Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 December 1937 — Page 13

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; : From Indiana — Ernie Pyle

Traveling Columnist Pays Visit to ~ Skull Vault, but Saves His Own; Bug and Bone Specimens Amaze Him.

HONOLULU, Dec. 20.—Museums are ter- = 7 _rible things if you go because you think you ought to. But they're as fascinating as a dime store if you go because you're interested. : ® And since I've always been one of those fools who want to loaf away their life on some South Sea Island, I was certainly interested when I walked into the famous Bishop Museum here. For it’s chock-

full of South Sea stuff. Being a newspaperman;, 1 was taken behind the scenes. That's . where the fun is. Out front you just look at wax figures and old cloaks and tools and labels, in glass

cases. - But back behind you get to see the curator pick up a thousand-year-old Samoan skull and lift off the jawbone and fit it over his own jaw, and work it up and down and : say: “See what immense heads they had!” For every item you see out

Mr. Pyle front, there are from half a dozen

to a thousand duplicates back behind. One thousand’

defunct Samoans are in a vault. It seems that insects find skulls a very tender dish. The vault was sO acrid with fumes that the curator and I could stay only a couple of minutes, or there soon would have

« been 1002 skulls.

It would be silly to try to tell what all they have in the Bishop Museum. So I'll just hit a few items. Out front, I don’t believe they have a single bug _ on display. But back behind they have hundreds of thousands of them. They've got every bug in Hawaii there except the little squadron of red ants, and Oscar our cockroach, and Izzy the Little Lizard, all of whom have taken up residence in our new apartment at Waikiki. When we leave I'll donate them to the museum. : Actually there were no two bugs alike, although they did all come from the same family. They were bugs that live under the bark of just one certain kind of tree. :

: ~ Feather Coats for Royalty

0. ©: | the “shortest way,” turned around at the first red « light and said:

Ayn hn Ee

G5 ADIN SY Se A BS A WA

The museum seems proudest of the old feather cloaks worn by Hawaiian royalty. Mostly they are red and yellow. The feathers are very tiny and soft—and by now have worn down, like an Oriental rug, until they're almost like velvet. ; ‘One of the most interesting things to me was the fakes. The Bishop Museumhas hundreds of them. “And maybe I shouldn’t let-this out, or it might put ideas into your head—but they actually buy fakes, just to get them out of circulation. ; ” Neither you nor I could tell a fake stone Polynesian image from a genuine one. But the curators can tell. For one thing, they recognize rock carved with steel chisels or macRinery. They know that’s a fake, because the ancient olynesians had no metals. They carved with rock on rock. - A few years ago some of the museum scientists stumbled onto what had been, ‘maybe centuries ago, a fishhook factory. In the grass and under the ground they found hundreds of hooks and pieces of hooks and partly made hooks and raw material for hooks. The material was—human bones. That isn’t as terrible as it sounds. They didn’t kill the people to get the bones. They just used them after the people died. And after a guy is dead I don’t see why he might not as well be a fishhook

_ as anything else.

My Diary

“By Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt

Co-operative Service i% Medical ‘Field Stressed as Need of Poor.

¥DE PARK, Sunday—One citizen of these United H States spent a most interesting hour and quarter yesterday morning being educated in the co-operative movement in the United States. She went to the Co-operative League, New York City, and talked with Mr. Eugene R. Bowen, the general secretary, and Mr. Wallace J. Campbell, the assistant secretary." ¢/ oo The opening conversation explained how little she knew of what was going on in the co-operatives of this country. She thought it best to admit this at once, knowing it would be found out in a very short time. Then she was shown a map with .the location of the large wholesale co-operatives. They deal almost entirely in farm supplies. Only a few of them have dealt in groceries, but these are now expanding. The whole movement is in its infancy here in comparison with the way it has developed in Sweden and in England, where it serves not only the needs of the lower income group, but as a balance wheel to the general price level. Greeted by Taxi Driver : After a short time, Dr. James Peter Warbasse, president of the Co-operative League, came in and announced he had just been giving his examinations at the only medical college which requires a knowlr ede of co-operative medicine, the Long Island Col- : lege of Medicine and Surgery. He {feels this branch - of medicine is still getting scant recognition, but as. 40 per cent of our people are either unable to | avail themselves of medical services because of cost, or because they live where such services are impossible to obtain, it séems obvious that something in

. the nature of co-operative medical and dental services

will have to be furnished.

