Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 October 1940 — Page 19

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3 | THURSDAY, OCT. 17. 1940

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Hoosier Vagabond

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 17.—~When I wrote yesterday about the little Lones girl who has to lie down most of the time, I didn’t have room to tell you much about her grandfather. Grandpa Sam Lones should have played Grandpappy Joad in “Grapes of Wrath.” He's got that same kind of spirit. He’s 83, laughs all the time, wears a Willkie button and is ready to argue about it, and nobody gets ahead of him on anything. He looks as though he'd fight at the drop of a hat, and 1 imagine he’d be laughing all the time he was fighting. He alternates between three old pipes. He doesn’t like cigarets, but smokes one now and then just to show the younger generation he isn’t slow. : He has just recently put on his winter hat, ‘a wide-brimmed one that swirls up on three sides somewhat in the fashion of Napoleon's famous sombrero. They said I should have seen his Summer hat, which got so floppy Grandma had to tie it on his head with strings. : A friend who was with ‘me warned Grandpa Sam that he'd better be careful and not fall off the edge

of Loo porch, which is pretty high, or he might break a hip.

A Rugged Individualist

“I've already fallen off of it three times,” he said. “One winter night I came out and stepped on a stick of wood and went head over heels off the porch. Then the wood started falling and a whole cord of wood came right over on top of me. Never got a scratch.” Grandpa Sam says his grandfather came here from Carolina, and Sam himself has lived on this same farm for 44 years. That's some of your genuine Tennessee stock. ” ® Here in Knoxville, I met a very nice girl who is a hurse. I mention it especially because her name is Ruby Hickey, which isn’t so remarkable, but her nickname is Mickey, and I.think that Mickey Hickey is one of the most astounding names I ever heard.

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Inside Indianapolis (4nd “Our Town’)

THE LEAGUE OF Women Voters has been conducting its own “Gallup Poll” among candidates for the State Legislature to determine where the would-be legislators stand on important questions. On the merit system, the League leaders are led to believe : that the next Legislature is going to be 99 44/100 per cent pure. The actual statistics on merit system support show that 111 give an unqualified “yes,” that 15 give a qualified “yes,” and that one gentleman simply ansvered frankly: “To the victor belongs the spoils.” The League has had its most trouble trying to figure out what the candidates really mean in their answers to the question “Do you believe that township administration of direct -relief is the most efficient system?” At long last, the Women Voters were forced to confess that only about 65 per cent gave answers which could be classified either as “yes” or “no.” In other words, the “yes-but” and “no-but” boys are in action on relief. One candidate believes he has the answer to all relief problems. It is: “Elect all Republicans.” But this advice was promptly cancelled out in the next mail when in came: “Elect all Democrats.”

Teeing Off

CLIFFORD GLUNT, a Post Office employee, while waiting for a golfing pal to pick him up Monday morning, laid his golf bag and shoes on the curb beside a basket of trash and ducked into the house for a moment. He emerged just in time to see a

Washington

PITTSBURGH, Oct, 17.—It may be that Roosevelt will not suffer very much numerically when the votes are counted but I think he has suffered severely in another way. One gets an echo of it in talking

loyal Democrats who intend to vote for him. They are supporting him with apologies. : That is something new in Roosevelt's Presidential career. I find scars left by the Chicago convention, by his manipulation to run for President a third time. This teeling is found among some who have been in favor of his policies and who want to see them continued. It does not extend very far down the social and economic scale, perhaps. Millions = who struggle hard for a bare existence are still for Roosevelt because they think he is in their corner. They care nothing about the third term tradition nor about most of the other arguments made against Roosevelt. Grasping for power is a phrase that is just words to them. They are thinking about tomorrow’s bread and about a new pair of shoes for the youngster. Life is a hard struggle for them. They think Roosevelt is trying to cushion it a little. The other crowd is against them, thev feel, and that’s about all the campaign means

