Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 December 1939 — Page 15

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1939

The Indianapolis Times

SECOND SECTION

Hoosier Vagabond

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 22.—I have a friend who is city editor of a daily paper in San Antonio, and I don’t know whether he’s a friend or not. For he’s the guy who badgered me into going to Mrs. Roosevelt's press conference when we were here last spring, and I wound up in the corner with the high school reporters. And on this trip he Keeps badgering me to write about a project here in San Antonio. He says San Antonio is mighty proud of this and I've got to write about it whether I want to or not. So when you gotta, I guess you gotta. This project is known as La Villita. In Spanish that means “little town.” Mayor Maury Mav= erick is father of the idea. The Mayor sent me over a beautiful booklet on the project. La Villita consists of one square block. It is downtown, and not more than two heaves and a grunt from the tallest skyscraper in the city. This one block is almost the highest point in San Antonio, and through centuries of building and patching and decay and floods, it is about the only part of the original San Antonio still left standing. "When they “discovered” it a few months ago, it was one of San Antonio's worst slums, and San Antonio unfortunately is rather famous for slums. So they decided to kill off at least this one block of slums, and convert it into something significant.

” = ” A Sort of Williamsburg The National Youth Administration took hold, and put 300 young men to work. They moved out 119 people living in that block. They found 26 people in two rooms. They found vermin and rats and disease, Two bathtubs and three outdoor toilets for 119 people. Ten crippled dogs. A crazy man. Ceiling falling in. Still standing in this small block were houses more than 200 years old. Buildings that had housed suc-

Our Town

WHILE THE REST of you were running around like mad yesterday trying to find something suitable for Uncle Ebenezer and Aunt Mathilda—for what purpose Heaven only knows—I quietly went to the

Circle to welcome the shortest day of the year. It's my favorite day, I don't mind saying. I picked the Circle because it is the seat of the Monument, an

By Ernie Pyle

cessive waves of French, Spanish, Mexican, German and American peoples, each adding its distinctive part to the architecture and the history of San Antonio. So La Villita is a reconstruction and a restoration of the history of San Antonio that is incased within

this one block. When finished, it will be a minor o

Williamsburg.

It will not be simply a showcase. It will be a prac-|§

tical demonstration. They will put in various workrooms, and they will try to revive an interest among | the Spanish-speaking population of San Antonio in| the arts of their forefathers—ceramics, tinwork, jew- | elry, woodcarving, blanket-weaving, furniture-making, wrought-iron work. All these things will be manufactured and sold from La Villita’s shops, and there will be permanent instruction for the city’s younger Spanish-Americans. It will be but a drop in the bucket, of course, but it

will be something. $ &

Good Neighbor Policy

San Antonio is a city of some 260,000. Ninety thousand of these are Spanish-Americans or, as we tourists say erroneously but persistently, “Mexicans.” Unemployment is acute among them. What to do is a terrific problem. Teaching them again the ways] of their ancestors in the arts is one thing to do. Those close to the project are enthusiastic. San Antonio is grabbing firmly onto the new trend in American thought toward a Western Hemisphere family—the Good Neighbor policy—look to the south—turn away from Europe—the future lies in the Americas, and all that sort of thing. San Antonio is the largest Latin-American city outside of Latin America. She is a gateway between the United States and Mexico. Much of her culture and romance and even architecture came from the ancient Latins. You hear Spanish on the streets of |} San Antonio almost as much as you do English. San Antonio is feeling herself today as the logical axis of this whole new blending of Latin and AngloSaxon into a strong new Western Hemisphere unity. She is doing many things to promote it. This restoration of La Villita is one of them.

By Anton Scherrer ||

world of nagging uncertainties you can’t be sure of, anything nowadays. I showed up long before high noon—at 11:42 a. m., to be exact. Had I depended on the Western Union | clocks I would have been too late. Maybe, you never | suspected that the Western Union people are fast, I! might as well tell you the whole truth to do with as| you see fit. Compared with honest to goodness sun- | time, the Western Union people are exactly 18 minutes off. Which is probably why everybody feels the urge

Santa Ind. Hums With

Miss Ruth Schauss of Santa Claus with a replica of Santa Claus (the person).