In spite of my interest in co-operatives finally I

. had to dash off.

A taxicab driver today, whom I urged to take

“You are Mrs. Roosevelt, aren't you? My home is in Washington. I think your husband

- is doing a @ job.” : : +X 353 toa Christmas tree in the afternoon at

the Women’s Trade Union League, spoke .for Mrs. Bethune at her meeting of the National Council of Negro Women, and motored up to Hyde Park. TT amm——————————

New Books Today Public Library Presents—

Es pf us hoping to grow old gracefully, since grow old we must, comforted by the thought that after all “We're only as old as we think we are,” receive a bit of a jolt when we are, told that “We're just as old as our uncontrolled and automatic actions indicate we are.” = Yet this is the general idea which Gelett Burgess * secks to vey in his recent book, LOOK ELEVEN YEARS YOUNGER (Simon). Under such alluring captions | “Poise Is Power,” “Old-Age Is a Habit,” “Vitalize Voice,” “The Livealones,” “Grins and Grimsces,” and “Green Old Age,” the author makes it very evident that actions speak louder than gray hairs, In addi apparently for the sake of those hardened individuals to whom “Seeing is believing,” he has included 20 photographic illustrations which he calls ble Examples” of oldsters unconsciously betraying their age and youngsters prematurely ss = =

PF the frolics of little children entice, you will enjoy I ae Y HOUSE (Little), by Mazo de la Roche, author of the Jalna books. This tale describes 14. Beginning with exciting days on a great ocean liner going from Canada to England, the story i their visits in various hotels until the two 3 ] with Mummie, Karen and Nurse find for themselves “the very house” in Herefordshire. Then follow ae of ‘times. With two dogs to

re are anecdotes galore of a happy little

scene, with visits to the circus and the.

Hirohito—Ruler or Puppet?

Emperor of Japan Faces Struggle to Hold Throne Above Army a

By Drew Pearson and Robert S. Allen

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1987 ;

(Authors of The Washington Merry-Go-Round.) » ASHINGTON, De:. 20.—These are days when Hirohito, modest, bespectacled Emperor of Japan, is very.

much on the spot.

Entirely aside from the demand of President Roosevelt for the Emperor’s apologies over the sinking of Amer-

ican ships in the Yangtse, the Emperor has some pretty

stiff problems on his hands—the most important of these being whether he will be the real ruler of Japan or become the mere puppet of the Army and Navy.

For even before young

Japanese officers began to go haywire, disregard the

instructions of their superiors, and shoot up foreign vessels, the Emperor was on the spot because of the Fascist revolt within the Army. It began two years ago when a handful of young Army cfiicers walked with drawn revolvers into the homes of Japan’s leading statesmen, shot them down in cold blood and proceeded to take over the city. Only a personal command from the Emperor, plus the threat that they would be blown out of their barricaded building brought these young men to time. The statesmen they shot were jeaders of the moderate wing who had urged a more cautious Japanese policy abroad. They opposed the Army’s tactic of shaking the mailed fist under the world’s nose. : Though the young officers finally surrendered, they did not altogether fail. For the Japanese Government ever since Has veered toward their aggressive course in order to prevent further uprisings. # 2 8

LL of which probably does not sit any too well with the Emperor. For Hirohito is rather a kindly, democratic person. much more moderate and modern than

most of the statesmen around: him

Hirohito is the 24th ruler of the family \line. He was born April 29, 1901, and succeeded his father, Yoshihito, Dec. 26, 1926. le was crowned in Kyoto, Nov. 14, 1928. Hirohito married Princess Nagako Kuni, Jan. 26, 1924, and has five children. He is sovereign over 97 million subjects. Although the Emperor is declared to be “sacred and inviolable” and exercises the whole of the executive power, the Ciovernment of Japan has not bsen an absolute monarchy since 1889. The Emperor is guided ‘by his “cabinet ministers whom he appoints and who are responsible directly to him. He has a privy council to consult with on important affairs of state and to interpret the constitution with him

By law Emperor Hirchito is the head of both the Army and Navy and it is the growing independence of the military which has raised the question of his actual power.

