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

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The Indianapolis Times 1

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ROY W. HOWARD LUDWELL DENNY EARL D. BAKER President Editor Business Manager

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EB RIley 5551

Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1938

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WANTED: A RELIEF POLICY

ARRY L. HOPKINS and his Works Progress Administration have done a good job under difficult conditions. We believe most people share that opinion. A great deal of muddling in Federal relief has been forgiven because the main purposes have been right and because the whole thing was a new, emergency venture,

But Federal relief is no longer new. Unemployment, it becomes clear, must be dealt with as a long-range problein, not as a temporary emergency. Giving the unemployed useful public work to do at reasonable wages is the soundest method yet undertaken of dealing with that problem. But— WPA must be given a definite, consistent, understandable policy—something that, so far, it has never had. Lacking that, WPA will go on muddling through an endless bog of troubles. n n n 5 = = O task before the present Administration is more urgent than the duty of freeing Federal relief from the handicaps of hand-to-mouth operation and giving it a plainly charted policy for the future.

We hope that the President, back from South America,

has well in mind the outlines of such a policy to place before the new Congress.

If he has not, we hope that he will proceed without delay to prepare such a policy. It has been suggested that he might well enlist the advice and help of a group of outside experts who, approaching the problem with open minds, might best be able to work out a satisfactory solution.

A group of this kind, named by Mr. Roosevelt, naturally would not be dominated by men whose principal notion is that the budget must be balanced at whatever cost in human suffering. Nor should it be dominated by professional welfare workers, by local officials eager to let Uncle Sam tote the whole relief load, or by Federal officials whose administrative duties have kept them so close to the picture that they may have lost perspective. Perhaps all of these viewpoints should be represented, but the balance should be one of disinterested fairness to the needy and to the taxpayers alike, The difficulties of the job can hardly be exaggerated. But when Congress is asked, as undoubtedly it will be in January, for an appropriation to carry WPA through its present emergency, Congress and the country should be given assurance that future appropriations will be spent

in conformity with a sounder, more intelligent, long-range plan,

ART IN INDIANAPOLIS

ECEMBER is a month of some exceptionally fine art exhibits in Indianapolis. The annual show by painters who live in Irvington has just closed, while two other shows—at the Herron Art Museum—are attracting widespread attention, The Irvington artists this year held open house in their studios. The Irvington Union of Clubs again sponsored the exhibition. At the Herron, Director Wilbur Peat’s novel idea of a Family Album Show has attracted hundreds of art lovers to see the collection of about 40 ancestral portraits whose owners now live in Indianapolis. Some are by known artists, but more often these old portraits were painted by wanders who came and went and sometimes left no identification on their work. An interesting sidelight, says Mr, Peat, is that a few of the portraits appear to be genuine primitives, These were painted by artist tramps who carried with them oils of the body and shoulders already done, and merely painted in the face of the subject. The collection will be at the Herron through December. Contrasting with these early portraits is the show, plgo at the Herron, of 100 prints representing 100 artists from all parts of the country—an exhibit that is being presented simultaneously in 30 cities by the Congress of American Artists. These prints are mirrors of contemporary America. Many of these top-notch artists have become interested in the everyday subjects about them-—social and economic issues, politics, and other affairs of the day. We don’t know how they stack up against important works of the past, but it is a vital art that expresses our own age and our own civilization. Also important is the fact that these prints are not being restricted to a limited number of highpriced reproductions. They are to be made available at popular prices.

THE MARKET IS NO CINCH

HERE was a time in the unlamented late twenties when nearly everybody around Wall Street and a good many in Washington seemed to think the best way to promote prosperity was to organize a cheering section for the stock market. No responsible person wants to see a repetition of that fantastic don't-sell-America-short period in our history. And Charles R. Gay, president of the New York Stock Exchange, speaks out as a responsible financial leader when he calls attention to “the recent flurry in stocks selling at a few dollars a share,” and warns “the uninformed person” to investigate before he invests. “We all remember what the little fellow did in 1929,” Mr. Gay recalls. “Without studying stock values, he took the bit in his teeth and, with a good many traders of large resources, ran away with the market.” The New Deal has passed many laws and the Stock Exchange, under a more enlightened leadership, has instigated many reforms to eliminate some of the grosser abuses of manipulation and stock jobbing which accompanied the 1929 boom and crash. Most important of all reforms is that which, through the Securities and Exchange Commission, makes available to prospective investors the information they need to guide them in determining the value of securities they may want to buy, But that dntordiation Je of no value to those who

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While Rome Burns !—By Talburt

————

RETA NT] oF

a——r

Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

Practice of Throwing Food at Public ‘and Private Dinners Has Mr. Pegler Considerably Puzzled.

