Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 July 1939 — Page 9

‘MONDAY, JULY 10, 1939

Our Town

Packed as it is with intricate details, today’s piece isn’t easy reading. At that, it may be worth trying

if only to learn why Austin Bidwell came to Indianapolis. Maybe you're too young to remember, but Mr. Bidwell was the man who came nearer breaking the Bank of England than anybody else. The amazing Bidwell forgeries of 1872 by which the Bank of England .lost nearly $5,000,000, followed by the search for the principals in the affair, and the ultimate capture of Bidwell in the West Indies, followed still later by the trial and sentence of three conspirators furnish one of the most sensational chapters in . the annals of world crime—just the kind of story Alexander Woollcott ought to be telling instead of me. As near as I recall, Austin Bidwell was born and raised on a New England farm, brought to New York at a tender age, and in some way got hitched up with Wall St. There he learned the art of handling bonds and securities and got to be so good that his boss sent him to Europe several times. Each time he brought back large sums of money. This gave him the idea of going in for something bigger. Indeed, nothing less than cracking the Bank of England.

The Plot Thickens

To do this he had to have partners. For one, he picked George McDonald, a New Yorker just out of Harvard and an expert penman. The other was Edwin Noyes, a Westerner, who acted as his clerk. In 1872, the three went to England. Bidwell carried with him $100,000 in the shape of a letter of credit. In outline, the plan was to get the Bank of England to accept it as a deposit. This would give him prestige, after which it would be easy to “kite” paper back and forth to give the impression that he was doing a big business. Bidwell figured that it everything went well, genuine bills would come into his hands which could be forged. After running the genuine paper through for several months, he could then run in the forgeries and get the money out of

(Ernie Pyle Is

It Seems to Me

NEW YORK, July 10.—The question of a single six-year term for the Chief Executive of the United tates is certainly worthy of debate. And all the other various changes suggested in the Constitutional provision under which we function should also have their day before the court of public opinion. Some maintain that there is already a definitely formed body of tradition against the third term. Other historians deny it. And, of course, there is nothing in the organic law to prevent it. But if and when an amendment is sent out for the approval of the voters the situation ought to be such that the problem can be discussed calmly and in all its implications. The present flutter in the Senate is purely a matter of temporary politics. Quite frankly the discusison is brought up to embarras Franklin Roosevelt and to stop him, if possible. It is well to remember that the decision in this important matter does not lie with the Senate. Any mere expression of opinion by resolution is quite meaningless and would be almost an assumption of power not properly within the scope of the legislative branch of the government. An amendment, of course, is a different matter. But any attempt to jam cne through before the next election would be doomed to failure and would cer-

tainly represent a most unholy haste. » n

A Thing to Remember

One does not have to take much of a chance in surmising that if Mr. Roosevelt tock himself out of the race or if he failed to get the Democratic nomination all talk about amending the Constitution and setting a one or two-term limit would die down to a Whisper. But it is well to remember that a written Constitution is by no means an inviolable barrier against

Washington

WASHINGTON, July 10.—The Democratic Presidential outlook took a new turn over the week-end with the word that Paul V. McNutt of Indiana probably will become head of the vast new Federal Security Agency. Included in the arrangement is an understanding that organization work in behalf of his Presidential acandidacy may continue. No doubt the President and Mr. McNutt would deny there was any political significance in the offer of this important post. Yet it can scarcely be regarded except as a break for the former Indiana Governor, a recognition of great confidence in : him, which is bound to have 8 considerable political meaning & read into it, as Mr. Roosevelt out .of his long experience well knows. Governor McNutt is about to retire as U. S. High Commissioner to the Philippines. He had intended to return to private life to pursue the Presidential nomination in accordance with plans made many months ago. Campaign headquarters already are in action at Indianapolis. The post as head of the Federal Security Agency :s .new and one of the most important administrative assignments in the Government, requiring large executive ability and imaginative talent. Furthermore it is the ideal job for a Presidential aspirant because it reaches out to touch the American people with many friendly fingers.