When he returned from a Euro-

pean trip while still Prirce Re-

gent, he issued an edict that

henceforth traffic should not be cleared from the streets as he passed through. Previously the streets had been corapletely cleared of human life and the windows shuttered. On this trip, Hirohitc noted that traffic did not stop fcr European rulers, and returning to Japan he remarked: “The idea of any one man holding up thousands of peorle! It’s all foolishness.” This European trip in itself was one of the greatest events of the Empire, and some Japanese threw themselves in front of his train to protest against his departure. To them, the Emperor should lead a cloistered life, and a visit: to the heathen shores of Eurcpe was bound to bring national disaster. On the trip, Hirohito took as his close companion, a youhg Japanese Quaker named Sawada, later counsellor of the Japanese Embassy in Washington. Elis diary gives important insight into the character of the man who heads bre world’s “most belligerent naon. :

Here is a recent picture of Em-

peror Hirohito in the more simple ‘military garb in which he often makes appearances, abandoning the old regal robes. 8

T should be noted that hitherto, few people were allowed to see, let alone touch, the Japanese Empero’. The court physician felt his pulse through silk gauze, while

the court tailor took his measure--

ments by guesswork from across ‘the room. On Hirohito’s ship passing through the Red Sea, however, .Saweda recounts that “Marquis Komatsu wrestled with His Highness, who seemed not to mind the heat nor the intensity of the exercise. Time and again His Highness struggled with his opponent, gven when troubled by nose-bleed-g.” Later, in Paris, Hirohito persuadasd his bodyguard to let him ride on the subway: despite strict orders in Tokyo against it. He even insisted on heaving his thrill of buying the tickets himself. This he did, and presented three to the fat old lady who guarded the gate. But he handed them to her in a bunch, rather than spread out fan-shape so she could punch them quickly, and she loosed a storra of terrific abuse on the future Emperor of Japan.

“x7 IMI” he: finally appealed to .one of his aids, “the grandmother is talking to me. I can’t understand her, but she seems to have her back up.”

Hirohito’s chief delight was in getting off the gold braid of ‘his “working clothes” and being just an ordinary person. Once during an official parade in Paris, Hirohito's: carriage was passing down an isolated street, and he exchanged coats with one of: his aids. leaving the latter to take the bows of the crowd, while the Em-peror-to-be slipped. off incognito to explore the streets of Paris. Reports say Hirohito has con-

Present day Tokyo reflects Emperor Hirohito’s interest in modernity. This air view of Japan’s capital (top photo) shows the Western note that prevails in the architecture of the city’s business district. Emperor Hirohito and his wife, the Empress of Japan, in their robes of state (lower). Emperor Hirohito shocked many of his subjects by disregarding the oriental custom of his forefathers for the more democratic manners of the Western world. .

tinued this friendly, democratic attitude after his coronation as Emperor of Japan. He is the first Emperor to have taken only one wife, and he leads a very simple life, getting up at 6 a. m. and breakfasting with his family at 7 o'clock. His daily routine begins with prayers, then reading the newspapers, which he insists on doing himself, and includes two Eng-lish-language newspapers: in his list. During the day he receives reports from cabinet officers, frequently has lunch with one of the younger members of the Foreign Office who keeps him ‘posted on the international situation. He takes an hour off after lunch for either horseback riding or golf. ”» t 4 # : IROHITO is the second - Emperor in a long and unbroken line who actually has taken a part in the government of Japan. His grandfather Meiji was the first to break the tradition that the Emperor. should lead the life of a hermit. Previously the Emperor of Japan was loved ‘and revered, but had no real power. He was kept as a

‘|See this page tomorrow for—

mysterious and never-seen ruler, while Japan’s powerful feudal lords really ran the country. So intense was the feeling that the Emperor must remain in sacred seclusion that Sir Harry ‘Parkes, first British Minister to

¢ Japan, was forced to take with

him a guard of 60 armed men when he presented his credentials to the Emperor in 1868. Despite this precaution, 11 of his guards were wounded by: Japanese who

* objected to this intrusion, and

the Emperor almost lost his throne in the rebellion which fol-

. lowed.

