Indianapolis Times, Volume 45, Number 298, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 April 1934 — Page 12

PAGE 12

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"*<■l —-- j 9 *> ■ ...•"—.•e CiVO Light ant the People Will Finn Their Oim Way

TUSStiAT. APRIL 24 ISM A LOSING FIGHT the shrill attacks of Wirt, Theodore Junior. Senator Reed et al, on the new deal, the administration seems disposed to go on with its job of building recovery. Yesterday State Secretary Hull and Agriculture Secretary Wallace in public addresses reaffirmed the Roosevelt program, and on Saturday Assistant Secretary Tugwell did the same. Perhaps they are good actors, but if they are worried they do not show it. Their poise Is in sharp contrast to the flushed opposition, which is swinging wild —not to say below the belt. The administration apparently is too busy with the real problems of depression, inherited from these same rugged individualists, to be frightened by yapping about imaginary Communism. Os maybe it is the fact that the President’s extraordinary popularity continues throughout the country. At any rate the Roosevelt program is going forward. The President has made this clear since his return from vacation. There is to be no turning back so long as there are millions unemployed. This call to carry on is more than a humanitarian urge. It is the struggle for survival. The stakes are survival not only for the wage earner and the farmer, but also for the intelligent banker and business man who know’ that they can not stand another crash caused by the old system. Those fighting against reform are not sniping merely at the President or a passing political program. They are fighting America's will to live. They will lose. SECTIONALISM SOUTHERN industrialists arc campaigning against northern industrialists to perpetuate, under NR A codes, the lower wages of southern workers. General Johnson's order amending the coal code, on application of northern operators and union miners, to reduce the wage differential to 40 cents a day has precipitated a battle which has closed nearly all of Alabama's mines. His hasty action, which prevented disorder and strikes in the north, unfortunately threw 21,000 Alabama miners out of their jobs. Now some textile and other southern manufacturers are joining in the cry, protesting that the $t a week differential in most codes discriminates against them. The southern coal operators are spreading the word that NRA is preparing to reduce the differentials in the iron and steel industry, further to injure their section. It should be pointed out that particularly in iron and steel, and to a considerable extent in textiles and other industries, the same corporations operate in both north and south. Tire chief difference betweeen the workers of the north and of the south is not that prices of groceries and otner staples are lower below the Ohio river; it is that the standard of living is lower. It also is apparent that a unified country with free interchange of commerce can not prosper with one section living at a standard much lower than another. Lower wages in one section will lead to cut prices and lower wages in other sections. The south will benefit as much as any one if NRA codes help raise standards of living and purchasing power foxsouthern products. But it is true that to eliminate differentials overnight would dislocate industries tremendously. A progressive decrease in differentials should be the aim of those who have the south's economic betterment at heart. Efforts along this line may be fostered by northern manufacturers for selfish motives, but the south need not fear that it will lose its industries. It has its own markets, its own minerals. It can compete in the markets of the world with any one. In the words of President Roosevelt: . "We can not give special consideration to the people of the north if, in so doing, it will not result in good to the people of the south or the west.”

JAPAN’S NEW THREAT 'T'HE picture of international politics in the far east has undergone a considerable change through Japan's most recent statement of her policy toward China. Or, possibly, it would be more accurate to say that while the picture remains much the same, it has an entirely different frame. Japan sets forth the proposition that she holds a special responisbility to maintain the peace m east Asia: consequently, Japan has appointed herself to see to it that Chinas contacts with other powers are of such nature that they shall not disturb that peace. For several years Japan has been edging toward a Chinese protectorate. With this new declaration of policy, that state seems practically to have been reached. Look, for instance, at the way in which such policy can be interpreted. A Japanese spokesman, discussing the policy, declared at Tokio that "history shows that technical or financial aid to China almost inevitably becomes military or political, in which event Japan must object.” A good many Americans are engaged in giving technical or financial aid to China right now. Many American aviators are there, for instance, selling airplanes and teaching the Chinese how to use them. American companies are participating in the establishment of Chinese air routes. The United States government has loaned money to China to buy American cotton and wheat. All these activities easily could be classed as the kind of aid which might become political; that is, they tend to unify aqjl strengthen China, and the zealous statesmen

