Indianapolis Times, Volume 44, Number 289, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 April 1933 — Page 13

Second Section

CLUBS LAUNCH DRIVE TO CUT UTILITY RATES Committee Will Be Named to Weld Organizations Into Fighting Unit. Committee to enlist co-operation of other organizations in a campaign to force utility rate reductions will be named soon by Paul C. Wetter, Federation of Community Civic Clubs president, as res\ilt of action taken by the federation Wednesday night. Suggestion of John F. White, one r.l the authors of the new public service commission law, that the Citizens Gas Company not be asked j tr make a rate reduction, because j of the city’s right to acquire title 1o it, was opposed by other delegates present. “I am informed the gas company i losing money now." White said “and if we force it to cut rates, 't Just seems that we are playing into the hands of someone who wants to wreck the gas company so tfr ! city can't take it over." Hits at High Salaries William F. Bosson said he understood Clarence L. Kirk, gas company manager, draws $25,000 salary a year, and several other employes re- j reive $12,500 a year, and demanded an investigation. Wetter announced that Kirk had agreed to appear before the federation to explain the company’s situation and answer questions. “This federation does not wish to Injure any one." he said, "but we. as citizens, do not want to be gouged, ft is just a cold business proposition." Wants Legal Aid Walter C. Rothermel, new South Side Civic Clubs central committee chairman, pledged his group’s cooperation, but insisted that the civic organizations and Municipal Rights League should provide legal counsel to aid Sherman Minton, new public counselor, in presenting evidence. Co-operation of all public-spirited citizens is needed in forcing rate reductions, White said, adding that the public service commission should not be confused by having several separate groups acting for reductions. MIKE MORRISSEY ILL Police C hies Confined to Home for Several Days; Improving. Police Chief Mike Morrissey, who has been ill several days at his home with an intestinal disorder, was reported today to be improving.

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Full L.-asrd Wire Service of the United Fre Association

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James W. Gerard (above) wartime ambassador tu Germany, is expected to be President Roosevelt's choice as ambassador to Argentina.

LAWYER ADMITS FORGING; JAILED Gets 30 Days for Contempt; I Grand Jury to Investigate, Says Prosecutor. Admitted forgery of a client's name to a replevin bond by George ; A. Hofmann. 5140 East Washington street, will be investigated by the grand jury. Prosecutor Herbert E. Wilson said today. Hofmann was sentenced to serve 1 | thirty days in jail Wednesday for wilful, direct contempt of court after he confessed the forgery to i Special Judge Joseph M. Milner in municipal court two. A $25 fine was suspended. The signature of Mrs. Emma, G. Graves, 3145 North Illinois street, for whom Hofmann drew up a will, | had been traced on the bond, which | was notarized by Hofmann himself, : he admitted. | The bond was given during replevin action to take Hofmann’s car, which was security for a S2OO loan, obtained from Robert Stolkin. manager of the Car Loan Company. The forgery was discovered when a deputy sheriff checked with Mrs. S Graves on the bond. In the 1932 primary election, Hos- ; mann was a Republican candidate | for prosecutor, and in the 1930 prij mary was candidate for superior. ; court judge. Phone Rate Cut Is Asked Phone rate cuts are sought in a petition filed by citizens of Lowell before the public service commission. Wednesday.

The Indianapolis Times

PUBLIC SCHOOL CLOSING FACES CHICAGOBOARD Teachers Demand Action on Pay, Jeer and 800 Trustee's Plea. fi'l I iiitcd J'ri ts CHICAGO, April 13.—Two drastic resolutions, both aimed at closing of public schools until cash is availi able to pay teachers, came before the board of education today. One of the resolutions, members conceded, undoubtedly will be adopted at a special meeting Fri- ; day. At a spirited meeting of the board i Wednesday, almost halted at times by boos and jeers from 500 angry teachers, a resolution by Trustee H. Wallace Caldwell for immediate closing of schools was considered. More conservative members cf the board offered an alternative measure, providing that schools be closed after the spring vacation, which ! starts April 21, unless cash is obtained for partial payment of the $29,000,000 owed instructors in back pay. Pin Hone on Mayor The one sparkle of hope hinged |on selection of anew mayor for i Chicago today. Board members who j sponsored the alternative resolution i felt confident that a speedy, suc- ; cessful plan for cash payment will be pushed through as soon as council names anew city executive. Since death of Mayor Anton J. Cermak. the authority for signing of tax warrants and similar substitutes for salaries has been entangled ! in legal complications. The stormy session Wednesday placed anew before the board the desperate plight of unpaid teachers. "Fish or cut bait,” declared Caldwell. "Banks have fed us crumbs and the R. F. C. has turned us down in a dignified, political man- , ner. It is time to say to the public, 'if you have not money to care for your teachers, it is time to take from you the benefit of schools.’ ” Teachers cheered. Trustee Is Jeered Angry jeers and shouts arose when Trustee Ernst Buehler said, “the teachers are not loyal if they make ! us close the schools.” Teachers were packed into the room, massed around j the debating, harrassed board. At ! one time President Orville Taylor j threatened to call police to clear the j room. One teacher demanded: "We’ve heard a lot about poor taxpayers, but how about the forty | teachers who have collapsed, those 1 who have nervous breakdowns, and ! the six who have been driven to ini sanity?”

INDIANAPOLIS, THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1933

RUM ROW STILL IS MENACE

Fleets of Booze Ships Still Hover Off Coasts of U. S.

