Indianapolis Times, Volume 46, Number 180, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 December 1934 — Page 26

PAGE 26

The Indianapolis Times (A f Kirl‘-HO\V\Rl> NEWSPAPER) W. HOWARD Pmldcnt TALCOTT I'OWELL Editor EAKL D. BAKER ....... Battotu Manager I’bona Riley Mil

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PRIDAY. DECEMBER 7. 1934

PRAISE ANI> WARNING TN the statement by Director Roger N. Baldwin of the American Civil Liberties Union on the eve of its Washington legislative conference there is both praise and warning for the Administration. The unjfin finds no wholesale suppression by the "because there 1s no significant opposition to suppress.” In the field of capital-labor, relations the New Deal has worked changes, but while it has encouraged trade union organization it has not directly backed the unions’ campaign. It “has not moved to restrict the radio, censor the movies, nor gag the press.” Outstanding in its relation to rights and liberties of the people are its "more tolerant policies toward aliens and toward Indians; the President's amnesty on Christmas, restoring civil rights to those convicted under the espionage act, and the treatment, for example, of the bonus army in contrast to its treatment under the Hoover administration.” The union might have pointed to the Administration's failure to back the anti-lynching law. “It is obvious,” says the statement, “that in those fields where economic issues of power privilege do not involve Its policies, the New Deal makes for a larger exercise of civil liberty. But where those policies affect the profits and power of the ruling economic class It Is timid and ineffective.” About the first thing that can be said of any government in these days of dictatorships is that it fights for the rights of the weak against the strong. Mr. Baldwin almost has said this of the Roosevelt Administration. WAR MOTIVES AN official of a company which sold cartridges to both Bolivia and Paraguay called the then pending Chaco arms embargo a “crazy idea.” Representatives of this and other munitions concerns protested to Washington authorities against the Chaco embargo and also against other proposals threatening interference with their war business, including the resolution which started the embarrassing Senate inquiry now in progress. Perhaps it is true, that, so long as our Government depends upon private manufacturers for its war materials, the Government’s military branches will lend their equipment for tests and demonstrations and otherwise help the manufacturers to make foreign sales And profits. The munitions makers say, in effect, that they are in business for profit, and the Senate committee should not quarrel with human nature. All of which focuses attention upon the principal issue: arising from the committee's disclosures: Can the Government regulate private armr manufacturing effectively, or will It be forced to take over that business? Pierre du Pont says that nationalization of the munitions business would prove futile. But Mr. du Pont is not a disinterested observer. There are other people who honestly believe that the millennium of world brother-hood-said by Mr. du Pont to be the only salvation from war may be hastened by divorcing war and profits. This issue should be weighed not only by the Senate committee and Congress, but also by the people, especially by such organizations as the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, in convention this week at Dayton. LIVING STANDARDS ONE of the ppints ax issue in any discussion of our return to prosperity is that famous old American standard of living. The men and women who came to this country from Europe, in all the years since Plymouth and # Jamestown were settled came •with the wistful notion that life over here could be easier and richer, than it was back home. Because of that, the belief that our standard of living must be higher than any one else's has always been one of our most cherished convictions. And in the main, averaguig one period with another, that conviction has had a lot to support it. But it also has led us to kid ourselves pretty extensively. Because such conveniences as automobiles, bathtubs and central heating are more common in the United States than elsewhere, we have assumed that practically everybody had them, and that those who went without were either too shiftless or too ignorant to get them. By doing so we have simply blinded ourselves to the obvious facts. Dr Mordecai Ezekiel, brain-truster of the Agricultural Department, made this very clear In a recent speech at Washington. An American family that is to have a moderately full life, he estimates, must have an income of at least $2,500 a year. That us about the minimum price of a family life which measures up to our "American standard"—a decently modern home, electric lights and appliances, central heating up-to-date plumbing, an auto, and so on. But in 1929. when everything was booming. fully 71 per cent of American families had incomes below the $2,50) mark, says Dr. Ezekiel. In other words, between two-thirds and three quarters of us aren't able to get that American standard of living even in the most prosperous timas. It is doubtless a recognition of this fact which leads some people to insist that reform must go hand in hand with recovery. Such people are simply saying that it is not enough for us to get back to predeprcssion conditions, but that we must go a lQng way beyopd that point before we can feel that we are doing justice to ourselves. The trick ought not to be quite as difficult

