Candidate Measures Up To Caliber Of A Real Senator

M. CLIFFORD TOWNSEND

The most important problem facing the people of America today is world peace. The most important offices to be filled in this election, therefore, are those of Congressmen and United States Senator. American participation in a world organization to preserve peace was killed in the United States Senate following World War I. We just cannot afford to take that chance again. Indiana should send in place of Senator Willis, a man who has influence beyond our own state borders. Ex-Governor M." Clifments. With a wealth of experiford Townsend fills the requireence in human relations, and recognized as a leader by both Agriculture and Labor, Townsend measures up to the caliber of a real United States Senator. Few men have received such honor as was given him in 1942 by the American Farm Bureau Federation, when he was chosen to receive that organization’s medal for distinguished service to Agriculture. It takes poise, character, devotion and zeal to rate such national recognition. Townsend has said he would regard it as the most important act of his life if he were privileged to cast a vote for a real world peace program. For the sake of ourselves and posterity, and for the good of all the world, vote for sound, substantial, influential Cliff Town-

send.

Here are a few facts concerning the U. S. Senatorial Candi-

date.

Born on a Blackford County farm, the son of a tenant farmer.\ Secured his primary education in one-room country school. Worked as teamster in the oil fields to secure money to attend Marion Normal College. Taught in country schools of Blackford County. Married a farm girl. Served as County Superintend(Contlnued On Page Three) O Eaton Stockman At Chicago Show Chicago. — Delaware county’s first entries for the 1946 International Live Stock Exposition and Horse Show were made here this week by W. P. Love and Son, of Eaton. They will exhibit 14 head of purebred Southdown sheep in the classes for this breed at the Chicago show; and Joyce and Harold Hartzell, Yorktown 4-H Club members, will each exhibit a Hereford steer in the Exposition’s junior classes. Harold’s entry was the grand champion winner at the Muncie Fair this year. After a war-time interval of five years, the International show is scheduled to be held November 30 to December 7, in the International Amphitheatre at the Chicago Stock Yards. The management anticipates that the entry at the forthcoming “Victory” show will exceed that of any of its top pre-war editions. Entries for the individual livestock classes close November 1; for the International Grain and Hay Show, November 1(J; and for the carload classes of fat cattle, sheep, and swine on November 23. Walter Biggar, internationally known cattleman and j\idge, of Dalbeattie, Scotland, has been named to judge all of the individual steer classes at this year’s show. It will be the 13th time since 1920 that Biggar has officiated in this capacity.

“Me Too” Editorials Are Scorned As An Attempt To Deceive the American Voters —Record of Past 14 Years Shows That Republicans Have Been Opposed To Every Step of Progress Made Under Democratic Leadership—List Many of Objectives That Distinguish the Two Parties— Line of Demarcation In the Philosophies And Objectives of Twofarties Are Only Too Obvious.

By C. L. Arrington Being just a plaine American citizen, I, of course, cannot speak officially for any political party. Therefore, what follows are my own individual conclusions, reached after a careful, and I hope an unbiased, study of the philosophies of the two major political parties of America.

A recent editorial in a local Republican paper bemoaned the fact (?) that the philosophies and the objectives of the two major parties had become identical. According to this editorial, there was a time when the Democratic party was distinguished by its advocacy of States’ rights, and the Republican party was known by its strong advocacy of a protective tariiff. The writer, of the editorial, was very sorry that these lines of demarcation had I disappeared, and that the objectives of the two parties had become identical. I warn the American voters against being deceived by a,ny such “Me too” editorials. The writer of said editorial is conscious of the fact that the great majority of voters favor the objectives of the Democratic party. Therefore, he would not dare to run a frontal attack on those objectives. The purpose of the editorial was to deceive the voters by leaving the impression . that the Democratic objectives could be secured as well or better under the Republican administration as under a Democratic administration. This is the apogee of political trickery, and no thinking voter will be deceived

by it.

The record of the past fourteen years proves conclusively that the Republican party has been bitterly opposed to every step of progress we have made under the Democratic leadership. They opposed the enactment of the Social Security law. They opposed unemployment insurance. They opposed all legislation tending to recognize the rights of Labor. They opposed security for the farmer. They opposed rural electrification. They opposed the TVA. They opposed all legislation which required the rich to bear their just share of the tak

burden. The only security that the Republican party is interested in is the security of the wealthy corporations, and the money lords. Having been unable to prevent the enactment of progressive legislation, they are now itching to get back into office so that they can repeal these enactjnents, and take us back to the good old days Hoover do-noth-ingism. I should like to call your attention to a few of the many things which distinguished the objectives of the two parties. The Republican party is dedicated to a reactionary philosophy. They are always thinking of getting back to normalcy. That was their cry back in 1920. We heeded their cry and ended up with the greatest depression in history. True to form, the Republican party has gone back to 1920. and is singing the same old song, let’s get back to normalcy.” I trust that we American voters learned our lesson in 1929-33 and that we will not be so stupid in 1945 as we were in 1920. Republican philosophy holds that there is no room for progress or improvement under the American system. Their philosophy is succintly set forth in the words of Joseph Pew, one of their ■ leading spokesmen, “When democracy goes on the march, it marches . on a road that leads through chaos and revolution to dictatorship and totalitarianism.” This is the zenith of reactionism. Such a polciy would preclude all progress and freeze the status quo. An experience which I had on the street the other day affords a fine illustration of this reactionary philosophy. In 1940 I worked for a man who is a strong Republican. He was continually (Continued On Page Three)

Straight Talk Look at these figures for a moment: There are 435 Representatives in the House; 239 of them are Democrats; 192 of them are Republicans;- two are from minor parties; two seats are vacant. There are 96 Senators; 56 are Democrats; 39 are Republicans; one is a Progressive. When you look at these figures, you will arrive at one inescapable conclusion—the Democratic majority in the House and Senate is too close for comfort. The Republicans need to win only 26 seats to control the House; nine seats to control the Senate. It is not necessary for us to state here that Republican control of the House for the next two years may well mean the end of progressive legislation in America. The 79th Congress has already given us a foretaste of the postwar Republican obstructionist tactics. The Democratic Party must elect a larger majority to the 80th Congress than it did to the 79th. And there is only one way that this can be done. There must be a large vote. A large vote, of course, is a Democratic vote. Past elections have shown that the more people who go to the polls, the greater the Democratic margin of victory. This single fact is all the evidence that is needed to prove that the Democratic Party is the people’s party. For the people believe in the party which believes in the people. You can be sure that any Republican appeal for a large vote will be made very softly and quietly, so that the least possible number of ■people will hear it. For the Republicans, although they do not dare to admit it publicly, want a small vote. If there is rain or a blizzard on November 5th, there will be great rejoicing at Republican Headquarters for they will hope that many Americans will stay away from the polls. The Republicans do not like the fdll-throated sound which comes from the united voice of the American people. They prefer the rasping whisper of a select clique of selfish reactionaries. They fear, and for good reason, that their program will be rejected by the average independent American voter. For the Republican Party distrusts the people and the people distrust the Republican Party. That is why the Republicans fe&r a large vote. Your vote is more important in this election that it has ever been before. Many Congressional elections depend on the outcome in one precinct or ward. And the results in the precinct or ward can hinge on a mere handful of votes. And one of those votes is your vote. If a few Democratic voters should not bother to vote in a close district, a Republican might be elected. If this should happen only 26 times, we would have a Republican Congress. This is why all Democrats must get out and vote on November 5th. We must not only hold our present majority in Congress, we must—and will—increase it.