The cost and scope of Uncle Sam's defensive warfare against the invading forces if the liquor smuggfers is revealed in this article, the last in a series of six written for The Times on the subject of "Running n the Rum Runners." BY MORRIS GILBERT NEA Service Writer WASHINGTON. April 13.—At the moment of writing these lines there are thirteen rum-run-ners, loaded, hovering off the United States coast between Nantucket and the Delaware capes. Yesterday there were eleven. The day before ten. “Rum Row”—to revive, for a moment, a term which is out of date—even now still is attempting to recover from the bank moratorium. For the rum-running syndicates —coast guard headquarters counts twenty-eight separate syndicates now functioning in a big way—were just as badly hit as the average honest citizen. They couldn't draw money, pay crews, or buy liquor. Furthermore, they couldn't sell. One rum-runner, after cruising the New Jersey shore a week, put back to St. Pierre, still loaded. Nobody in contact with her could raise the $602 needed to buy her shipment. n tt tt npODAY the rum fleet still is depleted. But it is coming back. Lieutenant Frank J. Gorman, chief of coast guard intelligence, can tell you pretty accurately how many rum-boats “blacks,” the coast guard calls them—actually are “on the line." that is. loaded and ready for contact with shore, at any time. He divides the nation's coasts into three sections Atlantic, gulf and Pacific, with a fourth division for the Canadian border. Last month's summary in coast guard Intelligence reads like this: Blacks—(rum-runners) under surveillance 162 Maritime provinces, refueling and loading 67 Under seizure by Canadian customs Laid up or temporarily in legitimate trade 12 British Honduras 20 At sea, loaded and bound for U. S. coasts 39 The customs service—which is interested in rum-running primarily because it is contraband and thus cheats Uncle Sam either of revenue or of the right to bar commodities not wanted —can give you the same detailed information in its own field. Both services are fighting the battle on sea, by air and on land.

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Ominously black against the horizon ... a ship of the rum fleet, viewed from the deck of a Coast Guard cutter.

Some places, the customs overlaps the coast guard—at seaports, for instance. Other places, the customs is out alone—along the Rio Grande, for instance. tt tt a AGENTS Davenport and Riley W’ere picketing by night in their automobile near Laredo. The Rio Grande is a shallow trickle there, seasonally almost dry. A man can across it, and cars can ford the stream at places. There had been a tip that three Mexican brothers living in Laredo were bringing in a carload of liquor that night. Davenport and Riley, jolting peacefully along, suddenly saw the Mexicans’ car. And at the same moment, the Mexicans saw them, and speeded up to get away. Riley stepped on the gas. He gained. Davenport shouted, “Halt!” There was no response. Then Riley tried a risky stunt. He swung to the left, accelerated and drew alongside. Swiftly, he

hooked his front right bumper in to the rear left bumper of the other machine. He ground the two cars slowly to a halt. Then the Mexicans tried a crazy thing. One after another they picked up a rifle and started to fire pointblank. One after another Riley and Davenport picked them off with pistols. Net result: A seizure of liquor, two dead Mexicans, one wounded Mexican, one customs agent grazed by a Winchester bullet, two bent bumpers. a a TN such brusque episodes, the -*• battle of enforcement goes perpetually on. And by the look of things at present there is no end to it. Hear Commander Gorman on the subject; "Don t forget that smuggling existed long before prohibition, and will continue even if repeal

Second Section

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comes in. Smuggling is an economic process as old as civilized states. “So long as money can be made by secretly importing taxed or forbidden products into any country, it probably will continue.” The head of the coast guard intelligence division doesn't think that the beer laws will diminish smuggling. If beer—principally from Canada—can be smuggled into the Union without tax, it can be sold cheaper than legitimate taxed beer here. Or it can be ‘sold at the same price, and, since it has a bigger alcoholic content, will be more desired. “The rule is simple.” Commander Gorman snapped. “When profits from smuggling cease, the attempt to smuggle will end. That is all there is to it.” THE END.

REVOLUTION IN ECONOMIC LIFE LOOMS IN U S. Roosevelt Program Is One of Definite Social Control. BY RAYMOND CLAPPER l nited Press Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON. April 13—One step at a time. President Roo:?velt is carrying forward what many here regard as an economic revolution. He is replacing the “American individualism" of Herbert Hoover with a definite program of social eco- | nomic control. Under pending proposals, the influence of the federal government | would reach out to thousands of farms, seeking to increase prices bv restricting planting. It would go into factories and reduce working hours. It would revise the methods of banks. A protecting hand would follow the thrifty citizen as he invested his savings in stocks and bonds. Even Aids Housewife Even in the kitchen of the small housewife the influence of the ; Roosevelt program would be felt :f I truit comes of the plan to send cheap electricity flowing from vast government sponsored power projects to the home's washing and ironing. Full scope of the Roosevelt program is becoming clear as the daily recommendations from the White House are pieced together. The principal ones are as follows: Agriculture—Artificial raising of I the farm price level through re- ! striction of planting under federal j control; reduction of agricultural 1 debts through refinancing farm j mortgages under federal direction. Finance Reorganization of the banking structure, with pressure toward absorption of all state banks into a federal system; federal licensing of all stock and bond issues and regulation of stock exchanges; refinancing of home mortgages. Long Hours Discouraged Industry and Labor—Prevention of "foolish overproduction,” by discouraging long working hours; regulation of working hours for interstate manufacturing; encouragement of states to enact minimum wage law’s; reorganization of rail- | roads. Natural Resources Development of combined hydro-electric and flood j control projects similar to that rec- ! ommended for Muscle Shoals to j provide cheap power and prevention I of economic loss through floods; re- ! forestation. That, in thumb-nail form, is the i skeleton of a social program which w’ould reach into every sphere of activity and touch every citizen at ' many points.