Indianapolis Times, Volume 42, Number 216, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 January 1931 — Page 4

PAGE 4

JCKI*PJ’HO*VAJtD

One More Victory Another step toward public ownership of the gas company comes with a decision of the federal court of appeals that corporations must keep their contracts with the people. A little more than twenty years ago public spirited citizens financed a company under an agreement to sell to the city in order to escape the exactions of private monopoly. Now selfish interests look upon this plant as a possible source of great profit to themselves and have attempted in the federal courts to prevent the people from realizing the great dream of freedom. There is but one more obstacle which these plunderers may interpose to the final delivery of the plant to the people. Public ownership of the gas plant should be followed by public ownership of a transportation system. When the plan was advanced by Alfred Potts, who drew the plan, one of the leaders at that time, with his money, time and thought, was George Marott, who, in the transportation crisis, comes forward with another real solution. When public ownership was proposed for the gas plant there was opposition from the conservative and the Bourbon type of mind. It was said that it would be bad business for the people. But it is here now and the people will get the benefits of cheap gas, instead of pay-’ ing hidden grafts to holding companies and high rates to private owners. The victory should be a spur to legislators and the civic bodies to speed up an enabling act to permit public ownership of the transportation system. Mr. Marott proposes a universal bus system and estimates that the people can be more than generous to security holders in the car lines and establish a real system for much less than Insull proposed to fix as the basis of his dividend collections. In t the Marott proposal there would be no 8 per cent for money, hut 3 per cent on tax-exempt bonds, • Times are changing, Public ownership of utilities is an inevitable advance. If Indianapolis is alert, it can lead in the new move, ment. and become a really free and a really great city.

Little Capones on the Way Up The stubby-bearded machine gun “chopper of tomorrow starts as the mischievous youngster raiding a corner fruit store today. Youthful truants may grow Into the terrors of future gangland, So says DiFrederick M. Thrasher of New York university Dr. Thrasher is the author of the standard book on tho gang, and at present director of one of the great, ambitions investigations of juvenile delinquency He offers the following observations on the genesis of the gangster. Criminals begin their careers as truants from school.” said Dr Thrasher. “Gang life begins in early '-hildhood for most of our gangsters. The free association in the streets and the organization of gangs come hand in hand. The informal education gathered by the child through his associations with his companions in their minor activities of raiding the corner grocer is just a stepping stone into gangland. "The gang teachers its members several tilings. Foremost among them is the spirit of independence; fatalism, the idea, that the youthful lawbreaker will be caught, sooner or later; disrespect of law and authority and the technique of crime. ‘ The gang has secured considerable importance during the last six months. Young men who never would have thought of accepting the proposal to become a racketeer’s assistant at $35 a week now take it in order to live. “Prohibition did not create the underworld, neither did unemployment. Prohibition merely gave it an unheard-of income, while unemployment brought recruits to Its ranks. Criminals would swarm to other forms of racketeering or extortion in the event that the eighteenth amendment would be repealed.” A little more checking up on her boy today may save many a mother from fainting before tire screen In the reception room of the deathhouse ten or fifteen years hence. Phil La Follette Phli La Follette is famous as the youngest of state Governors. Before he finishes his term he is likely to be known for his ability rather than his youth. The possibility will occur to many who study his message to the Wisconsin legislature. Rarely have we read an executive message more striking. La Follette has a clear head and a strong heart. If he proves to have also the steady hand of the administration, who can act as well as think, he may aspire to the great record of his father as Governor of Wisconsin. By the sheer law of averages, many have doubted his ability. First, they were surprised when his brother. Senator Robert La Follette, earned so -rapidly a position of liberal leadership in Washington. Then it. did not seem possible that the elder La Follette could have passed on his political genius to two sons. Those who watched this youngest La Follette in the primary and campaign, however, came to feel that here was no self-seeking boy trading on a great name, but a man standing on his own feet, a political leader in his own right. In his message to the legislature he prefaced his recommendations with a reminder of the progressive achievements in that state during a span of thirty years: “When many of these new agencies and new policies were established it was predicted that they would drive Industry from the state,” but “almost every one of these since has been copied widely in other states, and their principles incorporated into the structure and management of the nation's greatest industries.” But past achievements, he said, are not enough. Today we can not mark time when new forms of credit control, new fprms of power development and

