Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 August 1938 — Page 12
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PAGE 12
~The Indianapolis “Times
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Ep RIley 5551
Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1938
‘A NONPARTISAN SCHOOL BOARD
THE Citizens School Committee, which in the past has indorsed capable and representative candidates for the “School Board, apparently has named a slate of equally high : caliber for election this fall. : : Those approved as candidates are Mrs. Carl J. Manthei, - active in Parent-Teacher Association affairs; Roscoe Conkle, : West Side civic leader; Harvey B. Hartsock, attorney and ‘long-time Irvington resident; Evans Woollen Jr., president . of the Fletcher Trust Co., and Theodore L. Locke, attorney. : The committee, in naming four men and a woman, ‘followed a policy set in the 1929 and 1934 campaigns. Its ‘insistence that the Board be nonpartisan also prompted : selection of two Democrats, two Republicans and one Inde‘pendent. : Indianapolis i is exiramdly fortunate to have this method of indorsement, designed to keep the administration of its - schools free from partisan politics. : This public-spirited committee deserves credit for the “time and effort it spends in preparing a slate of capable candidates to offer the voters.
.souTH CAROLINA DIDN'T PURGE
THE strategists who are masterminding the purge seem to see everything in black and white—and no shading of issues. : Or perhaps it would be a better figure of speech to ‘say they compute their politics in simple arithmetic— something like this: A preponderant Tumber of Democrats are. for President Roosevelt and his program. Therefore if Mr. Roosevelt says that a Senator Smith or a Senator Tydings or a Senator George is not doing right by him and ‘his program, but that a Mr. Johnston or a Mr. Lewis or a -Mr. Camp would do the right thing, then it should naturally
follow that those preponderant Democrats will go to the |
polls and vote as Mr. Roosevelt advises. Just simple addition. But it didn’t work out that way in South Carolina. Senator “Cotton Ed” Smith got the most votes. 2 8 8 ! 2 = 8 YET there was nothing wrong with the New Deal strategists’ original premise. The error was in trying to reduce politics to simple arithmetic. \
Governor Olin Johnston, who campaigned with the New
Deal’s blessing, didn’t get the votes of all of the Democrats who happen to be fond of Mr. Roosevelt. And it is doubtful whether their defection from the New Deal party line was due, in any great extent, to their admiration for the statesmanship of “Cotton Ed.” There was, for instance, that adventure of Governor Johnston in calling out the National Guard to capture political control of the State Highway Department. The animosities engendered by that incident alone probably influenced more votes than all the masterminding from Wash-
ington. ; 2 ” # » ” ”
STORY is told by a city man who recently visited a rural section of southern Maryland. Encountering an unlettered tenant farmer—one of the type that doesn’t bother to read newspapers—the city visitor posed this question: “How are you fellows ‘voting down here?” “Waal,” said the farmer, “they’s seven men runnin’ fer that sheriff’s job. And we ain’t decided yit.” “© “No, no,” said the city man, “I'm talking about the “Senate race—Tydings and Lewis. Which one are you ‘voting for?” % : “Who' 8s they? > asked the farmer.
EUROPE? oe ISTORIANS tell us that in 1914, if Kaiser Wilhelm’s Government had known that England would enter the war on the side of France, Germany never would have marched on Belgium. In the Czechoslovakian crisis of today the British
x
: ‘Government is not repeating that mistake. : The Cabinet met in London yesterday at the same time
the French Cabinet was meeting in Paris. And the two : governments arrived at the same conclusion—that under
is ino circumstances could they permit Germany to take over
: Czechoslovakia. by force. i To now, Herr Hitler has never been up against such : unbendinf opposition. He reot¢cupied the Rhineland at a :time when London ‘and Paris were at outs over Britain's : policy respecting Italy and Ethiopia. He took over Austria ‘when France was torn with political dissension. : Will Der Fuehrer recognize that this is an oppUrtine i time to strike? Will he call off the propaganda campaign that is stirring up in Germany a warlike hatred toward the Czechs? Or will he conclude that Britain and France are just bluffing?
PREVIEW OF THE UPSWING
HEATERS have felt the hard times along with all sitter :
business. The motion picture industry as a unit is ‘embarking on a million-dollar advertising campaign to win the public back to the box office. It aims to plant in every consciousness the slogan “Moving Pictures Are Your Best Entei.” It refuses to take discouragement lying down. - “After all, the way to resume is to resume, and the
: ‘moving pictures have stepped out in front to support pre-
cept with example. - Other industries, we ‘have no doubt, have been studying their hands, but the movies are the
‘well be setting the pattetn for other industries. - = ; Bold, aggressive action is a tradition of the film busi-
‘ness. Perhaps it is because it never has got over thinking |
‘of itself as a young. industry, or because of the necessity
for keeping i in close touch with the public. It has shown
itself. many times to be a leader.
i
or Shia preview of the upswing.
