Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 October 1937 — Page 22

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PAGE 22 The Indianapolis Times

(A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

ROY W. HOWARD LUDWELL DENNY MARK FERREE President i Business Manager

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reau of Circulations. » RlIley 5551

Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

FRIDAY, OCT. 15, 1937

C. I. 0. ON CONTRACTS

. I. O. executives at Atlantic City formally pledge their movements to “determined adherence to its eoniraey obligations and responsibilities.”

That might be passed as a platitude, if the background of the C. I. O. movement did not display real reasons for such a declaration. As it is, the pledge will stand high in the list of best news of the year. For the action impiies recognition of the justness of the criticism that has been so widely directed at the C. I. O. because of the scrap-of-paper attitude of many of its leaders—an attitude that manifested itself in a blistering rash f “quickies” and “sitdowns.” C. I. O. was rapidly losing the confidence of a large mass of the public which couldn't understand the simple proposition of why after a bargain is reached under collective bargaining the bargain shouldn't be kept. The whole thing didn’t jibe:with the reputation of John L. Lewis as one who had kept his contracts to the letter in his capacity as head of the United Mine Workers, before he became head of the C. I. O. The resolution therefore is testimony in behalf of those defenders of Mr. Lewis who had contended that because of the newness of the C, I. O. and its mushroom growth, the situation had got out of hand so far as Mr. Lewis was concerned, but that he could be expected to do something about it. If the words of the resolution are translated into the deeds of future performance they will prove the most important words yet written in the history of a hectic year of labor unionism and industrial strife,

BOYCOTTING JAPAN HAT many Americans as individuals should resent Japan's attacks on China is natural. That this resentment should affect adversely the sale of Japanese goods in this country is therefore likely, American toymakers no doubt will be the beneficiaries this Christmas of the feeling that Japan's actions have aroused. ut the organized boycott idea, indorsed by the American Federation of Labor in Denver and by other powerful individuals and groups is, we believe, a highly dangerous phase of our relationship to the whole hazardous international situation. What an individual does in determining where and what he shall buy is one thing, and a very different thing from a whipped-up, highly propagandized and regimented mass movement. The boycott is a doubtful method at best, even in domestic economic disputes. It has a habit of backfiring on those who organize it. Born as it is of ill-temper and strife and division among human beings, it is essentially emotional rather than rational in character. As such a movement would touch the highly sensitive foreign scene it would prove quickly to be full of dynamite. For it could be made to succeed only if accompanied by the singing of a hymn of hate which would be tragically reminiscent of those days when the war fervor was lashed up in so short a time—when “over there” succeeded “he kept us out of war.” Once hate was engendered through the boycott process, it would be only another step to actual conflict.

It may be that we are headed for concerted action with °

other nations against the outlawry of which the President spoke. Should economic pressure prove to be the only way, there is a manner provided by the Covenant of the League of Nations. We hope and trust that the scene will clear before sanctions are called for, but such economic pressures as sanctions do not depend on hate, but rather on cold reason. If we as a nation do decide to indulge in economic force it should only be in concert with other nations after calm and careful deliberation and not in a home-made and privately agitated hpyooik,

THE MURDE R OF MARRINER

UR diplomatic service lost a valuable man when ConsulGeneral James Theodore Marriner was assassinated at Beirut, Syria. Ted Marriner was one of the ablest members of that group of young Americans who, regarding diplomacy as a career, follow it with intelligence, industry and a cheerful willingness to face personal danger if necessary. The tragedy is relieved by only one fact, namely that the killer had no political motive. He seems to have been animated solely by an insane fury over being refused permission to visit the, United States. Which indicates that the diplomat died in the course of duty well done. Mr. Marriner’s death may serve still further to consolidate the nation’s wise determination to exercise utmost care in the selection of the limited number of immigrants who may enter under the quotas. It is certainly better to weed out potential criminals overseas than to try to catch them after they become actual criminals over here.

