Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 January 1938 — Page 12

PAGE 12

The Indianapolis Times

(A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

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

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LS Riley 5551

Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

Member of United Press, Scripps - Howard Newspaper Alliance, NEA Service, and Audit Bureau of Circulations.

THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 1838

HE WALKED ON EGGS NOW that the bloody typhoon has swept inland from the China coast, perhaps it would not be amiss to say a word in praise of a skipper who rode out the storm with credit to himself and his service: Admiral Harry E. Yarnell, commander-in-chief of cur Asiatic fleet. Taking over the command in October, 1936, Admiral Yarnell was on the spot when the Sino-Japanese conflict began. Throughout the entire siege at Shanghai he lived under fire. His flagship, the Augusta, anchored in the Whangpoo, was struck by a shell which killed two and wounded 17 of his men. His was the trying job of getting Americans out of the war zone. He was responsible for the conduct of American sailors and Marines during dangerous and highly-provoca-tive times. Refugees were sprayed with shrapnel by careless or indifferent gunners. Bombers rained death on native and foreign civilians, among them many women and children of the port. Incident followed incident as the weeks went by. The air was thick with menace. A single misstep on the part of the Admiral or his men might have brought about a catastrophe. Yet he and they came through without a single black mark to their discredit. Quite the contrary. For months on end they walked on eggs without cracking a shell.

5 ” ” ” ” = IT was no easy feat. For every inch we ceded in China, the Japanese were prepared to take an ell. Faulty communications and quick-moving events often made it necessary to act first and get permission afterward. It took courage, but Admiral Yarnell had it. And never once did the fleet in Asia and the State Department in Washington work at cross purposes. For with the Admiral, as with the Secretary of State, honorable, self-respecting peace was always the American objective. We say these things now because it may serve a useful purpose. Some of us are a trifle inclined to say, if not believe, that admirals and generals are never happy unless they are blazing away with their cannon. There are those who seem honestly convinced that Army and Navy people lie awake at night figuring out a way to stir up war. We do not believe this is true. Of course there are all sorts of people in uniform just as there are out of uniform. But we recall that at the time of our near war with Mexico, 20-0dd years ago, General Pershing did as much as any civilian to head it off by holding his fire under great provocation. And now Admiral Yarnell contributes his large bit to the cause of peace.

EMILY AND THE BERRIES HE Countess of Salisbury, so we've been told, dropped her garter at a royal ball, and when the courtiers snickered King Edward III picked it up, shouting, “Evil to him who evil thinks!” From this incident is supposed to have come the Order of the Knights of the Garter and their famous motto. King Philip of Spain lisped. Hence every good Castilian now lisps his sibilants. The other day Emily Post, arbitress of the elegancies, while eating at a formal luncheon of the Gourmet Society in New York, spilled a spoonful of lingenberries on the table cloth. Mrs. Post only smiled indulgently, and none of her 92 fellow-guests seemed shocked, except an awed waiter. Like the courtiers of the days of chivalry, they assumed that if Emily Post spilled berries then berries should be spilled. Now, we don’t know what lingenberries are. We don’t contemplate having lingenberries to spill, but we know that it won't be long before we spill something. And, knowing that Emily Post’s spoon also slips gives us a sense of social security. After this we won't stammer and blush, even when we upset soup into the hostess’ slipper.

THE ALTO VOX APT. HANS AMLIE returns from cominanding an American battalion fighting for the Loyalists with an interesting story about one of Spain’s most effective weapons. It is a huge amplifier called the “alto vox,” which is hauled up to the front line just before a battle. Through this instrument are sent, not bullets, shrapnel or gas, but arguments. They are hurled four miles into the enemy’s camp. Each battalion has an “alto vox” and the arguments are translated into the language of the opposing enemy, whether Italians, Germans, Moors, Portuguese or Spanish. Scores desert during each battle, says Capt. Amlie. Why couldn’t all wars be fought with alto voces? Each side in a war always believes it is fighting for reason and righteousness. Let each enemy argue it out across no man’s

; THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES A Chinese Puzzle!—By Talburt

ROW DO YOU SUPPOSE AE DID SUCH

{i ASWELL { Joe KEEPING US OUT OF THAT

MESS!

THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 1938

Get It! —By Talburt

SIE

*

S'EUNNY BUT | SORTA BELIEVE I'D

Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

By the Time a Full-Crew Orchestra Has Been Put in the Chez Capone, There's No Room for the Customers.

NEW YORK, Jan. 27.—They were doing a big business the other night in Chez Capone, the swank rendezvous of people who really matter, when suddenly a man left the bar, walked back to the orchestra, inter-

rupted the music and said to the leader :— “Hey, wait a minute! Hold still a minute!” “Well, what's with you?” the leader demanded. “Nothing's with me,” said the man. “I'm all right.

But what’s with that drummer of yours?” “Nothing is with that drummer. He has got a card. Show him your card, Wallie.” The drummer showed his card. “Drummer’s card,” said the man. “All right for drumming the snare drum. But whats he Going socking that brass? You got to put on another ran to sock that.” “A whole guy we got to put on just to sock that brass?” “You heard me, and I got a guy outside.” Mr. Chez Capone, the Mr. Pegler proprietor, thought fast, and decided to put on the extra man to sock the brass thing rather than have pickets around the plant. So the sock-brass guy climbed into the stand, the agent of the musicians went back to the bar and things resumed. A few minutes later the agent strode back to the orchestra again shouting, “Now what's with that drummer?” “I tell you nothing is with that drummer,” the leader said. “He didn’t sock that brass.”

= ” =

- HO said anything about brass?” the agent yelled. “That drummer whanged that triangle. Why haven't you got a triangle-whanger in your lineup?” “Yeu mean I got to have a whole guy just to whang that dinky little triangle a few timas a night? Nothing doing. We will just cut it out of the orchestra.” “You do, and we jerk you out of here so fast you trample yourself in the rush,” the guy said. “You will use a full crew or no crew.” So the agent put a triangle-whanger up on the stand and things went along all right until the agent heard a couple of those Cuban gourds with the birdshot in them. It was the drummer in dutch again. Well, as the night wore on the agent made life more and more miserable for the ‘leader and Mr, Chez Capone. He put on a guy to play hoofbeats with the coconuts, a guy to play the block and another one to swish that wire egg-beater thing. He put in another to play the sandpaper thing, and still another to clank the cowbell—all jobs formerly performed by the drummer in his spare time. > & =» HE orchestra spread all over the dance floor and up and down the room, and all but eight were new hands brought in to assist the drummer under the union full-crew rules. Ordinarily the Chez Capone doesn’t close until 4 a. m., but at a quarter of 1 Mr. Chez Capone took a look around the plant and clapped his hands. “All right,” he said, “turn up the tables and turn out the lights. no room left for customers. Here's the key and here's the license and the lease, and here’s my regards to the union,” with which he seized the raspberry gag and blew a leng note.

We got a full crew at the drums but.

The Hoosier Forum

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

SOCIALIST PARTY CHIEF CRITICIZES C. I. O. SERIES

By Norman Thomas

The Stolberg articles dealt interestingly with a matter which is of public interest and invites discussion. They contain, however, certain inaccuracies of fact and interpretation. In so far as these inaccuracies relate to the Socialist Party and its attitude toward the administration of the United Automobile Workers of America the position of the Socialists in the union is carefully stated in the letter from Ben Fischer, Secretary of the Party in Detroit. May I preface that letter by saying that Socialists emphatically do not believe that it is their business to control unions from outside or to capture power by hook or by crook. They do believe that there are certain principles such as opposition to racketeering, adherence to democracy, the duty steadily to push the organization of the unorganized, to which Socialists as Socialists must adhere. Certain issues of tactics within a union are the primary business of those concerned, and while the National Party is willing to give advice and help it does not dictate sudden changes of line from some general headquarters staff. To this general statement of the Socialist position may I add a personal word to the effect that I think that in recent weeks there has been an improvement in some relationships within the Automobile Workers’ Union and in the attitude of the Administration. I doubt if this wholesome process has been helped by Mr. Stolberg’s very dogmatic judgments.

