Indianapolis Times, Volume 37, Number 117, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 September 1925 — Page 4
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TKe Indianapolis Times BOX W. HOWARD, President. FELIX F. BRUNER, WM. A. MAYBORN, Bub. Mgr. Member of the Scripps-Howsrrt Newspaper Alliance * * * Client of the United Press and the NEA Service * • Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Published daily except Sunday by Indianapolis Times Publishing Cos., 214-220 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis * • * Subscription Rates: Indianapolis Ten Cents a Week. Elsewhere—Twelve Cents a Week • • • PHONE— MA in 3500,
No law shall be passed restraining the free interchange of thought and opinion, or restricting the right to speak, write, or print freely, on any subject whatever.—Constitution of Indiana.
Thousands of Search Warrants mF any proof of the statement that the homes of innocent individuals are being violated by over-zealous booze raiders is needed it is contained in the statement of Justice of the Peace Henry H. Spiher, 3541 W. Michigan St., who said, in connection with an investigation of an unwarranted booze raid north of the city, “I have authorized thousands of search warrants/’ Thousands of search warrants 1 Only a few score arrests! The answer is obvious. How many hundreds of homes of innocent persons must have been raided! One justice of the peace, out of all the hundreds in Indiana, asserts that he has issued thousands of search warrants. How many thousands more have been authorized by other justices can only be surmised. Has one justice of the. peace been able to check up the authenticity of reports on which thousands of search warrants have been au- ■ thorized I It hardly seems likely. Motor policemen have been making some of the searches. The law gives them jurisdiction only over trafhc violations. Horse thief detectives have been assisting them. Citizen policemen of this character are a menace to the community. They form a Iloosier ( heka which is dangerous to the welfare of the State. 15? “ In other words, the law is being wantonly violated by those who act in the name of law enforcement. Innocent persons whose homes have been "Searched have shunned publicity. Many feel that such a search is sufficiently humiliating without their putting their eases before the public. But only by such protests as that being made by William Bosson, city attorney, against the action of nine men entering the home of a tenant on his farm at night and searching the premises, can this practice be stopped. The prohibition law should be enforced. But other laws just as important, or more so, must not be broken in the name of enforiement.
A School Board Ticket mN the heat of the city campaign some of us are prone to forget one of the most important features of the coming election, the naming of a school board. Nothing in the administration of public affairs is more important than the schools. The school city spends about half the taxes paid in by Indianapolis property owners. Sometimes the amount of money spent by the department looks so big that other things are discounted. The school city has in its hands the welfare of some 45,000 children. They spend a good part of their waking hours in the school room. They attend school during the formative period of their lives, the period during which character is builded. What could be more important than having the right kind of men and women at the head of our school department.’ Yet, because the school election is not a political event, it sometimes is given second place. A group of leading citizens has been organized for the purpose of putting in the field a school ticket that will meet the necessary requirements. This is a laudable purpose. Indianapolis should elect a school board that will have the welfare of the school children at heart. It should not be representatives of any creed or class and it should have no interest except the unselfish one of making good citizens of the boys and girls. Not too much stress should be put on the cost of conducting the school system. Indianapolis needs more school buildings. It is a shame that in a city of this size children should be forced to attend classes in buildings that would not be tolerated in most of the rural districts of the State. Buildings should not be extravagantly erected; but, most of all, there should be sufficient and adequate buildings to house comfortably all the children. Some Lessons of the PN-9 Inn THE return from the grave, so to speak, [ * 1 of Commander John Rodgers, of the l?N-9. No. 1, together with his crew of four, is fortunate in more ways than one. First and foremost, of course, is the lives of the five men are saved. But in audition to that a number of things will be set right by their survival and many valuable lessons learned. For one thing, according to Commander Rodgers himself, the flif rs were not sent out to their almost certain death by folks who did not know what they were doing, but went ac-
cording to a program arranged by them.ielves. In the second place, the seaplane itself, contrary to the impression given by Col. Mitchell, seems to have been a pretty good old bus, unusually reliable and seaworthy. Anyhow that’s what her commander says. Nevertheless all new ocean-going planes must, in future, carry a small reserve of gasiline, this being instantly available in a sepirate tank. Such a supply would have meant everything to the PN-9. In the first place, the commander says, his gas suddenly gave out and he was forced to come down on the water with his engines stalled. A few quarts of gas, in reserve, would have kept his engines going until he and his men were safely down. Again, says he, his wireless became useless because he had run out of gas. A small reserve -would have made it possible to run one motor long enough to send out an S. 0. S. occasionally, stopping his engine between tries. Finally, we are informed, they might have perished for lack of fresh water. As it was, they had to burn some of the plane’s woodwork as fuel in the distilling apparatus. The reserve gas would have removed that danger. These are just some of the lessons the return of the PN-9 teaches us. But we will mention one more, and that certainly not the least important. The whole exploit clearly demonstrates one among many reasons why only trained sailors should be Navy fliers. But for the fact that Rodgers and his men know the sea as well as they know the air, likely enough they would all be today in Davy Jones’ locker. The merited promotion of Commander Rodgers to be assistant chief of the Navy’s bureau of aeronautics gives us the comfortable feeling that what he knows will not be lost to the country.
