Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 July 1941 — Page 10

PAGE 10

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Woy

- SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1941

COLOSSAL—PLUS ECRETARY MORGENTHAT uses the word colossal in referring to the latest layer of billions to be added to the tower already built. Colossal usually classifies as a superlative, but in this situation it’s an understatement, The terribly disheartening thing is that'less and less is being said about saving as the appropriations become more and more astronomical. A what-the-hell state of mind seems to have fixed itself on Congress, Rx® ® = = The fiscal picture is so out of focus that a few mere millions that might be saved here and there are no longer visible. With more asked in a single day than a whole year’s tax program even hopes to raise, the psychology is that it doesn’t make any difference. “What's just a billion, anyway, even if it is saved?” That has become the attitude of the lawmakers. And even Mr. Morgenthau, who a few months ago stressed the need for non-defense curtailment, has ceased emphasizing that theme. The most dangerous defeatism in the nation foday runs to this fiscal problem. The Congressional ostrich has not only its head but its whole neck in the sand. It seems a far cry to that day when Mr. Roosevelt said that many a liberal government has been wrecked on the rocks of a loose fiscal policy, and to that time in May, 1935, when, vetoing the bonus bill, in which two billions were: involved, he warned against the dangers of inflation and of printing-press money. : . In a few short months we have seen our economy switched from over-production to scarcity and the nation go . into a boom. The effect of that non-defense spending should have been tremendous. But what has happened? Instead of saving even a billion, which Mr. Morgenthau once suggested, the non-defense bill now stands 90 millions plus. . If Congress doesn’t wake up, then this country is blown -up—even though our side wins the war. : a : = x = Just as’an example of what’s going on: The Congress at this one session has already appropriated more than the total wealth of 19 of our states and the District of Columbia as follows: Oregon, D. C., South Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Maine, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Arkansas, North Dakota, Mississippi, Idaho, New Hampshire, Utah, Arizona, Yormont, Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, Nevada. Those - appropriations amount’ to about two and a half times the ‘cost of running the Government for the - 20 years from 1890 to 1910. ’ We don’t enjoy this role of Jeremiah, but somebody has to do it, or God save America.

WHEN IT HITS HOME ALL of us have come to take the reports of traffic accidents with a calloused indifference. We read about persons ‘being killed and injured, not by the tens or scores but by the hundreds, without being too concerned. ; But it hits home when persons of prominence become the victims. Like Paul Rhoadarmer, the Indianapolis attorney, who lost his life with his wife in an automobile accident in the South. Like the accident occuring to Mark Hamer near Flint, Mich. And like the tragedy of Arthur E. Rose, the young business executive, at Barberton, O. : When it’s close home it hurts.

DEFENSE, IT’S WONDERFUL OME publicity genius in the Office of Civilian Defense now proposes to have the 57-year-old aluminum cap removed from the 555-foot Washington Monument and contributed to national defense. It will be necegsary, of course, to provide a new cap for - the Washington monument—perhaps of silver or gold, since of these metals this country certainly has no shortage. In any event the whole operation—removing the aluminum cap. and fabricafing and installing a new one in some other, material—probably can-be carried out for a few hundred or, at most, a few thousand dollars. + The aluminum cap is said to weigh 100 ounces, or 61 pounds. Thus it is worth, at current market quotations, somewhat less than $1. 07,

SEX-ANGLING TAXES HE joint-return Federal income-tax proposal was designed to raise revenue—that was the simple objective. But it already is stirring up a moral as well as an economic ruckus. It is being called an assault on the marriage estate; an encouragement either to divorce or to “living in sin” to save the tax; a reversion from woman’s independent status acquired through long years of struggle for suffrage; a penalty’ on the individual initiative of women workers. :The National Woman’s Party .is up in arms, de_claring the proposal to be an effort to make a wife a chattel. Generally: speaking, it has all aspects of that hell which “hath no fury like a woman scorned.” The joint return would make it Siandatory for man and wife to pool their incomes for Federal tax purposes. ’ When both are earning, this would run into bigger surtaxes ‘and a payment otherwise much higher than if each was n a separate-return basis as in the past. Ore of the main reasons for abandonment no, doubt would be fouhd in the fact that the thrifty Congressman, if any, would be hit especially hard; Example: © Thrifty Congressman has $5000 annual income, besides . Wife, through own effort, or by. inheritance or gift, another $5000, | Total $20,000, with Gongressman’s

