Indianapolis Times, Volume 38, Number 265, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 February 1927 — Page 1

The People Want Real Regulation, Not Chaos

Public interest demands that there be a change in the public utility situation, a change which will give the people eonlidence in the •regulation and more fairness than they have received. To adopt the Cann measure abolishing the public service commission arid all State regulation means chaos. To pass that measure would leave the people helpless. It is a measure that apparently was born in desperate prejudice and hf&te, rather than from any consideration as to what it means or where it leads. ( The theory of regulation of public utilities re the only tenable one, unless the people are ready to purchase and operate all public utilities. There is no middle ground. The old franchise operation and its oorruption of local city governments failed to work. It was disgust with that condition which forced the passage of the present law providing for regulation by a State commission. The theory of the present law is correct. * But the manner in which the present commission has enforced it has brought State wide protest and disgust. The people want the membership of this present commission changed. They believe that it has been owned and controlled by the utilities. They believe that it has been dominated by utility lawyers. They believe it was named to satisfy utility contributors to campaign funds. But a law that wipes it out and leaves nothing in its place would be worse and more costly. The law can be changed, very simple, and made workable if the members of the Legislature who really wish to do something to relieve the people of utility domination will work out the problem without interference from that highly paid utility lobby which is now at work upon them. The law has failed, primarily, because it does not permit the commission to regulate the expenditures of the utilities as well as tiheir income. Thene is no way of preventing these utilities from paying these lobbyists and then charging the cost back to the people as “legal” expense. And they do just that thing. There* is no way of preventing exorbitant salaries to officials who do northing more than pull financial strings. There is no way of preventing contracts for materials to -subsidiary companies at prices far above the market. There is no way of enforcing economical and honest management. The commission tells the companies how much they can collect in Fonder to obtain interest and dividends—after their cost of operation. That gets no place as long as there is no curb on cost of operation. In every rate fight, the people have paid ff both sides. In the telephone case alone, the users paid $317,465.03 as the expense of the company in fighting their demand for decent rates. A provision in the law that the cost of rate fights be paid by stockholders and not by the users might cause them to accept more readily a decent arbitration. There should be some supervision of the appointing power that will give the people*confidence. A commission of four members, at salaries large enough to attract capable men and large enough to lift them* above temptation, subject to confirmation by two-thirds of the Senate and made as non-partisan as possible with a requirement of three of the four votes to make any order effective, would have an appearance of greater fairness. There should be a provision against hasty action and a provision of sixty days notice on important rate or service changes .would correct that. One of the schemes by which the people are loaded with unjust rates is through the holding companies incorporated in other States and now beyond regulation. These holding companies fasten contracts upon their local companies, taking percentages of their income for which they render no service. Those “super-utilities” should be forced to come under the regulatibn of the commission and submit to the jurisdiction of State courts or be forced to quit the State. Members Legislature jiave declared that they want suggestions as, to concrete methods of controlling the utilities. They must know that the present commission, with its quick change before the merger decision, with th<J open charge that utilities made huge contributions to the campaign of the Governor, not investigated, must go. It has outlived its usefulness. Whether deserved or not, it no longer has public confidence. The fight 'made by the utility agents in behalf of its members is the strongest indictment that could be made against it. Why not a law with these features': Anew commission, subject to confirmation by a two-thirds vote of the Senate, paid a layge enough salary to insure the best brains to fight for the people. Control of operating expenses to eliminate inside waste and perquisites. Payment of all litigation from profits and not from operating revenues. Sixty days deliberation and time for protest on all rate orders and petitions. The bringing of holding companies under the regulation of the State commission, with all litigation in State courts.

268 Meters —And 268 Thrills a Minute! WFBM's wave length—and Blythe Q. Hendricks broadcasting basketball for The Indianapolis Times! , Hendricks will be on the air again Friday night telling you about the Butler-Wabash college basketball game at the Armory. If you tuned in on the thrilling struggle between Butler and Franklin last Friday night you had a hair-raising evening. \ You can expect excitement whenever Butler and Wabash get together, whether it be in pitched battle or pnrehesa. But basketball , Just tune in about 7 :45 p. m. Friday and write your [ own advertisement.

