Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 June 1940 — Page 13

Fo —

of Governor Stassen of

| TUESDAY,JUNE25 1940 |

~ NEW YORK CITY, June 25.—The steady readers of this column may wonder how come we were in Mississippi yesterday and in New York today. Well, of course it is well known that I can toss off miracles any old time, but it happens that this overnight transference was not a miracle. It was like this. After three weeks of immobility in Biloxi, it appeared that the only thing likely to put That Girl and me on our feet again was a good shot of travel. So we packed up the “convertible and drove steadily for two days and a half. That put us in the notorious metropolis of Dana, Ind. : We stayed there awhile, and ; then That Girl took a train to ; Minnesota, and I drove to Indianapolis and stored the car, and then got on a

- TWA plane and flew to New York in one afternoon, and in a day or two I'm going to San Francisco,

.and That Girl is going to Denver, and, if somebody doesn't stop us right quick, we may shoot clear off

“.the earth.

Actually, it has been more than a week since “we left Biloxi. How that weék can be compressed in newspaper type ‘into one thin day is a trade secret known only to paid-up members of the Fourth Estate, and there's no use your worrying about it.

” ® »

The Center of Things

The trouble with me and flying is that I'm always hoping the trip will be thoroughly calm and uneventful, and then as soon as I get safely on the ground at the other end, I'm always disappointed that something exciting didn’t happen. : Our. flight from Indianapolis could not have been more devoid of excitement. The day was beautiful and the air was smooth. We left Indianapolis at

Our Town

GOODNESS KNOWS Indianapolis had some colorful councilmen when I was a kid, but I guess Cal Darnell was the most picturesque of the lot. He had one short and one long leg and could produce the

weirdest effects by ordering a drink at a bar while

standing on. his short leg and then becoming suddenly tall while consuming it (the drink, I mean). Mr. Darrell always went around with a cane, a twisted stick of hickery with a handle that looked like an elephant’s head. The cane cost him $1500, he said. It was the gospel truth, Seems that back in #872, Darnell had completed a. contract : for the building of .a factory on the South Side and had a balance of $1500 com-

ing to him. One morning while reading the paper he noticed a transaction of real estate of the conveyance by the factory people to Calvin Darnell of 40 acres in

Effingham County, Illinois. He learned that the factory people were financially embarrassed. To protect Mr. Darnell they had deeded over the land in Illinois. It was rich timber land, they said. 2 8 =

Pair of Mules for 40 Acres

That same evening Darnell took the ‘Vandalia {for Effingham and arrived at midnight. He couldn't sleep a wink thinking of the profits to be realized from the sale, first of the timber on the land and then of the land itself. i After breakfast he hired a rig and started. to find his property. By that time he had learned that he was the owner of what was known as the “Roberts’ land.” He rode through desolate country without a sign of a church or a school. Finally he met a native who guessed he could find the property for half a dollar. When they arrived, Mr. Darnell discovered that the timber consisted of scrubby jack oak, gnarled, knotty and fit for nothing. The rest of the tract was mostly rocks and mucky marsh filled with snakes, lizards and croaking frogs. Darnell was speechless. Just before leaving his property, however, he spied a little clump of hickories.

Washington

~ PHILADELPHIA, June 25.—Those who were expecting an hour of old-fashioned tub-thumping, with ore sound than sense, may Well have been disapointed ‘with the Republican keynote speech Minnesota. But he had something worthwhile to say to those who believe this is a time of crisis for the United States and who are wondering how an opposition party should conduct itself so as to strengthen democracy instead of weakening it and paralyzing it. This counsel was well-timed because this Republican convention already has plunged too deep in hysteria for its own good or for the nation’s. Governor Stassen pointed out that the challenge of the hour

called for the Republican Party to rise above narrow™ # #

partisanship.

Ordinarily that would ‘be a meahingless and un-

heeded generality. The advice may be unheeded again

as it always has been before, but it is no longer meaningless advice. Letters and telegrams coming in to convention leaders and delegates show clearly that the country is in no mood for a season of ordinary political horseplay. Governor Stassen was not merely stringing words together when he said that it is the duty of the Republican Party to place the future of this nation above all other considerations, including

the desire to win.

‘A Decisive Period What shall be done about the fact that the Roosevelt Administration is definitely in power for seven nths more? : : ring that period—and it can be a most decisive period for us—this country cannot afford to have its

My Day

NEW YORK CITY, Monday —We went down to the station last night and saw the President afd his y off for Washington with much regret, for the countrys very lovely and it is possible to forget for a little while how horrible conditions are in much the rest of the world. I drove through the woods just as the sun was setting last night, a most mysterious magic hour. There was a soft light on the deep green leaves. A fat woodchuck scuttled across the road ahead of me. A little white tailed rabbit ran along the road, too frightened to get out of the way, until I stopped the car and “let him run to cover. .How can one think of these woods converted into a battle- © field? Peace seems to be in the heart of them and yet, I rentember Some just like them outside of Paris and in the forests of Germany Ne sal Poland back to my own cottage and slept on my porch, to wake to fog ‘and rain this morning. Our drive to New York City was cold and somber all the

way went first to visit Mrs. Stephen Wise's refugee home. The three houses she has taken over must indeed seem a cheerful haven to strangers landing on

