Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 July 1936 — Page 17

mat 4 y 4b > Cy / 2 NEW YORK, July. 2 Germany a ~~ newspaper man has just been sentenced to life: imprisonment ‘because ‘he supplied . some foreign ' correspondents with ‘certain instructions given to the German press by Dr. Joseph Goebbels, minister of public enightenment and propaganda. = Seemingly, the Naz idea is that light should be confined. The German nation is to become, under this theory, one vast Sere secret society. Already it has become the land of countersigns and passwords.

I think it is well to emphasize

this because &f the unfortunate

habit which many American tour-

ists Have acquired of generalizing on the basis of short stays in Fascist nations. Only last night at a party there was the inevitable business man who assured the company that stories about persecution in. Germany. were -much exaggerated. Hitler, he told us, had no * rieed of repressive measures, because he was so universally popular ‘in : the Fatherland. And when he was challenged as to. his authority the’ business man smiled bilandly and explained— “Why, I was over there in April. : I spent three weeks driving around, and I talked to all sorts and conditions of men. Of course, I had an interpreter, but I speak a little German myself. We always got the same answer. They all think that Hitler's the greatest. man in the world and that he saved Germany from destruction. Don't glare at me. I'm just repeating what I heard. That’s the story you get from every German.”

Mr. Broun

2 » =»

Free Talk Discouraged

EE RISONMENT for life is a pretty long sentence, and Germans who hear of the fate of Walter Schwertfeger are not likely to be much encouraged to talk freely and candidly to inquiring reporters or to tourists. : Even under the best of circumstances I am incl to sprinkle salt upon the report of those who go to any country and in a couple of weeks succeed “in talking to everybody.” Just as’ Mr. Average Man is being pleased ‘at being told that he should have gone on the stage he is flattered at the suggestion that he would have made a great reporter.

Without wishing to seem too .crabbed I might add that I even use a certain amount of salt when T read - the reports of the trained journalist whois sent into the sticks and the hinterland to ascertain “What America Is: Thinking.” Pin your investigator down closely and it will usually turn out that he has talked to six owners of gasoline stations, a waitress in a lunch room and ‘a press agent for the local Chamber of Commerce. I am far from saying that these peopl¢ may not have interesting things to. say, but their combined wisdom hardly builds up into a national point of view. : ” ”

Only Scratches Surface

pone talk easily enough in the sense of putting one word after another, and, it is quite true that certain good newspaper men, either through knack or training, have the gift of drawing ‘strangers out. But. much’ of this is mere surface stuff: I am not a. good interviewer myself. haven't the patience, and, anyway, I talk too much, but at times it has been my luck to hear one or two people let their hair. down and really come clean—that is, as clean as the conscious mind ever lets a man or woman go. But most of (these occasions were accidental, and this real dope came from people I knew well. . Not for the world would I speak against - the growing practice of having newspaper men collar the passerby on: the street to say, “I'm from the Bugle: Will you please give me your name and address and a concise statement of your: opinion as to survival after death?” All such .symposia_ 1 read with great. 'eagerness. = Sometimes: an instantaneous reaction may be as good as any other, There is RO.sure way of avoiding the margin of error. But whet & man tells me that all Germans think this or that T.am not interested. I know of at least one great. German scientist who has spent 50 ‘years: on the. problem of what he. himself really thinks, And as yet he has not decided.

_ BY ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (AMpoBELLO, N. B, Thursday—My mother-in-law, who arrived several weeks ago and has the cottage next ¥o us up here, cane over to supper with = as Bigh Lay op on ihe other side, Mrs. nce. r daughter, , originally fr St. iin Joined "us also. 3 : it y fom a T supper we sat in the old schoolroom,: which Miss Cook and Miss Dickerman have been rearranging for me with Val-Kill furniture, rit ~ Mama and Mrs. Prince are. both over 80. Mrs. Prince told us that, as a girl, she remembered a dance at ‘Annapolis at which she poked President Grant on a dare, : at : I have just received two articles presenting opposing views on certain theories of morality. I thought it would be interesting to hear the opinions of our two

elderly guests. : : is - “I'don’t-understand such

“My mother-in-law said: theories at all.”