as It seems to be. When you think of the marvelous productive capacity of this country, of the Intelligence of its people, the energy and optimism with which the most baffling tasks are tackled, it does seem as if It should be fairly easy to find some way of introducing more than a third of us to that standard of living which we like to think of as typical of the whole country. DESTITUTE ALIENS THERE are an estimated 1.000.000 aliens in this country on relief, many with a great hankering to return to their homelands. We agree with Edward Corsi, New York Director of Home Relief and former Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island, that it would be as humane as it is economical to provide free passage for all who want to go and to give them the right to return with their naturalization rights unprejudiced when times are better. Mr. Corsi estimates that if 100.000 went back home the passage for each would cost about S9O, a total of $9,000,000, with a relief saving of $10,000,000 a year. He estimates that there are from 200,000 to 600,000 illegally in the country. Many, he says, live haunted lives, preyed on by racketeers as they move in fear of exposure from place to place. The Department of Labor lacks funds for deportation. Mr. Corsi believes that the Government, which has legalized the status of all aliens except criminals and immoral persons here before 1924, should legalize the status of the non-cnminal and morally reputable ones here since then and give them a chance to come out in the open and be sent home. Daniel W. MacCormick. United States Commissioner of Immigration, who suggested last summer an expanded program of voluntary repatriation of destitute aliens, is expected to ask Congress to appropriate at least $5,000,000 for that purpose. NEW FUNDS FOR EDUCATION 'T'HE crisis which public education has reached in the United States is illustrated by an article by Dr. John .£. Norton of Teachers’ College, Columbia University, in the current issue of the Nation. Dr. Norton declares bluntly: “A quarter of a million teachers, to whom is entrusted the education of 7,000,000 children, are scheduled this year to receive wages below the minimum fixed for unskilled factory workers in the blanket code of the NRA, Even these meager salaries in many cases will not be paid in full.” Dr, Norton then goes on to point out that school funds still come from a tax on real estate. A century ago real estate made up most of our wealth, and its ownership was a fair measure of ability to pay taxes. This, he says, is no longer the case. It is his belief that in order to finance our schools adequately, we must raise school funds through taxes on incomes, on business, and on inheritances. VETERANS SET AN EXAMPLE TY UDOLPH HESS, Hitler's chief aid in the N aZ i paity, is reported to have accepted an invitation of French w’ar veterans to address them in Paris. This, it is reported, would be the first step in an effort to get German and French veterans together on an amicable program looking toward the preservation of peace. Whether anything will come of it is, of course, something that only time can tell. But there is something peculiarly hopeful about the effort, at any rate. Most of the international hatred that curses the world these days is kept alive by civilians. The men who did the actual fighting hate—not each other, but war itself, and the illogical human tendency to forget the aims for which they fought. If there could be a genuine approach between French and German veterans, the noncombatants of the two nations would get a powerful object lesson on the futility of postwar suspicions and enmities. POSSIBILITIES IN AIRSHIPS more the potentialities of the giant dirigible are up for discussion—this time because of recommendation by the President's Aviation Commission that the Government build two or more airships for commercial trans-oceanic service. Disillusioned though we may have been by dirigible tragedies in recent years, there is nevertheless something attractive about this new proposal. For the big dirigible is such a marvelously ingenious creation —such a clever and beautiful triumph over the elements—that it is very hard to believe that we can never get any practical good out of it. There must be some way in which these giant airships can be made to render service which is worth their cost. It might be well worth Uncle Sam's while to put a little more money into their development, and find out. WHAT THEY FEAR “'T'HE power holding companies are afraid of the Government's power program because it proves that power rates can be reduced.” This is the answer of David E. Lilienthal, power director of the TVA, to the attempt of the power interests to prove that the TVA is “unconstitutional.” The power interests are making this move not because they believe, as they sometimes pretend, that the public can not efficiently operate an electric utility but because they know that it can, and that this successful public operation will prove there is no necessity for the heavy financial superstructure with which they have burdened the business of supplying electric current. They do not fear the Government will fail; they fear it will succeed. Clyde Pangbom. jjoted aviator, intends to fly around the world in 104 hours and make only two stops, probably to take a breath at each. Mussolini’s idea about starting military training at the age of 8 must be that no selfrespecting soldier would dare hit a fellow not his size. ■ - - * While Germany officially disregarded Armistice day, we permit ourselves the thought of war s injustice on at least one day a year. With all the good Babe Ruth has done in Jr pan, that country still iniasts on naval parity with the United States.