At Tokio might decide at any minute that they should be stopped. One does not have to meditate over this very long to see that the far eastern situation has taken on an ominous new aspect. The one encouraging feature is that in recent months the Japanese seem to have grown desirous of getting on better terms with the United States. We can only hope that that desire will lead Tokio to moderate the application of th s far-reaching and dangerous new policy. THE GENERAL’S FANCY TURNS QPRING is the season when most of us become a little erratic. It appears that General Johnson is trying to run NRA whose influence touches almost every person in the country, as he would his own private corporation. He announces a reorganization solely to his staff. The reporters find it out. Then through his executive officer, Alvin Brown, he scolds his officials and says it mustn't happen again. Perhaps there are some internal organization affairs which a government bureau need not publish; but its own reorganization—“effective immediately”—is not one of them. The reason for the new attempt at secrecy is not clear; on most policy questions heretofore General Johnson has taken the public into his confidence. The general so far appears to have done no damage; he has not been successful in suppressing news. But there is a considerable danger involved in the gag order. NRA officials are engaged in transforming industry. The recovery act itself states the public’s vital interest in what the Hoover boys called private business. A little sunlight on what the general last year termed his “goldfish bowl” operation couldn't hurt the public interest. Lack of it would aid selfish interests which work best in the dark. NEW TYPE OF SAILOR YT is interesting to see how the country’s Attitude toward the enlisted men in Its navy has changed during the last generation. A CWA artist contributed to the walls of the navy department at Washington a painting entitled “The Fleet's In"—a picture showing a flock of sailors on shore leave and representing, in the words of Admiral Hugh Rodman, “a mast disgraceful, sordid, disreputable. drunken brawl.” Immediate protests were raised, and the picture was speedily removed. Now the point is that a generation ago no one would have objected to such a painting. Sailors were popularly supposed to be tough rowdies; a lot of them gloried in that reputation; the country would hardly have understood why any one would object to it. Today things are different. The navy gets a different class of men, and they behave differently. The old picture of shore leave as a riotous and bacchanalian revel is very much out of date now. MRS. ROOSEVELT AND I). A. R. PEACE also hath her victories. One was a speech delivered by Mrs. Roosevelt to the largest annual convention of the Daughters of the American Revolution. “I believe in being willing to die for your country when it is necessary,” said the First Lady in calling the Daughters to join the educational drive for world peace, “but I do believe strongly that it is more important to bend all our efforts to education and elimination of the things which brings us to the point where we have to send out young people to die for their country.” The good ladies applauded. The liberal movement that swept into power the Roosevelts also has tingled the D. A. R., whose resolutions this year are much less militantly nationalistic. Perhaps in time they and the rest of us will come to agree with one of our Revolutionary fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who said: “There never was a good war or a bad peace.”

MORE AT WORK TT'RANCIS PERKINS' announcement that nearly 420.000 men were added to industrial pay rolls during March, bringing the general employment index to its highest point since December, 1930, is the best news that has come out of Washington in a long time. Encouraging as it is, however, we must take care not to let it make us overconfident. Things are nicking up and men are going back to work, but we haven't yet got out of the valley, and unemployment still exists. We need to remember that the drive for recovery can not be relaxed, and that the care of the idle is still a pressing problem. There were too many men out of work ven as long ago as December, 1930. Employment levels must go a good deal higher than they are now, before we can begin to crow too loudly. CLEAR OF SPOILS THE United States senate acted sensibly in decreeing that the Home Owners Loan Corporation, the principal of whose loans will be guaranteed by the government, under legislation about to be passed—be divorced from politics. This corporation has a big job to do, and the one important thing about it is that it do the job well—that it help to safeguard the homes of people who have lost the’.r sat ings and their jobs. In simple decency, an organization of this kind must not be a happy hunting ground for spoilsmen. More important things than a congressman's ability to hand out jobs to his constituents are at stake. And it is rather astounding, incidentally, to note that the senate ruled out politics by the margin of just one vote. The narrowness of that margin reflects no particular credit on the senate. Hoboes have adopted a code for a fourhour day. It must be for a six-day week, so they ran rest on Sunday. Great Britain hasn't provided for paying on the war debt to the United States, in her next budget. But Uncle Sam still can figure it's coming to him. Just like President Roosevelt to go fishing where sharks are thickest, and still evade /lew York.

