Indianapolis Times, Volume 33, Number 188, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 December 1920 — Page 6

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3nMatta Satin SFimes INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. Daily Except Sunday, 25-29 South Meridian Street. Telephones—Main 3500, New 28-351 MEMSERS OF AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS. Advertising offices 1 Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis. G. Logan Payne Cos. Adverting oinees j New York. Boston. Payne, Barns & Smith, Inc^ POSSIBLY the purpose of that conference was to determine just how much work would be required to make Mr. McClure Speaker of the House! A GUEST in an Indianapolis hotel had a fight with a robber who appears to have believed that the hotel failed to get all the money he possessed ! £ \ , NO ONE expected Goodrich s tax board to do anything else than laud Goodrich’s tax law and its own work. That may account for the opposition of Mr. McCray to its perpetuation. THE CIVIL CITY of Indianapolis yesterday sold $400,000. of its bonds. This is in addition to the $6,000 increase of bonded indebtedness which Mayor Jewett modestly admitted a few days ago. r WHOEVER would have suspected that 197 passengers who transfer from Stock Yards to Virginia avenue cars could have created such a “popular demand’’ for a south side cross-town line! A3 DOC MORGAN SAYS, if there was bubonic plague and we handled our rats we might contract disease, provided the rats bad the plague and we handled them and didn’t wash our hands thereafter. Consequently, you see, it isn't the loathsomeness of rats but the horrible possibilities that make the rat campaign necessary. Let’s Strike a Balance! In pointing out recently to the people of Indianapolis the urgent need of taking steps toward the re-establishment of confidence in public officials and men prominent in the public life of Indianapolis, the Times declared that remedies for a deplorable amount of distrust were not readily discernible. * Since that time several methods of dissipating the suspicion that attaches to things governmental have been suggested and among them there are some that are so obviously expressions of good sense that they are worthy of advancement. It has been suggested that the people of Indianapolis be taken into the confidence of the city administration to the extent of being informed as to the true financial condition of the civil city of Indianapolis, the school city, the park board district and the sanitary district. Strange as it may seem there is no real balance sheet available from which a ready estimate of the financial condition of any of these taxing units may be obtained. Doubtless the members of the city administration have fair conceptions of the financial conditions of these units, hut they have none of them seen flt to make any statements that would enlighten the taxpayers as to the true conditions. We have now established in Indianpolis a Taxpayers’ League, whose members are deeply interested in the amount of taxes they will pay on their property. It is an even question as to whether any member of this league knows either the bonded indebtedness of the city of Indianpolis or the sum of its current expenses. About all the information that has been given by our city officials, or our county officials, is contained in the statement relative to rate. Every citizen knows that the tax rate has been raised more than 50 per cent over last year. Few citizens have any conception of the purposes of this Increase and not one in one hundred is able to tell for what purposes it is proposed to spend the vast sum of money that will be paid into the county treasury in 1921. Much could he accomplished toward a restoration of confidence in Indianapolis if the Taxpayers’ League or some other civic organization would conduct an investigation of the finances of the city of Indianapolis and the County of Marion and give the public some adequate view of our financial condition. We limit this statement to an investigation by some civic organization for the reason that we have no faith in ahy such a survey conducted under the auspices of a political organization. The recent misstatements of Mayor Jewett relative to our bonded indebtedness stand as an evidence that no politically prominent official may be trusted to tell the truth about the community poeketbook. We believe that one of the most proficient steps toward an era of better feeling end greater confidence in Indianapolis would be an analysis of cur governmental finances made by some such s.r. organization as the Taxpayers’ League or the municipal research bureau of the Chamber of Commerce.

