Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 October 1940 — Page 1

Indianapolis Times

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VOLUME 52—NUMBER 191

TURKEY,

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1940

0 S., Britain ‘Squeeze’ J apan;

GREECE

Entered as at Postoffice,

Fall Creek in the autumn...

serene and content, its placidity disturbed only a little as the leaves flutter softly upon its surface.

FUND DRIVE IN ITS FINAL WEEK

‘Don’t Let Down,’ Pleads; 40% of Goal Still Unpledged.

Community Fund Goal—$688,500

Pledged to Date—$414,040.81

Next Report—Monday noon, Claypool Hotel

Drive Ends—Thursday night.

Three report meetings remain before the campaign for Community Fund is ended next Thursday. And 40 per cent of the goal— $688, 500—remains to be raised. S6 warned by Harold B. Tharp, general chairman, the volunteer workers swung into a week-end of work, not rest, as they hoped to raise the entire amount for the first time in years. Other campaigns in recent years have fallen short of the goals, but this year the workers helieve they have a chance. Yesterday's report at the Claypool Hotel totaled $90,919.32, to bring the amount raised to $414,040.81. The next report will be made Monday, there’ll be one on Wednesday, and on Thursday the workers awill learn the good news—or the bad, : “Please don’t ‘let down,” Mr. Tharp pleaded to workers and subscribers. One of the outstanding gifts reported yesterday came from the Indiana -National Banik, executives and employees, Who . subscribed $5380, against $4600 a year ago. Another increased subscription came from the Citizens Gas & Coke Utility, which reported $11,050. The John H. Aufderheide Co. reported $5426, compared to $5347 last year. The E. C. Atkins & Co. gift was $3804, also an increase. The Vonnegut Hardware Co. turned in $1476 compared to $1292 last year.

GERMANS EXPECT SEIZURE OF CANADA

HOUSTON, Tex. Oct. 19 (U. P.). Brazilian Consul Carlos Meisner Jr. said today after arrival from Germany that the popular German expectation was for Nazi occupation of the British Isles within a short time ‘and for ultimate seizure of Canada. Meisner arrived at his new post here yesterday. He said: “Morale was high when I left Germany, although potatoes were low. There was a shortage of coal and it looks like a cold winter for the Germans.” Meisner said he was “appalled” at conditions in France and Spain.

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

Churches .... 6 | Movies 13 |Obituaries .... ..13 {Pegler 8 [Pyle . 9 | Questions 8 Radio Forum 8 | Mrs. Roosevelt. 7 Gallup Poll ... 2 Serial Story...13 In Indpls. .... 3|Side Glances . 8 Inside Indpls.. 7 Society .. .... Johnson ; 8 | Sports Lindley 7 |State Deaths..11

Crossword . Editorials Financial Flynn

Tharp

| Mrs. Ferguson. 8

Tripling of Powder Plant af

Charlestown Now Rumored

If That Happens, Government Must Prepare to House!

18,000 Workers Accustomed to Comfortable Living.

By EARL RICHERT

A couple of weeks ago State and Federal officials began holding a hurried series of conferences on the housing and health problems of

the booming town of Charlestown.

The word went around that the conferences were: inspired by straight

“inside”

information that the War Department intended tc double the

size of the $25,000,000 smokeless powder plant being built there.

‘Yesterday, the War Department | announced an additional allocation!

EAST GOLD, WEST HOT * CITY SNUG IN MIDDLE

It’s 32 in N. Y., 100 in Los

of $26,000,000 to double the plant's originally-planned capacity of 200,000 pounds of smokeless powder

| daily.

More Expansion Predicted

And today, the same sources that |

foretold yesterday's announcement say that the real intention of the War Department is to. triple the size of the plant from that which was originally planned—making the Charlestown plant the largest smokeless powder factory in the world. If that information is correct, the Federal Government will spend some $75,000,000 building a plant which will employ 18,000 workers just outside a town which at the time it was selected as the plant site had a population of 910. And many of these 18,000 workers will have families. That will create a situation unequalled since the days of the oil boom towns of thé Southwest or the gold rush towns of the far west.

Gigantic Problem But Charlestown, officials. say, would be different from the towns built by the oil and gold booms since the people who would come to work in: Charlestown would be accustomed to a different mode of living than the tough, out-door oil men and (Continued on Page Three)

HOW SHORT OF WAR?

