Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 9 October 1936 — Page 14

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Qun Way

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1936

| “TWENTY-SIX DAYS yx days to go. The campaign, which droned

through the summer and started getting shrill after ‘autumn arrived, soon will be over.

= Itis a good time to look back over what has been said -and forward to what remains to be said, and so to get a “clearer perspective on the issues between the two leading “presidential candidates.

= First, let's wave aside such nonsense as charges of “communism and fascism, Democratic alarums that the poor “will starve if Landon is elected and Republican cries that

“Roosevelt has made bank deposits and insurance policies, |

“unsafe. . Let’s talk about real issues. 2 x =» : sn "HEN the campaign started it was one of a known man = | against an unknown. Roosevelt the individual and “Roosevelt the Chief Executive were not strangers to the “people. The policies he had formulated, the record he had made, the, Democratic convention’s pledge of more of the same, outlined clearly the kind of a President Roosevelt would continue to be, if re-elected.

i Not so with Landon. He was largely unknown as an ‘individual, and his record as an executive was just begin‘ning to get the critical attention of the electorate. The Re‘publicans had drafted a platform of compromises, straddles and contradictions. : It was obviously up to Landon to speak out and let the people know what kind of a President he would make, if elected. : How well has he done that?

# 2 2 2 " 2

JE has told us that he opposes teachers’ oaths. So far, so good. But that is not an issue. Roosevelt feels ~the same as Landon concerning all civil liberties.

He has said that he opposes hidden taxation. Again,

so far, so good. Roosevelt has voiced similar sentiments, |

but just as Landon failed to tell how he would make taxes visible, Roosevelt has failed to do much about it. What he has done has been in that direction. So that’s not an issue. The only tax issue between the two is Landon’s opposition to Roosevelt's corporate surplus tax. We think Landon is right. He has said it is proper for the Federal government to regulate stock markets, the sale of securities and the operation of utility holding companies. But he has re._peatedly criticised Roosevelt for “interfering” with free enterprise, thereby leaving the voters in doubt as to whether he would enforce, repeal or modify the Roosevelt stock market control law, truth-in-securities law and holding company law—all of which seem to be working very satisfactorily. : | He has outlined a farm program which embraces the New Deal soil conservation subsidies, and adds other subsides designed to give farmers the tariff equivalent on the domestically consumed portion of crops which have exportable surpluses. He has not calculated the cost, but Agriculture Department experts say it would be about two bil- : ion dollars a year, in contrast to the Roosevelt program Which costs about one-half billion. : He has said he would not reduce the benefits to families

n relief. Along with those promises of liberal spending, he has pledged an immediate balancing of the budget by economies. He has not said what economies. 2 8 ®& = 2 = =» WO issues are sharply drawn. Both are extremely im- : portant. © Landon has opposed the Roosevelt-Hull policy of promoting foreign trade by reciprocity treaties under which We agree to buy more in order to sell more. He has ened Smoot-Hawleyism. This, we believe, is a vital Ristake not only because the growth of exports and imports under the Administration’s program have contributed io. America’s prosperity, but also because the RooseveltHull policy is just beginning to bear fruit in trade-locked, war-threatened Europe. An 18-year trend toward ecoomic nationalism the world over has just been stopped and reversed, with France, Italy, England, the United tes and other countries co-operating to stabilize curFencies and remove trade barriers. This re-appearance of portunity for peaceful access to markets already has ed war tensions. The Republican nominee would turn ur backs on this. - Landon has indorsed Federal-state old-age pensions fr the needy, but has opposed the Roosevelt plan of old-

ge insurance to build up thrift reserves for those not yet | d and not yet needy. He has declared that unemployment |

surance is a state problem in which the Federal governt should not meddle. His old-age policy envisions a manent system of doles for aged paupers; his job ince ideas, what we had in the days of Hoover. Adtting the present law is not perfect, we much prefer e progressive principles of the Roosevelt social securty program. 5. 5 = = Nihal a8, other New Deal reforms Landon has remained silent. He has said nothing about banking, nothing about ver, nothing about neutrality. The voters do not know vh hether he still believes, as he once declared, that bank pposit insurance is unsound; do not know what he thinks pout the Administration’s TVA and rural electrification li ies; do not know where he stands on trading with and nding to warring nations. The people know where Rooseit stands, His policies are in operation and on the te books. It is vital to learn what Landon would do.

. Tonight, Landon will make the,

major speeches,

rates In Indiana, $3 a |

Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

Writer Considers H. L. Mencken's Support of Gov. Landon and Finds It Strange and Humorous

EW YORK, Oct. 9.—This has been a

pretty grim campaign, but it can’t be said that Henry Mencken has failed us in a

‘dark hour.