The Indianapolis Times (A SCRIPTS-HOWARD .NEWSPAPER* Owned tnd published daily (except Sunday) by The Indianapoll* Time* Publishing Cos.. 214-220 West Maryland Street. Indianapolis. Ind. Price in Marion County. 2 cents a copy: elsewhere. 3 cents—delivered by carrier. 12 cents a week. BOYD GURLEY. BOY W. HOWARD. FRANK G MORRISON. Editor President Business Manager PHONE— Riley !Y1 SATURDAY. JAN. 17. IMI. Member of United Press. Scrlpi>s-Howard Newspaper Alliance. Newspaper Enterprise Association. Newspaper Information Service and Audit Burean of Cipculatlons. “Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way.”

distribution, and new forms of corporate organization almost dally ai .> bringing economic dislocations.” Unlike many other political leaders, state and national, he made no attempt to minimize the significance of the present depression and the duty of government to do something about It. He put his finger on “permanent remedies,” which he described as methods of increasing the purchasing power of the producers on the farm and in the factory, to enable them to buy back the things which they produce.” Depression can be attacked, he believes, by capital setting aside larger labor reserves, by government providing better labor statistics, employment exchanges and long-time planning of public works, and by a fairer taxation system, placing the burden on the rich. For his own state, he specifically proposed creation of an executive council, consisting of Industrial and labor representatives as well as legislators; a constitutional amendment for direct popular initiative in legislation; an emergency highway and grade crossing appropriation to increase employment; tax revision and anti-injunction legislation. Perhaps the most challenging part of his message was his discussion of the importance of electric power in modem life, the inadequacy of present state and federal regulation of utility companies, and his request for a constitutional amendment authorizing the state, if it desires, to provide “a state-wide publicly owned power system.” Apparently Wisconsin, under Phil La Follette, as under his father, is going to be an invaluable experimental laboratory in good government for the rest of the country. We hope he keeps his head and goes a long way. The country needs intelligent political leaders. 313,500,000 Slaves Why all this fuss about the personnel of the new federal pewer commission, you ask? Stop a minute and figure the stupendous wealthproducing energy that these five men will command. There are. according to latest estimates, 38,000,000horse power of hydro-electric energy, capable of producing electricity 90 per cent of the time in the United States and Alaska. Three-fourths of all this, or 28,300,000-horse power, copies under jurisdiction of the federal power commission, since it lies in national forests and parks or in navigable streams One-horse power of electnc energy equals the continuous labor of eleven men This means that five commissioners-will be overseers of 313.500,000 electric ' men,” toiling all the time This is ten electric slaves for every family in the United States, If we were about to turn over to five men the bossing of the labor of every soul, say in China or India, we would be pretty careful about whom we selected. i!nce these electric slaves are to be owned in our own country, we should be exceedingly careful whom we make their bosses. The most capable and publicspirited five in the nation should have been called to this service. The ownership of 5.000,000 human slaves caused a bloody civil war in this republic. The ownership of 313,500,000 electric slaves should, at least, cause some thought. "Chewing Gum Sales Up Sixty Millions,” Headline. Which should convince the manufacturers of the adage that, all good things come in little packages. The President should console himself with the thought that if the senate doesn't pay much attention to his ’words he can get plenty for them as a writer later on In this respect a depression Is like a war Experts thought it would be over in a few months. I The old bicycle club which disbanded in New York recently might get some comfort in the fact that we still have our business cycles. A college in the midwest is up for sale. Perhaps it might have been flourishing still had Rudy Vallee got hold of its drinking song in due time.

