Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 January 1939 — Page 14

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1939

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EUROPE’S STORM SIGNALS (CATALONIA appears doomed. Its government is in flight. If the end of Spain’s civil war is in sight, with it may come new perils for the rest of Europe. Italy is calling up additional reservists. Germany has canceled all army leaves after Feb. 15 and ordered her xeservists to stand by as from that date in readiness for any emergency. Rome-Berlin diplomats are hurrying between their own and other European capitals as if in a sort of last-minute frenzy of preparation. In the Far East there is again talk of a Japanese attack against Vladivostok this summer, and Russia, as usual, remains the great enigma.

Inside Germany, an increasingly tense situation is

pushing Reichsfuehrer Hitler to seek some solution through a coup either within or without his borders. Meantime Sig. Mussolini, his Italian partner, is waiting impatiently to collect his quid pro quo for standing back of the Fuehrer at Berchtesgaden, Godesburg and Munich. It seems painfully evident that Europe is nearing axother showdown. An international explosion may cont with tite early spring. The German general staff has’ a penchant for early starts. The drive against Verdun, by which the Kaiser intended to end the World War, was launched on Feb. 21, 1916, and the big push .of 1918 began on March 21 of that year. | But when or where the explosion will take place—if it comes—or what direction it will take or its exact nature, of course, remain in the realm of surmise. One guess, however—perhaps as good a one as any—is that it may exert its force in two directions at the same time; eastward in the general direction of Russia and the Balkans and, secondly, in the basin of the Mediterranean. In other words, Herr Hitler may seek to expand still further into eastern Europe while Sig. Mussolini tries his hand in the direction of French Africa and points nearer home. ” ” » ” 2 2

ERMANY may even find it possible to achieve her am- ~ bitions for 1939, as she did in 1938, without the necessity of fighting—if, that is, she confines them to eastern Europe. Neither Czechoslovakia, Hungary nor Rumania is in position to resist the power of the Nazi war machine, and Poland and the Soviet Union may elect to stay out.. Whereupon, if the Ukraine suddenly declared itself independent and decided to look to Berlin for inspiration instead of Moscow, it would all be over but the shouting. More than once the Soviet Union has chosen the path of discretion rather than of valor. She may do it again. Probably no outsider really knows, but Russia is widely believed to have weakened herself fatally by the wholesale execution of her leaders. Few are said to remain, either in her armed forces, her industry, her agriculture or her communications—indispensible in large scale war. In 1918, by the notorious treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Communists surrendered to Germany all of eastern Europe, including the Ukraine, rather than fight. Now history. ‘may repeat. | As for Italy and France, Herr Hitler is reported to be

willing for the Duce to have all he wants—provided he can |

take it for himself. He is said to want France and Italy to fight it out alone, if they fight. He is reputed to desire a stipulation of British neutrality as the condition of his own, leaving the two Latin| neighbors the field to themselves—a situation which France is said to find to her liking, if she must fight. | : This rapid swing -around the international horizon reveals some pretty threatening clouds. But let us hope the slorm passes over. For if al new tempest does burst upon the world we, ourselves, may not escape a lashing.

TRICKY AND MISLEADING T is difficult to tell ios Democratic members of the

Legislature are serious in their four-point proposal to revise motor vehicle license fees or whether they are merely trying to maneuver the Republicans into rejecting an apparent tax reduction for motorists. Several considerations ought to make the motorist exceedingly wary. Look at just one part of the proposal, the scheme to reduce automobile registration fees from the present $5 fo $10 range to a flat fee of $1 a year. This sounds well until one discovers that the revenue lost ‘by this reduction is to be raised by increasing the gasoline tax from 4 to 5 cents a gallon. Thus, while the motorist is offered a reduction with one hand, the Demorats stand ready to clip him behind the ear with the other. : What this deceptive proposal does, of course, is to shift a tax that is clearly visible into a class that is less visible but none the less real. ; iE One of the advantages of the present license tax is ithat it is visible, that the motorist is jolted when he has ito pay it, and that he will get articulate about it if it be‘comes burdensome. , But what the Democrats propose is to hide it in a sales itax form, collect it penny by penny, and gradually lull the ‘taxpayer into uncomplaining acceptance, even though he jmay ultimately pay more than under the present: system. § We are opposed to it because it is tricky, because it is - junsound, and because it pretends a benefit which is not, in fact, extended. :

