Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 June 1940 — Page 18

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PAGE 18

The Indianapolis Times (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

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Give Light and the People Wili Find The

FRIDAY, JUNE 14, Tr |

CONGRESS HEARING FROM HOME | : WE think the country will feel relieved at the evidence that Administration leaders are backing down on Congressional adjournment. i Speaker Bankhead now says it is impossible to get gone by June 22, the deadline originally set. | The drive to put that over was slowed up considerably when Treasury Secretary Morgenthau said he was willing »to stay on the job if the Congressmen were. The next day came Mr. Bankhead’s statement. | What is happening is that Washington has been hearing from home about the preposterous, presumptuous and dangerous idea of the legislative branch f our Government - abdicating in a time of war crisis. The here’ s-your-hat-what’s-your-hurry attitude of President Roosevelt and his associates helped wake up the people to the: fact that: something queer was going on. | So the grassroots began to rogaieh And t that's democ‘racy functioning. We hope those at home aren't lulled by the partial -retreat and that they continue to expre ess themselves in a loud, large and positive way. The Bankhead statement doesn’t exude any enthusiasm.’ It hath a half-hearted and Thegrudgios sound. But it’s a good si n, nevertheless— though no self-starter. Congress should stay in session for the duration. If it fails to, those who vote to go home should be made to stay there the next time they come up for election.

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I UNFINISHED BUSINESS LL

SIDE from the crucial issues that may spell war or peace in the months ahead, and in addition to the mammoth job of mobilizing the nation’s industries and manpower for defense and enacting the billion-dollar-plus tax bill which is to date only a makeshift, there are other important measures awaiting action by Congress. These include: The Hatch Bill, Passed 2 to 1 by the Senate nearly three months ago. The Logan-Walter Bill, passed 3 to 1 by the House six weeks ago. The Smith amendments to the National Labor Relations Act, adopted 2 to 1 by the House last week. Those three are, in the truest sense, national-defense measures. They are even more urgently needed now than they were before Hitler's blitzkrieg jolted us into realization that we must muster all our strength and all our resources for rearmament. The Hatch Bill is needed to prevent political termites from eating away the foundations upon which our defenses must be built. The Logan-Walter bill is ‘wooded to prevent abuse of bureaucratic power—power which may have to be extended in many directions in the days ahead. ‘And the Smith amendments are needed to prevent American industry and American labor from working against each other in a period when the safety of the country demands that they work together. These amendments would abolish the present biased Labor Board, end the system which permits zealots to lact as prosecutors, judges and juries, and erect a new system designed to insure fair enforcement of the labor act and fair protection for labor’s rights.

AN INDEPENDENT AIR FORCE

OR several years Maj. Al Williams, famous speed champion and aviation writer, warned day in and day out that the axis powers were building a mighty air machine which threatened the destruction of Europe. | Even though he made trips through Europe, inspecting airplane plants, fields and methods, he could not convince the generals, admirals and statesmen of this country and the Allies that familiar methods of warfare were about to e revolutionized. Now, to their horror and dismay, his predictions are materializing in catastrophe. In view of this record there is every reason why the Government and the public should give thoughtful attention to another warning which Maj. Williams voiced at the concluding dinner of the Aviation Korum conducted in Washington by the National Aeronauti¢ Association. “It is the sheerest folly,” he said, “to paint a vision of adequate defense until we have, as the first essential, a separate and independent air force which can plan, develop and operate real American air power without interference and restraint from the Army and Navy.” While Hitler and Mussolini were developing independent air forces, Maj. Williams pointed out, “naval and military “blocs dominating England's rearmament period—from 1936 to the outbreak of this war—went overboard in buying battleships and the wrong kind of tools, and in throttling the development of British air power.” Assembled aviation people cheered wildly as Maj. Williams said: “The complete answer, as I see it, i is (and I can almost feel the gallant spirit of Gen. Billy Mitchell at my shoulder

# § i |

“asl say these words) : The United States must have a sep-

' defense—Army, Navy and Air.

arate air force under a three-way department of national The development of true American air power can no longer be left in the jealous

hands of the land army and the sea navy and politicians.

To do this is to court the present plight of England, and

: : eventual disaster.”