REASON m “SS*

THERE was a great meeting of protest against Communism in New York City the other night, but it was not a happy idea to have for chairman of that meeting Martin W. Littleton, who defended Sinclair in the law suits growing out of the Teapot Dome oil lease. * n a There was one striking feature and it was the denunciation of Communism by the head of the American Federation of Labor. We’ve traveled a lot in public sentiment since the old days when timid people regarded organized labor as an anarchistic movement. a a a The papers tell about anew tank the war department has perfected, traveling at a great rate of speed and knocking down trees, brick walls, etc. The war department should not take the world into its confidence in matters so vital to the national defense. it a a DOWN at the Newark (N. J.) airport a fox terrier attached himself to the outfit, and one day a New- Jersey farmer offered to give the dog a good home, and the men vlet the farmer take him twentyfive miles away. But a few hours later the dog returned and now the airport men have built him a doghouse and will keep him. nan This calls to mind an old dog of ours many years ago. He was a big animal of no particular family tree, but what he didn't know about fighting wasn't worth knowing. So one day Old Jack was given to some men who were going west to Kansas in a covered wagon, and we stood in the street with great sorrow and saw him leave town tied to the back end of that prairie schooner. 1 # a a a THE months went past and the dogs of the neighborhood had licked their wounds and got ‘well snd were preparing to observe Thanksgiving day more gratefully than ever before, when one cold night something lunged against the sitting room door and we opened it to find old Jack, in person. a a a He nearly tore the house down in his joy, jumped over everybody and over all the chairs and ’round his neck was the same rope with which he had been dragged away, except that he had chewed it off two feet from the neck and made his escape. Undoubtedly that dog had returned from beyond the Mississippi river. a a a Old Jack remained with us. resuming his battling program, and he was a disturber of the neighborhood peace until finally old age brought with it a consciousness of the futility of combat and he became a confirmed pacifist. V It ought to be easy to teach a dog to sing Home S'fceet Home.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

SCIENCE —BY DAVID PIET7

Prosecution of Scientific Research Is New Duty of Government. WITH the advance of civilization new duties fail upon governments. Among the newest is the prosecution of scientific research. A sample of how well such enterprises can be carried on was furnished recently by a report of Professor G. T. Morgan, superintendent of the chemical research laboratory of the department of scientific and industrial research of Great Britain. At the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Bristol in 1875, Professor A. G. Vernon Harcourt expressed the view “that the science of chemistry would advance more rapidly if it were possible to organize chemists into working parties, having each a definite region to explore.” “Is such organization in any degree possible?” he asked. Professor Morgan points to the work of the department of scientific and industrial research as an answer to the question thus asked in 1875. “The w’ork of the department of scientific and industrial research began in 1915,” he says. During the first ten years of its existence various problems were investigated, including researches on the production of glycerine, formaldehyde, on the manufacture of chemical products from fish residues, on the corrosion of metals and on high-pressure reactions for t-lle production of liquid fuels. nun Under One Roof THESE original investigations were carried out by isolated'' groups of workers, Professor Morgan says, and it soon became evident that there would be an increase in economy and efficiency if they were brought under one roof. “A suitable site was chosen on the Busy Park estate in close proximity to the national physical laboratory and the admiralty research laboratory, and here in 1924 the building of a chemical laboratory was commenced on a plot of land allowing ample scope for future expansion,” he continues. “The original plans drawn out by the architects of H. M. office of works made provision for three laboratory units, each of rectangulai shape and built round four sides of a central courtyard. The front and back of the hollow rectangle consist of two twostory blocks; the front block designed for general and special small scale laboratories with the necessary offices, the back block arranged to accommodate workshops, service rooms and heating plant. "The two sides of the rectangle which consists of two single-story blocks With saw-toothed roofs, north lighted and with a clear head room of about sixteen feet, give adequate space for large-scale laboratories. “These buildings are constructed in steel and brick, and so arranged that partitions readily can be removed for alterations or extensions. “In the two-story blocks the floors, and roofs are formed of hollow concrete tubes, but in the engineering section of the building, where heavy superloading had to be considered, a more rigid type of construction in steel and concrete floors was adopted, "In the interest of economy, plaster and. other relatively expensive internal finishings were omitted wherever possible, any distemper or paint being applied to flush-pointed brickwork. The floors were covered with stout cork carpet, laid directly on the cement rendering ”