We have come a long way since the war started in Europe. It is a way that looks very much like that road to war of 1914 - 7. Just how tar have we gone in that ® short - of war' as-

which Presdent Roosevelt has spoken? Congressmen can't find out. When they ask how much ot our war equipment we are sending abroad, the War Department won't talk. To review the known facts of our position in relation to the war, and to consider some of the dangers involved, The Times on Monday will start publication otf a series of articles by Ludwell Denny under the title, "How Short of War?"

Ww

Mr. Denny

Angeles, 60 Here.

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

. 46 . 58 . 47 . 60 . 49 . 62 . 54 . 62

. m. . Im. . mM. . Im,

10 a. m. . 11 a. m. . 12 (Noon) 1p m

There were cold waves and heat waves today and Indianapolis was caught right in the middle, snugly, comfortable: like. In the East, New York tc be exact, the mercury took a dive to a freezing 32 degrees and the tumble broke an all-time record.. The pre-

vious low for this date was 36 in 1896.

On the ‘West Coast, Los Angeles, |

to be exact, the mercury traveled in the opposite direction, to 100, In the Midwest, Indianapolis specifically, the mercury hovered around a nice, comfortable 60. Just right for football, and dropping slightly at night to make it just right for sleeping. For instance, the lowest last night was 46 and early tomorrow the lowest will be 45. And what's more about our excellent weather, the sun will continue to shine all day today and tomorrow. Everything week-end.

just right for the

HATCH INQUIRY OPENED WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (U, P.).— The Senate Campaign Expenditures Investigating Committee today sent agents to St. Louis to. investigate complaints that some persons and firms allegedly had exceeded Hatch Act limitations on individual contributions to the campaign fund of Wendell L. Willkie,

HIRAM JOHNSON HITS 3D TERM

Indorses Willkie, Campaign

Reaches Crescendo Over Week-end.

By UNITED PRESS The political campaign hit a crescendo this week-end as* President Roosevelt prepared to plunge in for series of five speeches starting Wednesday at Philadelphia. Today's features were Wendell L. Willkie's farm address at Minneapolis this evening aiid Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes’ speech

over Radio Station WNYC at New:

York at 6 p. m. Alf M. Landon, Republican Presidential candidate in. 1936, speaks at Quincy, Ill, on the third-term issue. The speech will be broadcast on he NBC--Blue network at 8:35 p.

Anni the thick of last night's oratory, Senator Hiram Johnson of California came out for Mr. Willkie, saying that although he could not (Continued on Page Three)

Home-Comings Lure Hoosiers

HOOSIER COLLEGE alumni came home today to ingeniously decorated fraternity houses, noisy reunions and—most improtant of all—football games. Probably the calendar’s best — all things considered—was Indiana’s home-coming engagement at Bloomington with Iowa, in which some concrete answer was expected: to the poser: “Have the Hoosiers got it?” A Wabash homecoming gathering was to see if the Little Giants could muster enough power to knock over Butler’s skidding Bulldogs. . At Greencastle, DePauw’s meeting with Ohio Wesleyan was to climax: the three-day Old Gold Day festivities, while at South Bend Notre Dame, without benefit of any special ceremonies, sought its third straight victory at the expense of Carnegie Tech.

” o 2

HERE'S HOW the other state elevens squared off: Ball State at

Manchester, Valparaiso at Central |

Normal, Swarthmore at Earlham, Evansville at St. Joseph’s, Franklin at Hanover and Grand Rapids, Mich., at Indiana State. Purdue

was enjoying an open date.

INDIANA GUARD CALLED UP FOR SERVICE JAN. 6

1000 From Here in Ranks; 113th Air Squadron Also Summoned. Six thousand Indiana National Guardsmen, about 1000

of them from Indianapolis, are scheduled to don khaki

-{Jan. 6 and march off to camp

for a year’s Federal service at Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Miss.

The War Department emphasized, however, that induction dates for Indiana and other units are tentative and that none will be ordered out until proper housing is available. The Department set the mustering in dates for 130,000 Guardsmen in the nation from Jan. 3 to Feb. 3, put Adjt. Gen. Elmer F. Straub. said he understood that Jan. 6 was the tentative date for the Hoosiers. The 6000 Hoosier guardsmen are members of the 38th Division which also comprises units in Kentucky and West Virginia with a total strength of 9177 men. The division is commanded by Maj. Gen. Robert H. Tyndall, Indianapolis. Air Squadron Called The 113th Air Squadron of 115 men and 22 officers, commanded by Maj. Oliver Stout, Indianapolis, also was ordered out. It will go to Meridian, Miss. The 38th Division has seven regiments in Indiana, composed of men in all walks of life from laborers to executives high in business and financial circles. The regiments are the 151st and 152d. Infantry, the 139th and 150th artillery; the quartermaster, medical and engineering regiments in addition to special troops. Special Troops Here

