Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 April 1939 — Page 20

The Indianapolis Times

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FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1939

MR. ROOSEVELT'S RELIEF CHALLENGE ESTERDAY President Roosevelt hurled what no doubt was meant to be a devastating challenge at those whom he described scornfully as critics “who talk glibly and without much information about cutting the cost of relief.” Said the President's message: : “Let any one of these critics undertake the job of administration himself. That is a challenge which will be avoided but not answered.” It is, of course, a challenge with no real meaning. Nothing is less likely than that Mr. Roosevelt wouid permit an outspoken critic of present policies to undertake the job of administering relief. Indeed, the most disturbing thing about the message is its implication that criticism of present relief policies must be inspired by ignorance or selfishness or both, and therefore deserves no consideration. Anticipating better business and increased private employment, Mr. Roosevelt, himself, proposed a substantial reduction from the current year’s relief spending. The appropriation requested does not exceed the President's budget estimate of last January. He promises, bar-

ring emergencies, to make the money last a full twelve |

month and to plan its use accordingly. And, we're glad to say, he gives his “hearty indorsement” to legislation against politics in relief. : 5 2 » » . 2 : HE trouble is, as it has been so many times before, that Congress must appropriate without anything like exact knowledge of actual needs. And Mr. Roosevelt's attitude, we think, is calculated to discourage efforts by Congress to equip itself move intelligently for its duty. To be sure, he acknowledged that the present system “is by

no means perfect” and “can be improved.” But, it seems

to us, he threw cold water on all who would try to improve it by changing it in any important respect. There are very many critics who are neither haidhearted nor uninformed. Most citizens, we think, agree

with Mr. Roosevelt that to the fullest extent possible the unemployed should have jobs rather than doles. But most |

citizens also realize that adding another $1,750,000,000 to the national debt is a serious matter. And millions of ¢itizens know, from observation and experience, that some of WPA’s job-making activities waste money and, what is worse, waste human morale. Even the dole is not more harmful than money taken for work that has no real value. Returning administration of work-relief to the states might have consequences as bad as Mr. Roosevelt says. Possibly there can be no satisfactory rigid formula for distributing WPA funds. Perhaps, even, it would be unwise to fix a percentage basis upon which local governments must contribute to the cost of WPA projects. We don’t want to be too sure. But we are sure that such suggested changes deserve to be considered on their merits and that, in most cases, those who suggest them are as eager as Mr. Roosevelt can be to find the right solution for a grave national problem.

IS IT WISE TO THREATEN? ENATOR KEY PITTMAN, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, hates and fears Japan. He makes no bones about it. Mr. Pittman now proposes a resolution empowering the President to restricts trade (except in farm products) with Japan, because the latter has violated the nine-power pact. He says the resolution would give the President a

powerful weapon with which to resist Japanese diserimin- |

ations against American businessmen in the occupied areas of China. Most Americans sympathize with China, as against Japan. Many of them would like to see our Government apply economic sanctions against Japan. But would such a move—especially at this time—be wise? Passage of the Pittman resolution would Ye a deiiberate taunt to a great power which is apparently wavering in her loyalty to the Rome-Berlin axis. President Roosevelt is openly on the side of Great Britain and France in their struggle with Germany and Italy. Does he want to take a step that might play into the hands of Japanese military leaders, who would like nothing better than to push their reluctant Government into a hard-and-fast military alliance with the Axis? Congress has a big job on its hands in trying to work out a general neutrality policy. It seems to us this task ought to be disposed of before we consider invoking sanetions (which means declaring economic war) against a country whose liberal statesmen would thereby be handicapped in their resistance to army jingoes. As a practical matter, furthermore, does it seem likely that Japan, where “face” is everything, would become more considerate of our commercial stake in the Orient if placed under the guns of an embargo threat?

“AND/OR” AT THE BAR HAT irritating little phrase “and/or” has just received a caning from the Nebraska Supreme Court. The court invalidated a special election in which the City of Columbus had submitted to voters the question whether the municipality should acquire an electric distri bution system “and/or transmission lines” This phrageology, the court held, made it impossible for voters to dete mine exactly what they were voting for or against. That should be soothing news for Carter Glass, who has inveighed against “and/or” in the Senate, and struck the mischievous term from appropriation bills. Also to

John W. Davis, who once called it “a bastard, sired by | Indolence out of Dubiety.” As well to Justice C. A. Fowler

of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, who denounced “and/or” BF “ + « that befuddling, nameless thing, that Janus-faced verbal monstrosity, neither word nor phrase, the child of a brain of someone too lazy to express his precise meaning, or too dull to know what he did mean : :

