Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 February 1938 — Page 16

The India inapolis Times (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

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@ive Light and the People’ Will Find Their Own Way

FRIDAY, FEB. 18, 1937

STEP ON THE STARTER

IF we could get the automobile industry going ‘again, the rest of American business would snap out of this slump in a jiffy. ~ How often we hear that said as people hopefully scan the news for reports of a production plekup in Detroit, ~ Flint, Dearborn and Toledo. And with reason. Not only that it would mean re-em-ployment of workers in those cities; not only that these . workers would immediately start spending their good wages for more farm products, more clothes, more shoes and more of everything that consumers with money always buy. For, aside from what the more than one-half million auto plant workers, 44,000 dealers and several hundred thousand salesmen buy as individuals, the automobile industry itself is the country’s biggest customer for many other industries. It buys 18 per cent of all the American steel produced, 73 per cent of the plate glass, 6 per cent of the hardwood lumber, 17 per cent of the copper, 36 per cent of the lead, 11 per cent of the zinc, 14 per cent of the tin, 12 per cent of the aluminum, 28 per cent of the nickel, 46 per cent of the upholstery leather and 9 per cent of the cotton. And last year, when it manufactured nearly 5,000,000 automobiles and trucks, it provided 3,725,000 carloads of freight for American railroads. This year, it is estimated that only half or {two-thirds as many .automobiles will be built. Small wonder that leaders in the Roosevelt Administration show concern for the sickness of the automobile industry. 8.8 8 8 = =a UT why do those who run our governments—Federal, state and local—refuse the one thing they could do quickly to help lift this bellwether industry out of coma? We refer to discriminatory taxes—taxes that discourage production, purchase and use of automobiles. Along with the cigaret and the bottle of liquor, the automobile is a choice victim of tax collectors. The automobile manufacturer has to pay every tax that every other manufacturer pays. In addition, on the theory that the automobile is a luxury, there is a special Federal sales tax of 3 per cent on each car—of 2 per cent on all parts and accessories, and if the car has a radio, that is taxed 5 per eent. Tires are taxed 214 cents a pound, and inner tubes 4 cents a pound. Many states also levy similar “luxury” taxes, and others get to the automobile with general sales taxes at every sale and every resale. All of these taxes, of course, are passed on to the buyer by boosting the price of the car. And once the buyer begins to drive his car ‘the taxing really starts in earnest. He pays a state license tax. He pays a Federal tax, a state tax and sometimes a municipal tax on the gasoline that runs the motor and the oil which lubricates it. : Last year a total tax bill of more than $1,500,000,000 “was paid on the fewer than 30,000,000 automobiles, busses and trucks—an average of more than $50 per vehicle. Taxes on automobiles, gasoline and oil, when spent for _highways, are in our opinion fair. But last year state gov- : ernments diverted more than $200,000,000 in motorist reve- - nue for other purposes. : » #® » # 8 » : "THERE seems little chance of quick actjon from state and local governments to dase the motorists’ tax load. "But the Federal Government could act promptly. Con- - gress is now drafting tax legislation. Last year the Federal Government collected $360,000,000 in taxes on automobiles, parts and accessories, gasoline and lubricating oil. - These were all sp-called “temporary”. excise taxes, first -levied in 1932. /The Federal Government would help the - automobile business and all business by retiring immediately from this field of taxation. But, you may say, the Federal Government needs “that revenue. Sure it does—and a lot more. Very well, “then, let the Federal Government get the révenue by taxes ‘which do not discriminate and do not hold back recovery. - Remove the taxes on sale and operation of automobiles. That - will make possible lower prices on cars and lower costs of - operating cars. That in furn will speed up production and - sale of automobiles, providing a market for more steel, glass, : hardwood, copper, tin, aluminum, nickel, leather, cotton, It “will create more jobs, swell pay envelopes. And there is where the Government can step in and get “its revenue—from the profits of business, the’ dividends of : stockholders, the salaries and wages—from all who: benefit ~ by the recovery. It can get it by the fairest of all fo of - taxation—the income tax, on a broader base graduated from a small tax at bottom of the income scale to'a large tax at the top-—from each according to his ability to pay,