» 2 3

noon, and landed at La Guardia Field in New York at exactly 6 p. m. A strange change of senses came gradualiy over me as we flew farther and farther east. Ii is something I am unable to explain in words. But I'll have to try. It was this: We have not been East for more than a year. We have been in the West, and in Central America, and in the Deep South. We have been in the hinterland. News of world events came long distances to us. We have been thoroughly aware of all the vital things that were happening in the world, yet they seemed far away. But this afternoon, as we flew eastward, I could sense our growing nearness to the great center of things.

Welcomed to New York

Just as you can feel cold or heat gradually seeping through your body, so I could feel the presence of those dense populations down below. I ean’t say that I was glad to feel it, or sad either. But I know that down there, on the ground of a comparatively tiny part of America, is where our public opinion is made. : Whether we decide to go into the war or stay out, the thebula of that decision will “originate in the small dense East, and will filter out as growing public: opinion through all the rest of America, and not vice versa, as you may like to think. I don’t know many things, but I know that. The words and thoughts and decisions of the men in the East are

the CAUSE of American public opinion, and not|

the result of it. . La Guardia Field, big and new, already looked drab and smoke-stained from the air. Great transports were landing and taking off in an absolute stream. We were on Broadway in half an hour. My friends at the desk of the Piccadilly Hotel shook hands all around. as though I were Frank Buck returning from an African safari. Makes you feel big. Once a year in New York is fine.

By Anton Scherrer

He dug up one, and, by whittling, discovered that it

could serve as a cane, such as it was,

When Darnell returned to the hotel, he offered to sell-his land to the highest bidder. Nobody bid. Then he said he'd take $700 for it. Everybody laughed. He kept coming down with the price. When he offered the 40 acres for $75 one old man in the crowd said he couldn't give it away. Darnell took a walk to cool off. When he came back, the hotel keeper told him “Old Silas Moon” was waiting to seg him. Silas wanted to trade his team of mules for the 40 acres. A look at the mules revealed that they weren't much bigger than a pair of Newfoundland dogs. That evening Darnell made arrangements with the

railroad company for the transportation of the mules. !

While loading the team, the sheriff showed up and said there was a chattel mortgage on the mules which had to be satisfied before they could be moved. Sure, the sheriff seized the mules. # » ” » ”

Silas Shows Lp

Then Darnell tried to find Silas Moon, but he wasn’t around. The upshot was that Darnell paid off the incumbrance of $65. By that time the train was on its way to Indianapolis. “The only thing left to do was to keep the mules in a livery stable for the night. ‘ .

Next morning Darnell paid his livery bill ($1) and |.

started with the mules for the depot. While in the act of loading, he was stopped again. This time it was Silas Moon. He was hopping mad. “Look here,” he spluttered, “that land you traded me was sold for taxes last year and your title ain’t worth a damn. You either make that title good or I'll have you arrested for swindling.” : To make the title good cost Mr. Darnell $75. The transportation of the mules to Indianapolis cost $30 more. Thus far Darnell had spent $171.50, not counting his hotel bill and the railroad fare to and from Effingham. It wasn’t all loss however, He sold- the mules for $100 when he got back. Just the same, it represented. a loss of $71.50 plus $1500, the balance of his factory contract. I publish the figures to show that Mr. Darnell wasn’t exaggerating a bit when he said that his hickory cane, the only thing left of his Illinois land, cost him $1500. I never did learn why the handle of his cane looked like an elephant’s head. A

By Raymond Clapper

Government paralyzed by politics. Neither should the election be called off. Governor Stassen said that when the President and Congress together take action of vital public concern, “they are entitled to have and they will have the support of all men and women, including in full measure the support of the Republicans of this nation.” Moreover, he said, anyone who would withhold such support now because he believed there should be a change of Administration in November, would be guilty of disservice to the country, ~ Governor Stassen doesn’t appear to share the hysterical rage of many Republican leaders here over the appointment of the two Republicans to the defense posts in the Roosevelt Cabinet. All he said was that the President had made an eleventh-hour confession of failure in his national-defense Administration and that it was only regrettable that “we cannot change the entire Cabinet and the man who heads it with equal abruptness.” »

The Democratic Process

But if the country has a right to expect the Republicans to support the Administration in vital actions during the remainder of the. year, Governor Stassen feels that, on the other side, the Administration cannot demand surrender of the right to change Administrations at the next election. He insists properly that the Democratic election process must go ahead. Indeed, it is essential to democracy that the campaign proceed. Governor Stassen pointed out that France and England were compelled, belatedly, to change governments. he said, “their first step must be an extremely frank and fair analysis of their leadership. An opposition campaign, carried forward in that spirit, can be a source of strength to our democracy. Carried on-in any other spirit, it can quickly become a nuisance. g .

