Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 May 1941 — Page 22

FRIDAY, MAY 2, 194]

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The Indianapolis Times

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Hoosier Vagabond

FT. BLISS, Texas, May 2-1 went through the Army reception center with boys from East Texas on their first day in the Army There were four white boys, and six Negroes, All the officers were astounded when one of the white boys put down his birth $f place as Germany, and his nearest of Kin as a sister in London. His name was Henry D. Heckscher His mother is still in Hamburg, and h~» has not heard from her for some time, He and his sister left Germany in 1937 and lived in London two years, He came to America only two years ago. He has only his first papers He left Germany partly to escape military conscription, and over here he ran smack into it. But he y didn't seem to be feeling badly about that, His English was good, and he seemed eager to understand and get everything right. He was given quite a thorough interview, amd was classified as capable of typing and bookkeeping. His life in the Army will be spent at a desk. One of the boys was a farmer, and two of them were salesmen for Remington-Rand at Beaumont All four were glad to be coming into the Army; they seemed to me thoroughly sincere in their remarks that, whatever was necessary to defend the country, they were ready to do their share. ey were all four a little nervous on their first jay, and fearful they would do the wrong thing. But utside of that, they didn’t do or say anything that would especially lend itsell to a newspaper column

Picking a Birthday

I liked the white boys, but I really Negroes more. With one exception they who had never had mueh of a chance I sat in with two of them while they hrough the interview about their past purpose was to determine what work in them best two had no idea where par. Mits were born: they had no {dea how long they had gone to school. One of them kept his finger in his left ear, and every time the non-com would ask him A question he would roll his head and roll his eves as though he were sick, and gouge his ear. He didn't know any of the answers The other was the alert kind, who sat up and looked the questioner keenly in the eve, and gave quick answers without understanding the questions He said for the last six years he had worked in a cathay.” I thought I had misunderstood him the first time, but it came out half a dozen times more

enjoyed the were boys

were going fabs I'he the Army would suit

Well, sir, these thei)

Inside Indianapolis (And “Our Town’)

THAT OLD STORM over the practices of the proPolice Headquarters will be back in the news again very soon. There are rumors floating around that some new regulations are being The honeymoon cottage at the State Fairgrounds is unoccupied and will stay that way, says Lieut, Go Dawson, until somebody decides to pay rent for it , + Leroy Keach president of thie Safety Board, left suddenly and hurriedly for Wash ington yesterday, but the reason for the trip was not disclosed at City Hall The Joseph M Howards have just bought a new liome out on the North Side (49th St). . .. “Look for something besides good looks the next time you get married,” Circuit Judge Earl Cox's terse advice to a young di- . The business of stamp collect

fa Tal . se « fessional bondsmen at

considered

voreee never reach a stalemate so long as enthusiSims, news vendor at Meridian and follow the hobby. The maiden trip of streamliner, the “James Whitcomb Riley’ was a major philatelic project for Mr, Sims. He wrote a letter to himself, jumped aboard the streamlines hurriedly got some important autographs on it and t in the hands of a dazed railroad official. The letter went to Chicago. back to Cincinnati and back through the mails to Philatelist Sims, a new prize for

Bie allume

Washington

WASHINGTON, May 2—It does not seem to me that President Roosevelt is being frank enough with the public regarding the Atlantic patrol. He is withholding completely information as to the use to whieh he is putting the Navy. This is a question of gravest importance to the country and one in which Congress is manifesting an intense and entirely legitimate interest. I don't want to be listed among those carping critics who never lot up in their search of something to criticize. I saw President Roosevelt at his regular press conference this week and the weight of his burden is plainly written on his face, I have never seen him more drawn and his color was that fatigue gray which comes from long hours of close work and strain. Mr. Roosevelt is dealing with a vast amount of secret information and his decisions necessarily often are based upon facts which cannot be publicly Known. ften the decisions, for very good reasons, must be secret. But here is a question of broad policy, which is tangled up with the issue of whether we fight or not— the question of where our Navy is operating.