« x

New B

VE Tp wa

a ree Ci ss 8 8

Ai 20 8

¥ ae eo ; 3 . Nee at a 3 0 yo ow Ea? AE x 5

"each year all seven members of -

(The Fifth of a Series) BY FREDERIC DERICK G. MATSON

MAYOR KERN; in discussing acquisition of

The Record and Pros and C

the Citizens ;

Gas Co. by the City of Indianapolis last fall, points out that under the legal setup of the City Utilities District the Mayor has very little to say regarding its policies. The Indianapolis Department of Public Utilities, which

operates the munigipally owned gas plant, is

a unique in-

stitution of government. ‘Commonly. called the Utilities

District, it has no. counterpart in Indiana. -

Its affairs are managed by one board, the mermbers 1:

of which are appointed by another board. The appointing board is self-perpetuating. Neither board is subject to

control by the voting public. This department was created by an act of the State Legislature in 1929, “in addition to the existing executive departments” in cities having a population of not less than 300,000. At the time the act was passed, and likewise today, it thus applies only ‘to Indianapolis, The Indianapolis Utilities -Dis< trict is declared by law to “be under the general supervision and control of a board of seven memsbers to be known as the. ‘board of directors for utilities.”” Membets" of this board are appointed regularly by another board provided: for in the law and known as the board of trustees for utilities.

inations

board, . including

to fill the vacancy

FE of a member to ANAGEMENT and control-of any public’ utility owned by the City of Indianapolis rests exclusively in the board of directors. (This of course applies solely to the Citizens Gas and Coke Utility, formerly the Citizéns Gas Co., since that is the only utility the city owns.) The only function of the board of trustees is to elect

the hoard of directors. 5 The, trustees number five, each member appointed for a term of four years. The terms are staggered so that no more than two can expire in any one year, there- | by insuring continuity ‘of experi--ence on the board, poaal ni Under the 1929:act, although all five trustees were to be formally ‘appoined by the Mayor, -two ‘of them were to be chosen by him, two to be chosen by .the judge :of the Marion Circuit - Court: and: one to be chosen by the City. Council. The Mayor, the circuit judge and the City Council are public. officers elected . by the people. woe i The first board of trustees consisted of William J. Mooney, president; Thomas C, Howe, secretary, and Sterling R. Holt, George J. Marott and A. Dalliis Hitz. At the trustees’ first: meeting, on June 4, 1929, they elected the first . board of directors. Appointed were Henry L. Dithmer, Brodehurst Elsey, Edward A. Kahn, Eli Lilly; John J. Madden, Almus G..Ruddell and Guy A. Wainwright.’ :

utility owned by also the expense

means: by which ' Indianapolis ‘can’

Significance - of

rectors each year.

rector and. . . successor.”

trict directors also

to any u

. their successors. were to. be appointed in like manner, whether the vacancy occurred’ by expiraof term, by resignation or .by death. ; ie LS The 1931 Legislature amended the 1929 act to provide that the trustees select and nominate their own successors. ‘As’ the law now stands, neither the Mayor nor the Circuit Court judge mor the City Council has any choice in select-" ing successors to members of .the board of frustees. The primary purpose -of the amending act of 1931 was. lo keep the Utilities District out of polities and make it as nearly.an independent, non-partisan ‘body: as possible, ‘according. to Fred 'G, Gause, Indianapolis’ attorney and - former. state Supreme Court judge, who, with ofher lawyers, drafted the act. ; ‘The board of trustees

-ating ‘the Utilities

it a non-partisan

* |-by He ‘makes its

sult from extravagance, or mismanagement. ‘Furthermore, there are "no

own choice and its nominee, as ‘the statute: provides, “shall: ‘be appointed by the Mayor within . 10.days after receiving such nomti ” .

Under this provision, as it As | — written in the law, the entire

the. member

whose term is about to expire or who may be about to resign, votes upon selection of the person Thus, an existing member of the trustees board has the right to vote to ‘continue himself in office for another term, or he may vote with’ the other members to -.choose his successor. When choice

fill an existing

or coming vacancy is thus made, the Mayor has no alternative but to make the appointment, whether he approves of it or not.

Y this setup the trustees, who ~~ alone ‘select and appoint the directors; now are free from any influence and. control whatever by the people of the city. = The people, however, since they

pay service rates, must bear not only the original costs of any

the ‘City, but which may .reWaste

the citizens of bring about‘ a -

change in the management and: control of the utility -unless the law again is amended. :

this - self-per~

petuating authority of the Utilities District trustees is emphasized when it is explained that they elect or re-elect the board of di-

The law: also

states that “said board of trustees shall have power to remove summarily and at any time any -di- . Shall appoint a

“The untsual powers of the dis-

are noteworthy.