T Liberal Viewpoint ""By DR. lIARRY ELMER BARNES = 1 | A S today, so in the middle ages, there was a considerable froth of leisure and gaiety on the underlying sea of social misery among the serfs. The center of this was the medieval troubadour who furnished stimulation, entertainment and love lyrics for kings and nobles. In the form of a thinly disguised historical novel, Mr. Cronyn reconstructs the life and times of.Pierre Vidal, most famous of the troubadors of southern France ( ‘The Folly of Venus.” By George Cronyn. Covici, Friede. s3>. It is a first class contribution to the reconstruction of the age of chivalry. Since Pierre had a robust regard for justice, the book is not only a portra>ai of medieval love and intrigue, but also an able critique of the strangely inconsistent civilization of the age of faith. As colorful as the age of chivalry was the era of the Renaissance warriors, lovers, assassins and rogues. The outstanding families of the Italian Renaissance were the Borgias, the Nediei, and the Sforzas. There have been a number of interesting and important works on he first two of these families, but no important and readable book in English has been devoted to the Sforzas. This gap has now been filled by the very entertaining work of Collison-Morley, also author of an important account of the doings of the Borgias ("The Story of the Sforzas.” By L. Colli-son-Morley. Dutton. $3.75). The author presents an absorbing picture of the wars and intrigues of this colorful era, but he overlooked the important economic and financial activities associated, w r ith the Sforzas. It is more important as a contribution to the literature of romance and adventure than to the history of civilization. nun 'T'HOSE who tend to be shocked by the vioA lence of the period will do well to reflect that at least murder and poisoning were then carried out In more frank and candid fashion'! than they are today. Overt slaying on the battle field is more honorable than death in needless industrial accidents, and poisonings of a deliberate' character with no pretense to benevolence are less reprehensible than those administered through unctiousiy advertised patent medicines. The monumental history of the state of New York under the editorship of Dr. A. C. Flick has now reached its fourth volume (“The History of the State of New York.” Edited by Alexander C. Flick. Columbia University Press. Volumes 111 and IV. $5). The third volume treats of the eve of the revolution, giving an admirable picture of the political and cultural conditions of the late colonial period. The political. religious and economic conflicts of that day are clearly set forth. Volume IV describes the American revolution within the confines of New York state. In harmony with the newer historical conceptions, much more space is given to nonmilitary events than to the battles of the period. It is one of the most important volumes yet written on the revolutionary struggle. Taken together, these two volumes constitute a contribution of a high order not only to New York state history but also to the social and intellectual history of the United States. tt v u , WHATEVER one’s emotions on the subject, the Polish state is likely to play a critical role in the history of Europe during the next generation. The corridor is more likely to be the tinderbox of Europe than any other area on the continent. Mr. Karski has written a very informing and illuminating little book on the culture and civilization and resources of Poland (“Poland, Past and Present.” By Stefan Karski, Putnam. $2). While written from a patriotic point of view, the enthusiasm of the author does not markedly distort the information which he presents so clearly. No other book of its siz,e gives us as good a picture of Poland and ;ts problems. Perhaps even more dangerous than the Polish corridor is the increasing tension between Japan and Russia. Dr. Kohn discusses this issue as one item in the broader and more inclusive problem of the contact between the Orient and the Occident (“Orient and Occident.” By Hans Kohn, John Day. $1.75). His book is a very sane analysis of the issues involved in the conflict of cultures between east and w'est and of the ways in which a better understanding might be promoted. Mr. Friedman has wwitten a very interesting summary of European history since the war (“Current Problems in European History.” By L. Alexis Friedman, College Entrance Book Company, 75c), It is quite likely that the twenty years following 1918 will ultimately be seen as a critical period in the history of civilization, comparable to the years after 1492 and 1789. It is already apparent that the old age of capitalism, nationalism and democracy are approaching dissolution and that we stand on the eve of anew era in human civilization. Certainly, any one who has failed to acquaint himself with what has happened since 1918 is entirely incapable of following the daily press with any degree of intelligence. I know of no place where this indispensable information can be so quickly acquired as in this clear little booklet by Mr. Friedman.