| \WHY MOONEY IS FREE

HE Moscow newspaper, Pravda, publishes an article by

- Earl Browder, secretary of the Communist Party in e United States, who asserts that Tom Mooney’s release ‘proves that the ideas of Nicolai Lenin have great influence in America. wo : It proves, we think, nothing of the sort. ~ Tom Mooney owes his freedom to triumph of the erican principle that no man should be imprisoned scause his political or economic views are unorthodox and And that principle, judging by the imprisonment and ecution of innumerable political rebels in Soviet Russia, Ere diisia i : jeolai Lenitth

Fair Enough By Westbrook Pegler

Notre Dame Lecturer on Press Did Good Job Except for Slap at ~ 'Sob Sisters' and 'Yellow Journals.’

N=" YORK, Jan. 26—The University of Notre Dame has published a series of five lectures on “The Morality of the Newspaper,” given by Richard Reid, Augusta, Ga., editor of the Bulletin, a Catholic publication. They are thoughtful, interesting discussions, and newspapermen will find in them paragraphs of criticism and warning which should be taken io heart. : = But, although Mr. Reid writes from experience, it seems to me that he has fallen behind the times, for he speaks of yellow journalism as though it were characteristic of the American press today. Whereas it is my impression that yellow journalism has been on the wane for years and is now almost extinct. He says that the emphasizing of Public Enemy No. 1 and his criminal exploits created many local counterparts. He also quotes “the Police Commissioner of New York in his annual report of a recent year” as complaining that the press published exaggerated stories of lawlessness which served to attract criminals. He further objects to the writings of “sob sisters” and other journalists who seek to glorify lawbreakers, defend murderers on the score of unwritten law and attempt to blind readers to the real character of a criminal by depicting him as a home lover and kind parent.

8 ® ” SUGGEST that Mr. Reid~is behind the times, because much of the press of this country has deliberately avoided the glorification of the hoodlum or public enemy for some years. Publication of news bf the crimes of those criminals known as public enemies

| is another matter. The papers have no right to sup-

press such news, and if they were to do so might be suspected of co-operating with criminals or whitewashing ingpmpetent or crooked police. It may be remembered that St. Paul was for years notorious as a haven for criminals and that in a more recent time a high official of the Federal Government, commenting on the kidnapings in that region, remarked that there seemed to be something rotten in. St. Paul. : Nor was it the press that invited the term “public enemy” of the ranking system, and if for a time in the Twenties newspaper treatment of crime was flippant or romantic it must be admitted that the whole country was crazy about them and sympathetic with criminals who provided a rebellious public with liquor.

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WOULD have more confidence in discussing the report of the Police Commissioner of New York quoted by Mr. Reid if he had named the Commissioner in question. For we did have a political commissioner here in recent years who suppressed the news of crime or made difficulties for the reporters assigned to get it and constantly complained that such news was published to discredit him and the administration and encourage criminals. This was not a rare occurrence. It has happened in other cities, and it is best to let the facts speak for themselves and unwise to rely entirely on the remarks of commissioners or chiefs who may be incompetent or guilty. The sob sisters, as anyone should know who claims to be an authority, is vanishing from American journalism, and women reporters for years have resented the name and avoided the sentimental approach. Perhaps that is too broad a denial. Better say that the sob sister and the sob technique, are almost extinct.

Business

By John T. Flynn [5 English and U. S. Bank Reports Offer Striking Contrast on Loans.

