Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 October 1939 — Page 24

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- of our children, and their children, and theirs.

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The Indianap ak (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

ROY W. HOWARD RALPH BURKHOLDER MARK FERRER President | Editor . Business Manager

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olis Times

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> RILEY 5551

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

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1939

SHELL GAME | SINCE the war came on, and after Congress had refused sto alter the arms embargo and revamp the Neutrality Law before any war had actually been declared, we have, been in doubt as to the best course for the U. S. A. to folJow. The foreign scene is shifting too rapidly. And the | longer we watch the more we are convinced that it’s no time for anybody—press, public or lawgivers—to proclaim the “answer.” Rather it is a time to hold a wet finger to a changing wind; to keep our minds open; to listen to argument; to gain enlightenment if possible, but not to “set” ourselves and then pontificate. For what we finally do is very likely to be the most serious decision of our history, one that will project itself into the lives and happiness, or lack thereof,

What our nation is dealing with, in its talk about arms embargo, cash-and-carry, etc., is a substance as slippery as quicksilver. Every time you touch it, it moves from under. For this is a queer war. : As of yesterday, for example, Chamberlain says nothing doing on Hitler-designed peace. But he doesn’t close the gate. Neither did Daladier. Back of that, the machinations of Stalin, Hitler's weird partner, hiring Scandinavian ships to trade with England in the same contrabrand that Germany, the ally, has been sinking. And all that sort of stuff. : Any way we turn we are looking into a trick mirror, the shades and shadows of which stagger back through all the centuries of power politics, double-dealing and intrigue that led up to the present crazy picture. In view of all that, why should America be too quick to make up her mind? Why should we arrogate to ourselves the “answer” before England, France, Germany, Russia and the rest have made up their minds? ' The game is now-you-see-and-now-you-don’t-sée, and unless we watch our step we are going to be the country boy at the county fair, risking everything we have on one of those three little shells. It’s not our war.

AGRICULTURAL NORMALCY “WITH bumper crops this year, the farmers of Eire are still dissatisfied over the high cost of living.”—News item. Which proves that the farmers of Eire are a good deal like the farmers of Indiana.

U. S. VS. JURISDICTIONAL STRIKES

TNDICTMENTS charging a conspiracy in restraint of trade were voted yesterday by a Federal Grand Jury in Washington, D. C., against a local teamsters’ union and five of its officials. These indictments were asked for by the Department of Justice. They grew out of a jurisdictional row between the teamsters’ union and a union of operating engineers fhoth A. F. of L.) which has caused frequent tieups of a $40,000,000 program of public and private construction in Washington. They are significant because they are the. first such indictments ever obtained under the Federal anti-trust laws. ; : They probably will not be the last. The Justice De«partment is conducting a nation-wide investigation of the Building industry. It is now presenting evidence to grand juries in New York, Pittsburgh and Cleveland and plans to ‘proceed in the same way in at least 12 other cities. + In controversies between capital and labor the general public usually sympathizes with labor, for the obvious reagoh that the rank and file is itself interested in better wages and working conditions. But a jurisdictional row is very different. It is not a contest between employers and employees. It is a fight between rival unions, with employers and the public in the role of innocent and usually seriously injured bystanders. Fo .* Such battle of labor against labor, whether between A. F. of L. units, as in many cities, or between A. F. of L. and C. I O., are fought at public expense, and the public, unmistakably, is losing patience with them. Their continuance is certain to alienate public support for labor’s efforts to attain its legitimate objects. Court prosecutions are not the ideal way of stopping jurisdictional warfare. Labor, itself, ought to do that. And we hope the present activity of the Justice Department will stimulate labor's efforts to settle its own internal disputes.

