Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 February 1941 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5, 194]

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Hoosier Vagabond

LONDON (By Wireless)—I want to tell you about two remarkable shelters in London. Both of them come under the head of private group shelters. They are not open to the general public. The first one I saw, I was taken into privately and half surreptitiously, for few people even know that it exists. It must be one of the safest shel-| ters in all London. It is in the basement of an apartment building, in a business section, and there is a bank on the ground floor. ment vault of the bank. They've spent more than $10,000 fixing it up. Not a cent of this went for fancy trimmings, for the shelter isn’t fancy at all. Every penny went for the physical strengthening of this vault. + There are five stories of strong building above this vault, and sthe ceiling of the vault itself is five feet of concrete. // ; : The vault consists of two rooms. In the smaller one, concrete has been added to make the ceiling eight feet thick, The walls are more than three feet thick. The doors are of heavy steel. On two sides of the vault are hallways, and beyond these another thick wall. Surrounding all four walls is old mother earth. An - elaborate arrangement of huge cogwheels manipulates a heavy steel trapdoor in the ceiling. This is an emergency escape door. Above this door, which leads to the ground floor, is the heaviest table I ever saw. Its legs are oaken posts a foot thick, and it has a heavy steel top to keep debris ‘from choking down on top of the door.

It’s Gas-Proof, Too The steel doors of the. vault close on rubber strips, which make it gas-proof. If the lights are knocked out there is a brand-new auxiliary lighting plant, run from batteries. The ordinary escape doors out in the hall have been shored up with lengths of railroad iron to support debris. : At the door of the Savoy Hotel's shelter a man

Inside Indianapolis (4nd “Our Town”

IT NEEDS NO SOOTHSAYER to forecast that the Indiana Legislature will have the worst legislative jam in all history on its hands two weeks hence. ‘Half the session is already over with virtually nothing accomplished and two more weeks will put the boys on the last lap with hundreds of bills in their laps. You can put it down as gossip (it actually “has more foundation than that, though) that the Republican members of the Legisla= ture do not see the bills that are proposed. The bills are drawn up by the legal group, which con- » sists of seven lawyers. A caucus is called and the legislators are told (usually by State ChAirman Arch Bobbitt) that the bill pro- " vides “thus and so.” i : . They say yes or .no and that's that. The way things have been working, the legislators have been waking up to find all manner of things in the bills and everybody is starting to worry about what-it’s all about.

Col. Turner Moves In

,COL. ROSCOE TURNER moved into his new hangar at Municipal Airport yesterday. The Colongl’s office sits in one corner of the new building, with big glass windows so he can sit at his desk and look out on the operations. . . . Johnston of Canada Dry has just bought himself sme 20 acres

‘Washington

WASHINGTON. Feb. 5.—This might be called the

“confessiorff of an isolationist.” - I am prompted to take stock by a Pittsburgh . reader with a good memory who writes in to chide me with an accusation that might apply to many of us . in America today. He says: “During the last 16 months you have written several sound sand convinging articles against American involvement abroad. To judge from more recent writings, you have switched to the support of those who believe in throwing the resources of this nation again into the never-ending European madness.” He asks this pertinent question: “What essential change has occurred in the world situation since the fall of 1939 which justifies a change in the attitude of the American people?” The gentleman is correct. I have switched, almost completely around. The evidenge is written into many columns under this signature. . Returning from Europe in November, 1937, I was a stronger isolationist even than before: “Europe is . . . preparing for suicide. . . The next war instead of making the world safe for democracy, is “likely only to make it safe for revolution. . . . The most useful crusade that the United States could engage in would be to protect <dtself thoroughly and to make secure-on the Western Hemisphere a mode of life based on orderly freedom.”

