Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 November 1940 — Page 1

The Indianapo

VOLUME 52—NUMBER 215

is Times

FORECAST: Fair and warmer tonight and tomorrow ; lowest temperature tonight, 30 to 35.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1940

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Ind.

PORT CHIEF ITALIAN BASE A

PRICE THREE CENTS

FIRE;

ONDON FEELS WAR'S WORST RAID

For ‘Personnel Board’ With Party Majority.

By NOBLE EED

"What's on the Schedule?”

A “personnel oard” with] a Republican majority may | become the reigni g power of | Indiana government after| Jan. 1. |

Such a setup, is |being talked freely, but priv y some of the high command |in the Republican majority groups of the Legislature. The move is regard d by some G. O. P. leaders solution to patronage complications that are sure to arise with Democratic Gov-ernor-Elect Henry F. |Schricker, Under the plan, still vague at this stage, the epublican-controlled State Senate would a¢t as the “con~ firming” agency for state appointments just like the U. |S. Senate now does with most [Presi ntial appointments. This would mean, of course, that| any important appointments Mr. Schricker makes when he takes office Jan. 11, must go to the Re-publican-controlled Senate for confirmation. Then, according to [these legislative strategists, lan |enabling act would be sponsored in both houses to set up an ex-officio “personnel board,” comprised of the Governor, ‘State Auditor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer. | This the G. O. P. views as (a neat” turn of affairs, with the party holding a three-to-one majority| in personnel matters.

Decline Public

Republican majority the Legislature who have selected State Senator illiam E. Jenner and his political lieutenants as their leaders, decline to comment publicly on the personnel plan. But the rumors per. ist that they are considering some such patronage setup. They contend that [the ex-officio personnel board| is [constitutional because those same officers now act as a board in |State Treasury matters and they comprise the State Printing Board under| present laws. The Republican legislators turned their attention to law-making policies after completing [their organizations at caucuses yesterday and Thursday. Meet in December

Steering committees of both houses will convene during the first two weeks of December to make preliminary drafts of [the G. O. P. “must” legislation in order that party bills will be ready for quick passage during the first few days of the session, opening Jan. 9. The Republican | Senators named Mr. Jenner, who | ran second in the G. O. P. Govermor nomination race, as President) Plo Tem. after the Republican House Majority selected Frank T. Millis, of Cam(Continued on Page Three)

LOCAL MAN IS KILLED IN HUNTING ACCIDENT

Malcolm O. Fields, 1313 Tecumseh St., ‘was killed when his shotgun accidentally discharged ‘while he was on a hunting trip near Ottawa, O., yesterday. | He had been| accom trip by his wife, Mrs Other survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William |P. Fields, and a daughter, Mrs. Jeanetta Peacock, of Indianapolis; a brother, Milburn B. Fields, Beloit, Wis., and a sister, Mrs. Russell [Shearin, West Lafayette. Mr. Fields, who was a New York Central 30 years.

omment members of

panied on the Ruth Fields.

49, had been employee for

YACHT 16 (U. P.). radio enyacht Edmar $1, the Navy

WASHINGTON, No —Maj. Edward Bow tertainer, has sold his to the Government for said today in announcing the purchase of 17 more small vessels for

U. 8. GETS or

use as minesweepers, chasers and gunboats.

submarine

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

Ferguson: 8 c 1 uaries ....

Clapper ....... 7 Mu Comics .......13|Obi Crossword ....12|Pegl Editorials .... 8|Pyle Financial .,... 9|Radi FIyNn ....ceees B Mrs. Forum i In Indpls.

Churches ..... 6 Nes

Roosevelt. 7 ial Story .,13

.... 3!Side| Glances., 8

“Now let’s see what's on the schedule.”

Political partisanship was

set aside yesterday by Governor-elect Henry F. Schricker (left) and United States Senator-Elect Raymond E. Willis as they discussed the issues to come before the next Legislature in January. Both men spoke to Indiana businessmen at the Indianapolis Athletic Club during a meeting sponsored by the State Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Commercial Secretaries’ Association.

RENEW EFFORT T0 OUST SMITH

VanNuys, ‘Minton, McHale Also Study Successor To Val Nolan.

