Indianapolis Times, Volume 46, Number 183, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 December 1934 — Page 3

DEC. 11, 1934

RELIEF WORKERS FACE HARD SLEDDING TO ACHIEVE HOPES OF FINDINGPERMANENT JOBS High Compensation Insurance Rates, Competition of Many Not Now Receiving Aid Are Among Obstacles to Be Hurdled. BY ARCH STEINEL Tiati Staff Writer Heads of 110,000 relief families in Indiana will stub their job-hunting toes on four major stumbling blocks before they can be re-employed by private industry. 1. Fear of industry that wage compensation insurance rates will be prohibitive in the hiring of family men between the ages of 35 and 50 years. 2. Competition of relief’s unemployed with those nowkept off of the relief rolls, but who are without jobs. 3. Lack of new industries to supplant stagnant factories and those firms making luxury products that died with the depression. 4. Competition from young men, without families, who have remained in the high schools and colleges awaiting an upturn of business. On the optimistic side of the picture is the statement of State Chamber of Commerce officials that the building trades,

food processing, paint processing, and automobile factories have felt a definite upturn of business with increasing employment in those lines. The Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce is negotiating with six new firms to place factories in this city and one firm, if it comes here, will hire 25 men.

Insurance Rate Rapped One of the most potent fears expressed by industry today against the hiring of men from the relief rolls is the factor of increased rates in wage compensation insurance. Despite the denials of insurance companies that rates will be raised for blanket policies the social service workers going into Marion County homes report many men have been refused work because of the itate compensation insurance laws. Industry points out that the law comD’.tes compensation paid incase of disability at the rate of per cent of *f minimum wage of sl6 a week, fhis would mean that the employer would have to pay SB.BO compensation in cas. of injury on a sl6 weekly salary. Employment superintendent point out that if a man were hired at the NRA wage scale of $14.50 that the SB.BO would have to be paid weekly in event of an accident. Pzzi Experience No Basis It is contended by industry, although erroneously, that compensation rates would be larger because of the age of the family heads on the relief rolls and the lack of dexterity and youthfulness of the workers. Instance companies, however, point out that compensation insurance in case of injury based on the past experience the insurance company has had with the factory and that a factory with few accidents would have a better rate than one with numerous accidents. In turn industralists fear that accidents will increase because of the nervousness and over-eagerness of the man who was on relief rolls in attempting to keep his Job.

Many Too Old for Jobs The Indianapolis Times in checkins? the case-load of one worker and pitting the average against other Marion county visitors found that out of 225 families on the investigator’s rolls, 85 heads of families were unemployed because of old age, ill-health, and problems that made it impossible to absorb them into private industry. Out of the 140 family heads that could be employed the majority were more than 35. Accident statistics of the state show It at the age groups of 30 to 40 in the boom days of 1928 and 1929 had the largest number of fatalities in industrial accidents. This bears out industry’s contention that the age is a dangerous one in the employing of men but on the other hand the ages between 20 and 30 in the same boom years showed 4.000 mote injuries sustained in industrial accidents than in the ages of 30 to 40 Younger Men Take Chances “A firm wit*.* numerous minor accidents may be a poorer risk than one with a major accident.” declares one insurance man in pointing out that younger workmen are inclined to take more changes than older men in industry. Three thousand more cases were closed in October than were opened in tiie state and it is the hope of social workers that the majority of those cases were absorbed in private industry. The seasonal temporary emnloyment in stores during the Christmas rush is believed to have aided in the closing of the cases. Improvement in the building trades because of the state-wide modernization campaign also has helped bear its load of re-employ-ment. Manufacturers Gloomy Officials of the National Re-Em-ployment Service say they know of nothing which will bring about a great absorption of relief workers into private industry during the winter months. • A pessimistic tone is registered by H. M. Cochrane, secretary of the Indiana Manufacture!s’ Assn..* who says. "Industrial employment in Indiana has been on the down grade for the last four months due to industry's lack of confidence in the definite policies of the Government or lack of them.” Mr. Cochrane urges the Government to pour funds into harassed industries in order to improve the employment situation. “Re-employment can be accomplished only through direct Government aid to industry," he contends. Defiinte Uptrend Shown However, a survey by The Times of a wide field of industries in Indianapolis showed a definite uptrend in business conditions since the November election. Increased federalization of relief and taking away from tha state of the right to dictate the spending of relief money is frowned upon by Wayne Coy, director of the Gov-

