Indianapolis Times, Volume 47, Number 266, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 January 1936 — Page 12

PAGE 12

The Indianapolis Times (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER) ROT W. HOWARD Pre*t4nt LUDWKLL DENNY Editor KARL D, BAKER Business Manager*

Otve Ught and the People Will Find Their Own Wap

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WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 15, 1938. COMMUNITY MEDICINE '■fc ''HE proposal of citizens of Economy, Ind., to pay A sls a year each toward the salary of a physician Is a frank approach to a serious problem. It is sensed, rather vaguely by everybody except the doctors. that the general practitioner, the family doctor, has had tough sledding in the last five years. Yet he is a necessity and the people of Economy recognize It ana move to subsidize him. The plan is a sort of informal, self-imposed health insurance. It follows the Chinese plan of paying a doctor in advance to keep them well. Americans wait till they get sick, summon the doctor, and then trust to future earnings to be able to pay him, unless they carry health insurance policies. The doctors as a rule oppose state medicine. Whether they will oppose community medicine or rot remains to be seen. CONCERNING CONGRESS A S was expected, Congress has drawn another volley of brickbats for its surrender to the veterans’ new putsch. It deserves criticism. If the Senate bonus vote compares with the House landslide, Congress will add another estimated billion dollars of debt burden to the nation’s aching back. In view of the general relief demands and revenue losses resulting from the AAA decision, such a handsome handout right now Is poor business. But while criticising and warning against further yielding to pressure groups we propose also to defend Congress, even in its sacred right to make a fool of itself. The need for this goes far deeper than the bonus or any other particular bill. It goes to the heart of democracy, now on the defensive as never before in our day. Parliamentary government is fighting for survival, not only in Europe but in the United States. It has lost in Italy, Russia, Japan, Germany, Spain and some smaller countries. Here a strong and aggressive economic group seems bent on stripping the people’s national Legislature of all power to modernize and reform our institutions of finance, industry and agriculture through effective Federal laws. While in Europe this group has won over the parliaments by force, here it fights a legalistic war. The issue is not new. It first broke when Washington, Randolph, Madison and other Virginians went to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and forced through the Virginia Plan for endowing Congress with power to legislate for the general welfare. It continued through the famous Hamilton-Jefferson feud. Enemies of Congress won their first big victory when Chief Justice Marshall in 1803 assumed the right to nullify congressional acts. Jefferson’s rebuke for that usurpation was so stinging that the issue slept for half a century. 000 “T KNOW of no safe repository In the ultimate -*• powers of the society, but the people themselves,” Jefferson said, “and if we think them unenlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion by education.” The issue became acute again in 1857 when a divided Supreme Court ir. its fateful Dred Scott decision voided Congress’ right to pass the Missouri Compromise Act. “Why should we not have a patient confidence in the ultimate Justice of the people?” asked Lincoln then. “Is there any better, is there any equal hope in the world?” Today the issue is once more with us. “It must be remembered,” said Justice Stone in his minority opinion on AAA, “that legislators are the ultimate guardians of the liberties and welfare of the people in quite as great a degree as the courts.” “Whether one prefers judicial government or legislative and executive government is another question,” said Prof. Thomas Reed Powell of Harvard Law School. “The judiciary is certainly incompetent to repair the ravages it may commit Legislatures are not powerless.” Parliamentary government often is costly and inefficient. Often it works injustice against the masses in behalf of noisy and potent minorities. Let us as citizens and voters admit its faults and help correct its mistakes. MARS’ DUFFEL 'T'O fight and “win” a war requires all sorts of A things, as J. P. Morgan & revealed at Senate Munitions Committee hearings. As commercial agents of the Allies this firm apent $3,000,000,000 in this country for war materials. Nearly a half-billion went to the House of du Pont for gas. chemicals and other things needful for the grim business. But to lend an air of gayety $52,000,000 was spent on musical instruments, chewing gum, whisky flasks and other things to lighten the doughboy’s moments. Then there was an item, small enough but necesaary for a complete equipment. This was S2OOO for artificial limbs. QUID PRO QUO? "VI/'E don’t owe a dollar to any one,” said George F. Getz, Republican National Committee treasurer, announcing payment of the final $42,000 of the recent $225,000 party debt. We trust that in raising the money to liquidate that debt, the Republicans haven’t incurred any more onerous obligations. TWENTY LYNCHINGS r I 'USKEGEE INSTITUTE reports that there were 20 lynchings in the United States in 1935. That is five more than in 1934. The states that contributed to this grewsome record were: California, one; North Carolina, one; Tennessee, one; Georgia, two; Texas, two; Florida, two; Louisiana, four; Mississippi, seven. One man was lynched for an altercation with a white man. another for share-cropper union agitation, one for slapping a woman. A total of 84 persons were saved from death at the hands of mobs. Does Congress need any more argument to prove