The Indianapolis Times CO M PLETE REPORT OF WORLD-WIDE NEWS || SERVICE OF. THE UNITED PRESS

VOLUME 37—NUMBER 265

COOLIDGE ASKS NAVAL LIMITATION

COFFIN RULE ATTACKED IN VOTING BILL # Measure to Put ‘Teeth’ in Primary Law to ‘Clean Up’ Alleged Corruption. DUPLICATE BALLOT PLAN Gives Candidates Right to Watchers at Polls.

Assembly Today

HOUSE Both Houses convened at 10 a. m., adjourning at noon and reconvening at 2. Introduction of new primary bill. Indtanapolik coliseum bill to engrossment. V ( SENATE Passed Nejdl bill allowing appeals to Circuit and Superior Courts from public service commission rulings. Killed O'Rourke proposal that county auditor issue auto licenses. Bills for passage: Insurance licensing. Old-age pensions. Blind pensioning. Absent voter law repeal. Designed for the purpose of putting an end to the domination of Marion County politics by "Boss" George V. Coffin, a bill which would put teeth in the primary election law was introduced in the Indiana House of Representatives today by Representatives Edward B. Bender (Dem.), Zionsville, and John A. Hughes (Rep.). Newport, chairmau of the home elections committee. Ballots issued in duplicate, to be deposited in two boxes, watchers for groups of ten or more candidates, inereased penalties for repeating and making the act of influencing a candidate to “withdraw his name for money, are some of the stringent provisions with which it is hoped to "clean up’f elections. Amends 1915 Law measure would amend the primary law of 1915. It would permit any ten or more candidates, who have filed for the primary, the right to have their own watchers at the polls. Such watchers could remain in the voting place and would accompany the inspector of the elecj tion to the canvassing board by the "most direct route." Another slap at Coffin is seen in the clause which would prevent the removal of any precinct committeeman. Under present arrangements the county ohairman can remove •such officers. The practice of elimI inating precinct committeemen of i doubtful loyalty to the machine has j been in vogue in Marion County, i Use of duplicate ballots, a novel feature, is taken up at length In the | measure. The plan calls for the voter placing the duplicate in a separate ballot box from the original. The box of duplicates is to be opened only by a deputy appointed by the judge of the Circuit Court, the ballots separated as to party and impounded for a blx months period. Any ten voters in a precinct can, by showing cause, have the vote of the duplicates in their precinct recount ed for verification with the submitted count of originals. Fines *lO to *3OO The minimum fine for repeating is i increased from 810 to 8300, which is j considered as being excessive for the organization to pay. Influencing any candidate so withdraw’ his name by offer or tender of money is ipade a crime. Many candidates have withdrawn just before a primary in Marion County and Indianapolis in the past in order to leave the field epen for someone else to be chosen without opposition. Charges of use of money for this purpose have in elections. The proposed plan Includes precinct committeemen fn the list of candidates who come under the "withdrawal for money" feature. _ The bill would prohibit two election clerks from going into the voting booth to assist the voter in marking his ballot, as is now the custom. Friends of the measure claim the bill is aimed directly at the most pronounced evils of primary elections. • Those members of the House who registered their disapproval of "Coffinism” by voting against the increase in councilmen for Indianapolis are expected to vote for the bill. If the group stays intact such a vote would pass it by a large majority. Public hearings are expected to be held shortly. Promise is made that proponents of the bill will seek to prove the necessity for the drastic provisions. HOURLY TEMPERATURES 6a. m. 23 10 a. m .*. 27 j 7 a. m 26 11 a. m 27 j 8 a. m 26 12 (noon) .... 27 j 9 a. m 36'

Entered aa Seoond-Clasa Matter at

LATEST INVENTIONS INSTALLED IN NEW CITY HOSPITAL SURGICAL UNIT

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(Above), Baby Incubator and "brat racks” in maternity ward at new city hospital surgical unit. Here prematurely born babies are fed with a medicine dropped and kept at bodly temperature. (Center), One of the nine modern operating rooms with equipment. (Below), New lecture rooom with capacity of 750.

