Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 173, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 November 1927 — Page 4
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A Wonderful Chance 1 The Republican editors of the State have decided to invite President Coolidge to help them celebrate their golden anniversary. Let it be hoped that he accepts and that in preparation for his coming the Republican editors make one final contribution to good citizenship which will itself be golden. Between l now and the date of the celebration in March they can show the power of the press and the unselfishness of the press if they will advocate a policy of frankness and of honesty. They can band together to force the Governor through the power of public sentiment to call a special session of the Legislature to give justice to this city in the matter of selfgovernment. The last Legislature took away from this city the right to change to a city manager form of government. , Over 50,000 citizens have now voted for this change and the only reason that Indianapolis worries along with a city council, of Whose membership six are under indictment, is that the Legislature passed a law that robbed the city of the right to change and tried, in vain, to keep John in the mayor s chair. The people of this city have registered their wishes in this matter of change of system, a change which will introduce a business system of government and not create the present situation of huge indebtedness without any provision for payment. A special session of the Legislature, which has a majority of Republican members, could show repentance and its freedom from the machine which is now so discredited. A special session could really show that there is an honest purpose within that party to 1“ clean up” not only its own organization but to change its whole attitude toward the public service. Such a session could demonstrate that the party still does “think with Lincoln and Roosevelt” as its stationery pleads and boasts. Such a session could begin by being honest with Indianapolis. It could then be honest with the whole State. It could, if it wished, reverse itself upon the matter of very necessary investigations which were refused last winter under the edicts of men who have since demonstrated that they had a very personal interest in not being investigated. Here is a task which should challenge the organization of editors who are prbud of fifty years of service. What .a chance is theirs to lead the people back to the principles in which their party was founded. What a chance to offer to a president as evidence of good works, a final act of merit for his approval.
England’s Momentous Decision There has never been a time when the world faced a subtler, milder-looking, yet direr, peril than It does today. It jeopardizes aV that we mean when we speak of white man’s civilization. Vacuously prattling of the unspeakableness of war between them, Britain and America go on “twisting each other’s tail,” as Viscount Cecil puts it, and drifting toward a break which would mean the very thing both wish at any cost to avoid. Just now, as a leading British publicist expressed it, the chief subject of political controversy in England is who was'the villain of the piece at Geneva. Why did the Anglo-American-Japanese naval limitation parley break down? The truth is, not one man but many men were at fault because the main obstacle at Geneva was the failure of those now in charge of Britain’s destiny to recognize the altered conditions in the world. What we mean is this: Events, rather than design, have combined to make the United States actually the richest and, potentially, the most powerful nation on the face of the glabe. Our interests, differing no doubt from those of other powers, none the less are as far-flung as any and as great, requiring at least as vast a machinery for their protection.* For centuries Britain has occupied the most exalted position of any nation in the world. Today time and fortune have placed us beside her. In the past when such a thing happened, when Britain found her place at the head of the procession menaced, she struck and struck hard, ridding herself of such a presence. She has always refused to tolerate an equal.
What is Britain going to do now? Does she intend to recognize the United States as her equal in power and place in the world? And is she going to hold out her hand and say: “Let’s be friends—-let’s be sensible and agree to live and let live?” Or will she allow the bitterness of the moment to blind her—as it notoriously does so many leaders among men when they discover their supremacy slipping—and so commit the folly of a course which in time would carry her down to her doom, taking us and the rest of civilization with her? It is a momentous decision and no doubt a disagreeable one which Britain must make, and, like all questions of life or death, she must make it fpr herself. No one can do it for her. But of this she may rest assured: We in this country are her friends and believe at heart that she is ours. Certainly we covet nothing she has. And when we propose parity in naval tonnage, it is not with any idea of challenging either her prestige, her bread line or her trade routes, but simply that our equally great country needs equally strong security. Zhat is aIL \
The “Indianapolis Times (A SCBIFFS-HOWABD NEWSPAPER) Owned an<J published daily (except Sunday) by The Indianapolis Times Publishing Cos.. 214-22 C W. Maryland Street. Indianapolis, Ind. Price in Marion County. 3 cents —lO cents a week; elsewhere. 3 cents—l 2 cents y week. BOYD GURLEY. ROY W. HOWARD. W. A. MAYBORN. Editor. President. Business Manager. PHONE—MAIN 3500. MONDAY, NOV. 28. 1927. Member of United Press. Scrlpps-Howard Newspaper Alliance, Newspaper Enterprise Association. Newspaper Information Service and Audit Bureau of Circulr tions. “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own W ay.”— Dante.