PARALYSIS IN SEWAGE

CIENCE has discovered that the virus of infantile ‘paralysis is carried in sewage even during small epi-

~ demics, |

This provides an additional reason why all American

. towns and cities will have to stop dumping their sewage i into streams and lakes and provide adequate sewage dis-

‘posal. Plants instead. ;

Fair Enough By Westbrook Pegler

By Clever Little Schemes, Once Laid To Tax Dodgers by F. D. R.,, He Is Leading U. S. Close to War

EW YORK, June 14.—A few years ago President Roosevelt addressed Congress on the subject of tax evasion, and referred angrily to “clever little schemes” having “the color of legality” by which a few rich men dodged the payment of their just dues. It is not a pleasant thought to dwell upon just now, but the truth is that the spirit of the New Deal has been the very spirit that the President abhorred in that denunciation. There is a shysterism in the Jabor act, for example, which is included in the “social gains” which the President has promised to maintain, knowing that it can’t be maintained if the country is to make a national effort for armament and must vanish if war comes, and shouldn't be maintained as is, anyway. The labor act is falsely, because incompletely, described as labor’s Magna Charta. It does guarantee labor’s right to organize, but it also compels people to join unions who don’t want to join, but the Administration refuses even to discuss the denial of these important rights. The debate which immediately followed the President’s remarks on “clever little schemes” for the eva= sion of taxes revealed that in the matter of devising clever little schemes having the color, but certainly not the odor of legality the United States Treasury had nothing to learn from any millionaire. In fact, the Treasury set the example of trickery and low cunning in the application of the tax law and, presumably, continues to. ” ” ”

HESE are domestic affairs, however, and less disquieting than the approach to international problems in the same spirit. It is supposed to be the prerogative of Congress to declare war, but if a President in the exercise of the powers reposed in him creates a situation in which there is no alternative, then Congress has been de-

‘prived of its most solemn responsibility by a clever

little scheme. When the Germans and Italians were making war in Spain under a pretense of neutrality that was revolting to honesty the people of this country correctly loathed the hypocrisy of Hitler and Mussolini and were sorry for people who had to live under men so wicked. Yet when the Second World War broke out this country, by a clever little scheme, detained a big German passenger vessel in a very apparent effort to enable the British to capture or sink her. 2 ” »

ND now we are furnishing planes and are preparing - to furnish old weapons to the Allies through a trick the like of which the Treasury Department would never permit in an income tax case and which fools nobody, lege of all the American people. Possibly this country should be non-belligerent rather than neutral, or should be in the war on the side of the Allies, but it happens that Congress is still in session and still charged with the duty and armed with the authority to make such decisions. Congress is not making the decisions. They are being made by the President and his advisers, and the excitement of the time is practically nullifying the Presidential campaign in favor of a third term for Mr. Roosevelt. If Congress abdicates or is taken out of the play by clever little schémes at this stage of the game there is little reason to count on Government by the regular methods if war should come.

Inside Indianapolis A Complete Bill of Particulars; And About Painting; Odd Chores

HE Weather Bureau has “taken a firm stand

against the City’s proposal to increase the Bu-:

reau’s rent at the Airport from $1 a year to $50 a month without light. Frankly, the Bureau feels it shouldn't have to pay more than $25 a month for what it receives. To prove its point, the Bureau listed six reasons the other day for the benefit of the Works Board: 1. Main floor area swept only at 5 a. m. No sweeping behind desks and corners. 2. Wash room cleaned. only when attention is called to fact that same has not been done for a long time, frequently a two-week period. 3. Balloon room and balcony cleaned only on request. 4, Floors waxed? Infrequently. 5. Floors scrubbed? Rarely. 6. Dusting done? Never. . ” ” o

MRS. FRANK JONES, who gets around with great difficulty on crutches, came downtown yesterday from her home at 1208 Tibbs Ave., to tell a story about her son, Everett Jones, a painting contractor. It seems that the other day was her birthday and

she woke up to find the house surrounded by a group of men carrying ladders and paint. Before the sun set, her house had been newly painted. Her son had it done as a birthday present. Incidentally, the, neighhors served a noon luncheon to the workers and, all in all, it was a gay party. . Happy birthday! } ” ” » WE TOLD YOU THE other day about Why Bother, Inc., which advertises itself as ready and able to do any chore you want done. Well, one of the first jobs they had was to blow up 265 balloons. They had to get a tank of compressed air for that. Another client called at 9 a. m. and wanted, within an hour, a young kitten. It was delivered. Not more than a week ago, somebody called up and said that a woodpecker was waking up the family every morning and they wanted something done. A boy stalked the woodpecker, and, after two fruitless mornings, succeeded in discouraging the bird. Everybody sleeps well now. Richard T. (Bill) Miskimen, ye proprietor, even had a bearded lady on her way here from Chicago to fill an order, but the client capriciously changed his mind and the lady was sent back.