s Tax ‘on’ 1940 income, '$1540 on separate-return basis. x op‘ 1941 income, separate returns, $3190; on proposed t return, $4356. Total increase, $2818 or 182 percent. 4 of course -that would’ not influence a Oongresman's

ty, 3 cents a copy; deliv-

Fair Enough By Westbrook: Pegler

~ A. F. of L. Should Help U. S. Find Important Witnesses for Bioff Trial New vox, July 13, Mr.~Will Green, President, American Federation of Labor,

you remember what you ‘have always said .about the fearless determination of the American Federation of Labor to repudiate, eliminate and punish cruoks operating under the union banner, don’t you? : Ouly a couple of weeks ago your press agent, Phil

earnings ‘of the working men . Which are passed up to your main “office in Washington, wrote resoundingly about that in a canned editorial for the union publications, He wrote:

ican Federation of Labor can do. And it has done them. Publicly and fearlessly it has condemned union racketeering. It has called on the law enforcement authorities to eradicate it.” Well, it so happens, Mr. Green, that at this very hour the Department of Justice is searching high and low—but mostly in low places, of

J course—for Nick Circella, alias Nick Dean, a

stick-up man, ex-convict, member of the Capone mob

8 = = ing trial in New York of two others of your colleagues, George ‘Browne and Willie Bioff. Browne, who sits with-you in the executive council of the A. F. of L. and in the face of his denunciation as a gangster, was elevated to the post of ‘vice president, is indicted here with .Bioff on a charge of shaking down the employers in the movie business for $550,000 as strike insurance. These two fellow toilers of yours on behalf of the underprivileged are due to.go on trial in August, and Mathias F, Correa, the United States Attorney in New York, needs Circella’s testimony. But when the Marshal’s office in Chicago was instructed to pick up the stick-up, Circella couldn’t be found. There is a warrant out for Circella, but the word from Chicago is “no can find” and “what to do?” This, Mr. Green, should be a great chance for your organization to strut its citizenship, because your membership reaches everywhere. . My suggestion is that you might call on them to turn up the crook in the name of the A. F. of L. so that he can be brought here to testify about the activities of your friend Browne and his verminous personal representative, Bioff. You know, don’t you, Mr. Green, that the record .of your unions, and particularly of the high-salaried officials, in the matter of helping the public authorities enforce the law according to Brother Pearls highly moral demand, has been negligible? 8 8 8 N AKRON, O., when Alva Russell; the local prosecutor, was trying Harry Jones, the degenerate vice president of the Ohio State Federation of Labor and holder of three other powerful official positions, on a charge of dynamiting three buildings, in one of which explosions a mafi was killed, the local A. PF. of L. Council was on record with a demand exactly like Brother Pearl’s pious little wordage. But when Russell finally went to bat against Jones no section or member of the A. F. of L. did a thing to help him. Russell got the conviction alone, and nobody has yet explained how this man with a record of two offenses against children—one a boy of 11, the other

of the Ohio State Federation of Labor of the A. F. of L. And I suppose you know that Meyer L. Lewis, your own official ambassador to the A. F. of L. in California, and J. W. Buzzell, the secretary of the Los Angeles central body of A. F. of L. unions, both sent telegraphic votes. of confidence to Brother Bioff, after it had been shown that he was .a brothel-keeper who lived on the earnings of the women in his place of business. How can people believe you mean it when you call on the public officials to enforce the law if your own organization itself does nothing to help and even goes Sv; of its way to sympathize with the lowest of the ow Suppose you induce your gifted editorialist, Brother Pearl, to dash off an answer to these facts?

Assever, Mr, Green, : WESTBROOK PEGLER.

Business By John T. Flynn

‘Soaking’ Rich Corporations Cuts Sums Going to Profits and Wages

EW YORK, July 12.—We are now getting ground to what might be called the “minor details” of the defense program. One of these; minor details is taxes. Who will pay them, how ani to what extent are questions agitating the minds of statesmen and tax protective committee. The ae q simple truth, however, ‘is that one of the mast aiffcult things in the world is to determine just who it is ‘who pays the taxes. * The Government can plaster a tax on ‘a corporation. The people, of course, like that. Soaking the rich is a favorite sport, and corporations are regarded as the richest of the rich.