“SMILE THROUGH YOUR TEARS! WE have always hoped thst those pariahs of the vegetable race, the onion and the garlic, some day would “come into their New Deal. For years people have wept over them and many nave - consorted with them in a furtive way. Here and there bold souls have courted ostracism by openly befriending them. “Alfalfa Bill” Murray, the warrior of Oklahoma, for - years made it a rule to munch at least one raw onion a : day, generally just before a battle. : But the generally accepted view has been that while - onions and garlic might build you up physically, they drag - you down socially. ; Now comes Dr. Daniel V.:O’ Leatv; health officer of “Albany, N.Y. with the latest word from the scientific “front that the chemicals in onions and garlic have’ been “isolated by, California-scientists and ‘found to be useful in’ ‘combating infectious diseases. Even the germs, it seems, give ‘em a wide berth. : Let us hope that science, that great democratizer, takes ‘up these untouchables and makes them fashionable. If it can dispel the breath of disfavor it might do for them ~ what it did for spinach, buttermilk, calves’ liver and other “formerly underprivileged viands that recently have been Fitalken § into society,

Br

SCIENCE AND

DISCOVERS ONIONS HAVE POWERTO KILL GERMS — AS

WELL AS LOVE! NEWS

TAINK WE

MAYBE THEY

DON'T KNOW OUR ONIONS!

HAVE THIS FILLED AT THE NEAREST DELICATESSEN 2

PAD A En OF AN \DEA Ths \ ST WATEO FICE

Fair Enough By Westbrook Pegler

Knox and Chicago U. Have a Trait In Common—Weakness in Football, But Siwash Really Wants to Win.

((GALESBURG, Ill, Feb, 18.—This is

Founders’ Week at Knox College, fondly known as old Siwash and as the typical American fresh-water school. That niay mean nothing to you, but it is hot stuff at Siwash,

and they usually import a couple of speakers to sound off at the big dinner which is the .climax of the celebration. This time they brought in Mr. Emanuel Hertz, of

New York, who has authored another book on the apparently inexhaustible subject of Abraham Lincoln. They cannot claim Lincoln as an alumnus, because he never had much book-learning, but they do claim a sort of lien on him, because he once debated with Stephen A. Douglas on the slavery question from a scaffold opening off one of the groundfloor windows of the buildihg known as Old Main, Egy have 2 nt of fur- ; niture and other articles which , Mr. Lincoln is said to have owned Mr. Pegler or touched or looked at, and although there are few

persons now living who can claim to have shaken his

hand, there are others who take solemn pride in

‘claiming to have shaken a hand that shook the hand

of the Great Emancipator. Old Siwash alumni have a way of lowering their voices when They speak of Lincoln. iP ® 8 = : SHOE which ‘could be cregibly or even wishfully certified-as having been worn by him would be carefully shellacked or gilded and placed on the mantel shelf in the museum, and even a pluck of lint off his coat would be placed under glass for the edification of the students. ‘ The contrast between old Siwash, with her conventional, fresh-water ideas and collegiate - customs

and her old buildings to which tradition clings in lieu of ivy, and the University of Chicago, only two hours but many years away, one way or another, is

inescapable but must be resisted. - It required a whole

series of pieces in the Saturday Evening Post and one of those ' continued-among-the-leather-belting-ads analyses in Fortune to lent what Rober} Huwhins is up to at Chicago. 8 ” HATEVER it is, he seems to have a big thing there, but the sort of parents who send their young to-Siwash or Slippery Rock or Spearfish’ Normal would regard all that as goings-on. No good can come of picking at the young ones’ souls, and experience has proved to generations of Siwash graduates that the way of life is to learn lessons out of books, marry, have children, work, succeed, if possible (and with none of your funny definitions of success) hen pass away. - One trait or failing the two schools have in common—their weakness in football. Siwash, up to a few years ago, had lost 27 consecutive games, and in the last season of that dreary span, did not score a point. The quarterback that year: broke loose one day, and seemed ‘on his way to a touchdown when he stepped in the water bucket. Siwash ‘did not regard this as evidence of intellectual superiority. Siwash wants to win. Chicago can imagine notine of ‘less Songesuenie. :

® The Hoosier Forum 1 wholly disagree with what you sdy, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

PROTESTS SCHERRER COLUMN ON SMOKING By One of the Minority

Mr. Scherrer’s article in The

Times of Feb. 16 will greatly en-|

courage smokers to disregard the comfort of the nonsmoking *BnoL. ity” in streetcars.