M. E. Tracy Says —

AS compared to the same period last year, the first nineteen weeks of this year show an increase of 10 per cent in auto deaths for Massachusetts, an increase of 23 per cent in nonfatal traffic accidents and an increase of 32 per cent in revoked licenses. The Boston Herald calls it a “shameful, drunken, bloody record,” and though makng allowance for other factors, inclines to the belief that intemperate use of liquor is the major cause. Such a belief is neither illogical nor alarming. Massachusetts, like the rest of the country, is suffering from repeal hilarity. As always, a small, irresponsible element seems possessed of the devil to abuse its new-found liberty. The only corrective is uncompromising severity. While we can afford to be a little lenient with drunken pedestrians, there can be no tolerance for drunkenness behind a steering wheel. The man or woman who lacks the intelligence to realize that all the human faculties are none too much to guide a 100-horsepporerw r er engine safely through crowded streets must be deprived of the privilege. a a a FINE or imprisonment fails to meet the need. Such people must be denied the privilege of driving. They represent too much of a menace for any other kind of treatment. The problem is not to punish them, but to protect the rest of us. The offense comes closer to idiocy than crime. It shows absolute unfitness to be trusted with any such responsibility as operating a car. The fact that these people are good-natured even when drunk, or sincerely remorseful for what might have ht ppened, is of no importance. They simply lack the necessary common sense or self control. Charging them $25 or putting them in jail for a month is useless. Their trouble is mental incapacity. They should be treated like minors, simply denied the right to hold a driver's license of any sort. One great weakness of the old. or preprohibition. regime was a disposition to excuse not only drunkenness, but many serious offenses on account of drunkenness. More than one murderer and more than one thief got clear because he was under the influence of liquor. a a a THAT nonsense might just as well be laid on the shelf unless, indeed, we are prepared to go all the way back. The availability of liquor does not mean that people need to get drunk. The fact that some will should not be made an alibi for crime or nuisances. While we can not hope to stop drunkenness, we can stop people who persist in it from doing certain things which involve jeopardy fox their fellow beings.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

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The Message Center

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns. Make your letters short, so all can have a chance. Limit them to 250 words or less.) a a a PRAISES REAL SILK COMPANY UNION Another Hosiery Worker When have employes of Real Silk been tax exempt? The 2,000 and more who stayed with their jobs are taxpayers in this city and deserve protection at this time. I want to say to the fair and square Times the day after the election was held, it was stated on your editorial page that the election was fair and square at Real Silk, also at Mallory's, and that the losing sides should be good sports and take their defeat in that manner. Now, Mr. Editor, retract that statement. I was first employed at Real Silk in 1923 when it had less than half its present capacity. I have a pin, numbered 1140, to show' you exactly how' many were employed before me. Never have employes been treated with more consideration anywhere. In my whole eleven years, I have my first time to see any one get unfair treatment unless deserved. Any one putting out an enormous amount of bad work isn’t tolerated anyw’here. Some employes forget the NRA has cut hours, that reduces pay to the extent of less hours. Who started this mess anyhow? I'll tell you. The ones that favor production regardless of quality and are caught by the management. I heard a sermon on evolution, and when the minister bared all his texts and how God created heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them, he said: “Now', my dear people, I am right here to say no monkey has ever made a man of himself, but I am not here to say that no man never made a monkey of himself,” and this doesn’t exclude The Times, for which I have always been a subscriber. n n n DECLARES POSTAL WORKERS FORBIDDEN TO STRIKE By C. M. McConnell I notice an article in your paper with a heading, “Postal Strike in News Reel.” This is to inform you that postal employes take an oath of allegiance to the U. S. A. on entering the service and are forbidden to strike, among other things. The general public gets plenty of misinformation through the advertisements of correspondence schools about the mail service, and I don't like to see it misinformed further, in general news. I am a postal employe and a reader of The Times ever since my arrival in the state. I have expected daily to see your stand on the federal pay cus, but so far I have failed to see it mentioned. I read "liberal” newspapers in Pittsburgh and St. Louis and they average about tw’o editorials a month advocating restoration of federal pay. What is your opinion? I would like to read it whether favorable or not a a a CHARGES REAL SILK SELLS “SCAB” GOODS By Friend f The Times Knowing that The Times is interested in all things in the city of Indianapolis and especially after seeing your cartoon, (which certainly was the truth as was vour leading editorial) concern'n~ *'■> strike at Real Silk. I wish to i jou a little