In accordance with this sentiment, here is the record of 165 corporations, as surveyed by the American Federation of Investors. I assume the figures are correct. The net income of these companies was split 56-44 between the companies and the Government. That is, out of every $100 of income earned by these 165 corporations, the Government took $56 and the company kept $44. That has all the appearance of coming out of the pockets .of the “wealthy stockholders” of the com-

all wealthy, that assumption is by no means sound. Of course, the stockholders did suffer. The record shows that the Government took the equivalent of $3.92 for each share of common stock. The common stock dividends averaged $1.91.

' ® &® =»

TT would be lovely from the point of view of “soak the rich” doctrine if there were not this other precious little statistic in the statement:

of the total gross earnings of the corporation. The more wages, the less for profits, The more profits, the less for wages. But profits and wages are controllable by the corporation. Taxes are not. One thing is certain—the more the Government. dips in and takes them out for taxes, the less there will be for both profits and wages. Now while the Government took $392 for taxes for each share of common stock, this amounted to an average of $451 for each common stockholder. But in addition to this the corporation contributed in taxes the sum of $735 for each employee. In other words, had there been

more for wages.

to understand ‘that .the

taxes abstract from the ~available furg's

} wages, .and profits,

So They Say—

: Lg BLES go down 1 will Have a Ax. ! oy

another sérved upon us, shame piled upon us unless we

le Sain So Je a {rs people.

and biographer,

Suggesting to Mr. Green That the:

Pearl, who draws his pay .from

“There are ‘things the Amer-

and long-time confidant and ‘partner in crime of old . Blue Jaw himself,

HE IS wanted as a material witness in the impend-

a girl of 12—ever rose to the position of vice president

panies. Bui even assuming that the stockholders are |,

Of ‘course, taxes, like profits and wages, come out |

Do takes THete. would have been $431 more for. dividends and $735 : - Obviously. there must be taxes. But it is an ox] cellent thing for the glockiiudler aud thle wage earter

at amounts which otherwise would ‘be available

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES | Will Somebody: Please Page Gen. Lear, Quick!’

no TOOTS!

ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR

Al our 2 as BL.

di ia FAY

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The Hoosier Forum

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

HAILS RETURN OF ERNIE PYLE’'S COLUMN By OC. Teegarden, East Chicago

again. According to The Times, Martin Dies, surely has been reading up on the Land of the Soviets. It would be no surprise to find he know

It isn’t what the American peo-

that hurts them but what they don’t know, I see L. M. has read the Dean of Canterbury, too. That book is a revelation and I'am finding by other reading that is very truthful, : True, if Hitler wins against the Soviets his Nazi Party will be the wealthiest apd most powerful in the world. Then he will say to America, “Stand aside, keep your nose out of the ‘Eastern Hemisphere or my soldiers will clip you on the button.” Then all of us can join the America First Committee because we will be in it anyway. 8 n = DENIES SAYING ‘WORLD OWES US A L]JVING’ By William M. Taylor, Morgantown Mr. Meitzler seems to enjoy “corkscrewing” the facts in a manner that befuddles only his own mind. I never at any time stated “the world ‘owes us a living.” I did protest the: slanderous. statements Mr. Meitzler wrote in regards to the WPA workers and the old-age assistance pensioners. I stand pat on

that statement, that the majority

of these unfortunates are victims of circumstance. Again ‘I ‘state, the Government issued a budget for a family of four, based upon $2200 per year, which they state is needed for]: proper support. To offer a comparison of one day per year work in comparison to 10 or 11 months work, is of the workings of Mr. Meitzler’s mind. . “ Workers are not looking for gifts, but-a wage that will enable them to be and live like humans. It is true that many have gone bankrupt. That is unfortunate. When banks were closing, with many workers’ life Savings gone, Mr.

Glad to see the Hoosier Vagabond ;

plenty about Marx, Lenin and Sta-|. .|lin’s writings and teachings.

ple know about the Soviet Union

(Times: readers are invited to ‘express their views in these columns, religious controversies: excluded. Make your letters short, so all can have a chance. Letters must be signed.)

I see rio need to cry about Ford.