that lynchings, like kidnaping*, are its affair? The Wagner-Costigan anti-lynching bill still Is pending. HOT SPOT 'T'HE wisdom of Solomon, no less, will be needed in the management of chain broadcasting between now and election day. To sense that, It is only necessary to read correspondence between Republican National Chairman Henry P. Fletcher and Columbia Broadcasting President William S. Paky. Mr. Fletcher, very properly, demands that no favorites be played. Mr. Paley, in an evidently sincere effort to be fair, states his policy. But Mr. Paley’s policy by no means suits Mr. Fletcher, who hints not too subtly that political pressure through the Federal Communications Commission might be causing the* rules to which Mr. Fletcher objects, the broadcasters’ right to operate being under license from that commission. The broadcasters have decreed that such political addresses as shall come on the air between now and convention time shall be free, no time being sold until after the nomination, and that the broadcasters will be the Judge of whether the public is sufficiently Interested to warrant free allocation of time. This is by no means to Mr. Fletcher’s liking. He would fain present to the public forthwith, and pay therefor, dramatic skits “to bring home to the voters the effect of the Administration's aims and policies and the vital issues affecting the very foundations of constitutional government before the heat and fury of the political campaign.” But that desire is thwarted by another policy enunciated last December, before the present controversy. which suddenly flamed up hot with President Roosevelt’s both-barrel 9 p. m. broadcast on the opening night of Congress. u “ A PPEALS to the electorate,” reads that policy, “should be intellectual and not based on emotion, passion or prejudice. We recognize that even the oratorical discussion of campaign issues can to a degree be stamped with the aforementioned flaws, but we are convinced that dramatizations would throw the radio campaign almost wholly over to the emotional side. Then, too, we believe that the dramatic method by its very nature would tend to overemphasize incidents of minor importance and significance, simply because of the dramatic value.” Which, in shorter language, means that there’ll be nothing doing if some political Thespian wants to tread the boards with “lend me your ears, we come to bury Roosevelt, not to praise him.” All of which is merely the start on a long list of knotty problems for those who edit on the air. Not only the wisdom of Solomon, but the patipnee of Job will be required. Sometimes we think our lot in newspaper editing is a hard one. But we must confess that the picture we have above described gives us repose, by contrast. In the first place, we don’t have to meet the “space” problems that the chain broadcasters have. In broadcasting the space consists of 24 hours, about eight of which have to be subtracted before “publication” starts. We can add pages. The broadcasters can’t add hours. But that’s not the most important consolation. Without in the least indorsing the implication that the Federal Communications Commission has anything to do with the rulings of the broadcasters, we nevertheless are disposed frequently to give thanks that we aren’t operating under a license that might be yanked in six months. tt it a TN general, we think Mr. Paley is meeting his prob- -*• lem with wisdom and restraint, despite the kicks from Mr. Fletcher, and the other kicks that inevitably will come from the Democrats also, as the campaign proceeds. We believe he is justified in retaining for himself the right to be the judge on what is of sufficient public interest to get into his “paper.” Otherwise the radio would be but one continuous blast of campaign talk from now until November. We think the broadcasters are wise also as a matter of plain business in riot accepting political money until the home stretch is reached, for campaigns come only once in a while, whereas commercial sponsors are a steady diet. And then, too, political money has a habit of not holding out. We believe the chief duty of the broadcasters is to strive for even-handed justice in allocating such radio time as is given to the campaign. That is vital in the public interest, so Both sides can be heard. Our only criticism of the broadcaster policy has to do with the barring of dramatizations. Though recognizing some truth in what they say about possible distortion, over-emphasis, and emotionalism versus intellect, if we were running it we’d let the dramatists perform, nevertheless, barring of course profanity, libel and obscenity, and trust the American people to stand it, perchance even to welcome it, as a pleasing relief from the orthodox oratory of the past. We believe it would be surprising to see what a capacity the American people could develop in discounting the political playwright as they now discount the old-fashloncd spellbinder. We say, “1/ we were running it." But we’re glad we’re not. A WOMAN’S VIEWPOINT By Mrs. Walter Ferguson TT has been said that the cost of beauty culture in A this country almost rivals that of agriculture. We’ll lay a two-to-one bet that the work involved is much greater. No farmer slaves harder at his job than the professional beauty who knows that if any one on earth must make hay while the sun shines it is she. Against the cult of beauty we have no complaints; 6ome day when the history of our age is told, due credit for progress must be given the modern beauty parlor from which so many homely women have emerged much easier on the eyes. Women have gained immeasurably in physical attractiveness since the cosmetic business became one of the most profitable on earth. But, now and then, watching groups of them primp and preen, we are touched by a suspicion that they may have lost something in the process—some delicate essence of loveliness which once endowed those who were more interested m spiritual qualities than in outward appearance. In short, we seem too much concerned with physical charm and not enough with other virtues—and there are others, although at times you might not believe so, as you regard the modem scene where beauty of itself has become so precious and its rewards so great that it looks a little foolish for a woman to develop graces of mind and heart. Most of us feel it is lar more important to match our lipstick with our complexion than to adjust our dispositions to the conditions of life. Our rouge must be smooth even if our tempers are not. Frankly, we get tired of these hordes of sleek, perfectly groomed women, each intent only upon herself. Once there did exist a magnificent disregard of self which is lost to most modem women. It gave to our outmoded mamas a charm which their daughters do not always possess. The secret of this charm, of course, was their concern in making others comfortable and happy. That, far more than a shiny

