Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 November 1937 — Page 13

I Lg I AN,

Vagabond

From Indiana — Ernie Pyle

Stories About Workers on WPA Refusing to Take Jobs Are True, But Good Reasons Can Be Given. |

NORTH PLATTE, Neb., Nov. 4.—Is it | true that relief is breeding a new “national psychology” of drifting on Government funds, of shiftlessness, of demanding to be taken care of by other people? Yes, it is true. But relief has not created that shiftlessness. It has merely brought it out under the spotlight. Many of the people on relief today are the odd-jobbing millions of 1926, who were not even then dependable, thrifty, or zealous for work. Remember we had to keep a lot of people, privately, even before the depression. Relief is creating shiftlessness in a stratum just above the old oddjobbing class. A little stratum of people who had pride of independence, who never got very far in the world but who at least kept trying, and whose intentions were high. But now, in the later years of this era of unemployment, these people have finally butted the stone wall, and have had to go on relief. If they can be got off again in a few months they're still all right. But let a year go by, and they're sunk. One official told me that those who have been on relief less than a year are still good bets to send to an employer. But if they've been on much longer than that you might as well not send them, because they won't do the work. You hear all kinds of stories about people on relief refusing to take outside jobs, or quitting after a couple of days, or wiggling out of any real attempt to make their own way. These stories are often true. But the men are no more to blame than the system of relief.

Relief More Profitable

For example, WPA work here pays $44 a month. The reliefer works about four and one-half days a week, and he knows that he has a form of security for months ahead. A farmer comes along at harvest time and offers him a job at $1.25 a day, plus board. If he works a full month he’ll make about $35. He'll have to maintain his family in town just the same. He'll have to work long hours, and every day. He'll wind up by doing twice as much work and getting even less pay for it. When the farm job is over, it'll take him a month to get back on WPA. Would you quit WPA and take the temporary farm job? Or would I? If I did, I'd consider myself ready for the bughouse. : Women would rather sew for the Government, in clean quarters at regular hours, than scrub some other woman's house all day. You can't blame them. Bul even so, should the Government supply such attractive work that even in a city as small as North Platte there is a great stack of openings for housemaids and not a one of them can be filled? I don't

think so.

My Diary By Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt

Copy of Her New Autobiography Brings Thrill of Pride to First Lady.

ASHINGTON, Wednesday.—On the way through New York this morning I went to the House of Harper and received a copy of my autobiography. It looks much more important than Iever imagined it would be. Probably seasoned authors get no thrill out of the presentation of the first copy of one of their hooks, but I am still inexperienced enough to feel a real thrill and to be very proud when Mr. Canfield said they considered it a good piece of work and were glad to be the publishers. I only hope that, as it goes on its way in book form, it may give some amusement and some help to those who have the interest and the patience to read it. It did not require a late vigil last night to get election returns. As usual, the Democrats in the village of Hyde Park came down with red fire to meet the President on the front porch of his mother’s house. There was a real cause for rejoicing, for our young Democratic Supervisor, Elmer Van Wagner, had been re-elected. Even more astonishing, he carried four districts in our township, which proves that educating the public and yourself at the same time is a very good idea. I have never heard this young Democrat make a speech about his job as Supervisor in which he did not state he had started out by knowing very little about it. But, in the course of working, he has learned a great many things. He has told his fellow citizens what he has learned, which means they acquired

knowledge with him. One-Vote Victory Celebrated

There was great rejoicing, too, over the election by one vote, of a Democratic highway commissioner in the township. Not much margin, but all that was needed! It seems as though the rest of the world was forgotten as the old-line local Democratic workers rejoiced in their local victories. A curious picture of the days of long ago about which my husband has told me, flashed through my mind. When Cleveland was elected, the same type of procession visited my husband's father, who was an ardent Democrat in his day in this same spot. I do not remember James Roosevelt. From his portrait he must have looked much like many an English country gentleman who loves his outdoor life, his horses and his dogs. I often wish I had known him, for I think he must have had a certain homely philosophy which made some of the older men of the village always speak of him to me with deep appreciation. There must have been a human touch and an ability to pool his interests with theirs, a quality which belongs to no generation or period but is inherent in the man.