Mr. Meitzler points him out in pre-

vious’ articles as a saint.’ Why not cry ‘on the shoulder of him in re-

‘gards to the closed shop? I don't

fight the battles for Ford, Meitzler, but for the employees. I have been in business for some time. My business is to help the workers receive a wage that will enable themselves and family to enjoy life. The workers in June

won, a 10¢ per ‘hour increase in pay, with another "week's pay in lieu of vacation, from General Motors, where I also am an employee. Don’t you think we are paying dividends from that $1 per month, Meitzler? There is strength in ortion. . I have never opposed private ownership or our capitalistic form of government. I do oppose excess profits under a false cry of initiative while the workers are in need. The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had means, time, influence and education, but what to do with the things he now has. The C. I. O. is doing things with $1 per month dues and the support of the workers: so,

'Meitzler, you might as well watch

developments. » “ » ; TERMS ICELAND MOVE WISE STRATEGY By E. F. Maddox, 959 W. 28th St. ' “The occupation of Iceland was a wise, strategic move. Now is the time to follow the advice of that wise man who said “in time of peace prepare for war, and safety lies in formidableness.” Speed is essential in this day and in a war of movement the advantage lies with the side which is wise engugh to move into key positions first and get them consolidated. 2 do not favor war, but I do favor

Side Glances = By Galbraith

Meitzler failed to sympathize: . . .

strong, swift and adequate defensive moves into key strategic outposts like Greénland, Iceland, the A.ores, Canaries, Cape Verdes and key strategic posts in Africa and wheret 'r else it is necessary to block air and sea invasion of this Western Hemisphere. We must have strong outposts to guard te sea lanes for our commerce and to insure our hemisphere from attack. 2 8 =» GIVES MR. MEITZLER BEST OF ARGUMENT By Voice inl the Crowd, Indianapolis ‘It seems that Mr. Meitzler has by far the best of the argument. A lot of people do not like the way Mr. Meitzler wades into his subject, but. if you.fhink that he is not on solid ground you are just certain to be wrong. Mr, Meitzler’s contention that you could not pay a seasonal worker|: $2200, if he worked only one day a year stretches the point to establish the principle, and he is right

about . it.

His challenge to the. ‘unions to engage in an enterprise for greater profits is a real challenge, and it would "be a.grand thing for the country and for the American workmen if that challenge was met. Many workmen who believe ‘that in our competitive economy “labor” can be “exploited” ‘would be enlightened and surprised. ; They would find that the enterprise would have to have a head and a supervisory personnel, all of

the rest would have to work as they now do, and if they could have the same income as they now re-

* Jceive the plant would be successful.

The next thing that would happen | would be distrust on the ‘part of the rank and file and’ no union would dare to risk the result. Mr. Taylor's list of life's comforts that workmen should enjoy is perfectly. reasonable, but they can only be acquired by thrift, There are not enough of these comforts to go around because goods cannot, nor ever will be produced until someone has saved the money or established the credit with which to buy them. Higher wages without a higher unit production will not change the picture because it only lowers the value gt the dollar. The recent wag vantage is being rapidly ne living costs. Then what? More wages—higher living costs—higher defense costs — greater deficits — higher taxes—and Shes for the folk with the fixed incomes? If we are ever A to have anything again, we are going to have to trust each other more and work harder and with more intelligence than we have ever used before, otherwise our living standards are going to sink to much lower levels.

THE ORGAN OF JULY By MARY P. DENNY There is an organ of the universe That plays forevermore in The tones of ‘day and night. The glory of the sunrise bright That rises far through light A glorious harmony in flight. And they ;who tune their ear uato the day

The songs of sky and sea and land. DS deep harmonies of the uni-

out by higher}

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1841

|Gen. Johnson Says—

Taking a Slam at Churchill for Criticizing Wheeler and Also at Willkie for His Recent Remarks

YASHINGTON, July 12—If there is anything more ‘impudent and arrogant that 3ritish Prime Minister Churchill's complaint about U. 8 Senator Wheeler's comment on the occupation of Iceland, it is Mr. Wendell Willkie’s smug assurance that what he calls the “peepul of Ammurrica” want President Roosevelt to lead and ios driiul them to such steps as the - tion of bases in Ireland -which would surely on => at once a shoo war: in rope Shicoting of those who do not agree isolationists™) traders of 1061. Such things are shocking 0 all who want us to prepare ves Le at any: cost for total defense and, to that end and that end. Slane, aid Britain to stand oy the Atlansie but ho do 0 nok want us to impair that purpose by engag - seas wars elsewhere to preserve the British Empire, It is very doubtful whether such utterances even Help to aid Britain. There is no question among a xaajority of pro fessional observers that the bulk of out do nos want President Roosevelt, or any “lead” them, against their will, to as seems to be in Mr. Willkie’s mind