More Important Than Cabinet

The new agency, created under Reorganization Plan No. 1, includes the following: Office of Education; U. S. Film Service and Radio division, taken over from the National Emergency Council; Public Health Service; Social Security Board; U. S. Employment Service; National Youth Administration; Civilian Conservation Corps: American Printing House for the Blind, taken over from the Treasury. . The offer was made before the death of Claude Swanson, Secretary of the Navy, so that there is a possibility that plans might be changed and the Navy Department post offered instead, although that is not

My Day

HYDE PARK, N. Y, Sundav.—VYesterday was warm. When I telephoned my husband in Washington, even he, who never acknowledges the heat, had to say that Washington was not a pleasant spot and that he was off for Annapolis and the Potomac River, though returning tonight to be in Washington : for Secretary Swanson’s funeral at the Capitol tomorrow. The Secretary had been ill for a long time, but in spite of his illness, he managed to do a great deal of work. All through his life, he won for himself a great many friends. One newspaper writer casually mentioned te me yesterday that he would never forget his contacts with the Secretary at the time of the peace conference in Paris, because of his never failing friendliness. I know that the President feels his loss as a friend as well as a Cabinet officer, and both of us are deeply sympa-

By Anton Scherrer

the Bank of England without anybody catching on. It was as simple as that. To get the thing going Bidwell represented himself as Frederick Albert Warren, the son of a railroad builder who had big contracts with Russia and South Africa. The Bank of England fell for it, accepted his $100,000 letter of credit as deposit, and never once asked for the customary references. Then began the operation. Bidwell went to Rotterdam and from bankers there purchased bills on all the large London banks maturing in say from five days to two months. These bills he took back to England and they were accepted by the banks of course. In the meantime, however, each of these bills had been copied by the resourceful Mr. McDonald. He made as many as 30 beautiful copies of each bill and laid them away for future use. The date line was left open to be filled in later.

” ” = A Slight Oversight This system kept up for six or seven months. After which the gang got out their forged bills and began turning them in. Believe it or not, the Bank of England accepted every one. At the end of nine months Bidweli had nicked the bank for $4,600,000. Finally an oversight led to the discovery. Seems that McDonald had forgotten the date on one of the forged papers. Even then, the Bank of England cashed it. Next morning, however, a clerk sent a messenger to the bank mentioned in the document and asked the bookkeeper to fill in the date. The bcokkeeper got suspicious right away and the whole thing came out. All three men were sentenced to prison for life. In 1893, through the efforts of President Harrison, At-torney-General Miller, and John C. New, Consul General to London, Austin Bidwell, an American citizen, was set free after spending 20 years in one cell in England's Chatham Prison. > Well, that’s why Mr. Bidwell showed up in Indianapolis four years later. He wanted to thank personally the three Indianapolis men for getting him out of his scrape. Mr. Bidwell didn't come here just for that, however. He was a traveling bookagent at the time and, for all I know, he may have talked Mr. Harrison and his cclleagues into buying his wares. Mr. Bidwell was a slick talker, you bet.

On Vacation)

By Heywood Broun

the seizure of power. Democracy endures through the spirit of a people and through their careful watch that democratic processes are not impeded. Democracy must ever refresh itself by keeping in touch with the needs and necessities of all who are sore beset by economic problems. In the countries to the south of us we have had frequent examples of coups and palace revolutions, although the constitutions of these countries are largely modelled on our own. The organic law of Germany did not prevent Hitler from seizing dictatorial power. But it will be said by some of the calmer citizens that they realize perfectly well that F. D. R. is not a man who would ever attempt to perpetuate himself in power by the use of armed force. Their argument runs that the party in power—and the Chief Executive in particular—can perpetuate itself through orderly process of election on account of the machine which can be built up around relief. ” n

Old Rule Still Good

This argument would be a great deal stronger if it were not advanced by the very persons who have been whooping it up about what they call “the rebuff” to the New Deal in the Congressional elections of 1938. And the very men who say that the voters are just raring to express their disapproval of the New Deal in 1940 are the same ones who insist that there should be a constitutional provision against the third term. Why go to all that bother? An amendment can be repealed. The historical verdict of an election remains indelibly on the books. If I were a person absolutely set against a third term for Roosevelt or any other man I would stake all my hopes and energies upon settling the issue in the Presidential election of 1940. Indeed, it would be my desire to see the test made, so as finally to get a true precedent which would be more binding even than an amendment.