Price in Marion Coun-
| to a course of conduct which me
| done.
‘ The pattern being set here and the bold investment. in ‘this one-million-dollar campaign should not fail to prove “contagious, Full credit is due to the motion picture Ingustey |
Fair Enough
By Westbrook Pegler All Americans, Whatever Be Their
Origin, Owe Resentment to Il Duce
For Italian Press Attacks on U, S.
EW YORK, Aug. 31 ~Last whek a newspaper in Milan, Italy, speaking by authority of the Italian
Government, called this country a nation of gangsters.
Last Sunday the New York Times published a dis-
patch from Camille Cianfarra, of its Rome Bureau, |
which said that since 1936 “the Italian press has been printing articles and news showing the worst aspects of American life.” “As for the American people as a whole,” Cianfarra
| wrote, “according to an article in the April 3 issue
of the Corriere Della Sera, the ‘majority of ‘them are ignorant and irresponsible.’ ” Quoting from the “widely read” magazine Omnibus, Cianfarra reports that “the American man is naive,
. slow-witted, gross, obtuse and bent only on profit and
physical competitions.”
These and all other expressions of a similar kind, all hateful, many of them deliberately vicious, are not artists. -
expressions of individual Italian editors and
They are expressions of the . Italian Government
authorized through its press bureau in Rome. ” 5 2 1 8
HE campaign against this country and its people has been persistent and increasingly bitter ever since President Roosevelt in his Chicago speech cited the dictators as ial disturbers and accused them of destroying dence in international agreements—provable charges, both. Cianfarra writes that it can safely be said that hardly a good word about the United States generally has been heard in Italy since November, 1936. In plainer terms, a blackmailer government sets as the price of its forbearance from slander and abuse
of this country and its pogle, including those who | -
cell themselves Italio- , complete submission es the peace and lives of Americans and silent approval of any predatory outrage which Italy may commit anywhere. American acquiescence, even by silent consent, is a valuable thing to a marauder, because American prestige is great. Denied this aid for the designs, present and future, Italy has resorted to the common method of the blackmailer and relies on the racial feeling of immi-
grant Italians and their near descendants in the |
United States for sympathy. » 8 » LL Americans, of whatever origin or strain, owe resentment to Mussolini and the Italian Government as at present conducted for vilification of their country and its people. Nothing that has been published in the American press in retort' has even approached the reckless and
. cynical hatred of the Halian press campaign against
the United States. On the contrary, the American press has made allowances for a warlike state of mind and local Italian problems which may not be fully understood here. - It also has restrained itself out of the elaborate consideration for the sensitiveness of Americans of Italian birth or descent. - Does ‘any Italio-American- editor or leader take occasion to defend his country against the bitter anti Americanism of Italy, where hardly a good word has been heard of the United States since 1936? Why all the selicitude for Italy? This is the United States: these are the American people under abuse by Italy.
Business By John T. Flynn U. S. Should Cut Old-Age Insurance
Tax Rate, but Enlarge the Rolls.
EW YORK, Aug. 31.—At the moment some 40,000,000 people in this .country are members of the old-age insurance operated by the Federal Goverment; Now..the, Social’ Security: Board is'looking into ‘a plan to ase -the ‘number. If the plan goes through we will have around 56,000,000 persons with old-age insurance rights. The number is large. Buf it- merely means that a wise;soeial provision is gradually extended to all our people. It does not mean that 56,000,000 people will be drawing old age henefits at the same time; merely that that number will have “policies.” It- does not mean that that number of people will be getting charity. ‘It merely means that that number will be members of an old-age insurance system in which they pay far everything they get. -As a matter of fact those who enjoy this old-age insurance are paying the highest price fo be found for insurance of any kind anywhere in the world. - At the present time old-age insurance is limited to employees of industrial and commercial enterprises. Farm workers, servants and various others are not included. But there is no reason why the Government should open a plan like this to clerks and factory workers and close the door to others. Therefore a plan is being Worked out to add these
classes to the rolls.