New Books Today

Public Library Presents—

is HE U. S. A. leads the world by a wider margin in pictures than anything eise, and one of the chief reasons is the great Goldwyn.” For 24 years this vie brant personality of Hollywood has been putting “the Goldwyn touch” on costumes, settings, character, . dialog and plot construction of his movie productions. The “Goldwyn touch” is not brilliance or sensationalism; it becomes evident gradually in consistent characterization, honest workmanship, and respect for the intelligence of the audience. Thus Alva Johnston sums up the career of Samuel Goldwyn in THE GREAT GOLDWYN (Random House). Mr. Johnston explains Mr. Goldwyn’s success by his boundless courage, confidence in himself and his future, which blinded him to the possibility of failure. Goldwyn sayings and Goldwyn jokes, the basis of much of his fame, enliven the pages. We | laugh at Sam's peculiarities, knowing that he was originally regarded as the greatest salesman in the business; later, as the smartest publicity man; while now and during the last 10 years he is winning increasing fame as an artisk

O you want to increase your privacy, lose your friends, and seize that solitude which you are seeking? Do you want to know how to make people dislike you instantly; how to dine out for the last time? Are you tired of vour husband, wife, or boy friend? Then Irving D. 1ressler in HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE (Stackpole) will give you clear instructions. This burlesque of Dale Carnegie's best seller, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” purports to be written by the “president of the Irving D. Tressier In stitute of Human Relations up to a Certain Point and How to Keep Them at That Point,” and includes a course in “The Personal Insult and How to Give It.” In the case of bores, Mr. Tressler advises us to “be a wise old awl—bore the other person,” since “most peo

ple are about as interesting as a semi-annual report of the U. S, Gypsum Co.”

The Indianapolis Times

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1937

Little Girls Have Never Been Spanked, but Are Strictl

(Fourth of a Series)

By Bruce Catton (Copyright. 1937. NEA Service, Inc.) TORON TO, Ontario, Nov. 4.—The Dionne quintuplets have never been spanked and they never will be spanked. Nevertheless, they are subject to strict discipline—and; as a result, are pretty obedient and well-behaved young ladies. Since they were a year old the quins have been taught that they have to obey—OR ELSE. More than that: They have learned that they can get what they want only by obeying, and that if they refuse to follow the routine laid down for them they invariably have to take the consequences. These ‘‘consequences” are never so very terrible. The worst that happens to a disobedient quin is a spell of isolation in a separate room. But because this system has worked so well on the quins, it might be worth the attention of parents who are wondering how on earth they can ever get Junior to mind. Nobody worried about discipline when the quins were tiny, of course. Everyone was too busy with the all-important job of keeping them alive. But as the sisters passed the erisis, the guardians faced the problem of installing the proper routine of child-training, After much study, it was decided to inaugurate the system in use at St. George's School for Child Study, in Toronto. ® ® = HAT was done more than two years ago. What happened thereafter is now revealed in a paper written by Dr. W. E. Blata, director of St. George's School, and D. A. Millichamp, assistant director. The object of the training program was not to develop children who never disobey, but to reach a happy balance between obedience and disobedience, As the psychologists put it, “we believe an individual should be noncompliant—but he should keep his noncompliance within the limits of social behavior.” In other words, if a quin refuses to wash her hands before dinner, she doesn't get punished or argued with — she simply doesn't get dinner until she washes. If she ‘prefers going without dinner, that's her privilege. No one suffers but herself. On the other hand, however, if she creates a disturbance during the story hour she is at once removed to the isolation room, or “dog house”; for this kind of disobedience disturbs the whole group. Hence she is disciplined for the second kind of disobedience but not for the first. That is why you will notice some odd things when you study the discipline records of the different quins. ” o ” NNETTE, for instance, breaks the law the most—or, as the

psychologists quaintly put it, shows the largest number of non-

- compliance incidents. And yet

Annette is disciplined the least of all the sisters. Marie ranks third in the number of noncompliance incidents— but draws down the most disclpline. A good part of Marie's trouble is due to the fact that she is still the baby of the group; 41 per cent of her noncompliance is simply crying. She offers actual physical resistance to authority less than any of her sisters. Annette, then, is a nonconformist who is canny enough to break rules that don’t carry a penalty. She'll say “No’—but if you say, “Oh, come on,” shell usually come. Emilie, on the other hand, does not say “No” unless she means it. When she does say it she sticks to it.