" # & ERRORS IN STOLBERG SERIES, SOCIALIST AID CLAIMS

By Ben Fischer, State Secretary, Socialist Party of Michigan

The Socialist Party regrets the publication by the Scripps-Howard Newspapers of a series of articles by Benjamin Stolberg that completely distorts and misrepresents the internal situation in the United Automobile Workers of America. The Socialist Party flatly disputes the following charges made or inferred by Stolberg: 1. That the differences between the factions in the union are not principled ones but are based on personalities and politics, and that Socialists and the Unity Caucus are out to “get” Martin. The Socialist Party and the Unity Caucus have fought consistently for democracy in the union. They believe that local unions should have the right and reéponsibility of electing their own officers and managing their own affairs. They do not believe that local unions should be ruled by “administrators,” arbitrarily imposed upon them by the International. They believe that an aggressive, militant policy

Business—By John T. Flynn

(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.)

should be used in dealing with such corporations as Ford and General Motors. The administration for the past several months has not had such a policy, but rather an unnecessarily yielding and compromising attitude that the corporations have taken advantage of at the expense of the workers in the shops. These are two of the differences between the factions, and they are basic. There are elements in the administration that Socialists feel are reactionary and not representative of the rank and file and who are largely responsible for these policies. They have criticized these elements on issues and program— not on personalities—and they will continue to do so.

“Proud of Work”

2. That Socialist Party members (the Reuther brothers, George Edwards, and others mentioned by Stolberg) have violated Socialist discipline and ignored the national leadership of the party. The Social-~ ist Party is extremely proud of the union work done by Socialists in the U. A. W. During the heroic struggles of the automobile workers last winter and spring these Socialists were among those who led in the job of building the union. They constitute one of the most effective groups of Socialists in the nation. They have always sought and followed the advice of national leadership of the party. 3. That Socialists in the U. A. W.

THE PROMENADE . By ROSE CRUZAN A very dainty little maid Was strolling down the esplanade. She promenaded unconcerned Her tiny nose was upturned. But passersby just smiled or stared So she surmised they really glared. For after some hesitation She had reached her destination. Then very much to her chagrin A flake of coal soot black as sin Was resting on her dimpled chin.

DAILY THOUGHT

And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.—II Chronicles 123.

HAT is it to be wise? ’Tis but to know how little can be known—to see all others’ faults and feel our own.—Pope.

have “abjectly” (or in any other manner) followed the line of the Communist Party. It should be said first that the tactics of branding any opposition as “Communist” is a common one in such situations. The Socialist Party always has followed the practice of working loyally and sincerely with any elements on policies and program where there is agreement. On this basis Socialists in the U. A. W. function in the Unity Caucus, which includes Communists and a large section of the union’s rank and file and leadership belonging to no political party. Neither the Communists nor any other group or element determines the policy of the Unity Caucus. It is determined by agreement between all the elements. At times in the U. A. W. the Socialists have agreed with the Communists; at other times they have disagreed. There are at present two important disagreements: Socialists oppose the immediate and artificial splitting of amalgamated locals into separate locals, while Communists favor such a step; Socialists believe in continuing the publication of local union newspapers while Communists advocate discontinuing them. There are any number of factual errors in Stolberg's articles that would have been avoided by a more competent journalist.

o "2 » STOLBERG SERIES TERMED MERE PROPAGANDA

By Marion F. Meredith, Local 228, U. A. W. A. I object to the Stolberg articles as being untrue and merely propaganda; regardless of how cleverly they were worded. The way the last article winds up is very easy for any thinking person to see through. Just get rid of all your militant officials, staff members and organizers, and the C. I. O. will become another old woman’s union and collapse like a punctured balloon. The Fords, Girdlers, Hagues, du Ponts, Sloans, Morgans and others hate and fear labor unity. Why? Their days are numbered, because capitalism is dead and all it needs is burying. Our next and final step will be socialism in spite of a few Stolbergs, William Greens and other misleaders.

2 8 ” SEES REASONS FOR COMMUNISM’S RISE By Reader uy millions are beginning to see “re a . They read about Manville and his disgusting escapades. They read about certain parasitic heiresses with their millions. They discover that a baby who has never earned a dime falls heir to $10,000,000. They read about police shooting workers. They read about Mayor Hague of Jersey City, and a few items about Tom Girdler. Then they wind up by reading about a cripple being dispossessed. They become ripe for communism.