The Eve of Munich

The same a year later on the eve of Munich. October, 1938, after Munich: “This Government _ does mot feel reassured by the settlement. It is disturbed. High officials of this Government have the conviction that they should not stop hammering for a more orderly world, but that all efforts should be redoubled.” Oct. 26, 1938: “We will have to think in terms of a two-ocean Navy, . . . It is a new world—Germany dominant on the continent; France almost an international cipher; the British fleet paralyzed at least for thé time being by German power to blow the British Isles out of the water; Japan in control of the whole Chinese coast and Britain there reduced to impoteney.”

My Day,

WASHINGTON, Tuesday.~I was interested last evening to talk to four more of the young people who are down here as Government internes for the winter. I think I have mentioned these young people before. Ex-Congressman Davenport shepherds this group and I usually see them in one large gathering some evening during the winter. 5

This year it happens that a number of them had some tie with friends of mine and I have had an opportunity to see five of them more informally. They are all extremely interested and seem to be getting a great deal out of their actual work in some Government department or in assisting in one of the Congressional offices. : An amusing incident, was the discovery by Mrs. Robert Baker, whose husband is professor of astronomy at the University of Illinois, and who lives in Urbana,:-that one of the young people was the daughter of another professor who lived only two blocks from the Baker home. They had to come to Washington, however, to meet! Because I had been unable to see some 6f the “March of Time” movies, I asked to have them shown over again for my benefit last evening. The one in which Quentin Reynolds is the narrator, that begins with the singing of cdfols on Christmas Eve, the night when Mr. Reynolds was starting back to the United States, was ong of ‘the most moving news reels I have ever seem: .. . : : :

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The shelter is the base- .

. fox m long thine

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By Ernie Pyle

in a {uxedo sits at a desk. He checks in those residents of the hotel who: wish to sleep in the shelter. Inside, the shelter is softly lighted and quiet as a grave. It is air-conditioned. Great heavy satin drapes hang at the doorways, and other drapes divide the siielter into bays of about 20 beds each. There is & ‘ide aisle down the center, and the curtains make the whole business resemble a gigantic Pullman car made up for the night. The beds are soft and deep. They have mattresses of the| same type as in the regular hotel rooms. The linen :s fresh and spotless. v There is a separate lounge in one corner where! you can sit in deep chairs at tables and drink coffee. Just one floor up is a small bar.

A Section for Snorers The whole shelter is shored up with an intricate framework of heavy steel piping to brace the ceiling againsi the weight of bomb debris. At the entrance are three separate doors, one after the other, and each has a gasproof curtain that can be lowered. . The shelter has its own maids and porters, just like thie rest of the hotel. It also has a, full Red Cross unit, manned by seven part-time nurses. During th2 early September raids they treated many bomb casualties brought in off the streets. The Savoy shelter can sleep more than 200 people. | Many of the hotel's guests sleep there every night, whether there’s a raid or not. Single men and single women are assigned separate bays, and there are-bays for married couples. And carrying shelter etiquet to the nth degree, they even have a separate compartment for chronic snorers; They just herd ’em all together and let ‘em snore ili out. In fact, when the blitz first started, and before they hit on the idea of segregating the noisy ones, the hot2l had one man on its night staff whose sole duty wis to go around and shake up snorers! It makes me feel very safe to know there is a shelter of this kind under my very roof. But I doubt if I'll ever go down there to sleep, for if I did and they sentenced me to the snorers’ compartment I could n:ver show my face in London again. Or in Dana, Iad., either. >

nortii oi the city and is so enthused about life on the farin he wants to raise some chickens. Mrs. Johnstor. put her foot down on that proposal, saying thins have gone far enough as it is. . . . Indianapol's is going to see one of the biggest paint Jobs lon record when the Gas Utility starts putting the paint on the giant new gas container up on Northwestern Ave, We hear it’s to be done in aluminum. . . ‘The District,” the weekly publication of the Police Department, tells the story of the. rookie who posted the following notice on the bulletin board: “Will swap vacation, Nov. 15 to 30, with someone who has vacation between June and September.” Comment by: brother officers included the standard “You, said it, kid.”