(Copyright, 1937, NEA

(Copyright, 1937, NEA ‘Service, Ine.) ¥

Service, Ine

The quins “are remarkably well-

djusted to each

other,” say the psychologists, and speedily settle all their

little differences.

These pictures show a sample incident.

Above, Cecile pulls off Marie's cap, and it looks as if there was going to be trouble; but the lower picture, taken a few moments later, shows a hug-and-make-up act going

forward satisfactorily.

HE advantage of the discipline by-isolation method is that it makes learning possible. When a quin is isolated, she has a chance to consider whether she would rather be alone or with the other four. The length of her isolation depends entirely on her. If she wants to spend the remainder of the play period in the isolated room, no adult interferes; if she wants to come back and behave, she is welcomed. When the child-training experts set up their routine, the first rule was—“Let em cry.” The quins, who were used to getting instant

attention when they cried, found ¢

this rather hard to take, and set out at once to see whether they had more endurance than the nurses. There were times when the nursery fairly rang with the sound of wailing—one child once cried for a solid hour—but before long the quins found out who was boss. After that, things went better. In recording the quins’ progress, the psychologists divided their history into two periods— and a comparison of the two is interesting. It shows that the quins behave much better now than they were behaving a year ago. The chil dren do far less quarreling when playing together; they behave better at the table, make less fuss when going to bed. ® & =» NE inciden' shows how keen these five sisters are about things. It happened about a year ago, when it was discovered that more, cases of disobedience were

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cropping out during the outdoor play period than in any other part of the routine. Since this period does not ordinarily produce much trouble, the psychologists were

puzzled, At last they got the answer, During the outdoor play period, the children, unknown to themsselves, were on display before the public. The public liked to see all five girls together. If one were absent, tourists would express doubt that there really were five of them. Hence the nurses had become reluctant to discipline a

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The quins are mostly le

child, through isolation, during that period. The quins didn’t know the reason for it, but they soon caught on to the fact that at this particular time they could break the law with impunity. Restoration of strict discipline during the outdoor play period soon ended that. ” ” » N general, the quins play together very well and have few quarrels. As in any group of children, of course, there are oc= casional spats—but they usually end with the two disputants site

Cummings Doubts Revision Of Antitrust Laws Soon

ASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (U. P). Attorney General Homer S.

Cummings today said antitrust laws revision will require “an enormous

amount of research” and warned against efforts to solve the problem uickly. Mr. Cummings said he did not want to appear pessimistic over enactment of new legislation at the special session of Congress and said he would welcome any new approaches to the problem. “I don’t think that you can get speedy solution of the matter,” he said. “It is going to require an enormous amount of research.” Attorney General Cummings reite erated his advocacy of a nonpartisan study of the antitrust laws.

A WOMAN'S VIEW By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

A END and newspaper come mentator, Olive Roberts Barton, a leading authority on child training, calls upon the modern parent to curtail infant freedom. Conformity and regulation, she says, are a necessary part of every youngster's regime if he is to become a dependable, disciplined ine dividual,

These are welcome words. Not only to parents but to those who, having no children, are yet obliged to endure the bad manners, irresponsible behavior and smart-aleck ways of other people's offspring. The surest proof that the young are somewhat out of hand is the attitude of many childless men and women who often wear a gloating expression as if they were thinking, “Look what I've escaped!” while they listen to the woes of friends who find it increasingly hard to manage their kids. Although we are not going to burst into fulsome praise of the oldfashioned stern parent at this late date, he did have his good points, one of which was the courage to stand up for adult rights against the clamof of the juveniles of his generation, Adult rights are an important

item we seem to have overlooked in |

our zeal to relieve the adolescent population of restraint and inhibi tions. Yet now and then, especially when we have to climb the curb to escape being run down by a reckless youth, we have the feeling that inhibitions weren't such bad things after all. We could do with a few little ones in our society. 1

i LA A yaaa

Mr. Cummings said the Justice Department and ail others are concerned with the problem of break-

ing up monopoly, but pointed out |

that “we must approach the problem without endangering individual enterprise.” Meanwhile, in the first antitrust trial in several years, at Madison, Wis, defendant oil companies and trade magazines described gasoline market activities in east Texas during early 1935 more as a “selling movement” by independent refiners than a “buying movement” by major oil companies.