STOP STOPPED

E move a rising vote of thanks to the telegraph companies. Their offer of free and unlimited use of punctuation marks is a boon. Heretofore, telegraphic correspondence has been given a harsh and obstinate tone by frequent use of the word “stop” to indicate sentence endings. This has been known to create unfortunate misunderstandings. There was the young husband who wired to his mother-in-law: Mary says vou are planning to come for visit stop will be angry unless you do stap. But now periods, commas, question marks, semicolons, apostrophes and the like are available at no extra charge, and the gentle art of punctuation should flourish on the wires. We hear, however, that the telegraph companies have no exclamation points. Perhaps that’s to forestall the sending of messages like this: “I love you!!!!!!!!”

Russia will have its first secret election Dec. 12, but \it’s a safe bet no Trotskyist will win. .

| on the screen

A'S

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES Wi ngs Over Washington !—By Talburt

FRIDAY, OCT. 15, 1937

Nighe-Mate Nostrum—By | Herblock

9% |

BESTRIDE THE NARROW WORLD LIKE A COLOSSUS

Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

Roosevelt's Failure -to Mention Newspapers as Educational Force Regarded as Tribute in Negative.

EW YORK, Oct. 15.—Mr. Roosevelt rightly said that five years of fierce discussion and debate have taken the nation to school in the nation’s business, but there was a rather pointed omission where he men-

tioned only the radio and the movies as the sources from which the people derive their information on their affairs. The newspapers were in there, too, but many of them have pointed out serious ob-

jections not only to some of the President’s methods but also to certain of his objectives. The radio and movies, on the other hand, in certain respects are exposed to disciplinary action by the Administration so criticism and examination of issues are out

| of their line.

It was neither on the air nor that the public learned of objections to the plan to pack the Supreme Court. It was through the newspapers that the people learned that the President's first nominee to liberalize the Court was a progressive statesman who had belonged to the Ku-Klux Klan. Not from the soundbox nor the screen, but from the press they received their reminder that Mr. Roosevelt, as an active politician in the days of the Klan fight, was in a position where it was almost impossible for him to be in doubt as to Hugo Black's affiliations.

Mr. Pegler

= n =

HIS was a scoop for journalism, the same agency for the education of the nation’s affairs which made the exclusive discovery of an interesting coincidence between the political surrender of Huey Long's gang in Louisiana and the dismissal of the outstanding income tax indictments against certain bers of that gang. The papers did not fail to poift out, as the radio and movies discreetly neglected to mention, that these men were indicted while opposed to the Administration and were absolved on surrender.

The nation, in its study of the nation’s business, has listened to the radio and looked to the screen in vain for discussion of the income tax committee's ruling that although the affairs of certain private citizens might be publicly discussed, those of Mr. Roosevelt himself must not be examined for clever little schemes having the color of legality. The press, however, regarded this as a curious working of democracy and gave it passing mention ere proceeding to the complaint of Congressman Treadway of Massachusetts, who told the House of Representatives that he was “choked off” when he tried to put some questions to the President's son and secretary, Jimmy, regarding reports that Jimmy had had a large income from the sale of insurance to corporations whose officers were anxious to be in the good graces of the Administration.

= n =

HE press, being inquisitive and a powerful educator in the disagreeable, as well as the happier facts of national life, would have presented to the public the contrast, if any, between Jimmy's earnings before and after his father's rise to power and information as to the sources of his income had Mr. Treadway not been, as he put it, choked off. So, by and large, the papers may ccnsole themselves with the thought that Mr. Roosevelt's negative show of displeasure is a tribute for a duty well and fairly done.

The Hoosier Forum

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

w FOREST FIRES DRAMATIZE LOSSES IN LIFE AND PROPERTY By Citizen A sudden shift of wind drove a forest fire downhill and caused the death of 15 men and the injury of 40 more in Wyoming's Shoshone National Forest. Six of the dead were CCC members.

to express

troversies

(Times readers are invited their these columns, religious conexcluded. your letter short, so all can have a chance. be signed, but names will be withheld on request.)

seemed doubtful. The only hopeful symptom was the election of an occasional local officer friendly to the New Deal, But the P. O. P. (Poor Old Party) is striving hard to recover. Dr. Hamilton has proved that there is still some blood in the poor old beast by collecting recently a few hundred thousand dollars to pay its debts, for it has been and still is

views in

Make

Letters must

This tragedy dramatizes the ap-

palling losses of life, property and natural beauty caused every year by preventable forest fires.