\TEW YORK, Jan. 26.—A great English bank has “just published in America its annual statement. It forms a stfking contrast between a big British bank: and a big American bank. : The English bank is Barclays Bank Limited of London. It has deposits of $2,165,000,000. The American bank is the Chase National, It has deposits of $2,234,000,000. So that they are easily comparable

{| in the extent of the funds they manage.

" But while the American bank has $882,000,000 in cash and bullion, the English bank has only $340,000,000. While the American bank has $761,000,000 in government bonds, the English bank has only $447,000,000. While the American bank has $156,000,000 in direct security investments, the English bank has only $37,000,000. : Sum it up and here is what you have: The American bank has $1,799,000,000 in cash, government and other investments, while the English bank has only $824,000,000. In other words, the American bank’s cash and government and other investment account is twice as great as that of the British bank.

Of course_this situation is reflected in the loan accounts of ‘the two banks. Banks are established to extend credit. A great New York banker only yesterday described to me a “good banker” as one “who is happy when he makes a good loan and sees a good loan paid.” :

Time to Find Reason

Compare these two banks in the matter of loans. The great New York bank has $638,000,000 in loans, discounts and bankers acceptances. The British bankhas $1,400,000,000, much more than twice as much. If anything were needed to illustrate the extent to which American business has stopped using credit, here it is. b Why this difference? The American says business in this country has been tax-ridden. Perhaps, but not nearly so much as British business. The lowest income tax rate there is now 25 per cent. We have a long way to go to reach that. - The American says it is our fatal borrowing policy and the uncertainties introduced by our national debt. Perhaps. But we have some distance to go before we reach Britain’s debt limit—and I am not defending our debt policies. What is the reason? Is it not igh tim® some sensible men in Congress tried honestly to find out?

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson :

WISH we had more columnists like Ernie: Pyle. Foreign correspondents and other commentators give us expert opinions on political movements and the men behind them. They know and tell all about national leaders and why they get that way, but they never spend much ink on tales of plain people. Ernie does. Wherever he is, he finds the pulse beat of the community by discovering the dreams and desires of the simple men and women who live there. It seems to me we could do with a great deal more of this kind of reporting. That is, if we want to keep our heads. For you know and I know “that common people all over the world are very much alike. "They are concerned largely with the questions which seem most important to us and it might be

wise to ask ourselves occasionally what those questions |

are. Cerlainly they are not complicated political

philosophies. For the fundamental obsessions of men

are for food, security and love. You and I are not aiming at world dominion, are we? We have no consuming desire to belong to a conquering nation or to impose our will upon the people of other countries. @n the contrary, we would like to live amicably together, to carry on our little affairs without hindrance and to die peacefully in our beds, : The average American citizen is a patient, puzzled person, trying to get along as best he can and to

earn an honest humble living. He does not hate the men and women of other lands antl h: notion

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YOU'RE SURE YOU! KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOIN?

Gen. Johnson

‘States Might Face Destruction If Federal Government Continues To Get Lion's Share of Tax Receipts.

EW YORK, Jan. 26.—“The power to tax is the ‘N'power to destroy” said the great Chief Justice

| Marshall. “Taxes are paid in the sweat of every man

who labors,” said the great President, Franklin D.

| Roosevelt. Those truths seem so plain that nohody

§ | could ever forget or neglect them. But judging from ‘the tax trends in this country, they have both been

THINKS WORKING WIVES MAKE JOBS FOR MEN By Feminist Still the controversy rages as to whether married women whose husbands can support them should be

allowed to work professionally. According to the Gallup poll, most people believe that it is depriving men of positions. But is it? At the outset let me: say that I have never known any married woman who worked for the fun of it. It is still preferable to be queen of one’s little household to having to stand the gaff and “gas” of an employer, an inconsiderate public and such occupational hazards. One woman, whose husband could support her by the standards of the