Started in 1924 A SIMPLE modern Georgian style was adopted in the design of the elevation of the new laboratory to make it conform with the neighboring buildings of the National Physical laboratory, Professor Morgan says. “The construction of one of these units w’as started toward the end of 1924, and when scientific w r ork was commenced in the autumn of 1925 about one-third of the first unit had been built, although actually only one room was ready for occupation,” Professor Morgan says. “The fitting of the remaining laboratories and workshops, however, rapidly was effected, and by the end of 1926 the w r hole of the available space w’as fully occupied, the staff then consisting of the superintendent and ten chemists, with one engineering assistant and ten members of the artisan, clerical and general staff. “The frontage to the half unit was commenced in November. 1927, and completed for occupation by Easter, 1928, and the staff then was increased gradually to its present total strength of about 60. “Beyond a small addition for stores and workrooms completed in 1929, there has been no further extension of the building, so that after five years rather more than half of the first unit has been erected and put into commission. “There has been no attempt to force the growth of this state laboratory, which still is to be regarded as being at an experimental stage. "The work of the laboratory is conducted under the guidance of a chemistry research board, which has taken over certain functions of the older chemistry co-ordinating research board. This board is charged with the duty of advising the department on the program of work to be undertaken at the laboratory and of exercising general supervision over its execution. “At the outset, executive control was exercised by a part-time director of chemical research and a whole-time superintendent, but from 1927 to the present this responsibility has been vested in a whole-time director."

Daily Thought

They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them; they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.—lsaiah 45:16. Idolatry is certainly the flmtborn of folly.—South. What is the name of the last national park created by the government? Carlsbad Cavenis National park at Carlsbad, N. M., created May 16, 1930 Formerly it was a national monument.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

owmor&gqcK A. West Ihdion Islbrvd. * “• c~> fcrtuw wu s listed in England's admiralty books AS A BATTLESHIP ■ *'*/ - ~

Sprinkle Cellar; Avoid Dry Heat

BY DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN Editor. Journal of ihc American Medical Association and of Hygcia, the Health Magazine. THE inventions of civilized man are both a help and a hazard. Before modern homes were built, houses were constructed of logs or boards, sometimes made tight by use of plaster. Rooms were large, w-ith high ceilings, long windows, and great double doors. Such houses were difficult to heat, but they at least had the advantage of supplying * plentiful amounts of fresh moist air. The modern home usually is an apartmena house with brick walls, weather-stripped windows, and steam heat, or a private home with thick walls and no attic. The farmer can bank the lower part of the house with earth, buy a storm door, and stop up the windows. The city dweller in a poorly constructed house can not avail himself of these natural methods and is likely to suffer with the cold.

IT SEEMS TO ME "ISST

THE long encyclical of the pope on the problems of marriage bring up another problem. What is a commentator on affairs in general going to say about it? If this column makes no mention of the statement set forth, I’ll be accused of trimming. During the course of a year, quite a few letters come, in which I am charged with being too timid concerning the Catholic church. The familiar reproach runs, “Now, if Bishop Manning said something like that, you’d get after him hammer and tongs.” There’s some truth in this, because no Protestant clergyman speaks with the whole tradition of an organization behind him. In any number of rows which have risen ’round the head of the good Bishop of Morningside Heights, it has been possible to detect a distinct process of taking sides, even within Episcopal ranks. Clergymen of the diocese have at times expressed dissent. a a a A Family Affair BUT in the case of a papal message, one realizes that he can score nothing within the group. And I may add that the pope’s message seems to me to be put forward as counsel from a pontiff to his own people. After all. the pope is saying In effect, “Here is the attitude of the Catholic church.” It is hardly news to learn that the church has come out against birth control. That position has been stressed over and over again by various Catholic prelates. And the difficulty of attempting debate with any Catholic consists largely in the fact that you can’t begin with the same premise. For instance, I can say with all sincerity that I believe very many ills of this world could be relieved by easy divorce and by a full and free dissemination of contraceptive information. It seems to me evident that some phases of poverty are directly caused by the coming of children to homes which are not economically adapted to support them. I think there is soundness in the theory that war might be made far less likely if it were not for the clashes which arise in the world between peoples who have bred themselves into a numerousness necessitating new territory. . A Catholic might question these opinions, or he could waive them. The pope makes some reference to the harmfulness of birth control as considered from a purely secular point of view. This is merely inj cidentaL The Catholic position is logical enough if you accept the Catholic creed. When anybody says, “Such and such things are against the clearly indicated will of God,” what is there to say in reply if you are not a believe in that creed?

