Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 June 1936 — Page 9
EW YORK, June 20.—I"have almost caught up with my sleep again, and for the past couple of days I've been looking at the bi ds and the flowers instead of Republican delegates. In fact, I have reached
the point whene I can contemplate the next vention not only with resignation but even enthusiasm
Of course, at this distance it can hardly be said that the gathering of the Democrats in Philadelphia promises vast excitement. Democrats have a genius for fighting among themthelves and providing good copy
as they cut each others throat,
but I am not optimistic enough to expect any such goings-on this time. Regretfully I admit that it looks like a harmonious conclave. 8till, even a little row will be welcome. Cleveland hardly provided a slugging bee. If you choose you may accept the theory that a vast slaughter of the bosses oc-
curred and that triumphant youth And yet -
leaped into the saddle. I am reliably informed that a well-known reaction,8ty ‘old gentleman wrote “Landon and Knox” on a Slip of paper more than three months ago and said 10 his associates, “This will be our ticket.”
Bill Borah, “Shadow Boxer”
be sure, there were one or two pretty exhibi- : tions of the science of pugilism. Bill Borah put
on” a beautiful piece of shadow boxing. Bill cal land,
a light. left jab and hop away again as well as anybody in public life.. He talked right out about the bosses who would have to be removed from power Before he would consent play ball. Nevertheless, all but one of those he named still remain high in ‘the party's counsel. As a matter of fact, the architects who fashioned and fused the planks found that they had sufficient lumber to make not one, but three or four platforms. Gov, Landon can run on any which he pleases or, Af he is caught .in midair, he need merely explain that he is hopping from platform A to platform D. 2 It is certainly premature to offer much hope that the Democrats will reduce the bunk content of their convention. Democrats are generally better speakfs than Republicans, because they had more experience as members of the opposition. Viewing with alarm is always more interesting than pointing with pride. But there's the rub. Had Herbert Hoover
: ‘elected in 1932 arly visitor to Philadelphia could °
hi gone with complete confidence that he would » hear. some beautiful denouncing. I never regarded Ollie James as a statesman of the first rank, but it ‘was a treat to hear him get up every four years and butcher the Republican opposition. o
re ‘Democrats Hque Better Actors TILL, in one respect Phjladelphia is likely to improve on Cleveland. With very little business to transact the Democrats have probably laid out a good program of entertainment, Four years ago ‘Eddie Dowling did a superb. job as master of’ the mike. It was at the Democratic ocenvention : that Will Rogers delivered one of the finest 45-minute monologues any convention has ever had tossed into its lap. With the exception of Reinald Werrenrath all the stop-gap people the Republicans dug up were from the small time. I don’t know whether there are more Democratic actors and singers than can be found in the Republican ranks, but as a rule the Democrats put en better shows. It has been charged that I am a captious critic as far as Republicans go. Still, if I remember the last Democratic convention I did succeed in getting Ag 8 lot of delegates to refrain. from bowing to me. ver, before 1 am off with the old hate ahd on with the new I hope that the Philadelphia conclave will go a little lighter in equestrian photography. You could ‘not turn to the right or to the left at Cleveland without seeing a picture of Col. Knox and his favorite charger of Gov. Landon and his saddle-horse standby. The only one I missed was John Hamilton, the boy wonder, on his Shetland pony.
My Day
BY MRS. FRANKLIN D. RCUSEVELT ANBURY, Conn. Friday—Four o'clock in the morning is becoming our usual hour for getting up. On arrival yesterday I found a letter telling me that the train for the freshmen and junior varsity races would leave New London at 9 o'clock standard time. : Mrs. Scheider and I prepared to drive up with my daughter and son-in-law, leaving their house at 6 a. m. Later I found a telegram saying, “the train leaves 9:30 daylight.” There was much reluctance on the part of every one to consider that this telegram could be accurate, but after much telephoning we learned at the station that the train really did leave at 9:30 daylight saving time, and that we would have to start from 53d-st at 5 o'clock. Gettin gup early isn't half as bad as you think it is going to.be. When we reached New London we all sat down at the counter in the station for more coffee, which we drank with great zest. Gradually the clans began to gather, and finally the whole party, 10 of us, were there. We got on the observation train and pulled out of the station. The freshman race was & beautiful race—neck and neck almost all the way, and ended satisfactorily to us because Harvard won. I am sure the mother of a Harvard freshman rowing in the race sat behind us, for she fairly bubbled over with enthusiasm. Then we went back to ‘the starting line and the junior varsity shells were off. Almost at once Yale took the lead and held it all the way, winning by several lengths. From the Harvard peint of view it ‘was, of course, a bitter disappointment. to the crew. ‘" We drove over to Red Top, the crew headquarters, afte , to say a few encouraging words to Frank“lin Jr. It is bad enough to row in a losing race, but to go off with your friends afterward is harder. We ‘knew he was'staying on because of the possibility that ‘he might be needed as a substitute on the varsity, and .s0 would spend the day waiting for the race to come . The only consolation he had was an opportunity to watch the race from the coaches’ launch. (Copyright, 1936, by United Features Syndicate, Inc.)