Collections Far Exceed Payments.
concern. - That is the heavy rate charged and ‘the small pensions paid ‘compared with that rate and the enormous reserve which is supposed to be built up with;these rates. Already the number insured is so large and the rate ‘so. high that the Government is taking over half a billion dollars a year out of the payrolls of its beneficiaries and paying out in pensions only a pitiful fraction of what it collects. If another 16,000,000 beneficiaries is added the time wil come when the Government will be taking nearly two
billion dollars a year in premiums while paying back
to the beneficiaries only a fraction of that sum. Already the extortionate rate is a tremendous
‘economic burden. If it is increased the burden may
well become disastrous. But this is no reason why the rolls should not be enlarged. That should be But an end should be made of the pretended reserve which the Government is supposed to be acSimulating, although it is accumulating nothing at
‘ The farm hands and servants. should be added to the roll, but the rate charged in taxes against pay= rolls should be reduced.
A Woman's Viewpoint
By Mrs. Walter Ferguson
“WW OMEN are too often content with mediocrity,”
says Earline White, president of the Business and Professional Women's Club, “and are, therefore, less eager to fit themselves for high posts. Since none can deny this fact, we ought to ask
ourselves the reason for the attitude, oughtn’t we?
..- There seems to be only one frank answer. Women are content with mediocrity because they fear the disapproval and dislike of men. Only a few brave souls in modern times have dared to defy the tradition—women like Susan B. Anthony, Frances E. Willard, Carrie Chapman Catt and Jane ‘Addams. And these women, let us remember, were not working for their own aggrandizement, but for a
© cause.
“To. be sure this is the only way to attain real greatness—but it is not ,0f ‘the great we wish to speak. The woman who: ies a minor position when ‘she could fill a major one is the culprit in our
"case. ' Obviously, she ‘remains’ unnoticed dnd unre‘first to push out their dollars. And the film: industry may |.
warded because ‘she isn’t + rough interested in promo‘tlon—and’ why isn't she “interes in promotion?
Simply ‘because she hesitates to compete with and, as she believes, antagonize the men with whom she
works. A steady stream of propaganda, designed to preserve this humble attitude, pours from the literature which is published for feminine readers. A woman’s heart likewise prompts her to accept the minor role. At all costs, the legend of masculine supremacy must
"be maintained, else man himselt—will lose caste in
his own eyes. It's a very pretty fairy Sens. 3 we tell ourselves—that the modern woman is free. freedom lives within
th soul. 4 ou. clears no fre mor evr wil bo
1 jmagine, hr ond
being | prices. That closes the door.
Ei SEE
| Gen. Johnsen;
Com] a Ra n Harold Ickes 5 a Bit on * When He Makes a, Suggestion; T Glass Is a "Political Hypoci
ETHANY BEACH, Del, Aug. 31.—Senaf {Glass doesn’t need any colymnist to dete agaist the verbal ‘assaults .of PWA .
| Harold Ickes, but when “Honest” Harold gets so | oft the honesty base as to suggest that Chrter |:1s a “political hypocrite,” it-is hard for one in
i bleachers to refrain from heaving a case of
oT ke Hoosier Forum
I wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it—Voltaire.
SUGGESTS WAY TO DISPOSE OF COTTON SURPLUS By H. L. S. As suggpsted by your editorial, I'm. just trying to figure out what to do with that 18 million bale cotton surplus below the Mason and Dixon line. The presumption that
cotton is produced for consumption, | -
of course, does not hold in our modern economy. That might be O. K. in those backward countries like Russia, but not in the U. S. Here cotton is produced for commercial
glut. That is not the only thing
that is produced here with the same
world market at the world price. This ‘foreign market disappeared ‘when our cotton was held above the world market prices. market is largely reduced to home consumption. Mr. Hall says no subsidy shall be paid on exports of cotton at word here we go, on a cotton consumpjin spree.:Let’s call in all the cotton mill hands, and turn out millions of yards of cotton goods, men’s shirts, overalls, cotton underwear, dresses,
thread, ‘aprons and napkins, and load them up for distribution to the millions on WPA, and to the sharecroppers who produced the cotton.