There are no complete records of | forest-fire deaths, but if there were we would be shocked. In 1825, the] Miramichi fire in Maine swept over three million acres and took 160

| lives. | 1500 lives were lost. | fire in Minnesota in 1918 threatened

At Peshtigo, Wis, in 1871, The Cloquet |

Duluth and caused 400 deaths. And |

SO on.

As for property loss, President

| Roosevelt recently said that $51,000,- |

000 of forest wealth is destroyed by | fires every year. Last year the total | was over 43,000,000 |

Timber losses |

direct losses in eroded soil, floods. | silted reservoirs, and vanished wild |

i life.

To let these priceless forests burn unchecked is to impoverish the whole republic. While some 2,000,000 people depend on the forests for

year. Jdires are caused by human carelessness and indifference. The United States Forest Service | is distributing an arresting poster -painted by James Montgomery Flagg—"“Your Forests, Your Fault, Your Loss!” As the dry autumnal season comes and the hazards increase, every wayfarer should remember to protect his own green mansion. » ” ” DECLARES TIME WILL END TEMPERANCE PROBLEM

By Daniel Francis Clancey, Logansport

Ivan R. Farr, from Edinburg, pleading for prohibition, recently | wrote: “Repeal must be a passing obsession. America is too noble to err permanently.” Yes, I'll admit that repeal is probably a passing obsession—because America is incapable of staying reasonable for any length of time!

a living, more than 70,000,000 people | enjoyed Uncle Sam's forests last! And 9 out of every 10 forest |

and be merry to his own taste, ih take my chances with the drunker | driver—and should a pie-eyed BR pilot score, I'll go down clinging to | the Rights of Man. | It is, at any rate, impossible to | stop people drinking—but to get | people to drink with moderation, in a civilized and gentlemanly manner,

nitely desirable. | Americans is that they still do their | drinking in the traditional Grand | Manner of our forefathers who shot | Indians between swallows — and things will never be bettered by small-town clubwomen, goodygoody school teachers, librarians and social climbers, Granting that our bright-eyed pa- | triots are right and that America | is becoming more civilized as each day passes—all we need do is wait | and time will solve the whole | problem.

* & o HOOVER PLAN CALLED NEW DEAL PROGRAM By J. E.,, Morgantown

| It has been but a short time since | the election of 1936. At that time the old elephant went down for the count. It was not only badly hurt but seriously ill. It was suffering from pernicious anemia. Recovery

MORNING GLORIES AND MAPLE TREE

By F. F. MACDONALD

“Think not of me as dead,” said the lifeless maple tree, ‘I flaunt a beauty for all alike to see, I boast of glory that ne'er before was mine— A sheath of bright blue blossoms on a morning glory vine. In the early sunshine with sparkling dew still wet, I present a spectacle not easy to forget. Heart-shaped leaves lend shelter as round my trunk they cling

this is not only possible but defi- | The trouble with |

unable to balance its budget. The money came from those who have held a mortgage on the party for years. They are paying again for privileges they have always had. Now appears Herbert Hoover. (Where have I seen or heard that name before?) He says: “The Re-

publican Party must have a new |

declaration of human sympathy with

idealism and emotion.” What! Give |

up the Civil War shirt? tion! (Shade of McKinley!) Mention no more the subject of sound money and the outlawed gold standard! So what? start with the right to work; it would continue with the right of collective bargaining; it would include aid to agriculture, rural electrification, and flood control. It would also include loans to houseseekers and hard-pressed home owners at a low rate of interest; and it would further mean the right of every farmer to own his own farm and thus escape slavery and dependency in his old age. Workers would get a limitation of hours at just wages. There would be an end of speculation in stocks and the injustice of the holding company. There would be a higher standard of living. But say, that's the New Deal. Does Mr. Hoover think he can be a better Roosevelt than Roosevelt himself? The only way the Republican Party has a chance in the world is to become more liberal than the New Deal. I'm afraid the elephant can't change its spots. w # = SATURDAY FATAL DAY FOR PEDESTRIANS By Safety Seeker.

National Safety Council statisticians, after analyzing several thousand accident reports, concluded that, at least in states covered, Sunday is the safest day of the week for pedestrians to be about. Saturday the most dangerous.