The La Guardia Statement

President Roosevelt says he is free to send the Navy anywhere he wiches, into the combat Zone or any other place, for the defense of the United States. That is not in question legally. Yet the public would seem to be entitled to some information on such 4 basic matter. A week ago the President said the neutrality patrol was being extended to wherever it was deemed necessary That Information, if it could be called such. was his response to the questions of newspaper correspondents about the St. George's Day statement made in Canada by Mayor La Guardia of New York who

My Day

ON THE TRAIN FROM EUGENE TO PORTLAND, Ore. —Yesterday began well because our friend of the Southern Pacific Lines, Mr. Latnrop, invited us to breakfast with him on the train. Our plane was

a little late, but we enjoyed the trip. We flew for a time over white covered moun- ! N i tains and saw beautiful mountain i !

ing need asts like G H Maryland Sts

he New

peaks emerge around us from their enveloping clouds. \ SS) In Medford, Ore, the Twenty- : . A Thirty Club presented me with a ) box of preserved salad pears, all of very beautiful colors. but a little difficult to carry under one's arm. I hope, therefore, that my dsughter will let us eat them while we are with her. The drive from Portland to Eugene was very lovely and reminded me of the country back of the Hudson River. The dean of the University of Oregon, Mr. Carl Onthank, his wife and daughter, Canie to meet us and were most kind and thoughtful , Ienjoved the evening at the university, as I always When I have an opportuhity of being with young cople. It was the students’ evening, and so My. GleeOn Payne, the student body president, introduced me.

By Ernie Pyle

and I had understood rightlv--he washed dishes and cleaned chickens and peeled vegetables in a “cathay.” “It was like this you see. My folks they couldn't remember when I was born, and so when we had to put something down on this paper, they just guessed at ft. They thought that would be a good day to put down.” ‘ The interviewer then asked him if he played any musical instrument, And after long hesitation and deep thought, he sald: “No, sir, I don't, I tell you, sir, I used to make music on the French harp, but that was a long time ago, and I don't make no more music nowadays. No, sir, nothin® at all” But the prize of the lot was the one who registered as 35 vears old, and then discovered that he was ae. tually 38 which of course puts him outside of draft age,

New Army Is Different

But when you get something started in the Army it takes a long time to get it stopped. So here he was, being relentlessly “processed” into a soldier, The officers said the whole thing would be checked over with his local draft board, and if it could be verified that he was actually 38 vears old, he would be discharged. Most of the colored boys are sent to Ft. Huachuea, in Arizona, a Negro post. Most of them like to be in the Army. They like to wear uniforms. They make good soldiers, This Reception Center at Ft. Bliss is run by 40 officers and 200 enlisted men, Every officer, except the commanding colonel, is a reserve in from civilian life Chey all seemed to me to be going about their fobs the same as they would on some big new private enterprise which they were trying hard to fut over successfully, Their attitude toward the newcomers seemed kind and understanding. Everywhere, people tell me the new Army isn't treated like the old Army, and I'm beginning to believe il It is a very definite policy at this Reception Center to treat the newcomers like human beings. ‘They break them into drill gradually, ‘The food is excellent. Officers talk to the homesick ones, There aren't any tough top sergeants kicking recruits around. The Army is eager for all these thousands of selectees to like military life, and especially for them to write that fact home to their folks. Because, you see, we've got conscription without actually being at war, which is something new in our democracy, and the mothers of all these boys have got to be convinced that their sons are well treated. I've sort of got the impression that the Army is sitting up nights thinking of ways to keep the mothAmerica contented.

ers of

Where There's Smoke—

HIZZONER THE MAYOR took himself a roundtrip airplane flight to Detroit yesterday on the maiden flight of a new line, Hizzoner, who was injured in a plane crash a few years ago, showed not the slightest concern over anything exeept smoke, When the plane took off, he pointed triumphantly to Indianapolis below,

“See,” he said, "the smoke is coming from only three places And over every town they passed, the Mayor soberIv inspected the smoke situation. We don't know what, if anvthing about it

Why, Mr. Hinkle!