FEWER TAXERS

R ING out, bells! Kindle bonfires on the hilltops! Inaugurate dancing in the streets! vy For there are today 6500 fewer local governmental bodies with taxing powers than there were five years ago, according to a recent census of taxing units by the Illinois Tax Commission. | : Of course there are still too many such units left, ingluding 3052 counties, 16,450 incorporated places, 118,667 §chool districts, 19,303 townships, and 8624 miscellaneous units. But that horrendous total of 161,144 taxing units is still a big improvement over a 1934 total of 167,699. i" This tendency to consolidate small taxing units, and thus eliminate some of them, is a perfectly natural one to- * day, and a field in which there ought to be plenty of room for further work, especially in Indiana. After all, there is still g taxing body for every 812 people. That’s too many.

fo. : SCIENCE AND INVENTION FTODAY’S award goes to Dr. C. 0. Edwards of Oakland, Cal., who exhibited at the Golden Gate Dental Congress an appliance which, when fitted to nursing bottles, trains babies to stick out their chins, so they won't have receding laws when they grow up. + Thenext great need is for an appliance that will train ales not to stick out their necks, so they won’t get their

td * . .

in it

Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

been suspicious of the public courts, and in unions over questions of jurisdiction and dues they pose ‘of this policy is legitimate.

strictly disruptive purposes. ; mo . ; Nevertheless, cases do arise in which the public

‘| also has an interest, such as the recent row between

the actors’ union and the stagehands and the old, bitter fight between the brewery workers and the teamsters for jurisdiction over the men who drive the beer trucks. The theatrical fight began in a very intimate family spat in one branch of -the actors’ union, There was a question whether some union money had been misapplied. While the actors were fighting among themselves the stagehands moved in and tried to take them ‘over. At this, some of the actors made accusations against officials or representatives of the stagehands which involved offenses that were not the private business of any private organization. But then, abruptly, the whole affair was settled within the union circle, and the actors quietly forgot their grievances. } ; ” #2 » T= public interest was further involved in. the threat to close up the entire amusement industry, movies and all. Many investors stood to lose heavily

problem of relief for those who would have been thrown out of work would have been a public responsibility. The teamsters have declared embargoes closing whole states to certain kinds of beer and to beer man-

ers have refused ‘to give up their teamsters. And the embargoed brewer, observing every letter of the many laws governing his industry, is up against a supergovernment. whose own courts either refuse to make decisions or can’t make their decisions stick. The public government, afraid to offend any powerful union, does nothing for him, although the brewer, as a citizen and taxpayer, plainly deserves ‘protection. > » » » F unions claim the right to maintain their private L courts to. decide cases of discipline and jurisdiction they also assume a responsibility to face issues and enforce their decisions. However, certain types of cases arising in union affairs are not strictly union business. If there has been a theft of money, for example, that is the business of the public courts. If there has been racketeering or extortion thaf, again, is something beyond the jurisdiction of the union courts. In addition, it is a fact that the individual member of a union, or a non-member, whose legitimate right to work depends on his possession of a card, must reserve his right to appeal to the public courts. If he doesn’t he waives a very important right of citizenship. - . It is true that unions do not completely forbid their members to appeal to the public courts. It is equally true, however, that such an appeal has come to be regarded as an act of disloyalty and disruption, and the effect may be to intimidate American citizens out of their legitimate rights. .

Business By John T. Flynn

Silliest - of Claims ‘Is That Hitler ‘Could Land an Army on U. S. Shores.

EW YORK, Oct. 13.—I listened to Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler on the radio the other night as he talked about the neutrality fight. And as I listened I

could not help thinking that of all the cheap forms of propaganda used on the American people nothing tops the attempt to make them believe that when Hitler has disposed of Britain and France he will turn his attention to our vast and alluring resources. That particular argument has always struck me as a peculiarly contemptuous affront to the intelligence of the American people. ‘Maj. Butler, who spent hi§ life in active operations as the commanding general of the Marines, who has taken part in 125 military operations all over the globe, disposed of that argument pretty quickly. He said what, it seems, every person must admit— that any country which sent a military expedition to the United States would not think of sending less than a million men. After. all, a million men would not be too few to send against our rich and powerful 130 ‘milliom people 3000 miles from Europe, when Italy sent half a million against the almost unarmed and barefoot people of Ethiopia. To bring such an army would require a thousand ocean-going vessels—large ones. And they would have to be landed all at once. .