New Books THE PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS—
FN THE LAND OF THE FREE (Houghton; $3.50), : are) Agar dreams once more Jefferson's dream
give herself over to a civilization concerned
bathtubs, hiew gadgets for automobiles, and
«3, Budgét—A*
—
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SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1936
> Tr ntered as Recond-Class Matter + “at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Ind.
-
« x . & A s 8 =
Cg gs
Ty
This is the fifth of a series in the life story of Gov. Landon, Re-
publican nominee for President.
” » =
: i ® = 5 »
BY WILLIS THORNTON NEA Service Staff Correspondent
“LIE balanced the budget.” Justly or unjustly, rightly or wrongly, that is the one thing that brought Alfred
Landon into the national limelight.
single claim to fame and support. : : Those two terms as Governor of Kansas are going to get careful scrutiny during the next few months. They began in 1932 wher Landon took office by a small
majority. He had majorities of only two each in House |. In Kansas, with its intense individualism
and Senate.
which makes it hard for any party leader to keep even his own followers in line, that is no majority at all.
Gov. Landon gradually won
whip-cracking nor by dramatic messages, but simply by calling in leaders one at a time and persuading them to his view. SR He was not then anti-New Deal. His attitude was one implying friendly good wishes for the Roosevelt reforms, and. just before the bank crisis of. 1833, Mr. Landon made a speech in which he said he thought granting special powers fo the executive in emergencies was no menace to democracy. Shortly afterward, Ale pledged support as a Republican Governor in the effort to get America on her feet again. EJ s 8 HE state government was in good shape when Mr. Landon took over. There was a treasury surplus, and several economy laws had been passed or framed by the ‘Woodring: administration and partly made effective. Mr. Landon took up the economy torch, effectively organized and added to the Woodring laws, administered them in such a way as to get results. Three laws enabled Kansas to put its financial house in order. They were: : 1. Tax Limitation—A law which strictly limited the amount of taxes which could be levied by the 11,000 taxing authorities of the state. This was proposed by Mr, Woodring as a constitutional amendment, and opposed by Mr. Jaden as such. Later it became aw. 2. Cash Basis—A law prohibiting local communities from spending more than their. assured income, thus putting an end to the issue of tax anticipation warrants. Mr. Landon’s administration passed it. - ; law. “compelling local taxing authorities to make and publish budgets and hold hearings on them. Signatures of 20 per cent of the voters was a mandate for revision. Mr. Woodring’s administration passed this one. : ; 3 a» 9 Sa R. LANDON himself has ‘never claimed = exclusive credit for Kansas’ balanced budget. He dees claim he tightened up the economy laws and administered them faithfully to get the
desired results. It is friends and
campaigners for the Governor who have made more extravagant claims of budgetary miracle-work-ing. x \ The main fact is undisputed. From 1932-1935 the total cost of government in Kansas, state and local, fell 21 per cent. The budget was balanced and stayed balanced. Kansas was held, rigidly to Mr. Landon’s thesis that “we must not spend whal we haven't got.” . In addition, taxes were reduced. Mr. Landon cut still further re-ductions-in real estate taxes made by the Woodring administration, and cut auto tag taxes by 50 per cent. He cut state salaries all
the Legislature, not by
agound, including ‘a 25 per cent reduction ot his own $5000. He
- abolished the poll tax:
The controversy about Kansas relief is now history. While the state government contributed very, little to relief and nothing at all. to work relief, local units had made contributions which made the Kansas total fairly comparable; to ‘those of other states.