Such a program would |

The gentleman from Edinburg writes that he believes that “the only real liberty that any citizen has is the liberty to live in such a | way that he does not impose upon | the liberties of others.” But My. | Farr then denies that the prohibi- | tionist imposes upon the liberties of | his fellow citizens—claiming that | prohibition is consistent with indi- | vidual liberty because the individual |is being protected from the drunk- | | en driver, high insurance rates and | | what-not—there, I disagree! Claim- | ing that the individual has no lib- | erty unless he is free to eat, drink

Whately.

And hide from prying eyes wee birds that flit and sing. Exulting in the joy each morning that is mine— [ can but share the beauty of my morning glory vine!”

DAILY THOUGHT

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.—Acts 15:9.

S the flower is before the fruit, so is faith before good works.—

Traffic accidents involving pedestrians reach a peak on Saturday, when 18.3 per cent of all autopedestrian accidents occur. The following day, however, contributes only 11.9 per cent of the week's auto-pedestrian collisions. But, for all other types of motor vehicle accidents (not involving pedestrians) the first day of the week is black with 20.9 per cent of the total, more than on any other day. Saturday, in this category, is second worst with 17.8 per cent of the accident total.

and the bloody | Say no more about protec- |

It ‘Seems to Me

‘By Heywood Broun

Isolation Eventually Is Futile, Says Broun, Putting Faith for Peace in The Demands of usps Labor.

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Oct. 15.—I used ‘to believe in os but now I'm afraid that it won’t work. Two factors here contribute to my change of heart. One is the ocean and the other is the conference of the executive officers of the Committee for Industrial Organization, Standing on the beach and surveying the broad Atlantic, the complete isolationist seems to be the

bather who says, “This next wave isn’t going to touch me.” And so he goes under water and stays there until the billow has passed over his head. But in heavy seas the waves come too fast and on too short a rhythm to make submerging efle¢= tive. You may avoid the first wave, but sooner or later it is necessary to come up, and the next breaker may hit you square in the face. The second World War has be= gun. Unfortunately when the peace makers met at Versailles, somebody sneaked ih a punishing phrase at the end of the treaty by which the world was made safe for democracy. Possibly it was written in invisible ink, but now it stands out stark and black. The words were, “To be continued.” Some of the ostrich adherents may assert that at the very least, isolation has brought us here at home 20 years of peace. The hot winds of conflict may have touched our cheeks, but at any rate, we were out of it.

Mr. Broun

” on o HOSE who espouse the policy unwatchful waiting believe that it is well to stall tor time and hope for the best. I do not think that this school of thought should be lightly tossed out the window. The defenders of say nothing, hear nothing and see nothing may be right. But I doubt it. Twenty years is a breathing spell of consequence, but it seems to me that the pace of war accelerates. The waves are bunched more closely.

I want America to stay out of the second World War. And I also want America to stay out of the third and the fourth and fifth, But unless soma active steps are taken now for the preservation of peace I think that we will be seized by the undertow sooner or later. Later is better than sooner. Never is the best of all.

u " u ELL, then, how can peace be preserved? I think that the hope of security will have to lie in co= operative action by the labor forces of the world. By a tragic irony it is the men who forge the weapins of war who also die in front of the guns which they have molded. War is mass production industry and the wofkers create the engines of their own de=struction. : The problem of peace or war should not be left to presidents or prime ministers. Surely the groups who will be called upon to man the front lines ought to have the deciding vote. I have the belief that if the organized workers of the world can meet in conference they will be able to establish a quarantine calculated to curtail and end the infection. The tramp of men marching to war sets up a mighty sound, but the march of labor for the preservation of peace will be mightier.

General Hugh Johnson Says—

Basis for 'Family’ War Between Factions of American Labor Has Faded: Rival Leaders Probably Will Get Together, but They Won't Just Now.