Misguided! In a recent statement on the conditions of the schools in Indianapolis, the school board made it exceedingly plain that the physical condition of the school system was too serious to permit of experiments or unwise policies. The statement indicated plainly that the time has arrived when In dianapolis must either provide proper buildings for her school children or admit inability to afford the children the educational facilities to which they are entitled in the pursuit of proper education and health. In a way the statement was a direct answer to the plea of a group of taxpayers who have asked the board to forego contracting for much needed school buildings because of the high rates in Indianapolis and the unstable condition of the building material markets. There may posibly be two sides to this question of better schools, but there are few citizens of Indianapolis who will recognize more than one. The welfare of the children of this city is so vital to its future that it transcends ail other considerations. School buildings we need and school buildings we must have, even if we have to forego the political pleasure of housing a city administration’s pet mules fn a fine new barn. We have no fault to find with the position of the taxpayers who importuned the school board to help relieve them from an almost unbearable burden. They ought to be relieved and naturally they are seeking every means of relief. But we said at the time of their appeal that it was misguide! and wc repeat that it is misguided as it pertains to the construction of schools in Indianapolis. The housing of school children in the insanitary, unsafe buildings that are now' being used in this city 13 little short of criminal. Only a match is needed to cause a holocaust in some of our school buildings. We are so close to criminal neglect that any day may bring about a parallel to the horrors of the Hollywood school disaster. We have too much regard for the gentlemen who constituted the committee that protested against further school building in the interests of economy to believe that they wish these deplorable conditions To exist longer in this community. There is not one among them who would not willingly give all his property to save the lives of the school children of Indianapolis. But they are today objecting to carrying the burden of taxation that will insure health and education for the children because that burden is added to the tremendous burden cf waste and incompetency in our gov ernment. Unfortunately, these taxpayers have not studied the situation sufliiently to act in a manner that reflects their true feelings. If they had, they would not now be publicly opposing more school buildings and supporting by their silence a project to build a fancy barn for the city’s males! Belated Discovery Truly the person who inquires, “Ain't nature grand?’’ struck a chord vhich reaches our hearts. Now' it has been discovered that a tree called ~lie balsa wood, a second growth in tropical countries, is more elastic and stronger than cork and weighs about half as much, [t 'an be used wherever cork is used at half the weight. * This late demonstration *of nature coming at a time w hen corks for some purposes have passed Into oblivion or will pass, Is entertaining to say the least. The dispatches say that this w'ood grows in great abundance in the Panama Canal and within five years the tree will att&Jn a height of fifty to eighty feet k Os coarse, cork is used for other things than jottles, and this discovIpry will he very useful anyhow.