When You’re Winning Alumni of Ohio State who now are demanding the scalp of Coach Wilce are strange, comments an editorial writer. But, are they so strange, after aU? Isn’t it true that you have to win to keep your job? Last year Wilce a good team on the gridiron and the team won, the only conference defeat being a battle lost to Michigan by one point. Wilce was proclaimed by the alumni as a super-coach. This year, with the material not so good, Wilce fashioned a team that finished sixth in the conference, losing three games and winning two. Tad Jones, the Yale veteran, has been a victim of similar experiences. For the last several years critics have been after Jones, saying he coached football like he played it—in a departed century. So, sometime ago Jones announced that he would retire. This year, expected to bo his last, Jones coached a team that played like a Yale team is supposed to play, and knocked off Princeton and Harvard with a fine flourish. Now there is a great hue and cry that Jones remain, and that his critics were certainly all wrong. Which only goes to prove that it’s always fair weather until rain begins to fall. A Lobby Clean-Up Due If you are interested in a matter that is before Congress or if you wish to present anew matter to Congress, it is your privilege to appear in Washington and argue the case with every Congressman that will listen. It is not difficult to obtain the privilege of appearing before the congressional committee or committees having your subject in charge. You can even hire a lawyer to do this for you, if you are not sure of your own persuasive powers. But beyond doing these things—openly—more and more Congressmen are coming to believe you should
not go. Recently there was held in Washington, with considerable fanfare, a gathering that purported to be a spontaneous assembling, of State legislators. They appeared to insist that Congress repeal the Federal inheritance tax. They had all the right in the world to do this, if their gathering was just what it purported to be. But question has been raised as to the authenticity of their representations. It is being charged that the meeting was arranged and financed by certain persons throughout the country who have a direct interest in seeing the inheritance tax repealed. Representative Royal Johnson says he has evidence that SIOO,OOO was contributed toward the expenses of the enterprise by one Montana corporation alone, a corporation whose name never appeared in the hearings granted by the House Ways and Means Committee. It can be shown, he says, that $3,500 was spent to bring legislators here from a single Western State. And he tells of reports that one “pay-off man” had $50,000 in SIOO bills with which to defray the expense of those delegates who were not prepared to pay their own. It looks like the house has a job to do. Johnson’s reports should be investigated. If they prove true, Congress should prpvide a method of preventing their recurrence. But in taking the subject up it would be well for the House not to' restrict itself solely to this inheritance tax lobby. It should go into the whole subject of proper and improper efforts to influence legislation. The time has come when a lobby clean-up is due. A Wisconsin university professor says success is not due to brains, but luck and outside influences. It seems that intelligence has been overemphasized, too. The prima donna who was offered contracts in the movies probably doesn’t khow yet whether she was being praised or damned. Dean Inge says England would be better off if the country we v e more sparsely settled. Certainly, Dean, look at us—why, we’re not settled at all!