John Stelger, a market checker for Platt’s Oilgram, said yesterday it would take an expert economist to figure out the relative effect of each factor.

Jasper—By Frank Owen

Entered as at Postoffice,

Scientists Study the Quintuplets

» Disciplined

CAN 1 0 1 ANN SAR

, NEA Service, Ine.)

Service,

ft to their own devices in t outdoor play period—but when Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe appears, their devices are pretty certain to include him. Above, Marie and Cecile perch in his lap, while Emilie, Yvonne and Annette rally around. . .. Below—Emilie takes a spill while rolling a ball; but such tumbles, as the psychologists observed, don’t bother the quins.

ting down calmly and playing together. A healthy attitude of adventure is being developed in the quins’ play. The psychologists have testified that it is surprising how little the quins notice the stumse blings, fallings and bumpings that are a part of all outdoor play for children. Dr. Blatz's theory is that adults in general should interfere in such activities “only to prevent homicide or suicide,” carefully avoiding unnecessary ine terference in situations that chil dren can solve for themselves. ” = ” HE quins are learning to get excellent control over their tempers, since a cardinal rule of that training routine has been that a show of anger never gets a child anything. And so, since they have little fear, seldom get angry and obey the rules as well as 3-year-olds could be expected to obey them, it can be seen that their training is progressing. How will it go in the future? The psychologists’ report concludes with these words: “It is too early to prognosticate the development of the control of fear in these five children, because of their unusual environment. At the present time the stability of their surroundings makes for an atmosphere of trust and confi dence, but one can suggest that very soon these children must have an opportunity of wider social experimentation if the emotional aspect of their personalities is to be fully and adequately developed.”

NEXT-—How Experts Developed Routine,

Cope. 1937 by Onited Poature Byiidieate, tod

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ond-Class Matter ndianapolis, Ind.

Second Section

PAGE 13

Washington

By Rodney Dutcher

(Substituting for Anton Scherrer)

Labor Peace Conference Is Blocked By Question of Which Faction Shall Control Reunified Group.

VV ASHINGTON, Nov. 4—The C. I. O, says to the A. F. of L.: “Bare your head, and we will tap it with a sledge-hammer. You will then go down and out and stay out.” The A. F. of L. says to the C. I. O.:

“Walk right back into our mousetrap and have a dose of our highly effective lethal gas.” That's the effect of the proposals of the two labor groups and it explains why the unity negotiations are

not getting anywhere. The proposal of C. I. O. that it return to the A. F. of L. as an autonomous department under its own name simply means, if its claims of a larger membership are true, that John L. Lewis and his colleagues would at once dominate the federation if its members were to be given proportionate voting strength at A. F. of L. conventions. The federation proposal, on the other hand, means that craft unions desire to absorb hundreds of thousands of workers organized by C. I. O. and insist that C. I. O. unions come back npr. Dutcher as a minority under the effective : conirol of A, F. of L. convention machinery. Each side attacks the other’s membership figures, The A. F. of L. claims 3,250,000 workers and C. I. O. 3,830,000. It's impossible to find out the real strength behind these statistics. The proposal that disputes between rival affiliated unions be settled at the next federation convention calls attention to the A. F. of L. voting system. One vote is allowed an international union for each thoue sand members whose per capita tax of 1 cent a month is paid to the federation. The carpenters’ union had 3000 votes at the Denver convention, although C.I.0. people declare its membership probably has dwindled toward 125,000. There is nothing in the A. F. of L. proposals Which would give more than 10 of the 32 C. I. O. unions repe resentative voting strength at the next convention. C. I. O. insists that they all get it.