‘A Woman's Viewpoint

By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

OST of the feminine newspaper writers I follow have remarked on the remarks of the Ranee of Sarawak, English-born wife of the Rajah of Borneo. The Ranee has been lecturing to us, and we've paid her a lot of good money to tell us we're slightly screwy. She doesn’t think much of our feminine freedom, considering the underprivileged sisters of less advanced lands more fortunate. The Malays, for example. Well, I take no stock in such ideas, especially when they are promoted by excessively rich women who consider the poor and ignorant to be a lucky lot. If freedom and the right to live as they prefer are good for men, then they are equally good for women. And if content with one’s station in life, however lowly, can be recommended for fhe female sex, it ought to be quite as fine for the males. I think it’s bad for both. American women, with all their problems of love, marriage and economics, are the happiest on earth, and we defy any Maharajah's wife to prove otherwise. To be sure, if you're arguing that people are more content in a savage state, then we can all string along together. - However, we assume the much praised security of the Malay woman is shared by the Malay man, who is ruled and regulated not by machines, but by Maharajahs. To point out how far-fetched the Ranee’s notions are, we have only to remember that she also said emancipation for the American women has meant frustration for their husbands. “The American males,” so it was proclaimed by our well-paid visitor, “look exhausted and frightened, intimidated by a swarm of intellectual women.” I believe this will prove conclusively that the Ranee is suffering from a Borneo brainstorm. Here's my suggestion: The next time she lectures in the United States, let her take with her on her tour and put on exhibit one of these frustrated and timid males. Feminine a

glimpse ois rare

INDIANAPOLIS TIMES Ceiling Zero!

0 The Hoosier Forum ‘1 wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

RECREATION COMMITTEE ISSUES STATEMENT

By Mrs. Thos. Sheerin, Chairman, Mrs. Joseph Miner, Secretary, The Mayor's Advisory Committee on Recreation.

The Mayor's Advisory Committee

is entitled to correct information concerning the playground appointments. 1. Applications for the training course were very carefully weeded out foraminimum standards of age and scholastic qualifications. Anrouncement was made preceding

the course that twice as many colored and white applicants would be enrolled as there were positions to be filled. Out of the 115 colored applications 42 were accepted for training by a colored committee composed of representatives from Flanner House, Colored Y. M. C. A. Y. W. C. A. and the colored City Recreation Staff. Out of the 40 who took the course and examination 21 were appointed—again selected by the above colored com-

amination grades, attendance, craft work submitted and adaptability to the work. 2. In the case of the white women there were 10 or 12 so close in examination grades, former training and adaptability to the work that oral interviews were held to give the utmost consideration to the appointments, 3. In the case of white men it hecame apparent through withdrawals from the course that the

Letters were written Indiana colleges asking that the college sponsor «4 sealed examination for Indianapolis men taking courses that would make them proficient enough to take the examination without taking the course. Applications were on file in the Park Board office and the same day the examinations were given here they were sent to the colleges and subsequently returned by the college authorities. These papers were splendid—mistakes occurring mostly in technical questions on low-organ-ized games and folk dancing. Monnay morning 12 appointees failed to appear at their assigned playground. Mr. Middlesworth and Mr. Rooney called upon more of these college students, interviewed them personally and chose the best to fill these vacancies. Since written examination grades were never to be the

on Recreation feels that the public|

mittee after consideration of ‘ ex-

class would be short of white men.

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

only consideration, these appointments are still merit appointments. 4. No consideration of political pressure has in any way affected these appointments. Certain former playground directors have been appointed but only after taking the course and examinations. 5. As stated previously wading pool supervisors are still political appointees and the only ones. 6. Each session of the training school was attended by one or more of the Mayor's Advisory Committee who have been supported with the greatest integrity by Mr. Middlesworth in making this effort absolutely clean and what the Mayor and Park Board wanted it to be—

eppointments on the basis of merit. ” ” a t

TERMS CURIOUS REASONING SOPHOMORIC By James R. Meitzler When the taxpayer fails to come across with his forced contribution if it be a property tax the property is sold, if ‘an income tax he is fined or sent to jail. In the last war those on whom a service tax was levied had the choice of the army -or the penitentiary, Curious IT declares this is barbarous and no doubt believes Washington and Lincoln were Huns, By some quirk of sophomoric reasoning Curious I asserts if it is necessary to fight for a government that government is no good. According to moss-back horse and buggy ideas anything good is worth working and. fighting. for. Does Curious I expect all good things to drop in his lap without effort? On the other hand Curious II expects to 1ight for democracy here at home against the ‘‘respectable ills.” He does not define his democracy. Is it the said respectables’ property? If so he will get his fill of fighting. Our Curious collegians are fright-

Side Glances—By Galbraith

COPR. 1939 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REC. U. 8. PAT. OFF.

bY

diences - would pay real money for a 1 ammal,

"She ‘and her 38th birthday! | remember George taking both of

ened before they are hurt. We are not yet able to send an army to Europe. Furthermore more Americans are killed by automobiles every year than perished in the World War. And if that percentage is too high they can be conscientious objectors.