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Denies Socialists Are Anti-Religious

By Hiram Lackey. An Indianapolis minister recently made the charge that all Socialists are anti-religious and that their antagonism is especially directed against the Christian church. No doubt the accusation contains enough truth to make it worthy of the most serious consideration. But before his statements are accepted as self-evident, let the truth seeker study the platform on which the Socialists stood during their St. Louis convention at the time of America's entrance into the World war. Let them pray for that truth whose seeking contorted the savior-like Debs during his dark days in federal prison, and whose eternal principles some ministers who have followed in his lead are in these calm days fearlessly dispensing from their pulpits. Compare the Socialists’ firm stand for peace and brotherly love with the barbarous attitude of the church during the same period of riotous thought. If the Socialists all are anti-religious, then Jesus, was anti-religious.

information which you may or may not already have. First, I wish you to know that I have no interest in either side, only my place of business happens to be in the same neighborhood as the Real Silk plant and I have several acquaintances who work in the office. From these acquaintances came the information that Real Silk is receiving shipments of hosiery from eastern scab firms and selling them for their own manufactured goods. The first of these shipments was received from a firm in Altoona, Pa., the latter part of last week. This is just a matter that in all fairness to the general public, and especially those buying Real Silk products, should know. a a a ANOTHER VIEW OF MILL GUARDS By a Real Silk Seamer I read where some of the taxpayers write that the police department is guarding a wealthy manufacturer’s property when they should be guarding school children. I am an employe of Real Silk and also a taxpayer. I think that the police are there to guard we employes who are glad to work at the wages we are receiving as well as they are to guard the property. I see no reason why we should not be entitled to police protection. a a a DECLARES RELIEF FOOD IS INADEQUATE By R. 8. M. Here in Morgan county, city of Martinsville, if you have not eight or ten in your family, you can’t get relief work. I have a wife and three children and they say I should have laid enough up to do me all summer the three months I worked last winter and when I ask for help they give me five pounds of meat, two pounds of lard and two pounds of butter and nothing to go with it in the line of food. One with little ones should have milk, flour and fruits to build little children up so they could study when at school. There is really only one sees the way the poor people her* in Martinsville are treated and} that is our God.

1 wholly disapprove of what you say and will' _ defend to the death your right to say if — Voltaire.

There is a great difference between a man who is anti-religious and one who is obviously antiPresbyterian. It is as unfair to judge American Socialists by the creed of Carl Marx as it is to judge modern Presbyterians by the creed of John Calvin. From its pulpit the Christian church says that it loves the principles of capitalism. In other words, it cherishes selfishness. As an humble confession of sin, this would be both Christian and wholesome. But when used from the pulpit to sanctify any sort of idealism inferior to the Sermon on the Mount and the Communist manifesto, this attitude may cause any Socialist with the courage to eondemn unrighteousness to seemingly be anti-religious. When Jesus and Marx come to the parting of the ways, it is well to remember the cross. But in admonishing others to do so, let us remember that, our progress from cannibalistic Hooverism to the Rooseveltian idea was largely the result of our aversion to being eaten alive, and so we became radicals. And the end is not yet.