We discover Mr. Mencken staggering down the street under the unwieldy weight of aft enormous Landon banner, a sunflower in his lapel as big as a four-passenger omelet. Mr. Mencken has come out for Mr. Landon and, thqugh he at-

tempts to make certain reservations, there is no such thing as a little bit of Landon. You take all of him or you let him alone, and when Mr. Mencken takes the gentleman from Kansas he must also take prohibition and even Herbert Hoover, whom he once denounced as a fat Coolidge. Al Smith and Herbert campaigning in the same holy cause: Al Smith on the same team with Bill White of Kansas, who once accused him of political connivance at vice; Al Smith singing out of the same hymn book with William Randolph Hearst, of whom he once said: “I know the color of his liver and it is white”—all this is highly ludicrous and a relief from the fury of the campaign. But Mr. Mencken was no politician and has never been under that pressure which makes for those political revisions of principle which always made politicians contemptible

Mr. Pegler

to him.

® ” ” - R. MENCKEN, however, was committed against everything that Mr. Landon represents from the bumbling pomposity and dumb arrogance of the old deal to honorary college degrees and lodge buttons. He was not so much a crusadet as a mischievous brat of the whole American neighborhood. A

crusader does his enemies the honor of taking them seriously and fighting them with earnest mirthlessness. But Henry Mencken’s method was to kick them in the pants when they were bent over tying their shoe, and they were always tying their shoe. Nobody ever got so much fun out of ridiculing the very people and principles whom he has now joined like a convert twitching down the sawdust aisle of one of Billy Sunday's old revivals, and though he claims to retain certain of his old heresies it is plain that a good man has weakened at last, and for no specific cause. It could hardly be a fear for his possessions, because Henry is a fellow who never did crowd himself to make as much money as he could, and even today if he would play that typewriter, he could make more money than even Mr. Roosevelt's bailiff’s could snatch away.

= # #8

AYBE as one who contributed more than any other individual to the deflation of public authority and American institutions, Mr. Mencken now looks on his work, observes that the rabble has taken literally his contempt for human and divine authority and is afraid the mob will come marching up his street, busting windows indiscriminately and slugging everybody with a well-fed appearance such as his. I expect to read soon that Mr. Mencken has joined the Tennessee Fundamentalists and is totally immersed in Goose Crick wearing a white night shirt and blubbering “Hallelujah, brother” between plunges

- beneath the cleansing flood.

The Hoosier Forum

I wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it—"Voltaire.

.

CLAIMS AL SMITH JUST FORGOTTEN MAN By William Lené¢on Al Smith's radio speech of Oct. 1 had the earmarks of the Hearst syndicate denouncing the New Deal. The ex-fish peddler and Liberty Leaguer is still the same old sore, disappointed Al. Because he could not dictate to Roosevelt, he denounces him. He accuses our President of not being a true Democrat because he was liberal with the opposition, but we believe that he is a progressive and is President of all the people,

not of a select few. This speech was only water ‘on

: Roosevelt’s wheel and I know that

it gained him votes. The ancient wisecrack ‘and Bowery slang might go on the waterfront and in IS alley, but not with intelligent Americans. He ended his barrage of silly slang by advising his listeners to vote for Landon, but forgot to mention the diet of sunflowers Landon would have us exist on. The Brown Derby gent may be a king in Tammany Hall, but to Americans he is just a forgotten man and politically a washout. : . # x 8 PROTESTS ACTION AGAINST

CANDIDATE BROWDER By C. E. Black

I am not a Communist, but I think all red-blooded Americans, labor organizations and political organizations should protest loudly against the infringement of their constitutional right of free speech, such as happened in Terre Haute in the case of Earl Browder. I hope the people of Indiana will awaken and throw off this yoke of dictatorships. » 2 ” REGULATION HELD CURE FOR CLASS HATRED By Alden R. Bracewell, Shirley Al Smith, in his heart-rending farewell speech to the Democratic Party, again accused the President of stirring up class hatred. Evidently he does not realize the

psychological aspects of class ha--

treds. If he did, he would know that such feeling, where it exists, is not thrust upon the people by oratory but is bred in the dark muck of poverty, despair and economic maladjustment. It is the direct and inevitable result of an illogical order which permits privation in the midst of surplus. It is the product of a system which grants excessive profit to a few and denies a decent wage to the many.