# 4 2 INCE 1933, however, the Federal government has poured $370,000,000 into” Kansas in addition to substantial AAA benefits. These latter have helped farmers to pay their local taxes. The former have helped the state keep down expenses on road and building repair work. It is hard to get around the fact, however, that other states got similar Federal aid and did not balance. Other events tried the Governor’s mettle. Eight months after he first took office, a" bond scan=dal shook the state. A million dollars in state bonds had been duplicated from bonds taken from the state treasury. Banker Warren W. Finney, his son Ronald, and State Tresaurer Tom Boyd and others were ine volved. The Finneys were a prominent Kansas family, and personal friends of some .of the Governor's strongest political “backers. But. he resisted any pressure there may. have been and saw young Finney and Boyd behind the bars. The | elder Finney killed himself when.
appeals were exhausted.
” ” ” OV. LANDON went to bat for his Kansas farmers at Washington when the drought struck in 1934. He made personal inspections of the dust-storm areas, planned the work of listing and anti-drought planning so. that, it
went.-forward. as soon-as Federal
funds were available. He got the Federal government to-double the number of drought-stricken Kansas cattle it bought. ’ He gave Kansas its first chance in more than 50 years to vote on the “wet and ' dry” question, though announcing that he him-" self was going to‘vote:dry. Kansas stood by its tradition. and voted dry. The economy program extended to small things, such as compelling convicts in the state penitentiary to turn in.their old .broken shoestrings before they could get a new pair. There was some criticism of the cuts of teachers’ salaries and the administration of the state university. But the economy is ‘there. As an administrator, Mr. Landon has handled state affairs and public money as though they were his own affairs and his own money; that is, with extreme care. This is only a brief sketch of the four-year record as Governor which will certainly during the next few months become a mine of source material for both parties.
Next—Landon the man, his personality and his principles.
19 A MAN MARRYING a] FORT LIKELY TO A Wife
THER OR NEARER goo HOME Tao EAE AES
4 A STUDY of “residential propinquity” of marriage partners
LET'S EXPLORE YOUR MIND
BY DR. ALBERT EDWARD WIGGAM
WILL A THOUSAND PRiVS oy AOOLAND nd AND TAXIS
It is his principal |
the use of labor
Maustn't Spend What We Haven't Got
®
A “front porch” view of Alf M. Landon and family. John, Cobb, 32, sits.on the arms of daddy's chair; ' ‘Nancy Jo, 3, clings to mother; and Peggy . Ann, ‘19, brings up the rear.
FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES LACKING
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER: : ASHINGTON, June 20.—Man learns slowly and painfully. Indeed, sometimes he seems like a dumb animal which’ can not learn at all. After ages of striving, with the experience and wisdom’ of centuries at his command, he still has not learned how to live comfortably in close quarters with his fellows. His wants are copparatively simple—food, clothing and shelter, and
confidence that he will have them tomorrow, also; a little freedom to. | say what he thinks when he talks
among his neighbors; after his daily .tbil, an hour or two that he can call his own; and to be treated with at least the same consideration and respect and kindness that
a dog receives from even a strang-
er. That is about all he wants. Yet, modest as these desires are, the
‘majority of human beings in the
world have great difficulty in satisfying them. They always have had. Now they are not only asking -why
this is, but they are trying to do
something about it. Also, they are meetink with resistance. So today, in many of our betterknown ant hills, the bewildered inhabitants are engaged. in ‘groping, restless struggle to obtain these opportunities, by force if necessary. It is a. struggle which, in some places, threatens to become as fierce, but perhaps not as futile, as the historic battle of the ants which Thoreau observed near his woodpile, on the edge of Walden Pond.
TT. has no pattern. Rather it swirls A and seethes like water when it poilsp. SRLS In France, a new Socialist government copies from Roosevelt's emer‘gency program while fighting off the Fascist Cross of Fire legions.