A surgical unit second to none in the United States. Such is the rating of the new §385,000 surgical unit at the city hospital to be dedicated next week, according t# Dr. W. A. Doepper3, hospital superintendent. The dedicatory exercises will start Tuesday when Dr. John F. Erdmann, New York, will hold an operative clinic, at night. Dr. Erdmann, of Columbia University, will lecture before the medical-society. Wednesday the hospital will be open to the public. Wednesday night

STATE ARSON SLEUTHS SPURRED TO ACTION IN CITY ‘FIRE BUG’ SCARE

INTRODUCES RAIL SAFETypURE ‘Side ioor Pullman’ Bill Sets Stiff Trespass Penalties. Characterized as the “Side Door Pullman Bill,” a measure introduced into the Indiana House of Representatives this morning by Representative William H. Lee (Dem.), Gibson, prov/des stiff penalties for trespass on trains. The bill, meant as a safety measure to protect against interference with air brakes, asks a fine of from *lO to s|>oQ and imprisonment of from one to six months for violation. Lee is a locomotive engineer.

The Man Pays Bu United Hr ess PITTSBURGH. Pa.. Feb. 10. —A check for $50,000 frc-m John W. Hubbard to Anne Caldwell, erstwhile show girl on Broadway, today brought an eqd to the girl’s breach of promise case. O. K. Eaton, counsel for the shovel king, today handed over the check to Earl Read, counsel for Miss Caldwell, thus indicating that he will not take the case to the Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to the $50.000 awarded to Miss Caldwell bir a Federal Court jury on Dec. 10. 1926, Hubbard paid $944.49 court costs.

INDIANAPOLIS, THURSDAY, FEB. 10, 19^7

the new unti Vlll be formally presented to the city by Dr. F. E. Jackson, board of health president. It contains nine operating rooms, two delivery rooms and four eye, ear, nose and throat operating rooms, equipped with every instrument known to medical science, Doeppers said. The maternity ward will accommodate twenty-five. Accommodations for thirty-six babies are provided. The X-ray equipment is the finest in the Middle West. Deep therapy

Factory and Bank Added to List Blaze Investigated. Arson investigators of the State fire marshal’s office will be assigned to determine whether a single “fire bug” has been starting a series of incendiary fires In Indianapolis within the past few days, Deputy Fire Marshal Milton Wareing announced today. Peculiar circumstances surrounding several of the fires lead to the belief that they may have been set by a mentally unbalanced person who gets a thrill out of a blaze or one who harbors some strange enmity against his fellows. Factory Afire A factory and a bank were set on fire by someone early today. Wednesday a garage and a home were set on fire. In the house fire Wednesday and 81-year-old woman, seriously ill, awakened the family when she smelled smoke ajid had to be carried out of the blazing house. Someone had started a blaze in a coal shed In the rear. Harly this morning firemen reached the Realty Steel Furnace Company building, 1008' Lafayette St., in time to put out an incendiary blaze, started .in the rear, before more than S2OO. damage was done. Church Damaged A short time later firemen saved the Forty-Second Street State Bank from serious damage. A fire bug had started a blaze in a pile of rubbish in the basement, firemen said. Circumstances in the fire ivhich damaged the Sutherland Avenue Presbyterian Church 2801 Bellefontaine, shortly after midnight indicated that the fire may have been started by the arson bug. The church was damaged more than SI,OOO, according to the Rev. (Turn to Page 2)

machines, which use a current of 300,000 volts, used to treat cancar, are enclosed in lead-lined rooms, necessary as an X-ray burn is uncurable. "We have spared no expense to make this new surgery one of the most complete in the world. We are rated as an A-l plus hospital, which is the highest rating possible, and we want to live up to our rating. At that we have the very low per capita expense of 53.26 per patient day,” Doeppers said.