The medical and quartermaster regiments, each less two companies, are in Indianapolis. Also stationed here are special troops, including a headquarters company and signal corps. The engineering regiment is composed of men in Gary and South Bend. The other units are made up of men scattered throughout the state. While Indiana men are heading to southern barracks, the division’s 201st Infantry Regiment in West Virginia, composed of 938 officers and men, will come to Ft. Harrison for service. The War Department’s plans pro(Continued on Page Tkree)

WILLKIE. TO ‘RELISH’ CAMPAIGN ‘DEBATE’

Delighted That F. D. R. Will Take Stump.

By CHARLES L. LUCEY Times Special Whiter ABOARD WILLKIE TRAIN, Oct. 19 — Wendell Willkie rode into Minnesota today exultant in the belief that after weeks of challenge he had at last forced President Roocsevelt’s hand. This man who loves a fight seemed a happier . warrior today than ever before in his weeks of stumping. Day after dy he nad hammered at President Roosevelt for the “make-believe military inspection trips,” and at the President’s failure to answer the fundamental issues he believes he has raised. Nothing he has said has drawn greater response from the thousands who have heard him. Hun(Continued on Page Two)

STOCKS IRREGULAR NEW YORK, Oct. 19 (U. P.). — Stock prices moved irregularly in quiet trading today. Bonds were firm. Leading commodities sold slightly higher.

WINS $33,000 FOR LOST LEG CHICAGO, Oct. 19 (U. P).— Harvey Bittinger, 59, Bristol, Ind., today was awarded $33,000 for the loss of a leg when he fell from a New York Central railroad train Nov. 11, 1938.

Surprise Kayo by Interurban Car Hastens The Retirement of Venerable 'Old 877

A surprise knockout blow struck “Old 877 today just after the announcement that the venerable streetcar expected to retire soon to the barns to grow old—or older— graciously and quietly. But after her tragic experience today, she couldn't even complete her Lexington Ave. run to the barns on her own power. For 30 years she’s gotten there at the completion of the day’s run herself, under some groaffing difficulty, to be sure, but she always made it. But today patrons mingled expressions of sentiment and laughter

as they watched her dragged to oblivion by a tow truck. “Old 877” was doing all right on her slow eastbound voyage on Maryland St. when all of a sudden, an interurban car coming from the opposite direction, left its own tracks and pounced upon her, a foul as it were. The irony of it was that the car which struck “Olel 877” belonged to the Indiana Traction Co., which is sending most of its own cars to the barns. The streetcar officials said an open switch was responsible for the

traction’s behavior, Xr

Jesse W. Cox, of 31 N. Wolcott St., veteran operator, was at the controls of “Old 877.” He was cut by flying glass, but Claude Stephens, Greenwood, operator of the interurban, was uninjured. When - Paul Bunch, 333 Lincoln St., boarded “Old 877” he hadn't any idea he’d be the last and only passenger on her last run.

He just got off quietly and stood on the corner waiting for her run-,

ning mate. She, too, will be retired

when feeder bus service replaces the line.

Records

20-Hour Concert Cheers 178 Trapped By Bomb.

ONDON, Oct. 19 (U. P.).—This|

is the story of a strange musical program.

It lasted continuously for hours. Music was supplied by a phonograph and was directed into a hole. The stage was a pile of debris where once was a municipal apartment building.

The audience, 178 men, women and children, was trapped in an underground shelter. Some were | bogly injured but most of them | joined in the choruses. Ta ‘It ended yesterday evening on a happy note, when 44 weary rescuers dragged out the last great chunk of masonry and set the audience free.

20

8 ” 2

GERMAN bomb had struck the |

building Thursday night, lifting it into the air and crashing it down to clog the shelter’s exit. The hero and concert master was John Deakin, 20, radio and phonograph enthusiast. He had just left the shelter, where his mother, father and sister were spending the night, to visit his sweetheart around.the corner, when the bomb throwing him against a wall. ‘This is his version of it: “As soon as I got the dust out of

my eyes I ran back to the shelter. |

The entrances were blocked and 1 called to those inside. It did me good to hear their voices. By then, of course, many air raid wardens were on the job. radio-phonograph and asked the chief warden if I could bring it down from home, nearby. He said I could. : “The first record I put on was ‘Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag.’ Those in the shelter yelled for more, so I gave it to them. Their favorite was Gracie Fields, singin ‘Sally.’ 50 times.” The audience explained later that most of its singing was led by boys, trying to comfort their mothers, some of whom were injured.