The Fiash Bulb Story

THERE'S A REPORT FLOATING around that Allison’s ‘may get a batch of orders within the next few montas for a redesigned 2000-horsepower streamlined engine. Gossip has it that if this turns out not to be a ‘airy story, Allison's are going to have to add even more floor space out in Speedway City. . + .. The camera fans had a grand time at the Sonja Heni¢ ice shows. Only trouble the Coliseum people, had was the flash bulb devotees and all that started when one of the comedians (the one who tipped his hat when the flash went off) planted a stooge in the audience to do just that. The Coliseum people finally figured out one way of discouraging the practice, They had a policeman oust the stooge right after he did his little chore.

| Ey Raymond Clapper

Oct. 27 1638: “A new spirit of national unity is called for. . . . Our industrial plant must be integrated anc. closely dovetailed with war needs and a considerab.e amount of Government dictation and subsidy will*be necessary. . . . Something very fundamental ha: occurred in the world and it is bound to have its eflects upon us.” Oct. 31, 1938: “With Munich a new world was born. . « '« A huge chunk of power changed hands. . . . This has suddenly left the United States standing alone and unprotected in the world game of power politics. . . . Britain has been our first line of defense. . . Britain has been a protector of the Monroe Dc¢ctrine, has stood firmly for the status quo on the Western’ Hemisphere. Now she is no longer able to serve forcefully in that role... . . We are now on our lowa in protecting pe Western Hemisphere. . . «It means internal and industrial defense. . . . The ability .of democracy to survive in this world of modern de: perados is now put to the test—right here in America”

On. Being Consistent Nov.|3, 1938: “Britain, under whose protection we have been so secure throughout our whole national history, now is struggling to keep afloat, no longer the arbiter of Europe, no longer the policeman of the world, no linger able to stand as the first line of defense for our Monroe Doctrine, That is the new world.” , I could 30 on quoting from later columns written in 1939, 1940 and this year, but the point of view evolves out of the change as noted in-the foregoing excerpts, Munich revealed that Hitler had blown off the lid of u world that was set up to our own national adventage. The conquests of Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium and France, and the attempt now to complete the job by conquering England, only sharpen the picture disclosed at Munich where Hitler turned up aolding the ace cards which we had thought were in the hands of our friends. Yes, I heve switched. I try to learn from events. Events are ot consistent, therefore why should I be consistent? Some people, once they adopt an idea, bury it in she ground and go on the rest of their lives defending it, without ever re-examining it to see whether tine and the elements have. caused it to decay into a worthless handful of dust. In that way you can be always consistent—and often wrong.

By Eleanor Roosevelt

How utte:ly weary people must be, sleeping night after night, herded like animals on the tube platforms in London. I could not help wondering how they could {0 on day after day to work with such unrefieshing rest. To me, it is air at night that matters almost as much as sleep. We also jaw a short reel showing what is being done under the Maritime Commission to encourage the building up of our merchant marine and the training lof our men for this service. It is a most interesting film and one which I hope will be widely distributed ¢ommercially. Miss Mary Margaret McBride spent last night with tis and left this morning by ‘plane for New York City. She his loeen in Florida on an advertising program, but we ‘talked of much besides Florida because I always finc. her a-charming and delightful person. I lunched today with Mrs, Frank Walker, wife of the Postmaster General, and it was a delightful party. Soon this round of gaiety with the wives of the Cabinet will be brought to a close. In the spring, there are lunches for various Congressional wives’ groups, but they are not scheduléd quite so closely together.

I had woi'd from New York State this morning}

that they hive had really cold weather and snow enough to do some skiing even around our cottage. I cannot help wishing that there wags time to stay

Snow, in the-city is something we always

At City Hall—

LEGISLATURES DIN ECHOES IN DOZY OFFICES

Mayor Seems to Like the Hustle and Bustle and Shuffling Feet.