I'HE ALERT BUTLER COLLEGIAN, the campus newspaper, asks the question of the week: “Does our worthy mentor, Tony Hinkle, work so hard all week that when he cuts dandelions on Sunday it's necessary for him to lie on the ground while the Missus pushes the lawn mower?” . . The Optimist Bowling League has just elected new officers listed as follows: “Silent Bob” Darnaby Jr, president: “Slow Hook" Kirschner, vice president: “Poodle” MeMillen, secretary, and Splits” MeLear, treasurer, . . . Prosecutor Sherwood Blue is vacationing in Morida. . . . The volunteer “minute men” who go out fighting those forest fires in the State get 15 cents an hour for their work. . . . One of the Central Ave busses blew a tire yesterday morning and a few of the women riding must have thought a bomb had landed. They let out piercing screams, In case you're interested in what happens when that happens to a bus, the passengers just pileg out and caught the next bus

By Raymond Clapper

had seen President Roosevelt immediately before. Malor La Guardia, who is a member of the U, S.Canadian Joint Defense Commission, stated that the neutraltiy patrol was being extended out about 1000 miles off the Canadian and United States coasts in both directions About the same time, some newspaper correspondents here learned upon confidential but reliable authority that the patrol would extend about half way out in the Atlantic, taking in Greenland but falling Just short of the Azores. This week Admiral Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, said in a speech that the patrol was operating 3000 miles out and later said that he should have said 2000 miles out Some of the British have the idea that the patrol extends out about half way across.

It Doesn't Make Sense

Yet after all of this, the Associated Press is informed by what it considers reliable sources that it would be nd surprise if the United States Navy were Not operating in portions of the area included in Germanys blockade zone east of Greenland, a major danger area Such is the jumble of information or misinformas tion here, all from reliable official sources which should know what they are talking about. Nobody can make any sense out of it. There may be a political argument for secrecy now but it is difficult to believe that there are good military reasons for it. Admiral Stark and Mayor La Guardia are not in the habit of blabbing out military secrets which would be helpful to “people that don't like us” as the Axis is now referred to by some here. It might net be a bad idea to have the Germans Know how far east we are operating. Give them a chance to fall back out of the way, Political reasons for secrecy seem equally weak. President Roosevelt probably is nervous over anticonvoy sentiment in Congress. But it seems to me he would be in a strong position to command public support for what he is doing if the public knew what he was doing.

he decided

By Eleanor Roosevelt

A fine looking boy, and from what the dean told me about him, I felt that the future could hold few insurmountable obstacles for him because he has already met and conquered so many. There was a short reception after the lecture period. I had an opportunity to discuss various things, including my ow article in the Ladies’ Home Journal. with a group of the girls sitting in front of one of the big fireplaces, where tremendous logs burn. This morning we left the hotel rather early and went to visit NYA resident centers. The boys’ center is being built largely by the boys themselves, and many of them were at work under excellent foremen. They have a fine vocational school in Eugene funetioning in co-operation with the program which Dr. John Studebaker, head of the Federal Bureau of Education, has sponsored. Here boys and girls on NYA, people on WPA, and students, are obtaining re-train-ing. The school runs 24 hours a day and every department is run the way a business or shop would actually function. We stopped at a girls’ resident NYA house, where everyone seemed happy. It is similar to many others throughout the country and also has a sewing project. Our train was 10 minutes late and we were glad to have even these few minutes, which made it pos-

sible for US to see a little bit more before leavi Eugene. Now we are on our way back to Portland.