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

Squaring The Circle With MeCREAOY HUSTON

T HAVE before me, as I suspect A many readers have, a formidable looking document which is the individual gross income tax return for the state of Indiana. Why compile war records? Why take a census? More or less everything about one’s private life, except whether he takes two or three lumps of sugar in his coffee, must be set down on this form and duly sworn. By the time a citizen fills in all the answers, files the paper and makes his payment, he is indeed ready for that other document, the Federal income tax form. It is like a pitcher warming up with the new ball. 000 'T'HERE is a pinkish paper with 1 the form. I could not say whether or not the color is symbolical. But it starts off with a chilling warning. In capitals, it sets forth that the taxpayer ic responsible for filing the return and making ing the payment. No back-and-forthing permitted and no stalling. When in 1932 it was decided to make Indiana safe for Democracy the eventual result was a gross income tax law designed to inspire fear in the hearts of all would-be evaders. I don’t suppose that even those tax experts who, during the twenties, taught business men how to cut down their Federal income taxes could do much with this law. it 00 'TpHE compilers of the instructions got some quaint if unconscious humor into the instructions. Listing those who are bound to make a return or go to Otto Ray’s county jail, they mentioned “joint ventures.” That tickled me. I am told there are plenty of joint ventures in Indianapolis. in fact, a joint is always a venture, depending upon the tolerance of the neighbors and the vigilance of the police. If the state collects gross income tax from all the joint ventures it should be able to reduce the taxes on some other ventures. 000 TN reading the pink instructions I came across a word which I have never been able to understand. It seems that “fiduciaries” have certain rather involved obligations. I am everything else in the meaning of the law except a fiduciary, according to my reading of the document and consultation of Webster’s dictionary. But the term seams so magnificent that I believe if I were starting this life over again I w'ould be a fiduciary rather than a newspaper man. 000 I USED to think that the authors of the Federal income tax form were geniuses. Especially when they framed that paragraph about earned income. But they were novices compared to the ones who prepared this Indiana headache. Not that it will undo me. I am merely a salaried man and if I don’t report my salary the state can very easily get it from the business office of The Times and lead me off to prison. But I suffer for merchants and manufacturers and people who own houses and apartments for rent and for all manner of enterprises—especially those which do not take in enough to pay for the expert bookkeeping required to comply with the law. 0 0 0 TT seems to me that the gross income tax form has one genuine value. Over a period of years it will .nake the people so sick of accounting that they will make up their minds never to have another depression. 000 TT would be a lot simpler if one ■■■ could just carry the frayed wallet over to the Statehouse and let the treasurer take out whatever he thought was right and brand one on the forehead as tax-paid. I know I shall need two secretaries, an accountant and perhaps Rube Goldberg to make out this form, even though I have only one quite simple source of income.