Today, the same battle is being fought over again. Hirohito, a moderate and intelligent Emperor, faces the fate of being boxed in by the extreme militarist group within the Army and being made a mere puppet to cloak a completely Fascist dictatorship in Japan. 3

JOHN L. LEWIS IN THE SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

& ¢ ® 8. nN

/ ’ . Japan's Crisis By William Philip Simms Times Foreign : Editor : ASHINGTON, Dec. 20—The sinking of the U. S. S. Panay brings to Japan a domestic crisis every whit as grave as- her crisis with the United States. In Japan it is a question of

‘| whether Emperor Hirohifo is to be ‘| the ruler .of his country or to be-

come the tool of a military dictator-

p. At this moment the Emperor is close to being an- absolute autocrat by divine right. But Prince Konoye, his premier, has fascistic leanings. His ministers of war and navy, in their sphere, are likewise dictatorially inclined. Thus it is entirely possible that the young Emperor—he is 36—may fall so completely under their influence that, like King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, he will become a figurehead. There is a privy council composed of 24 members. It is designed to give advice to the Emperor whenever he requests it. There is also a cabinet of 12 ministers. But these bodies are like other councils and cabinets the world over. 3 Cae HE Emperor today ist a crossroads. Already those about

| him have carried his country into

an alliance with. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Fe is in serious danger of being made almost much of a prisoner of his armed forces as the same forces have made of little Pu. Yi, now emperor Kang Teh of Manchukuo. ] The danger is very real—for the Emperor, for Japan and for us. If the war party is able to dictate, there is no telling where Japan will stop. What makes the peril especially acute is the sacred character of the Emperor’s - person. #2 #2 = ODAY the Emperor's influence .- is so potent that he has but to say the word and the people of Japan would attempt anything. If, therefore, the ‘militarists really have the upper hand and are of. a mind to make the most of it, they have, in the sacred person of the Emperor one of the greatest known instruments of power. By the same token, if he retains his true historic role, he can head off the danger of war - with the United States by a word. Which is why President Roosevelt requested that the Emperor be informed of his, the President’s,' view on the Panay bombing. It is also why the President and the State. Department today awaited Japan's reply with such interest. If the Emperor lets his armed forces know it is his will that foreign interests be respected in the future, those interests will be respected, and the capitals of the world will breathe easier. If, on the other hand, he allows himself to be swayed by lead-

_| ers boldly out for conquest, we-and

the rest had better look out.

Clark

A WOMAN'S VIEW By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

HAVE discovered that many young people are interested in newspaper writing. Sometimes they make odd remarks, one of which will be our topic = for discussion. About the

15th time I had heard the follow-|

ing, I began to wonder 'if we were moving into an era which would have no ethics: ! “Why write on a disagreeable subject the average reader doesn’t want to think about?”.is a common observation made by college students. At first glance. it sounds like

excellent sense, but think about it. |

What kind of newspapers will be created by such individuals. It seems to me useless for all

Jasper—By Frank Owen

these fine youngsters to go into| |c%

the journalistic profession if their only aim 'is to produce. soothing

| syrup for miserable multitudes. True, men and women grow rich |

and famous by turning out agreeable .

They take care never| |

United States. 3

It doesn’t matter to them whether |

the nation goes or

~ Communist Fascist, whether ;

over city government, whe ‘| nomic

lose them a reader

ig ous for the

9 d be %

‘ some women incite them, either for the fun of

rail deserted and see a thirsty tenor sir

PAGE

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own

By: Anion Scherrer

Chronicler Calls on Noble Art of Architecture to Confute Ad Boys; Whole Thing Now Is an impediment.

ANOTHER thing that worries me like everything is the Strauss people's loose use of the word “pediments” when they mean a pair of woman’s legs. Certainly, the women of Indianapolis deserve better treat-

ment than that. I knew that sooner or later something like this would happen. It was bound to come. As a matter of fact, I sent out a distress signal—right in this column, too—as far back as a year ago. At that time, I distinctly remember pointing out what would happen if critics persisted in the practice of describing “the art they were paid to describe in terms of other arts which, as far as I could see, didn’t have anything to do with it. I mean, of course, the book critic who prattles about a writer's work having tempo and pitch, and the critic of painting who speaks Mr. Scherrer of epic sweep or lyric lightness of touch. ' The music critic, too, who burbles of color tones, stipple scales, melodic brush work, and heaven knows what. : d Well, the worst has happened. The pernicious practice has now invaded the sanctum of advertising writers, or wherever it.is that such writers think ° up their stuff. What complicates the issue still more is ‘the fact that ad men have now gone the critics “one better, and dipped into the noble art of archie tecture to describe, of all things, a pair of woman's legs. Let's get to the bottom of this. A pediment is the architectural connotation for the low, triangular gable following . the roof slopes over the front and rear of a classic building. Our State House has a couple of them, and certainly they don’t look like anything connected with a woman.