emor’s Unemployment Relief Commission, and Miss Nadia Deem, social service director for the commission. They believe, as do many business men and officials of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, that the Federal Government should set relief standards for the states, and they do not object to Washington supervision of the money spent by the state for the Government. They would like to see state governmental units able to bear the full load of relief, but see no possibility of this coming to pass within the next year. Increased costs of relief are charged to a 10 per cent rise in prices of foodstuffs and the numerous families which have been forced to the relief rolls for the first time by dwindling funds. Throughout the survey by The Times of Indiana’s relief system it was found that numerous wild charges of inefficiency, mal-admin-istration, graft, political chicanery and “fixing” had little basis of fact. State Svstem Better Complaints of persons on relief rolls are caused mostly by misunderstanding of the aims of social service workers and the requirements necessary to obtain relief. The Times found the state control system, despite dual control in some townships where trustees provide for direct relief, infinitely better than the relief provided under the trustee before the state became “boss” with its Federal money. Work relief has done much to raise the standard of living in relief homes. Township trustees now fear that the incoming Legislature will wipe out their jobs because of a movement to place township business under county governments. Miss Noone Efficient Whether township relief is as efficient as state control depends in a large measure on honesty of the trustees. Indianapolis, under Miss Hannah Noone, Center Township Trustee, was fortunate in having inadequate relief administered honestly up to the time the Governor's commission took charge. The old type of township basket relief is infinitely more economical than work relief, but it is an economy, apparently, that demoralizes the family and fails to prepare the men at the heads of families for employment in private industry as does the more expensive relief method of weekly wages. The trading of direct relief grocery orders for liquor and the use of a can of peaches to obtain a package of cigarets is just as possible under township basket relief as under the state’s system of direct relief. Glad When It’s Over “The Go\ernor’s commission,” says Miss Deem, “recognizes its responsibility in helping each community reassume its own relief problem, and is working to that end.” Miss Deom, as director of the state’s dispensing of relief, has no illusions about the popularity of giving relief. “To begin with those who are receiving relief do not like it. They think they should be receiving more than they are allowed. Then many apply for relief and are denied it. They do not like that. Those who pay the bills for relief do not like it because in their opinion it costs too much. The only cheers we shall hear for the relief administration will be from this group when the job is over. And I shall join them,” concluded Miss Deem. tTHE E^Di

STATE POLICE OFFICER IN CRITICAL CONDITION Vernon Shields, Detective Chief, Suffers Brain Hemorrhage. Vernon Shields. 1635 Central-av, since Jan. 1. 1930, detective chief of the Indiana State Police, is in St. Vincent's Hospital in a critical condition as a result of a brain hemorrhage. Mr. Shields, who is <-8 years of age. was police chief of Crawfordsville, Ind.. for eight years preceding his appointment to the finger print division of the state police organization. Mr. Shields became ill Friday night at his home. He was taken to St. Vincent’s late yesterday afternoon. GROCER GROUP ELECTS RUGENSTEIN PRESIDENT Fred Steinsberger to Retire as Food Association Head. Fred W. Steinsberger will be succeeded as president of the Indianapolis Retail Meat and Grocers’ Association by Edgar Rugenstein, 736 Man*.wood-av. Mr. Rugenstein was named at the annual election held last night in the Hoosier Athletic Club. Other npw officers are Walter J. Mcrser, 4202 Carrollton-av. first vicepresident; Ray S. Harlan, second vice-president; Elmer Lay. treasurer; Edward Dirks and Joe Guidone, directors for three years, and Leo Lefkovits and Bert Lay, directors for two years.

Gruelling Test Is Given Aspiring Cub Reporters Old Hit-And-Miss System Gives Way to Examinations Desired by The Times.