By Raymond Clapper

likely. Everything considered, the chances are that Mr. McNutt would prefer the Federal Security Agency to the Cabinet post because, as Chief of the Navy Department, his activities would be more circumscribed and more concentrated in Washington, and would deal with matters more remote from the everyday life of the average person, The security post is of more public importance than most of the Cabinet places and carries an opportunity to do a large constructive job. No aspirant for the Presidency could have a better springboard than it offers to demonstrate large-scale executive ability. ” 2 ”

v . Guests of Harry Hopkins The understanding that campaign activities on behalf of Mr. McNutt could proceed while he occupies this outstanding post is particularly significant! in view of the fact that others in the Administration, notably Postmaster General Farley, have taken the attitude that they could not become active candidates until Mr. Roosevelt had made clear that he did not wish a third term. Coming back from a distant assignment which had kept him out of the country for several years, Mr. McNutt thus steps into the center of the Democratic Presidential situation. For some time the McNutt group has been definitely of the opinion that no one] could be nominated or elected without the active support of President Roosevelt. For several weeks Mr. McNutt's assistant, Wayne Coy, has. been here building up his chief among Administration friends. He and Mr. McNutt were Sunday luncheon guests of Harry Hopkins, Secretary of Commerce and one of the President’s intimates. This development pulls some of the props from!

under the widespread belief that Mr. Roosevelt in- |

tends to seek a third term, although it does not! necessarily eliminate that possibility, because Mr. McNutt is publicly committed to withdraw if the Presi- | dent desires to run. Meantime it has the effect of! bringing him under the Administration wing and of | keeping him fenced off from outside alliances with | anti-Roosevelt groups. : The most natural inference is that President Roose- | velt has decided to give Mr. McNutt some rope and | that it is now up to Paul whether he makes it into a | noose or a lariat,

By Eleanor Roosevelt

thetic with Mrs. Swanson, who has carried on so gal-! lantly through her husband’s illness. Today it seems a little cooler and the sky is clouded. We have read the Sunday papers and feel pleasantly lazy. Only two or three people are coming to lunch, but this afternoon Jimmy is coming up for a few hours on his way from the West Coast to Washington, D. C. : The calm way in which air travel is being established between the United States and Europe is very thrilling I think. There is a mention of it, of course, in the papers and today the photographs of the various editors and newspaper publishers who flew appeared, but very soon these trips will be mere routine, just as the air trips across the Pacific are’ Only if there is some catastrophe will we hear any mention of this regular service, which has been established after years of careful study and experimentation. I had a most interesting letter from Mr. Norman Davis, written after his return from abroad. It is always of interest to me to know what our American Red Cross can do to alleviatgt suiering throughout the world.

Gallup Tests Aspirants

By Dr. George Gallup Director, American Institute of Public Opinion

EW YORK, July 10.— Ask the first 10 persons you meet on the street how to define a “liberal,” a “‘conservative” and a “radical” and—in spite of President Roosevelt's emphasis on the distinction—about four of them will have very little idea what you're talking

about. The remaining six will give you definitions that differ in some respect from each other's. But ask them how they would label Franklin D. Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Johu N. Garner, Thomas E. Dewey or some other political leader and you wili get a pretty clear idea of the way American voters — rightly or wrongly—are classifying the figures in United States political life.

Becau + President Roosevelt has continued to stress the difference between liberals and conservatives even after the failure of the “purge” last fall, and because the 1940 campaign is likely to see an even sharper cleavage along these lines, it is becoming more important every day to know how the leaders are being tagged and labeled by the rank-and-file.