-. Under the amending act the board is ‘authorized to contract for and fo construct “any and all necessary or desirable extensions ® u 8 ed” b iA Plans a igor A 8-0 HAE ay owned” “the city, .an enter os ‘the ‘original +1929 1aW | «jie AIT Hovis : reference thereto.”

contracts with:

N doing so {Me directors act 'n accordance with . their ‘own rules and regulations, “and without the necessity of advertising for bids, or without such other restrictions as are now’ imposed by any law of .the State of In- . diana’ with reference to the letting of contracts for work, material or supplies by municipal bodies or other governmental agencies.” William J. Mooney, one of the original trustees, said the act cre-

District was. set

up and amended 50 as to protect fully the city and’ citizens from political interference, and. to make

umit,

‘This opinion also was expressed L. Dithmer, chairman of ths Utilities District directors, who

ooks 3 | $f

BY DR. ALBERT EDWARD WIGGAM

LET'S EXPLORE YOUR MIND =

ISTE Foush oN Ef gh on § of Sh

pee

said the self-perpetuating feature of the 1931 amendment was in-. cluded in order to take the dis-' trict entirely out of politics. .. The law also authorizes. the ‘board of . directors “to. sell any. products. or by-products . . . to any one whatsoever and without any restriction: concerning. . the: Saking voi bids therefor or otherWw i Sun x > an . ® X * All other public officials in. Indiana in control and management of public property, or the making of:

trolled by rigid restrictions of law. They are also subject to super-. vision of all finahcial transactions by the State Accounts Board. HE law governing the Utilities ‘District also states that:in the: issuance of bonds ‘and other forms ‘of indebtedness, thé directors shall : be “free from. all control. and supervision from the State Board: of Tax Commissioners of Indiana.” The “present law - also ‘says that: such bonds “shall be valid without the necessity of any approval or ratification ‘by . either’ the Public. Service Commission of Indiana or: the State Board of ‘Tax Commis--sioners of Indiana.” : . ... - By these: yarious provisions the people of - Indianapolis. definitelyare .deprived .of local seif-govern--ment in respect io-affairs of the Utilities District, observers agree. : Present members:of the Utilities: District trustees are William J.

replirs and improvements or the’ | purchase of materials ‘are’ con- |

0 A Dalle Bim

"&a board of directors, composed

Alfred MM Glossbrenner, Charles S.‘Rauh and Edward W. Harris. « “The board of - directors consists.

Mooney, president; A. Dallas Hits,’ ROHR

- ~~ BY MARK SULLFVAN A/ASHINGTON, July 24.-—-The : ¥.¥ = Townsend folks are back: "to their original plan. During the two years or so of discussion, criticism and countless expositions’ of fallacy in their plan, they had wavered. a little about the possibility of paying $200 a month to every: person over 60. In the: only hill. any: of them ever brought before Congress they refrained from mentioning: any figure. They merely proposed that a prescribed tax be laid and that the proceeds should be applied; as fat as they would go, toward paying to old folks jan undefined amount. . ‘Apparently, however, the Townsend leaders: realize : the: "propaganda and slogan value of a fixed amount. - In their recent convention, they went back to. their original amount, and made it more definite than ever... They presented a resolution that thereshall be added t¢ the Gonstitution of the United States-an amendment reading .as follows—this is now the authoritative Townsend a k ’ Vhscue

whose life record shall be found: free reaching the ‘age of 60 years be permitted to receive from’ the Treasury of the United States a citizen's service’ award for their 40. years or more of public service in: amoupi not less than ‘month based

Pe - J b

HE last 11 words of special significance.”

: .

NOT dd 4 [Ry / PAE ;

times?

Cc roll into the Treasury “A clitsén of the United . States | er

of Henry -L. Dithmer, - president;

Vork, Mark

throug

3 *

Shee Tay ay a

_ In fairness to the Townsend lead-ers-it should be said that tliey have a gadget, which they -think.will:do the trick. ‘When you tell a. Town~ send" believer that $200 a.month: to 10,000,000 persons. over. 80 15. a literal impossibility, he gently and patiently; points to the gadget which. is: to make the. impossible possible. + It :is contained in the following words:“Provided that the citizen makin the application for such award sha agree under oath to, >and’ shall, spend the entire monthly allowance. for goods or services-within. 30. days of the time of:its receipt.” rd Re rea [YHAT is the. magic in the pian. XL That rapidity of, spending is going ‘to ‘put so much money in circulation, is going to make the-cir-culation so rapid, is going ‘to ‘make usiness so. good, that’ taxes will ry in incredibl

8. ‘The Treasury will 50 ov-

PINESS, oi spn npn Ry To ;provide funds for the $200 a {0 have a new

tion tax" is merely s_new and big-

e Pension Plan

‘ety payment of a salary, every giv-

kind of ax; They call |

"Rawson. Bais

ELA SE ik crested ovian: ack. of tite 1909 State The City Wtilities District was created by an act, of tire 1920 State lature. It is composed of a board of trustees, five in number, an Legislature. It is composed [of seven members. Pictured: above _are’the present members of the board. of trustees.