A Preposterous Tale

. But for every soldier the conqueror would have to carry immense stores, arms, ammunition. He would have to bring 400,000. vehicles—tanks, trucks, cannon carriers, wagons, etc. He would have to bring gasoline to service those trucks and tanks—50 million gallons for a limited period of nine months. He would have to bring machine guns and countless shiploads filled with ammunition. How many additional ships this would take one may only estimate, but not less than an additional thousand. When the ships which landed them arrived they would then have to return to bring more materials. And to do this they would have to have fuel—coal or oil. Where would they get it? Certainly we would not be at the beach to supply them with it. And what would the American people be doing all this time? Remember, all our great harbors put

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ships to unload their men and munitions, assuming that the enemy had possession of them which, obviously, they would not have. : And where is the navy which would be equal to convoying such an armada across the seas? The whole

children. Yet serious men are saying we had better go over and fight against Hitler in Europe rather than have to fight him later on our shores.

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

ECAUSE we are apt to be ungrateful for our con‘'veniences and privileges, a slim book published by Little, Brown & Co., called “Here Comes the Mail,” is worth looking into. Authored by Robert Disraeli, it is lavishly illustrated, and it gives the inside workings of one of our greatest institutions—the U. 8S. Postal Service. Youngsters will be especially interested in the

granted, as adults often do, and their imaginations can be fired by stories of man’s ingenuity. ' : Most, of the business of the postoffice goes on apa from the routine of the ordinary man’s life. I've thought for a long time that we take our postmen

see them plod by, carrying their burdens of mail, and rain or shine they never fail us. Most of us are too impersonal in our attitudes toward those who serve us in any fashion. And so it’s perhaps natura] that we should fail to think of these men as human beings, whose hearts are filled Wilh ibe seme hopes and fears as. our own, and who are loved by women and children as we love husbands and fathers. : oe After I had read the little book I set .out to become better acquainted with my postman. I'm glad to report he has recently bought a small house with a garden, thinks he’s lucky to have his job and takes pleasure doing it. While he walks his beat these days he’s also walking on top of the 1d. And for a little while I walked up there With him, because I realized all at once that my mail was not being fetched by a mere postoffice employee, but by a pleasant man who appreciates smiles and friendly words as much as I do, and RH doesn’t get half

g jaws knocked off when they grow up.

i

Since Unions Dislike to Air Fights| In Court They Owe Duty to the] | Public to Enforce Their Decisions. | N= YORK, Oct. 13—Labor unions long have handling their internal disputes and scraps between | prefer to roll their own decisions, ‘The stated pur Hw It is intended to |

guard against public airing of routine ‘family jams| and reduce the risks of litigation initiated by spies for

‘because of a fight in which they had no part, and the |.

ufactured in certain areas, because the brewery work- |

together could not accommodate all at once 2000

things is a preposterous tale, fit only to frighten |

book, I think. They do not take everything for

And: and their services too cashally. Day after day we |.

The Hoosier Forum

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

PRAISES CARE GIVEN CITY SWIMMING POOLS By F. M. ~ Last year on the closing of the municipal swimming pools, especially Ellenberger, we took this method of voicing our sentiment as to their insanitary condition. : Now we feel it only just and fair we should speak out in praise of them, again especially Ellenberger, so we wish to congratulate Mr. Sallee and the engineert in charge

‘lat the Ellenberger pool on the fine

condition in which it was maintained during the entire season. We hope it may be so each season. I » FEARS GOVERNMENT IS HIDING FACTS By ‘G. L. : The Times column ist, Bruce Catton, made the statement recently that isolationist Senators think that the President must have made some secret agreement with Britain about giving economic: aid, and cited supporting data. The same thought sticks in the back of my mind and grows stronger the more I review the events of the last three years, the President’s actions and speeches on foreign policy and the facts brought out by writers of both magazines and newspapers. : The President has been rotable for his candor and frankness, yet in the matter of our foreign policy, we are told as few facts as possible.

