Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 January 1940 — Page 9

"MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1940

~ The

Hoosier Vagabond

ABOARD 8S. S. SIXAOLA, Bound for Panama, Jan. 15.—When a total stranger comes up to you in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, and shows you a clipping from one of your columns he’s been carrying around for two years, I think you ought to write a piece about him. 2 So that’s what I'm doing about Charles S. Robinson, who as far as I can tell is the most interesting person aboard this ship. Mr. Robinson sprang from

New Jersey, has lived on every

continent of the globe, and is on his way to Panama to work. And he isn’t 35.yet. For 11 years he has been bounding about the world. He ascribes his itching foot to Adventure Magazine. He has read it since he was a boy. But Robinson himself is no soldier-of-fortune, no “tropical tramp.” travels have all been in constructive work. He is an electrical expert. And he is also an earnest man with a sharp humor and a deep respect for the ways of other humans. : : - Robinson’s first venture was to Cuba and Panama, when he was 22. Havana was his first foreign port, and Havana -is still a glamorous city to him. He has lived in Venezuela, in that shack-town-on-stilts over the water that recently burned so spectacularly. He has worked in Peru and Chile. He has crossed the South Atlantic on a Japanese freighter. In Columbia he lived with a native family, in order to learn Spanish.

» Likes the Chinese He has lived two stretches of a year and a half each in Siam. He has done his electrical work on

construction jobs 500 miles into the Siamese jungles. He has ridden the aerial tram to the top of Table

Mountain at Cape Town. He has brushed cobras off .

the golf course at Bangkok. He has been through a typhoon in the China Sea. . He has little sympathy with white men in the tropics who carry the “white man’s burden” like a torch and treat the native like dogs. He thinks the «Chinese are wonderful. ? ‘He has flown from Siam to Egypt on the famous

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FEW MEN LIVE to see themselves immortalized. Jap Miller, proprietor and general manager of “The Cross Roads Store—Everything Under the Sun,” lived long enough to have it happen twice. In 1889 James Whitcomb Riley made him the subject of a poem. In 1902 Jap achieved immortality again, this timetas a character around whom Herbert Hall Winslow wove his Joe Miller in Ezra Kendall's comedy “The Vinegar Buyer.” Jap Miller was good literary material for the reason that he was the Morgan County genius who spent his spare time thinking up such nifiies as “A good man grows; a small man dwindles” . . . “An honest, man in jail is betier off than a dishonest one out” , .. “Man . is not a descendant of the monkey; if he were he would behave better” ... “All this talk about Morgan County being 75 years behind the times is a lie; we are only 40.” : “The Vinegar Buyer” embarrassed both Mr. Riley and Mr. Miller. Mr. Riley went on record at the time that he had nothing to do in the way of collaborating with Ezra Kendall. Or Herbert Winslow either, for that matter. As for Jap Miller, he wrote a letter which fully explained his predicament. The letter, a classic in its way, was addressed to Charles E. Wilson, private secretary to Governor Winfield Durbin. : oe 2 82 =

He Pleads His Innocence

“My dear friend,” began Mr. Miller. “Your letter of inquiry just received. Let me thank you for the same. Most of my former friends will not listen to an explanation. You want to know if I am guilty of this Vinegar Buyer business. No! I have always lived a pure upright life, and now this comes upon me in my old age. Job had his boils, but I am having my carbuncles and you know I have been especially particular who I associated with.

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® o 3 Washington CINCINNATI, Jan. 15—Civic spirit i a thing

much admired and much talked about, but as a reporter knocks around from one community. to another he

becomes increasingly impressed with the fact that:

civic spirit—so-called—proves to be the result of a handful of energetic personalities, usually business leaders. In localities where there does not happen to be such a little group of aggressive, public- _ spirited, dominant | personalities, you don’t have much civic spirit. The difference can be felt instantly. ' : I'm thinking of one community which was trying to increase its manufacturing establishments. Businessmen were offering inducements, raising funds to : : bs finance part of the operation, figuring it would benefit the whole community. But one businessman, a person of some consequence in the community, was opposing it. He didn’t want the competition coming in. He thought it would create more demand for labor and thus tend to raise wages in the town. -

Signing Up a Holdout

One of the town’s leading businessmen went to the. holdout and said in effect: “See here. Most of us think it would be a good thing for our town to have this additional business located here. We nave {0 have your co-operation in it. I'd hate to be in your shoes

HYDE PARK, Sunday.—In New York City on Friday it rained most of the day and, when we reached Hyde Park, we were told it had been raining or snowing all day. The sky was gray and heavy, but the snow on the fields and on the evergreen trees was a sight which I always enjoy. The driving was none too

good and I was glad that we did not have far to go.