To probe this point, the American Institute of Public Opinion

has conducted a nation-wide study of representative voters living in every state and every level of occupation and income. All precautions demanded by scientific public opinion measurement have been followed, so that the cross-section includes correct proportions of Democrats, Republicans, third-party voters and other important groups within each state. The Institute also asked voters whether they would classify themselves as liberals, conservatives or radicals. Today—within the limits of sampling accuracy — the survey gives a handy guide to the way

What's a Liberal?

Long and heated is the history of debate over “What is a iiberal?” In the course of its survey on leading national figures, reported today, the Institute asked voters for their own definitions. Here are some of the most typical: “LIBERAL”

“He wants to bring about a better society.” “He approves of new ideas.” “He wants to see the little man get ahead.” “He is willing to spend money for the common people.”

“CONSERVATIVE”

“He wants to do things solidly and slowly—conserve things.” “He wants to keep the best of what we’ve got.” “He keeps within his means.” “He’s a practical*liberal.’”

“RADICAL”

One interesting definition of a “radical” was this: “He is a man whose feet are planted firmly in the sky.”

SEEKS POTENCY FOR HATCH BILL

Springer Says Support for Provision Taken Out Of Measure.

Times Special WASHINGTON, July 10.—Rep. Raymond S. Springer (R. Ind), who voted for the Hatch Bill in the House Judiciary Committee in both its original and amended forms, is ready today to restore a stricken section which will give it more potency, he declared. This section would forbid Federal officials and payrollers from taking an active part in political management or political campaigns. With this restoration the amended measure, as reported to the House, will be a far better bill than the one originally drawn by Senator Hatch (D. N. M.), Rep. Springer declared. “I do not agree that there was any secret butchering of the original bill through bipartisan action of the House Judiciary Committee,” Rep. Springer asserted. Hope It’s Restored

" “My only objection was to the striking out of part of the measure which I hope to see restored by amendment. That is in Section 9(a) which reads: “'It shall be unlawful for any person employed in any administrative or supervisory capacity by any agency of the Federal Government, whose compensation, or any part thereof, is paid from funds authorized or appropriated by any Act of Congress, to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or of affecting the results thereof. Struck Qut Last Paragraph “All such persons shall retain the right to vote as they please and to express privately their opinions on all political subjects, but they shall take no active part in political management or in political campaigns.’ Our committee struck out the entire last paragraph. “However, I favor resioration of the latter part reading ‘but they shall take no active part in political management or in palitical campaigns.’

HOPKINS

Conservative .. 4% Liberal . _....55 Radical ......_ 41

ROOSEVELT

Conservative .. 1% Liber 2

rman

Radical 37

DEWEY

Conservative 459, Liberal ........47

Radical

VANDENBERG

Conservative ..679 Liberal _........ 29

HULL

A Radical .

FARLEY

-Conservative _13% 53

Liberal _

The above layo

SRR

the subject of liberals, conservatives and radicals. tary Harry L. Hopkins, while most “conservative” is former President Hoover.

SESE Conservative ..51% B*™ g Liberal .........

46 3

GARNER

Conservative 51 %

2300. -

Thomas E. Dewey; most “conservative” Democrat, Vice President Garner.

the American voting public is applying the labels. Here are the conceptions of those who knew or had some idea of the terms when later in the survey they were asked point-blank what the words liberal and conservative meant: “How do you consider each of the following political leaders—as a conservative, a liberal or a radical?”

Conserva- Lib- Radtive eral ical 4% 55% 41% 1 62 37 64 28 63 24 47 8 46 32 29 13 5 3

Even persons who knew the meanings of the terms had difficulty in classifying some of these leaders. The largest number (457%) had trouble in placing Senator Vandenberg of Michigan, and the next largest (37%) failed to label Qhio’s Senator Taft. On the other hand, only 2 per cent didn't know what to say about President Roosevelt. The no opinion vote on the remaining men is: Hoover, 8 per cent; Farley, 12 per cent; Garner, 13 per cent; LaGuardia, 15 per cent; Hull, 22 per cent; Dewey, 22 per cent, and Hopkins, 27 per cent. ” » ”

OLITICAL writers and students of politics may be surprised by some of the prevailing pictures in the minds of the rank and file.