Let this cotton become the first “national dividend” to those who cannot buy these cotton goods they badly need, but can’t afford. Sure, let the U. :S. relief administration order the goods, and pay for it out of relief funds; we need relief from the cotton surplus, and the underprivileged customers need the goods. It will be cheaper to pay the national cotton dividend out of Treas-
.| ury funds than to choke the buying | But this will bring tothe fore the problem about old-age insurance which is.already causing so much:
power of the South with surplus cotton.
a
BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS BELIEVED PRACTICAL By A. N. . ‘It is hard to see just where Presi- |, dent Roosevelt said anything especially surprising when he announced that the armed force of the United States would immediately be called
' | into action: in case of an attempted
invasion of Canada by foreign power. :
It simply recognizes a perfectly |
obvious fact—namely,’' that American security against outside attack requires that predatory powers be
kept from getting a foothold in the
land to the north of the border. Now when we have said all there is to say about hands across the border; good neighbors, international
friendship, and so on, it is pretty |
clear that this community of inter-
So: now our:
“(Tin imes: readers are. nited to express: their - views” 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.)
est between the dominion. and the republic is at bottom a highly practical affair. Canada and the United States get along well together because it is to their own best interests to do so. They are good customers and good markets for each other. And when you face that fact squarely, you are forced to wonder if the same thing might not be true of a good many other nations—nations which right now are glaring at one another with their hands on ‘their pistol butts, ready to fight at the drop of a hat. : There is nothing unique about Canada and the United States. They live side by side, they do business with each: other, and they prosper thereby. If that is true of them, why wouldn’t it also be true of any other pair of nations you could possibly name? The answer is pretty obvious. It would ‘ be true—if the nations involved’ would only give it a trial. “Must the world live through another great war before that fact dawns on it? Sas.» » ATTACKS BROUN FOR STAND ON RUSSIA By a Subscriber Heywood Broun says in his column that he will not be kidded into attacking Russia's effort for
ANGELUS
By ALBERTA DUNCAN STIER Today for me was such a weary day, Evening shadows bid me pause and rest; : Angelus tolling, tis time to pray, Bun fading slowly in the West.
‘Today the tasks seemed ‘Jong and yo wearisome, Little hurts to heal, tears to sur-
press The quiet’ that I longed for is ascending, ‘Tis lonesome — the children sleep in their loveliness.
DAILY THOUGHT Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. — ~—I Peter 5:6.
that “know God will 'be humble; they that know themSelves cannot be proud--Fisvel,
humian betterment. Is there.any betterment in Russia,
and his men. I think it’s time for us to get together and do something about this. We could all do without The Times. “lt The Communist is against our government, against all religions, and strictly against the betterment of the people.
SCORES POLICE FOR DISCOURTESY By a Newcomer The writer wishes to call to the ‘attention of the head of the Police
tesy on the part of his officers, which, if it becomes general among
Indianapolis Police: Departmerit, and set down by its chief.
100 ‘block E. Washington St, at about 10:30 a. m. last Friday, the writer, who is relatively new in this city, found it necessary to appeal to an officer who was walking in that block.’ With no hesitancy in his stride, and with only a casual glance at his interrogator, the officer replied, “You can read as well as I can.” In calling attention of the public, in general, and the Police Department, in particular, to this breach of ethics on the part of an officer, the writer wishes to state that it is not so much from a sense of personal injury, as from the desire to offer criticism of constructive value, that this article is presented in the hope that at least, a check will be made against a repetition of this complaint. ° ® 2 =» STAGNATION OF THOUGHT TERMED GREAT MENACE
By A. B. C. The New York convention of the American Legion heard Dean Russell of . Columbia University give the formula for the eradication of “isms.” He sald, “You can’t fight ‘an idea by banishing ° it, or by shooting it.” He added that purges, teachers’ oaths, and firing of college professors, would not stop communism if the conditions for its growth were present. “To combat communism,” he
: said, “abolish poverty and distress.
Stand up for the right of as‘sembly, freedom of speech, particularly when you don’t agree. Support the schools, and foster in every ‘way ‘the study of government, history, and social life.” Stagnation of thought is America’s greatest
menace.
LETS EXPLORE YOUR MIND
By DR. ALBERT EDWARD WIGGAM-
would do more to keep love alive than a lot of psychiatric procedures
{ necessary as they sometimes are— |.
and about run the divorce courts
out of business.’ : 8:8 »
: So, :
since coms |. munism? It ‘might be for Stalin |
Department, an incident of. discour-. the force, will reflect in no uncertain manner to the discredit of the | to the discredit of the discipline as |
While seeking an address in the But it is even more curious that the life of
‘hranch of medicine undergoes a tremen
{ bottles. When “Howling” Harold talks about Cg
Glass, “biting the hand that feeds him” beSause 9 criticizes: PWA spending; it is too impertirieiit : silence. = If there is a man in Government to... words “political hypocrite” don’t apply, it: Glass. This little pinch of independent. .@ has sat in Congress or the Cabinet for an lifetime. War Secretary of the Treasury: ministrator of Railroads, legislator for a g
‘ author. of the Federal Reserve Act, he was a:
and progressive in advance of his time.’
