Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 April 1941 — Page 12

PAGE 12

The Indianapolis Times

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1941

HO-HUM N view of the vaunted inventiveness of the Germans, it is disappointing to see that Dr. Goebbels has nothing better to offer in the case of Jugoslavia than the threadbare technique he employed in connection with Czechoslovakia, Poland, et al. Once more we read that Germans are being abused and hounded, this tine by the Jugoslavs. The charges are no sooner denied in Belgrade than they are renewed and enlarged by Berlin. The nation which was being beamed upon so recently in the shotgun wedding at Vienna has suddenly become a gang of bullies, according to the Berlin propagandists. Pretty soon we may hear that the Jugoslavs have invaded Germany. Pardon the yawn.

BOSS OF THE MARE NOSTRUM “WELL done!” was the traditional message that Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningham sent to the officers and men of his Eastern*Mediterranean fleet after its savage handling of the Italians. And “well done!” is being coupled with Sir Andrew’s name by naval men everywhere as they devour the emerging details of the engagement. This hard-driving son of Dublin, who scourged these same waters as commander of the destroyer Scorpion in

World War days, has finally and utterly demolished with |

his furious attack the pretentious claim of Mussolini that the Mediterranean was ‘‘our sea.” and, with torpedoes hurled from his carrier-based planes, crippled three capital ships.

munications. He had steamed up and down the Libyan coast, shelling ports and Italian columns, supplying Gen. Wavell's advancing army, carrying off prisoners by the tens of thousands. le had blockaded Italian bases in the Dodecanese. He had force to Greece. The western segment of his command, with astonishing audacity, had shelled Genoa itself. But this latest action—the greatest naval battle since ‘Jutland, and fought, according to the British, without casualy or damage to them beyond the loss of a couple of airplanes—was of heroic size. Here, as at Taranto and elsewhere, Sir Andrew showed great resource in the use of aircraft for both’ reconnaisance and assault. is success in this regard evidences the wisdom of our own naval strategists in placing heavy emphasis on aircraft carriers. Admiral Cunningham struck not only a powerful blow for England, but a powerful blow for the concept of sea power in general—sea power, that is, numerously equippes “with aircraft, which the Italians were not.

Those who have winced at the enormous appropriations

for our own Navy should be heartened.

CONGRESSMEN WILL BE BOYS TE hope his constituents will take note of the contribution made yesterday by Rep. Robert F. Rich, a Pennsylvania Republican, toward assuring the country that Congress realizes the gravity of its responsibility in these parlous times. Having obtained unanimous consent to address the House, Mr. Rich arose and delivered the follow- ]

ing remarks:

“April Fool!”

DISAPPOINTED, AGAIN EARLY last January the building-trades department of the American Federation of Labor announced a “hard and fast policy” of no strikes “for any reason whatsoever” on national-defense projects. It also announced that its unions would adopt uniform maximum initiation fees for men seeking jobs on defense projects. We praised both announcements.

continuing to call defense-project strikes for utterly inadequate reasons, and no real reform of the “Initiation fee” racket was forthcoming. Yesterday there was a new announcement of action by members of the building-trades executive council, proclaimed by Secretary Treasurer Herbert Rivers “as evidence of their good faith and determination to co-operate in the national-defense program.” This time all fees were to be abolished, except for men actually admitted to union membership, and it was “solemnly pledged” that there would be no stoppage of work because of jurisdictional disputes between any of the building-trades unions. Again we applauded. But within 24 hours, and within 50 miles of Washington where Mr. Rivers made this announcement, the business agent of an A. F. of L. roofers’ union yanked his men off two Army-camp housing projects in Maryland because of a jurisdictional dispute with an A. F. of L. carpenters’ union. Once more, to express our sentiments mildly, we're disappointed.

IT COMES AS A SHOCK

OR the first time in its history, the United States in January actually imported more farm products that it exported. That comes as a shock, for we like to think of the United States as a great food-producing country with vast surpluses to send abroad. The surpluses are there, all right, but the people abroad who would like to buy American foodstuffs can’t do it on account of the war. And so American import of foods like coffee, tea, pepper, and cocoa beans, not produced in the United States, have at last reached up and passed the war-shaken exports. Yet there are those who still believe that the United States is beyond being affected by things that happen in “far-off” Europe. , v

In earlier actions, he | had caught an Italian battle squadron at anchor in Taranto |

Ife had ranged clear into the | Adriatic to harass Mussolini's Albanian ports and com- |

But it quickly be- |

came apparent that A. F. of L. building-trades unions were | | see the demand for farm crop loans up to 100 per cent