Who or what are his “private sources of information” and just

parently is too dangerous for us to know? “Governments,” says one writer, “cannot always be frank with the people.” But why in heaven's name can they not, when our welfare is so closely affected? This not a dictatorship. If reports are bad, we can take it; we have no desire to be fooled. Has. the President by any chance made a secret memorandum with the British King when he was over here ostensibly for propaganda purposes? Did that visit cover F. D. R.s pledge of economic aid should England declare war? ; We remember reading of the secret memorandum made by Col. House with Sir Edward Grey before Congress had made any move, and Wilson’s high-pressuring Senators into acceptance of his leadership in making good that pledge, Is history repeating itself? This is a dark suspicion but it seems to me that the President has

what is the information that ap-.

- (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.) -

been maneuvering us into war hysteria ever since his Chicago speech, and all his actions and all the facts point to something more than just strong sympathy for the British. There's a lot we aren’t being told which we have a right to know. What is it? » ® ® : DEPLORES CRITICISM OF COL. LINDBERGH By Reader Sine? This criticism of Col. Lindbergh is rather disgusting because it shows a complete lack of tolerance and common sense. The fact that Lindbergh praised the German air forte no more proves him pro-German than did Theodore Roosevelt's praise of the Kaiser's army before the World War, : The very fact that the Colonel is respected, admired and trusted by our leading aviation officials and others of high standing shows plainly the absurdity of such reasoning. Charles A. Lindbergh was exiled from this country by a small majority of cranks who imagined themselves super-sleuths, and publicityseeking individuals plus ambitious politicians Who gave him no peace. Since the electrocution of the man convicted of the crime, these people

have made a lot of noise and proved nothing. ; Added to all this there were said to have been threats made against the life of the second Lindbergh child. The Colonel and his wife being only human, who can justly blame them for seeking solitude? ‘Now of all times opinions should be based on facts and not backfence gossip. » » » BLAMES RULERS FOR STARTING WARS By Clifford E. Brummet It seems the present situation in Europe is going to develop into a great war. In my estimation. there would be very few wars if the ruler of each country had to battle for what he considered his rights. Generally the masses of the people go to war and get themselves killed. This kind of war is almost nothing to the person who is back of it, for he prides himself on the fact that he can be the benefactor of the

people by averting a crisis. ‘We were tricked into the last great war, but even so, what we went to get will never help us; for we will lie here and it lies there. When a war is ended a monument is erected and it stands as a consistent reminder that war has gained a hold. Breaker of hearts and homes— destroyer of hopes and fortunes— war! ”» = = SEES NEXT BLACKOUT FOR NORTHERN LIGHTS By J. M. : The European blackout reaches Finland. Next thing we know they'll

be turning off-the northern lights.

New Books at the Library

“CQ OME people go to the Arctic in search of new land, new routes, adventure or gold. Others go to set up weather bureaus or polar radio stations. I went in search of women .. . and of women’s lives.” Returning to the United States from the University of Cologne in 1932, Ruth Gruber at 20 made headline news as the “youngest Ph. D. in the world.” Despite her “blue ribbons” she was jobless for the next three years, except as a free lance reporter and writer. “ Then in 1935 came the Wardley Foundation Fellowship award to study the problems of women

Side Glances—By Galbraith

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Circle.”