(From Least Conservative to Most) . Hopkins .... . Roosevelt . LaGuardia ..

. Garner . Vandenberg . . Taft ;

3 4 4 1

‘SCHENCK TO HEAD

FARM: CONFERENCE

Hassil E. Schenck, president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc. is to be chairman of the Midwest Farm Bureau Training School at Michigan State College, East Lansing, July 16 to 29. A large delegation will from Indiana, he said today. All department heads and district directors of the farm bureau are to attend. Rural youth leaders and county agricultural and home demonstration agents also are to hear the lectures. Speakers are to include Edward O'Neal and R. W. Blackburn, president and secretary, respectively, of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

PILOT ONLY BRUISED IN IRVINGTON CRASH

A student airplane pilot was back at his work today with only a bruised eye to show for his narrow escape yesterday when his plane struck high tension wires and crashed near the Irvington airport. Maurice Cullom, 26, of 603 N.

Dearborn St., said he was attempting to land his ship from the south when he saw he was going toc overshoot the field. He attempted to nose the plane over the 4100-volt high tension wires but one wing caught, throwing the plane across the highly traveled Road 52 and into a ditch. His wife, sitting in an automobile nearby, witnessed the crash. Mr. Cullom climbed from the plane which had landed upright. One wing was crumpled. : Randall E. Bottoms, operator of the airport. owns the plane. Two of the high-tension wires were torn down by the impact. Mr. Cullom is employed at the Central States Envelope Co. 16 S. Sherman Drive.

LETTER CARRIERS MEET LA PORTE, Ind, July 10 (U. P.). —The Indiana Rural Letter Carriers Association today opened sessions with more than 500 delegates present. Officers will be elected tomorrow,

(Indiana highways attend during June, T. A. Dicus,

Senator Taft, for instance, a leading Republican contender for

1940, seems to be firmly tagged with the “conservative” label at this stage, by Republicans and Democrats alike, while District Attorney Dewey, another Republican eligible, is considered a “liberal” by more persons than consider him a “conservative.”

This fact may explain why Dewey has been out in front in all recent Institute tests of Republican candidate sentiment. Today's typical R2publican is more to the left than he was in 1932 or even in 1936, and the Institute uecently found that a large majority of Republicans think the G. O. P. has a better chance of winning with a “liberal candidate” and “liberal program” next year than with any other. If Republican sentiment should swing to the right between now and next June, of course, the likelihood is that leaders like Taft— now considered ‘conservative’— would gain ground. Vice President Garner's position as a “conservative” is interesting in view of the fact that he has been Roosevelt's running mate in two campaigns and was once regarded as a “Texas wild man” by Republicans. On the other hand, the public considers Jim Farley as “liberal.” Farley has gone down the line for almost every one of Franklin Roosevelt's measures, including the Supreme Court plan, but is still regarded with suspicion by some of the inner circle New Dealers, who regard him as a conserva-

tive at heart. :

HIGHWAY CONTRACTS

AWARDED BY STATE

Contracts totaling $3,477,697 for construction and improvement of were awarded

State Highway Commission chairman, re-

ported today.

The awards proviled for construction work in Fountain, Hénry, Porter, Allen, Wells, Adams, Lake, Benton, Wayne, Morgan, Steuben, Tippecanoe, Greene, Cass and Howard Counties and resurfacing of 180 miles of State highways in the La Porte, Ft. Wayne, Greenfield, Crawfordsville, Seymour and Vincennes districts.

Conservative ..86% Liberal ......_.13 Radical _.____ 1

HOOVER

Conservative 92% Liberal .._..... Radical ......... 3

mocratic figures are regarded by those having opinions on Most “radical” of all, according to the voters, is Commerce SecreMost

“liberal” Republican 18

Public Labels National Figures

How do you consider each of the following political leaders— as a conservative, a liberal or a radical?