.to be there when he asked for their votes,

f J » ” Ya T IS ALSO questionable whether he speaks for any great group of them. He: once did seem to speak for about 23 millions when he was singing a different tune which he since has said was just “campaign oratory.” He fooled em once and while people may like to be fooled they don’t like to be told about it so cynically. Mr. Willkie is by way of being & man without a party or a following—and he could have been President! A great many Americans—apparently a majority— agree with Senator Wheeler. This column doesn’t al together. It was warning against the present catastrophe and preaching rearmament years ago when he wasn’t. But Mr. Wheeler is a member of a Constitutio body—the Senate—which has a. power coordinate with that of the President in approving international agreements such as the one by which we occupied Iceland, and co-ordinate also with that of the President and the House of Representatives in declaring war. + If he doesn’t agree with the President's policy, #% doesn’t lie in the mouth of Mr. Churchill to begin operations and it certainly seem inappropriate for the /White House to admonish him at any British suggestion. Who's running our part in this emergency anyway—Mr. Churchill, Mr. Willkie or the democracy of America headed by Mr. Roosevelt? True, this British smearing was under guise¢ of a charge that Senator Wheeler's conjecture about the American occupation of ‘Iceland endangered British. lives. It is hard to make that “add up” with Mr. Churchill's assertion in Parliament that the British are. to stay there and that Americans are to reinforce them. ) A . ® ». HE AMERICANS have not arrived in force. As Senator Wheeler remarks, the - President's broadcast to the world that the “Yanks are coming” to Iceland was the only endangering, if any—and thas was to American and not British lives. It seems to boil“down to a conclusion that anybody who debated our progress toward fighting a war in Europe is going to be ganged up on by both the British and American Governments regardless of the .will of the American people. Simultaneously, two foremost figures in the British army, Wavell and Auchinleck, who do not speak thus without Government approval, tell us that we've got to send a vast new A. E. F. to fight on the continent of Europe. That is not what the President and Mr, Churchill told us when they got the Lease-Lend Bill passed. It is the reverse of what they told us. If they had told us that there wouldn't have been any Lend-Lease bill. Many questions are posed by all these events. How -are we going to establish bases in Ireland when the Irish are neutral—fight the Irish, too? Where does Mr. Willkie get his figures of 10 to 15 per cent sinkings of lease-lend materials? How does that fit in with a statement in Parliament the same day and news dis patches earlier that a great deal of that equipment lies, for one reason or another, uncrated in British docks and warehouses? If we are headed for an exe peditionary- force and overseas war, why can’t the fact and the reasons therefor be plainly stated to our people ,

A Woman’ s Viewpoint

By Mrs. Walter Ferguson \

T is earnestly hoped that women’s plans for national defense include the study of post-war aims. The world is in’ flames today because our vision. after 1919 was so poor that we failed to see that our duty to democracy did not end with the fighting. Nor will it this time, If we go into I 's maelstrom, liberty will still not be saved unless the. Interventionists remain as ardent in building » decent peace as they are in want.ing to wage wan Likewise, the Isolationists wil! kill their cause and lose the sympathy of many who. are with them now if they stand pat later refus« ing to participate in the making of a new world which will emerge after the battles are ovef,. Bl I feel that less emipasis on unie forms and regimentation for wome en, and more serious study of the problems which will confront us after the war, would strengthen both femininity and freedom Se 4 the earth, What we do now counts for a great deal, but what we think about the future may count Jor or more. Democracy is something that must be PROVED as well as defended. It may be Powegied with guns, but it can never be- A th them. Its strength Somes fyoud the. sagsifices Py e rich and thé deve tion of the poor. ee i qualities, freely given during times of peace, can make it powerful times of wir." And surely we ought to know that the democratio way of life begins at home. A quiet voiced Canadian woman attending the conference of social agencies, pointed the way for us when she said* “The best dontribution the housewife can make now it to do, well and as calmly as possible, her everyday job.” Chil 's nerves, the morale of civilians, are actually in ‘our keeping. Isn't that the task we should prepare to meet? Not with flurry nor with fury must we labor, for only by holding fast to our faith; only by praying for vision to meet the responsibilities of shapIg 8 future world, can we. become Sh aort-oF Women that America and the other democracies need. — % Batters Noter The views Sewspaper are their own. Php he fate of The Inaianapolis Times, ‘ : +

Questions and Answers

(Toe Infiumtonts Times tevin sen wi saowi say

, Who ware th allot 45d. short Pred

of the United States?