By RICHARD LEWIS Ordinarily, the office of Mayor Reginald H. Sullivan is a quiet, dozy sort of place where the ruckus of the City outside is hushed.

Now, all that’s changed because of the Legislature and the atmosphere is somewhat like Union Station at the height of an excursion. The Mayor, himself, seems to enjoy it. No matter how early he arrives, there are usually several people waiting to see him. The going-and-coming is continuous all day and the shuffle of footsteps -across the carpet mingles with the persistent ringing of telephones and conversation. Behind all of this activity is the City’s serious interest in legislative matters affecting municipalities. Although City Hall has not offered any legislation of its own, it is' keeping close tab on bills which might affect the City, particularly revenue measures. It does this by agreement with sponsors. In return for striking out or adding aspects of proposed legislation which may be unfavorable for the City, City Hall will lend it support ‘or at least keep hands o certain legislation. ; In some cases, where legislation benefits the City, City Hall will go to bat through the Administration’s “friends” in the Legislature; The eyes and ears of the Administration, incidentally, is .an assistant City engineer, long versed in legislative rigamarole. : He has been given a leave of absence from his engineering duties to. “observe” in the Legislature and his job is to hoist distress signals when he sees anything coming that may affect Indianapolis adversely.

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Market Dilemma

For nearly five years, Marketmaster Paul Lindemann has parked his car in the City Market drive on days when the big, municipal food emporium was closed. It was a standing arrangement and convenience. Yesterday, however, Mr. Lindemann wasn't so sure the arrangement would continue to be convehient. He reported to the Safety Board that police had given a traffic sticker to an employee whom Mr. Lindemann had permitted to park there in his place. The Marketmaster and Police Chief Michael F. Morrissey asked the Board for a ruling. It seemed that question of City employees pari:ing on what is known as “private” public property—the Market drive— has legal ramifications which the Board wants to consider. Marketmaster Lindemann is thinking of going to a private parking lot until the issue is settled.

Expand on Merit

The merit system in the Police Department will expand this year. Hitherto only police were chosen on a merit basis which is required by law, but this year civilian employees will be chosen by competitive examination. - Police Chief Morrissey has requested the Merit: Board, which governs police and fir@ department selections, to prepare the examinations which will be given for civilian clerk openings. This would put almost all Police® Department civilian personnel on merit, although the law does not require that civilian employees be employed on a merit basis. »

20 FEET OF MOUNTAIN COST 7 FLIERS’ LIVES

MORTON, Wash., Peb.5 (U.P.).— There was 20 feet of mountain top between life and death for seven men in an Army bomber, and luck wasn’t riding with them. A pack train last night brought their bodies out of the remote, snowcovered mountains, where they crashed Jan. 16 just below the apex of Deschutes ‘Peak. The bodies were

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were hardly recognizable. “The pilot, First Lieut. R. M. Krummes, was apparently flying blind and was just coming out of low clouds when the plane hit the peak,” Col. Walter Peck, McChord Field operations officer, said after an inspection of the wreckage. « “The plane hit only 20 or 25 from the sunimit.”

BOARD SEEKS ORIGIN OF ‘PAYOFF’ RUMOR

The Safety Board will probe the origin and basis of rumors that a “payoff” was involved in the City’s selection of fire apparatus recently. The Board yesterday summoned representatives of two concerns which_bid .on the equipment to appear at the Board's next meeting Tuesday with the City Hall committee which inspected the apparatus. The Board’s action folowed disclosures Monday night that two City Councilmen heard the “payoff” rumors from a representative of the concern which did not get the business. Purchase of the equipment; consisting of two aerial trucks, is awaiting approval by City. Council. Investigating the rumors Monday night, Council dismissed them after concluding that the alleged payoff consisted of a cross country junket taken by the committee at the expense of both concerns. However, Council withheld approval of the purchase for two