In Washington

By Raymond Clapper Broadcasting Company's Fan Mail Indicates U. S. News Reaches Many Listeners in Germany and Italy. (Mr. Pegler is on vacation)

EW YORK, April 28.—Recently I expressed doubt that outside peace appeals, such as President Roosevelt has been making, would have much effect inside Germany and Italy because it. was impossible to reach the German and Italian people through the wall of censorship. The President's April 15 peace appeal was printed in both countries, but it was subjected, as is all printed news in Germany and Italy, to poisonous interpretation. : When in Germany more than & year ago, I bought American and English newspapers and magazines. Though these outside publications are ‘technically available, the mass of Germans does not see them. I have been under the impression that radio was equally futile in reaching the German and Italian people. However, my statement was challenged by the National Broadcasting Co., which invited me to inspect the evidence in its New York headquarters. That I have just done. : aN Fan mail is the most reliable index. Daily shortbroadcasts go out in English, German, Italian, French, Spanish and guese. Through April 24, fan letters had me in, d totals: English (Europe), 1 a Hemisphere), 3201; Portuguese (Western Hemisphere), 1115; French, 2264; German, 1472; Ttalian, 508. ® ® @& Fr VHECK those last two figures again, the German and Ttalian response. Considering censorship of mail, and official discouragement of listening to broadcasts from democratic countries, the response seems su y large. I Was shown bales of the original letters and postcards. Excerpts from these are illuminating: Stuttgart, Germany: “I listen to the German broadcasts every evening. Already a small group of listeners has formed, which meets regularly jast before your broadcast.” Munich, Germany: “As T was obliged to go to the | meeting ‘on Friday against the Jews I could not listen, | but a friend of mine heard your call and advised me.” Vienna, Germany: “In contrast to other stations, your news service is objective for our needs, though too short, as we are starved for truth. For reasons obvious to you, I cannot express myself any further.” ® ® ® {NL 7ILMERSDORF, Germany: “A short time ago the discussion of the three professors of an American university on world politics was especially interesting. A repetition would be very desirable.” Last October a listener in Pisa, Ttaly, wiote in that | he heard from America the announcement of the | Munich conference two hours ahead of Italian and | other European announcements. Palmero, Italy: “Bach day I have the pleasure of procuring for you new listeners.” On April 1 the German Government issued a warning against spreading news heard over foreign radio stations if detrimental to the Reich. On the whole, however, no ¢iackdown measures have been applied, apparently because both the German and Italian Governments, desiring to get their propaganda across to the outside world, fear there would be reprisals if they tried to shut down flatly on incoming programs. Mainly their counter-technique consists not much in suppressing incoming broadcasts or jamming the air as in deluging the population with answering propaganda. Thus apparently there is a battle of ideas going on "ee the dictator countries, one-sided though it may be.

Aviation By Maj. Al Williams

Airpower Aimed at Civilians, So Why Sell Only to Some Nations?

S it not just about time for us to take stock of the published reasons for shipping War supplies to some nations and not to others? We refuse to sell aiiplanes to Japan because Jap uses them to bomb civilian populations. I agiee that | it's a shabby thing to bomb civilians. But isn't every other nation in the world today which is building air power planning to do the same thing? It would seem consistent to refuse to sell planes to any of them. Some time ago I was studying that authoritative history of the Allies’ activities in the World War, “The War in the Air.” By coincidence my British friend, ©. G. Grey, | whom J consider the world’s most competent aviation | writer and the most Fearless, happened to be discussing the same problem in his Aeroplane magazine. At his prompting I found this quotation: “The object of the Force (united airforce of French and British proposed in 1918) is to carry the war inte Germany by attacking her industry, commerce and lation.” | Now isn't that a true picture of just what we can expect? Tsn't it about time we analyzed this air war business from the top air right down to the giound? Let’s Face the Facts When our leaders talk so volubly and loudly about the ethics or lack of ethics in bombing civilian popu= lations, are they trying to make ¢ross-wind efforts to get the idea out of men’s minds, or are they just

ignorant of what a reasonably well-informed student

already knows? Time and again these leaders have been warned that air war is aimed directly at the civilian la= tions. The air war strategist will insist that his pri=| mary purpose is Mot to kill thousands of eivilians. He aims only to destroy the eowmplicated machinsry i which the eivilian ¢annot live in a modern I'm not arguing that we sell war supplies to any

nation. Neither am I condoning the bombardment |

of civilian populations. But I am most definitely pointing out that we had better face facts right now, and set about learning what is actually going on in the world. If the men Who are charged with the re= sponsibility of shaping public thought in this coun=

| try refuse to tell the public the truth, then its time

plainly. Air war is aimed directly at civilian populations. We must find other reasons for selling our munis tions to some nations and not to others.