enough money to build a home of their own. When they achieved this goal, she devoted her time to rearing a family and what spare time she now has is devoted to church and social work. She certainly didn’t deprive any man of a job; she was a comptometer operator. - Another wife worked as a beauty operator and then set up her own shop. With her help, her husband was also able to buy a home. Her job proved a life-saver, as well, for he later took ill and needed expensive medical care. . Had it not been for her earnings they would have

would have had to be clothed by charity. Was she depriving a man of a job? A third wife is an editor. Her husband, too, could support her, but unless she continues, they'll never be able to build the home they want until they’re too old to enjoy it. Is she depriving a man of a job? The men who could fill her position can command positions with much better salaries. And the young man we know with a wife and three babies who seems to be out of work too much of the time for all his willingness to work, can’t even spell, much less qualify in other ways. Most of the women I know who devote much time to civic, church and social work, and I dare say the whole percentage of working wives is rather negligible. True, there are too many men unemployed with heavy family responsibilities, but it seems to me the cause is one of occupational maladjustment—Ilack of training or training in the fields where jobs are found. There are comparatively few untrained women in business. . So it seems to me that before dumping the unemployment sifuation into the laps of working married women tied up with blame, censure and prejudice, critics had better dig into the problem a little more. So far as I can see from my

critics, worked to help him save|

lost their home and their children |

(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.)

personal observation, married women working have made more work for men, not less. 1 . ” ® 8 HEARS TEACHERS CAST DOUBT ON BIBLE By V. A. 3 I have information that some teachers are telling the children that we do not know whether the Bible is dependable or not. ‘If parents are not awakened to this tragic evil and ‘stop it, we shall reap the most dreadful harvest of infidels and agnostics the world has ever known. } : This business of questioning the Bible is aiding communism to the limit; if they are to overthrow our government, they must work through our public schools. Here is a job for preachers that

HOOSIER BLESSEDNESS JOSEPHINE - DUKE MOTLEY

If you lived down where the alligators grow, My dear, my dear, you should never’ See snow. Of clothes you would no doubt need but a few, And you might even manage make your skin do. :

You'd bask all day on a white sandy beach

And still dream of things that are . out of reach; For it’s strange, but humanity just must pine Regardless of blizzards or bright sunshine,

So Wise would you be to accept your ate And stay right here in the good Hoosier state, | Where in summer, we have tropics, in winter, we have snow. To get so much for your money, where else could you go?

DAILY THOUGHT Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I rconfess also. before my Father Which is in Heaven. — Matthew

HE confession of evil works is the first beginning of good

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

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is a greater problem than gambling or even the liquor business. There are a lot of teachers who are true to the Bible, who are inside and know whereof I speal: and would be glad to see these agnostics ousted, but it is not their job to do the ousting, I say, to save America, purge our schools of these un-American teachers and professors; also purge our libraries of the trash that is harbored there. Give us teachers and professors who believe in the Bible, who will co-operate with parents.

2 #8 2» EXPLAINS STAND ON TOWNSEND PLAN.

‘| By Claude Braddick, Kokomo

' Some readers of The Times have taken me to task for daring to oppose the Townsend National Recovery Plan and. its several modifications. For the benefit of these I

pensions. My sole objection to the Townsend Plan is the fact that it rests on the false idea that we can spend our way to prosperity. It seems to me a simple and basic fact that wealth is created by people working, producing useful things; never by merely circulating money. By habit we think. of money as wealth; yet. it isn’t wealth at all, but merely a symbol of wealth. If everyone stopped working and began spending money, soon we should have nothing left but money, and then we should all be poor indeed! Old-age pensions are certain to be broadened and liberalized in the present session of Congress, under the Social Security setup. Let us not ris. losing the solid bread in our hands in a foolish grasping at an imaginary pot of gold.

