Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 197, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 December 1923 — Page 4

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The Indianapolis Times EARLE E. MARTIN. Editor-in-Chlef ROY W. HOWARD, President ALBERT W. BLHRMAN, Editor WM. A. MAYBORN, Bus. Mgr. Member of the Soripps-Howard Newspapers • • • Client of the United Press. United News, United Financial NEA Service, Scrlpps-Patie Service and member of the Scripps Newspaper Alliance. • • • Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Published dailv exrept Sunday by Indianapolis Times Publishing Cos 25 20 S Meridian Street. Indianapolis • • • Subscription Rates: Indianapolis—Ten Cents a Week. Elsewhere—Twelve Cents & Week. * • PHONE—MAIN 3500.

MOTHER’S SACRIFICE “T"! TRAGEDY in life that finds an echo of tender sympathy in every heart in Indianapolis occurred Saturday. Life is a good deal of sacrifice. And especially sacrifice for others whom you love or for a great noble ideal. In just a natural effort to save her 5-year-old daughter from the wheels of an interurban, Mrs. Elizabeth Mourning gave her life. Asa result of her supreme sacrifice, which was successful, a husband and three children are in grief today. Mother love—what a price it must pay. From the moment the baby learns the kiss of its mother until the days of young girlhood and womanhood, a mother is always giving in unstinted sacrifice. To be a good mother is a real duty as well as an achievement in life. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for another.” SHERLOCK HOLMES ■pnOXAX DOYLE, who was in Indianapolis several months ago. regrets that he created the world-famous Sherlock Holmes detective stories. Writing his memoirs in the Strand, an English magazine, Doyle confides that he is disappointed because his Sherlock Holmes yarns have eclipsed what he considers his more literary works such as “The White Company.” All this is amazing. The Sherlock Holmes stories and their dramatic rights are understood to have brought Doyle a million dollars. Theatrical booking agents will nod their heads and repeat: “Yes. when they can sing, they want to dance. And when they can dance, they want to sing.” The comedian, Eddie Foy, for many years nursed as his greatest ambition the desire to star as Hamlet. George Ade wanted to write tragedies—and got sidetracked. So it goes, all of us imagine we’d have done better if we had followed some other line of work—a peculiar form of self-hypnotism and delusion that is especially characteristic of successful men. The life function or purpose of Conan Doyle unquestionably was the writing of the Sherlock Holmes stories. He started out as a physician in Edinburgh. He felt pulses and prescribed pills for eight years, his income in this time never exceeding $1,400 a year. Then he wrote “Study in Scarlet,” first of his detective thrillers—calling his hero Sherrinford Holmes. The name later was changed. Dr. Watson originally was known as Ormond Saker. In all history, there have been three endurably great fictional detectives—Poe’s Dupin, Gaboriau’s Monsieur Lecoq and Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. These are the three greatest. Holmes brought Doyle a million dollars, they say. Also international fame that will live, no one knows how many generations. We call that a big job well done. WATSON’S POLITICS mIM WATSON, back in his home State for a conference with the State G. O. P. committee, divulges fancies of tossing his hat into the Republican presidential primary. Coolidge’s boom for President, as the favorite son of the Bay State, landed him in the White House when fate intervened in the drama of life. In politics disappointd rivals often are given lesser important honors. When Harry S. New, defeated by Albert J. Beveridge in a senatorial primary, then found himself without the senatorial togo, he was boosted to the Postmaster Generalship. Whether Watson will enter the race or not the political situation has been greatly enlivened by the assurance he is still in a “receptive mood.” Coolidge, too, says “No bonus!” whereupon a host of overseas veterans raise a protest against the repudiation of a party pledge. Watson, one of those who entered that caucus pledge of Republican members of the House and Senate, says, “Pass the bonus and the Mellon tax plan, too.” There you are. If politicians can please both veterans and the general class of taxpayers, it will be a legislative feat. Watson is undertaking a strenuous task. How about it, Calvin t “REPEATERS” IN CRIME mF you are found guilty of committing a crime against the State and sentenced to the State prison, is the State’s responsibility ended! In that question hangs a problem that is facing Indiana Stat 6 officials as well as those of other commonwealths. According to the Indiana Constitution the punishment of the State shall b efounded upon the “principles of reformation and not of vindictive justice.” To place a man behind walls, to separate him from the rest of society, to seek to “reform” him and to strengthen his weaknesses that are to blame for crime, is indeed a huge responsibility. But has the penal system been a success in its reformation of man? Joseph P. Byers, commissioner of public instructions of Kentucky, estimates that in the United States alone there are about 115,000 “repeaters” in crime. Judge Wadhams, General Sessions Court, New York City, found in investigation of the prison records of twelve States that 50 per cent of the inmates were old offenders. Os those convicted to penal institutions in Massachusetts in 1918, 58.5 per cent were “repeaters”; in 1917 in New York State 60 per cent were in the same class. A COTTON crop worth $1,400,000,000 ought to be mighty discouraging to the onery boll weevil. “YOU can’t sit still and pay dividends,” says one captain of industry. That will be news to the hen. IT MAY BE that Coue’s visit this time is due to an idea that every day, in every way, we have grown easier and easier. EXECUTION of three murdeqirs in Sing Sing was potpwied until after the completion of a musical comedy show in the prison. It is believed the added punishment was without the slightest authority. .( .