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

W many worth-while old people all of us know and how little attention we pay to them. :

| cently passed her 80th birthday. She lives in a

school town, and although her children have been grownyear her house is filled with boys who are working their way through Loud alarms resounded

among her intima were } fried nto bes, sure she would be

the notion. warnings she turned the deaf ear that mothers know 50 well how to cultivate. And now she goes on enriching her later years with the finest of all experi-

: gling AO ie EE young They ceive her warm motherly

1 RH,

, this year, to these 3. Spanish "(Western |

| PROTESTS TREATMENT | BY STATE POLICE

|ing Satuiday night when we were

{his hand. We were treated to a

| men be taught a little common | courtesy, and that the public which

| By Voice fa the Crowd

| their coal in the basement, with no) |one getting a profit for putting

{One of them would have to route {the work and co-ordinate the ef-

C

of Conscription By Talburt

Speaking

YOU CAN START ON THESE BUREAUS

- AND

AFTER THAT

Yow CAN tev

The Hoosier Forum

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

By Coltege Student I wish ® voice a complaint against Indiana State Police and their procedure. We are students at an Ohio college and were return-

stopped at Arlington Ave. and Road 52. There Were fares across the road and in a filling station yard were thiee police cals. We were told to pull over to the side and get out with our hands up. We were searched for guns and so was our car. Fach policeman carried a gun In

good sample of discourtesy and ordered around as if we Ww

the “bad men” they were looking for, we weie told to go on. Never a word of apology for the humilia= tion we were subjected to by havto undergo such treatment on a public corner. § That is a fine Way to earn respect for a police department. I suggest that along with the scientific crime detection the College Police

is the souice of their income de- * » © SEEKS DEFINITION OF SOCIAL DEMOCRACY

What is meant by pure social and industrial democracy? Does that mean . that everyone just goes to work without any boss or leader and

then when they go home they find their groceries on the table and

them there? Id like to know. I don’t get a chance to go to the library to read such fiction, as I am too busy making a living. I do know this, however, that it 25 working men banded together to start into a business that suited their skill, they would immediately find out that at least two of them would have to stop working in the shop. These two would have to spend their time handling the business end of the firm. Sales would have to be mage books Noa have to be kept, collections and payrolls and pay= ment of bills would need attending.

forts of the others. If the business was destined to succeed, of the two men that stepped out of the ranks, one would have to have the best business mind of the lot and one would have to be the best craftsman in the lot. They might even de= mand a little more pay than the yest received, and they may be en-| titled to it. If the business was

“would be a replica of American

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns, religious eon. troversies excluded. Make your letter short, so all can have a chance. Letters must be signed, but names will be withheld on request.)

these two men would have to be respected by the rest of the group. It would not make any difference whether you called these two leaders democrats or plutocrats or capitai= ists=—this concern that started out as a “pure industrial democracy,”

capitalism, There is no other way. Those of ws who do not have security within ourselves must falJow leadership. This leadership can pe either private leadership that competes for the holding of its po= sition as the American system, or it can be political leadership as per some of the smelly, stuffy systems of the old world. The big differential between labor’s wages and labor's purchasing power is taxes, and not capitalistic profits. mdustrial profits are small for three good reasons. If a business looks prosperous, six more concerns will start up to divide that prosperity. If a business makes a good profit a large share of it goes into the U. S. Treasury for taxes. If a business employs labor to make a prod= uct there is only one market for that product, and that is, to sell it to labor. Ninety-five per cent of us

cessive profits, but the politicians don’t have to care, A pure “social democracy” would be led by the political contingent and not by those of us who toil and sweat, and the library books could

not change it, * 8 =»