On request, sent with stamped addressed envelope, Mr. Ripley will furnish proof of anything depicted by him.

Our chief difficulty in modern homes arises from the fact that we believe the thermometer. Nevertheless it is recognized that the thermometer at 75 without moisture means that the room will feel cold, whereas a temperature of 69 with moisture means comfort. In modern homes the cellar is too dry, If one adopts the suggestions of Health Officer Dr. George W. Goler of Rochester, N. Y., he will w’et down the cellar floor, the coal and the cellar walls and keep them wet and warm with from 10 to 15 gallons of water a day Asa result of the evaporation of this water from the heated walls and floor in the cellar the entire house will keep warm, the floors will stop cracking, the furniture will stay together, the nose and lips will not chap. There are many other ways of getting moisture into the house. A six-room house requires the evaporation of ten to fifteen gallons of water a day if the outside air is from 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s hard to conduct a reasonable argument when one person is talking of this world and the other of the next. n tt # Easy Divorce I’M for anything which seems to me calculated to bring more joy and happiness into life on earth. I think that fearful agony has been

LLOYD GEORGE S BIRTH January 17

ON Jan. 17, 1863, David Lloyd George, British statesman and prime minister, was bom of Welsh parentage at Manchester. He was educated at a church school and later studied law. As winner of a great lawsuit involving the right of burißl in parochial grounds, Lloyd George achieved wide deputation and was elected to parliament in 1890. During the Boer war he opposed the policy of the Conservative government, for which he became unpopular. His independence, ability and brilliant debating, however, steadily gained him recognition. Made chancellor of the exchequer in 1908, he took a leading part in important legislation. After the outbreak of the World war, he was made prime minister and granted special dictatorial powers. In this post he served with great ability and skill. The war over, his ministry was given, in 1918, overwhelming endorsement in the parliamentary elections. In 1921 he brought about the conference with the Irish leaders which later'resulted in the establishment of the Irish Free State. He resigned the premiership in 1922.

Questions and Answers

What was the name of the picture in which Fatty Arbuckle appeared in 1920? “The Life of the Party.” Is there any account of Cain and Abel other than that given in the Bible? No. What does the name Leroy mean? The King. Who was the father of Samson and of what tribe was he? Samson was the son of Manoah of Zorah, of the tribe of Dan.

Hi; Registered O. R. JLr y rtnt Offtc* RIPLEY

A water pan in the furnace and even pans of water on the radiator hardly get fifteen or sixteen gallons of water into the atmosphere in the home. Dr. Goler suggests also that it is uncomfortable to have too many heavy blankets. The lighter the bed clothing consistent with warmth the better. Due to modem motor transportation and improved street cars and trains the average human being fails to dress properly for outdoor conditions. Less than twenty-five year? ago every one wore heavy underwear, caps with ear-muffs, mittens, and broad shoes covered by rubbers or arctics. If one were to wear the same clothing today, he would suffer greatly while indoors, or have to change his clotnes completely every time he went from outdoors into the house. Hence we chance the cold of the outdoors to be comfortable when indoors,

Ideals and opinions expressed in this column are those of one of America’s most interesting writers and are presented without regard to their agreement or disagreement with the editorial attitude of this naper.—The Editor.

caused by the denial or the overstrict regulation of divorce. But here you run into another stone wall. Even the stanchest Catholic hardly will contend that all the marriages within his own church produce happiness. But he will add that happiness is of far less importance than blessedness. After that, there’s nothing to be said unless you are both eager and competent to enter into an elaborate theological controversy. Being neither eager nor competent, I simply will state the wish that the pope's letter will be considered as applicable to the conduct of good Catholics and have no great bearing upon the attitude of those outside the fold. It was addressed to church members. I never have been for compulsory birth control or compulsory divorce. And it seems to me that Catholics might consistently take the attitude of non-interference in regard to secular legislation on these points. The rule of their own church is clear and decisive. This should satisfy them. (Copyright. 1931. by The Times) What is meant by celendar year? It is the period of time between midnight of Dec. 31 and the same hour twelve months thereafter.