Ca CR

Postmaster Oscar Phillips . . . and a reply to a Santa Claus letter writer.

Activity

x

architectural pile which has fas- to lunch before the clocks around here punch the hour cinated me ever since the day I of high noon. heard about Arthur Bohn's dis= 2 8 =

covery. Back in 1928, you may A Couple of Collaborators

recall, Mr. Bohn suddenly conceived the idea that the Circle Well, that brings me to the point of today’s piece, with the Monument stuck in its namely yesterday's shadow—the longest the Monucenter made the best, biggest and ment can possibly cast. It was 563 feet and 8 inches most natural sun-dial in the Jong. I didn't get the result all by myself. I called in Richard C. Vonnegut (Tony's boy) and Albert A.

Times Special outdoor toys for children and next year a fuller line for The postmaster for years tried to keep abreast of this ANTA CLAUS, Ind. Dec. 22.—This village—which you Christmas. tide of mail, but in recent years it has gotten out of hand. can see by the date line is strictly in the Christmas «3 wu » 8 » 8 spirit—is as busy as the North Pole Santa Claus and his HE capacity of the factory, which is completely O the Legion jumped in this year, and form letters merry helpers. equipped with wood-working machinery, is 500 units a have been prepared as answers. The problem of getMatter of fact, Santa Claus this year has helpers in week. Plans for additions to the plant, to be built in ting postage for mailing these replies has been assigned Indiana the same as he is supposed to have at the North character with toyland, already are drawn. to public donations, but those in charge feel that the Pole. And this year they are knee deep in work. Oscar Phillips, the postmaster of Santa Claus, who had treasury is going to be inadequate. Thousands upon thous= There is, for example, a factory turning out wooden his hands full in previous years, this year has help. The sands of letters flood into the postoffice each year. The Legion committee helping the postmaster has en-

world. He used to go around there every day just to

watch the shadows cast by the Monument and got to be so good at it that he could tell the time of day just by looking at the sidewalk. At 3 p.m, I remember, the shadow pointed straight at the Co-

lumbia Club. » = =

An Uncertain World

Mr. Bohn nursed his notion for a while and then sprung his idea of decorating the sidewalk around the Circle to make it look like the face of a clock. It got into all the newspapers at the time and, for a while, it looked as if Mr. Bohn might have his way. Then came the crash and with it a suspension of all intellectual activities. In the meantime, too, the Ayres people put up a clock on their corner with the result that today nobody, except possibly me, thinks of the Monument in terms of a sun-dial. Well, that's why I showed up at the Circle yesterday. I figured that if I went to have a look at the Monument at high noon of the shortest day of the year, I could see its longest shadow, provided, of course, the solar system was working right. In this

Washington

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—There is no more skillful politician in the Senate than Burton K., Wheeler of Montana, and he will need all of his dexterity in 1940. First, his Senate term is expiring and he must safeguard his re-election in Montana while playing out the uncertain shot for the Demo-~ cratic Presidentiai nomination. Second, Senator Wheeler must fight the Hull Reciprocal Trade Agreement program, in deference to Montana sentiment, but in so doing he must not offend Secretary Hull, or at least he must not incur the displeasure of President Roosevelt.

: For some candidates, runA ning for President is a comparatively simple thing. You put up a little money, induce your friends to put up a lot of money, and start out. Taft, for instance, is safe for four years more in the Senate, so he can devote himself wholeheartedly to traveling about the country delivering speeches out of the family album. Dewey has started with a speech on optimism that has won more acclaim than anything in the ine spirational line since Bryan's Cross-of-Gold speech. Taft is for the good old days and Dewey is for the good days to come. For them politics is simple. They don’t have to worry about. getting Mr. Roosevelt's blessing.