THINKS WAR DANGER GREATLY EXAGGERATED By Edward ¥. Maddox

There is no use for American people to be unduly excited about a war involving England and France against Germany and Italy until the guns actually begin to roar. My opinion is that there will be no such war as long as Chamberlain and Daladier are in power. I am convinced that there is a secret understanding between this Big Four, arrived at, at Munich probably, I think that the ballyhoo is for the purpose of stifling criticism of Chamberlain and Daladier at home, and to keep them in power, If so, it has worked. Both are firmly intrenched. From now on I predict a conciliatory attitude between the Big Four. Where does all of this war drama lead? It leads toward Russia. My idea is that all of this horseplay is for the purpose of isolating the Soviet Union. If Turkey joins the Rome-Berlin axis, which is likely, communism is surrounded by enemies. The big stage play is put on to keep Stalin inactive while the ring of steel is welded around his life line. All of this confusion gives Hitler time to organize and consol idate for a drive on the Ukraine, When the smoke and fog of propaganda is cleared away the democ-

labor. Business does not dare to cripple buying power by taking ex-

EARTH BOUND By JAMES ROTH I have a little cabin quaint, With flowers by the door. And from me there's no complaint; I'm rich in peace, though poor.

I keep no cages for the birds, They sing beneath my eaves. I hear their music and their words, From perches midst the vine leaves.

But life is fleeting fast away So while I'm at my work and

chore, Through stormy path or sunny ray, I love the good earth more and more,

DAILY THOUGHT Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.—Job 5:17.

HERE is no greater punishment than that of being abandoned

destined to succeed the judgment of

to one’s self.—Quesnel. |

racies will be standing on the sidelines watching the Communists and their enemies clash. » = ® WONDERS WHY REALTORS OPPOSE NIGHT PARKING By Challenger Why does the Indianapolis Real Estate Board want parking prohibited at night? It seems plain to me that the main reasons that people park on the streets are .wo: First, there are not enough garages for the cars owned in Indianapolis; second, it is much safer to ‘eave

yes car on the street than to en-

danger oneself and propert, in dark alleys (if a garage were available). Hag the Real Estate Board or the Safety Board considered how many pieces of rental property are without garages and, in fact, without enough lot on which to park a car even if permitted by the owners? Too, the argument that parking creates a fire hazard is silly—we have fires during the day, don’t we? And considerably more traffic, too. Let's have the Real Estate Board air the reasons for their demands, I feel sure they would be worth hearing.

LET'S EXPLORE YOUR MIND

By DR. ALBERT EDWARD WIGGAM-

® ” ” IT DOES if they really debate and do not merely quarrel and try to outdo each other in loud talk, and hurl epithets and try to pile up the evidence for one side only. If

try honestly and each other’s point of view and bring up just as strong arguments for each side as the question permits and carefully balance them against each other. Thus they reach an intelligent and tolerant conclusion.

” * @® NO, it often decreases his capacity to think and him a mere echo of the thoughts of others. Mere reading will never educate anybody, any more than putting flour, milk and other ingredients into a baking pan will make bread. These ingredients must be heated in the oven before they become bread. Just so, knowledge gained by reading does not become power until it is brought to white

0 | heat in the oven of one's own mind.

Gen. Johnson Says—

Even if British Navy Is Destroyed

Axis Powers Would Be So Exhausted

U. S. Would Be Safe for Generation.

EW YORK, April 28.—A principal argument of those who want us to take sides in a European war, if any, is that there is a 50-50 chance that the Axis powers will win and that, if the British Navy is destroyed, we will be immediately face to face with a hostile sea power so great that we will have to double our navy and keep a standing army of a million men. Passing the point of the amateur nature of these strategic judgments, what do these authorities think the British Navy is going to be doing while it is being destroyed? Sitting on its hands? There is almost no chance at all of the Axis powers overe coming British and French seapower—and if they did, the struggle would be so destructive that it would take a generation for what would be left of Axis navies to challenge us on the ocean—if we strengthen our arms and keep out. It would be a good idea to consider again what present military maneuvering in Europe is all about, Germany and Italy are pushing eastward, seeking to extend their boundaries in that direction. Germany would like economic if not military domination of the Ukraine and Rumania. Italy would like to be= come the dominant power in the Mediterranean by taking Tunisia and standing guard at the narrows between Italy and Africa. ® 9» ® REAT BRITAIN doesn’t like this because she wants to continue to govern and exploit India and her other colonies and this is the road between them. France doesn’t like it for a similar reason ree specting Africa. Much of India would rather be free and unexploited. Because England and France fear this expansion of the Axis powers, they say they will fight to prevent it and protect their “property” in the black and brown races. The dictatorial despotism of Russia doesn’t want to lose power over the Ukraine. The dictator= ship of Rumania doesn’t want to surrender to the Hitler dictatorship. What is our vital interest here? If war comes, it will come because England and France feel strong enough to attack Germany and Italy to prevent this expansion. Neither France nor the British Isles are threatened—only their “possessions.” Certainly we are not threatened. If war comes now they will be the “aggressors.” LJ