OTHER OPINION On the Supreme Court (The New Republic.) The court has never been averse from enlarging its own scope; the prerogative that it has assumed of vetoing legislation is certainly not one explicitly to be found in the words of the Constitution. Why not appeal to it on the basis of the well-recognized and unassailable principle that he who exercises power ought to be responsible? Why does not Congress pass a joint resolution to the effect that since its incompetence has been so clearly demonstrated by the court, it has no self-respecting alternative but to resign in a body, leaving the court to govern the nation? # u u On Neutrality [Gen. Smedley D. Butler] We must not permit ourselves to become more than passively interested and must not take sides in any war outside the limits of the United States. If we do so we shall become involved. We must remain strictly neutral in thought, sympathy and in fact. If necessary, in order to make certain that we stay out of this conflict, we must even close our doors to all foreign trade until the storm blows over. Don’t lend money or give any credits.

TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE

The Hoosier Forum

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns, religious controversies excluded. Make vour letter i short, so all can have a chance. Limit them to ZSO words or less. Your letter must be sianed, but names will be withheld on reouest.) 0 0 0 DEPLORES ACTION OF COURT ON AAA By C. M. F. The decision of the Supreme Court smashing the agricultural relief act is arrived at by a vote of six to three. Three of America’s greatest legal minds hold that this act of Congress is constitutional. Six judges, including the able mind of Justice Hughes, take the contrary view. In a democratic government, someone must have the binding word. The word of the majority of the court is, for the time being, the law and will by all law-abiding Americans be accepted as such. The form of agricultural relief which in the past two and a half years has rescued American agriculture from the depths of despair and has brought huge benefits to industry and commerce in general, is now dead. Congress voted two to one tha* it was a good law. The justices voted two to one that it was a bad law. The justices have the last word. The decision is not, of course, the voice of God. Judges are human, fallible. They can also make mistakes. They divide what is constitutional according to their political temperament, political bias and philosophy. The AAA had saved American agriculture. Agriculture, on the rocks for years, had been lifted by this effort from a starvation income of five billions to seven billions in 1934 and a yet better showing in 1935. For the last 12 years it had been the menace of the Harding, Coolidge and Hoover Administrations, year by year it was slowly disintegrating, until by March, 1933, it had all but collapsed. All plans in trying to aid agriculture during the last three Administrations had utterly failed, thus the AAA was the lifeline of a great industry. This lifeline has now been cut, and by a disagreeing court. For the moment probably this decision will not be felt, because it will take time for over-production to <*gain be with us. To agriculture this decision is as it would be to manufacturing, if protective tariffs behind which it operates, were affected. The farm law was, in truth, nothing more in effect than a protective tariff for agriculture. The farmers now lose their tariff. They have nothing to guide them as to over-production. This threatens a return to the bankruptcy prices of cotton, wheat, hogs and other agricultural products which prevailed before the law was passed. This does not concern the farmers alone. The buying power which the AAA brought to the farmers has accounted for 63.3 per cent of the increase, since 1932, in the nation’s

Questions and Answers

Inclose a 3-cent stamp for reply when addressing any question of fact or information to The Indianapolis Times Borne Service Bureau, 1013 Thirteenths' N. W., Washington, D. C. Legal and medical advice can not be given, nor can extended research be undertaken. Q —What is the address of the International Mark Twain Society? A—Webster Grove, Mo. Q—What Is the population of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia? A—lt is estimated at 70,000. Q —Would the seizure of the Philippine Islands by Japan be a violation of the Monroe Doctrine? A—No; because the Monroe Doctrine refers only to the interference of non-American powers in the American continents. Q—ln what picture did Lawrence Tibbett make his film debut? A—“ The Rogue Song,” a sound picture. Q— ls it legal for officers in the United States Navy and Army to accept presents from rulers of foreign countries? A —Section 9 of Article 1 of the United States Constitution provides that; “No person holding any

l wholly disapprove of ivhat you say—and will defend to the death your right to say it. — Voltaire.