Liberal Viewpoint BY DR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

IF American capitalism is to succeed in its latest spurt. It must go beyond the mere ballyhoo of recovery and face the realities upon which recovery will depend. It is not a task which calls for charity or generosity. It only demands enlightened self-interest, but it must be truly enlightened The basic thing which must be achieved is the provision of adequate purchasing power on the part of the masses. Any structure of recovery which is built upon other foundations is bound in the end to prove a house built upon the sand. If this purchasing power is made available and sustained, success is inevitable. The Bible of such a program might well be the I recent book by Messrs. Leven, Moulton* and Worburton, on '‘America's Capacity to Consume.” There is no need as yet to worry about our capacity to reduce too much in either the factory or on the farm. With percent purchasing power, we may have a surplus of certain items, but it can hardly be shown that everybody has enough even of bread and shirts to justify restricting the production of wheat or cotton. No return to the conditions of 1929 will achieve any lasting benefit unless the income facts which obtained in that year are completely revolutionized. a a a THE following table shows clearly the distribution of income in that year: Income Recipients • % of T’tl Range of 1929 Income. No. Income. 1. $1,000,000 and more 504 1.511 2. SIOO,OOO to $1,000,000 13.057 4.086 3. $25,000 to SIOO,OOO 88.493 5.057 4. $5,000 to $25,000 866,947 10.775 5. $3.000-to $5,000 1.874.538 10.040 6. $2,000 to $3,060 4.071,261 12.966 7. SI,OOO to $2,000 22.799.967 38.825 8. SI,OOO and under 18.465.951 18.760 48 180,718 100.000 Over against this table of income we may set tile extremely illuminating table concerning those who spend, clearly demonstrating the fact that the percentage of income spent for goods and services to make the capitalistic machine run is in inverse proportion to the extent of the income. Per Cent Spent for Per Per Goods Cent Cent and Income Classes 1929. Saved. Taxes. Serv. $ 1,000 and under 33 94 1,000, under 2,000 5 2 93 2.000. under 3,000 11 2 87 3,000, under 5,000 16 2 82 5,000, under 10.000 14 3 83 10,000, under 25,000 22 4 74 25.000. under 50.000 30 8 62 50.000, under 100.000 31 13 56 100.000 under 150.000 .... 35 15 50 150.000, under 300.000 44 16 40 300,000. under 500,000 67 17 16 500,000 under 1.000,000 71 17 12 Over $1,000,000 77 17 6 Capitalism only can operate when goods can be sold at a profit in great quantities. This is possible only w’hen x he wages and salaries of the masses will enable them to buy. Americans are proverbial spenders when they have the money in their pockets. They can be trusted to keep up the consumption and prices not only of factory products but also of those of the farm. tt u a THE facts of our past economic and social histoiy show that we can not rely upon the initiative or benevolence of employers to insure high w-ages and salaries. There are only two alternatives—strong labor unionism or the governmental fixing of wages and salaries. The latter means the restriction if not the end of democracy. Therefore, therp is no hope for revival under capitalism unless the employing class is willing to go the limit in recognizing the principle of ?al collective bargaining. Any capitalistic system which cuts the ihroat of labor cuts its own throat at the same time. Another basic reform will be to curb the amount of the social ncome which is diverted into overhead. Today, for every dollar that goes back into the pockets of those who produce goods, no less than $2.30 goes into overhead charges to get these ,oods to consumers. No capitalistic system which charges more for overhead than for production can endure for long For this astonishing state of affairs finance capitalism *s primarily responsible, and it must stand up and take its medicine unless it wants to pull the whole house of private property down around its ears.