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he Indianapolis Times How Does Hitler Stand on U.S. Aid? NAZI GRAB AT

Deuel Answers Queries on Germany

\ ; / Copyright, 1941, by The Indianapolis Times

and The Chicago Daily News, Inc. Wallace. R. Deuel’s series of articles, “Where Hitler Stands Now,” prompted a multitude of questions from readers all over the country. The author here

queries he considered the

most significant: Q—Please inform me as to Hitler's stand as to aid to England by this Government and his propaganda to deceive the minds of the American public officials and individuals such as to make aid of war materials to England impossible? A—Publicly, Hitler takes the position that we are unable to do enough, in time, to make any difference in the outcome of the - war. Semi-publicly, Nazi officials take the position that not only. is this the case, but also our whole policy is intended primarily to secure what we can of British rights, wealth and positions

throughout the world for ourselves. The lohuer the wap Hei the less sure th is are on

these points. Under cover the Nazis use another argument to discourage us from aiding England—they say it will lead to war with Germany. g 8 ia Q—1f Hitler defeats England decisively, : gaining the fleet and. empire, including Canada, will he not spare us because (1) he will be surfeited and satiated with conquest or (2) will be too exhausted and impoverished to ‘conquer more? A—(1) No. (2) Nat in the long run, no.

2 = 8 Q—Assuming the Nazi authorities expected you - to divulge many facts that were censored while you were in Germany, did they warn you against any such action? A—No. 2 2 ” Q—Could a revolution occur in Germany, refusing to take Hitler orders on short notice, if the war keeps on? A—Not unless and until the German people have suffered much more. from the war than they have so far and can see | some alternative to their present lot which they. would consider a great improvement and which they could be made to believe they would: really get should they stop fighting.

. 8 8 8 ¢ Q—Do you think that the character and personality peculiar to the German people have made it simpler for Hitler to carry on his program right from the beginning? After all, “Mein Kampf” was available to anyone who wanted to read it. A—I do. Nazi-Fascist programs, however, can also be sold to other peoples.

= = 2 Q—Can you tell us whether you think it probable that the Nazis ever used Jews as spies? A—It is not only probable, it is a fact that the Nazis have used Jews as spies in the past and that they are still doing so.

” =» 8 Q—Was Hitler deliberately permitted to become strong and powerful through the influence and political and financial aid of certain influential groups in England and France because of the assumption that Hitler's supposed hatred of Communism would -¢ause an eventual war between the two countries and these groups wanted Germany powerful enough to defeat or seriously weaken Communism and Communistic influence? ; If so, did Hitler actually have such antagonism or was he merely putting on the best bit of acting of the ages in order to dupe and get the support of these groups so opposed and fearful of Communism? A—The reasoning you outline explains why the groups you, describe did exactly what you suggest they did, and their influence was extremely important in making it possible for Hitler to seize power. As to whether Hitler really was as antagonistic to the Communists as he pretended, to be, I should say that Hitler's basic

The Senate bill to remove restrictions on Sunday night baseball is encountering stiff opposition. Five Indianapolis ministers, the general manager of the Lord's Day

LAlliance and a Salvation Army captain appeared . before the Senate Public Policy committee yesterday to oppose its passage. : They asserted that while they did not oppese the playing of baseball they believed that the removal of the restrictions would constitute “a loosening up” on the Sabbath Day when actually a “tightening up” is needed. The bill, sponsored by the entire Marion County Senate delegation, would remove the present provision

ing of commercial baseball except during the hours from 1 to 6 p. m. on Sunday. J Senator Harry O. Chamberlin (R. Indianapolis), the bill's author, said he would be willing to leave the 1 p. m. provision in the bill so as to insure that the Sunday morning church services would not be affected. The committee withheld action to give the Senator time to draw up his amendment. Senator Chamberlin declared that he, as_-an officer of the Second Presbyterian Church, also wished to see the Sabbath properly observed but that he did not believe that the playing of Sunday night baseball would affect church attendance.