retail trade. Our general structure of recovery is shaken by the thing that has happened now. 0 0 0 ADMITS OARP PUZZLES HIM GREATLY By Charles C. Bender, Bloomington Writing about the Townsend plan, John T. Flynn illustrates something like this: Each of 10 persons has a monthly income of SIOO and an eleventh has no income, combined income SIOOO. Then these incomes are taxed 10 per cent for the benefit of the eleventh, resulting in each of the 10 receiving a net monthly income of S9O and the eleventh SIOO, combined net income still SIOOO. I use this illustration for my purpose. With S9O net income instead of SIOO, the 10 might hoard less, because they have less, so business might increase to that extent. But if in both cases all the income is spent immediately, it surely is true that pensioning the one, while admittedly temporarily benefiting him, would not be of general benefit, because the same amount is spent in both instances. So far the reasoning must be sound. Is this transaction tax confusing us? I suppose all will agree that the 2 per cent tax would be added to the cost of things as the# pass from seller to seller, and that, as part of the article’s cost, the ultimate buyer would pay all of the accumulated transaction taxes just as certainly as if he paid directly from his income, even though less painfully. This would not be a soak-the-rich tax for everybody would pay. For the plan to succeed, business, cash and goods turnover must be increased greatly and result in better wages, increase of small incomes and more employment (merely replacing old persons with young persons would not make more employment). Otherwise the nonpensioner could not carry the load. Would this happen? The base for the spending is in the primary income, and surely I may say that sharing the income of ten million with one million who have no income would not increase the total net income. Has this perplexing transaction tax a Midas touch that creates values where no values exist? I am puzzled. 000 BELIEVES STATES’ RIGHTS SITUATION CHANGED By Perry Rule, Bringhurst At the time the Federal Constitution was written, predatory groups were wise to the fact that favors could be more easily obtained from a state unit than from a group of state units. Land grants, mining privileges, water and canal rights were looked forward to and those groups had a provision placed in the Federal Constitution reserving to the states such rights. Transportation and communication made small units of government with such exclusive authority needful. But now 48 state units

office of profit or trust under them (the United States), shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatsoever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.” Q—Are the inhabitants of Puerto Rico American citizens? A—Yes. Q—How many presidential electors is the District of Columbia entitled to? A—None. Residents of the District of Columbia have no vote in any elections, and no voice in the selection of the President. Q —ls every person accused of crime in the United States entitled to a trial by jury? A—Article V of the Amendments to the Constitution guarantees the right of trial by jury to every citizen. Q —Are State Police troopers part of the United States Army? A—No; they are solely employes of the states. Q—Where is Port Bragg? A—About 10 miles northwest of Fayetteville, N. a

with constitutional authority that infringes on tlie right of the Federal government to enact welfare legislation is obsolete and is a hindrance to progress and a menace to the general welfare of the citizenry of all the states. Decisions on states’ rights have not been asked for, but now that the court has given back to the states something that was so obsolete that they did not know they had it and were not seeking for it, they will probably not know what to do with it. 000 AGREES WITH ROOSEVELT ON PEACE THREAT By C. E. White, Bloomington The President spoke so plainly that Hitler, Mussolini and the Rev. Father Coughlin pricked their ears when he spoke of autocrats being infernal machines threatening the peace of the world. Any person not a propagandist for these infernal machines ought to be able to see that these autocracies and not the League of Nations are threatening the peace of the world. Mussolini must have felt insulted when Pearson and Allen said Haile Selassie was the most outstanding man of the year. Probably he has inherited some of the wisdom of Solomon and is much more capable of ruling Ethiopia than Mussolini would be and probably Ethiopia is much more highly civilized than many think. “RIVER AND RAIN” BY MAUD COURTNEY WADDELL Winding ribbon of dulled lights Grasping myriad drops from far heights, Heavy they fall on surface disturbed Circling eddies spread like pebbles hurled, Dark rains dash on the river and pound While ominous grows their tireless sound Together swift river, dashing rain Race on to the sea an eager twain, There to be caught by sun’s glaring heat And carried back on clouds long retreat. DAILY THOUGHTS Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.—lsaiah xxxii, 10. MEN at most differ as heaven and earth; but women, worst and best, as heaven and hell.