As well known, in Eurdpe nonsmokers are hot obliged to be smoked, as compartments are provided for them. If there is any place in In.i‘anapolis where food may be eaten unsmoked, I should like to find it. Mr. Scherrer’s column has been much enjoyed by the writer, but that article arouses all the “latent sweetness” in my nature, to the extent that I could cheerfully wish that all his days and nights might be spent inhaling H2S or something equally pungent, which would be as fepugnant to him as tobacco smoke is to some of this “minority”! Having a most “uncivilized’ sense of smell, perhaps I suffer from, and

-| also enjoy, odors more than others.

Smoking is typical of the spirit of the age: Who cares whether: the “minority” likes it or not? We must smoke any place, any time, anyhow!

® nn = LINCOLN EDITORIAL PUT IN RECORD By Hoosier, Washington, D. C.

Senator Davis (R. Pa.) has had placed in the Congressional Record an editorial from The Indianapolis Times entitled “Let Lincoln Speak.” He explained that he was in Indiana” on Lincoln’s Birthday and had read and liked the editorial, which quoted Lincoln’s advice to various groups of his day and which still is applicable.

td ”» »

‘ENTHUSIAST ONCE MORE

DEFENDS RAILROADS

By Edwin P. Belknap, Vice President Indianapolis Railroad Fans’ Association

Again I reply to Frank Walton of Campbellsburg. The truck. is giving better service and better rates, 1000 to 4, according to Mr. Walton, but I'll wager the rate to carry the load will be 1000 to 4 in favor of the

railroads. I don’t understand about.

the railroads chartering the concrete roads—better to say after we motarists pay for the roads in taxes, the bus and truck lines “charter” the road. . Mr. Walton, if you want a fine trip, ride a bus to California or ship the nation’s wheat crop by truck.’ As a rail fan, I'll fold up my tent and steal away, hoping it will be

| the last time I'll have to pitch it on

Mr. ‘Walton's front porch. 2 » ES BELIEVES ATTITUDE TOWARD HOOVER IS UNJUST

\ By One Who Remembers

It is.an odd sight, that of a former President of the United States sailing away to a foreign country

| ticipation in the World War; that,

(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.).

where he will be received . with a greater popularity than he can command in his own nation. Not only odd, it is a little unfair to Herbert Hoover, who inherited a nation in an unhealthy condition and then found that he could command—but could not persuade those who would not accept is commands. There must be many persons in the United States who are too young or who have forgotten the Hoover who was a life-saving, solid, safe figure before he went to the White House. In Belgium during the war he was virtual dictator of the economy of 10 million persons. He built and commanded a complicated system of machinery of living for that country’s people. And his conditions were not ideal, for war was ever in proximity. There he will always be a national héro and it js the Belgian Government which now invites him back for a series of ceremonies in his honor, a touching sentimentalism which must be pleasant to an ex-President who has been handed: few laurels in his own country during the last few years. °

Sprang From Obscurity

It is difficult to recall that Hoover is the same man who was made food administrator in this country during the pinching days of U, S. par-

like President Wilson, he sprang from total obscurity into world fame in a few short months; and that his name came pleasantly to the lips of millions of persons in those hysterical days. . Hoover has regained considerable prestige in this country during the past few months through a combination of happy gifeumstances and

MONEY . By MAUDE COURTNEY WADDELL So little need of wealth When love we have and health. A tender word and kiss Bring countless untold bliss— That dollars fail to buy, However hard we try.

» DAILY THOUGHT

But I shall forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, ‘which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.—Luke 12:5,

EAR is the tax that conscience pays to guilt.—Sewell.

"approval, backed by

happier publicity. He may regain even more, a lot more. Whatever his stature becomes in the Republican Party, however, his position must always be overshadowed by positions he has held before. It does seem unjust that a man who had a recognized genius for organization and used it for international good should be known as the man who allowed the United States to slip into its greatest depression, when g little reflection will bring the realization that depression must have been inevitable.

2 = 8 WANTS POLITICIANS REPLACED BY STATESMEN By H. Prell, Anderson

It has been brought to our attention, through various editorial channels, of how Federal and State legislators, in their consideration of issues before them, have shown a marked favoritistn toward certain small groups. That is, groups small in number but great in political influence and important financially. In my opinion, the difference between the statesman and the politician is that the former possesses that certain proportion of idealism toward his duty as public servant together with a certain instinctive consciousness of right and wrong. Statesmen drafted our great Constitution, but now it is with few exceptions politicians. that are administering it to the Government.