against “with ice hockey games being played Sunday nights at the

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in the law which prohibits the play-|

answers some of the §

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Wallace R. Deuel

1 grand strategy was to win everyhing he could for Germany, that he means to this end were disinctly secondary, that the “Red hreat” seemed the most useful eans he could employ for the st several years, but that he lways planned tq crush France nd crush or make an ally of ritain in the west before forcing the issue with Russia. ay yet force the issue ussia, of course,

2 = 2 Q—Is Hitler motivated by a sincere desire to help the German ple or is it self-glory? Is he on his own or backed by a group Germany? : A—Hitler is motivated by both ings. ‘He is backed by most of e people in Germany. more or ss ardently and more or less sinrely, but he is not the puppet, e tool, the confederate or even the ally of anybody in the country. He stands alone, in this sense.

” ” ” | Q—In the dictatorships of Gerany and Italy, with especial reference to Germany, is there not room for wholesale graft since there need be no accounting te thie people by politicians? Is fhere actually any graft in governments, local, state and national? | A—There is graft on a local, state, national and international scale beyond the wildest dreams of the worst grafters America has ever seen or known. On the whole, tty graft; is under fairly good control. © Grand larceny graft, as a| virtual monoply of the party, however, exists on a scale we have never imagined in this country. |

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” EJ 'Q—You pointed out that Russia

is interested in prolonging the war. How do you explain Russia's Sgposition to the United States’ pport to Great Britain which will prolong the war? |{A—First, I am not aware of evidence which warrants the belief that Russia really is opposed to American aid for Britain. What the Soviets say and what they really mean do not necessarily always agree. Second, if the Russians really are opposed to our supporting England, it might be because they fear that adequate support from us would cause a defeat of Germany before both sides would be exhausted.

]. » » ” Q—Why not withdraw our diplomatic corps from Germany and demand tbe withdrawal of theirs from the United States? Surely they are doing far more to jeopardizé’ us than can be compensat for by the information obtained from Germany. v A—Our diplomatic corps in Germany is virtually the only source the United States has for such information as it is impossible to communicate by the channels available to newspajer correspondents and private citizers. The Nazis, on the other hand,

Pastors Fight Bill to Lift Sunday Night Baseball Ban

Frank J. Niles, general secretary

of the Lotd’s Day Alliance, said that his organization would soon have a bill introdiiced in the legislature making illegal the playing of ice hockey on Sunday nights,

said that his organization was working with Will H. Hays, the movie czar, to get a ban placed on the showing of all movies, except religious and educational films, on Sunday nights.

The Rev. Guy O. Carpenter, Methodist Church district superintendent, said: “We face a growing commercialism of the Sabbath Day. Toit bill strikes at the heart of our church program with the young people. Epworth League usually meets at 6:30 p. m.” Speaking for the bill were: Senator Robert Lee Brokenburr (R. Indianapolis): “I haven't been to but one ball game in 30 years t I am in favor of the bill.” tor Clyde R. Black (R. lo- ): “I .am a good Methodist and have been very active in church work but I don’t.think I am backslid in voting for this bill. ator Milford M. Miller (D. Evansville): “I am a Presbyterian and speaking for my congregation I know they favor the bill. I don’t think a night baseball game constitutes a desecration of the Sabbath Day.”

MES KILL MOTHER, SON

RKINS PARK, .Pa., Feb. 5 (U. The wife and son of Rabbi - Wi , formerly of Clevewere found dead of carbon rn

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have scores of sources of information in.this country apart from their diplomatic corps. To break off relations therefore, would be to cut off our only source of this sort of information and leave the Nazis with scores of others. It would be a bad bargain from our point of view.