. Saturday was filled with all the air and exercise we could get. A long walk in the morning, a ride in the afternoon, and > then we got out a little cutter. Though the snow was not the kind that makes good sleighing, we did manage, by choosing our roads carefully, to drive through the woods and even over to the big house to have a look at the library. Many of the partitions are up now, but it still looks a long way from completion on the mside. Two quiet evenings and late breakfasts seem great

luxury. The sky continues to look as though either :

snow or rain might fall upon us at any moment. I like particularly the feeling of isolation that winter _gives one and I think I shall enjoy being snowed in sometime in the future. Just now, I couldn’t indulge in a changed schedule, when there is an engagement, made months beforehand, always ahead.

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His foreign:

By Ernie Pyle

KLM line. He has put into Halifax on a ship that ran out of fuel oil: He has spent three Christmases at sea. He has herded those electrical “mules” that pull vessels through the locks of the Panama Canal. Once he was outside the U. S, for six years straight.

Robinson’s formal education includes no degrees, but his practical education includes a constant reading of great literature. When he returned from Siam the first time, he decided to be a stock broker. So he went to Harvard business school for a semester. His ‘vision of success was to have an dffice with two telephones, where he would sit all day and shout into one phone “buy high,” and into the other “sell low.” Robinson sensed that there was something basically wrong about this, but couldn't figure out just what it was. So he went back to electricity.

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Romance in Panama | :

His last foreign job was in Panama. There he met a girl who came down on a cruise. They returned to the States and were married. His wife and 5-months-old son will join him in Panama in a couple of months. 3 Lodi , " Robinson lists himself as being from Tacoma, ~Wash. “How come Tacoma?’ .I asked. “Is your wife from there?” “No,” he said, “she’s from Brooklyn. I just picked Tacoma deliberately. Got a map of the world, and from my knowledge of countries started eliminating laces. 2 : P “We considered climate, rainfall, trees, water, nearness to fishing, personality of cities and everything. We finally decided Tacoma was the best place in the world to live.” “That's mighty interesting,” I said. “But since you've now left Tacoma and are on your way back to Panama, there must have been some flaw in your reasoning.” “The only flaw,” Robinson said, “was that we couldn't make a living.” He has read _this column in Evansville, in San Diego, in New York. The clipping he was carrying was on Hawaii's “benevolent paternalism” toward the sugar-cane workers. He cut it out because he says it fits exactly the government workers’ lives in Panama. Despite all his travel, he is still apt to get seasick.

~~ By Anton Scherrer

“You want to know if Ezra Kendall has been here. He has not. I don’t know him; never heard of him until I saw the article in the papers. I doubt whéther a man could be found possessing the nerve and audacity to introduce him to me. You know I belong to a different class or set. I understand he is the same man that wrote ‘Good Gravy.’ My, isn’t that just awful. ; “Thirteen years ago. Mr. Riley wrote the poem «Jap Miller down at Martinsville’s the blamedest feller yit!’ I did not protest then for I was young and I know his intentions were good. If we could only have looked into the future to now, I assume

that poem would never have appeared in print. Just)

this one summer I have received four poems by would-be poets about Jap Miller. They have weakened my health and now my good doctor, Vanstant, tells me I must go away. I never was stout and this - calamity comes upon me in my weakened condition. ® t 4 ”

Sought on Injunction

«I have done what I thought was right and best— employed two good attorneys. I will ask for (and you know I need it) a perpetual injunction against ‘The Vinegar Buyer. One day last week I passed by the State House.and I wanted to come in and see you, but after what happened I was ashamed to look an honest man in ‘the face. If the courts do not give me protection, I ‘intend to appeal to the Governor. I know he is a good man and if he should fail me, I intend to move to Arkansas, where the dagger is law, and take my chances. : “If I ever get back on my feet again and this stain upon my character is removed, may I come to see you? Show this letter te your friends and ask them to give me one more chance. Death would relieve me, but I doubt under the circumstances if they could get pallbearers. My good sister, Mrs. Dalton, feels the disgrace keenly, but says she will continue to live with me. If they would only let me alone here I could make a good living. I beg of you to let me say I remain your friend. : ‘ : “JAP MILLER.”