Might Use Word ‘Coronet’

As a matter of fact, you'd never find a pediment, if you followed the instructions of the Strauss people. Some slick writers like Pausanius (circa 170 A. D.) have referred to the pediment of a building as its coronet, and I toss it to the ad writers as something to add to their repertoire in case they want to mention the legs of a woman again. prod If the Strauss people insist on describing a woman's legs in architectural terms, why in heaven's name don’t they call them pedestals? I wouldn't want to see it come to that, but, at any rate, it’s good architecture. It’s good etymology, too. ; I drag etymology into today’s piece, because I suspect that’s where the Strauss people went wrong. They go wrong so seldom that when they do, it’s really a pleasure to set them straight. Anyway, I guess the Strauss people just naturally thought that because the word “pediment” starts with the syllable “ped” that it had to have its origin in the Latin’ word for “foot,” like pedal, for instance, and peddler and pedestrian. It sounds reasonable enough, I'll admit, but. it doesn’t necessarily follow. If the truth were known, the word “pediment” probably had its origin. in the word “pyramid,” and certainly nobody, not even an ad. writer, would ever think of ‘using the word “pyramids” to clescribe a pair of woman’s legs. He wouldn't do it a second time, A anyway. x 1 - i ¢ : Elo : In the meantime, why aren’t Indianapolis women’s legs good enough to stand on their own feet without the help of architecture and the sister arts?

Jane Jordan—

Treatment Anyone Receives Should Square With Actions, Critic Told.

Note—The following letter refers to the answer I made to a young wife and mother whose husband is in love with another woman. When angry the husband kicks the fur niture .and throws coal around the house, a bad frait which his mother said he developed as a child. ;

EAR JANE JORDAN—WHere are you directing many of these women who write to you? To the Lonely Hearts’ Bureau? What’s more, I sometimes think you are on the right page with Jasper, only he is little. Why tell “Almost Put Away” to treat her husband, a man who is eight years her senior, like a child? Could it be that this man who kicks furniture and coal is trying to impress a wife who may be set against him, and who is too young to realize much? (Children like shows. If you don’t believe it go to a Saturday matinee.) : Don’t you think some men are capable of a great love and do

not always marry for love? The fact that this man’s mother betrays him shows that it is a one-sided case. I dare you to publish this and don’t tell me darers go first because I wrote this note. ‘ het ALMOST GONE WITH THE WIND. » ” 8 ;

Answer—I do not believe that my reply to this young wife would irritate anyone except one who had ‘a personal interest in the man. I may be wrong, of course. ; If a man does not wish to be treated as a child, then he must not act like a child. The fact that a man is eight years older than his wife does not entitle him to respect unless his emotional conduct corresponds to his choronological years. Infantile vior is quite common among adults. I have seen 50-yeare old men throw tantrums and indulge in petty behavior that put a sandbox squabble in the shade, and I expect that you have, too. : Yes, of course, the man fs trying to impress his wife by putting on a show for her, but his methods are not those which inspire respect.: I think it is true that some people enjoy domestic storms and that hting back or the pleasure of putting the partner in the wrong. Naturally, I hear only. one side of the case of matrimonial difficulties. This does not mean that I believe the fault lies only on one side, but only that I donot know what the other side is. I believe your criticism of the mother unjustified if it is based on her observation that her son did nof learn selfcontrol as a child. Had you criticised her for not - teaching him better methods of meeting his problems,

I would have agreed with you. ]

Some men do not marry for love. Some men are capable of a great love. It would surptise me to find the latter among the coal throwers, however. ‘It is my custom always to publish letters of critie . cism if the language and material are fit to print. Since there is no bad taste in your angry letter, I am glad to give it space. : ci JANE JORDAN.

Pat your problems in a letter to Jane Jordan, who will answer your questions in this column daily. | 4

| Walter O'Keefe—

* ONDON, Dec. 20.—The Daily Sketch reports a novel in alcoholic convenience. A new outfit here is going to sell beer in slot machines in the street. It’s for the convenience of gentlemen who don’t want to walk to the curbstonJ/.eéfore falling into

| the gutter. You drop in sixpence for a pint of beer.

If you hit the jackpot you have one on the house. - It will brighten up life considerably to see the brass deline” with one: foot resting on the fire hydrant.