Capital Capers BY GEORGE ABELL

EVERYTHING was "Navy” last week-end in Washington, following the Navy victory in the Army-Navy game. Rear Admirals, glowing with cocktails and flushed with victory, monopolized the beautiful girls at scores of festive functions. Annapolis middies swaggered about with all the assurance of Major Generals. Commanders and Captains told tales over a fast emptying punch bowl. Ex-Commodores were simply unbelievable. Secretary Swanson returned to his home on R-st with a broad smile, curling his somewhat shaggy mustachios with particular care. The Swanson telephone was swamped with calls of congratulation. Yellow chrysanthemums, fastened with blue bows, glittered among tall-necked bottles at numerous parties. One debutante even wore a corsage of chrysanthemums, a feat rather difficult even to a reasonably plump matron. But she was the hit of the party and received an extra bloom from the hands of an exuberant and deeply bowing junior lieutenant. . It was hinted that jovial, fun-loving Assistant Secretary Henry Roosevelt even consented to roll up his sleeve and display the red. white and blue eagle tattooed above the elbow. When Henry flexes the biceps of his arm. the eagle flaps its wings. There was ample occasion for wing-flapping after the Navy triumph. v n a NAUTICAL gayety began with the Navy Relief Ball, when doughty sea-dogs were busily whispering predictions of victory into the ears of dancing partners. Now, the tide of naval supremacy shows no signs of abatement. B tt B Acquaintances of signor Giuseppe Tommasi, Italian diplomat and grizzly bear hunter, were somewhat surprised to note that he did not wear a grizzly bear coat to the ArmyNavy game. In fact, Signor Tommasi wore not even a raccoon coat, nor indeed any fur wrap of any kind. His outer garment was a finely woven sheepskin from Tuscany. BBS BRAZILIAN Ambassador Aranha returned from the game as elated as any admiral. “It was wonderful." he exclaimed to friends. "Such color! Such excitement! Magnifico!” Counselor Freitas-Valle, capable counselor of the Brazilian Embassy, who accompanied his chief, also was enthusiastic. Valle studied some of the fine points of football before going and was able to answer all of Envoy Aranha's queries about touchdowns and quarter backs. Gazing at the game through his monocle, j young Mr. Moura of the embassy staff found the scene more thrilling than the cricket matches he used to watch at Lords’ in London. No tea was served during the game. U tt U A GAY trio of young Frenchmen from the embassy attended the game. They were Francois De Laboulaye, son of the French Ambassador, Claude De Boisanger and Count De Leusse. Later, Boisanger and De Leusse visited Philadelphia art galleries. All had a gcod time, even if De Leusse thought at first that the two teams were playing rugby. The Washington girl who wants to sell herself in marriage for $12,000 will be in no position to tell her husband that It was she who got the worse bargain.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

ii * & - JZ.O.QOZ6'

TV If . , [ l wholly disapprove of what you say and will 1 I.V.LGSS£IJk£O LG!* [ e f ev< * to death your right to say it. — Voltaire. J