A Preposterous Plea The theory on which the Citizens Gas Company seeks permission to increase the co3t of gaa In Indianapolis from 60 cents to 90 cents Is that there exists an emergency of such a nature that the public service commission is justified in setting aside the statutory rate of 60 cents and prescribing a higher rate. The public utility law says: ‘“The commission shall have power, wTIBN DEEMED BY IT_ NECESSARY, to prevent injury to the business or interests of the people, or any public utility of this State, in case of any emergency TO BE JUDGED BY THE COMMISSION, to temporarily alter, amend, or with the consent of the utility concerned, suspend any existing rates, schedules and orders relating to or affecting any public utility or part of any public utility in this State.” The questions fer adjudication raised by the gas company’s petition are: 1. Doe? an emergency exist such as makes it necessary to suspend the statutory 4:as rate in order “to prevent injury to the business or interests of the people,” or to the Citizens Gas Company? 2. If such an emergency does exist and such a suspension of the statutory rate is necessary what rate should be substituted for the existing 60-cent schedule? * • • In the opinion of the great majority of the people of Indianapolis, which opinion is shared sincerely by the Times, there exists nothing even remotely resembling an emergency that would justify the public service commission in tampering with the gas rate in Indianapolis, let alone raising it to the requested 90 cents a thousand cubic feet. As the basis oi Us petition for 90-cent gas the Citizens Gas Company sets up that an emergency exists in this: 1. That owing to the demand for gas and the condition of the petitioner’s plant the requirements of the consumers cannot be m’et without an additional capital outlay of at least. $2,750,000. g 2. That the company has mortgage and other Indebtedness that must be met In 1921 amounting to $1,500,000. 3. That these necessary improvements and demands for payment of indebtedness can not be met with a revenue no greater than is produced by the sale of gas at GO cents. These allegations present to the public service commission the grounds on which it must determine whether there exists a Justification for the exercise of its emergency power to increase rates. With the first two of these allegations there will be no dispute It is a generally known fact that the gas company either can not or will not meet the demand of its patrons for an adequate gas supply and the charitable viewpoint is that it can not meet these demands without improvements. That the gas company has obligations that must be met In some manner no one will have the hardihood to dispute. However, before the citizens of Indianapolis will agree with the gas company that they must pay 90 cents for gas, the company must convince them: 1. That the conditions which it alleges really constitute an emergency such as justifies the public service commission in setting aside the existing contractual and statutory price for gas. 2. That such an alleged emergency can only be met by an increase in the rate for gas. 3. That the company comes into court with clean hands pointing to a real emergency that exists in spite of and not because of its earnest endeavors. • • The city of Indianapolis has already defined its antagonistic position against the gas company’s petition. In opposing the petition of the street car company for emergency relief the mayor declared that the city's policy was to oppose increased rates as long as there existed any other method by which the utilities could operate. Later Mr. Ashby declared that it was the city's policy to oppose emer gency relief to any utility that was payiug dividends on its capital stock The facts are, in reference to the Citizens Gas Company, that it lias not exhausted its own revenues in seeking to meet the demands of the public for gas and it has never failed to pay dividends at the rate of 10 per cent on its capital stock. Therefore consistency demands that the city oppose the attempted increase in gas rates for both of the two reasons advanced by the city officials for opposing the emergency Increase asked by the street car company. • • • Waiving the question of whether the conditions alleged by the gas company constitute an emergency in the meaning of the law, opposition to the increased rates should be successfully based on 'the theory that all these conditions can be met without recourse to increased rates. The gas company, in a statement made public with its petition, admits that it is now paying 10 per cent dividends on $2,000,000 of stock, or $200,000 annually. It. claims the necessity of raising a capital outlay of $4,500,000 to meet the "emergency." By the simple expediency of diverting its dividend fund of $200,000 annually to the payment of interest on borrowed capital it should be able to borrow $2,000,000 of the $1,500,000 needed capital at 10 per cent interest, $4,000,000 at 5 per cent interest and $4,500,000 at 4 4 per cent interest. In the present period of high interest rates the last enumerated possibility is not a probability, but either of the others are, and according to the same statement from the gas company only $1,000,000 additional capital is urgently needed at this time. Only one-half of the company's dividend fund need be withheld from its stockholders at present to pay 10 per cent on th<> $1,000,000 of additional capital which the company says it needs immediately to overcome the "emergency." Yet. under th< ee circumstances, the directors of the gas company come be'ore an already over-burdened public and do their best to disrupt what little confidence remains in the public mind by demanding an increase of 50 per cent in gas rates! * * * According to the company’s own statements it sold in the year ending Dec. 1, 1920, a total of 3,041,327 feet of gas. Assuming that under a 90cent rate its sales would shrink 20 per cent, its increased revenue from the higher rate sought would be approximately $730,000, next year. This sum would enable the Citizens’ Gas Company to pay 10 per cent interest on $7,300,000 additional capital and in its wildest estimates the company has claimed the necessity of only $4,500,000 additional capital. The petition of the Citizens’ Gas Company for an increase, of 50 per cent, in its charges for gas fails of obtaining the approval of the citizens of Indianapolis, for the fvasons: 1. That no emergency exists which the company can not dissipate by the application of its dividend funds to the payment of interest. 2. That no emergency exists which has not been created by the company itself with the result, if not the object, of supporting an attempt to obtain higher gas rates. 3. it Is a bold attempt to take from the citizens of Indianapolis in ex cesslve charges for gas a sum equal to a 10 per cent dividend or. at least $2,800,000 more capital than the company claims to need to meet nil demands upon It. it is too preposterous to merit the consideration of the public service commission.