The President’s Aircraft Inquiry mN line with this newspaper’s often repeated suggestion. President Coolidge has named a special board to investigate air service requirements and incidentally to take cognizance of Col. Mitchell’s crusade agaiust the War and Navy Departments. The personnel of the board, which meets at the White House Thursday for the first time, makes for optimism. Both sides of the controversy appear pleased with it, particularly Col. Mitchell, whose charges served to bring the issue to a head. Both the Army and Navy are represented, the one by a retired general, the other by a retired admiral, both with fine records. Being on the retired list, they can say and do what they like. Both houses of Congress are likewise represented, the upper house by one Senator, the lower by two Representatives. Airmen will be represented by a man who saw active flying service in the World War and three civilian technician-engineer experts will look after that end of the inquiry. Finally there is a member of the Federal bench to give judicial tone to the hearings. By the appointment of the special board, the Army is relieved of attempting to prove the truth or falsity of Col. Mitchell’s charges against it and the Navy—a delicute job which would have placed it in the position of being both judge and jury in its own case. Trial of Col. Mitchell on insubordination or similar charges is not likely until he had told all he knows to the special board before which he will appear as star witness. In any event the President, who is commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy, must pass upon the findings of the Mitchell court-martial—if any—will Dot do so until he has tne ooard’s report to guide him. Thus does Mitchell seem assured of justice to himself and to the cause he advocates. And perhaps more important still out of it all Congress, at the beginning of its next session, ought to be able to form a pretty clear idea of the needs of our national defense and take some long-postponed steps toward realizing them. mNDIANA industries near normal mark, says one headline. Record corn crop seen, says another. Not so bad. * # ♦ The prohibition enforcement department should look into that bumper corn crop. # # # Another channel swimmer failed to make it. One of these days somebody will swim the channel. Then what will he do about it ? # * # Who wants to wear a straw hat in the rain, anyway" • • • THAT the celebrated “Memphis Blues” have failed to annihilate optimism is indicated in the enthusiastic of the Tennessee city’s incoming delegation to capture the next National Dairy Exposition.
THE rNTDTANAPOLIS TIMES
HOPE TO PREDICT QUAKES VER Y DEFINITEL Y EXPRESSED
B.v David Dietz .V T'.A Service Writer P 1" '“I lOXEERS on the frontier of science expect that eventual--1 ly it will be possible to predict the time and place of an earthquake. Within a reasonable number of years they hope to be able to do that for the California earthquake region. For the most comprehensive study of such a region ever undertaken is now under way in California. The Carnegie Institution of Washington is carrying on the study with the aid of the United States Coast Survey, the United States Geological Survey, the Bureau of Standards, tne University of California, Leland Stanford University and the United States Navy. The first task, as Dr. Arthur L. Day of the Carnegie Institution points out, is to find out exactly what is happening inside the earth in the California region. For students of the earth now agree that an earthquake is merely the releasing of strains and stresses which have been accumulated through the shifting and movement of the layers of rock. Many geologists believe that there is an actual movement or “creep” of the whole San Francisco bay region and that the land here, covered as it is with busy cities, villages and farms, is slowly moving northward at the rate of about one foot a year.