Stepping Stones To Success The dollars that you deposit in a savings account enable you to grasp the opportunities that lead to success. All the real opportunities to make money come to the man or woman with a ready cask reserve. It may be a chance to buy something at a bargain or a chance to make a sound investment. But only ready cash makes the opportunity yours. Your dollars in a Fidelity Savings Account are “ready cash” . . . drawing interest while they wait for the big opportunity. We Pay 4% on Savings Fidelity Trust Cos. 148 E. Market St.

.JAN- 17, 1931

M. E. Tracy SAYS:

Arizona and Pennsylvania. Are Novel Combination When They Join for Some Legislative Trading. Flagstaff. Art*., Jan. it—Two reptile ranches, with homed toads, gila monsters, and other prize pets of the region on display, a fine view of the painted desert, a dooryard full of petrified wood for tourists to buy and have polished at the next house, and a five-mile side trip to see where that meteor bored a 1.200-foot hole In old mother earth, only to mention a few things which make the 194 miles from Gallup, N. M., to Flagstaff, Ariz., so interesting. Flagstaff is nearly a mile and one-third above sea level, which means timber in this part of the country, no matter how bleak or barren its lower sections may be. though ringed about by the desert in every direction. This little city stands in the midst oi a pine forest which stretches north and south along the high plateau for more than 150 miles. It has been made a part of the national preserve, which is said to be the largest unbroken patch of pine in the United States. Lack of rain causes the trees to grow rather far apart, with no underbrush between, but with the ground well covered by coarse, bunchy grass. The appearance is like that of a great park. a it * Hurt by Copper Drop AS in most other states, the Arizona legislature just has begun proceedings. Thus far it has accomplished little, except to pass the “feed bill,” appropriating money with which to pay itself, and petition congress for a tariff on copper. Arizona produces about one-half the copper in this country and lias been greatly hurt by its fall. Only 20 per cent of the fortynine copper-producing districts in Arizona have been operated continuously since the Macomber tariff was enacted eight years ago. That tariff put copper on the free list, which a good many people believe is responsible for its present condition. It’s the same old argument, of course, boosting the price of a product by raising the tariff, forcing us Americans to buy it and calling the job prosperity. Nothing wrong with the scheme, except that about every country on earth is working it overtime. Net result, a lot of artificial barriers which serve no purpose so distinctly as to diminish trade, while home folks pay higher prices and more taxes. Governor George W. P. Hunt of Arizona is reported to have asked General W, W. Atterbury, president of the Pennsylvania railroad, for help in fighting the Boulder dam case, and General Atterbuy is reported to have told Governor Hunt that “perhaps Pennsylvania and Arizona can do some trading.” Perhaps they can, but wouldn’t it be a funny coalition? Whether right or wrong in her contention that the Boulder dam contract Is unfair, Arizona certainly takes strange ways in trying to correct It.

An Odd Course FIRST, Senator Ashurst suggests that the United States buy a big hunk of Mexico, which makes every Mexican mad, and now comes this alleged palaver between the state’s chief executive and the head of a great eastern railroad. Reverting to the tariff, oil wants help, as well as copper. There are those who think that this depression was brought on largely by too much tariff, but they appear to be losing out in the scramble; big boys seem to have the inside track at Washington, with made to order remedies and price boosting propositions, just as though the country weren't finding it hard enough to pay its bills under existing conditions, and just as though we could rehabilitate foreign trade by building more barricades across ths roafi. According to the record, we owed most of our prosperity to selling things abroad, especially to people not in position to produce them for themselves. Having gotten used to American goods, many foreigners would like to continue buying them, but the only way they can do so is with money, or by exchanging things they have to sell. We have acquired such a large propevtion of the world’s gold supply that they have no money, and now we propose to raise the tariff until they can’t sell us anything. It is a perfectly good layout, provided the American people can consume all this country produces and stand the boosted price. But can they, or, what is more to the point, will they? What kinds of postage stamps were first issued by the British government, and in what year wero they issued? The first issue of postage stamps by Great Britain was in 1840, and consisted of two varieties: 1 penny black and 2 pence blue stamps.