Opposed Court Bill A

But Senator Wheeler says quite frankly that no Democrat can be nominated *against Mr. Roosevelt's veto. He is certain also that the nominee must be a liberal. That Senator Wheeler is a liberal, few would

My Day

HYDE PARK, Thursday. —After supper Tuesday night, Miss Thompson and I came to New York City. Yesterday was a very busy day there. We even had guests for breakfast! Then at 11 o'clock, I went up

to the Women's Trade Union League Clubhouse to make sure that all the preparations for the afternoon party were made. Then I went back to my apartment to lunch with a guest, and next spent an hour on a project which I have been asked to work on with two of the editors of Good Housekeeping Magazine. Then back to the Women’s Trade Union League Club house at 3:30 for the annual party for 35 youngsters. First we had a magic show and then ice cream and cake. Last of all came the gifts and

Henry, the courteous custodian of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. Mr. Vonnegut, a kid born with a gift for astronomical figures, helped me to this extent: He guaranteed absolutely that if a meterstick (39.37 inches long) were placed where the Monument stands, it would cast a shadow exactly 1 meter and 98 centimeters and 11 millimeters long—at 11:42 a. m. on Dec. 21, mind you. As for Mr. Henry, he contributed the important information that the Monument is exactly 284 feet and 6 inches high, measured from the street level to the very top of Miss Indiana. After which, of course, I had all the hard work to do to get something intelligible for the readers of this column. Mr. Vonnegut enlightened me on a number of other points, too. He said that if the Monument were in Carmel, Ind, just north of the Marion County line, it would have cast an even longer shadow yesterday—569 feet to be mathematically precise, a figure which curiously enough is exactly twice the height of the Monument. Interesting as it is, I consider it the most useless piece of information I picked up this year. The reason today’s piece isn’t any longer is because yesterday was such a short day.

By Raymond Clapper

dispute. Senator Wheeler did the rough Senate work for the team of Corcoran and Cohen on the Utility Holding Company Bill, and that certainly was standing under fire at a time when a lot of Democrats were running for the cloakrooms. Senator Wheeler's difficulty is that he refused to go along on the Supreme Court fight. However, un- |

to give up his liberal label. as to whether Mr. Roosevelt ought to take Senator Wheeler. . Thus the Senator comes up, hopefully, to the next session of Congress, which will be marked by the bitter fight to renew the reciprocal trade act. It automatically expires in June and Secretary Hull is ready to use all the buckshot in Washington, if necessary, to obtain a renewal of his authority. Western states are leading the attack and Senator Wheeler, if he values his political life in Montana, must join in. ” tJ »

Tries to Be Tactful

He is trying to be tactful. He is saying that the West is definitely against the treaties, not that the

cople know much about the treaties, but farmers| ceiling.”

images of Santa Claus—the person—all made by residents of Santa Claus—the village. This factory is comparatively new and the line this year is exclusively the replicas of Santa and his sleigh. But during the summer it is planned to produce wooden

Eighth District of the American Legion has delegated members to heip open and answer letters from all over the world addressed to “Santa Claus.” It has become accepted practice for all postoffices to route to Santa Claus, Ind., all letters addressed to Santa.

listed the aid of high school pupils and Bov Scouts.

All in all, Santa Claus, the village, is just as busy as

more so.

Santa Claus, the person, is supposed to be——or maybe

TELECAST BALL

Improved $27,000 Chicago

Friday at the Indiana Ball Room to introduce a new type of television equipment, claim it has a receiving radius of 300 miles and can reproduce images on a five-foot screen.

Chicago Television & Research Laboratories of Chicago. MacCarthy of Chicago, process in- | ventor and company president, will demonstrate the machine throughout the evening,

be installed at the ballroom. eryone attending the ball will be like scme other apostates, he came back and refused | invited to be televised. The teleNew Dealers are divided | cast image will be thrown on the large screen on the receiving set.

vited to take part in an impromptu program before the television cabinet and artists from Radio Station WFBM also will perform.

field are building sets that will produce an imege on a mirror 9 by 11| inches and whose range has been demonstrated at about 50 miles.

cials explain, operate on a fivemegacycle frequency strong enough | | |to break through a theoretical sky | the members give annually to needy waves families in the neighborhood.