under fascism, communism and de-|

mocracy abroad. In Moscow, Prof. Otto Y. Schmidt, director of all Soviet territory north of the 62d parallel, gave her permission to travel through the Arctic by plane and steamer as special corresponds ent for the New York HeraldTribune. “I went to the Soviet Arctic,” (Simon & Schuster) describes vividly the experimental development of Russia's frontier land, its pioneering women and their problems and achievements. Igarka, the great inland seaport of Siberia, was governed by a woman; a ] their chief agriculturist of the States. ' There were women chemists, research workers, radio operators and ship captains. As in Russia, there were hospitals, birth control clinics and nursery schools for working mothers. | | Miss Gruber was the only woma on the steamer “Anadyr” when it opened “the famous Northern Sea Route—realization of the three-cen-tury dream of a short cut across the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic to the Pacific. She estimates shrewdly the world significance of : this route in event of war. : As she saw it in 1935, these extended Communist frontiers were “an exciting experiment, proving that people could live, work, marry and bear children, be happy and prosperous north of the Arctic

OCTOBER By MARY P. DENNY Hear the signal of the day Through the glorious shining way. All the world is glad and’ bright In the golden autumn light. r October ddys are signing on, On the radio of the sky In a joy uplifted high, Frost is gleaming on the pane. Softly rings the autumn strain | Through the meadow and the lane,

Gold js shining everywhere A Through the bright October alr,

DAILY THOUGHT

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.—Ro-

\

hy

falls into sin is & m satitiss :

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woman was!

RIDAY, OCT. 13, 1039

|Gen. Johnson + |

Sayin

Senator Austin's Contention That - Embargo Repeal Is 'Self-Defense' Criticized as Dangerous Demagogy.

ASHINGTON, Oct. 13.—Interventionist columne | ists and newspapers of the Eastern seaboard are ‘claquing Senator Austin of Vermont for what they call his candor in saying that he wants to repeal the embargo on arms because it will help Britain and | France and hurt Germany. “We must make it pose | sible for Great Britain and France to get supplies, « « « We do not need to ask whether this bill is neutral, We only need to know that it’s an act 6f self-defense.”

. No reading of various utterances of this Adminis< tration since the sudden shift of the President’s Chi% cago “quarantine” speech can be interpreted as anye thing less than that this Administration is not neptral and that it intends to help the Allies by measures short of war but more than mere words. But, if we are going to bootleg our way into this war by proceeding on Senator Austin’s view, we are, in a cowardly, furtive if not dishonest manner, pere verting our professions of neutrality, creating a dangerous precedent at international law and a situation from which we could not escape bloody involvement exactly as in 1917, if the war continues and expands, ” » ”

R, if it be true that we must do this as an “act . of self-defense” when Hitler is stymied and tems porarily stopped in Europe, what must we do if he becomes much more active? More moves “short of war but more than mere words?” There aren’t any | except war itself. “Self-defense”—is a right to transgress the law under the pressure of ultimate necessity. We have II no such necessity, It is a subterfuge to say other- | wise, There are only two conditions under intere national law—neutrality and belligerency. Each carries a separate group of rights and obligations. You can’t be “a little bit’ belligerent” and claim the rights of a neutral any more than you can be only “a little bit neutral” and not give cause for war or at least reprisal. You can’t and still be honest. At least Senator Austin makes an issue. When ‘this Administration first began its bias it was all on the ground of “backing up the democracies.” Hitler was not then a menace. In view of some of the pro-

|| posed bedfellows, which were among the world’s worst

dictatorships, that ground began to smell too much to stand on. » 2 »

OW the whole emphasis has been shifted to Senator Austin’s stark proposal. We must get in for “self-defense” because Hitler threatens us. If that were remotely true, we ought to go in tomorrow —not on any such powderpuff assault as this bug with horse, foot and guns. It is not true at all. It is the most ill-formed, half-baked, blatant, dangerous and insupportable demagogy. If we prepare, as we intend, Hitler could not threaten this country—win, lose or draw in Europe. . It is exactly the soapy sophistry that pulled us into the World War. Senator Austin certainly could not qualify on education and experience to advise this country on any self-generated dogmatic conclusion on so fateful a decision as that. If it is so then— since it may become the very lodestar of our war policy—let somebody argue, debate or prove it on the known facts and reasonable probabilities of war, Let’s not abandon neutrality on Senator Austin’s mere hunch. :

It Seems to Me By Heywood Broun

'Misunderstanding,’ Says lzvestia Of Forgotten Nazi-Soviet Hatred.