In Soviet Russia, Dictator Stalin |
decides to give his people a mild dose of democratic self-government. China, like a helpless Gulliver, stirs ‘apprehensively at' indications that her Lilliputian neighbors are JRopariog io tie her ‘down more England, defeated in her attempt to impose collective restraint upon Italy, soberly: ponders the uncertainties of the future. Canada’s Dominion Supreme Court knocks out a series of new deal laws instituted ' under the Bennett government. WEB on Austria toys with the: idea of in= vifing a moth-eaten Hapsburg back: to its dust-covered throne to be a puppet for the former Socialist editor, who is now Italy’s uncrowned emperor, : All of which by comparison leaves our own ant hill a most peaceful and’ comfortable place. Gov. Tal-
suspenders and announces he: will bes regular party man from here out. : wre ” ” : . L SMITH isn’t going to Philadelphia. In Topeka, Gov. Landon tells what he says every mar-
ried man knows, that the wife de-
Administration Maps Attack on - Use of Strike Breakers, Spies
By Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alligice ASHINGTON, June 20. — Increasing strikes and strike violence today brought a doublebarreled A tration attack on
ies and strike breakers in labor 1" - Ni Officials said ‘they believed the Kent (0. outbreak caused by im-
portation of armed strike breakers
would be among une first cases investigated by the Senate inquiry into violations of civil liberties. Senator Hugo L. Black (Dem.,
Ala), new chairman of the Educa--tion and Labor Committee, said |
strong-arm men and thugs.” It pointed out that such strike-break-ing agencies are not tolerated in any other country. i “These mercenaries are transported from state to state by their employers, who supply captains and lieutenants, feed and finance their men, and furnish them. weapons of clubs, brass knuckles-and firearms,” the report said. “Their entry on the scene of labor disturbance usually means bloodshed, and frequently results -in death or injury to innocent people.” '
madge has: quit snapping his red
and ways and means of pa
‘stances, it might even be
cides the vacation: plans. : Father Coughlin has a hard time making
Page. 1, even with ‘his mystery
candidate for President. It has been a week since Gov. Landon said he would be willing to amend the Constitution and Col. Jouett Shouse is still able to enjoy his mint julep in the cool of the evening. We have a presidential contest gn to see who gets the next turn at the
wheel, but whoever wins-doesn’t propose to. tear the engine out of the car. . Republicans want higher tars iffs ‘made by Congress. , Roosevelt
wants to keep ‘the right to “boost tariffs himself so that when Senator Guffey comes in and says the Pennsylvania zipper industry faces
ruin from fdreign competition he, can do his duty by our home-made
zippers. Roosevelt stands by his brain trust. ' Republican National Chairman Hamilton announces he won’t fire his brain trust, either. At Cleveland; th¢ Republicans told us Roosevelt was too much of ‘a dictator, but Hamilton, crowding the Old Guard of his party back into a corner, says he is going to run the Republican show. Everybody is aga onopoly. Nobody: will be able to do much about it. | - In short, despite all of the hallyhoo about there being great fundamentals at stake, there are no fundamentals at stake in the sense that obtains in the unsettled countries of
Europe. We have questions of bet--
ter administration, more careful
| practice, of perhaps more. or less
emphasis upon the latitude to be given the executive, of whether the Constitution shall be as rigid as five members of the Supreme Court are trying to make it or whether we shall flex it slightly. But all of these differences lay ‘within comparatively narrow: boundaries. The area of controversy. in our politics is comparatively small. Which is ‘a blessing, because, not
| being distracted by deeper funda-
mentals, we have more opportunity to discuss good management, spoils : rife Farley. down to ohe job. Without fear of ‘jeopardizing our system, we can concentrate upon improving . its Under these cireumA possible. fo give real thought to the 10,000, or so who are without’ jobs. other ' words, “there still remains enough work to tax our ability.