Gen. Johnson Says—

The Way to Recovery Lies Not in

The Government's Doing More, but In Stopping What Is Being Done.

HICAGO, Jan. 27.—His Excellency the Hon. Joseph Kennedy, Ambassador designate to the Court of St. James, is quoted in the press as taking business to task for not telling Government how to end this de-

pression. The Honorable played golf at Palm Beach with three “well-established” Chicago business« men and each one had a different medicine. One thought the proper dose was for business to crack down on labor. Another believed that a balanced budget would do the trick. A third believed in placing purchasing power in the hands of the public. “I think,” said His Excellency, “the Presi dent would like to have somebody make a suggestion to him.” This is the same Mr. Kennedy who advised business that the way out of the depression is to “stop bellyaching” and get busy. One can hardly blame His Excellency for boosting for his boss H —especially after just receiving ugh Jolmson from the President's hands the third of three great honors—chairman of the SEC, chairman of the Maritime Comrission and now the highest ambassadorial post in the gift of the Goveernment. In each of the first two jobs the Hon. Joseph started them off with a bang. He demonstrated great shrewdness in getting out while the bang was still resounding and before the tough, long, hard pull of actual accomplishment or heart breaking failure began. His Excellency is smart and this column has boosted him for every triumph. But it can’t boost this. ” ” ” OMEHOW this farewell blast before leaving his native strand doesn’t sound so smart—and it won't sound so genuine to those who, in private conversation, have heard the Hon. Joseph blasting away at the very people and policies of which business, big and little, complain, It is simply silly to say that it is up to “business” to suggest what Government should do to end this depression. I have spent some time in Chicago recently and consulted many businessmen-—big and lite tle, well-established and on the skids. I didn’t observe any confusion of council. They all thought just one thing, viz: Government can’t do anything to end the depres sion, but it can stop doing enough to end it promptly, ” d 8 HAT it should stop doing should not be as a favor to, or trade with, business. It should be done as a blessing to consumers, workers, farmers and the unemployed. It should stop doing the things that make people uncertain or afraid to spend or invest their money. That's all. There is plenty of money to bring prosperity. All that is needed is for it to get

busy. It should stop encouraging business co-operation with Government with one hand, and trying to send men to jail for doing it with the other. It should stop condemning, restricting, preventing and punishing the investment of money for profit. Above all, it should make up its mind whether it is for a capitalist or a socialist economy.

According to Heywood Broun—

A TSA RACH NI on Gi

He's Swearing Off Those 'En Route’ or Ringside Newspaper Stories; When He Writes Now, He Wants to Be in a Quiet Spot on the Ground.

Economist Calls Business’ Attack on F. D. R. a Profound Blunder;

land, with victory going to the one that persuaded the most It Has Driven Him to More Aggressive Action Than He Preferred.

enemy soldiers to desert.

With all their ingenuity men have never yet invented a more destructive explosive than an idea.

SPYING AND STEALING

WHATEVER wire-tapping and other espionage may have gone on in the Interior Department, we assume the purpose was to keep officials and employees from going crooked. So it seems ironical that the same Senate Committee which is investigating wire-tapping should have brought out the story of the former $2300-a-year Interior Department clerk who defrauded the Government of $84,000. He get up a “dummy” CCC camp in August, 1933, forged payroll vouchers in the names of nonexistent employees, cashed the vouchers, and was not caught at it until March, 1937. Investigators have told the committee that it was posgible for the clerk to continue stealing so long because he had easy access to voucher forms, knew that the posting of records was “months behind,” and was able to destroy copies that might have led to exposure. Which suggests, certainly, that energy spent on espionage might have been employed more PIO sly in keeping records up to date and

i

EW YORK, Jan. 27.-—For several days we have been looking at Mr. Roosevelt the politician, the social and economic reformer and the public hero in an effort to guess what he is driving at. Here is the

guess: First of all, the President has no clear-cut objective now. The collapse of his recovery has completely bewildered him. He is accepting the data on the resumption of the depression with the greatest reluctance. Like Mr. Micawber, he is waiting for something to turn up, and is hoping that the prophecies of a revival in the spring are sound. If the revival should not come, the President has as yet no well-defined plans. He is literally driving at nothing. He has a general feeling that spending and borrowing will have to be continued. But he doesn’t like it. And he has generally, but more or less vaguely, reversed himself on the theory that the road to prosperity is through higher prices. All this, however, is more or less vague in his mind.