By Raymond Clapper

if the word gets all over town that you prevented a large factory from coming here.” The holdout signed up. In any live and pushing community of medium

size, you will usually find a group of businessmen who.

are responsible for the drive. A banker or two, a de-partment-store operator, the local utilities manager perhaps. They lunch together, play together and work together. I was talking with a. person in one of these communities about it. : “Sure,” he said, “about three men run this town. They run it just about as they want to run it. But they do a good job. I don’t know of much that I would: do differently. If they didn’t do it—if they didn’t get out and crack down for community chest contributions, and for civic improvements, nobody would do it. They are the ones who are willing to take the responsibility. Call it an oligarchy, if you insist. But somebody has to do these things.”

: » ” ” Practical Civic Leadership In contrast I am thinking of another community where a person long resident said this: “We used to . have real leadership in this city. We were one of the first to introduce the city-manager form of government years ago. But: it has fallen into the hands of small politicians. Absentee ownership of some of our most important plants has a restrictive effect upon local morale, and wc can’t seem to get anything started. I know what the trouble is but I have not the ability to provide the leadership needed and those who are in a position to do so don’t seem to be interested.”

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By Eleanor Roosevelt

I see by the newspaper this morning, that the New York World's Fair has formally invited the quintuplets to set up their nursery in the grounds of the Fair next summer. I suppose they will be allowed an occasional peek at the Fair, but judging from the past

their nurses and guardians will see that they lead normal lives. One-way glass will undoubtedly make it possible for thousands of visitors to the Fair {to look in on these five attractive youngsters who have been so carefully brought up. One may see them at work and at play without being seen by them. I hope that Canada will let them come, for I think the whole United States will feel pleasure in being their hosts. In this day of hatreds and wars and rumors of wars, it is good to cement friendships between nations through the affection we all feel for children. The quintuplets have drawn innumerable visitors from the United States to Canada and all of them have been captivated by the charm these children seem to radiate. I feel that it is a very happy gesture to have them come as guests of the Fair of the United States. Many people who might never have had a glimpse of them in Canada will be able to see them here. It has always seemed to me that their care, the simplicity and regularity with which their lives are planned, must serve as an object lesson to many families both rich and poor. Good luck to you, little quintuplets if you come to us as our guests, may your visit be a happy one,

Gallup Polls Shows— Independents Hold Balance Of Power

By Dr. George Gallup PRINCETON, N. J., Jan. 15.—As the American people turn their attention to the business of electing a new President next November, a nation-wide survey by the American In- - stitute of Public Opinion reveals that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have enough “regular” party members at this time to capture the Presi-

dency. The balance of power at the present time, the survey shows, rests with a large bloc of political “Independents”’—to whom the actual candidates and the platforms are likely. to mean more than the party labels. The size and political temper of this independent bloc is some-

leaders of -both major parties plenty of concern between now and election day. In his Jackson Day speech President Roosevelt himself declared that the problem of the Democratic Party

“among those independent voters, and don’t let us forget it.” The present Institute survey

dent Roosevelt has marked out

indicates that the same problem faces the Republicans. To find out how many voters now regard

cans,” “regular Democrats” and “Independents,” the Institute ‘asked a carefully chosen crosssection of more than 9000 voters throughout the United States: | “In politics do you consider yourself a Democrat, Independent, Socialist or Republican?”