BY JOE COLLIER Times Staff Writer THE top of the examination room opened on to The Indianapolis Tunes mailing room. Noise, confusion, distraction! The examination started two hours after schedule. Reporters cool their heels and still remember what to ask and why they’re there! There was no luncheon, and the applicants were hungry. There is no time to eat when a story breaks fast! Under such conditions 14 applicants for first newspaper jobs were tested last week by The Times in an effort to find the best two among them. The winners: Edwin D. Ogbome, 425 W. 43rd-st, and Robert Baker. 590 East-dr Woodruff Place. Departing from the traditional hit-or-miss systems of hiring new men in the newspaper business, The Times, with two “cub” positions open in the editorial department, devised a competitive examination for which it selected the 14 best candidates from 160 applicants, selecting the 14 on the basis of the best letters of application. These candidates met Monday in The Times’ editorial rooms, were kept waiting for two hours, and, finally were given four sets of questions to answer, all pertinent to the knowledge of the ideally informed reporter would have.

In a room not too well ventilated, a typewriter not too familiar to them, assailed by noises they never heard before, and warned in advance that time and accuracy would be factors in the grading, the 14 were set at work. A monitor watched. a a a ACTUALLY, more counted than speed and correctness. Persistence and observation counted. Endurance through the long hours of having no sustenance, and through the resultant “fag”; the power of imagination under those circumstances; ability to follow oral and wTitten instructions as to detail in identifying examination papers; all of these com'ted in units granted or denied in the final score. The first set of questions was about the fire department and was quite technical. It was designed to give light on how stubbornly the applicant would attack a problem which probably was quite foreign to him, and how ingenious he would be in finding definitions of terms he didn’t understand. If a preponderance of correct answers were given by any applicant, it implied he knew a great deal more about the subject than was covered by the questions. The second list was about the police department and police activities. It contained not only questions that involved a smattering knowledge of law, but also questions that required information on underworld slang and on police procedure. The applicant also was required to give his views on one of the current important social problems of police methods—the third degree. a a a THE third, and most heavily scored list of questions concerned government. All ye who have not studied your civics, enter not. Do you know how many separate bodies there are in Marion County with the power to tax? Name them, then! In this division there were the most questions. Information on governmental operations is regarded as most essential to reporting. The last lits was about newspapapers. It was short, but in it was hidden an invitation, frr.nkly put there for a purpose, to fatter The Times. Judicial use of ihe “goose grease” is sometimes a nar.dy weapon of an otherwise stymied reporter when the story Tests with words or information possessed by one person. Then, when they had waded through all that, and their nerves were on edge and their stomachs were empty and they probably wished to goodness, or worse, that the thing would end, the 14 candidates were taken on what apparently was a casual trip through the entire plant of The Times. Anything they wanted explained was explained. All questions were answered. They were, for all they knew, guests of the management on a tour of the place that had no reference to the test, except the mere coincidence of their being there. a a a AS a last blow, after their tour, they were asked to write as much or as little as they wished on one mechanical department, likely the least of interest to them. One group was given the sterotyping department, one the photo-engraving department, and one the press room. These, graded heavily for observation and persistence, were highly important factors in the complete score. There were, in the lists, questions designed to bring out how carefully applicants had read

follow this planfor better CONTROL OF COLDS For FEWER Colds 'For SHORTER Colds , VICKS VA-TRO-NOL VICKS VAPORUB At the first warning sneeze, If a cold has already develsniffle, or nasal irritation, oped, apply Vicks Vapoßub quick!••• apply Vicks overthroatandchestatbed-Va-tro-nol—just a few drops time. Mothers of two generaup each nostril. When used in tions have learned to depend time, Va-tro-nol helps to pre- on its poultice-vapor action venf many colds, and to throw to help shorten a cold —and off colds in their early stages, without the risks of “dosing.” Build RESISTANCE to Colds —by following the simple health rules that are also a part of Vicks Plan for Better Control of Colds. It has been clinically tested by physicians —and proved in everyday home use by millions. (Full details of this unique*Plan in each Vicks Package.)

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

newspapers, observed news pictures. It was felt by The Times, when it designed the test, that the method of employing “cubs” who had someone to intercede for them or who made good first impressions, was unfair to both the paper and the applicants. It might waste several weeks of the time of each to discover that they really had no aptitude for the business. The high man got 644 points out of a possible 1040. The low man 106. The limes does not claim this to be an infallible method of selecting the two best fitted for newspaper editorial work out of 14 candidates. It merely believes it is better than method traditionally used. Tin winners joined the staff this week.