Keller’s Death Recalls Memorable Battle BY JOHN M. GLEISSNER
The death in St. Paul of former Representative Oscar E. Keller recalls one of the most stirring Congressional battles of recent years. It was Keller who, in 1922, launched the offensive against Attorney General Harry M. Dqugherty which resulted in the forced resignation of Daugherty from the Cabinet two years later. Keller was the David who dared attack the Goliath of the Ohio gang, then riding on the crest of party power and success. Keller was convinced things were not as they should be, so he asked Daughtery’s impeachment in the House. Seldom has a more courageous political battle been waged, and while Keller failed with disaster to himself, he lived to see the accusations he made substantiated, and Daugherty driven from public life. A politician for mahy years, Keller knew the cost of differing with leaders of his party. Those in authority warned him, but he persisted in speaking freely. His punishment was persecution, ridicule and abuse, and in the end political defeat. For while Daugherty was driven from the Cabinet two years after Keller attacked him, the difference bred persisted, ana in 1926 Keller was defeated. Soon after Keller asked Daugherty’s impeachment Governor Preus of Minnesota instructed the Republican organization not only to withdraw its support of Keller, but actively to oppose him. Preus spoke of Keller’s “disgraceful performance” in proceeding against Daugherty and denounced it as instigated by “lawless elements.” “I think Daugherty ought to be impeached, an I’m going to do it,” Keller told those who warned him of political death. Keller won the election and returned to Washington. Here he found arrayed against him all the bigwigs of the Republican machine, from House Leader Frank W. Mondell on down. He filed a bill of particulars against Daugherty with the House Judiciary Committee, charging him with favoritism toward corporations and with an illegal and unjustifiable use of power in obtaining the injunction in the railway strike, which Keller claimed was “framed.” Keller cited the appointment of William J. Burns as chief of the Bureau of Investigation, recalling that serious charges of jury tampering had been made against Burns by Attorney General Wiclcersham during the Taft administration. Keller accused Daugherty with “deliberately conniving” at the looting of oil reserves by approving a contract for the lease of Teapot Dome. The committee hearings were a tragic farce. Keller and his attorneys were heckled and interrupted and it was apparent there was no intention of serious consideration. Keller charged an effort to whitewash Daugherty, and refused to proceed further. There was talk of contempt proceedings against him, but this died down. Later the Senate took hold, and the thing Keller wanted was accomplished. His courageous battle brought for him only the end of his political career.
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
M. E. LTRACY SAYS: “Football Has Sent Seventeen Young Men to the Cemetery This Season; at the Same Tirr.e It Has Hardened and Disciplined a Thousand Times That Nnmber.'*
The 1927 football season came to a real climax with Army beating Navy, 14 to 9, and Notre Dame barely escaping a tie with Southern California. Seventy-five thousand people attended the former game and 115,000 the latter. What is more 'a the point, each and every one of them got his money’s worth. \ Let those who will rave at the cost. It may not be higher education in a strictly cultural sense, but it is he-m&n stuff, and we need that as much as we need anything in this flapper, jelly-bean age. u tt St Trained to Buck Line Football has sent seventeen young men to the cemetery and 100 to the hospital this year, which is something to interest professional reformers out of a Job. At the same time it has hardened and disciplined a thousand times that, number, which is something to reassure the rest of us. There is quite a lot to be said in favor of training young men to buck the line for all there is in them, without losing their temper, to get knocked down without whining, to see a chance of playing dirty without taking advantage of it. u n Discipline Flabby Minds Education minus athletics contains little to chall' lge the spirit of youth. . In nine cases out of ten it makes for a flabby mind as well as a flabby body. What young folks learn to do by and for themselves is as of much consequence as what they learn from others, if not more. The greatest advantage of athletics is that it forces evtery one to fight his own battles and stand on his own merit. a u n Large Families, Genius. A German professor claims to have discovered that large families are more apt to produce genius than small ones. He explains this on the ground that in small families children are sheltered and cared for to the point' of repression, while in larger ones they have to shift for themselves. Something in that, when you come to think it over, something of essential value to any system of education. Don't Play, # Go Wrong If energetic people do not play hard, they are likely to go wrong. Nothing does more ‘to keep the war spirit alive in Europe than lack of exacting sports. Over there the surplus energy runs to military training. Here it runs to baseball, football, bowling, basketball, prize fighting, track meets and similar pastimes. America has an outlet for her excess strength and enthusiasm which does not involve the art "of wholesale murder, and she gains by it.