“he who, before the 1929 crash, first: cracked
on its causes when it was considered rank he
See Fi Eons with whom he “ever eroded swords came away with several ‘punctures. and an. uae limited respect for a fair and honest fighter. -:4 Here ‘is an instance of how great is this’ ‘country’s confidence in this and Mr. Roosevelt’ iawisiee of that confidence. It is also the story of the S ator’s rift with the New Deal. In the 1932 campaigr it was charged and had begun to be believed .tha Mr. Roosevelt, if elected, would ditch the: currency and budget. pledges of the Democratic: ‘platform. Democratic headquarters became panicky. Carter Glass was seriously ill, a frantic call went out to him to assure the country. ‘In the most: brilliant speech of the campaign, and upon the ‘candidate’s personal assurance, he destroyed that attack » a Pledge of’ his own faith in that promise, “Every part of it was promptly repudiated. That
| was when the Senator became “an unreco: | rebel.”
nstriicted If there is “political hypocrisy” in’ De. TeBellin, it B not on the side of Carter Glalh,
Mo pertinent still is the sialon that opposition: by this Senator to PWA: spending
is biting the feeding hand because Virginia got’ some
of that spending. If a state pours its treasure through taxation into the Federal pot for redistribution 10 the states, any Senator who does not see that a fair proportion returns, is not doing his job. ‘That is the trouble with the. system. The implications of this “hiting-the hand" “busle ness are, politically, positively obscene. 1 isn’t Mr. Ickes’ money. He confers no favor in disjributing it. If he withheld what Virginia deserves on, any ground of the Senator’s vote, he would be en in political embezzlement. He would déserve “not merely. a. bitten hand but an arm gnawed. off, to the shoulder. | ~ If we are fo use dog. symbolism, we can take. some comfort in the fact that Harold's bark is worse. than ( his bite. Virginia will still get hers. Harold Just likes to hear himself growl. This time ‘he..plcked the wrong terrier. all dpe
“4
It Seems to Me
By Heywood Broun
Play Alleged to Be UivAiiefiaan Just Relates Lincoln's Struggles.
EW YORK, Aug. 31.—It was strange, of ‘course, that the Dies committee should drag the name of Shirley Temple into its survey of radical’ ackivigies;
should be held up as in some way “Communistie.” And this is not an exaggerated statement, for the play “Prologue ta Glory” has been definitely named by Rep. Thomas of New ‘Jersey as a piece. of Red propaganda. Possibly Mr. Thomas has become a bit confused and is thinking of a couple of other dramas. And, again, it is quite possible that he ‘has ‘not een the show or read the script. “Prologue to Glory” is strictly a chronicle play. It
is in no sense an attempt to interpret the: career or i
character of Lincoln. In a sense, the piece is pretty nearly tops in list of Federal Theater projects. But it is. simple most to the point of being naive. The plot is pe ing more than an arrangement of historical Incidents in the life of young Lincoln.. .. Even the issues raised by the Civil War are. out tof the picture, because the story ends before Lincoln has
done more than make his first grasp toward greatness.
And the moral—since even the most factual narrative contains a point of view—is hardly one to cause concern to the conservative.
Environment Nearly Tossed Him
In effect, “Prologue to Glory” points out ‘that Abra ham Lincoln in early life met bitter sorrow and des feat, but still kept on his way. Just why that be dangerous doctrine for young Americans, or adults either, I do not profess to know. The play does not overstress ‘the fact that Lincoin-was almost thrown into a static pessimism by his early difficulties: New material reveals the startling °circums that one of America’s greatest men came close fo: ing tossed by his: environment and: ‘hardships. "It is poi as well that this should come out, There:is$00 much enthusiasm for the school of hard: ‘knocks, and some have preached that poverty and deprivation are a tonic in their effect upon thé:-human spirit... : .s- i Indeed, some extremists seem almost to: contend } that education should always be obtained by
- light rather than through. the benefit of more: gener-
ous illumination. There is little in the Jife of Lincoln to give aid and comfort to such a theory. ‘Whileit is true that he came through with glory, it was in spite of his hardships and-not because of: » “Wi als most lost him, and to the end of. his life ‘he: y he spiritual scars of his Sespezate. adolescen ferings.
a Taya changes that are going ‘on hir the human body, instead of trying to determine wha is going on from symptoms and signs, that’ pas ody any of our greatest advances: oni eniiog the vision’ of ‘man ‘through the t struments: which enable ‘him’ ‘to look “dire