The Times Honor Roll Early Donors to Clothe-A-Child Warm Hearts in Lhtle Bodies.

CLOTHE-A-CHILD of The Indianapolis Times is growing hourly in going Into homes of the city’s needy. Children are being clothed who would have no Christmas gift if it were not for the giving of a city’s good hearts. The first sixty donors to the campaign are listed below: Credit office, H. P. Wasson & Cos., girl. Mr. and Mrs. Orbray Jones, boy and girl. Hillcrest Country Club Bowline League. Pritchett alleys, boy and jjirl. Flo Mary and Julia Ann Foreman, girl. Mr. and Mrs. North Delaware-st, girl. Friends, boy. The Miracle Man, girl. Cast of Sahara Grotto and Ladies, girl. In Memory of Mother, from M. P„ a girl. Alias Santa Claus, a boy. In Memory of Lefty Lee. boy. Illinois Building Goodfellow, boy and girl. Omega Phi Tau Sorority, Alpha Chapter. boy and girl. G. T. Club. boy. Anonymous, boy. Mrs. East New York-gt, girl. L. S. Ayres & Cos.. Downstairs Store Relief Club. 10 children. Employes of Fuller’s Friendly Barber Shops. Inc., boy and gitl. Delta Sigma Sorority, Beta Chapter, boy. George J. Egenoff Machine Company, boy and girl. From a Red-Headed Santa, boy and girl. The Friendly Club on the South Side. bov. two Misses Who'll Start Girl in School, girl. In Memory of Mama, boy and girl. Ladies’ Auxiliary to tbe Indianapolis Caledonian Club, girl. Indianapolis Bowling League. Pritchett Alleys, bov and a girl. American Legion Auxiliary, Indianapolis Post No. 4, boy. In memory of Miss Dorothy Helen Farber. girl. Employes, Public Service Company of Indiana, seventh floor. Traction Terminal Building, five children. Employes, Indiana National Bank, second floor, three children. Fish and Game Division employes. State Conservation Department, girl. Man Who Wants Betty Arain, girl. Artist and Wife. boy. A City Official, boy and girl. Mr. and Airs. J. H. 8.. girl. Train Crash Kills Hoosier By United Press CLAYTON, Ind., Dec. 11.—George Appleby, 60, officer of the Coatesville Lumber Company and lifelong resident of Hendricks County, was killed late yesterday when his automobile was wrecked by a Pennsylvania passenger train at Amo. Burns Prove Fatal to Woman By United Press LINTON, Ind., Dec. 11.—Mrs. Harry Beadle, 51, died late yesterday from burns suffered in explosion of a gasoline lamp in her home.

LEGION CHIEF SEES BONUS AS GOODBANKING Financier and Commander Speaks Frankly of His Dual Position. (Continued From Page One) of the adjusted service certificates offers an effective medium for carrying out the Government policy of expending vast sums of money for ! human relief and stimulation of renewed business activity without adding to the national debt. “I am not’afraid to defend the policy before any gathering of sound business minds in the country.”

Talking with Commander Belgrano discloses that he has a marked animosity toward the word “bonus.” In all of his public utterances the first time he mentions the phrase “adjusted service certificates,” It immediately is succeeded by the words “commonly misnamed the bonus.” It is not a bonus, he says, but belated Government recognition of its failure to pay fair compensation to service men in the World War. Young, (he is only 39) handsome and short of stature, he sits behind his desk answering questions readily. In many instances his replies are made before the echo of the questioner’s voice is stilled On matters of finance, his profession is not belied by the manner in which he has figures at his finger