BLAZE SWEEPS COAST REFINERY

3 Badly Burned as Flames

Shoot 500 Feet Following Explosion.

TORRANCE, Cal., Oct. 19 (U. P.). —An explosion which sent flames 500 feet in the air destroyed a General Petroleum cracking plant unit here early today and started a fire which swept more than 80 acres in the rich Southern California oil fields.

Three employees—Edward L. Rohinson, 46; Jewell J. Bourland, 45, and Arnold Sundt, 36, all of -Los Angeles—were seriously burned and a fourth suffered slight burns. Three members of the crew working in the unit at the time escaped unhurt, but Mr. Robinson's condition was grave. Harold Peary, employee of the Columbia Broadcasting Co., whose transmitter is close to the plant, said “The flames shot up in the air higher than our towers.” Fire Captain Roy Winters ‘said one man. apparently Mr. Robinson, came from under the burning unit with “flesh dropping off his arms.’ Company officials said “we have no idea what the damage is.” Chemical crews of the Torrance City Fire Department and the oil company’s ‘oice extinguished the fire after an hour’s battle. .

PREST-0-LITE GETS DEFENSE CONTRACT

Another Indianapolis firm was awarded a War Department contract today, it was announced at Washington. An. order went to the Presto-O-Lite Battery Co., Inc. for $162,380 worth of aircraft storage batteries. The Mishawaka = Rubber Woolen Co. at Mishawaka was

awarded an order for $152,100 for

winter flying shoes.

POLICE CAR STOLEN WHILE COPS LUNCH

OVERLAND, Mo., Oct. 19 (U. P.). —It was while they were getting a cup of coffee and a sandwich, Patrolman Elmer Hendel and Police Commissioner Andrew Quinn said today, that someone drove off in the No. 1 (and only) police car. The officers, didn’t think the car would be hafd to locate. On the sides, in hig read letters, are the words: “City of Overland Police Car No. 1.”

2 FACTORIES UNDERWRITTEN WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (U. P.).— The War Department announced today signing of contracts by which the Government will underwrite $10,000,000 of plant expansion by Boeing Aircraft Co., Seattle, and by Boeing’s Stearman Aircraft Division at Wichita, Kas. x

Second-Class Matter Indianapolis, Ind.

struck, |.

I thought of our|

PRICE THREE CENTS

R.A.F. Bombs New Nazi Ships

FEAR AXIS BLOWS

300,000

East.

BRITON IS FRANK INPLEA TO U.S.

American Steel Needed to Overpower Hitler, Says Sir Walter Layton.

Times Special WASHINTGON, Oct. 21.—A recent speech in Boston by Sir Wal-|

and |,

[ter Layton, representative of the

© | British Ministry of Supply as co-

I bet J played it more Ang jordinator of purchasing in {hej

| United States, has aroused much interest here, where it is regarded as one of the frankest official statements to date of the extent of Britain’s expectation of American help against’ Germany. “The sailors and airmen of England are giving American industry the respite it needs to get under way,” Sir Walter told members of the Associated Industries of Va3%0. chusetts. “But the pressure is severe, and we must expect that the attack will develop with redoubled force in the |spring. Every help that can be igvien to assist in repelling that attack and in driving the enemy's air force from our shores will enable us ‘to hasten and expand our: own war production and bring nearer the day when Great Britain can resume the offensive.” A message to the Boston meeting from Lord Lothian, British Ambassador to the United States, said that “Sir Walter Layton, who can speak with far more. authority than I can on the munitions problem, is here tonight to tell you what we need and why we need it.” Copies of Sir Walter's address were distributed to American newspapers by |the British Embassy “here. During two months of the Nazi blitzkrieg over England, Sir Walter said, Britain's output of munitions has continued to rise. Output of shells of all types, for instance, has increased 26 per cent since the first week of August. But, he added, except in seapower the British are still far behind. “It will already have occurred to (Continued on Page Three)

14,000 AFFECTED BY LUMBER WALKOUTS

SEATTLE, Oct. 19 (U. P.).—The vital Pacific Northwest lumber industry was crippled today by a series of A..F. of L. and C. 1. O. walkouts involving at least 4500 men. Lumbermen protested the strikes were damaging to national defense; union officials said the charge was ‘‘exaggerated.” . Between Coquille, Ore., and Tacoma, Wash., on the west slope of the Cascade Mountains, lumber operators were forced to lay off nearly 10,000 men because of the walkouts.