WHO WANTS SECOND JOB ON TICKET? Why Anyone Seeks Vice Presidency Never Satisfactorily Answered, Times Washington Bureau, 1322 New York Ave. ASHINGTON, Dec. 31—Here at the seat of Government there I is one perennial puzzle, reading thus: Why does any one want to be Vice President? There never has been a satisfactory answer, though one popular theory is that Vice Presidents And recompense in the large numßer of free meals that go with the' office. Vice Presidents are always fjeing invited out to dinner. Death of a President makes the Vice President's place worth while, but few believe candidates for the office seriously consider this possibility. Hiram Johnson refused to consider it in 1920, when he could have had the nomination. It certainly wasn't the thought Harding might die that caused Governor Henry Allen of Kansas to take it so hard when the Vice Presidential nomination was jerked right out of his hanads and passed over to Coolidge. Made Active Campaign Nor could It have been this thought that caused Coolidge to campaign actively for the Vice Presidency—for his campaign for the presidency never was considered anything more than an effort to land the second place. Hard-boiled henchmen of politics apply a poker phrase to the position. The worst hand in poker Is the second-best hand. The worst place on the national ticket is the second place, they say. These reflections are not aroused by the news from Pierre, S. D., that James W. Gerard, one-time am-br-ssador to Germany and author of a book about himself, has written accepting the Indorsement of the State proposal convention for the democratic vice presidential nomination, saying if elected he would "qualify and adhere to the declaration of principles set forth in the proposal convention and obey the party recall if invoked against him.’’ They are caused, instead, by the news that Governor Alhert Ritchie, of Maryland, Is now in the field for the second place nomination. The news follows his recent visit in French IJck. Indiana. with Tom Taggart and Charlie Murphy. Ritchie Has Chance It has been figured out by Ritchie's friends he has a good chance. He would be a "wet" candidate, they say, and so would balance a ticket headed by MeAdoo. who Is "dry." That's one theory, hut they have another Just as good. If Governor A1 Smith wore nominated. Smith being a "wet” would want a man of his own non prohibition persuasions on the ticket with Wm, they say. They don't seem to consider MeAdoo would want his running mate to share his views on this subject. Ritchie seems to have made a good lecord In Maryland. His recent reelection as Governor was by the largest majority ever received by a Governor in his State. His success as a candidate and as an executive only adds to the puzzle created by the new ambition proclaimed In his behalf by his friends.