By DANIEL M. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.— Re-

newed efforts to oust Will H, Smith from his post as Collector of In-

ternal Revenue at Indianapolis are under way here today as the result of a patronage conference of Indiana Democratic Party leaders. Naming of a successor to the late Val Nolan, U. S. District Attorney for the southern Indiana district, also is under consideration. First steps to both appointments are expected definitely Monday when Fred Bays, Democratic State Chairman, is scheduled to confer here. VanNuys Holds Conference

Ground work for the Smith ouster and the suggesting of names for both places, was laid yesterday afternoon in the office of Senator Frederick VanNuys. Others attenging were Senator Sherman Minton, who was defeated for re-election, and Frank M. McHale, Democratic National Committeeman from Indiana. The first name suggested as Smith’s successor was that of James Penman, Mr. Minton’s secretary. But he promptly turned it down. Mr. Penman expects to obtain an Administration post and remain in Washington.

Mentioned as D. A.

Other names under consideration for the collectorship are Glenn VanAuken, Indianapolis attorney; Shirley Wilcox, New Albany theater manager, and Frank Thompson, Bluffton, State Auditor. For the District Attorneyship, those under consideration included Clarence Donovan, Bedford, defeated for Secretary of State; Howard Coughran, Indianapolis, Mr. Nolan's assistant and now acting (Continued on Page Three)

Schricker, Aid Head for South

INDIANA'S next Governor and his campaign manager headed South last night for a vacation, and that’s practically all the information there is on the matter. Democratic State Headquarters tried to find out more, but Gov-ernor-elect Henry F. Schricker and Ed Wilken kept mum. They simply got into a car and drove away. They didn’t even say when they'd be back. This is Mr. Schricker’s first vacation in years, and it's known he'd like to visit the Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson near Nashville, Tenn.

reer

FATHER SAVES TWO AS HOME BLAZES

Carries Wife, Daughter Through Flames.

The Horn family awakened early today and found the home at 2118 Bellis St. in flames. Mr. Horn, 26, threw a blanket

over his wife, Nancy, 20, and baby,

daughter, Jacqueline; 1, and carried them through the blazing living room. Firemen said the whole house apparently was in flames before the Horns awoke. All three of the family were burned badly, however, before they could get out. Most sericusly injured was Jacqueline, who received first and second-degree burns on the face and arms. City Hospital reported her condition today as “fair.” Mr. and Mrs. Horn were treated for burns.

STOCKS, BONDS DROP

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (U. P.).— Stocks closed lower today despite favorable business news. Fears of week-end war developments caused prices to slide fractions to more than $1. Bonds also were lower.

Wheat was firm at Chicago.

JOHN. LEW, HILLMAN DUE T0 QUIT POSTS

Murray Expected to Head ClO; ‘Means Nothing,’ Says Green.

By UNITED PRESS There were indications tofday that a reunion of the divided ranks of labor was nearer, but A. F. of L. President William Green said that “the question of men” still stood in

the way.

It appeared that the rift between John L. Lewis and Sidney Hillman, C. I. O. president and vice president who were bitterly split over the recent election, had been healed with the decision that both would quit their C. I. O. offices. Although Mr. Green said the Lewis resignation would mean nothing as long as Mr. Lewis’ union financed the C. I. O,, the A. F. of L. leaders were very pleased at the appointment of Dr. Walter Millis as head of the National Labor Relations Board and the resignation of three Board officials charged with being pro-C. 1. O.

Hillman and Lewis Smile After Talk

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Nov. 16 (U. P.).—Congress of Industrial Organizations leaders believed today that a split in the C. I. O. had been averted. C. I. O. President John L. Lewis and Vice President Sidney Hillman, long at odds as leaders of opposing C. 1. O. factions, held a 90-minute conference unexpectedly last night and emerged from it non-committal but smiling. Confidants of both believed they had ironed out some of their differences, and predicted confidently that there would be unity in the C. I. O. when it winds up its convention next week. Both are ahout to step down from C. 1. O. leadership—Mr. Lewis because of his pledge to resign because of President Roosevelt's re-election; Mr. Hillman because he holds a Federal office, being a defense com(Continued on Page Three)

Tomorrow Is A Lovely Day

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

6a. m. .... 23 7am. ....24 8am. .... 24 9a.m. .... 26

10a. m. .... 11a.m...... 32 12 (noon) ,. 36 lpm. .... 36

Tomorrow will be a wonderful day for Sunday driving, looking at the scenery or other Hoosier outdoor activities. The Weather Bureau said it'll be fair and warmer ‘onight and tomorrow and that it probably --on’t get colder than 30 to 35 tonight. And that’s some improvement, for the mercury slid down to 21 at 3 a. m. today. Meteorologist J. H. Armington expects the temperature to reach 40 today, and from the looks of things early today, Mr. Armington may be right, which he very often is. Current temperatures are running three to four degrees higher than yesterday.