(Times readers are inetted to express ihei- vie ton in these columns. Make your letters short, so all can have a chance, limit them to *SO usords or less.) a b b FARMERS MUST SUPPLANT THOSE WHO AID THEM Bv K. O. Hurley. The great majority of the farmers are an easy-going set, patriotic, congenial, sincere and honorable, and perhaps that is the reason they are so easily mis-led. In the past, the farmers have been free to follow false prophets. They have taken too much for granted and perhaps have relied too much on false promises and flimsy representation made by groups of various organization promoters who are controlled and financed by predatory and favor seeking interests. In other words, I don't think they have been close enough nor have they used common horse sense. The most important person on any ticket to be voted for is the Congressman. The farmers deliberately have permitted themselves to be led away from congressional car - didates that have done their utmost for them. This was demonstrated fully in the Congressman vote in the Second District. Congressman Durgan supported every sane and constitutional measure proposed for farm relief. He even supported the Frazier-Lemcke moratorium bill which has been declared unconstitutional in the lower court. Yet the farmer voters showed no appreciation. If the farmers do not support those who stand by them and fight their battles, their requests in the ‘future for legislative support will in all probability fall on deaf ears. a b b MR. CLARK MAY RESENT THIS By Joseph B. Adler. Why do you allow such truck as that sketch shown daily and monthly which is done by George Clark? It is about as ridiculous and childish a thing as I can imagine. You allow such a valuable space as though it were a matter of great interest and importance- Any child going to school and learning to draw could do equally as well. What benefit and instruction does it convey to the public? This is just about on a par with the childish truck that William Feather gives in another Indianapolis newspaper Who gets the rake-off? Surely it requires no brains to feed the public on such truck. Why not give more attention and space to matters that will reflect upon this paper with far more credit? I have been reading your paper daily for many years but such matter does grate on my nerves. It is disgusting. It requires no brains for such trash as this. b a a CHILDREN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN NEWS By Mrs. LouiM- Martin. May I offer a suggestion—one which I think will be agreed with by any number of mothers: Why must you print the sordid stories of child, wife, mothers? It .may be news, but it is hardly the kind of news that people are interested in, nor is it in good taste, especially for children. For example: I have a 9-year-old step-daughter.

HE BRINGS WITH HIM—

Here’s Something Different

By a Boy’s Mother. He was 11 years old last week, and for several months he had saved pennies (that might have been * spent for candy or the movies) so he might go Christmas shopping for the beloved members of l his family. Actual cash is scarce, and Sonny was proud to count the pennies -and learn he had $1.96 to spend. Tuesday the boy asked permission to go to the stores alone to buy gifts. The papers all said to shop early. It would bring so much pleasure to present the packages to the family on Christmas morning. His mother is anxious that he learn the real value of moneyhow to spend it wisely, as well as how to earn and how to save—so hoping for the best, and trusting his ability to take care of himself, gave him permission to go alone to shop. He divided the $2 by six—the number of gifts necessary, and decided he could spend “about 30 cents each and have 2 cents left over.” He scooped the pennies into a mailing sack and started forth on his big adventure, anticipating the joy of giving—as well as the pleasure of receiving gifts on Christmas Day. First, he stopped at the bank where an amused bank teller seriously changed the 200 pennies into a crisp dollar bill, a half dollar and two quarters. Gosh! What a thrill to go shopping downtown, all alone! No grown-ups to say “I wouldn’t buy that,” or “I think this would be nice for so-and-so.” And no “dime stores” for this lad. The family rates higher than 10-cent merchandise in his mind. Several of the large department She often has wondered why her daddy and I have not presented her with a brother or sister. The other evening she. mentioned it again. However before we could answer she stated “Why, I'm. almost old enough to be a mother—did you see that piece in the paper where a girl had a baby and she was only 10?” Needless to say her daddy and myself were filled with disgust to think that a child of readable age, must see that sort of thing, and especially from a paper that prides itself as you do. Won’t you please consider our children? a b a PROHIBITION PARTY CAN SOLVE DRY-WET PROBLEM By H. D. Bonsib. In view of the fact that woe, want and drink are increasing, also misery, need and feeding of appetites are not decreasing, something definite should be done about this matter. The poor people don't need beer, they need bread; they don't need booze, they need shoes; they don’t need wet goods, they need dry goods, and the booze joint will run at the expense of all. We don’t need two political parties which perpetuate this evil, but we need a party in power which will prohibit this thing which ruins more bodies, damns more souls, elects more bad men and corrupts more politics than all other evils combined, and which should not be called a business but a crime. There waq such a party in the field and will continue to be, namely, *