Gives Up Command of 38th After 44 Years as Fighter

By LOWELL B. NUSSBAUM “FIGHTING BOB" TYNDALL is coming home today to take up civilian life after a distinguished 44-year career

in Unele Sam's fighting forces.

At midnight last night, the man who enlisted as a boy of 20 in the famous old Battery A and worked up the hard way from private to major general, formally relinquished

of his beloved of National Camp

command 38th Division Guard troops at Shelby. The General's homecoming is a bit reluctant. To put it bluntly, he “hates it like the devil.” But Army rules are Army rules, and when you reach your 64th birthday, you're out. The General will celebrate his 64th birthday at a family dinner tonight. To his troops, he's been known for years as “the Old Man,” but that nickname is more a mark of affection than an indication of age, The General's too active both mentally and physically to think of settling down to a life of ease. After he hangs up his spic and span uniforms in a third-floor closet at his home, already packed with uniforms dating clear back to Spanish-American War days, he'll probably spend a few days putter ing around his two farms, admiring the spring crop of pigs and lambs, and then start looking for something to keep him busy.

Busy All His Life

He's been pretty busy all his life. You hardly can mention an oceupation he 1asn't had some experience with in his lifetime. Quitting school after the fifth grade, hs worked as a grocery clerk, grozery owner, milkman, in the machine manufacturing business and for the Model Clothing Co. and the Wm. H. Block Co.— all before he joined the Guard at the age of 20. In later years, between active military duties, he was in several other businesses, including merchandise brokerage, flour milling, tailoring, banking and Florida and East Coast real estate development, to mention just a few. He was the American Legion's nae tional treasurer from 1919 to 1027. His first active military service was as a private with Battery A in the Spanish-American War, The outfit was sent to Puerto Rico where he encountered one of the biggest disappointments of his ca reer. The battery was all lined up and ready to fire its first shot when a man came riding down between the lines, carrying a white flag. The war was over. Back in the States, he continued in Battery A and won successive promotions over a period of years —gcorporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain. He served on the Mexican border in 1916 as a major, was promoted to colonel before the Guard troops were sent overseas in World War I.

In Great Battles

IN FRANCE, his 150th Field Artillery regiment distinguished itself as a part of the world famous 42d (Rainbow) Division. The “Old Man” and his boys fought gallantly in the great battles of Baccarat, Champagne, Aisne Marne, St. Mihiel and MeuseArgonne. The Colonel's car, a battered old Dodge in which he traveled 17.000 miles, mostly over Unpaved roads, was struck twice by shrap-

nel. The troops that served under

him in France recall him as exceedingly calm under fire, As an example, John M. Caylor, Indianapolis attorney who served as a corporal in the 150th, tells of an incident that occurred while the regiment was engaged in trench warfare in open flat country. Corporal Caylor had been assigned to carry a message by bicycle. “Instead of riding,” he said, “I was carrying my bicycle on my shoulder through the winding trenches, out of reach of enemy marksmen. Suddenly, I heard my name called. I looked up and there outside the trench were Col. Tyndall, Gen. Henri Gouraud of the French Army and several other officers. “ ‘Why don't you come up here where it's easier to ride?’ chuckled the colonel.” On another occasion, when some of the troops were seeing their first aerial dog fight, Col. Tyndall was among the spectators. Occasionally, stray bursts of machine gun bullets from the dueling planes would kick up the dust in the encampment, and several soldiers made a dive for their tents,

Wins Croix de Guerre

“YOU MIGHT as well come on out here and enjoy the show,” the Colonel shouted after them. “That canvas won't shed bullets.” For his overseas service, he won the French Croix de Guerre with two palms, and the Distinguished Service Medal of the United States. After the Armistice, Gen. Gouraud, who commanded the Fourth Army of which the 150th was a part, personally conferred

nn ———————

neal sre ao EEE ODE ED PEOUON a ia xt

EL NU

d. Private Tyndall's first job was as a mule driver.