We poor people must have our rights before good times will ever come back. We may have to pick up our guns once more and fight for a living and rights for our children and I know God would bless a mother and father in doing so when they see their children starving and dying by inches. Am I right or wrong in my way of thinking. Can The Times answer? a a a INVESTIGATORS’ HOURS REPORTED LONG Bv A. D. I would like to see The Times investigate the working hours of the trustee's investigators. They work from 8 in the morning until 7 and 8 at night. That is not living up to the code and helping create more jobs. I know of one family of three which is allowed $1.90 a week to eat on. Wonder if our officials could do that well? a a a WANT CALLED BREEDER OF CRIMINALS An I'nemployed Reader I have been out of work and have put money in coal, food and insurance and now have to lose all. It looks like the higher-ups want more outlaws and they have started by placing the small families on relief. It Ls good for some persons to get rich quick, but one thing is they will die as they came and perhaps worse. When they start war it will be so people will not be all in slavery and the sooner the better, for the laboring class; the Father will take a hand and fix it right. a a a STRIKER DENIES $35 IS WEEKLY WAGE Bv a Striker I am a Real Silk striker. I operate a knitting machine. I would like to advise you on one subject, which some other person thought he knew something about, but didn't, and I am sure some of you will agree with me. A few days ago someone working now in the seaming department stated, knitters could not say they ever made less than $35 a week. I

APRIL 24,1934

am an operator and I can truthfully say never have I made that in any one week. For plenty of others I can say the same. This other person does not know the difference between a human and a machine. Other operators will back me up in saying so. My advice would be to learn just what the w'ords knitter and operator mean before trying to tell the public average earnings a w'eek, for if you don't know the difference, I am sure you positively don't know' what the operators’ average pay is weekly. The difference is that a knitter is the machine. We operators operate; so I say, if these seaming operators, who try to criticise knitter operators, would do some criticising of themselves, I am sure it would do lots of good in making their checks larger than sl2 and sl6 a w’eek. a a a MORRISSEY DESCRIBED AS STOCKHOLDER By a Real Silk Striker The reason the mayor authorized Chief Morrissey to dispatch fortythree policemen to Real Silk is because evidence shows Mr. Morrissey is a Real Silk stockholder. ana CODE FOR PRINTING DRAWS FIRE By Joseph E. Kinder The NRA is helping many persons who have been out of work for so long a time, but I am afraid it will do as much harm as it is doing good. Take for instance, the graphic arts code, which covers almost all printing establishments. This cotie will not be recognized by any publisher or proprietor paying a wage below that which is set out in the code, because the loopholes and exceptions which are plentiful enough to make a farce even of the pitifully meager labor protection provided. Those employers who have contracts with the employes—and who are now paying a wage scale fa ? above the maximum set out in the code—will try to lower the wages, using the code as an excuse. My understanding is that the newspapers have their choice in adopting either the graphic arts code, the newspaper code or no code at all. I might add that the newspaper code is even a greater farce than the graphic arts code, and aii the chiseling has been effected under the thin guise of “protecting the freedom of the press.” I think the President would do better if he would urge congress to fix the number of hours in a workweek at 32 or less and then wash his hands of the w hole mess. There are only two parties who can effect the raise of the laborer’s wages and that is the laborer or his union. I sometimes wonder if the President isn't just trying to save his own neck. I thought Hugh Johnson was the only one turning yelow, but I guess I thought wrong.

Surfeit

BY HARRIETT SCOTT OLIMCH I am grown ill on loveliness. So much have i beheld these years Beauty has clasped me in her arms. I am grown tired of her pale tears. This dusk I shall be free of chains; I shall not heed the purple sky. Nor note the gold path of the sun That curves into the west to die. •