Air Blockade

By Maj. Al Williams

British Must Find Way to Break Up Close Co-Ordination Between Nazi Planes and Subs in Convoy Raids

O carry on this war, England must break the sub= marine and air blockade which has been superimposed on her sea blockade. More than 70 per cent of her foodstuffs and supplies must be carried to her in ships. The British and German claims as to shipping tonnage destroyed so far conflict. Whatever the real total, we know that it is falling progressively shorter of preserving the 70-odd per cent of food and munitions that England must import. German submarines probably have destroyed about two-thirds, and the German air blockade the remaining third, of the total tonnage sunk and damaged. The air blockade on such a scale is an innovation, tested as an effective instrument during the Spanish Civil War. But there is little reason to believe that the Spanish test contemplated anything like the co-ordination existing today between subsea and air blockading forces. Military airmen believe that submarine efficiencies have been boosted beyond the estimates largely through the vital scouting information supplied by the swift ranging overhead forces. The air blockade forces are doing just what airmen predicted from the outset—extending their patrol lines farther and farther into the Atlantic. =n u 8

HE air blockade in an hour covers a grealer sea area than a submarine could scout. Its first move is to locate the enemy cargo ships, by a method not generally understood. The crafty air scout takes advantage of cloud, fog, and varying light conditions to hover just beyond observation by ship binoculars. He hangs around the warship or cargo convoy like a bird of prey, waiting for a chance to attack under most favorable conditions. While waiting, he maintains contact with his subsea units. He doesn't need to use wide-open, longrange radio, on which his message would be inter= cepted. I don’t know the exact methods used, but, knowing the location of his own subs, he could speed to them, reducing the strength of his radio signals, so they could not be picked up beyond two or three miles, could pass along information as to enemy positions. Then begins the delicate job of timing the air attack to mesh with the submarine attack. The planes wait until the subs are within range to pick off the cargo vessels as they scatter under air attack. A daring variation might be the deliberate disclosure of a periscope, which would drive the convoy into tight formation with the escort herding them as cowboys herd cattle. come easy targets for the air units, against ‘co-ordinated air and subsea attack

hit you irom front and rear at the same time, u u 2 ESTWARD extension of the German air and subsea blockade makes the task of the defense

oe 3 | still more complicated. When operating close inshore, convoved a British expeditionary | | attack by shore-based, and rather short-range, Brit-

the German air elements were open to devastating

ish aircraft. The farther the patrol lines move to sea, the fewer defense planes they are likely to meet. In my opinion, more cargo ships and more escorting warships cannot solve this blockade problem. You can't save the wheat in a granary by putting in more wheat. You must destroy the rats. This indicates the necessity for new anti-sub and anti-air blockade methods. The only course open to the British, as far as I can see, is to fit each cargo ship with an emergency deck about 300 feet long, modeled after the deck of a carrier. A few fast single-seater fighters roosted on such a deck could make it pretty near suicide for the German air blockade units. And there could be little doubt about the air victory, because long-range planes capable of cruising far at sea are necessarily slower and unable to fight off the multi-gun fighter.

(Westbrook Pegler is on vacation)

Business By John T. Flynn

All Sorts of 'Appeasement' Goes on

In Seeking Support for Arms Export

EW YORK, April 2.—There are more kinds of appeasement than one. And we are seeing one kind of it here in America now. Here's how it works. In a time of immense national effort toward war— when the nation is not actually at war—a difficult problem arises. When the country is at war the Government can command support—can crack down on those who get in its way But, not being at war, this is not possible. The Government has to get the support of all sorts of groups, not by cracking down, but by appeasing them. And this is what is happening. Organized groups, organized interests representing various ideas are always in the field demanding their pef projects. At a time like this, however, all of these groups come to the surface with these pet projects, pet reforms, pet schemes. The farmers want aid; the Government wants the support of the farmers. The farmers clamor for aid, and so the Government must appease them to keep them happy and make the war effort seem good to them. Hence we

of the parity price and Congressional farm groups have actually approved a proposal for loans up to 75 per cent of parity. Then there are the oil men. Many of them oppose Federal control. But there is a great demand among them for state control—interstate control through the Interstate Oil Compact Commission. So the Government authorities seem on the point of appeasing the oil men by recognizing the state system of control and naming a Federal representative to that.