Dreamirtg of War Europe is still dreaming of war and plagued by the usual number of war scares. V Were it not for the daunting effect of her cross-dotted ills, cripples and debt, she would have seen half a dozen wars since the Armistice was signed. Her tricksters and militarists are ready, but the people are not. The people have had enough for one generation. If during that generation their excess enegry could be directed , into other channels, the situation might be changed. ■ tt tt tt For Example—Germany! In Germany, where the disarmament was forced by the Versailles treaty, the situation has changed. In Germany, the people are devoting themselves to a hew conception of national greatness. Difficult as it has %been, the post-war period has taught them that “peace hath her victories,” that there is glory in the field of trade and science and that a nation can be prosperous without a huge army. No sooner did the German government hint that it might back soviet Russia in case of trouble with Poland than business men and labor leaders brought such pressure as to change its mind over night. Give the people something to think about, and there will not be so much war. a a tt i Outlaw War —How? Senator Borah, who is opposed to the League of Nations and the World Court, wants this country to outlaw war, just like that. You cannot outlaw anything without law, and you cannot make law mean anything without some kind of a body to develop and enforce it. No nation ever established law and order through independent, unrelated agreements among its citizens, and the world cannot establish law and order through independent, unrelated treaties among nations.
Does steel in gun barrels retain the blue finish as well as common steel? The blue finish on stainless barrels Is in the nature of a lacquer rather than the usual blue finish on ordinary steel and is less liable to retain its color. It lasts better if the gun is kept well oiled.
mere’ll Be No Rest Till It’s Fixed
CONSTANCE, DON HAVE LOVE EYES Two Funmakers Frolic Through a Gay Little Farce by the Name of 'Breakfast at Sunrise,’ Which Has Been Splendidly Photographed. By WALTER D. HICKMAN LOVE eyes owned by Constance TaUmidge and Don Alvarado, anew type of a leading man for Connie. Constance possesses the cutest little love eyes on the screen, and they who make the movies had to find a male pair of love eyes so that Connie could gaze into ’em.
And they found such love eyes in Alvarado and Connie and Don do a lot of love lookin’ in "Breakfast at Sunrise.” These two, as Madeleine
and Lussan, start out drinking champagne at night and end up having breakfast at sunrise. Madeleine was in love with a Marquis and Lussan was in love with a pretty little gold digger by the name of Loulou. Loulou parked her body in costly apartments as the gifts of sugar daddies. When the “sugar” gave out, the daddy was
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Constance Talmadge
changed. And that was what happened to Lussan when his "sugar” all melted. So Madeleine and Lussan carry on a lively love affair in public when the Marquis and Loulou appear. The two finally decide to get married and force the two to come to them on their knees, begging them to get a divorce. They do get married and they stay married to each other. “Breakfast at Sunrise” is the correct vehicle for Miss Talmadge. It is smart and has just enough naughty and cute little winks in it for spice. Constance is a delight in this one. She has a rare idea of farce and she knows how to put “love” into her eyes better than any other woman on the screen today. She and Alvarada have a delicious scene when they make love to each other over wine glasses. Here is mighty smart acting. Alvarado makes a good leading man for Miss Talmadge. ' Bryant Washburn is the marquis and Alice White is the good lookins' Loulou. For no reason whatsoever, Marie Dressier is / cast as a comedy Queen. She is good, but the role has no bearing upon the story at all. One of the real features on the bill is a Paramount novelty film called, “A Short Tale” in which cute litfle puppy dogs take the leading roles. This little movie got a big hand of appreciation when I was present." Bill includes an overture, the Four Aristocrats as a Vitaphone presentation; Russell and Marconi in a musical presentation and a news reel. At the Circle. a tt “SPOTLIGHT” IS A TRAVESTY ON STAR MAKING Some time ago Rita Weiman wrote “Footlights,” which was a pretty smart satire upon the forced making of stage stars. This story has come to the screen under the movie title of “The Spotlight.” Esther Ralston is cast as the small
Verdict of the Movies OHlO—Pirates and crooks and soldiers swarm all over the land- • scape along with love and intrigue in “The Road to Romance.” APOLLO —“The Spotlight” is a lightweight movie adaptation of /“Footlights.” INDIANA—“The Magic Flame” is a beautiful Colman-Banky picture. The' suspense is good and the photography is excellent. CIRCLE—A very smart farce is "Breakfast at Sunrise.” Constance Talmadge is splendid.