Park, Ga., May, 1898,

He holds the reins

2. Maj. Tyndall, a battalion commander, uses a pile of blankets as a seaf, checks

at Ft. Harrison before entraining for the Mexican border, June 19, 1916.

3. As major general and division commander in field uniform during recent maneuvers. 4. As Col. Tyndall of the famous 150th F. A, taken in front of a hospital in Germany during the World

War.

He later spent six weeks in the hospital as a pneumonia patient.

5. Col. Tyndall marching ahead of his regiment around the Circle during the homecoming parade here

May 7, 1918,

on him the decoration of the Legion of Honor, Commander, one of the highest military awards bestowed by France. Back home again, Col. Tyndall continued active in the Guard, meanwhile accepting a position in 1919 as vice president of the Fletcher American National Bank. He resigned in 1925 to become vice president and treasurer of the Carl G. Fisher Co. of Miami Beach, Fla, and other Fisher development firms.

HOLD EVERYTHING

His commission as a brigadier general in the Officers Reserve corps came in 1022, In 1924 he became the youngest major generai in the U. S. Army, as well as one of the very few ever to attain that high rank without West Point training. All his life—from early childhood—the General has been a horse lover. He not only enjoys owning and riding fine horses, but he's no slouch when it come to free hand sketching a horse's head. He's prétty handy with the drawing pencil and crayon. It was his love of horses, in part, that prompted him to enlist in Battery A. At that time, nearly everybody in the Army, at least in the Artillery, rode horses. An expert horseman, he used to lead his officers a merry chase, cantering many miles a day dure ing training maneuvers.

Strict Disciplinarian

Through most of his military career he played polo. During the Battalion’s hitch on the Mexican border, the battalion team includ-

ed “The Old Man,” then a major; First Lieuts. Marlin A. Prather and Sidney S. Miller and Second Lieut. Daniel I. Glossbrenner. They had some lively tilts with teams from the other units. The entire quartet remained together in France, Prather as a major, Miller as captain of Battery A, and Glossbrenner as regimental adjutant, The 160th’s field and staff oficers overseas included Major Guy A. Wainwright, Major Solon J. Carter, Major Prather, Capt. Glossbrenner, Capt. Mark Albert Dawson and Capt. Frank Ww, Buschmann. The company commanders included Capt. Paul W. Fechtman, Supply Co.; Capt. Edwin G. Hoffman, Headquarters; Capt. Miller, Battery A; Capt. Clair H. Scott, Battery B; Capt. William F. Tay-

lor, Battery C; Capt. Carl Bloom, Battery D; Capt. Frank F. Kelley, Battery E, and Capt. Kenneth P, Williams, Battery F. Among the General's World War troops who went to Camp Shelby with him were Capt. Williams, now a colonel, and Lieut. Col, Garrett Olds, who was a corporal during the war, The General is known as a strict ~<but never harsh—disciplinarian and he always had the complete confidence and respect of his troops. One of his proudest recollections is that the War Department considers his 38th Division the best trained National Guard division in the country. Some months ago, it was chosen for a series of pictures in Life magazine.

Last summer, Gen. Tyndall was talking with his old friend, Gen. George Marshall, now chief of staff of the United States Army. “General,” he said, “I'll bet you I have a staff at least the equal of that of any regular army divie sion.” “You don't have to tell me: I know you have,” Gen. Marshall admitted.

Commanded Camp

PROBABLY BECAUSE of this, when the 38th Division, boosted to full war strength of 18,000 men and officers, was sent to Camp Shelby several months ago, Gen. Tyndall was given the added responsibility as commander of the entire camp with its 50,000 men. Last Saturday the General, still looking every inch the soldier, took his final review of the division he loved so well. For the last several days hes been saying goodbye to his buddies at a round of regimental dinners, But all the sad farewells are over now and today “Fighting Bob” Tyndall, the citizen-soldier, comes home to become just a citi zen again for the first time in 44 years.