ASHINGTON, Oct. 15—In the family war between C. I. O. and A. F. of L. John Lewis proposes a committee of 100 from each side to meet to work for conciliation. Bill Green is against it. He wants a committee of three. : We have seen some cockeyed reasons for not agreeing in scraps between labor and management. Sometimes it is because, although an agreement has been reached, one side refuses to put it in writing. Some-

times it is a refusal of somebody on one side to “sit in the same room with that so and so” on the other. But this continuation of civil war, without at least an attempt to confer for peace, would seem to take the cake.

n n td F course, the real reason doesn't appear. original split came from the rock-ribbed con-

servatism of a group of old-fashioned leaders in the | | A. F. of L. Mr. Lewis’ invitation to a peace confer-

| ence, which trumpets more like a blast of warlike de- : | nomic or industrial views they may hold. That con-

| cedes the only essential stipulation made by Mr. Lewis’

fiance, calls them “mere bickering politicians out to save their own particular prestige . . . or the emoluments of their office.” However that may be, one other statement by Mr. Lewis accurately reflects the judgment of most impartial people who have observed conditions in the field: “This (the committees of 100) will

The

receive the overwhelming indorsement of the lay members of the unions affiliated with the A. F. of L. out in the localities where the great industries are located . . . there is no difference between the members of the C. I. O. and the members of the A. F. of L.” That comes pretty near the truth except in incited jurisdictional rows. It also probably explains the arbitrary rejection by Mr. Green of the committees of 100 in favor of the committees of three. The farther you get from the top in this row, the less enthusiasm there is for any row at all. What are the asserted reasons for rejection of Mr. Lewis’ olive branch which he extended in a mailed fist? “Insincerity,” says Mr. Green. n = = AEE for settlement seems apparent. The A. F. of L. resolutions committee and even Mr. Green would . . . “welcome back” C. I. O. unions unconditionally and do not ask them to surrender any eco-

suggestion. It seems to destroy the cause of the split

—craft vs. industrial unionism. After all this name-calling and shin-kicking, could these leaders ever get togethe: Yes. They're lusty lads, They've done it befor But they probably wou’ Just yet.

The Washington Merry-Go-Round

‘Eight Old Men' Show Particular Courtesy to New High Court Associate; Poor Friend Carries Mrs. Roosevelt's Birthday Gift to White House.

By Drew Pearson and Robert S. Allen \ ASHINGTON, Oct. 15.—The “Eight Old Men” f of the Supreme Court are going out of their way to show the utmost personal cordiality toward the “New Young Man.” Not only are they leaning over backward to make him feel welcome, but their wives have exchanged neighberly calls, and in other tactful ways have conveyed their goodwill and friendship. While all the veterans of the bench have taken special pains to be nice to Justice Black, the Catholis Justice Butler, the Jewish Brandeis and Cardozo, and McReynolds, hard-bitten anti-New Dealer, have been particularly ccurteous. At their first meeting in the robing room, Justice Butler made a friendly suggestion to Justice Black about the fit of his judicial gown, Justice Cardozo gave him a fatherly pat on the back; Justice Brandeis shook his hand warmly and inquired about Mrs. Black and their youngest son, and Justice McReynolds was equally affable. Court insiders give Chief Justice Hughes principal credit for the warmth of Justice Black's They say Mr. Hughes personally contacted each of his associates and discreetly suggested that no hint of personal or partisan hostility be displayed toward Black. Friends of Chief Justice Hughes say he resents deeply the fusillades against his new colleague. Mr.

Hughes considers them attacks on the dignity of the

reception. |

ATE in the day of Oct. 11—Mrs. Roosevelt's birth= day—a scene was enacted in front of the White House which Mrs. Roosevelt has not heard about.

A woman dressed in a worn tweed coat walked up the driveway from Pennsylvania Ave., bearing a package wrapped in white tissue paper. With a hesitating step she approached the guard. The guard had seen other gifts brought to the door that way, but most of them were brought by chauffeurs or special messengers.

“May I leave this for Mrs. Roosevelt?” she said. The guard declined to take it. “Go right up to the door,” he said. With increasing timidity the woman advanced past another guard, climbed the steps, and went to the double doors of the White House. Mumbling a few words to the Negro butler, she left her gift with him, and turned away into the darkness.

" 4 n

LTHOUGH the Resettlement Administration’ built a firehouse, a theater, a school and a postoffice at Greenbelt (“Tugwell Town”), Md. it didn’t build a church for fear each denomination represented would demand one. Five sites were set aside for churches, however, in case some of the sects want to build their own. First day Greenbelt was opened, 700 letters were mailed at the new postoffice, althoughonly three families had moved into town. Stamp col=. lectors were getting “first day covers,” letters Sev tse Jostofive on the Bist day of its operation.