History shows us that the great:

revolutions of class against class arise when the wealthy few .continue to ignore the right of the masses to economic security. The fact that the President 1ecognizes this situation and seeks t¢ remedy it is evidently the reason for these

General Hugh Johnson Says—

John Hamilton's Campaign Strategy Is Technically Magnificent and Is Derived From World War Tactics of Barrage and Then Assault in Waves.

scionable public deceit—the most cynical “playing of politics with human misery” that has appeared in |

ASHINGTON, Oct. 9—Mr. John Hamilton's | campaign strategy comes from the World War— the barrage and the assault in waves and surges. The “Rooseveli-is-a-Communist” barrage was laid down in the press about a month ago. Immediately all Republican handouts and publicity, all speakers whether from local platforms or the national stage, whether in personal & or on the air, and all the multitudinous .chorus of buzzers and whisperers echoed tio single theme—“Roosevelt-is-a-Communist.”

Before that surge or wave had completely played itself out, the sccond barrage was laid down—"‘WPA uses relief of human sufferers to dragoon its beneficiaries into voting for Roosevelt.” “You go Democratic or you go hungry.” And even Average Alfred in Topeka joins in with this ineffability: “Hopkins will

this campaign.

I know whether politics has been a theme in the

registers;

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns, religious controversies excluded. Make your letter short, so all can ‘have a chance. Letters must be signed, but names will be withheld on request.) :

charges of “rabble router” and “Communist.” One thing is certain, however. Unless some restriction is put upon the men whose brains are cash unless labor is given ‘a just share of the profits it helps to produce, we shall see the whole sordid structure.crumble about us. The only way to prevent class strife is to regulate the inequalities and injustices which cause it,

2 zn 2 SPEECHES DECIDE THIS VOTER By L. C. M.. : The evening of Oct. 1 I took my family to hear a great drama, given by President Roosevelt, which was very good. Later we attenfled a burlesque given by Al Smith. That

convinced me. I am a young voter, nok knowing

‘exactly what the politics of today

are all about, so I tuned in on President Roosevelt's address, then later to Al Smith's.

My summary was, Roosevelt spoke

of simple facts that can not be denied. Mr. Smith just pulled his old Broadway burlesque as usual, with a capital “I.” Probably he will have a party of his own some day, and if he does, I pray he will stay with it. 8 80 4

CITES CROP REACHED FROM AL'S SOWING By M. G. French, Edwardsport

Well, well, good old Al Smith has went and done it. We knew he was crawling in under the G. O. P. revival tent, but we reserved our comment for fear the Republicans might oust him like they did in

RECESSIONAL

- BY MARY WARD

There is a golden door That opens from the gloom of every cairn and tomb— We know! He went before!

DAILY THOUGHT

Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.—Amos 5:22,

HYPOCRITE makes a sober jest of God and religion; he finds it easier to be upon his knees than to rise to a good action: like an impudent debtor, who goes every day to talk familiarly to his creditor, without ever paying what he owes.—Pope.

| the city streets, ”

1928. However, all must have been forgiven. Alfred was modest enough to claim credit for sowing the seed in 1928 that elected “Franklin D. in 1932. This leads us to wonder what became of the seed he sowed in Florida, Virginia, North: Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas. . Also, what caused the serious Democratic drought in all but two states’ in the union—Massachusetts and Rhode Island being the oases with scant crops. The truth of the matter is, Mr. Roosevelt had a lot of reseeding to do, got a fine crop, and now all that Alfred can see is crab grass and pefore another election day rolls around he, like his compeer, Herbert H., will see crab grass growing in

# MORE AL SMITHS NEEDED, CLAIM

By Mrs. W. A. Collins A An organization is just as ‘strong

as its foundation and there never has been more dissatisfaction in the

Democratic ranks. The New Dealers are calling the old line Democrats who left the party “traitors.” When a government, religion or any public movement has outlived its usefulness, straight-thinking men and women walk out. A wise man changes his’ mind; a fool never does. That's why Washington deserted England, why Lincoln became famous, why Al Smith left the Democrats. We need more men like Al Smith, a man with money, who temper justice with mercy, who thinks straight enough to leave what he no longer believes in. ” ” 2

COMPLAINS PUNISHMENT LIGHT FOR WOMEN 7

By Oliver Lee. Not so terribly long ago our Federal government sentenced our foremost crime leader to 11 years in the Federal penitentiary. Apparently this was the only way to protect the name of our great law-enforcing body. Al Capone was supposed lo have been involved in every crime known, ranging from petty offenses to murder. Yet tax evasion was all

that could be proved against him. ..