TEW YORK, Oct. 13.—Izvestia, which speaks offi- « \ cially for Russia, Has placed a benediction on the head of Hitler, and the compliment is all the more surprising since it is given with the left hand. “One may respect or: hate Hitlerism, just as any other system of political views,” says the Soviet jours nal smugly. “This is a matter of taste.” Choose the red caviar, if you like, or the black. What's the difference? Hitler said hefore he came to power that when control was his the heads would 1 in the streets and the blood would run. This was a pledge he did not ‘break. : And it is ironic as well as tragic, since it now seems that the whole vast battle between the official left and right has been a misunderstanding. It has been no more than a spat over a matter of taste. And concerning tastes there can be no dispute. . The Romans had a phrase for it. Hitler. may not know much about freedom, but he knows what he likes. The partition of Poland is less a political issue than a problem in applied design. Didn't Hit= ler say before he poured the troops across the border that his real ambition was to retire from the ardors of Jeadersiip and become one of the world’s greatest artists? ¢ ;

Perhaps he put too much magenta on his palette, but if it is the whim of the artist to paint the moon blood red who can quarrel with his taste? l

Let There Be No Weeping |

Who would be so graceless as to deny to the lord of German kultur the right to take a rag-heavy with turpentine and rub out the existing map of the world? Let there be no weeping by the women and children should they be told they must not cry. Hitler will paint a new map and make the world all bright and ‘Reich and Aryan. He has found a new way to abolish slums. He simply shells then, What will this world be like when Adolf Hitler has added the last brush strokes and signed his’ masterpiece in the lower right-hand corner with a swastika? Who can tell? The artist toils furiously at his easel, We must wait. But here are one or two already who feel sure they do not like it. For them it is too tight a schéme. They would prefer. more liberty and light. : i These are men and women who have felt thas freedom of worship and freedom of speech were the very things by which mankind lived. They feel that without them humanity will perish. Fellowship be~ tween all creeds ang races was to them vital| in any design for living. - But they say it is a matter of taste. And a man in armor thrusts a sponge of vinegar to the crucified and says, “This shall ye drink.” hs |

Watching Your Health By Jane Stafford |

OMETIME after Johnny has started to school, he may come home with “pink eye.” : His eyes will be reddened and running with pus and in the morne ing his eyelids stick together as if they were glued, ‘There may also be some swelling and puffiness. Of course, he may have had an attack before he reached school age, and adults get it too, but the condition is extremely contagious, particularly in children’s hose pitals and schools, : : “Pink eye” is known medically as conjunctivitis, meaning that it is an inflammation of the corjunc< tiva, the membrane that covers the white part of the eyes and lines the lids. The membrane may become infected by any one of several different kinds of germs, resulting in burning and smarting, reddening of lids and eyes, formation of pus and sometimes sensitivity to light. : Be If Johnny, or anythe else, gets pink eye, he a be taken to the doctor. Simple pink eye is not ver serious and usually does not last long, but there are other dangerous forms of conjunctivitis which ay end in blindness, The doctor can tell which kind it is and how to treat it. huis By far the commonest variety of dangerous cone junctivitis is that due to the gonococcus; the germ that causes gonorrhea. The danger in this condition is that the cornea, which covers the central portion of the eye, may become ulcerated and if this thin structure is perforated, the sight of the eye is usually ‘lost. The same disease in newborn infants, is the

ern all

most frequent cause of infantile blindness. The mod- § n practice of putting antiseptic drops into the eyes ~~