To” s #8 NOT LOUDER, BUT BETTER By Silent Sufferer, Evansville

We read that the Indiana House is having quite a debate over whether they should spend several thousands of the taxpayers’ money to install a loud speaker system in the House chamber. ’ “You can tell the boys, if you will, that we don’t have any trouble hearing them way down here and we can’t understand why this contraption is necessary. So far they’ve made nothing but noise, though .in session for three weeks. It doesn’t strike me that the installation of something that is going to make these speeches any louder will serve a useful purpose. We're against it. We recommend

{that the lawmakers take the money

this thing would cost and spend it for ear muffs for some of the longsuffering public who have to pay the freight for such goings-on. That at least would be tlie chari-

works.—Augustine.

table ning to do. 5

p 8

ta man or ‘woman

how influence they

4 I SHOULD SAY NO, although ions have it is hard to measure just how |fluence in finance as those of J. P. is, or| Morgan or Jesse Jones; or in polexert. |itics (leaving out the President) something

LET'S EXPLORE YOUR MIND

By DR. ALBERT EDWARD WI1GGAM

"THE FAULT OF THE PARENTS TWAT THEY OFTEN UNDERS AND ONE, ILD Sern ANOTHER? YOUR OPINION a. :

anyihing. like ‘the ‘n=

at ft, it is still mainly 5 man’s world. oe ® 8 =

‘PARTLY, but not entirely. Very few parents really know much abotit their children or have much understanding of them. But if they have two or more they nearly always find it far ¢asier to understand one child than another. As every parent knows, it is often simple and natural to come close. to the heart of one of the children and, in spite of every effort, another child may seem as though it did not belong to the same breed. We have many problem children but probably far more problem parents. ; : : 8 2 o = I THINK there would. be no progress at all. If is only when

|each man can express his own in-

dividuality that we have progress. One man’s individuality leads him to be a mechanic, another to be a social organizer, architect, painter, musician, teacher, etc. This makes sss. That is why communism and fascism or any form of dicta-

"| torship crushes all progress because {it crushes individuality. It matters|

not whether it be the dicts iorship of some one person or the fantastic “dictatorship of . the proletiriat” ng by the way that is

wish to state that -I-favor old=age|

‘in front of the ear.

forgotten and neglected.

Due to duplications and the unknown effects of sonie forms _ of “hidden” taxes, it is impossible even to get accurate figures on the total American tax: burden. We don’t know the total and almost every: man who labors has no idea whatever of the toll taken from the sweat thereof. It averages 2C per cent

.{ of all each earns.

“The power to destroy” is working. overtime in

| many directions but in none more actively than in || the direction of destroying the Stales in favor of a

vast concentration of power not only in a Federal Government but in a Federal Governor,

s =» A ‘BELIEF is becoming common that we will always have to spend billions on unemployment relief and that only the Federal Government can do this because only the Federal Government has sufficient taxing power to raise revenue. That very assertion should reveal the vice of this tendency to destroy

the States;

Such was not the intention of our Constitution. It severely limited the Federal power to tax. For years the National Government was maintained merely by duties on imports. Heavy excise taxes came in to support the Civil War but, except those on liquor and tobacco, they were abolished ‘later. The income tax amendment opened the door and now every year the Federal Government further “invades all sources of

| revenue for the States.

The best studies I have seen on this vital subject are some made privately and unpublished by Mr. Alvin Brown—a talented analyst. He first exhaustively explored the subject. of hidden taxes and proved that, on articles of common ¢onsumption and use, they do take 20 per cent of the “sweat of every man who labors.” : o E #2 8 8

E has now completed an analysis of the relation between Federal and other taxes. The results are, ta me at least, astonishing. The total tax take is approximately 13.5 billions—or at least 20 ‘per cent of all income. Of this, the States get only 7.8 bile lions and the Federal Government 5.7 billions.