NEW YORK, Dec. 17.—The practice of throwing food at public dinners may date way back, but I first noticed it at the alumni dinners and the all-America dinners at the close of football in the early 1920s.

The hootch was very bad in those days and

the time-expired athletes of previous years would feel a false sense of youth and give themselves over to unbecoming play. In a way it was quite amusing to see a steak go sailing through the air and hit a guest of honor kersplash in the face, leaving traces of pimiento and little cubes of potatoes O’Brien on his features, but I used to recall the shortage of food in England during the war and it seemed a defiance of God to do good eating-food that way. After a while public opinion rebelled against the more untidy practice of the sport, and the throwing of food at public dinners was reduced to the biscuit-throw. In the last few years even the biscuit-throw has lost popularity, and the most difficult performers nowadays are ladies who get mischievous at a certain stage of the evening. If you don’t think I know what I am talking about, listen to this: Last year at a house party somewhere, a lady known far and wide as an asparagus-thrower, was sitting next to a gentleman at dinner, and going along as nice as you please, when, all of a sudden, she snatched up a stalk of asparagus the size of a nickel ball-bat, twizzled the end around in the hollandaise and, whambo! Right across the gentleman's dress shirt front.

Mr. Pegler

HE gentleman pretended not to notice anything, but he made up his mind that the next night he would get good and tight before dinner, and, at the first sign of trouble, give the lady the works. But first he warned her. “Now, candy-lamb,” he said, “be nice, because one false move out of you tonight, and we are going to town.”

But, sure enough, as soon as they sat down, the lady led off with a pat of soft, squashy butter right in the eye. So, quick as anything, the gentleman grabbed a tomato surprise and mashed it in her countenance. She retaliated with a ladle of gravy and he poured a bottle of chili sauce in her hair. 2 = os

E lady looked like a blue plate special, and the gentleman looked like a dollar table d’hote himself, so they went to their rooms to change into other clothes. But the gentleman was still full of goodnatured mischief, so he poured a quart of milk of magnesia over the lady's new dress and a box of bath-powder on top of that, and she had to change in. This now was the last dress she had, so she called for peace and promised never to do it again, as she had learned her lesson. But she hadn't, because one night at another party the lady suddenly whipped around to the gentleman beside her with the half-eaten chassis of a squab and jammed it down on his head like an Empress Eugenie

' hat.

She didn’t learn any lesson at all. On the contrary, she designed a dress with the colors of strawberry jam, scrambled eggs, liver and onions, mashed potatoes and hollandaise all run together in a curious pattern, and a hat representing a gravy boat upside down. And everybody thinks she is delightful, and people invite her to come and sling food every night

of the week. I just don't know what to make of it.

The Hoosier Forum

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

URGES G. 0. P. TO BACK CONSERVATISM By Wesley T. Wilson Since the recent election, some

prominent Republicans and others not so prominent have called attention to a need for reorganization of the Republican Party. By ‘“reorganization” most of them seem to mean a change in the leadership

personnel—an elimination of the influence of certain individuals and an enhancement of that of others. They attribute the loss of the election to an alleged lack of personal qualifications of candidates and party leaders. As a member of the Republican speakers’ staff and of the Republitan legal committee of the county in the recent election, I feel qualified to say that the Republican defeat was in no way due to weakness of party leaders. Certainly it was not due to any weakness in the candidates. The Marion County ticket was one of the finest we have ever had. The national, state and local campaigns were handled in a most creditable manner. No doubt, some serious mistakes ‘in strategy were made, but there is no reason to believe they would have been avoided by another corps of leaders.