Although Japanese Army tinuation of American policy threatened war in the Pacific, the greatest immediate dane ger of a new outbreak ane

| forming temperatures to bom

RUSSIA MOVES

TROOPS

INTO BALKANS

Nazi “Ultimatum” to Athens Denied by All; Shanghai Paper Hints War in Pacific; Italy Bans Sale of Copper.

By JOE ALEX MORRIS

United Press Foreign News Editor Axis threats of an offensive on all fronts speeded up security measures by Turkey and Greece in the Balkans toe day and by Great Britain and the United States in the Far

newspapers warned that cone

‘peared to center in southe ‘eastern Europe as a result of

| German and Italian plans for

striking at the British Empire in the Near East. British planes fought through icee German warships under construction ag Hamburg for more than three hours, The Blohmvoss and Germania shipe yards were both bombed, along with docks at Hamburg, Emden and Lubeck and the aluminum plant at (Lunen and river docks at Duisberg. A factory fire at Duisberg was visible 40 miles. The bad weather has slowed Nazi attacks on Britain. Dispatches from Athens said that diplomatic quarters believed Soviet | Russia's position had given both . Greece and Turkey “an added sense of security,” that perhaps 500,000 Turkish troops were concentrated near the Dardanelles area and that Anthony Eden, British War Secretary, was expected soon to go from Egypt to Turkey to consult with: Turkish leaders.

Both Countries Alarmed

Both Turkey and Greece have pledges of British aid in event of an Axis attack.

Opinion in both Athens and Is< tanbul indicated an increasing fear that the two countries would be drawn into war, probably an undeclared war ftesulting from the Axis program for striking at the oil fields of the Near East and the British life-line at Suez. But reports circulated abroad that Germany and Italy already had de< manded bases in Greece were greet ed with official denials in virtually every capital of Zurope. They wera described by a Greek legation spokesman in London as “bunk’ and by the Athens government as “pure mythology.” Nazi spokesmen at Berlin said the reports were ‘British-inspired” and untrue, while a British spokesman at London described them as “delibe erately planted.” 2

Gibraltar on Alert 1

There was a general belief in Eue ropean diplomatic circles that the Axis powers were likely to make demands on Greece and other Balkan states, however. The ultimate decision by Turkey and Greece in regard to whatever moves the Axis may later attempg was believed, however, to depend largely on the attitude of Soviet

Russia, which has moved 300,000

troops to her Balkan border. On the Mediterranean war front, reports by way of Berlin said that British defense preparations were being increased at Gibraltar as if in expectation of an immediate attack. At the eastern end of the sea, off Turkey, British planes hombed the Italian base on the island of Rhodes and also attacked the Fascist bases at Benghazi on the Libyan coast. Italian planes reported they had bombed a British convoy in the eastern Mediterranean, hitting a heavy cruiser, and attacked British - bases on the Egyptian front.

at a time when British aviators

Mr. Mason ness in planes

development of

experienced. It has become a conspicuous tact during ‘the past months of British night bomijngs over. Germany that almost invariably all the British craft return home safely. Concealment of the dark is a partial cause of this immunity, but in addition, the British have made night flying a highly S&pecialized part of the training of aviators. The Germans scoifed at night

flying before the war, because of

1

Italy tightened her belt further to (Continued on Page Three)

‘War Moves Today

By J. W. T. MASON United Press War Expert

Plans announced today in London tor a new and more intensive air offensive against Germany come

the long winter nights will give the an opportunity to demonstrate their

superior training for flying blind and reaching their targets in the dark, with trivial losses. : Not until next year will British numerical weak=

be sufficiently overcome to allow. . large-scale attacks. New types of

long-distance- and speedier bombers and fighters, however, will permit night assaults on a scale much greater than the Germans have yes

their overcontidence in the superior number of their planes to demolish the British air force in daylight attacks. Only recently have the Germans been forced to admit the futility of their prewar reliance on daylight operations because of tiweir enormous losses and have had fo concentrate on night attacks. While no adequate defense against night air raids has yet been (Continued on Page Jhree) :