» ” » THINKS ENGLAND GETTING WHAT SHE DESERVES By J. E. Lathouse : Some years ago the World War was over, or we thought so. Now it seems one is going to have to fight again. Why? To begin with the man intrusted with a permanent peace pact erred. Therefore another war. Now according to you, S. F. M,, we should do the stunt all over again. This seems to me rather futile. England has had this spanking coming to it for a long time. They, above all other rations, were the most aggressive in the U. S. A. Read your history. Now why should we send more men, and materials to be lost and destroyed when minding our own husiness will help humanity to have faith in another generation of humans, where common sense and honesty is a real virtue of commanding proportions. One more thing to you, S. F, M. As to being cowards I resent the insinuation that our youth 1s afraid. Using our heads and facts instead of emotions will cause other nations to stop calling us suckers and respéct cur form of rightful living, .

” ” OPPOSES SENDING U. 8. TROOPS ABROAD. By Warren Henricks I know of one person, if this country goes to war across the water, who won't go and that is me. But if it comes over here, watch me do my part with everybody and I just ket there are thousands of others

who say the same thing. I am now so disgusted with everything I hardly know what to 00. As it so happened I got out of school in 1929, along came the depression, no work, no nothing. But 1 made out somehow on my own hock too, not any WPA or FERA or anything free. I paid my share of taxes along with everybody and am still paying. Why in God’s name don’t some of the boys who have the money and who sneer at us (the middle class) now but would gladly wave a flag as we marched to the iront, pay some of these new billions of dollars that it is going to take to save their kids, not ours, if it does come to pass that we are invaded from some foreign power? Now that I am working good (as a mechanic) and have managed to ret a decent home and car, probably I won't get to enjoy them for all the new taxes which we’re going to have to pay. .

HIS HANDIWORK By OLIVE INEZ DOWNING

The newborn rosebuds on garden fence Hold a secret joy in each clasp With tendrils clinging from foliage

tense Rose glory is hidden fast. The ude expand to the sunbeam’s

a DS eveul a clear pink tone The sepals unfold from the wonder bliss And we find the rose full-blown,

The queenly poise of the Cherokee rose With beauty’s perfection manned Her heart of gold and stately pose Show a Master Craftsman’s hand.

DAILY THOUGHT

And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.—I Kings 3:14.

OBEDIENCE . is the mother of success, and is wed: safl

Our Planes

By Bruce Catton

Some of Them Are Outmoded But Still Formidable, Which Accounts

for Allies’ Eagerness to Buy Them

ASHINGTON, June 14.—Until recently, Ameri= cans generally understood that they had prob=

ably the best military planes in the world. Lately the

pendulum has swung over to the other end of the are, so that folks are getting the idea that Uncle Sam's

fighting planes are hopelessly out of date, so‘ oute .

classed that they might as well be thrown away. The truth lies between the two extremes.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1940

Most planes in the U. S. military service today have

been outmoded—but they're still good airplanes and could be extremely useful in war. If that weren't true, the Allies wouldn’t.be so anxious to get them. A good illustration is the pursuit plane—the plane

| which exists to fight enemy airplanes. It has to have high speed, so that it can make the enemy fight when '

he doesn’t want to fight; it has to have maneuverability, so it ‘can handle itself when the fight starts, and it has to be able to climb fast.

8 # #

COUPLE of years ago the Curtiss P-36 was the Army’s pet pursuit plane. For export, Curtiss sold the 75, which was much the same ship. The Spanish republicans bought and used a lot of these and found they were tops. The French stocked up with quite a number, and in the early part of the present war they beat the German Messerschmidts regularly.