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HE replies of voters from : Maine to the Pacific Coast point to three vital facts: 1. Approximately one voter in every five (199%) regards himself as an Independent at present. In a nation with approximately 60,000,000 cligible voters, means that about 11%: consider themselves neither major party. 2. Of the remaining voters, the larger share consider themselves Democrats. The “Republicans,” who for many years prior to 1932 were generally considered the “normal majority party,” are still in the minority. Whereas 19 voters in every 100 call themselves Independents, the survey shows that 42 think of themselves as Democrats and 38 as Republicans. Approximately one person in a hundred calls himself a Socialist or a supporter of some other minority party. 3. Unnoticed by most political observers, however, the number of voters who consider themselves Republicans has increased substantially since the days—dark for the G. O. P.—following Roosevelt's re-election. In May, 1937, the Institute reported in a similar survey that only 33 persons in every 100 called themselves Republicans.

HOOSIER NAVAL AID DIES AT 65 ON GOAST

Friends here today were notified of the death of Capt. Allen Buchanan, native Hoosier who commanded the U. S. fleet at Vera Cruz during the expedition against Mexico, at Coronado Beach, Cal., Saturday. > - Capt. Buchanan, who was 65, was

born .in Evansville and went to the U. S. Naval Academy following his graduation from DePauw University in 1895. He served as naval aid to three Presidents before his retirement six years ago. He had been aid to President Theodore Roosevelt, President William H. Taft and President Herbert Hoover, commanding the Presidential yacht, Mayflower. Capt. Buchanan was a classmate at DePauw of Eugene H. Iglehart, trust officer of the American National Bank here.

EMPLOYEE HUNTED FOLLOWING ATTACK

. Police today sought a 53-year-old man in connection with an attack on Clyde Brauchla, 50, of 2310 N. Delaware St., after the latter was wounded in his poultry store at 2303 N. Talbott St., Saturday night. According to police, Mr. Brauchla said he and his employee had an argument regarding some losses at the store and Mr. Brauchla said he was attacked by the employee with a hammer and butcher knife. Mr. Brauchla was sent to the Methodist Hospital. : ; : Later, Mrs. Myrtle Brauchla, wife of the wounded man, filed a warrant charging assault and battery with intent to murder against the employee, police said.

LAURA LUELLEN, 70. DIES OF PNEUMONIA

Mrs. Laura Luellen of New Lisbon died at the Methodist Hospital yesterday of pneumonia. She was 70. Mrs. Luellen was brought to the hospital two months ago for an operation on a broken hip received last fall. She became ill with pneumonia two weeks ago. Funeral services and burial will

millions tied to

| held at New Lisbon, a

thing which may give the political

would be to hold its supporters

underlines the job which Presi-

themselves as “regular Republi- -

for the Democratic Party, and .

With one voter in almost every. five calling himself an “Independent” in politics, as today’s Institute survey shows, both the Democrats and Republicans must aim their campaign at « large bloc of American voters who customarily vote “for the candidate and the platform,” rather than for the party. The Democratic Party is still the : majority party as far as “regular” party voters are concerned, but the Republicans have made gains in the last two and a half years. Left, above, a. Southern voter being interviewed. :

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The trend is shown in the following figures: : TODAY'S SURVEY “Democrats” “Republicans” “Independents” “Socialists” and others ...

this

MAY, 1937

“Democrats” “Republicans” “Independents” “Socialists” and others

In each survey the Institute ‘found a handful of voters (an average of 4 per cent) who were undecided about their proper classification, but further tests have indicated that these voters, when pressed for their opinions, divide in the same proportions as those reported above.

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S President Roosevelt claimed in his Jackson Day speech, the great bulk of the “Independ=ent vote” was cast for the Democratic candidate in 1936. Of the Independent voters reached in the present Institute survey nearly

If all NYA projects completed in Indiana last year could be assembled in one spot, they would form a nearly complete, small city.

“NYA City” would be located on 896 acres of completely landscaped ground, of which 552 acres would be improved park land. The buildings in the city, Robert S. Richey, state NYA director, said today, ‘would include 32 schools, one hospital, six youth centers, one library, one educational building, 24 stadiums, grandstands and bleachers, six shower and dressing room structures, six social and recreational buildings, 18 park and trailside shelters, 11 bandstands and bandshells, nine bridges, three administrative buildings and 21 other structures, . including community buildings, roadside. stands, garages and animal shelters.