SET FOR FRIDAY

Set Will Be Exhibited At Indiana Roof.

A television ball will be held next

whose builders

The process is the property of the

Col. W. G.

A complete set, costing $27,000, will Ev-

Local amateur talent will be inMajor companies in the television

These sets, Chicago company offi-

Ordinary radio

are angry and are in no mood to let in any roods|and the one megacycle frequency | from foreign countries. Senator Wheeler apparently Used by the Chicago company’s sets

thinks there is considerable

says feeling is such that it is a mistake to try to hang on to the program. Even Paul McNutt, though he complains that he can’t find out whether the quarterback wants him to carry: the ball or to run interference, has a comparatively simple task. He doesn’t have to fight the |

hopefully for Mr. Roosevelt to step aside. Senator Wheeler, however, has to stick his neck out and take such precautions as he can from having it whacked off.

By Eleanor Roosevelt

I am spending one more day before returning to Washington tomorrow with Anna and John. I think one of the most pleasant Christmas customs, which seems to be growing in the country, is! the lighting of the evergreen trees either on the porches | or yards of the houses. I noticed it from the train the other night, and also when I drove up and down both city and country roads. I always enjoy driving past the big tree in Rockefeller Center Plaza in New York City and seeing the lights outside the various churches. I wish we followed that, in more places, the custom of lighting candles in our homes on Christmas Ev and welcoming bands of carol singers. : I remember the glimpses of this custom, which I saw on Beacon Hill in Boston one year, and I think it is one of the nicest customs of the Christmas season and should be preserved. The light is to guide the stranger to a haven of warmth and comfort on Christmas Eve and should remind us of the welcome the Christ Child offers to saint and sinner alike. I must remind my readers again this year, that

purely political opposi-|are reflected downward from this tion in this, whipped up by the Republicans, but he ceiling.

the horizon, whereas the Chicago {campany claims & range equal to the ordinary radio transmitter,

it has developed a coaxial cable Administration about anything, but has only to wait |that loses only 3 per cent of the current carrying a projected image. The company says other cables lose as high as 70 per cent. claimed, the cables will be able to conduct much longer range network telecasts than sets now in operation.

FHA INSURES 71

on 71 new small homes totaling $341,800 were placed in effect by the Indianapolis office of FHA for the week ending Dec. 15, State FHA Director Earl Peters announced today.

homes to existing construction mortgage insurance shows “the stable interest in home building activities” in the Indianapolis territory. “It means that mortgage insurance was put in effect on 71 new homes or homes built within one year from date of insurance as compared with mortgage insurance placed in effect on 54 homes already built,” he said.

Range of other sets is limited to

The Chicago company also reports

Thus, it is

HOME LOANS HERE

Commitments to insure mortgages

Mr. Peters said the ratio of new

———————————— INSURANCE HEAD RETIRES NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (U. P.).—

Jail Inmates Get Turkey

Roast turkey and dressing will be the piece de resistance of the Christmas Day dinner to be served County Jail inmates, George Vlases, deputy in charge of the kitchen, said today. Other items on the Christmas dinner menu will be cranberry sauce, candied sweet potatoes, creamed carrots and peas, coleslaw, mince pie, bread and coffee. Sheriff Al Feeney has placed a large decorated Christmas tree in the Jail lobby between the cell blocks. Strings of colored electric lights also are placed about the walls, in addition to the lights on the tree.

His wife, Della Mae, Their grandson, Robert Hebenstreit, will be 14.

streit, Robert's mother, Dec. vestigator at the County Prose-

POST TO UNVEIL’

HUGE YULE TREE

The Tillman H. Harpole Post 249

of the American Legion will present its annual Christmas present, a huge Christmas tree, to North Side children at 2:30 p. m. tomorrow, at 2523 Northwestern Ave.

The tree will be placed in the

front yard of the Post home. Judge Wilfred Bradshaw of the Juvenlie | Court will make the address.