= 2 SIT in constant wonder at the growing editorial opinion that seems to favor our taking sides in a conflict which concerns us so little, Some of it is plainly sincere, earnest and patriotic judgment based, as I believe, on insufficient military knowledge and an incomplete analysis of the circumstances. Some of it is impractical idealism. Some of it is understand= able racial resentment of brutal ‘and unbelievably cruel racial persecution in Germany. Some of it is pure propaganda, mostly growing out of these racial resentments. All of it is a deadly danger to the United States. We cannot fail to recall the bitter disillusionment of the men who went forth in 1917 and 1918 to make the world safe for democracy. We may be high-powered into sending another expeditionary force into the blood and mud and drearie ness and welter of another set of rented trenches in Europe. But if we are then, when the “boys come home,” I wouldn't like to be in any one of the prese sure groups who are now urging on us that course,

It Seems to Me By Heywood Broun

Cause of Democracy Injured by

French Censorship of Newspapers.

EW YORK, April 28-—The French, they are a funny race, and certainly they are doing the cause of democracy little good by clamping down & strict censorship upon their press. Fines and imprisonment will be meted out to any journalists who undertake to attack either race or religion. Tolerance is a superb ideal, but there is no surer way of encouraging bigots than to tell them that they may not be heard. But the tragedy of the French press is even deeper than the foolish laws which have just been passed by the Government of Daladier. free the newspapers of France are nothing much to write home about. I don’t know why this should be so. In theory the French ought to be magnificent journalists. There is a wealth of talent in the write ing and drawing groups. Some of the magazines of Paris are among the most sprightly in the world, and although many of the great novelists of France are dead or dying, there is a younger group with something (0 say which should be heard in all countries. But the papers are something else again, The huge and sprawling sheets peddied along the boule-

Even when fairly

vards are packed with light essays, comment and :

criticism. If Napoleon were to rise out of his cof fin, there would be small chance to crowd that ine teresting occurrence in between the vast expanse of musical, literary and dramatic criticism. The ree porter is a sort of buffalo or bison in the Park Row of Paris. He is fading fast, and it may even be that he never existed.

They Are All Journalists

Everybody on a French paper is a journalist, which means that he has a large black beard and sits all day at an outdoor table consuming bock and idle

conversation.

They finally wheel him out so that |

he can go back and write a notice about a book he never read or a concert which he failed to attend. '* Critics in America have many faults, but they are «

scrupulously honest. Their opinions may be poor things, but decidedly they are their own. Such matters are differently arranged in Paris. If a young singer wants to get a hearing he takes it as a matter of course that he must first fee all the available reviewers he can afford. Very few of them will show up when he sings or fiddles, because after the oonsideration has been attended to they know well in advance of the performance just what they ought to say. Each dramatic critic is the special agent of some manager or player. actresses may often manage to get good notices even without cash payments.

The younger and better looking +

But, again, there are are on

rangements. ,

Watching Your Health ;

By Dr. Morris Fishbein

has been estimated that with the increased exe =

pectancy of life in the United States today, more people are living longer and, therefore, more people tend to die of diabetes. In fact, the increased exe pectancy of life for man has been responsible for the increase of the rates of deaths from heart disease, cancer and other conditions.

or *

| Sl

5 I i |

*

Diabetes is now believed to affect anywhere from = 1,500,000 to two million American people. It is due fundamentally to a failure of the gland in the body called the pancreas to supply an internal secretion =, known as insulin which is associated with the burning =

of sugar. y

When the diabetic person eats starchy foods and | sugars, they are not burned as in the normal body, but tend to accumulate. When the amount of such

materials in the blood increases sufficiently, the sugas overflows and is found in the patient's urine. The first step to determine whether a person hag diabetes is to examine the urine to find out if sugar is present and if so, in what amount. The next step is to examine the blood to determine how much sugap is in the blood. : Obviously, in such cases the first simple step ia to cut down the total amount of sugar taken into the bedy by controlling the diet. If this can be ace

A

4

4 ¥ |

complished without too greatly injuring the health

tient, it is unnecessary to give additional aid,

of the wever, the diet alone does not get rid of

If,

the excessive sugar, it is customary to give the patient

injections of insulin sufficient in amount to help him take care of the sugars in his food and to give

him health and strength. Insulin must be given by injection. There is me

¥