The city would have nearly seven miles of ‘paved highways, two and one-half miles of sidewalks, one and one-half miles: of curbing, 10 miles of bridle paths, bicycle paths and hiking trails, 36,368 square yards of parking areas, iour miles of fences and one and one-half miles of levees and retaining walls. : For health and public safety, the city would have 785 feet of storm and sanitary sewers, six cesspools and septic tanks, five storage dams and cisterns and storage tanks and 34,475 street signs. Recreation would be well taken care of, too. The city would have 67 bird and game sanctuaries and eight fish hatcheries stocked with 32,000 fish, 60 improved school playgrounds and 31 other play areas, 61 baseball and football ‘fields, 26 athletic fields, three swimming pools, four wading pools, 106 tennis courts and three pistol and target ranges. Enough equipment would be provided to furnish-38 horseshoe courts, 42 shuffleboard courts, 10 paddletennis courts, nine croquet courts, 60 hurdles, three jumping pits and an ice-skating rink. Relief for the needy also would be provided. NYA workers during the last year have made 383,329 pieces of clothing, produced 13,171 household articles, repaired 244 pieces of home furniture, 24,567 pieces of school furniture and 823 pieces of office furniture. Hospital supplies produced numbered 114,512

atticles, 160,417 school lunches were

three out of four say that they voted for Roosevelt last time. The actual vote of these Independents was:

INDEPENDENT VOTE IN 1936

Roosevelt . Landon ' Socialist and other candidates \

dential vote, thisy indicatessthat:

more than 8.-millioh, of Mr. Roose= =

velt's 271; . million votes came _ from persons who consider themselves politically fancy-free at the present time. But the big question ahead for both Demacratis and Republican party chieftains will be: How will the bulk of the Independent vote be cast in November? Of course a great deal will depend on the type of candidate named by the major parties at their conventions this summer, as well as on the platforms and campaigns that follow. At this time, however, Institute studies show that the Independents are very closely divided on the question of a Republican or a Democratic Ad- | ministration in 1941, with a substantial group still undecided.

’38 NYA Projects Enough To Build One Whole City

served, 78,937 books and 15,293 toys repaired. ’ The “NYA City” could be inhabited by the 9000 young people who work on the projects and the 13,000 college students who receive part-time NYA aid.

BUILD UP DEFENSES, SAYS COL. DAVIDSON

An adequate national defense was urged by Lieut. Col. J. H. Davidson of Ft. Marrison, in an address at a national defense dinner of the Indiana Department, American Legion, and ‘auxiliary at the Hotel Antlers yesterday. “It is better to spend $1,000,000,-

000 now for national defense than to spend $50,000,000,000 later with a tremendous loss of life and perhaps the loss of the country,” he said. . for Col. Davidson said there is a possibility of this country having to fight a coalition of powers without the help of England or France. A national defense program also was urged by Mrs. William Corowith, Rockville Center, N. Y., national president of* the auxiliary. Others attending included Mrs. Marie Garland, Hammond, and Foster L. Stanley, Indianapolis, chairmen of the auxiliary and legion national defense committees.

LIEUT. COL. HILLDRUP TRANSFERRED EAST

Leiut. Col. Don: G. Hilldrup, for five years surgical service chief at the Ft. Harrison Hospital, is to be transferred to the Third Corps Area Headquarters, Baltimore, Md., eflective March 15. Capt. Harry E. Magnuson of the quartermaster corps also has received orders for a change of the station. , He is to be transferred from Ft. Harrison to the Philippine Islands. He will said from New York April 2 for Manila. Capt. Magnuson is now on temporary duty at Ft. McClellan, Ala. i

The Institute asked self-styled Independent voters: “Which party would you like to see win the Presidential - election in 19402” The replies are as follows:

INDEPENDENT VOTE TODAY Favor Democratic Victory. .31% Favor Republican Victory 29 . Favor Third Party Victory.. 2 Undecided 38 100%