Many labor and industrial groups are opposed to | their |

the enforcement of the anti-trust laws in particular areas. They have never been able to get

anywhere with these agitations for suspending the But now they are busy urging this |

anti-trust laws. retreat—differing groups urging it for different reasons. And the Government is flirting with the idea as a form of appeasement. =

2 Ld

HE instances of this could be multiplied many |

times. And, in addition, there are the countless local ambitions—the towns which have been wanting air-fields, the cities that have wanted boulevards built, the villages that have wanted fish hatcheries, agricultural stations, testing laboratories, countless other pet dreams. All come forward now with their dreams, hook them up to defense, and presto! those dreams are realized—to appease them. These little dainties range all the way from $100,000 for a testing laboratory up to endless billions for a great ship canal across Florida, and the St. Lawrence waterway project. The costs of defense under the present program will be staggering enough. The people have a right to be protected against excessive costs. But quite as important, they have a right to be protected against surrenders to numerous minority groups that now take advantage of the defense program to put over their favorite plans for remodeling the world, the town, the village they live in and the trade they work at.

So They Say—

OUR NATIONAL pulse beats stronger, more determined than ever before. As a united people we

endure this trial.—Queen Wilhelmina of the Free |

Netherlands. * - » NO AIR FORCE can be expected to expand a number of times and maintain the same low accident rate it has fought for years to establish.—Gen. Marshall, chiey of staff,

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

Talk Fast, Adolt!

In such formation, they be- | Sea defense | is like | trying to defend one's self against a fellow who can |

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1941

DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO RIM

HE’S ALWAYS CLOVINING

The Hoosier Forum

I wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

DOUBTS MERCHANTS HOSTILE TO TOWNSEND PLAN By Ray Booth, Anderson, Ind. In answer to Claude Braddick of Kokomo: Mr. Braddick, I see you are against the Townsend Recovery Plan. I will grant you we fell down on some of our points in the recent Legislature, but nevertheless show me a better bill than what we are] after. I understand there is a $1000 reward for the man or woman who writes a better bill than the nation-| al bill. Where is the businessman who will not pay his 2 per cent sales | tax in order to get his volume in-| creased 25 to 75 per cent? «2s There are about eight million old| people. Pay them $50 or $100 a| month, force them to spend it. That] woudl be better than $4,000,000,000| worth of new business on top of] what we now have, Who will ss |

on that? There are beiween 40 and 50 million Townsendites in the United

States. Surely they are not all}

(Times readers are invited to express their in these columns, religious controversies excluded. Make your letters short, so all can

views

have a chance. Letters must

be signed.)

towers around which washed the general hubbub unnoticed. Many were smoking ana a few, ignoring whoever was on his feet speaking, were reading newspapers. Of course, injustice to the legislators, I must admit that after 45 minutes I had picked up a newspaper myself. And, glancing up at the visitors gallery, I noticed that not a few of the public-spirited citizens who had come to witness the solemn drama of government were engrossed in comic sheets and sport es. Friends and relatives of the Representatives, lobbyists and curious constituents were marching on and off the floor of the House in a steady stream through a door bear-

The inference, of course, is that I am greatly prejudiced and unable to interpret correctly. While that may very well be true (none of us are completely free from bias and prejudice) I should like to have it recognized that persons who are versed in history and literature are apt to be less biased or less apt to distort “lessons of history” than otherwise. Facts, in

history as in other not, easily bent.

under the influence of minds like Plato, Socrates, or Aristotle, for instance, has had something done to] his method of thinking which would

{have erased much of the prejudice] land error in distortion. Socrates | {would have sharpened his intellect | |for getting at essential facts, Plato would have opened the doors of spiritual idealtty, and Aristotle! would have developed his sanity. In| | fact, the one least apt to distort] {history and literature is the person | familiar with it. But this can only |be savored by those who have experienced that familiarity.

However, familiarity with

the |

crazy when part of our National ing the nonsensical sign: “For Visi-|storehouse of history and literature

Congress is for the plan. { This is a recovery, not a relief! plan. Mr. Braddick, vou had better read | up on this before you make too] many wisecracks. » ” » SOME RECOLLECTIONS ON VISIT TO LEGISLATURE

By Daniel Francis Clancy 118 Eel River Ave., Logansport, Ind. I was down for a look the Legislature during its final week. Spent most of my time on the floor of the House of Representatives as the guest of the two members from my home county, Leaning back in a folding chair,| with my thumbs hooked in my vest, I sucked a corncob pipe and motionlessly regarded the H. of R. from beneath knitted eyebrows. It seemed that the majority of Representatives were slouched in their swivel chairs twiddling their thumbs, chewing gum and gazing blankly into space. I gathered that most of them neither knew nor cared what was going on. They seemed submerged in individual thoughts of their own—dwelling, it appeared, in scores of little ivory

at

tors Only”’—which was like hanging up a sign declaring: “Nobody but

days I carried a pass in my pocket without having to remove it. I don’t think anyone found one necessary. A wandering stranger entering the House would, I suppose, in 10 minutes deduce that he was witnessing a session of the lower chamber of the General Assembly—but I don’t think he could be blamed if he assumed that by some unnoticed mistake a parish bazaar was also being held in the same hall. ”n u n