Farley Expected to Run

It is now being taken for granted in Washington that Jim Farley will be a candidate for Governor of New York in 1938. It is also generally believed that he can have the Democratic state convention's nomie nation and that he will be elected. Farley hasn't said a word to anyone about it, apparently, But the assumption has been greatly strengthened by his decision to campaign in vain for Judge Jeremiah Mahoney in the New York mayoralty fight. The White House kept hands off, but its real sentiment is believed to be more accurately repree sented by Secretary Ickes, who went to New York dure ing the campaign and gave Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia a public pat on the back. Anyone who wants to run for Governor of New York on the Democratic ticket is practically compelled to play ball with the New York Democratic machine politicians, all of whom were behind Mahoney. In case Roosevelt was consulted at all and approved Farley’s leap into the local battle, the President at least was aware that nothing could put Judge Mahoney over.

Jane Jordan—

Independence Held Principal Need Of Children After Their Marriage.

EAR JANE JORDAN-I wonder why you are so lacking in the courage to advise the mother who wrote you to live with her daughter after the daugh= ter was married? Is it wise, or even sensible, to give up something you want as much as this mother wants to stay with her daughter? Why be afraid to tackle a situation because it involves adjusting yourself to a son-in-law? That's life—getting along with other people. Why run away? It never seemed to me that much was involved in living with other people except arranging things so that everybody could have pri= vacy and being careful in the matter of money. When I see young couples who could get along comfortably under the family roof enduring hardships that take all the glamour from young marriage just because they believe the old chestnut that no house is big enough for two families, it seems a pity. Our most comfortable living quarters house not two, but 200 families. When we teach mothers that they can't live peaceably with their married children, is it any wonder that we develop nations that imagine they can’t get along with other nations? Of. course they can't il they think they can't, but they could, easily, if they thought they could, Who's afraid? MOTHER-IN-LAW,

ANSWER~—You are arguing from the viewpoint of things as you wish them rather than things as they are. Most old chestnuts are founded on the experience of the race. It is the truth in them that made them old chestnuts. It is true that co-operation with other people is one of the major tasks of life; but so is emancipation from parents. The poorest job of coe operating with others is done by those who have nog broken their dependence upon the family. They exe pect all people in positions of authority, such as eme ployers, leaders, o.ficers or judges to act like parents. Because such people will not assume a protective, ade visory or even interested attitude toward them, they are thrown out of adjustment and can’t get along with others on an equality basis. To live with parents after marriage in order to avoid the hardships of indenendence usually, though not always, indicates an attempt to remain children for a while longer. The fact that the young live or do not live with parents after marriage is not an ine fallible sign of dependence or independence. Many children who live miles from parents are just as childish as they ever were. Conversely, many who live with parents are completely emancipated and indee pendent. In general, children who live too close to their parents find it difficult to fend for themselves when necessity arises. An excellent article written by a mother-in-law was reprinted in the last issue of the Reader's Digest, Before this mother went to live with her daughter, she faced the fact that her daughter owed her nothe ing and determined not to interfere with her daughe ter’s life. She saw the necessity of having interests of her own apart from her daughter's life, and developed them. She made it work and every dependent mother in the same situation would do well to heed this woman's suggestions. Buildings which house 200 are no argument for parents living with children. The 200 live separate lives in separate apartments, Neither is family harmony any guide to international harmony. On the contrary a family which functions as a sort of closed corporation begets children who have great difficulty in getting along in the outside world. JANE JORDAN.

Put your problems in a letter to Jane Jordan, who will answer your questions in this column daily. Feel free to Join in all the discussions which interest you.

Walter O'Keefe—

T= Duke of Windsor is going on the radio over here the night after he lands. It's a lucky thing he picked 6 p. m. (Indianapolis Time), on Friday night insteady of the same time Sunday. This way he won't have to buck Jack (Buck) Benny. He's broadcasting during his visit to Washington and hell see our capital under completely normal conditions. Mrs, Roosevelt will be out of town. Aside to the Duke and Duchess: Welcome to our city. You'll get a bigger and better reception fo anyonescould get at a coronation...