BRINGING- UP FATHER,

I wirs-v THROO<H -1 YCUftE A COQO ] T T TWENTY o>oT — 1 HERE JAMET ■ r=> { that BUTUF.R-JAMES ‘ C J MACOEJ T WENT T OOL LARb ? C , 1 OOLI.AK} tve LObT r BUT A POOR L QUICK ABOUT IT \ [ J I OWE YOU FROM V___/ OM! ' , ... ', 1 " 1 ■„ . ~ tJ I. . . i— 1 A Ls - b '

INDIANA DAILY TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1920.

QUESTIONS AND ! ANSWERS , 1 (Any reader can get the ansjsflr to any question by writing the Indiana Daily Times Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haßkin Director, Washington, D. C. This offer applies strictly to information. The bureau cannot give advice on legal, medical and financial matters. It does not attempt to settle domestic troubles, nor to undertake exhaustive research on any subject. Write your question plainly and briefly. Give full name j and address and enclose 2 cents in j stamps for return postage. All replies are sent direct to the inquirer.) j ORIGIN OF ALBIKB CLOVER. I Q. What is aisike clover? G. T. H. • A. Aisike clover is a native of northern Europe, and is known also as Swedish or hybrid clover. The word "hybrid” was applied to It because it was thought to be a cross between red and white clovers. The flowers of this variety are pink or white, or pink and white mixed. Th's clover prefers a cool climate, and will grow on low, wet lands, and sotils low in lime content, where red clover will not thrive. JEWS IN WORLD WAR Q. Is It true that most of the .Tews in j the Army were from New York City? H. E. F. ' A. New York State and City supplied nearly one-third of the Jews who served | in the United States Army in the World ! War. the greater proportion of these, coming from New York City. MOISTURE ON WINDOWS.

Q. What causes moisture to collect on j | the inside of window panes, and what will it? C. W. | A. The difference in temperature be- ; twwm a warm room and the e >ld air out I side will cause the moisture inside to i condense on the window pane. A good , j circulation of air through the house win stop this. A kitchen window should be •opened slightly fiom the top when food I is cooking, to prevent such condensation on windows and walls. FIRST PAID BALL GAME. Q, When was the first baseball game, to which admission was charged? in. s ! A The first time admission wav charged to see a baseball game was on July 20, 1850, whan 50 cents was the fee for a game between team* from Brook lyn and New York Over 1.500 people attended this game at the Fashion Its<-e Course on Long Island. GIANT GRAPES. Q. What grapes are the largest and wbat are their slr.es? B v A The largest grapes are those grown under piss* This method Is used e* tens'relr in England for commercial purposes. The vari.ty grown is known :i ; tbe Giant Oro*. These grapes fre iquently nsensure inches around and sometimes there are enormous rluMerr e-stghtng from twenty to thirty poum.s The grates afe hlsek in color. frosting on light ni lb. q Tun yon advise me how to remove the froating from an electric light bulb.' A. The Bureau of Standards says that after the frosting on n electric ''ebt bulb is ground into the glass, tarre Is no way of removing same