SIDE GLANCES

i • MA' SBKVWMC. T. M. SCO. U ■ P*T. Off, 'f' ,—p-g

“I don’t know what she can expect of you. You haven’t even made those arrangements for her screen test.”

JAN. 15, 1936

Your... Health By DR. MORRIS FISHBEIN

TTERES a cooking und health hint, combined: If you want to get the most out of your vegetables, and still have the vitamins in them, cook them slowly in a fireless cooker. That saves both the juice of the vegetables and the vitamins, vitamin B-l especially. Vitamin B-l is soluble in water. Therefore, when vegetables are cooked and the water in which they are boiled is thrown away, as much as half of the vitamin is lost. Very high temperatures, also, will destroy vitamin B-l: therefore, vegetables should not be cooked in boiling water, if that vitamin is to be retained. Many housewives add soda to the vegetables to preserve their color. But soda acts to destroy vitamin B-l. Drying, however, does not interfere with the presence of vitamin B-l. Experiments prove that yeast, tomatoes, spinach, milk, cabbages, and turnips may be dried without any loss of the vitamin. If, therefore, you eat a diet containing fruits, vegetables, milk and eggs, and if half of whatever bread and cereals you use are taken in the form of whole grain rather than refined cereal and bread, you will get an ample supply of vitamin B-l. 000 DOCTORS have to be careful about vitamin B-l with patients who are on a diet. A patient with typhoid fever or undulant fever, eating a diet that is greatly modified, will fail to get the vitamin B-l that he requires. There are instances of neuritis developing in such patients, after they have recovered from the. fever, simply because they did not get the necessary vitamin B-l. Persons who have been overdosing themselves with thyroid extract -to reduce weight may get the symptoms of neuritis, and people who overindulge in alcohol, and thereby avoid food, may also develop these symptoms. Those who are on restricted diets, therefore, should get extra amounts of B-l. Various concentrates have been developed for this purpose. The prospective mother and the nursing mother, who do not wish to eat extremely large amounts of food, and thereby to gain excess weight, may well find out from the doctor whether they ought to take extra vitamin B-l. Yeast and yeast extracts are among the richest substances in B-l. However, many manufacturers are not satisfied with furnishing vitamin B-l alone, but they add mineral salts and other vitamins, with tlie hope of making something resembling a perfect food. There is no warrant for shotgun mixtures of this type.

TODAY’S SCIENCE -BY SCIENCE SERVICE

IF a giant star like Antares, tlie largest known star, is put at one end of the scale, and an electron, the smallest known entity, at the other end of the scale, man comes close to its center. Man is about is much larger than the electron as he is smaller than Antares. Similarly, if we put Antares at one end of a scale, and the new dwarf star discovered by Dr. Kuiper at the other end, our sun is somewhere near the center of the scale. The sun, with a diameter of 864.100 miles, is about 400 times smaller than Antares. It is about 200 times larger than Kuiper’s dwarf star which has a diameter half that of the earth, about 4000 miles. Our own sun may be put down as an average star. Yellow in color, it is neither so cool as the red stars nor as warm as the white ones. tt n u WE can get a fair idea of what stars are like in general by looking at the 26 stars which are closest to our own sun. We get a fairer sample of the galaxy that way than we do by studying more distant stars. For at greater distances we see only the brighter stars and begin to miss the faint ones. Sir James Jeans has tabulated these 26 nearest stars and so we can follow his tabulation. Nearest is Alpha Centauri, really a double star, consisting of two components, both yellow in color and slightly. larger than our own sun. Next is the star known as Proximus Centaurus, a red dwarf far smaller than the sun. The next three stars in order are all red dwarfs. Following these, we come to Sirius, the dog-star, the brightest star in the heavens.

By George Clark