. * » UT if the revival does not come the President, who has had the tide running with him from the start, will face his first real test. Then will come the clamor of the several miilion farm and home owners who are in default to the Federal mortgage corporations and the demand for cancellation; the insistence of the inflationists, first to spend the gold profit, then currency; the cry of the farmers subsidies; the protests and clamor

the veterans calling for permanent pensions; and business, its back stiffened, calling for its program. In what direction he will go will be determined almost entirely by political exigencies, Perhaps the profoundest blundering in our time has been the blundering of business in making so bitter a fight on the President. Business has assumed too readily that the President was committed to radieal policies. By its own violence it has driven him to far more aggressive action than he preferred.

I= frantic squealing has been the worst of all weapons for the conservative groups. What they have to realize now is that Mr. Roosevelt, slowly filling with uneasiness and shaken in his confidence about many things, holding only a vague feeling of benevolence for the underdog and an equally vague attachment to collaboration with business—all but a few hated individuals—can be had by either side now, by the side which is most adroit, most kindly to him, most flattering. But business to win must be content with the substance, while permitting the President to save his face by continuing his bold pronouncements about the people. He is at the point now when he must face the r and disappointments of liberals on many fronts. A little examination will reveal that, aside from an occasional brave oration, an occasional empty threat, a few | Sorstnal big business enemies, all his tendencies

The real question

EW YORK, Jan. 27.—The working newspapermen : who arouse my envy most are the fellows who begin their dispatches with “En Route by Air to Timbuctoo.” I couldn’t even write a column while flying. Some little time ago I was in a big, substantial plane 8000 feet above Columbus, O. It is, in its own right, a friendly city, but viewed from that altitude it seemed all spikes and spires. It looked like a nasty place to land, and the only word which came into my mind was “Ouch!” But there at the other end of the cabin was Paul Gallico gaily thumping away a little masterpiece upon his portable. “You can have the machine as soon as I get through,” he called in a spirit of good comradeship. Another friend had just tossed me a marked copy of a magazine to call my attention to a piece entitled “Flying Is Still Dangerous.” My friend did not seem to have any personal faith in the conclusions of the author. He just wanted to put me at ease.

UT even with all this help I declined Gallico’s generous offer. Even though my contribution had been of little worth, I didn’t want to have it wasted. My resolution was to wait until there was earth under my feet and a reliable copy boy standing by my side.

None of this is reasonable, Neither temperament nor timidity becomes a newspaperman. I have written from political conventions and been very little bothered by the fact that the keynote orator was view= ing with alarm from over my left shoulder. The city of & newspaper is not quite as f as mo=

drop. Once I did a dispatch from a lower room of the citadel of Verdun under a very mild bombardment. I have even filed from those seats beside the prize ring which are humorously supposed to be reserved for the working press. . A running story is always tough because of the visiting and highly partisan fireman who has his left elbow on your typewriter. He keeps his right hand free in order to give advice to his favorite. “Downe stairs! In the breadbasket!” he shouts as he encour ages the challenger. And as he shouts ‘he illustrates his meaning with pantomime, barely grazing the chin of the hard-working reporter who is trying to think up a shappy lead. 8 & y “YN the breadbasket! He doesn’t like it down there!” To which, on at least one occasion, the outraged author exclaimed, “Who the devil does?” and sneaked over a very good right hook on his own account. It is encouraging to read that at the last bout in the Garden the reporters themselves put on a battle royal. This has encouraged me in my yearnings for retirement and a quiet spot in which to do the typing. I can no longer make the weight. At the battle between Dempsey and Gibbons in

- Shelby, Mont., the good-natured crowd pelted the

working press with beer bottles. When Firpo knocked, or shoved, Dempsey out of the ring the classic chassis of the champion landed in the lap of Grantland Rice, bug Sig not miss me by much. d so I am swearing off “en route,” “ringside” play-by-play stories. When I write ng