BELGIAN OFFICIALS KILLED LONDON, Nov. 16 (U. P.).—Leon Dens, former Belgian War Minister and shipping executive, and A. M. Camus Chef de Cabinet in the Belgian Colonial Ministry, were killed in last night's German air raid on London.

Losche's Office at City Hall Is Stage for Touching Drama: ‘Last Days of 2 Pct. Club’

By RICHARD LEWIS

A tender little drama . which might be titled “The Last Days of the Two Per Cent Club” was enacted at the City Hall yesterday. It was a performance that truly touched the pursestrings. The office of Purchasing Agent Albert H. Losche was the stage. The city employees and the “two per cent girl” from the Democratic County Committee’s finance division were the players.

To be sure, the performance wasn’t open to the public, The little

4| post-election drama went on behind

the opaque windows of a tiny cubby,

(away from the mundane business of

the purchasing agency. The players stood in line awaiting their turn. The scenes were all the same. A player covertly walked into the cubby, paid his de-

Inside Indpls... 7|Seciety ....... 4-linquency on his campaign pledge

10] 6

Johnson B|Sports * Movies 14 sie Deaths. .

—2 per cent of his annual earnings —and departed with his receipt.

There wasn’t a great deal of dramatic force to the performance. The faces of the players wore the sad, strained expression of a $16 a week laborer who has just parted with $3.75 of his pay check. Just that little grimace of pain. That was all. The payment was supposed to be the cleanup on delinquencies, which had been postponed to yesterday from the day before election. City workers who couldn’t meet, the full amcunt of their delinquencies were given 10 days of grace.

All kinds and conditions of men and women came in to pay up. Somehow the word had gotten around that the employee either “paid up or got out.” ' They paid— elderly clerks who have worked in the City hall for years, young laborers just off the job, their hands so cold they fumbled the change. A reporter Agent Losche how the collections were going. Mr. Losche looked

asked Purchasing

startled for a moment. “Oh,” he said with a motion of his hand toward the partitioned cubby, “that’s for delinquencies on the Community Fund pledges.” Mr. Losche bent over his work. The procession of employees into the cubby continued. Checks were cashed, change given. The employee walked away hurriedly. Old women fumbling at their purses,

bills into their pockets.

At City Hall, they say this command performance won’t be repeated any more. Governor-elect Henry S. Schricker has dissolved the Two Per Cent club of the state organization.

The City Hall club will follow suit. But the Democratic Party must go on, they say. They will be more campaigns. Hence, there will be more campaign pledges, they say. But for the present, the curtain has come down on the little drama that played at City Hall yesterday,

old men tucking a few erumpled /

He'll See for Himself

Howard Gentry Tobin , , » hopes to catch up on his reading in’ Army.

Curious Postal

Clerk First

City Draft Volunteer Taken

Henry Tobin to Begin Service Wednesday; Expects Physical Training to Make Up for Salary Loss.

By EARL

RICHERT

Ever since the European fracas started, Howard Gentry Tobin, a 24-year-old clerk at the Illinois St. Postoffice, has been curious about

things of a military nature.

He read a lot about the national defense program. Some was favorable and some was not, so he wanted to see for himself.

He volunteered for one year’s

FANS WRAP SNUGLY FOR TODAY'S GAMES

Irish Meet lowa, Indiana U. And Wisconsin Clash.

Blanketed and ear-muffed fans trooped to drafty stadiums today to! watch Indiana’s college football teams attempt to settle some old scores and make a few new ones. Notre Dame’s Irish, especially, were out for revenge against Iowa for that surprise defeat administered last year by the Hawkeyes, Fifty thousand were expected to shiver in the South Bend saucer to see this one Both Indiana and Purdue invaded the north country on the heels of an unseasonable blizzard. Indiana sought to better its Big Ten fortunes against Wisconsin at Madison, while the Boilermakers had the unpleasant job of trying to stop Minnesota's favored and unbeaten Gophers at Minneapolis. At the Fairview Bowl here in Indianapolis Butler was to close out its season against Dr. Clarence Spears’ University of Toledo eleven. Hoping to retain the Monon bell, DePauw was host to Wabash for their annual grudge game at Greencastle. Other state teams were paired as follows: Franklin at Earlham, Hanover ‘at Rose Poly, Indiana State at Ball State, Manchester at Western State (Mich.), Evansville at Georgetown (Ky.) and Valparaiso at North Central (Ill). Top billing in the nation went to the Boston College - Georgetown game, a duel between unbeaten clubs harboring Sugar Bowl dreams. On the Pacific Coast Stanford was to try its successful hipper-dipper on Oregon State in an attempt to remain unbeaten.