CONTENDS THOSE VERSED IN [HISTORY ARE LESS BIASED

By Mrs. FE. G. Levan, 28209 Ivy St., East Chicago, Ind. While I have no wish to reply’ to the letter of Mrs. Edn: Vonnegut of March 25th, since the discussion is bootless (the foreign policy she advocates is going full blast and further letters only rehash the same arguments convincing no one), I

want to point out a little absurdity:

Mrs. Vonnegut warns me not to distort the lessons of past experience and the concepts of literature in understanding present problems.

Side Glances=By Galbraith

| INEE, W. OPR, 1941 BY NEA SERVICE; INE. T, M. REG.

"The doctor is beginning to sell

the stories he's been writing be-

tween patients—don't miss his next one—you're in it as Mrs, B."

| for

i had attained clarity of thought, and

{1s no guarantee that any particular {view taken of present problems is,

| Anybody Admitted Here.” For two | “right.” As one editor pointed out

recently, “hatred is rampant even

among thinking people.” If Socrates were alive today and] questioned the wisdom of our for-| eign policy—as he certainly would he questioned everything —| Archibald MacLeish would have the ready answer, silence al] critics of the Administration. ing the mind.” Perhaps some day there will be a permanent peace in the world, but it will not come until all men are animated by the spirit of Lincoln—who acted with malice toward none and charity for all: who

the insight which upeirced the glamour of things and and the fcllies of men and yet could speek and write without bitterness or rancor or malice; who could concede that even | the enemy had its rights and that | justice lay somewhere between the two sides. n ” ”

VIEWS INDIANA AS NEW POLITICAL WAR FRONT By Raymond H. Stone, 531 E. 56th St,

The struggle at the State House between those within and the advancing forces from without the doors is a real melodrama. Deep down at the bottom is a churning of American forces. | The political Western front of | Today

it 1s

1650 was Kansas. Indiana. | The lines are forming for the coming struggle. The repeal of embargo on free circulation of gold and the bringing of salt air to the Great Lakes hy the opening of the deep water route to the Atlantic—these are the axes of the coming struggle.

MY DAILY VISITOR

By OLIVE INEZ DOWNING

Each morn he comes for tidbits laid And jumps upon my balustrade— Then sits and eats in perfect glee, And chatters there in ecstasy On balmy days or mid wind’s roar, He always comes to my front door And often stays for quite a spell, I really know his story well Because he likes the depth of wood, I call this youngster, Robin Hood, For stories of wildlife he will teach, Then scampers back to Crown Hill beech.

DAILY THOUGHT

The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed.—Samuel 26:23,

ON YOU, My Lord, with anxious | fear I wait, and from your judgment must expect my fate.—Addi-

Sqn.

subjects, are |

Moreover, anyone who has come | argument that it

now being used to!

Socrates would be “sabotag-| :

Gen. Johnson Says—

Those Agitating That Government 'Take Over' Plants Having Labor Trouble Take Short-Sighted View

ASHINGTON, April 2—There is considerable agitation in Congress for a law permitting the Government to “take over” any industrial plant in which labor trouble interferes with defense production or which is not producing satisfactorily, The Government, already has authority to ‘take over” any plant which refuses Federal defense orders. Proponents of “taking over” can’t have given the subject much thought. Right off the bat if “taking over” means, as it apparently is intended to mean, seizing private property for public use, there is nothing new about that. It is as old as the law of “eminent domain”—which is very old. The only catch in it is that our Constitution in the Rill of Rights says “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.” Wholesale “taking over” would simply mean that the Federal Government would have to move in to take and pay for great private industries at prices to be determined by the courts. How would be be better off after that performance than we are now? One answer is, “Well, labor in ° those plants would then be working for the Goverriment. It couldn't strike.” The reasoning is that 'it would be going too far to use the power of Government to draft a laborer and make him work against his will for any private employer. That comes close to slavery—“compulsory labor except for Governnient; as punishment for erime.” But the thought hee is that, if the Government itself becomes the owner and employer, it could enforce labor without raising that question,