town gal who is transformed into a great Russian actress by a clever stage producer. The great Russian
actress succeeds in her deception as far as her public is concerned, but she falls in love with an American lad who doesn't care for American girls, but who has a weakness for Russian ladies on the stage. She starts to learn Russian so he can do the Volga Boatman song in native Russian for his lady fair. Of'
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Esther Ralston
course, our little heroine finally tells the lad that she is American and not Russian at all, and the lad realizes what a sap he has been, and on realizing that he begins to see how beautiful and wonderful a certain American girl is when she is just being herself. It seems to me that Frank Tuttle, the director, has passed up a good chance to do a very clever farce picture, but he allows his cast to be comedians instead of smart dealers in satire and farce. Because of this conception of the story, Tuttle has turned out an average fair comedy instead of a very smart farce. Miss Ralston does not possess the touch of farce which graces the artistry of Constance Talmadge. Neil Hamilton is seen as the Ameri-, can lad who falls for Russian ladies. \ The bill includes Harry Langdon in “Fiddlesticks,” a news reel, Ray Winings at the organ and Emil Seidel and his orchestra. At the Apollo all week. tt tt St “ROAD TO ROMANCE” ON VIEW AT OHIO At one time.the island of Riego was inhabited by gentlemen and ladies of Spanish blood, but at the time “The Road to Romance” deals with, the island was ft' rendezvous for pirates. The whole island is under the sway of a corrupt judge, who is the pirates’ best friend. Roy D’Arcy, whom I consider one of the screens best villains, plays the part of Don Balathaser, who rules with a hand of iron. D’Arcy has the p<Ver to make you hate him whole-hearted-ly as an unscrupulous character, and in this picture his power has not diminished in the least. 1 Senorita Serafina Riego, as played by Marceline Day, is a shy girl who believes in her brother and distrusts Don Balathasar, who wants to marry hep. Her protrayal of the girl of the seventeen hundreds is beautifully done. Don Carlos, the brother, does not enter into the picture much, as he is supposed to be dying. His acting,
under such conditions, Is hardly noteworthy. Ramon Novarro was sent as an emissary from Spain to clear up the
mystery that surrounded the island. He is Jose Armando, captain in the dragoons. Having established himself, it is indeed unfortunate that he should try to impersonate some one else. It seems that J;o boa successful Spanish cavalier one must do as Douglas Fairbanks does in his many pictures of the knights of
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Ramon Novarro
Spain. I will say, however, that Novarro is a most satisfactory hero. He gives the part humor and lightness, although at times he gets away with the heavy stuff. He does not try to make himself one of the swashbuckling type who stand against all odds and conquer by mere strength or luck or whatever it is that is used, but he makes the part human, and, being human, he can run when discretion is the better part of valor. The majority of the story is laid on the island and around the home of the Reigo’s, who are the last ol the line and the last of the gentlefolk on the island. Asa spy “Jose” must mingle with both sides and finally declare himself. Being unwise, both sides know who he is, and the rougher element tries to get of him. But, as all good stories end, so does this. Novarro and D’Arcy have the strongest roles in the piepe, and do the most justice to them. It is hard to tell whether to love Jose Armando for being such a brilliant soldier and lover or whether to admire Don Balathasar for being such a scoundrel. The story has a more or less historical and as such is a good picture, although it lacks much of being in the class of “BenHur” and others of its ilk. Comedies and news reels are also shown. Connie and his band have - novelty presentation is amusing. /it the Ohio. (By the Observer.) tt u tt COLMAN AND BANKY* MAKE A GOOD TEAM Ronald Colman really became famous for his work in “Beau Geste” and for some time he has been teaming up in the movies with Vilma Banky. The Colman-Banky combination has been highly successful for h<^h
■ Vilma Banky
players and as a team they have made hundreds of theater managers mighty happy when they saw the box office statement. Both players are now considered strong enough to go it alone and it is probable that we will have few pictures in the future featuring both of these play-