Myrna Loy Plans

Divorce Action

HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 16 (U. P.). —Myrna Loy and Arthur Hornblow Jr. have separated, and Miss Loy’s attorney said today that she had instructed him to file divorce proceedings at “an early date.” Miss Loy announced the estrangement from a nearby resort, where she is recuperating from an attack of influenza. Con» firming it, Mr. Hornblow, s producer, said she still is “the loveliest woman in the world.” He said their careers were re-

sponsible for the separation.

| “THE VOICE OF DESTRUCTION" — THE EXPOSYRE OF HITLER'S

military training under the Selective Service Act and today he found

out he is going to get his first-hand information—and shortly, too. John Ferree, chairman of Local Draft Board 6, announced that Mr.

Tobin was the first of four volunteers selected from his area to be inducted in the Army next week in the county’s first: draft contingent of 53. Mr. Tobin will report at Ft. Harrison next Wednesday. The three other men who will make up Draft Board 6s first quota also are volunteers. They are Joseph Altis Massena, 23, of 3433 E. 10th St., a cab driver; Dewey Jones, 34, of 760 S. Emerson Ave., a restaurant waiter, and Russell James Grasser, 34, of 322 N. Emerson Ave., a cab driver. Mr. Tobin was named as leader of the group. Mr. Tobin is looking forward to his year’s training for reasons other than just finding out about military “things.” He thinks the Army life will put him in such fine physical shape that it will be worth the loss of his fairly good salary as a Postoffice clerk. He is taking a year’s leave of absence and his job will be waiting for him when he comes back. He hopes, too, to catch up on his reading of historical and biographical books during the year. He hasn't Been able to do much read-

ing lately because of his hours at}

the Postoffice from 11 p. m. to 8 a. m. : Mr. Tobin is an ardent advocate of aid to England. ‘ “I don’t see how we can let Eng(Continued on Page Three)

FORC

IN 2 SE

Coventry

Dispatches from Athens

NAZIS CHARGED WITH DIES PLOT

Retaliation Report Causes Texan to Plan ‘White Paper’ Issuance.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16. (U, P). —Chairman Martin Dies (D. Tex.) of the House committee on unAmerican activities said today that the possibility of German retaliation “in a harsher way” had caused him to abandon plans to question German and Italian consular officials regarding purported fifth column activities in this country. Instead, he said, he would issue within a few hours a 500-page report, or “white paper,” showing the extent of propaganda and other activities allegedly engaged in by certain German agents. A report on Italian activities will be issued later, he added. Rep. Dies originally had scheduled hearings for next week at which he planned to invite'a number of German and Italian officials to testify. The plan was abandoned, he said, when he learned that German Chancellor Adolf Hitler reportedly was prepared to take retaliatory action by asking the recall of American consular agents in Germanoccupied territories. American diplomats have been withdrawn from several such territories but the consular agents have remained. Mr. Dies said he would ask committee members to approve his proposal to issue the 500-page report on evidence gathered by committee investigators throughout the country. He said he would supplement the report with “documentary evidence.” He also announced that he would ask the next Congress to continue the committee and allot it $1,000,000. He seid that he would ask for broader powers to punish witnesses who refused to testify.

SNOW SWEEPS N. Y.

BUFFALO, N. Y., Nov. 16 (U, P.).—The season’s first snowstorm swept across western New York today, causing at least one death and numerous accidents as ic highways and poor visibility Impeded traffic.

OHIO BANK RUNNER ROBBED CINCINNATI, O., Nov. 16 (U. P.). —A messenger carrying $4500 to a bank was robbed in the busy down-

town section today by three Negroes.