Of the total revenue 7.2 billions comes from taxes

duplicated as between the state and the nation—double taxation in fields where Washington is constantly shoving the States aside. In those fields Uncle Sam takes about 5 billions and leaves the States only 2.2 billions. The only principal. source of revenue that Washington does not now share are taxes on veal property. : . First take the revenue of the States to Washington to the point where they can’t function. Then appropriate large parts of it in a lump sum to a political executive to redistribute as he will. What do you get? You get the most effective scheme to create a centralized Government under one-man control. You get a sly constitutional destruction of American Cons stitutional Government. . : a

It Seems to Me By Heywood Broun >

"American Way," Intended as U. s. ‘Cavalcade,’ Falls Short of Goal.

EW YORK, .Jan. 26—I dislike intensely “The American.Way,” which was produced last week at Mr. Rockefeller's Lig Center Theater. According to preliminary comments in the theatrical columns, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart were commissioned to write a sort of American “Cavalcade” in honor of the approaching World's Fair... : : With the best intentions in the world and with some degree of skill Mr. Kaufman and Mr. Hart have endeavored to fulfill this assignment. It seems to me that they have fallen flat upon their separate faces. Somewhat to my surprise -Mr. Walter Winchell told me that he thought “The American Way” should be seen by every school child in America. In a measure I agree with him. I do not think “The American Way” is. adult- entertainment. It seems to me that the two authors, who are both intelligent and liberal-minded, were somewhat abashed by the size of the theater which they were expected

to fill. It is my notion that they felt constrained

to step upon the toes of no one. They stepped on mine, but, after all, I came in on a pass. : But it may be thdt there are others who will feel that the hand of caution has cupped all ardent ideas of the two creators. The opus might m0re appropriately be entitled “Ten Scenes Upon a Tightrope.” “The American Way” is a sorf of Hearst editorial with lantern slides. It does not so much pay tribute to democracy as to docility. yo

He Left in a Hurry

As it happens, there is now current in Manhattan another play conceived out of a patriotie impuise. 1 refer to “Abe Lincoln in Illinois.” : The. lesson the spectator takes from the Lincoln play is that democracy is not a matter of conformity bu’ of constant struggle. ~~ And so I was shocked to face a scene in “The American Way” in which a young boy is told by his grandfather and a benevolent banker not to go to a meeting in ome ftowh, use it is sponsored by “outsiders.” As far as the implication went, it might have been &- rally -of- the . Civil. Liberties League, the C. 1. O. or the Dramatists’ Guild, of which Mr. Kaufman is the vice president. - At this point I marched up the aisle in a dudgeon. “The American Way” is a play which uses the voice of Franklin Roosevelt for comic relief and takes Lindbergh as the highest potential symbol of American patriotism. It is-all very weil for any or. all of us to say, “I love America.” There still shouldbe the pertinent question, “In just what way do you mean ‘to make your devotion manifest?” An answer should be required. I did not find it in “The American Way.”. YT

Watching Your Health

By Dr. Morris Fishbein

: UMPS occur most frequently during damp, cold M weather conditions in winter and spring. More boys than girls are usually affected, possibly because boys are more apt to be crowded together in schools

and meeting places. : The disease spreads rapidly, apparently from one person to another. It is most common in persons between the ages of 5 and 10 or 15 and 20 years. Beyond the age of 40 attacks of mumps are The mumps germ

under a microscope. This infectious organism does not live well outside the human body; otherwise the disease would be even more prevalent. 7, A period ranging from 18 days to four : weeks after a person has been in contact with a mumps patient precedes swelling of the glands which produce saliva. These are ally the patroid glands,

Glands under the jaw and beneath the tongue may also swell. Inflammation may produce a lessening

rare. hi is not generally known, but like that of other virus diseases, is too small to be seen

ow

of saliva flow so that the mouth is dry. pe

however, there may be an: increase of saliva p time of inflammation. =

Fever ranges from 99 degrees F. to 103 degrees Pr, :

according to the severity of the attack. Greatest danger from mumps is possible secondary inflammation of other glands in the body. Infection ‘may also reach the heart or the spinal fi oa Most mumps patients, however, improve s Fatalities are few, #he French. army reports 10 deaths from the disease in 14 years. Ou

on