QUESTIONS Ask— The Times ANSWERS

You can sret an answer to any question of fact or information by writing to the Indianapolis Times' Washington Bureau. 1322 New York Are Washington. I). C.. inclosing 2 cents in stamps for reply Medical, legal and marital advice cannot bo given, nor can extended research be undertaken. All other questions will receive a personal reply Unsigned requests cannot be answered. All letters are confidential.—Editor. What is a safe and harmless medicine to permanently reduce superfluous flesh without strenuous exercise which my heart wil not stand for? I would like to lose about fifty or sixty pounds. We do not give medical advice. "What is the population of the five largest cities? Also population of Los Angeles, Cal,? —Ross Neeves. Following are the figures of the last census taken in 1920: New York City (including its suburbs) 11,240,099 London, England 7,476,168 Tokio, Japan 5,164.000 Be in, Germany 3,804,000 Paris, France 2,907,000 Population of Los Angeles, Cal.— 576,673 Is there any way to sell some old and odd money? I have a coin of silver, dated 1772. How much should I get for It? Also have two Confederate $lO bills, well preserved. We are not anxious to sell but are In need of food and fuel and clothes and a means of paying for the little two-room house. —MRS. L. S. H. Write Department of the United States Treasury, Fifteenth St. and Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D. C. Where was the last battle of the Revolution fought and between whom? At Yorktown, October, 1781, between American troops commanded by Washington and the British commanded by Cornwallis. On Oct. 19, the British surrendered. What steamship of the White Star Line, sailing from Liverpool, arrived,ln the Boston harbor on the 26th and 27th of April, 1910? The steamship “Zeeland” of the White Star Line, sailed from Liverpool, April 19, 1910, and docked at Boston, April 27th, 1910. A Thought Wrath killeth the foolish man, and MIVy slayeth the silly one.—Job 5:2. •• * • B 1 AD temper is i'to own scourge. Few things areW )itterer than to feel bitter. A wan’s venom poisons himself more his vie-

THE iN HiAiN Atolls TIMES

Anthropology By BERTON BRALEY Through the record at present is muddy And difficult, very, to scan. We shall probably find, as we study The ways of the Primitive Man, That though he secured her by giving Her noodle a terrible whack, ■When they had got settled to living His wife was the Boss of the Shack. And though the hymeneal bower Was up in a tree or a cave, I reckon the wife had the power Os making her hubby behave. He might be tremendously burly, A hunter of mighty acclaim, But if he was told, “Come home early,” I’m willing to bet that he came! No doubt, when appearing in public, He’d boast he himself was the boss, Who could, would and did, with his club, lick His spouse if she dared to be cross. But w hen he was home lie addressed her With meekness, submissiveness, too, And when she was talking he "yessed” her And did what she told him to do. In fact, though he manfully had it, I’ll wager his wife had her way, i He couldn’t dope out how she did it, Nor are we much w iser today. : The feminine vagaries stun us, I We cannot decipher their plan, ! But somehow or other they run us And so they did Primitive Man! j (Copyright, 1923, NEA Service, Inc.) /qOM SIMS -!■ -!- Says Well, here's 1924 and many book agents still at large. Very’ few things turned out as badly as expected in 1923, but this happens every year. Bet's spend 1924 pulling the hair of people who had the bad taste to abbreviate the word Christmas. One thing we hope for the new year is that some Insurance agent will sprain his Jaw talking. There will be fifty-three Tuesdays j In 1924, if not prohibited by law. March has five pay days, but .that is when the income tax is due. Five pay days hath August, but that Is when vacations are due. Five pay days hath November, but | that is when winter suits are due. This 1924 Is leap year. The extra : day comes on Friday, which is conj sidered unlucky for bachelors. ——- Friday is fish day. Friday. Fob 29, ‘ bachelors will be the fish. We could use this extra day in leap : year learning how to tie a bow tie or blow smoke rings. We might spend the extra day In i 1924 learning why women still wear j their shoes too small. The extra day we get this l*np year ! could be used up wondering why pic- ! nlcs are a sure sign of rain. On the extra 1924 day we could | visit the laundry and ask why they j like to tear buttons off of shirts. Next Feh. 29 we could use to ask the company why street cars are usually going the wrong way.