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N.. another Jackson Day pro- - J gram Solicitor. General Robert H. Jackson: urged the possibility that President Roosevelt himself is the only Democrat who can hold the bulk of the Independent vote for his party. But the Institute survey indicates that, like the majority of the country as a whole, a majority of Independent voters with opinions on’ the subject do not favor a third term for F. D. R. at this time. . Perhaps, in the months ahead, the typical Independent voter will come to look more favorably upon

a third term for the President,

but at present the survey vote is: Will Vote fer Roosevelt....47% Will Not Vote for Him.....53% Throughout the country as a

EX-INDIANA BANKER NAMED A. B. A. AID

NEW YORK, Jan. 15 (U. P).— A. G. Brown, who was president of the Indiana Bankers Association in 1928-29 and had been president of the Greencastle (Ind.) First National. Bank, has been appointed deputy manager of the American Bankers Association in charge of the Agricultural Credit Department. Announcement of Mr. Brown's appointment was made today by Robert M. Hanes, A. B. A. president. Mr. Brown will take office in February. He is now president of the Ohio Citizens Trust Co. Toledo, O. From 1930 to 1935 Mr. Brown was president of the Federal Land Bank of Louisville, Ky., president of the Federal Intermediate Credit Bank of Louisville, and executive vice president of the Farm Credit Administration at Louisville. He became president of the Ohio Citizens Trust Co. in 1935.

Hoard Week-End Snags Juniors

THE INDIANAPOLIS: juvenile population encountered a rough week-end. ’ Richard Bray, 4, of 1206 Olive St., was bruised when he fell over the bannister of his home. Eight-year-old Robert Lunn, 1506 Nelson St., was injured about the ‘head when he tripped and fell over a dog that crossed his path as he was playing in front of his home yesterday. : Robert Wotring, 16-Months-old, 511 Birch St., drank a quantity of coal oil. The three were treated at the City Hospital.

HACKMAN RITES SET

1'imes Special RICHMOND, Ind, Jan. 15— Funeral services will be held. here tomorrow for Frederick Hackman, retired coal dealer and founder of the Hackman-Klehfoth Coal Co. He was 82. Mr. Hackman, who came here from Germany 57 years ago, raised funds to build St. John’s | Lutheran Church.

whole, recent surveys show, 46 per cent of all voters with opinions on the question are for a third term, while 54 per cent oppose one now. In the Independents’ case the Institute finds approximately one voter in eight (13%) undecided, while .only 9 per cent of all voters are undecided. G |

Despite the fact that a majority of Independents are not anxious for a. third term, however, President ‘Roosévelt is the .. most popular . Single | candidate with these voters {to succeed himself. vs :

In second and third place Inde= pendents with opinions name Dis« trict Attorney Thomas E. Dewey and Vice President Garner.

- Asked: “Whom would you like to

see elected President in 1940?” Independents reached in the Institute survey answer: Roosevelt sesetarsesqences 47% Dewey (Rep.) ceseeccesces 19 Garner (Dem. «.eesseees 10 Vandenberg (Rep.) cesses Taft (Rep.) cessevsenssses Hull (Dem.) ccovissnsssss McNutt (Dem. ..ccievsee LaGuardia (Am.-Labor) .. Hoover (Re€p.) seesstenees

OLhers: .ivsseseserssvess: 1

THREE YOUTHS HELD; BURGLARIES PROBED

Three youths, 17, 18 and 19 years . old, were held today ion bond of $5000 each while police investigated recent burglaries. They were are rested last night at 1102 S. East St., where police said they had entered a Standard Grocery Store. Police said they possessed burglar tools and that their car had stolen license plates."

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—Of which river is the Clinch River a tributary?

2—Which country was the first to - formally recognize the indee pendence of the United States? 3—What kind of acid is found. in vinegar? gs 4—To which country did Ignace Moscicki, former President of Poland, recently go for medical treatment? ° ie |

5—Into which river does the Pecos River empty? 6—Must an alien in the U. S.-have completed his military = obligations in his native country in order to become, naturalized in . the U. S.? | T—How many square inches are in one square foot? | : 8—What happens to the buoyancy of a ship when it! passes from fresh water to salt water?

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Answers

1—Tennessee River. 2—France. 2—Acetic. 4—Switzerland. 5—Rio Grande. 6—There ‘is no such T—144. ate 8—The ship floats higher.

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 research be. under

ire

requirement.