to them. West Virginia Resentful

But surely a national leader wants something more than that. Doesn't he want the respect and confidence of people who have the intelligence and education 'to think about some of the broader questions? Is it enough’ to get votes in exchange for pread and relief, and social legislation? Something has gone out of the feeling toward Roosevelt among many of his thinking supporters. You have men formerly associated with him in the Administration who feel that he has let them down, <acrificed them to political ambitions of his own. It is not only Jim Farley whose loyalty Roosevelt lost some time ago. Democrats in West Virginia consider

with

SEATTLE, Wash, Wednesday.—When I arrived hers last evening, I was practically asleep; even though I seemed to be walking ana, 1 hope, was still talking coherently. Yesterday I filed my column 30 mriles from San Francisco, because the fog some closed in on San Francisco and Oakland, and made our plane land behind the coast range of mountains and wait there for passengers going up the coast. We spent about an hour and a half walking in the warm sunshine and sitting on the steps ot the airport building. 1 enjoyed talking to two fellow passengers. One woman had a husband in Hawaii on a submarine. She was bringing up the boys at home, but her journey was a sudden and anxious one, because of her ta3 ess in a hospital near Portland, Ore. eS woman, Mrs. Davis, the wite ot a rancher in Yakima Valley, told me an interesting story. She and her husband are alone at home since their children have grown up. They have taken on the responsibility of raising two youngsters wnose family they came to know through an older brother who picked fruit on their farm. The youager brotner appeared at the age of 12-as a passenger in Lhe car in which the older brother and his family traveled, somewhat after the fashion of the people in “Grapes “ of Wrath,” The boy, stayed at the ranch, *

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. assure me it does, and that they have never been able

‘been examples of machine operators boring holes in

‘from those who place party regularity first, and from

By Ernie Pyle

If we may jump back to Cincinnati for a moment, I learned something new about crime there. I learned that there is in America a huge and intricately organized ring of solder thieves. They say

that anybody who steals solder from any big industrial plant in almost any city in America can travel less than a mile from where he stole it and find a “fence” waiting to buy it. I never knew that such a thing existed, but people

to break it up. They say that petty thievery of solder by workmen in factories goes on all the time. There have even

the floor under their machines, dropping a little solder down the hole now and. then to a confederate who would be below to get it. Bul the problem is much more serious than this. The Heekin Can factory has had whole truck loads of solder hauled away-at night—2500 pounds and more. Thefts of that amount show that it has to be bought by large (and outwardly respectable) manufacturing companies. I wish 1 were a Sherlock Holmes—I'll bet TI'a solve the Great Solder Mystery.

Have You Heard This One?

When we were down in the hills of southern Indiana, I heard a supposedly true story about an old hill couple who lived back in a shack somewhere. I've forgotten their real names so will just call them Grandpa and Grandma. It seems Grandpa was ailing, so he told Grandma bring him a drink of whisky. “I ainta gonna do it,” Grandma said. “You go fetch me a drink,” ordered Grandpa. “I ainta gonna,” said Grandma, “All right then,” Grandpa replied, good and mad, “put if I hafta get up and get it myself, it’s just gonna be a little one!” : .

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I've got my semi-annual cold, in case anybody ! cares. I haven't visited Tennessee a single time in the last four years without getting sick. I'm going to come back to Tennessee just once more, and then if I get sick I'm going to start getting superstitious.

rag picker leaving at a rapid pace with both bag and shoes. “Hey!” shouted Clifford. “Bring those back!” “Sorry, boss,” repiied the rag picker, “I thought they went with the trash.” ... One of the neighborhood movie houses is having a little sign trouble. Too many “A's” appear in the titles of the current double bill. So the marquee sign says: “Papa Always Pays—&—Tere Gas Squad.” Yes, it's that way on the other side of the marquee, too. . . . Palm for the most enterprising young firm of the week: “The Fresh Air Polishing Society” up on Columbia Ave.,. auto cleaners. The company has put out advertising blotters, hailing the virtues of the “Mystic Knights of Rag and Rub” and bearing the photo of the. Head Knight.