Cites Party Principles

The reorganization need of the Republican Party is not for a coinplete change in leadership person= nel, put for a redeclaration of party principles. In the recent cams=paign the New Deal Party was a 100 per cent liberal (to use the polite term) party, while the Republican Party was an incongruous mixture of reactionary, ultra-conservative, conservative, liberal, ultra-liberal and radical elements. The declarations of party spokesmen struck a discordant note that could not fail to grate on the ears of thoughtful voters. The Republican Party sought to hold the allegiance of both right ang left, while the New Deal Party went boldly to the left and those of conservative conviections “took a walk.” With the allegiance of the liberals held firmly by the New Dealers, there is but one sound policy for the Republican Party. It must raise high the standard of conservatism and consolidate the forces of conservatism behind its banners, The political need of America today is for a strong conservative party to counter-balance the extreme liberalism of the New Deal party. The meeting of that need is the only mission open to the Republican Party. It must accept it and dedicate itself whole-heartedly to its fulfillment, or perish.

$4 a OFFICE WORKERS ORGANIZED 18 YEARS By M. J. K.

A couple of weeks ago I read a letter in your paper suggesting organization for office workers. I am wondering if the writer was aware that there is a Stenographers, Typ-

General Hugh Johnson Says —

Exponents of High Prices and Low Prices Will Battle in Congress, but Important Thing Is That All Prices Should Move Up or Down Together.

it will make little difference to industrial production if factory prices go up, if only farm prices and wages

£0 up in precisely the same manner.

Except for debt, it isn’t high prices or low prices, : atter, It is causes that put various

(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.)

ists, Bookkeepers and Assistants Union, local No. 11597, in this city. The union is affiliated with _ the American Federation of Labor and has been in existence something like 18 years, with a membership totaling around 150. Certainly today, when the field for ‘office workers is so crowded, organization is the only solution. The white-collar workers have questioned the difference between

themselves and industrial workers and find it only psychological. For years they have been taught that a white collar job is a “better” job, that it offered greater chance for advancement and ultimately led to opening the door into the class which owns expensive cars and houses and commands greater prestige in the community. But they are beginning to discover that wages are not automatically being raised (even though the worker is competent) and that the top is so exclusive there is little chance in the future. Organization is responsible for industrial workers receiving pay for working overtime. This pay is seldom heard of the white-collar field. Collective bargaining simply means what it says—that a group of workers bargain with their employers on a price for their serve ices. They believe that they who furnish the labor power are as essential as those who furnish capital and therefore should receive adequate compensation, Ultimately this results in greater distribution which in turn creates greater profits and general welfare. Organized labor does not tryeto run the employer's business. Ine stead, it often co-operates with him in finding more efficient methods of

TO A POEM

BY F. F. MacDONALD

The lovely lines of a poem warmed my heart— Its gracious context thrilled me through and through; This verse I shall cherish from all things apart That was mind—heart—and precious soul of You!

DAILY THOUGHT

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, oy = faith unfeigned.—I Timo-

To pity distress is but human; to

relieve it is Godlike.—H. Mann.

line with

working since it is closer to the actual machinery. As an individual you can not hope to gain the advantages which organized labor can obtain. One employe can always be replaced but a hundred makes a difference. . . . Your employer has found organization with others in his profession or industry more effective than working alone. When are the employes going to follow his example? ” s ” READER CRITICAL OF PARTISAN BIAS By Charles C. Bender, Bloomington Recent articles from Mrs. Mabel German are interesting, because they call attention to the too-prev-alent partisan bias, which, if universal, would eliminate choosing our representatives on the basis of principles for which they stand. Among more than 44 million who voted for Roosevelt and Landon, no

doubt there were millions who, like |* |

Mrs. German, were controlled by party prejudices. However, it is fortunate that many other millions placed principles above party, so we have the result—11 million plurality for Roosevelt. By no means all of us who voted for Roosevelt saw eye to eye with him, but after summing up the good and bad on both sides, an impressive majority decided that he was more nearly right than Landon. Even had the majority decided in favor of Landon, our United States would not have gone to the bad. In such event we would have moved toward reform more slowly—perhaps receded a bit—but taking the 150 years of our national history as a criterion, even though temporarily checked, we soon should have moved forward again. In this connection we heartily commend The Times for its intelligent, unbiased presentation of the political questions before us. Centainly we do not always agree with you, but we do believe that The Times editorials reflect your honest opinion. . . . Equally worthy of mention is your fair allotment of news space and position to those with whom you disagree, » 2 ” REMAINING MISINFORMED CALLED UNINTELLIGENT By Homer Virgin, Noblesville To be misinformed and uneducated can be quite two different things but to stay misinformed proves lack of intelligence. Who knows why the majority rules? Perhaps it derives from the old adage, “The survival of the fittest.” It seems that if our two major parties were to engage in another campaign, the Sunflower party would use different tactics. This would lead one to believe that they pursued the wrong path. Of course the election returns would verify this. But if they could recall all of their political propaganda that has we false they perhaps would.