Oranges, apples, candy, nut and

toys will be distrikuted to the children. ber will fill the 20 baskets of food

Tomorrow night post mem-

BURGLARS RANSACK

4 EDINBURG STORES

EDINBURG, Ind, Dec. 22 (U. P)).

—Johnson County authorities today sought a band of thieves who looted | four Edinburg stores, another without taking anything, and attempted to rob a sixth yesterday.

broke into

Officials said the burglaries were

the most thorough in county history.

Stores ransacked were the Hen-

dricks drugstore, the Shaffer drug- | store, the Brown cafe, the Wheeler | Elks lodges here. store and the Jones tavern, loss had not been estimated.

|

TAX PAYMENTS TOP $8,000,000

Distribution of Funds to County Agencies Set For Next Week.

County Auditor Fabian W. Biemer announced today a total of $8,698,607.52 was collected at the fall installment of property taxes and delinquent payments in Marion County. This collection, Mr. Biemer said, was about 100 per cent of the property tax levy for tae fall. Mr. Biemer also revealed that a total of $193,069.98 was collected in bank taxes, $61,134.62 in moratorium payments and $39,889.14 in building and loan taxes. Collections of delinquent taxes totalled $154,710.21, Mr. Biemer said. Distribution of the fall collections to County governmental units will be made next week.

‘REA ALLOTS $11,000

|

TO STATE PROJECTS

Times Special WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.— The Rural Electrification Administration has allotted $11.000 to two Indiana rural electrification projects. To finance individual members’ installations of wiring and plumbing, $10,000 was allotted the Bartholomew County Rural Electric Membership Corp. The Huntington County Rural Electric: Membership Corp. was allotted $1000 for the same purpose.

REALTY HEAD

Times Special EVANSVILLE, Ind, Dec. 22— Henry P. Bennighof, president: of the Bennighof-Nolan Auto Co. and the Bennighof Realty Corp. died yesterday. He was 79. A life-long resident of Evansville except for a short interval in which

IS DEAD

he lived in Chicago, Mr. Bennighof was a member of the Masonic and Survivors are one

Total | son, Henry, and a daughter, one

brother and one sister.

Yule Dinner Also Marks 5 (Count ’em) Birthdays

Christmas and five birthdays will

be celebrated at the same time Monday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William F. Lynch, 2324 N. Alabama St

Mr. Lynch will be 76 that day. will be 74.

Their daughter, Mrs. Clem Hebenwas born

28. A son, Al Lynch, in-

home for the combination Christmas dinner-birthday party. The turkey will be cooked by Mrs. Lynch. “She's the boss in the kitchen,” Al said. “And she doesn't want anyone interferring with her. She will direct the cooking of the turkey and all the trimmings and will see that it's served right.” Mrs. Lynch was born in Adams, Ind. but has lived here practically all her life. Mr. Lynch is a native of Indian-

Threatening to Duck Teacher High Spot of 1830 Christmas

Master Bought Apples, Branson Harris Reports; Doughnuts 1826 Piece de Resistance.

IN THE 1830s, THERE WAS VERY little to-do over Christmas in Indiana, according to the testimony of Branson L. Harris, available in

print at the State Library.

Mr. Branson reported he attended school as usual on Christmas. He admitted the students had a few unusual activities in connection

with the “holiday,” as follows:

“We sometimes, on Christmas, turned out the master to make him

treat us to a bushel of apples. If he refused, we would carry him to the branch to duck him; but just before we would get to the branch he would say: ‘Let me down, boys, I will treat.’ “And he would send for apples and we would have a holiday feast.” i Mr. Branson anparently enjoyed some stirring Christmas days in his early youth. ” n ” JANE MERRILL KETCHAM, daughter of the State's first Treasurer, wrote that in 1326 their Christmas celebration centered chiefly around the large supply of doughnuts her mother baked after the children went to bed. She described Christmas Eve of that year and said she slipped from her bed and sat on the stairs listening to the kitchen activities. Occasionally her mother brought a pan of the doughnuts in from the kitchen. “We had heard of Christmas trees,” she wrote, “but never had

seen one.” o 8

ANOTHER WRITER recalled that there were, in those early days, few public celebrations, even in church. Most families had special services, he recalled, before the family altar. At the

first general Christmas celebra- .