GRIM AND BEAR IT + + by Lichty
N
Fair Enough ROGIER
EW YORK, June 20.—The conduct of | © the Department of Justice has been very phony in the Louiisana income tax ° prosecutions involving Seymour Weiss, who was Huey Long's collector, and certain other members of Huey’s gang. While
Huey lived and devoted himself to needing President Roosevelt in the Senate and on the air the department was always going to Jay him over a barrel some day and give him his need- ; lings under the income tax law. Now that Huey is dead, however, and his gang has made peace with “President Roosevelt's ova gang in New Orleans, the outstanding indictments have been dropped with. the simple explanation that there is “a changed atmosphere” in New Orleans. : Weiss is neither a professional gambler nor an underworld character, but a tough, stand-up gang politician who often ‘supplied the courage for Huey in difficult moments. He sat before a Senate Westbrook Pegler committee and refused to say how much money he ha dcollected for political purposes or who gave it to him or what he had done with it, and insisted that’ he kept no books. Weiss said that whenever they needed some money they went out and got it from people who “believed” in their sacred cause -and spent it according to their own judgment. Since Huey’'s death Weiss has claimed to be out of politics, but that can hardly be true. He is the type of man Jim Farley would be pleased to do busie ness with and is a better political operator than any one in Mr. Roosevelt's own New Orleans gang. : » 8 2 Income Tax Law Dangerous
S a tax; the income tax is all right, but as a punitive and coercive weapon it is a dangerous law, and the New Orleans cases prove that. The Administration could have been strictly on the level in starting the prosecution, but the. political situa= tion was such that their motives came under suse ‘picion. It looked very much as though Mr. Roose= velt passed the word to the Department of Justice to
indictments have been dropped owing to a change o Bumosphers, there is nothing else to believe but So here we have the Department of Justice going after a political opponent of the Administration with a threat of prison and easing up when the political opposition is removed. : : I have been insisting that the so-called G-Men and the theatrical ballyhoo of the prison department
tract attention from some other activities of the Department of Justice in which the department’s record is not so good. The G-men are all right as policemen and Alcatraz is a tight prison, but if the Department of Justice itself can not be trusted to keep out of politics both the G’s and the island can ‘be used to flog people for speaking out of turn.
3 ” # 2 Master Swindlers Go Free T was a good thing to kill off or put away kide
the score of the G-men, but these exploits of the - government fly-cops have obscured some bad failures in the field of.white collar. crime. Not one of the gi'eat master swindlers who robbed the people of mil« lions and drove little people to suicide and reduced thousands of industrious. hard-working common citizens to destitute poverty has ever been sent to prison. These people did much more damage than the handful of stick-up men and abductors who were put out of action with such clamorous publicity. And I still insist that 11 years, the sentence ime -posed on Al Capone for income tax evasion, is too much for that offense. Of course, that isn’t what he is being punished for, but that was the charge in the /indictment. : : If you can't trust the Department of Justice in the Huey Long case the same skepticism runs against all its operations. - :
Merry-Go-Round :
BY DREW PEARSON AND ROBERT S. ALLEN
ASHINGTON, June 20.—The shadow of Senator Borah is looming as large over the Democratic platform as it did over the Republican. Framers of the New Deal declaration are going to great pains to meet his views on menopely, currency and foreign affairs, subjects he is particularly interested in. The Republican plank on monopoly falls far short of Borah’s demands, and Gov. Landon’s pro-goid standard declaration. deeply offended him. . Democratic strategists are proceeding on the theory that if they adopt planks on these subjects in line with Borah’s ideas, they will eliminate any likelihood of peace being patched up between him and the Republican nominee. Al x i
2 2. = ’ : LORIDA cities have jumped ahead in “air-mindede ness.” The Works Progress Administration ree ports that 46 Florida cities are building or improving airports with the aid of WPA funds. . The secretary of Senator Frederick Steiwer, Ree publican keynoter, is the wife of one of Harry Hops kins’ ace investigators. . The couple ‘make it a rule never $%o talk politics at home. - The Democratic managers of the Philadelphia cone vention could take a pointer from Prank Knox o1 how to equip campaign headquarters. At Cleveland, Mr. Knox installed a piano in his headquarters and employed a relay of musicians t0 produce a constant stream of soothing music. It made a great hit with the women delegates.
finetooth-combing the record and public statements of Gov. Landon for campaign ammunition. : One discovery. they claim is a pro-inflation decla= ration Mr. Landon is alleged to have made several years ago. : . : koi : rency stabilization fund created when the dollar was devaluated has grown in size as a result of neat profits in exchange and manipulations. oi B
go after Huey for political reasons, and, now that the =
about the mysterious island of Alcatraz serve to disse
napers and bank robbers whose names stand on