Then the Germans brought out a new Messer

schmidt with a 40-mile speed advantage—and the 75's had to be taken out of front-line service, because they no longer could force a fight on the Germans when the Germans didn’t want one. But the 75 still isn’t useless. If the situation is such that your enemy must attack and defeat your fighting planes in order to carry out his mission, a disadvantage in speed doesn’t hurt you. The 75 can

still maneuver as well as the Messerschmidt, and out

climb it to boot; hence for strictly defensive purposes it's a perfectly good ship. It’s ebsolescent—but not; obsolete, ” ” »

HE famed German Stukas, or dive-bombers, are another case in point. Many of these, experts here suspect, are simply, out-of-date attack planes. For ordinary purposes, they're nearly useless; for the new German tactic, they're as good as they need to be, In the U. S. Air Force, this type of work would be done by the light bomber. Air Corps experts point out that a plane which was out of date for ordinary high-altitude bombing missions could still fit this role well, In general, a bombing plane needs two character= istics—speed, and defensive power in guns and armor, Above a certain level, it must skimp on one to save on the other. It may be badly obsolescent in one respect and not obsolescent at all in the other—and hence, though outdated, stfT-have a lot of value. Also, homb= ers are generally atcompanied and protected by pur= suit planes; a given flight of bombers could be nearly worthless if its protecting fighters were outclassed, but 100 per cent efficient if its fighters were superior to the enemy’s.

Business By John T. Flynn

U. S. Repeating England's Mistake By Fighting the Wrong Enemy,

N= YORK, June 14—One of the grave errors being made by statesmen all over the world to= day is in fighting the wrong enemy. For the last eight years England was busy fighting Russia. She did not expect an invasion by Russia. She feared the Russian social system. She feared it might succeed. And, if it did succeed, her Tory ministers feared communism would, spread to England. Therefore England's whole foreign policy was b~sed on isolating Russia, injuring Russia, and, as part of that, making up to Germany in the expectation and hope that Germany would be the barrier against Russia. A strong Germany might ultimately maka war upon and destroy Russia. | What these men did not see was that there was a more terrible threat to England's democracy in Germany's fascism than in Russia's communism, because it was more terribly efficient and, so far as the rights of capitalist property were concerned, just as deadly. Now England faces her real enemy— Fascist Germany and Fascist Italy. Now we in America face an enemy. That enemy is fascism. Put a little differently, it is the force that is slowly sapping the underpinnings of our capi= talist, democratic society, We can fight that enemy, Or we can run off on a fool's adventure fighting some other enemy. We are doing the latter. Nothing can, take our democracy from us save the collapse of our economic system. If that cole lapse comes again, wild-eyed leaders will arise—wild statesmen of all kinds. There will be red leaders who will want to overturn our democracy and plunge us into the arms of communism, But they will not be very strong.

War May Spell Disaster

There will be reactionary leaders of the Hitler on Huey Long type who will seek to set up dictatorial governments. Between them all will be the bewildered liberal groups—workers out of work, starving farmers and city dwellers on one side, and on the other shopkeepers, businessmen, white-collar workers horrified at the threat to the economic system which they want to preserve. What will happen? It is easy, to foresee. The frightened, conservative groups will be fan stronger, far more intelligent, far more influential than the radical groups. They will have the funds, the organs of opinion, the radio, all the instru mentalities of society. They will throw that strength on the side of some disguised fascism which will crack all our domestic safeguards, all our cherished ways of life. But none.of this can happen unless we have an economic crisis. There is one sure way to produce that economic crisis. That is to go into this war. There is only one way to avoid it—to stay out of ‘this war and correct the conditions which make 11 million people idle. We are not, however, bothering about this enemy today. Instead, we are fighting Hitler, We are directing our attack against the wrong enemy, as England gid, and we shall pay the same price.

Watching Your Health

By Jane Stafford

HE word cataract, unfortunately, strikes terror |

into the hearts of many persons. Older people especially, social workers report, are so frightened by the thought of coming blindness due to cataract that it is difficult to convince them their sight may be saved by an operation. The cataract of old age, senile cataract, it is called, is an acute degeneration of .the ‘lens fibers involving the entire depth and substance of the lens, The lens of the eye. like the lens of a camera, is concerned entirely with focusing the rays of light. Without a lens, the eye has no way of focusing and can see only indistinctly, asea rule. Vision, however, does not depend entirely on the eye lens. Also concerned are the retina, which is the part of the eye that receives the image of whatever one is looking at, and the optic nerve which transmits the image from the retina to the brain. | " In senile cataract these important parts of | the seeing apparatus are not involved. To restore oo to persons whose sight is lost by degeneration of the lens, or cataract, surgeons have devised a way of removing the lens. The operation is performed a hospital where all precautions can be taken to avoid infection, and where the patient can have rest and quiet while the eye heals. In about a month or six weeks after the Operas tion the patient may be given glasses which act g substitute for the lens of his eye in focusing the. rays. These glasses are usually rather thick and strong and the patient generally requires a stronger reading glass. Once the patient has become these he 4 he can

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