Debris Piled 50 Feet High, Glass Ankle-deep in Coventry

By DAN CAMPBELL United Press Staff Correspondent COVENTRY, England, Nov. 16— Wells lean crazily, chimneys stand like charred tree stumps after a forest fire and debris lies 50 feet high in the streets where two days ago was a thriving industrial city with traditions dating back almost 900 years. The bottoms of my feet are cut and my clothes reek with acrid fumes from walking along what was the main thoroughfare of Coventry before German bombers singled out this city of 180,000 for an aerial blitzkrieg Thursday night. Now it is a “blitz” town. Air raid protection wardens and firemen are about the only persons one meets. Groping along this “main street,” which is damaged beyond recognition, I found one A. R. P. warden lolling in an upholstered chair in front of what had been one of the city’s smartest shops. He said he

was guarding against looters. I asked him how many bombs had fallen. “Thousands,” he replied, wearily. I saw block after block of ruins that tended to confirm the warden’s estimate : Glass was ankle deep on the main street. There were huge bomb craters in every block and undoubtedly, many persons still were buried under the mounds of debris. Walls hang out over the

sidewalks, threatening to collapse

at any moment. -

I approached St. Michael's Cathedral, a 14th Century architectural masterpiece, looked through gaps in the wall and through window spaces that had contained fine, stained glass, and saw the sky. Only a skeleton of the «cathedral remains. Farther along the street, beds Jere 3 ible Jwough the half-col-apsed wall of one of the lea (Continued on Page Sadie

DUCE'S ARMY D BACK SECTORS |

R. A. F. Bombs Germans from Norway to France, Concentrating on Hamburg; Raided Again.

By JOE ALEX MORRIS United Press Foreign News Editor

Greek armies reportedly closed in on Italians on two wae | fronts today as Great Britain and Germany struck savage air blows at the heart of enemy war*production.

and ‘from Jugoslav frontier

towns reported that the Italian base at Koritza, in Albania, was burning and that most of the Italian troops were falling back six miles, apparently in an attempt to organize a new counter-attack against the advancing Greeks.

A fierce fight developed early this morning between Greek units advancing on Koritze and Italian infantry still defending positions be-

fore the city.

The Fascist infantry, with baye onet and rifle, was said to have turned back the Greek attack but the main Fascist Army apparently had retired to Bobostica, from where ‘it was seeking to launch a counter-thrust to relieve pressure on Koritza.

Greek dispatches also claimed an advance in the Mt. Smolika region that forced the Italians hack into Albania on the road to Mesaria. In the air war, British bombers during yesterday and last night attacked German positions from Norway to France but the biggest attack was made at Hamburg,

{where oil plants, docks, railroad

lines and other targets were bombed heavily. Nazi bombers, numbering 500, raided : London, struck at Coventry again and bombed other industrial targets during the night, causing much damage and an apparently high toll of casualties.

Attack Industrial Cities

The Nazis’ systematic hammering with literally millions of pounds of explosives dropped on London, Coventry and other industrial targets, appeared to be an effort to knock out Great Britain's air power before aid from the United States can become fully effective. Most observers agreed last night's raid on the British capital was the heaviest. of the war. Seven hose pitals, three hotels, apartments, mo= tion picture theaters and other buildings were listed as bombed, but. London dispatches were vague ree garding damage to war industries. At Coventry, it was obvious that the German attack was designed to destroy a center of British airplane production, -British censorship pre- | vented correspondents from reporte | ing fully on the extent of damage | to industry there but it was indie cated that considerable harm had been done to British production. The raid on London presumably was a second step in the systematio big-scale ‘plan of assault on ine dustrial nerve centers. London nfe ficials said that military targets ese caped damage for the most part be cause of intensive anti-aircraft fire centered around them, but the Nazi planes hammered at every part of the capital zone and it seemed probable that greater damage had been done than on any previous raid. British Bomb Hamburg

The German High Command de= scribed the raid as ‘‘one of the’ greatest - blows” against London since the war started. Nazis said that German planes would retaliate for last night's bombing of Hamburg just as the attack on Coventry was retaliation for the British raid on Munich while Hitler was there. “if The Germans reported success at *

sea, claiming that dive bombers to-

day successfully . attacked four freighters in a British convoy off the English east coast and that one | ship of about 5000 tons “could be counted a total loss.” In the Greek war, dispatches from | Athens reported continued advances (Continued on Page Three)

Drink to Me

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (U, P.). —National Broadcasting Co. today heard the British Broadcasting Co., commenting as follows on an Italian statement that the Italian fleet was operating in home waters: “The American Navy prefers whisky, the British Navy takes to rum and the Italian Navy sticks to port.”

REAL WAR AIMS — BEGINS ‘MOND;