EXPECT ARREST OF LONE BANDIT ‘Speculation’ Swindle Is Worked on Negro. Armed with an accurate description police today hoped to bring about the arrest of a lone hold-up man who robbed Richard Lineberry, 312 E. Tenth St., for the Mutual Life Insurance Company, of sls Wednesday night. Lineberry told police that he saw the man following him on several occasions. Wednesday tho robber stepped out of the darkness at /Alabama and Puryear Sts. with a large gun and said, "Now I have you, and there are no police around, so hand over the cash.” James Upshaw, Negro, 1925 Hillside Ave., today wails the loss of SSOO. He said he met two Negroes who flashed a roll of bills after striking up an acquaintance and then told him it was easily made by proper speculation. He was told to draw SSOO from the bank and place it in an envelope. While they were going to his home to explain the business deal, the man handed him Jhe envelope, and said, "Wait until we come back.” He’s still waiting. Forecast Fair tonight with lowest somewhat below freezing; Friday fair with rising temperature.

Outside of Marion County 12 Cents Per Week. Single Codlos

Gontract Bridge Whether or not contract bridge, the new fad which has sprung up among auction bridge players the country over, will become a permanent part of bridge, devotees will be interested in the discussions of it by Milton C. Work America's foremost 1 bridge authority, which wlil appear on The Times Editorial page for several days, beginning next Monday. Indianapolis Times readers who enjoy bridge have been profiting by Work’s daily articles on auction bridge for several months. If you haven't read Work’s articles you surely have heard him over the radio. Don’t miss the articles on contract bridge on The Times editorial page, beginning next Monday. Turn to the editorial page and read today’s WORK article.

Explosions Rock Downtown Streets Pedestrians in the vicinity of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Market Sts., late Wednesday, fled to cover in nearby buildings. Perhaps they theught the city was experiencing a bombing raid by enemy planes. And their fears may have been justified. Explosions reverberated from building tb building and two manhole covers went hurtling skyward. Black smalfc rolled upward. The east wall of the Bankers' Trust Company cafeteria was caved in, breaking dishes and furniture. A manhole cover narrowly rnuused striking a woman and child. Nobody was injured. Firemen attribute the explosions to sewer gas, ignited by a spark from wire apparently "shorted" in conduit beneath the street. WATSON FOR BRAINERD Indiana Senator Joins Supporters of Oklahoman for Job. rime* Washinntnn Bureau. 1322 Sew York Avenue WASHINGTON, Fe. 10. —An Oklahoma Republican advanced into first place in the hectic race being waged for the vacancy on the Inter, state Commerce Commission today when fWo Senators from States other than Oklahoma added *their indorsements to those of the Oklahoma Senators in behalf of Ezra Brainerd, Muskogee attorney. Included in the number was Senator James Watson, Indiana, and Senator Fess of Ohio. * Brainerd possesses a further favorable hold on the “inside track,” by virtue of his having been born in Vermont, and being a long time friend of President Coolidge. Governor John E. Weeks of Vermont, has recommended Brainerd for the position. POCKETS BULGE-MULE’ He Was “Just Going on a Little Party”—Arrested. Lee Ensley, 43, of 328 Indiana Ave., is under arrest again. Wednesday night Sergt. Patrick O’Connor noticed a bulge in Ensloy’s pockets and arrested him on a vagrancy charge. He was found to have four half-pint bottles x>f “White mule.” “Just going on a little party,” was the way he explained it. George Hayes, Negro, of 722 N. West St., is held at the city prison today charged with transporting liqour, operating a blind tiger and driving an auto on the wrong sido of the street* Benton Stone, Negro, of 544 Holtdn St., was charged with operating a blind tiger. Hayes’ auto was confiscated. M’CORMICKS SEPARATED Nfwspaper Says Harold and Ganna Walska Will Be Divorced. Bu United Press CHICAGO), Feb. 10.—Harold FMcCormick, millionaire, former head of the International Harvester Company, and his opera-singer wife, Ganna Walska, have separated and soon wifi seek a divorce in Paris, according to a copyrighted story in the Chicago Herald and Examiner today. The story bases its claims upon advices from Paris and the word of Chicago friends of the couple. A disagreement in temperament brought about the mutual consent for divorce, the story alleges. SPEED BILL FAVORED Road Group Recommends Forty Miles Per Hour in Country. The Indiana House of Representatives probably y. r ill act favorably today on the recommendatioon of the Roads Committee in raising the speed of busses to thirty-five miles per hour. The bill increases the county /speed of automobiles from thirty-five to forty ngiles per hour. A rider attached to the bill, giving the public service commission charge of routing busses through cities, towns and villages, probably will be stricken out.