1. Although the fourth man is out of step, this column of re-

How the British Operate

MRS. SAMUEL S. TYNDALL of Zionsville has just received a letter from a close friend in London. | The letter says that the writer, an American girl] who married a Briton, was recently in Chicago for | 24 hours, but was forbidden to get in touch with any | of her friends in the United States. It's a strange story, but here it is. The young woman is now a nurse. She came over to Canada with a shipload of refugee British children as an | escort. At Montreal, she was given permission to catch a plane for Chicago so that she might visit her mother for 24 hours. She was expressly forbidden from contacting or communicating with any friend. She saw her mother, caught a plane back for Montreal and 1eturned to England on the same ship. Back in London, she wrote her friends to say how sorry she was she had to skip them. The British, you see, take seriously all advice to keep ship movements secret.

~ By Raymond Clapper

that one of their men, former Assistant Secretary of War Louis Johnson, was martyred because Roosevelt, just before the Republican National Convention, wanted to bring a Republican into the Cabinet as Secretary of War. There are political workers in West Virginia who do not intend to do their usual work at the polls on election day. Roosevelt is not likely to lose the state —even some. well-informed Republicans privately say they do not expect Willkie to carry West Virginia, though he is shortly to campaign in the state. The President has lost only the enthusiasm and confidence of some of his own organization peoples. They no longer take the pride in him that they formerly aid. They support him as a matter of routine. In West Virginia some Democrats think Roosevelt will run behind Senator Neely, the Democratic candidate for Governor. ‘Lesser of Two Evils’ This is true also of people who recognize that, everything considered, it would be better to re-elect Roosevelt than to risk a change of crew when time is so important and .when wise day-to-day decisions depend so much upon knowledge and experienced judgment. Roosevelt has them in a box. He becomes the lesser of two evils. Some newspaper editorials in his behalf are written in this spirit, with the heart not in them. I have found that in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, where many newspapers are supporting the Democratic ticket. Businessmen are no more reconciled to Roosevelt than ever. Ncw he has lost the inner support of others who will cast their ballots for him with regret that he is running. ; A Roosevelt victory this time will not be a mandate, certainly not a thinking mandate. It will be a return to power voted by many with reluctance and with strong inner doubts. His victory, if it comes, will come from those to whom he has been a meal ticket,

these who regard the choice as far from ideal but think it better than the alternative. ~ One does not have to scratch the surface very deep to see these things and to get the feeling that victory this time will have some ashes mingled with the sweet,

By Eleanor Roosevelt

{dered mobilized for active duty.

Two years later, a younger sister appeared. Now these two youngsters have a home and are going to school. The ranch, in spite of the difficulties ot the past few years, is providing a living tor all concerned. I liked this motheriy, capable, understanding woman, and I think these two. youngsters are very fortunate. They will make a real contribution as citizens to this country in return tor the thought and care which is being lavished upon them. I was. an hour and a half late getting into Portland, and Mrs. Honeyman was awaiting me. ‘Betore we left the airport, I went over to speak to a man who has spent long months in the hospital. He had hired an ambulance to bring him down to the airport because he wished to have a chance to talk with me. Then we went to Democratic headquarters for a reception at which several thousand people aust have passed in line. After a quiet dinner, 1 spoke at a membership meeting of the League ot Women Voters. At 10:50 I took a plane tor Seattle and, at 11:49, arrived there. Because my day started at 5:30 a. m. it wasn't very odd that I was a bit sleepy. . I pegin to feel really at home in Seattle. course, it is always a joy to be back with the family here. How the children have grown! Even the older ones have changed in six months. The baby is hardly to be recognized, for his head is a mass of

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cruits looks business-like after two weeks in the Army at Ft. Harrison.

2, E. C. Read, post engineer, left, surveys reception center layout with Maj. T. W. Essig, battalion commander of the 11th Infantry.

3. Lieut. Col. P. M. Vernon, present recruiting chief.

head ‘“‘receptionist” for draftees.

have to train six draftees.

By Sam

life—enroll in the traditional

first night as a member of the Army of the United States.

The barracks will be only a part of a huge $250,000 ‘reception center.” Like on enrollment day for high school, the civilian-garbed draftee will spend the first day in formalities—signing up and following a regular Army sergeant in the process of “mustering in.” With the others he will line up and hold out his arms to receive a heaping pile of Army “duds.”