’

It Seems to Me

By Heywood Broun

Randolph Churchill Has Such Very Bad Manners That They Approach Magnificence, Mr. Broun Contends.

EW YORK, Dec. 17.—Randolph Churchill, England’s ambassador of ill will, has gone home breathing maledictions upon our native press. I have known Randy, cub and boy, for 15 years, and as he approaches

maturity he grows more annoying with every birthday. When first we met, young Churchill was about 186. He was engaged on a lecture tour and went about

the country telling women’s clubs what was wrong with American politics, customs and cookery. At the age of 16 I observed him in drawing rooms interrupting his elders and telling them where they got off. But it came to be so magnificent that you could hardly call it bad manners. Distinctly I remember a historic occasion in the home of Herbert Bayard Swope. At that time I was in the employ of Mr. Swope and regarded him with great awe. In fact, I still regard Mr. Swope with great awe. Only for a space of some five minutes did he seem to me neither a god nor a devil, but a man. At the time Mr. Churchill had just turned 17. Mr. Swope and I were somewhat older, I forget what the argument was about, but as a trusted employe I took no part in it. Suddenly the chill English voice of the young visitor smote upon my ear saying, “Herbie, you talk like an utter idiot.” The room was bathed in that silence which comes before the crack of doom. For the space of fully a minute Mr. Churchill and Mr. Swope sat without saying a word.

Mr. Broun

” ” » WELL-REMEMBERED voice shouted, “Hey wood!” Indeed, the voice said, “Heywood!” a second time before I jumped and replied, “Yes, Mr. Swope.” “Heywood,” said Mr. Swope, “I've been wanting to talk to you about your review of ‘Processional’ for some time. The trouble with you as a dramatic critic, Heywood, is that you are always reviewing the play the dramatist intended to write but didn’t get around to doing. I might add while we're on the subject that your column isn’t holding up very well, and I didn’t like your last couple of baseball stories, Besides, your book reviews are getting a little dull, Come down to my office around midnight tomorrow and we'll go out to lunch and have a nice friendly chat about what's wrong with your work.” “Yes, Mr. Swope,” 1 answered, but for a fraction of a second I was almost inclined to give him a slightly more contentious reply.

» = » A GOOD many years elapsed before I saw Randy again. This time we were on a train following Frenklin Delano Roosevelt through New England, I introduced Randy as a visiting British journalist to the group of White House correspondents, all of whom were pretty much fans for the President. Randolph Churchill acknowledged the introduction and started to lay down the law, “I think,” he said, “your American press is most peculiar. Your greatest journalist, of course, is William Randolph Hearst, and yet his conduct in this campaign amazes me.” Several of us nodded in agreement. “Yes,” said Randy, “it amazes me to observe the way in which Mr. Hearst leans over backward in order to be fair to Mr. Roosevelt.” That broke up the debate. We had to shout for the porter to bring spirits of ammonia. Three Hearst men had fainted.

The Washington Merry-Go-Round

European Countries Suddenly Taking Hull's Trade Treaties Seriously Because They See Chance to Borrow More Money From America.

By Drew Pearson OME, Dec. 17.—For a long time Cordell Hull

States Government could sell, in turn, to the tours ists and credit the sales to the Italian debt. Mr. Hull has been an ardent advocate of the free flow of trade, the Italians point out, and here is an qpportunity not only to put the Hull theory into practice, but to pay the Italian debt by so

Javce and Great Britain are known to entere tain the same general ideas though there have been no official conversations. France already has a trade treaty with the United States covering a few minor commodities, but it could be expanded.. The Britsih have none. \ ” One factor which increased talk of debt payment was President Roosevelt's warning that the stock: market was being inflated by foreign investments. The franker British newspapers, anxious for closer Anglo-American relations in view of European war clouds, suggest that if foreigners can afford to ine vest in the United States, they can now afford to

pay debts. Another t faker is Rooseyels's over= Roosevelt is now in DO ettion 10 souls 4