RIGHT HERE IN INDIANA
By GAYLORD NELSON
MUST LISTEN TO THE BIBLE O. CAPLIXGER. Boone County superintendent, will ___) open each business session of the county board of education with a reading from the Scriptures, he announces. He believes in making the board take its own medicine. Recently the board adopted a resolution requiring a Bible to be kept on each teachers’ desk In Boone County schools and that It be read to the classes. Much controversy has raged around the question of compulsory
Bible reading in the public schools. Ad v o cates of the plan believe it will cure all the moral ills that afflict society. Opponents chargo it is an attempt to unite church and State and throttle religious freedom. Probably both sides exaggerate the effect. With the average lad. incarcerated in school unwilling-
Nelson
ly. enforced listening to a selection of Scripture Isn't likely to make him grow wings. The reading is apt to go in one ear and out the other 'without denting his consciousness. Certainly reading a passage to the board of education at every session can do no harm. It is not compelling the members to submit to cruel and unusual punish-* ment. But It isn't likely to change them any. Invocations are regularly on the programs of Legislatures Congresses and many assemblages. They never noticeahly cramp the earthy style of such gatherings. Compulsory Bible reading is in the same class. The Book is read by many people with great profit —but those who derive the greatest profit therefrom read of their own volition—not hy compulsion. A POORHOUSE MISER
IRS. MARGARET MEANS, inmate of the Shelby u__J County infirmary, fell and broke her leg the other day. When she was undressed by nurses, which she vociferously opposed. S9OO in hills were found pinned to her undergarments. Also papers to prove she was 69 years old, not 44 as she claimed. No wonder she was overcome with anguish. A woman's age, of course, is her own affair. Most women beyond thirty drop their birthdays in the ash can. If a female inmate of a poorhouse drops twentyfive in a bunch no harm is done. She is presumably a county charge because of her physical needs not because of the number of her revolutions around the sun. But when a poorhouse inmate eats the bread of public charity, while concealing on her person S9OO, the matter concerns the taxpayers who support her. County infirmaries are not intended primarily as havens for misers. A lot of elderly people without S9OO to their name are bucking the world cheerfully and supporting themselves. Even without working that sum would furnish a frugal living for an old woman for several years. Nowhere in the world is charity, both public and private, more open-handed than in America. Our pocketbook nerve throbs in sympathy at every case of need or distress. And nowhere else is charity more imposed upon. TVe have soft hearts and rich beggars. veteransancT INSURANCE iy-C“|NLY 15 per cent of approxifl I mately 4.500,000 veterans, iuT .1 who served in the World War, originally insured for forty billions of dollars, are now carrying Government insurance. So reports an American Legion committee to James F. Barton, national adjutant, at the Indianapolis headquarters. Despite a year or more of intensive publicity and the offering of unusually liberal terms only 378,056 ex-servico converted
r SURVEY has been undertaken of the San Francisco -i bay region in order to establish definitely any “creep" of the land. A system of gigantic triangles is being marked out on the land starting with points at Mt. Lola and Mt. Round Top at the north and the Colorado river basin at the south. By checking these measurements it wi’l be possible to determine accurately every future shift of the land. From work done so far. geologists believe that the land on the east side of the so-called San Andreas fault Is creeping southward, while the land on the west side of it Is moving northward. * * * j r-pt |HE United State Geological | I Survey is cooperating In the 1 I study by making an intensive study of the structure of the rock layers in the region so that surface movements may be interpreted in the light of this knowledge. With the aid of the new sonic depth-finder, the United States Navy has plotted the topography of the floor of San Francisco bay so that the scientists will have this additional knowledge to help them. In addition, specially delicate seismographs h? t> been set up in California so that a record of the slightest tremor will be had.
their war policies into regular life insurance. Policies not converted, but kept in force as yearly renewable term insurance number 175,083. The grandiloquent insurance which was hatched when we entered the war. for the protection of families and dependents of the men in the service, has become one of the greatest casualties of the war. Nine-tenths of the young men eligible wouldn't accept Government insurance at half price—almost as a gift—as soon as the immediate danger of death in battle was past. Apparently the young men don't think much of life insurance. But in the five years, during which the Government Insurance Bureau was losing nine out of ten of its policy-holders, private life insurance companies enjoyed the biggest business in their history. Assets, insurance in force, and policyholdera of every Indianapolis
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life insurance company show substantial gain the past, five years. The success of private enterprise and the failure of the Government in the life insurance field shows the utter inefficiency of the latter in operating a business. A bureaucrat x;an’t even “sell'’ a bargain so it will stay sold. And yet some people prate of the business of Government ownership and operation of railroads, and this, that and the other. A Thought Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.—Acte 23:5. * * * Hr - ~] E who would rule must hear and be deaf, see and be blind. v___ —Old German proverb.
THE SPUDZ FAMILY—By TALBURT
School’s starting. Few children hate school. It’s the studies they don't like. Bad news from Texas. Grasshoppers there. What Texans need Is more time for fishing. They think a Virginia man who whipped his wife is crazy. If she can cook, we agree with them. Here and there you see people wanting more happiness yet using only a. small part of what they have. Truth is great stuff. But if all of it. were known practically everybody would be arrested. That’s the trouble with having too many laws. They have a tendency to arrest progress.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15,1925
TQM SIMS SAYS
Be JU '< iy jM§£?
Any blamo fool can sea a wise man’s mistakes. About $20,000,000 alimony is paid yearly in this country. Better run home and kiss your wife. Florida burglars blew a, safe. Got only four stamps and a pencil. But now they can write home for money. They claim a Chicago man robbed three houses a night. Maybe he is trying to keep a son in college. It’s been several years since it was safe to cuss in a barber shop. Some of these bathing beauties would he almost naked if it were not for their ear stoppers. (Copyright, 1925, NBA Service, Inc.)