Heard in the Smoking Room

i a |— v IEGPLE sometimes get queer ideas about the newspaper L- game,” said a gent in the S. I). & A. smoker, who had been Introduced as Mr. Porterfield. ”1 remember that one time, a rather ordinary chap approached the desk of the editor of the Cleveland Press and asked for a place on the editorial staff." “ ‘I think,’ said the applicant, “that I have a natural bent for literary

Plans for 1924 When today ends, you will have seen the last of 1923. Will you be passing another milestone on the road to financial independence, or just closing another year. There is no better in- ™ dication of progress Xj 1/ than a steadily growing /£ /U bank account. The size . of the start is not so imori Savings portant, but the start and regular deposits are everything. Let Your Plans Include—the opening of a savings account at this bank, and a firm resolve to deposit not less than 10 per cent of each pay you draw. This is bound to show a profit for you at the end of 1924. Are you not entitled to keep at least 10 cents out of each dollar you earn ? $1 Will Start n Account MEYER-KISER BANK H 136 East Washington St.

CALIFORNIA FIGHTS FOR POWER BILL Private Exploiters Seek to Grab Hydro-Electric Rights in State, a,/ Timm Special AN FRANCISCO, Dec. 31.—The people of California have rei.. newed their fight to save their last water and hydro-electric power resources from the grasp of private exploiters. An overwhelming flood of propaganda, financed by Eastern power interests, wrought the loss of the first I California water and power act in November, 1922. Undaunted, the framers of last year’s initiative measure, including leading progressives and conservati wiists of the State, now have determined to re-submit to the people a similar initiative next fall. This calls for the issuance of State credits up to $500,000,000 to help cities and irrigation districts finance water and power development. Company Wants Power Nine rnlilon horse power of electric energy, the largest prize in any State In the Union except Washington, is the stake. The big Califronla power companies, backed by powerful East- ' rn interests, are determined to seize i this power In spite of public opposition. A State Senate exposure of the methods the power companies used to beat the initiative last year, when more than $500,000 was shown to have been spent to buy the support of labor leaders, club women and public officials, has aroused public opinion. Along with it comes the revelation of conspiracies in Eos Angeles and San Francisco to wreck the municipal water and power projects of these two cities. Pay Entertainers These facts have caused the power "combine'’ to adopt new tactics Busij ness men’s clubs are being entertained j by vocal soloists accompanied by lec--1 turers paid for by the power compaI nles; women employed by the Better America Federation, the California open shop organization, are making speaking tours of women’s clubs, and newspaper advertising campaigns having in view widespread sale of power company stock to the middle classes, are in full swing Animal Facts ! Sea otter, whose coat is the finest ! fur in the world, had been almost ex terminated in 1911 when the Pacific ! powers signed n treaty prohibiting its 1 killing. In twelve years it has come back strong, but scientists say it needs another twenty-five years to be as nu merous as back In old General Grant’s days. A snake with h‘ps was the find o( ! the nature editor of El Paso Post while returning from Juarez or.e ; night. An agent of A1 G. Barnes ciri cus came down from Albuquerque prepared to offer SI,OOO for the freak. Then an unkind X ray disclosed that his snakeship smlnly had swa::ow,, a horned toad. The California tarantula killer ts a large wasp-like fellow with the wasp's power to paralyze with its sting. He ; can tly, jump, or run like a streak of greased lightning. It is hide or become fresh meat with old tarantula.

work, and want to give my whole life to It.’ " ‘Ever held an editorial Job?’ asked the editor. “ ’No, sir.’ ” ’Any references?’ j ** 'No, sir; Just my talent and liteI rary ambit am.’ “ ‘Ever, do any literary work?’ “ ‘We-l-I,’ hesitated the man. ’I was I for some time first assistant to Bill ; Pate, the well known bill-poster.’ ”

New Year Pledges Are Now in Order

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Editor’s Mail The editor is willinif to print views of Times readers on lnU'estuiff subjects. Make your comment brlel. Sitro vovr name as an evidence of eood faith. It will not be printed if you object.