The antilynching bill, now before the Senate, would provide a just addition to the Federal statutes. So just that the opposition could not charge a violation of the Constitution. So just that their charge of States’ rights violation could not stem the tide of growing approval in Congress. So, a filibuster was started. This cunning plan was employed by Senators, backed by sure backwoods prejudice against law and order. When, in the name of democracy, will some of these politicians become men! When will State and Federal legislators begin to make honest and constructive laws? : 8 x = LAYS MOST LABOR TROUBLE TO FOREMEN By Robert Turner, Newcastle _To'd. C. M,, regarding the statement in the Forum about unions being @ representative of labor. I have you figured as being a strawboss getting about 5 cents more on the hour than men working for you. In my experience I have found that about 90 per cent of labor

grievance is traced back to foremen |.

of that type. You said you called on a man to come back to work. He did not wish to scab on the job, so you uSed your authority to take adwantage of this man because he did not see as you-did. The sooner the higher management teaches foremen that they are working human beings, the less trouble ‘they will have with labor.

‘with their performance.

- surely fail:

Gen: Johnson Says— |

The Selective Draft, Depending

On Civilian Co-operation for lis * Success, Is a Good War Referendum.

: VV ASHIN GTON, Feb. 18.—In a recent col-

umn about pensions for widows of World War veterans, I said “After Dec. 1, 1917, we didn’t even permit men to volunteer.” Several letters of ex-soldiers have

called that one. "One by Norman C. Ash’ proves that he enlisted [in March, 1918, and says, “Please don’t let the idea get abroad that anybody who says he enlisted after Dec.1isa liar. My state-

ment | as inaccurate. On Dec. 1, 1917, 1 prepared an order discontinuing voluntary enlistment of _men registered for war service. That order went into effect on Dec. 15, 1917. At that time, men below the age of 21 were not registered. It is true that a few kids enlisted after that date. However, the mistake could not adversely affect very many men, It shouldn’t adversely affect anybody. From the first days of the ! .war. it was the deliberate policy of Hugh Johnson the Government ta discourage volunteering. e idea of the draft is thatthe nation volunteers in mass.. It is a “nation in arms.” The Government selects those who are to march with the colors as well as those who are to work in the industries behind the battle line. The purpose is the least possible disruption in the domestic and economic life of the nation. EE OU can’t make that go and permit any distinc

tion at all between selected men and volunteers, -

In truth you can’t make it go and permit any volun teering at all. ing that idea to the American public was a job. Some enthusiastic recruiting officer had posters printed, “Be a went and not a sent.” He was court martialed. We stepped on every slam against a drafted man, The great lottery, drawing order numbers in Wash= ington, was a selling stunt. When we started out, the relatively few volunteers were the fair-haired boys. In a few weeks such few as were still volun= teering left town unnoticed. It was the “selected men” who- marched away in showers of flowers and cQptesia, : » » » g Riis men were not conscripts in the Gira sense. They were the selected perfection of this country. No other army in the war had men who; on the average, remotely compared with them in physique or intelligence. As new soldiers coming uns der fire without training, as many thousands did in October, ‘1918, ‘nothing in our history compares The system produced bet= ter material than any method or recruitment of vols untary enlistment we fe r tried. When we started it,/it was generally predicted on every past record in Britain or America that it would “You can't use conscription in an Ans glo-Saxon country.”' It was as nearly a perfect suc= cess as any principal war effort. It is certain that in any other major war, the country would not

stand for any other system.

But what is also perfectly certain; though not as generally recognized, is that if the country is not en= thusiastically for a war, it wouldnt work at all bes cause it depends entirely on universal civilian co= operation for its effectiveness. We don’t need any referendum on war. We can’t fight an snpopulas war. | ie : :

Business—By iobn T. Flynn

Small Businessmen of Middle West.Do Not Give Very Clear Answers | Ta Economist's Question of-How the: Government Is Attacking Them. |

ZL

NINCINNATI, Feb. 18.~From ‘here down through Missouri, Oklahoma and "Pexas’ and back again one hears continually from local businessmen the complaint that the Administration is attacking business too much and that it “should cease ifs attacks on business.”