Today I read that two young women who were implicated in a stone-throwing case during which a young father was fatally wounded are to be given their freedom Another happening was the stabbing by a young woman of her lover. Despite his death, she received a sentence of one to 10 years. I'll venture to say that if a bunch of boys had been throwing stones and accidently had injured some one they would have been punished. It appears to be a ‘cinch when you can do most anything you want, then confess and get out of it because of being a woman.

It Seems to Me By Heywood Broun

Columnist to Journey Forth in Search of Peace and Some One He Can Praise Exitavagantly

NEW YORK, Oct. 9.—What ho the open road! What ho for the gypsy trail! “Who told you the hotel would be any, good ?” asked Connie. . It's questions like that which take a good

deal of the heart out of a man who is ready to venture forth in search of health and adventure. Of “course, it would be easier to ‘arrange just the proper sort of trip if we could agree on the philosophy

of living which ought to lie behind it. I see myself as Conrad of the Merick novel. I'm in search of my youth because of too great an amount of careful living. I would not have succumbed to anything “in the first place but for prema= ture surrender and an agreement to take a stretch in bed.. I wish to leave New York and Stamford and other metropelitan areas for territory more wild and rugged. The bad men of the 52d and 53d-st night clubs no long serve to frighten me out of my hiccoughs. I want to see the cow= boys riding in from the Western plains to shoot up the establishments. Still I've béen pretty sick. I don’t suppose I ought to tackle so wild and woolly a city right away. I wonder just how tempestuous is Atlantic City and whether it could

Mr. Broun

. serve by any possibility as a stopgap between. Red

Gulch and upper Park-av, Of course, I'm not quite fair to Park-av. If you take the proper aggressive slant alonz the avenue you have a much better chance of bcing beaten up than as a lonely wayfarer on West-st or any of the other blocks which abut the river,

= 2 ” I> told the finest practice one cat get for the quarter-mile run is to stand out in the middle of Park-av any morning along about 2 o'clock and shout in a very loud voice, “Hurray for Franklin D. Roose=

velt!” As a matter of fact, I'm searching very hard for somebody I can praise with practically undue moderation. In newspaper comment in thi: country the attack has gone along so far ahead of 1112 defense that nobody has thought up things quite 2s friendly con=cerning Mr. Roosevelt as are the extras :gances of the other side. ” 8 ”

ND so it may be that I can convolesce a. little ; faster on the constructive side, where there is less competition. It isn’t easy to f{iatter people in public life, but if you can get away with it they are

certainly grateful. Now, it must be ‘hat not everye body running for offices at the moment is actually so palpable a rogue and rascal as appears upon the surface. And so this week, next week or ‘he month after I must be on my travels looking for the simple life and the peace which passes underst=ading. Perhaps I shall find it in some small Pennsy!vania farmhouse or on a cotton plantation down in ‘Ze deep South. And when I know that this is the spot of all spots for me I'shall give away my clothes anc 21l other possessions tonthe less fortunate. : Fortu ly 1 have provided again! anything quite permanent really happening. Word zs been left with my solicitor in New York that if I do not appear within a reasonable amount of time they should search all possible Utopias and bring me home.

The Washington Merry-Go-Rounc

Writers Find Tense Local and National Political Struggle Being Fought Out in Minnesota Against Background of Capita-Labor Strife

By Drew Pearson and Robert S. Allen INNEAPOLIS, Minn. Oct. 9.—This state always has been noted for political strife as bitter and conflicting as its rigorous climatic extremes, and it is continuing that tradition today.

jecture or rumor, but from intense and extensive personal experience. ’ When Mr. George Pek wrote a book intended to scuttle the whole Administration, he had the grace to

say about appointments in AAA—the biggest Admin-

In the past it has produced such poles-apart per-

Joriaijties as Frank B. (Nervous Nellie) Kellogg; the

dentist, Henrik Shipstead, who defeated

poniinesl for the Senate; Justice Pierce Butler, greatest

corporation lawyer of the Northwest and now bitterly anti-New Deal; and the late Gov. Floyd Olson, dyn-

| amic ‘Farmer-Labor boss.

Now a tense local and national political struggle is being fought out against a background of bloody

Fan. OLSON'S. death, just as the presidential

The Democrats, too, were sapped 77 internal strife, At the Philadelphia convention the conservative x after eight years of steady pouncing, had finally ousted Olson’s close friend, Joseph Volf, as national

when Jim Farley put J. F. D. Meig en, a Wolf man, in charge of the Roosevelt campai-n in Minnesota. 2 » » the Republicans this was mz: a from heaven, They saw a chance to kill t#- birds with one stone; oust the leftish, pro-labor -late governments they hated, and simultaneously he - strike down an

' committeeman. But