THREE CENTS

Suggests Disarmament Discussion at Geneva to Congress and Four • Nations. THREE CLASSES NAMED Enumerates Cruisers, Destroyers and Submarines for Restriction. Bu Unit cl Press WASHINGTON, Feb. President Coolidge today proposed to the governments of* Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan that limitation of cruisers, destroyers unft Submarines be at the forthcoming Geneva disarmament meeting. The President, sent %) Congress a suggestion announcing' presentation of his proposal to the powers through the American ambassadors to the nations involved. Cruisers, destroyers and submarines were not limited by agreements reached at the Washington disarmament conference in 1922. The President took issue with for* eign governments which have argued at previous sessions of the Geneva arms conference tluvt problems of land, air and sea arms limitations are inseparable. Ho repeated tho American contention that naval limitation should be dealt with immediately by the chief naval powers, leaving land and air limitation for regional agreements. "The American Government,” said his rtfiiemorandum, "feels that land and air armaments constitute essentially regional agreements. The American Army and air force are at minimum strength. Agreement for land and air limitation in other regions of the world would not be dependent upon (he reduction qr limitation of American land and air forces.” '

Makes Admission His memorandum also “admitted reluctantly” that political conditions in some countries might render impossible a solution of the universal armament problem, but held the conference at Geneva could begin with the naval proposals. His proposal was for a naval arms limitation conference at Geneva, paralleling the preparatory commission's deliberations there, in which American has been constantly represented. The conference would have plenary powers and be quite independent of the commission work. In other words, Coolidge seeks through the new Geneva meeting to arrange for anew a£bcement on limitation of the smaller war craft, which were not dealt with at tho Washington conference. Coolidge has long been wholeheantedly for anew disarmament move and is ready to aid it" with America's participation and prestigo. “The American Government and people aro convinced that competitive armaments constitute one of the most dangerous contributing causes of international suspicion and discord, and are calculated eventually to lead to war,” said tho message. Asserts Tact Kept It pointed *out, however, that tho Washington conference “unfortunately” was unable to reach agreements on all types of -craft. The agreements of that meeting have beep faithfully met, Coolidge said, but pointed out that ‘far-reaching building programs” for smaller craft have been developed in-' other nations, while the United States has seen development of a sentiment for building such craft to meet possible competition elsewhere. “In such sentiments,” Coolidge said, “lies the germ of renewed naval competition.” Coolidga frankly .expressed his fear that Insistence on a universal disarmament plan Jn the preparatory commission meetings would result in a deadlock on disarmament. Through the parallel conference proposed by him, however, it is held that a start on further naval limitation can be made. “It will be a contribution to the success of the preliminary work now going on at Geneva should the great naval powers there agree unpn a further definite limttatlooo. of naval armament,” he said, adding that ho wanted tTTc United States’ representatives to continue aiding in preparatory conference work.” Both Parties Applaud Coolldge’s proposal drew hearty applause in the Senate from both Democrats and Republicans. Following are representative comments given the l*nited Press by leaders of the various groups:*” Chairman Borah of the Foreign Relations Committee: “I •am thoroughly in sympathy with what the President would achieve.” Senator Curtis, Republican floor leader: “It is a valuable suggestion which should encourage pll the nations to join in effective limitations.'' Senator Caraway (Deni.), Arkans -s: “I am in favor of any conference for arm limitation. Armaments inevitably lead to war.”

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TWO CENTS

MARION COUNTY