tips. When Mr. Belgrano was named national commander, much ado was made of the fact that he is a banker. Bankers generally are diametrically opposed to payment of the bonus, fearful lest passage of such a bill will force the country into inflation. No matter how skeptical the rest of the financial gentry maybe, Commander Belgrano, the central figure in the scene, views the alliteration ol banker and bonus as a sound business proposition. The California banker entered military service in 1917, a year after 1::- wa c- graduated Irom high school. Affce serving as private, corporal a* sergeant he was assigned to vxi'j officers’ training school at Louisville, Ky. ; and commissioned a second lieutena.it. Almost immediately after his honorable discharge from the Army he took jan active interest in the Legion, serving on both state and national committtees. The Legion. Commander Belgrano avers, has offered the Government an effective and proper medium for distributing some of its recovery funds without increasing the national debt. Calling attention to the point that the payment of the adjusted service certificates represents an obligation of the Government, Commander Belgrano says payment now would put money into every' channel of business and trade while, at the same time, the national debt would be reduced. “The dollar at the time this obligation was pledged was 100 cents dollar,” he says, “and on the lowered value of today we are asking no more than that to which we are entitled.” Commander Belgrano, who is rs Italian descent, was born in San Francisco and spent virtually all of his business life in California. He now is vice-president of the Bank of America National Trust and Savings Assn., president of the Pacific National Fire Insurance Cos. of San Francisco and vice-president of the Occidental Life Insurance Cos. Commander Belgrano declares that the Legion on numerous occasions has withheld its demand for the wiping out of the debt represented by adjusted service certificates in a sincere effort to assist the Government in maintaining a balanced Federal budget.

PROFESSOR OF LAW SPEAKS BEFORE CLUB Constitutionality of New Deal Discussed by Hugh W. Willis. By reversing at least two previous decisions and extending the scope of others, the United States Supreme Court may be expected to uphold the constitutionality of the New Deal, Professor Hugh W. Willis, Indiana University Law School, told the Indiana University Club yesterday. Professor Willis predicted the main features of the Roosevelt administration's program for national recovery will be upheld although minor provisions may bo reversed.

SPECIAL PRE-HOLIDAY OFFERING SALE OF METALLIC HATS tions or 10 add a touch of brightness to your winter SCARF SETS I All colors, “ /O c 45 EAST WASHINGTON STREET

If you are troubled with tender, sensitive, easily* I irritated or ra*hv skin you owe it to yourself to make L Cntlenra Soap your daily toilet soap. Con* ! I taining medicinal and emollient properties derived i ' * ‘Mil rom Cntlenra Ointment, it soothes, comforts, ■UtsJßga I protects and keeps the skin clear and healthy. SEflfiH Proprietors; Potter Druft A Chemical Corporation j^4aidi>n l Mam*

BOOST CHRISTMAS ScAL SALE IN CITY

i kHih. ] I M m&SR

George Lehman Jr.

I m #> ■) .

Fred E. Shick

Hundred of volunteer workers are co-operating in the 1934 tuberculosis Chrismas Seal sale which opened Dec. 3 and will continue until Dec. 24. The Christmas Seal ccmmittee, of which Eli Lilly is chairman, is urging a widespread use of the tiny “messengers of mercy” in order that the Marion County Tuberculosis Association may have an adequate budget to continue its war on tuberculosis in this county. The association depends entirely upon the sale of Christmas Seals for its budget. The Rev. H. B. Hostetter, D. D., is a member of the church committee sponsoring the sale of seals. Fred E. Shick, president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and George Lehman Jr., young attorney, are members of the speakers’ bureau which is spreading the seal message throughoutthe country.

CLOTHE-A-CHILD EDITOR ON PROGRAM Steinel to Explain Christmas Fund Work for Junior C. of C. Tex leave ample opportunity for Christmas shopping, the Indianapolis Junior Chamber of Commerce will cram a mouthful of activity into one meeting at noon tomorrow in the Board of Trade Library, it was announced today. Charles W. Chase, Indianapolis Railways president, will speak on the activities of his company and representatives of three newspapers will describe their Christmas fund work. Arch Steinel of The Indianapolis Times will discuss the Clothe-A-Child campaign; Russell Campbell of the Star will talk on the Star’s toy campaign, and Jack Gunell of the News will discuss the Christmas Cheer campaign.

$3135 IN BACK PAY GAINED FOR WORKERS 15 Labor Cases Adjusted for 199 Employes by NRA. Back wages amounting to $3135.94 and affecting 199 employes in Indiana have been paid during the last two weeks under NRA orders, Francis Wells, Executive Assistant State Complance Officer, announced today. Restitution resulted from the adjustment of 15 cases. During the two-week period, Mr. Wells announced, 62 labor and 13 trade practice complaints and five more under the President’s ReEmployment Agreement, were received..