ers in the same vehicle. But we have them this week in “The Magic Flame.”. Here is a photoplay that has been beautifully photograped. The first part of the picture shows the innocent and honest love affair of a circus clown and an aerial artist. Their love is the real article and the snake stays out of the Garden of Eden until the Count arrives. There is a striking re*mblance between the clown and the Count, who turns out to be a real Prince and a bad egg at that. This fact gives Colman an opportunity to play both roles. Some clever double photography or something gives Colman a chance to fight and kill himself. Miss Banky is the aerial star. The/picture has a corking good dramatic climax wheij the count attempts to kill the clown, ending in the count falling out of a hotel window to his death in the sea. 1 Just as the clown attempts to escape in the count’s clothing, a telling him that his
.NOV. 28, 1927
Questions and Answers
You can get an answer to any queatlon of fact or Information by writing to The Indianapolis Times Washington Bureau, 1322 New York Ave., Washington, D. inclosing 2 cents in stamps for reply. Medical, legal and marital advice cannot be given nor can extended research be undertaken. All other Questions will receive a personal reply. Unsigned requests cannot be answered. AU letters are confidential.—Editor. Should the roots of azaleas be protected in winter? Most azaleas are hardy, but in the north and in exposed situations a protection with brush, hay or mats should be given in winter, to protect the flower buds from sudden changes in temperature. They are easily transplanted in early spring or early autmn, when the year’s growth has ripened. If desired they can be planted in beds for decoration in the early spring, without injuring the abundance or brilliancy of the flower, and later can be removed to nursery beds to give space for other decorative plants. Where is Berea College located? Berea, Ky. Has the United States a National Anthem? “The Star Spangled Banner” is universally recognized as our National Anthem, though it has never been so designated by act of Congress. What is the cud of a cow? It is a ball of food that is held in a paunch until the cow is ready to chew it. She brings it into her mouth by muscular action, chews it, and then swallows it into a second stomach, where it passes through the regular digestive processes.
Old Masters
He is gone on the mountain, He is lost to the forest, Like a summer-dried fountain, When our need was the sorest. The font, reappearing From the raindrops shall borrow, But to us comes no cheering, To Duncan no morrow! Fleet foot on the correi, Sage counsel in cumber, Red hand in the foray How sound is thy slumber! like the dew on the mountain, Like the foam on the river, l ike the bubble on the fountain, ~ Thou art gone, and forever! —Walter Scott: Lines from Coronach from The Lady of the Lake.
BIAIBIY c"uTI ii-.c
The Rules 1. The idea of letter golf is to change one word to another and do it in par, a- given number of strokes. Thus, to change COW to HEN, in three strokes, COW, HOW, HEW, HEN. 2. You can change only, one letter at a time. 3. You must have a complete word, of common usage, for each jump. Slang words and abbreviations don’t count. 4. The order of letters cannot be changed.
LIOISIE JL _OR_E_ L Q R|N~ LQ I N L "Apr N gial i In'
father, the king, is dead, and that he is king. They force the clown to go to the kingdom. The aerial artist decides to revenge herself upon the count and tires to kill him, failing when she realizes that a clown has become a king. The ending is in keeping with the swift action of the story. The outstanding features are the circus “shots,” the double role acting of Colman and the sincere work of Miss Banky. Cast is satisfactory. The stage presentation of “Florida,” and it is blessed with some magnificent dancing, especially the eccentric dance work of A1 Markell and Gay Faun. The chorus is made up of Southern girls who are beautiful to see. They make some pretty stage pictures. Others in the cast are Chester Fredericks, the Giersdorf Sisters and Jones and Elliott. Charlie Davis directs his orchestra through some nifty tunes. Davis is very much at ease this week and is doiftg a fine job of being master of ceremonies. Bill includes Maurice at the organ and news events. At the Indiana. it n Other theaters today offer: “Abie’s Irish Rose,” at English’s: Rahman Bey, at Keith’s; “Serenading Misses,” at the Lyric; “The Road to Happiness,” at the Colonial; “Follies of Pleasure,” at the Mutual; “Blood Will Tell” at the Isis, and “Twelve Miles Out,” at the Irving. The Maennerchor will be heard in concert tonight at the Academy of Music. The Mendelssohn Choir will be heard in concert tonight at the Murat with Mary Lewi's as the guest artist.