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HILE most of this country is resentful and impatient about ruthless and unnecessary strikes, and while there has been some talk of “conscripting” labor, there certainly is no great sentiment for com= pulsory labor and, thus far, no necessity for it. There are too many other things less Nazified that should be tried first. If we are going to have the Govern= ment take over industry and force labor, we'd better call in Stalin or Hitler or some other totalitarian exe pert. We haven't any experience along those lines. Another group of “overtakers” reasons from just the reverse angle. It wants to take over to oust pri= vate management with some idea that labor can get: whatever it wants from political management. Still another group simply does noi believe in our system of private enterprise and wants Government to own and operate industry and goose-step labor, It makes one wonder what principles and freedoms we are get« ling ready to fight Hitler to maintain, but that's how 1t is. It is high time for Government to get tough with Jjug-headed obstructors in hoth management and labor but “taking over” plants is the wackiest way that could be imagined to do it.

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OVERNMENT is not manned or equipped to manage factories. The organization of our industry as a result of competition among employers for advancement and among the companies themselves for profits is the best in the world. It could not be replaced by any political system without paralyzing it. It does not follow, however, that because Government is not manned or equipped or empowered to manage factories it is not already equipped to manage the management of factories. Under simple war powers of priorities, price-fixing, commandeering and control of communication and supplies, any industry is at the mercy of Government if 1t does not perform satisfactorily for national defense. If with those powers, Government is too inept to manage management that certainly makes no should or could take over and man-

o

age industry. If any of these proved powers are not clearly encugh stated the laws may need to be clarified but there is no necessity to Stalinize our free capitalist, system. Further legislation to prevent ruthless and unnecessary strikes may also be needed but there is no necessity to Hitlerize our free labor system.

Fditor’s Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. They are not necessarily those of The Indianapolis Times,

ee re ere e——

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

ERE'S another poll, showing that housewives really do not like the slushy radio serials which clutter the airways in the daylight hours.* A good many consider them an insult to feminine intelligence, They have been widely condemned and ridiculed, vet a twist of your dial at almost any hour of the day will bring you some dismal diatribe of domesticity. Not only are these programs boresome but they must be a positive menace to matrimony, be-~ cause the girl or woman who ean listen to half a dozen of the assortea serials now dragging endlessly on must soon conclude that marriage is a desperate and dangerous business. According to these ‘soap operas,” the home is a battleground, and married life a perpetual conflict. Every 15 minutes a new problem arises and the situations are never lightened by the faintest ray of humor or common sense. Why must women at home be subjected to these inanitics? Mainly because men have preconceived ideas of what we like. And also hecause they never think of us as individuals—with different tastes. To most of them we are “just women” to be lumped together, and ilf we fail to react according to their traditional ideas, so much the worse for us. As a matter of fact even the smartest men don’t know much about women—not because we are myster= ious or hard to understand, but only because they don't care to take the trouble to find out what goes on inside our heads and hearts. It's so much easier to assume that our wits are dim and our mentality inferior. Also they have heard we are sentimental and, heedless of the fact that there is a difference between sentiment and slush, they continue to offend good taste and intelligence with these moronic forms of entertainment. If these radio programs really satisfy the minds of a majority of our housewives, what must we think of the mental standards of the American home? And if a majority of homes have fallen to this low intellectual ebb, why go to the expense of defending or preserving them?

Questions and Answers

(The Indianapolis Times Service Bureau will answer any question of fact or information, not involving extensive research. Write your questions clearly, sign name and address, inclose a three-cent postage stamp. Medical or legal advice eannot be given. Address The Times Washington Service Bureau, 1013 Thirteenth St.,, Washington, D. C.).

Q—To how many schools and colleges has the Civilian Pilot Training Program been extended? A—Colleges, 435, and civilian flight schools, 528. Q—What was the date of the bomb explosion in Wall Street in which several persons were killed? A—Sept. 16, 1820. Thirty persons were Killed and 100 injured. Q—Which city was first to participate in the Food Stamp plan? A—Rochester, N. Y., in May, 1939. Now more than 250 towns and cities serving between 2,500,000 and 2,800,000 persons participate in the plan. Q—Was the New York Stock Exchange closed during the banking holiday of 1933? : A—It was closed the entire period of the banking holiday from March 4 to March 15, 1933. Q—Are the “Happiness Boys” of radio, Billy Jones

| and Ernie Hare, living? Were they ever called the

“Interwoven Pair” and “Sisters of the Skillet”? A—Jones and Hare were the “Happiness Boys” and “Interwoven Pair.” Hare died March 9, 1939, and Jones died November 23, 1940. “Sisters of the Skillet”

were Ed East and Ralph Dumke.