PI SS IN HOOTS JR- — By David Cory. ~ Vow in the atory before till* I left e' v Ju.t r. Puns Junior and th handsome prince /went to the hack door of tin house where the wicked witch lived. But you niillft’t forget that she had lust (Town on her oid broomstick, so we needn’t be afraid of her But. oh. dear m-: Sitting on the door step was her old black cat. And wasn't she a dreadfu. looking thing I Well. I guess she *.- Her eyes were as green as grass, and right in the middle of each wns a i'ttle red spot that looked Ilk., fire And her till was as big n* n fetither boa, and the hair stood up as straight as the quills on a porcupine when he's angry through and through. An<l tnayb#* mor*. Rut wh*ti Phr Pf w PuM. who wnpo t P b!t nfral<l, php JookM *ll around for something to fly nway on. And before von could say "Wtnkerty bltnkertyshe jumped into an M duxtpnn and away she went through tie sky •i‘‘ r her wicked old mistress, but wbat bocam • of this dreadful black cat. I ll never t.-i: you. for I flou t know, except that n tittle bird t • 1 me -he l.nmpht into a steeple and chang -d Into a bat that (lew around in the night time and got rang! ' In old maid's hair when they put It up In curl psi/rs nt night. And white puts sill the handsome prince stood gating up into the *k> after the old black cat, a funny little man dreesod In a green coat and n red cap Jumpe 1 out of the ground and snna This little song : I come from the earth, deep down be low. Where the diamonds and rubles and emeralds grow. Where the blind mole digs his winding way \nd you never see the light of day. -tint we Utile men with our lanterns b right Don't care If it's dark as a stormy night, (la, ha', hu. ha! and ho, ho, ho, be. We work all day in the earth below, Ho, ho. ho, ho! And then he danced around the old well and fulled up n bucket of wafur. and when he poured out the water, would you believe it, out dropped diamonds and rubles. And then he gave a handful to Fuss and n handful to tho handsome prince, and, without saying another word, Jumped into tho bucket and went down the well, and In less than five hundred short seconds they heard hint singing: Hn, hn, ho, ho, I'm down below, Where the starry diamonds ever glow, Ha, hn, ho, h<>! And then, all of a sudden,, a coach-amf-four drove up und the handsome prince began to laugh, "nere is iny coach, little Buss Junior. Como with me." So in they got and nway went the four prane- 1 Ing horses, and if they don't run nway • and break their necks. I'll tell you next j time- If a black crow doesn't fly in front i of them—what happened when they reached the castle, or maybe sooner, for things happen sometimes before we are ready for them.—Copyright, 1920.

TOYS AND ATHLETIC GOODS FOR CHRISTMAS IVES & LIONEL TRAINS MECHANICAL TRAINS, $2.00 TO $12.00. ELECTRIC TRAINS, $5.50 TO $65.00. ‘ GILBERT ERECTOR ' ILr^rrtfl filsin m meccan ° tmmi ®rector sets, $2.00 to $35.00 motors. 51. 50 to ■ staara "eng'ines, 51.25't0 15. Electric sets, $3.50 to $12.50 Chemistry outfits, $2.50 to Knots and Splices’. -- jKLOO Brictor building sets, $5.00 Machine Gun.'.'.'.'.'.'sa7& to ' Airplanes, ready to fly, 25C to Gilbert Engineering Book 25c ‘ Lwt" Tel.mpk HU. .. .. to . 1.0 CF* TP Crown Bicycles CHRISTMAS TREE . yi I Crown juvenile bicycles miTCiTC will gladden the heart of (JU 1 I* 110 V/ i /\\\ every’ girl and boy. At- Nine Light Outfits. $3.50 \\\\ /ff tractively finished in four f-min^Bulba 11 * ° ut! ' : ‘ s ' ; oo S’ aTTVf different color combina- Finer Bulbs .....!... S. .25e tlons $35.00 These sets will not burn out VvyVfl !V\ /Jfl p\\ißr 1,. i„. quickly as they -Ive the necessary XXI/, ijy /1 \ \ffr R.gU.ar Size (Own, a . resi- race with the extra bulbs. models $ IO to SSO BOXING GLOVES FOOT BALLS GOLF SWEATERS ROLLER SKATES STRIKING BAGS BASKET BALLS TENNIS INGERSOLLS RIFLES OPEN EVENINGS UNTIL CHRISTMAS SMiTH-HASSLER-STURM CO. 219*221 Mass. Ave. A Christmas Wonderland