By Eleanor Roosevelt

One thing seemed rather pathetic to me and that was the absence in the rooms of any personal effects. Only the children had left their mark with a .doll or toy, and so few of these. My heart ached for what this

represented in hardship and break with all former ties. © From there I went straight to my apartment to meet two girls from Alaska, who came here to be present at Alaska Day at the New York World's Fair. They had four days in Washington and told me it had seemed to them far too little, but they are now enjoying New York City. They” said Alaska seemed very far away from the European situation, but when it came to what the Russians and the Japanese were doing in the Far East, they felt very close to any troubles which might arise. The fact that a Japanese delegation was in Berlin today made more impression on them, I think, than the capitulation of the French. It is quite evident from the news we read in the newspapers that the Germans have learned only bitterness and no wisdom from past history. They are exacting even more severe terms from their conquered enemies than were exacted of them. They go on the theory, I suppose, that only by completley ‘wiping out the strength of a conquered nation can they be sure of remaining in power. This is a rather hopeless attitude if you have any faith in friendly- relations between nations being in the end the strongest of ties and the greatest protection against future war.

When democracies face a crisis, | :

According to the British’

area.”

STATE ADDS 2 CREWS IN GROSSING SURVEY

Two more crews were put to work this week by the State Highway Commissioh on surveys of rail crossings in Indiana cities for data to guide the Department in future safety programs. T. A. Dicus, Highway Commission chairman, said that other. survey crews have reported data on 363 crossings in 43 cities and that there are about 5637 more crossings in 407 cities and towns yet to be surveyed. ‘ During the last year nearly 100 new flasher signals were installed at rail crossings over the State and plans were started for several grade separations along roads scheduled to be rebuilt. KILLED BY MOTORCYCLE PRINCETON, Ind. June 25 (U. P.) —Franklin P. Cain, 82, Patoka, was killed yesterday when he was struck by a motorcycle driven by

Clarence Kunkel of Princeton. ih ve

Tommies busy in a deep entrenchment leading to Jiving quarters of an Egyptian anti-aircraft post.

"The Indianapolis Times

Hoosier Vagabond By Erie Pye

'Dead Letters’ Cost $21,000 A Year at Local Postoffice

It costs the Federal Government $21,000 a year in the wages of Indianapolis postal employees alone because so many people inacurately address their letters. Postmaster Adolf Seidensticker said today that an average of 7000 letters a day are given directory service by postal employees because they have been misaddressed or because ‘someone has moved without giving the Postoffice a new address. Last month a total of 9198 letters were handled at the dead letter branch of the Indianapolis Postoffice. This did not include parcel post. Of the letters sent to the dead letter branch here in May, only 1012 could be delivered or returned to the sender. A total of 190 contained enclosures of a valuable nature—money, checks, money orders, commercial papers . and such small" articles. of merchan

as handkerchiefs. Mr. Seidensticker said that there were even some contracts which landed in the letters. He said, however, that the disappointments and worry caused to private individuals and the delays caused to business transactions by these letters could be eliminated if senders would put a complete return address on every piece of matter mailed and see that it was correctly addressed. Three chief causes for letters

“going dead” were given by Mr.

Seidensticker. He said that most of them were cases of faulty addresses, or failure of the addressees to let the Postoffice know when they were moving; or the use of hotel stationery without giving the name or room numbers. He said that letters with only the name and the address of a hotel: are not returnable. .. : Ne

‘SECOND SECTION

censor this photo was taken while planes were attacking a German column of horse-drawn vehicles in the “Dunkirk At the right soldiers may be seen running for cover.

A Scottish crew of a trench mortar in ‘Egypt where British troops guard against Italian thrusts,

STRIKING CLAYPOOL EMPLOYEES RETURN

About 100 employees of the Claypool Hotel who were out on strike for several hours yesterday were back on the job today pending negotiations for a wage contract and union recognition. Thomas R.. Hutson, State Labor Division Director, sa:z negotiating committees will meet Monday to work out an agreement between the hotel management and the restaurant .and bartenders unions. Mr. Hutson said the employees asked a “slight increase in wages and recognition of their unions.”

‘1967 ENROLL AT I. U. Times Special . BLOOMINGTON, Ind., June 25.— Registration for the 51st summer school session at Indiana University has thus far Yeached 1967, lightly higher than last year’s tal, according to Thomas- A. Cookson, university. registrar, t

mes-Acme Photos.

Ti Here is the famous camel corps, recruited from Sudanese and desert tribesmen now fighting for Britain on the burn- - ing sands of Africa.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—Which is the lighest metal? 2—What is the title of the active head of the government in Canada? . 3—Name the three “kingdoms” of natural history. : 4—What were the women called who

served in the U. S. Naval Re-

serves during. the World War?

Answers 1—Lithium. 2—Prime Minister. 3—Animal, plant and mineral. 4—Yeomanettes.

» ” s 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 undertaken.. '

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