» ” 8 E WILL get his O. D. uniform—olive drab slacks (two pairs); a blouse; three shirts, one black tie, seven pairs of socks, four wool for winter and

three cotton; two pairs of shoes (high top); three suits of shorts, and three of long underwear, plus the familiar campaign hat, a raincoat, two sets of blue denims and canvas leggings. The “processing” will end when he is assigned one of 50 cots in a room which will be his first temporary military living quarters. At 5:45 a. m. the next morning, the “processed” recruits will pile out of their sheets to “reveille’— that traditional Army “shock treatment.” . There will be 15 minutes before assembly. Then to breakfast

NAVY AND MARINES WILL NOT CALL ALL

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (U, PJ). —The Navy said today that rules governing the deferment of conscripts will ‘be extended to members of the organized naval and marine corps reserves recently or-

Since there are no cases of physical or mental unfitness among the 19,100 officers and men of the two organizations, deferments will be limited to men engaged in essential ocupations and men with dependents. While applying to officers as well as enlisted personnel, the rules will afford little opportunity for the deferment of officers on grounds of dependency because of their higher par scales, it was pointed out. Applications for deferment must be made to district commandants, who will judge each case individually. The units ordered to duty

Nov. 7 include Indianapolis Marine Reserves. James Roosevelt, the President’s jeldest son, is scheduled to begin |active duty about Nov. 7 as a captain in the Marine Reserves. Members of the voluntary Naval Reserves, in which Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. is an ensign, already have been notified by the Navy to

curls and he is a really sturdy young man, dressed like a real boy. 7.

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be ready for mobilization or face loss of their commissionsfor ranks,

He may be

4. These enlisters have been in Army only a few hours. Sergt. William M. Long is reading their first orders.

5. Each enlisted man behind these 37 m.m. anti-tank guns will There won't be enough non-commissioned officers to handle instruction for the conscripted Army.

Tyndall

F you are one of the Hoosier draft registrants called for military service you will put on your “khaki” and draw your rifle at Ft. Benjamin Harrison. Out there you will get the first taste of the soldier’s

“school of the soldier.”

Right now, workmen are building at top speed row upon row of wooden barracks where you will spend your

when the recruit wlil get his first try at juggling the utensils in his mess kit. After breakfast the life of the rookie will begin. He will learn the basic fundamentals of the military profession. . He will become one of a squad of 12 men (it used to be eight). For the first week at the center, the training program will consist chiefly of individual instruction. i z ”

OOKIES will learn how to stand, how to hold a rifle, how to march. Theyll ‘march alone at first. Then the squad will be formed again. “Detail— Attenshun!” s “Forward. Maaar —ch!” Then as he steps out the corporal or sergeant will begin to drone: “Hup, two three, fooo—re!” There will be about 4 hours of this before noon mess. Then at about 50 minutes later, they will shoulder their rifles for another four hours. After two weeks of this the rookie should be able to wear, display and properly care for his uniform, side-arms and equip~ ment; to march and pitch a shelter tent and understand the bas:c subjects prescribed in the program. Regardless of whether he actually has learned all this (and he probably will have) his rookie life at Ft. Harrison will come to a close.

The Indianapolis

He will be placed on a train bound for his permanent camp. Where? Alas, the recruit will hardly know before he gets there.

” 2 LTHOUGH the Army likes to

term the recruit center a “reception” depot, it will in fac: be a “replacement” center from

which recruits will be scattered out to camps throughout the country to fill up National Guard companies of all arms and services. His assignment — whether he will join the signal corps, medical corps, artillery, infantry, etc.— will depend upon his previous classification as to educational and occupational qualifications, but it will also depend on where the Army needs him. The second period of training as

prescribed .by Army program will last six weeks. For this training the trainees will be divided into basics and specialists. Individual training’ will continue, but emphasis will be placed on technical subjects to prepare the trainee for his place in the organization to which he is assigned.