CONSERVATIVE LIBERAL

. Harry L. Hopkins (D.) . President Roosevelt (D.)

James A. Farley (D.) Thomas E. Dewey (R.) Cordell Hull (D.) John N. Garner (D.)

. Robert A. Taft (R.) . Herbert Hoover (R.)

. Fiorello H. LaGuardia (A.L.P.).

. Arthur H. Vandenberg (R.) .... §

% of Those With Opinions Savs: RADICAL

41% 37 28 24

55% 62 64 63 47 45 32 29 13 5

1 86

ORDELL HULL, who has stuck to his desk in the Department of State and had little to say about the domestic policies of the New Deal, is regarded in somewhat the same way as Dewey—by 51 per cent as conservative and by 46 per cent as liberal. Another thing that may surprise the experts is the vote on Harry Hopkins, who ranks as the most “radical” of the list. A majority of the “radical” labels in Hopkins’ case, as in Roosevelt's come from Republicans. The survey also show the public attitude toward New York's Mayor La Guardia, once a Republican but now registered as a member of the American Labor Party, In the voters’ eyes he ranks next to Roosevelt and Hopkins as a “liberal” and “radical.”

One thing the survey shows very clearly is the fact that American voters are divided about half and

9-YEAR-OLD ANGLER SNARED WITH HOOK

Clarence Dilk Jr, 9-year-old angler, was recovering today at his home, 429 W. McCarty St. from an injury inflicted when a fish hook caught in his upper lip yesterday. A companion, Robert Wilson, 14, of 202 W. McCarty St., cast into White River at Oliver and Kentucky Aves., and the hook snared Young Dilk. Charlotte Louise Gibbs, 6. of 1515 W. Market St., cut an artery in her fcot when she stepped on a cin can at her home yesterday. She was | treated at City Hospital. James {Bvell, 8, of 2517 W. Walnut St., frac- | tured his left shoulder when he fell (from a tree at 725 N. Pershing Ave.

half between those who consider themselves liberals and those who prefer to be called conservatives. And only 2 per cent of the voters say they consider themselves radicals. Even though President Roosevelt has urged the Democratic Party to nominate “liberals” for office, 42 per cent of those who voted for him in 1938 say they think of themselves as conservatives. The vote on the question is: “In politics do you consider yourself a radical, a liberal or a conservative?” ConservaRadical Liberal tive All Voters ....2% 46% 52% Democrats ...2 35 42 ‘Republicans ..1 26 73 Third Party Voters 2a 51 44 Many political leaders have gone on the assumption that most American voters want to be called liberals, but today’s survey shows that this is one more venerable misconception.

PIGEONS WILL RACE

TO INDIANA HOMES

SOUTH BEND, Ind. July 10.—A% 6 a. m. tomorrow, 250 homing pigeons will be turned loose at

Abilene, Tex. to begin a 1000-mile race to their roosts here and at Misnawaka. Owners of the winning pigeons will be awarded prizes by the Liberty and South Bend Homing Pigeon Clubs and the Mishawaka Homing Pigeon Club, sponsors of the race. The birds were sent to Texas Saturday in 12 shipping baskets. Each club member in the two cities has at least two birds in the race.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—Name the capital of the Republic of Costa Rica. 2—How many moons has the planet Mars? 3—Do Ministers and Ambassadors have the same diplomatic rank? 4—What is the correct pronunciation of the word photometer? 5—Which country owns the island of Jamaica? 6—Who wrote “Tales of a Traveler”? :

”

Answers

1—San Jose. 2—Two. 3—Ministers rank immediately below Ambassadors. 4—Fo-tom’-e-ter; not fo’-to-me-ter. 5—Great Britain. 6—Washington Irving.

8 8 8

ASK THE TIMES

Inclose a 3-cent stamp for reply when addressing any question of fact or information to The Indianapolis Times Washington Service Bureau. 1013 13th St, N W., Washington, D. C. Legal and medical advice cannot be given nor can extended researgh be undertaken. a

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