I have asked many businessmen to tell me how the Administration weds attacking ther, but I have not gotten very clear replies. Some refer to the “un-distributed-profits- {ax.” . Several have talked about Mr. Robert Jackson's “attacks on business.” Others talk about the SEC and the interference with security issues: A few spoke of the attacks on the utilities. I heard frequently talk about “competition with nt vate busine; ” and the heavy load of taxes. : | But, in all fairness, few of these things have touched the small businessmen or those. local businessmen who are thought of as big in their towns, but who are penlly small businessmen, 3 " » EJ oe 0 Peg HERE is. an immense amount of taxation. But the Federal Government has not ‘been unreason‘able on that score. Taxes on those with incomes un‘der $25,000 have been raised very little, if at all. Most of the tax increases have been State increases. The Federal Government has gotten most of the money it has spent: on- recovery Sharges h loans.

w

According to Heywood Broun

Among the Winter Visitors One Does Not Find the ‘Same Uttering Of Gloomy. Predictions Which Prevails in New York and Washington.

As to “harassing business” and “Interfering with

business,” that subject seems to be pretty well overdone, though of course it has great political value. The Robert Jackson antitrust speech is made the basis of ‘this now. But since when has enforcing the antitrust laws become a crime? The Ropsevelt Administration has done less’ of that than any Administration since Harrison. Even President Coolidge instituted four times at least more antifrust suits than Mr. Roosevelt. The antitrust laws, whether wise or not, are designed. to aid the smaller business groups. AL ‘. 8 8 Teme gre laws of this Administration which do .« interfere with business, the Guffey Coal Act, the Robinson-Patman Act grid the Miller-Tydings Bill, all designed to hold prices up one way or another. But all were sponsored by business groups.

The Securities Exchange certainly has

Commission | done little or nothing to business. The Securities law itself, called the Truth-in-Securities Act, merely re-

quired publicity of security issues and it has been “pretty. generally approved by business. ‘The Stock

Exchange Act certainly has not hit business yet—the | SEC having forced only a single regulation’ upon the :

each e, the one against short sel}

1 of recovery and Jeform.

ing. ‘probably good politics for the Re) ublicans he this up, but it will ) Condinly never or the rid of constructive

TAMI, Peb. 18—A newspaper executive who shall be nameless has tempted me away from duty. When I told him that I was about to leave here for New York, or Washington he said: “I think youre foolish, To me those two cities seem the dullest datelines in America. Only a few public men have learned the trick of saving up their most important announcements and giving them out in some obscure place. They get & much more important news break in that way. ‘What people say in Washington and New. York doesn’t seem to make much difference to the rest of the country I told Mr. X that I had found that out, and I was

- compelled to add, “But Miami is not exactly obscure,

and I.am not a public man.” Nevertheless, I decided to heed his advice and stay over the week-end for purposes of research. A good newspaperman could get a lot of material here by running around. Even by sitting still at some fixed

and central point you may see Jim Farley, Sonja |

Henle, Frank Hague, Harty Richman ‘and’ Harry Hopkins all pass by. # ® »

LOCAL fortune-teller undertook te read the present and tHe future for Mr. Hopkins. “I

think,” she said, “that you are "the proprietor of a

gambling house.” ment. “Well,” wrong, but, at any rate, I seem to see you handling a lot of mo! oney and having it distributed ‘among a lot of people’ “My own [SXperience with the fortune-teller was not personally ill She Shought t I was a clothng manitaciurer oc % musics. 71 : helther have. to

declined the soft impeach«

Egyptian did not even look.

the soothsayer, “I may be

get my hair cut or quit creasing my trousers. “Never mind about me,” I said: “Look in the crystal ball again and say whether there is to be a war.” The “Why should therg be?” she said. “Who's going to fight who?” and most of the local gypsies are of like mind." + Among the very assorted winter ‘visitors one wo Tot find the same shaking of heads and uttering gloomy predictions which prevail in New York and Washington. It may be objected that I speak of those who fiddle during fires, bat it has always seemed to me that, while Nero may not have been the most helpful man in Rome, he was hardly the gréatest nuisance. “The most useless person during a big blaze

‘is. the one who runs around with an smpty bucket

SHogung, “Isn’t this awful?” ‘8 ® 8 Me of the war talk comes from the peace peos ple. Gentlemen who say that they are all far often do much to destroy it by

Ta

poate war is right around the corner. The isolatio

believe their own vague philosophy by insisting tha we are about to embark into conflict. i I am not going to commit myself to “collective security” without a definition, but it seems to ng that if sanity is to be preserved it must be by ternational co-operation. The n. 1 The American people wil y find their own peace precarious if we have nothing better to offer than pulling down the shades. kes Maury Mavericknis on the right track in in urging President Roosevelt te call a disarmament our Jap. not 8 pum. Te 38 0 going to 5 our: Se

We found that out in the war. Sell~.

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