In addition to his specialist -

training, he must learn the required Articles of War —the “law”; a knowledge of military conduct; an understanding of personal hygiene and group sanitation and the siraple rules by which they are maintained, a comprehension and use of the first aid packet and of first aid procedure. - He will be hardened physically by marches and supervised athletics to promote health, strength and endurance to withstand hardships.

Ernest i. Lindley

Biographer of President Roosevelt

U. S. Tries to Protect Civilians Against Soaring Prices During Defense Effort

IE the national defense program is managed as well as the leading government economists believe it can be the ordinary householder will not be seriously discommoded. He will be able to buy everything he wants, higher than he has been paying during

and at prices not much, if any, the last year or two. The Administration naturally is

inflationary price-rise of World War I. In recent weeks there have been

moderate advances in the prices of September the wholesale price in-

dex of the Department of Labor stood at only 779 per cent of the

1926 average, and still below the peak of the little speculative flurry which followed the outbreak of war in September, 1939. Further advances in numerous prices may be expected, but the hope of the Administration is that they will be gradual and limited. The Government has at hand several means of averting price-squeezes. The National Defense Commission —Leon Henderson, in particular— is watching the supply end. The first aim is to assure that the nation keeps on hand adequate supplies of

Mr. Lindley

eager to prevent a repetition of the

numerous commodities, but in mid-

raw materials, not only for national defense but for civilian needs. The

potential shortages here are chiefly in such materials heavily imported from abroad as rubber and tin and the lesser strategie minerals and plant products. Currently we have| enough of nearly all of these commodities, although in some instances it will be many months before we have built up stock-piles to carry us through a period in which we are cut off from the usual sources of supply abroad.

HE second aim is to see that we have enough industrial capacity to process these materials. The Government economists foresee a bottleneck in steel ingot capacity, which, if it is not promptly widened, may require the rationing of steel for automobiles, refrigerators and other civilian articles of consumption. They have be urging the

steel industry to

icipate . this

pinch and provide for it, steel industry, however, maintains that the ingot capacity is sufficient to meet all foreseeable demands, except perhaps for a period of six months or a year at the peak of the rearmament program. There are possibilities, however, of temporary shortages. A recent bunching of army orders for lumber for cantonments sucked up the supplies of dried lumber in several districts, and produced some rapid price advances.

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F we get caught short of rubber, the motorist probably will not only pay higher prices for tires but will be called upon to use them carefully. He may be requested to drive his car always at less’ than 35 or 40 miles per hour, since the wear on tires is markedly less at those speeds than at higher ones. If the bottleneck in steel ingot capacity, foreseen by Government economists, is allowed to stand, there may be féwer automobiles and refrigerators to be bought in 1942. These are about the maximum inconveniences to the civilian which the economists now foresee, if the defense program is well handled. This rosy outlook is predicated, of course, on the theory that W do not actually go to war, 8

The |

HE whole purpose of the Army’s program will he to {furnish a general guide for balanced training of units so that they may be prepared to take the “field in short notice. The first recruits will spend late fall and probably early winter in heated tents. “Wooden cantonements are now being built at the camps in the South, but most of them will not be ready until December. For the recruits whose first taste of the soldier's life seems like a ‘strange new world” will be’ reminded that it’s not all work (there are week-ends) and that they aren’t the first draftees in the country’s history. As a matter of fact, Ft. Harrison was “processing” the fathers and uncles of many of the 1940 recruits—just 23 years ago.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—The Babcock test is for intelli= gence, type of blood or amount of butterfat in milk? 2—Complete the adage, “A lean— for a long race.” 3—Who is the United States Ame bassador to Great Britain?

4—Which of these games, tennis or handball is oldest? 5—What does the Irish phrase “Erin go braugh” mean? 6—A fellah is an animal, a kind of gun or a peasant or laborer?

7—Name the Vice President under President Harding. ; 8—Are Indians born in the United States citizens?

Answers

1—Butterfat. 2—Horse. 3—Joseph P. Kennedy. 4—Handball. 5—Ireland for ever. 6—Peasant or laborer. 7T—Calvin Coolidge. 8—Yes. 8 8 o

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