From Postal Worker To the Editor of The Timer Having been a factory worker “from the ground up,’’ I beg to answer Mr. J. S. Hotsenpillar of Newcastle, Ind., and ask forbearance of that gentleman in what I have to say. Postal workers have offered little heretofore in retaliantion when they and their positions were subject to comparison and criticism by those in o.ne walks of life. Usually such comparisons are made on overdrawn conclusions. 1 do not wish to enter Into a controversy but wish to set the gentleman from Newcasatle right on a few Issues that to his way of thinking are in opposition to what I have experienced through four years of factory experience and eleven years in the postal service. The Same (’©mfort Granting that Mr. Hotsenpillar, or any one else, and I have the same size family to support which entails certain expenses, does the gentleman from Newcastle suppose for one minute that I am able to live In the same comfort In the city of Indianapolis as he does In the city of Newcastle without an additional expenditure over and above his own? I am paid $2,000 annually, which flgu res, according to the departmental way of figuring, approximately $5.45 per day. Not so much more than the gentleman from Newcastle gets as

Be Luxe Train thru to Miami daily $ Through Sleeping Cars to West Coast Resorts The Floridan is the only solid through train to Miami V and East Coast resorts—the fastest and finest to Florida* I Leaves Chicago f 1:40 A. M. Arrives Birmingham 5:00 A. M Arrives Jacksonville 8:10 P. H jjs Arrives Miami 10:20 A. M. Convenient Illinois Central connections t IfliS at Mattoon and Effingham Observation* c*ub and dining cars; drawing-room, com* , 1 T 'wJfjKir V pgetment—single oren suite—and open-section Pullmans V/ %/Mi *'r/rVrV to Miami, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Bradentown, 77ke dependable all-year trmim also serving Sarasota. Valet and maid. Powerful new to Florida—leaves Chicago mountain-type locomotives insure smooth riding and daily 9:10 p. m. M I on-time arrivals. Pullman passengers only. Cuiwknt JTTinilf fjj.ri jf i I Illinois Central Service all the way Arrives Jacksonville 750 second I mcrralns, contracting for all Florh \ I 4a resorts. Through Pullmans Far reservations, fare's and descriptive booklet, ask ). M. Morisey. District Pasteoger Ageat son villa, Tam aa, Miami sal 315 Merchants Bank Bldg., 1 S. Meridsn St Savannah, Ga. Observation earn Phone Circle 4534-4535. lidiaaapolis. led. diming cm tad coaches. ffljg jjjii am lit

an ordinary day laborer In a factoryThe gentleman from Newcastle “works” ten houts, and 1 “hit the ball” for only eight hours. After that I can go home and spend another hour on the daily changes or on my scheme, which consists of from 300 cards on up to 1,200. Aside from my sick leave and vacation If I am absent from duty I get docked by the hour the same as the factory worker. I only have a little dust* to work In. Just that which files out of every mail sack that is dumped into the workroom, but. my friend, the factory worker, works in the dust too. I don’t expose myself to every kind of disease by handling the millions of envelopes that have been sealed by moistening the flap with the saliva of a million different mouths. Life in Hands And I’m not the only postal employe—my brother, the carrier, doesn't take his life in his hands when he crosses the' street four times in a block. My other brother, the railway mail clerk, takes his chances along with the engineer and the fireman in every rail wreck. We get a pension at the age of 65; that is, lfe we live that long; and we have deducted annually 2V per cent of our pay to provide that pension (to date, every dollar of the pension fund for postal employes has been paid ty the employes themselves). The factory -worker can get that kind of pension from any old line life insurance company. Contrary to Mr. Hotsenpiikir’s state ment several postal employes have lost their Jobs; with the reduction of what is known as R. P. O. service several clerks were relegated to terminals. They lost their jobs and sought others in the same line of

me

work. In order that there be no misunderstanding let me say that they were not laid off or fired, but they were given another place in the service, the same the factory man ■when he changes from one factory to another. On the whole, Mr. Hotsemplllar, postal employes sympathize with you and your wage. It is not enough. How do you make ends meet? Have you given the family the comforts, the education, etc., that you would like them to have, or that they are rightfully entitled to? ACIEL A. HAMILTON, A Postal Employe.

Family Fun

Bobbie Short of Time “Great heavens, son, how look!” “Yes. father, I fell in a die.” 9 "What! And with your new on, too?” "Yes, father, I didn’t have time to take them off.” —Oklahoma Whirlwind. Mother Real Glad "I hear your boy devotes a great deal of his time at the university to Mah Jongg." "I’m so glad he has taken to an old lady. I was so afraid he’s fall for some flapper.”—Exchange. What Papaa Do "My papa clerks in a store. What does yours do?” "Oh, he does whatever mama tell* him to." —Detroit News.