The Rev. H. B. Hostetter

TOURING NEGRO STOPSJN CITY Toledo Lecturer Advocates Return of Race to Native Africa. Advocating the recurn of the Negro to his native Africa, and the colonization of American Negroes in Liberia, the Rev. Sterling M. Means, Negro, Toledo minister, author and lecturer, prepared to leave Indianapolis tomorrow and continue his tour of the Mid-West. Repeating the plan which he explained in detail before an audience Sunday, Mr. Means declared that the solution of racial problems can be realized only when members of his race are returned to Liberia, and the United States Government supports a colonization project. “History has no record wherein two races lived and progressed together,” Mr. Means asserted, “and the difference in social orders of white and black men never can be adjusted fairly. If the NRA meant ‘Negro Return to Africa,’ Liberia would be another Plymouth Rock where pilgrims might land. “The brain of the black race is in America,” he averred, “but its strength is in Africa. In the new reconstruction of the world, the Negro must build for himself and his posterity if he is to be protected from lynching, mob violence and social injustice.”

SEEK JURY IN TRIAL OF YOUNG KILLER SUSPECT 22-Year-Old Husband Faces Court on Murder Charge. A jury this afternoon was being selected in Criminal Court to try Norman K. Short, 22, on charges of murdering his father-in-law, Adolph Squires, 44, of 259 Hendricks-pl, last Aug. 22, when Mr. Squires protested against Short’s treatment of his young wife. Short is being tried for second degree murdei before Criminal Judge Frank P, Baker. FUN dTrANSFERS~ARE OPPOSED BY COUNCIL County Board Enunciates Policy Effective Next Y'ear. The Marion County Council today went on record as opposing a transference of county office funds after the first of the year. In cases of extreme emergency, however, the council said that the transfers might be granted. The council granted SSOOO in additional requests from county offices. All of the sums were for small individual amounts.

4 S*EAST WASHINGTON STREET

PAGE 3

SALE OF ARMS HELPED U. S M DU PONTS’ IDEA Munitions Investigators Disclose Powder Firm’s Opinion in 1923 Confab. By United Prom WASHINGTON. Dec. 11—Senat® munitions investigators disclosed this afternoon an opinion by du Pont Company exeutives, in 1923 that military branches of the Government recognized the “advantage in dealing with potential enemies.” A. Felix du Pont, then chief of the company's smokeless powder department, was shown to have advised his executive committee on July 14, 1923, that the War Depart* ment obtained "information of military’ value” whenever a private manufacturer sold to an unfriendly power. The disclosure followed evidence that the du Pont firm arranged with Army officers in 1922 to obtain 160.000 rounds of ammunition from reserve equipment for sale to Japan. However, Major K. K. V. Casey, military sales director, testified the material finally was obtained elsewhere. Data Mentions Conversation Felix du Pont’s memorandum mentioned a conversation with a Colonel McCabe, former Chief of Military Intelligence and added: “Colonel McCabe could see no objection to our dealing with Country A if we wanted to and used the following argument: “That Country A will buy munitions if she needs them, therefore, there is no reason why manufacturers in this country should not sell to Country A. “From the military standpoint, the business has this value, that if Country A is going to obtain munitions somewhere, by obtaining them from the United States our Army learns how much and what kind of powder she is buying and by deduction is in a position to obtain a considerable amount of information of military value. Advantage Recognized The advantage in dealing with potential enemies to obtain information is recognized by both branches of the military service, and in discussing a similar condition in connection with Country B. Admiral Long, recently in charge of naval intelligence, advised Maj. Casey that the same condition applied to that country.’ The committee read a memorandum from Maj. Casey to Felix du Pont on March 26, 1924, relating an interview with Adirmal Bloch of the Navy Department in December, 1923. “I was informed,” Maj. Casey wrote, “that the Bureau of Ordinance, Navy, would do everything within its power to assist us in making sales to foreign governments.” CITY WOMAN SOUGHT FOR HOLDUP QUIZZING License Plates on Pay Roll Car Reported Hers. Leona M. Brow r n, formerly of 3351 Guilford-av., reported wife of Edward (Foggy) Dean, accused as tha slayer of Sergeant Lester Jones, today was being sougl. for questioning by police. Police wished to question her in regard to statement of witnesses to a $433 pay roll holdup in Louisville yesterday that the license plates on the car used in the holdup tallied with those issued to her.