Fred Jungclaus, Roy Sahm; Brode“hurst Elsey, D. J. Angus, Russell J. Ryan and Isaac E. Woodward.

| Next: The Gas Situation Today.

ing “of a, check—everything.. : The

measure. is: set” out’ in ‘the ‘proposed

constitutional amendment: “%“THeré ‘is . hereby established the Federal Jaw that no transaction for the. sale or, transfer of goods, or paymént’ for services shall be ‘legal that ‘does not show evidence that 2 per: cent «of the valué of such jransaction, sale or payment for services has ‘been or shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States.” SN ee JJ OW that would work—or rather AL how it. would not work—and how it. would not make the Townsend plan possible, is a thing which competent - economists: will. need to explain to the Townsend folks. No doubt, out of the present discussion of old-age security, something - will emerge which will give something to the néedy aged.” But it can’t be $200: a month,. nor. half. that, not a “Aside from economics and statis-

tics,-there is something that might be mended to the Townsend

10 folks, Tis something in the world

of poetry. ° Every Townsend fcllowHight, should. setiis. four lines of

1 It will take more determination and

“cisions than against pestrictive

_ However, John abotit. his retention.

HARRY EL

(Substituting for Westbrook ok Pegler)

NEW YORK, July’ 24.—The adamant re« *~ fusal of the steel industry, which not stand alone in this respect, to r 2 the. principle of true collective bargai ni with labor is a good: illustration of the b wardness of the United States in soci thought -and economic ‘practices. In spite of notable advances made by organized labor up to I! the United States is still overwhelmingly an shop” ‘nation. : : : more than 5,000,000 members out of © a a laboring population of over six times that ‘number. Effectively, unionists on the eve of the depression probably did not: number more than 3,000,000. : : : ". Organized labor was. persistently undermined and dissipated during the severe years since 1929, when unscrupulous employers could count on a great army of unemployed with which to break strikes. Mr. Green made little headway in. recruiting ’ for the A. F. of L. under the NRA. pr Barnes :

courage on the part of Mr. Roosevelt to ci

i| ‘of our American employers than was required ‘Woodrow ‘Wilson in winning the World War.

deed, employers in Europe consider themselves 1

when they have to deal ‘wifh nothing more ra

| than orthodox trade unions.

54 sn England: Legalized Unions in 1524 J TNION labor in England was first legalized in 1 ~~ through the efforts of Francis Place and Ji

: ‘Hume, but not until ‘1875 was full legal freedom 4 cured. for organization and strikes. Then, in our | century, the House of Lords tried to frustrate unions

ism through reactionary judicial measures, .such as the Taff Vale and Osborne decisions. But England is not at the mercy of a reactionary Supreme Court. The Liberal Party. quickly abrogated the effects !

| ‘these autocratic decisions. i’

In France, organized labor gained legal freedom

through legislation passed in 1864 and 1884. ‘A law ized strikes. ‘Until Hitler's time Germany interf byt little with union labor after the anti-Socialist leg= tion was allowed: to lapse ‘when Bismarck retired in 1890. The lesser industrial countries, of Europe have also given full legal freedom to organized labor,

Indeed, in non-Fascist Europe labor unions as such are regarded by radicals as rather quaint. and servative. Radical labor, while often organized in labor unions, seeks its ultimate goal through affiliation with some revolutionary social movément. HA ol wi 8 a & Courts Sometimes Unfriendly I" THE United States labor unionism has been cc Delled to fight more against hostile jddiclal d TR gan 7

labor has such. voting. pewer in popular govern

~that it was difficult to induce legislators openly

battle against it. Therefore, the ruggedly individual istic exponents of the open shop sought protection

an apbainiive: Judiciary legally immune from pop protest. x ci ehi i - We have had in this country a series of judicial decisions inimical to unionism ‘without: parallel in the modern wotld.” We need only mention sich instances as the Danbury hatters’ case, the Hitchman case, the upholding of the. “yellow dog” contracts, and the irresponsible use of the injunction against labor which has paralyzed its activities and denied strikers the right to jury trial. Yh tA Big business and finance have been relentlessly opposed to organized labor. One of the major reasons why it turned against Roosevelt. was clause 7A of the National Industrial - Recovery Act. It efther fought against all forms of unionization or else tried to off the company union hoax on employes. The issu is now rather clearly drawn as to whether’ America industry: will modernize itself and follow in the foot steps of European employers or whether it will tty to maintain the feudal attitude that has Jong since been abandoned in other civilized states. : ;

Merry-Go-Round ‘BY DREW PEARSON AND ROBERT S, ALLEN LA 7 ASHINGTON, , July 24~The much-publicis '¥ Republican brain trust is beginning to fold , It's all beirig done very quietly, but the exodiis is ~- Neither Prof. Thomas Nixon Carver nor Charles J. Bullock, both of Harvard, have been their desks for weeks, and inside word at na

and marriage restricted to mobiles. Ga i ; i The Republicans immediately repudiated pamphiet, which had been written by Carver pi

to his association with the committee. But he vas