tions and services in churches, he said, the young people demanded music. He said that, as much as anything, forced the congregations to buy organs for the churches. Regular church services, however, seem to have been held in Ft. Wayne on Christmas Day, 1789, if you can believe the journal of Henry Clay. Henry wrote: “Played the flute at mass. “I cannot say much for the trade in this place . . . almost every individual is an Indian trader . . . everyone tries to get what he can either by, fowle play or otherwise—that is, by traducing another's character and merchandise. “In short, I cannot.term it in a better manner than calling it a rascally scrambling trade, etc. “Somehow I lost a silk pocket handkerchief this morning which I never expect to see. My brother Johnny's fine travelling knife was stolen last night, which I also

in Kokomo, according to the ver= sion of Lorenzo D. Davidson. Lorenzo had as his guest a cousin who played out East in an orchestra, and so was quite a local celebrity. They were invited to a party and rode horseback through the woods to a log cabin. There a dance was in full sway in the one-room cabin, in spite of the fact the hostess was sick in bed in one corner. Lorenzo said there was a lot of dancing, and much cider drinking and wild turkey eating until long after midnizht when there was a’ racket at the coor. It. developed that the sett'ement‘s outlaw had heard .of the party and had become in~ensed that he was not invited. So he came over and shot the host in the pants. That's just what h= did, Mr. Lorenzo wrote, and it broke up the party.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—On which continent is the Mae

deira River? 2—For what naval ' purpose Scapa Flow being used? 3—What is ethnology?

4—Do foreign-born, minor children become American citizens when their father becomes naturale

ized in the United States?

5—O0Of which country is Wilhelmina

the Queen?

6—What is the correct pronuncia=

tion of the word allopathic?

T—Name the largest National Cemetery in the United States?

8—In units of length, how many rods are in one chain? ” ” 2

Answers

1—South America. 2—As a base for the British fleet.

3—Science of the study of living races.

4—Yes. 5—The Netherlands. 6—Al-lo-path’-ik; not thik. T—Arlington National Va. 8—Four.

al-lop’-a=

Cemetery,

ASK THE TIMES

Inclose a 3-cent stamp for

is

give for lost. “Play again at vespers this afternoon.” Mr. Hay appears to have been

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 research be undertaken.

Merry Christmases which we wished each other as the children were shephered home by their parents or friends. I always like this party and hope that it brings some real enjoyment to lives that must be drab and dreary in spite of the valiant efforts of their parents. The day ended very peacefully and pleasantly with a dinner and a long evening spent with a friend. This morning I traveled back by train to Hyde Park, where

by applying to colleges or the “Ys” we may, if we | Carl Heye, president of the Guardian so desire, entertain some foreign student in our home Life Insurance Co. for the past 19 on Christmas Day. Perhaps this student has never | years, will retire as executive head been in an American home before and is alone in this] t0 become chairman of the board, it country at this season. It is an opportunity which Was announced today. James A.| these young people have greatly appreciated in the McLain, vice president since 1930 rast years, and I hope that each year an increasing|and with the company since 1920, number will find a warm welcome in some American has been elected to succeed him as home. president. @ +

apolis. He is a tool maker at the Diamond Chain Co. He retired about five years ago. But he didn’t know what to do with all the time ! he had on his hands so he went| in an odd, or frontier, Christmas back to work. mood. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch celebrated ..2 9 their golden wedding anniversary THINGS WERE A little more last May. cheerful on Christmas Day, 1873,

cutor’s cffice, was born Jan. 23. So Al and his sister just celebrate their birthdays along with those cf their parents and Robert. Another son, Frank, celebrates his birthday at the regular time. He gets the break as far presents are concerned,” Al said. There will be 12 at the Lynch

as