2 8 > ' Q—What particular art does Hitlc possess enabling him to convert many wealthy | Americans of German extraction to be sympathetic toward his ideology and “new world order” which will eventually spread to our shores? A—I don’t know of any wealthy Americans of German extraction who have been converted, but I suppose the “art” Hitler has used on them is the same art he used on most other people, which is an expert use of psychology depending for its success primarily on the unwillingness or inability of the victim to face the real facts.

8 o ” Q—What happens to the “earnest Bible students” of Germany who refuse to Heil Hitler? What happens to their families and what do other Germans think of their example? : A—The “students” themselves are liable to lose their jobs, their homes and their property . and end up in concentration. camps. Their families may share one or another of taese fates or simply be left alone and destitute. Most other Germans don’t know what is going on and the minority that does know is too concerned about its own affairs for the most part, to spend too much time thinking about the fate of others.

” ” ” Q—What is the secret mental attitude of the thinking minds of Germany relative to Hitler's actions? Have they been indorsing his proceedings all along? A-It depends on which ‘“thinking minds” you mean. Many thinking Germans indorse Hitler's program on balance because they think it is the best available for obtaining for the Reich the national and imperial place in the sun they also want the Fatherland to have, and because they think the parts of the program they dislike are less impor= tant than the parts they approve. Other thinking minds reject the whole program because they wonsider that the parts of the program they dislike outweigh the parts they like. Still others like little or none of the program, and reject Hitler altogether. But under present circumstances there is- nothing any ‘of these people can do about it. ” ” ” Q—How long do you think Hitler will be in power to rule the German people? A—Until one or more of the following things happen: (A) Hitler dies: (B) Hitler loses control of his faculties. to such a degree that somebody else must take over; (C) Germany is defeated in the war—and this is by no means certain; he might survive even defeat; (D) There is a successful revolution in the Reich; (E) Hitler . voluntarily “abdicates.” I know of no ‘reasongo expect that Hitler will die of natural causes, or lose control of his faculties, or voluntarily “abdicate” during the next several years. The chances, are decidedly. against a successful revolution unless and until Germany is defeated in the war. The chances are decidedly against Germany’s being defeated during the next 12 months. n 2 = Q—In all these years you spent in Germany did you also discover something good? What about those roads, modern buildings, slum clearings, etc? A—I discovered a great deal that was good. The roads, however, are neither notably different nor notably better than roads built in other countries, like the United States, for example, and arg therefore scarcely an achievement peculiar

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to Germany or the Nazis. Most \

of the building done by the Nazis consists of military’ and public buildings, whereas most of the buildings erected under the Republic and before the last war were . low-cost housing projects, schools and other structures designed to serve the peaceful needs of the people: here, again, I think - the credit to which the Nazis are entitled is limited.

A. F. L. FIRM ON RIGHT TO STRIKE

Protests Moves to Curtail Defense Industry Tieups; 8 Plants Now Idle.

“By UNITED PRESS “The American Federation of Labor today denounced as “abhorrent” and unconstitional proposals to curtail labor's right to strike in defense industries, where eight walkouts now are in progress. : The A. F. of L. publication, The American Federationist, asserted the right to strike was an inalienable right of labor and that “neither its suspension nor its restriction can or will be accepted by organized labor.” ; Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board at Washington announced reorganization of its administration . to facilitate handling and settlement of complaints, The eight strikes now in progress involve approximately 15,600 workers demanding higher wages, union recognition or, bargaining rights. This number was only a_ fraction of the total engaged in defense production in hundreds of plants throughout the nation, however. The strikes in progress are at the Allis-Chalmers plant in Milwaukee; International Harvester Co. plants in Chicago. and Rock Falls, Ill; Consumers Power Co. in Jackson, Mich.; Universal Cyclops Steel Corp. plant Pa.; Stand

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FRENCH FLEET BELIEVED NEAR

May Coincide With Plans

For Invasion of Britain, Simms Writes.

By WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS Times Foreign Editor WASHINGTON, Feb. 5—Nazi seizyre or acquisition by other means of the French fleet and the use of Toulon, Bizerta and other important naval bases in the Mediterranean, may be imminent according to advices received here. The coup is believed to form part of the general Nazi plan to invade England this spring and cut the British Empire in two. It may precede, or be timed to coincide with, the attack on Britain. C The recent bitter, Nazi-inspired campaign against Marshal Philippe Petain and the return to power of former . Premier Pierre Laval are regarded merely as steps in that direction.

Fleet Decisive Factor

Supporting this, the privately circulated Anglo-Polish “Foreign Correspondence” ~tgday declared that “it is not doubted in Washington that M. Lava fore his abrupt dismissal, had negotiated an agreement with Berlin by which the Germans were to get North African bases and French warships in return for concessions. . . . Today the Germans are demanding the fulfillment of these conditions.” The French fleet, experts here claim, holds a balance of Power in the Mediterranean. Were the Germans to gain, possession of it and combine it with ‘the Italian fleet which they are already in position to command, it might influence decisively the whole trend of events in North Africa, the Balkans and the Near East. What is worse, should it make its way into the Atlantic, the ‘already seriously blockade situation around the British Isles would bécome men= acing indeed. The position of the Azores and Cape Verdes, belonging to Portugdl, and the Canaries, bee longing to Spain, would be precarious.

Administ in Hiirry

Possession of one or more of these groups would cut Britain off from South America and sever the long life-line "around South Africa. There would be little that Britain could do about it as long as she is fighting for her life in her own waters. . ) These possibilities are thought to be among the x3 reasons why the i

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Administration is. in such .a hurry to secure the passage of the lende lease pill now before Congress. Un= der it, the President could lend or lease the entire newly created Ate lantigeFleet to the British to help overcome the crisis.

EDUCATION SESSION T0 DISCUSS DEFENSE

More than 1000 adult education leaders are expected to attend the ‘sessions of the East Central Regional Conference on Adult Educa« cation and Nationa] Defense here March 6, 7 and 8. . : The conference, sponsored by the Anasican Assoeiauon for Adult ucation th 30 loc nd state organizations: co a] g, will have headquarters in the Hotel Lincoln, Prof. R. E, Cavanaugh, Indiana University - Extension Division director, is local .chairman and Morse F. Cartwright is director of the American Association for Adult Education. . The purpose of the conference is to dorrelate adult education programs and defense by increasing public understanding of the issues invelved. Opening meetings will be held in the World War Menrorial auditorim. Paul V. McNutt, Federal] Serity Administrator, has accepted i is)jvely an invitation to speak ch 6. :

ee ———————————— PENNER LEAVES $90,000 HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 5 (U. P.).— A petition for administration of Joe Penner’s estate showed today that the estate included approximately $40,000 in personal property ani real estate valued at more than $:0,000. Mrs. Eleanor Penner, his widow, was the principal beneficiary. She also was named executrix, a provision she declined to accept.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—Coney is the fur of which animal? . 2—Is the temperature of air in direct sunlight higher than in the. shade? 3-—Name the dirigible that crashed in a storm over Ohio in 1923. - 4—Which government agency is designated by the initials EIB? 5—In which country is the yen the unit of monetary value? ° 6—Do the solstices come in the summer and winter, or spring and autumn? T—George Washington's Farewell Address was addressed to the Congress or the people of the United States? 8—Which American general was nicknamed “The Swamp Fox”?

‘Answers

1—Rabbit, 2—-No, ‘ #-—Shenandoah. : 4—Export-Imporf Bank of Wash‘ington. oe

5-—Japan. 6—Summer and winter. T—People. 8—Gen. Francis Marion. 2 » 8 =

ASK THE TIMES

at ard Tool Co. in Clevelandy{ ington Service

Flex-O-Tube Co. and the R. H

Jolly Co. in Detroit; and the Moun=