WHEN A GIRL MARRIES A Serial of Young Married Life — By Ann Lists ■ - - --

t’HAPTER CXI. f awoke with * quick Jerk. All the details of my ugly quarrel with Jim IN* night before came trooping back my iulu.l in a raasa Almost before I : * '-red over the covers I knew I abould bud Jim’s bed empty, but at the actual sight of it my heart begun thumping with emotions of anger and pain. Anger triumphed. With set Ups and Iveart a* tightly fid tied e gains! any gentle feelings. I Sot up ami get about preparing for my bath. For the tti'M time gince our marriage I found myself uncompromisingly angry with Jim. < lone rally i took sides against' myself and saw his side of things, hut now it was different. Simulated or real, hi* Jealousy of tuy friend, Anthony Norreys was outrageous, unfort.ive.ibio. In my sore heart I suspected that it was because he knew lie had given me so much cause for jealousy and distrust that Jim had Jumped in and acted as If I had offended htan. •‘He beat me to It!" I sneered lo myself with terse and pungent wrath. I did not go near the living room until I had finished dressing and was ready to set the breakfast (able. Then, at sight of Jim, I stopped and braced myself against the rush of my own 'eellngs. He had tumbled down among the cushions of the couch like it tired child. And he lay snuggled Into :i dose heap, warming his lenses against the cold by folding them almost up to his chin. I got a cover and put it over him. Then, because I couldn’t keep'the tears from my eyes, I folded uiy lips tighter than ever; my own tender, traitor emotions must not betray me. Jim woke at sound of my stirring about, muttered a good morning und disappeared into the bedroom. When he np pea red again ho 0-irried his hat and overcoat. “Won’t stop for my breakfast,” he said, avoiding my eyes. "Oh. Jim—you’ll tie sick—take your coffee"—! began. Just then th bell rang. Jim stepped back and 1 answered. At the door stood a little liny with a bjg package. -foliar. Wesson & Co.,’’ he announced in a piping child’s voice. "Collect 518.75."

"Collar. Wesson"—l began— “I didn't buy anything." "Ain't you Mrs. H H Harrison?" piped little Mercury again. "Yes." "Well—it's for you all right. Collect $1&73." Then I remembered. It was my canteen uniforms and aprons I had ordered the week before. -Copyright. 1920. (To Re Continue!.) HOROSCOPE "The stars incline, bnt do not romne: " j FRIDAY. DEC. 17. Unfriendly stars rule today, according to astrology. Mura, Saturn and Jupiter are all adverse. Physicians and surgeons come under a sway making for extreme activity, overwork and weariness, but they will gaiu much financially. The government of the planets is exceedingly threatening to domestic happiness. Better standards of marriage must he observed, the seers declare, and Ibis Is the nv xt problem for women to take up. Per ons whose birtbdate it is should :n>t speculate or risk any large amount oi' money. They should be careful of loiters and writings during the coming - ear. Children born on this day may be •■arelcss and extravagant. They arc likely to be gifted, energetic and lovable.--Copyright, 1920. EIGHT PARTIES IN ICOO. Q. What presidential campaigns brought out the most nominees? A. A. B. A. In 1900, and again in 190S, there were eight men, nominated by as many different parties. CUBIC INCH OF GOLD. Q. How much is a cubic inch of gold worth? K. L. S. A. The Treasury Department estimates that, a cubic inch of gold is worth $362.

State Association of Hospitals Proposed Special to The Times. LAFAYETTE. End.. Dec. Id. —A movement was started here Wednesday for the organization and a State hospital as sociation which would include every institution of the kind in Indiana. Twelve States already have similar as soda ti oils. Committees from the St Elizabeth and the Home Hospitals at Lafayette are leading the movement and; a general meeting will be called about the first of the year.

A Free Bulletin on the Use of Concrete When you get tired of mud in the ha Ic yard, lay a path of concrete. When the door in the basement rots out. make a permanent one* of this same material. l’ut in fence pouts of concrete that wii* be good when your grandchildren grow old. Build foundations, doorsteps, horseseptic tankjs, silos, of concrete. The use of this artificial rock Is one of the blessings of a progressive ajfe. Tin* recipe is as simple as that for making bread. Any body can use it. Get the booklet from our Washington Information Bureau. (In filling out the coupon, print name and address, or be sure to write plainly.)

Frederic J. Baskin, Director, The Indiana Daily Time* Information Bureau, Washington, B. C. I enclose herewith 2 centsln stamps for return postage on a free copy of "How to Make and Use Concrete. Name ................. Street City .. / State