stores had “swell toys” and lovely gifts but the tiniest bottle of good perfume was priced at sl. No one ever will know all the experiences of this big adventure. This boy never discusses his affairs with much detail. Finally, however, a little gift shop on the Circle displayed some “classy” looking gifts at prices he could consider. He purchased in his decisive, satisfied way, gifts for dad, mother and grandmother. Boy Oh, boy! The three most important buys all settled. It was past 5 o’clock p. m., so with treasures in his arms he hurried back to his mother’s office—happy in buying things to |ive to others. Carefully he Hurried through the crowds guarding his gifts lest some other shopper collide with him. He trudged down an alley skirting a parking lot. No cars were ready to pull out because none had lights turned on or motors running. Suddenly there was a blare of an auto horn within a few feet of him! The dhild was startled and jumped, dropping one of the precious gifts. He hastened to gather up his packages but the lovely gift for grandmother ivas china and now was shattered into many pieces. The man—a grown-up man—who blew the horn, laughed loudly “It was fun to see the kid jump!” Oh, the tragedy oi childhood! The boy's eyes were large and solemn when he said, “It frightened me so, f dropped the gift and it broke—and the man*laughed.” To frighten—to destroy—and to laugh at a child’s misery—I wish the man would read this little story. Perhaps next time he would be more thoughtful. the Prohibition party. You might as well think that Satan would be controlled as this stuff which has done so much damage and no good at all and should be annihilated. What can’t be mended must be ended! This country can not live half £runk and half sober, and since every way has been tried but the real way to settle this question, trying to do so in a non-partisan way or through a party which is made up of wets and drys, therefore, we should not waste any more time, money or votes in that direction but put a party in power which means death to the liquor traffic, namely, a real Prohibition party administration. It has been proved by the United States Supreme Court again and again that prohibition takes away no personal rights or any property rights of the citizen, and that the Legislature can not barter away the public health or the public morals, and that there is no inherent right to sell intoxicating liquors, Prohibition, therefore, is the fundamental principle of government. The traffic exists only by permission, is only a matter of political administration. It took 50 years to get prohibition in a non-partisan way. but it took only nine months to get rid of prohibition in a partisan way, and what does that prove? It proves that non-partisan methods, and not prohibition, is a failure. What is the use of continuing to fool away any more time, money and votes in such a way? Like the Dutchman who said. 'Now you got ’em, and now you don't got ’em.”

DEC. 7, 193?

AH prohibitionists should put their shoulders to the wheel and help put a real Prohibition party in power w’hich will give the people a real Prohibition administration, and we will have no more ol this foolishness, namely, every dollar of the United States beer revenue collected by Uncle Sam means $6 fewer lor bread, meat, clothing, etc. It coats more than $8 to get $1 from the booze gang, not counting the lives lost and the misery caused. The w r ets have not made good in any promise of reformation they held out to the people. We still need more than ever the agitation and education and consummation of a Prohibition pprty in power.

•So They Say

Peace 'is coming out of the Balkans and war will not originate in the Balkans.—Alvin M. Owsley, U. S. Minister to Rumania. It is the British people and the freedom they have always enjoyed —not a favor, but as a right—which make us a law-abiding nation.— Margot Asquith, Countess of Oxford. If the churches were as interested in preserving the sanctity of the Lord's Day as all Detroit and all St. . Louis were having their teams win : the world series, how very different conditions today would be.—Dr. Harry L. Bowlby, general secretary of the Lord s Day Alliance. No air armada has yet flown . whose personnel could not be run in by the municipal police if it landed ir hostile territory.—Maj. . Gen. James G. Harbord. The day of heroes and martyrs is not confined to the ancient past. —Dr. Samuel M. Cavert, general secretary, Federal council of the • Churches of Christ in America. If Washington and Moscow had ’ been on speaking terms when Japan started her aggression against China, Japan would not have dared take such a step.—Soviet General Victor A. Yakhontoff.

Daily Thought

A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong na- t tion: I the Lord will hasten it in his time. —Isaiah, 60:22. EVERY age has its problems, by solving which, humanity is ! helped forward.—Heine.

THREE A. M.

BY' MAI D COURTNEY' WADDELL Deep, silent night with moon all aglow Lends silvery light on world below. Wonder sphere that s n ems to move . slow * And flanked wavy clouds like billowy snow. Trees and houses in silhouette As magic moonlight hovering let Silent beauty so soft and clear Bring Heaven and me so very near. :