Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 August 1941 — Page 12

PAGE 12

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1941

OFF THE DEEP END

OHN T. FLYNN, beside himself with anguish at lendlease, Roosevelt-Churchill, and the state of the Union in general, has finally surrendered to complete economic defeatism. : “When all these incomprehensible outlays are swelling the stream of national income and pushing prices up and piling on the national debt to the tune of countless billions,” he asks, “what sense is there in talking about cutting out a few hundred millions from Government peacetime activities? The effect of these cuts against the final result will be so insignificant that they are not worth wasting breath on. The effect of adding a billion or two in taxes in order

to restrain an inflationary tide that runs into scores of |

| was convicted of shooting two fellow members of the . . ‘ : : : { union, and the fact that the two victims later withAt the risk of being called irrational by this very vocal |

billions is too silly for rational men to talk about.”

Jeremiah, we want to go on record as believing that the saving of a few hundred millions—or even a few hundred thousands—is just as important as ever. And that the laying on of more taxes is also no less urgent than before. Inflation can be averted. It will not be averted if such sentiments as Mr. Flynn's infect Congress and the country generally. In that connection it is a pleasure to read, in the report of a special House subcommittee which has been investigating excessive costs in Army camp construction, that— “It may safely be said that many millions of dollars will be saved in the future” through correction by the War Department of various mistakes and abuses already revealed. “The War Deparment,” says the committee, “has discovered many of the mistakes and corrected them; in matters called to its attention by the committee it has been diligent in taking remedial action.” The committee, and Maj. Gen. Somervell of the Quartermaster General's Office, are entitled to congratula- _ tions for their vigilance in the interest of economy, which is a matter few taxpayers will regard as “silly.”

CASEY—AGAIN—AT THE BAT

ESTERDAY was the 63d birthday of one of the most interesting leaders in the history of our times. He is Manuel Quezon—nicknained “Casey.” The occasion was featured by an exchange of radio courtesies between him and Vice President Wallace.

Quezon has just been nominated once more for the |

Presidency of the Philippine Commonwealth. The Manila | : | do with the invitation. ’ ny ways— relates to ceremony was dramatic in man ays—as it | file union people convince me that they don’t sound | Off in meetings, and that few of them would be reck-

| less enough to insist that a stranger be invited in for

the vital position of the Philippines in the Japanese crisis, as the islands thereby relate to the whole world war situation, and as to Quezon personally. His strength is of the spirit, not the body. he has fought tuberculosis. Accepting the renomination, he dressed the assembly. He frequently was interrupted, the dispatches tell, by a racking cough. That might be alarming to his vast number of friends if it were not for the fact that he has proved throughout so many years that, after all, he has this particular enemy always under control. Not so long after he fought with Aguinaldo and then came into prominence and power the plague hit him. As a lawyer, then as a member of the Philippine assembly, then as president of the Senate and Resident Commissioner to the U. S., health has always been personal problem Number One with him, amidst the host of professional problems that continually crowd in. Never has there been a braver battle.

For years

sat while he ad-

n 2 ” ” \ Over the years of his public service, Philippine independence has been the issue. An egg-walking job for Quezon, answering as he had to the urge of his people to be free and at the same time the practicalities of not assuming independence too soon. The story of the Philippine schoolboy’s essay on the cow symbolizes the overshadowing nature of. the independence issue. “A cow,” wrote the boy, “is an animal with four legs, one on each corner; which has horns and gives milk. But as for me, give me independence.” Now for the first time independence is submerged. War has so decreed. So Quezon says: “Independence is no longer in the hands of the Filipinos. It is in the hands of God. It is not being discussed in legislative chambers. 1t is being debated in the Atlantic—on the fields of Russia —in the munitions factories—by bombs. “If democracies win we may enjoy independence. If only big nations survive and small countries are left at their mercy, Filipinos might as well bid goodby to independence.” So this brave little man carries on—in a hot spot if there ever was one, hotter even than Singapore, and more important. He eloquently restates his loyalty to the form of government to which he, as much as any citizen in the whole vast mainland of the U. S. A. deeply feels his

allegiance.

u

SUGGESTION TO MR. ICKES

LL the while Interior Secretary-0Oil Administrator Ickes has been plugging for conservation of gasoline, there apparently has been no letup in the ballyhoo for visits to the national parks, which are in his domain. That seems a little strange inasmuch as most of the people who are lured to the parks must travel to and from in gas-consuming motor vehicles. Despite his multitudinous duties, Mr. Ickes seems to have plenty of spare time on his hands, and so we suggest that he take on another job and title—that of Liaison Officer to co-ordinate the Ickes administration of the Interior Department and the Ickes administration of oil conservation. And in the blurbs which he sends out extolling the scenery and fishing of Yosemite and Yellowstone, let him insert an admonition to the vacationers to travel thither and thence by bicycle.

By Westbrook Pegler

Some Reasons Why He Declines Bid to Electricians’ Meeting to Explain 'References’ About Leader.

NEV YORK, Aug. 20.—Last week I was honored IN with an invitation from Jere P. Sullivan, the recording secretary of Local No. 3 of the Electrical Workers of the A. F. of L., to attend a meeting of this organization which recently tied up all electrical construction work in New York, including war jobs at the Navy Yard, in an attempt to compel one employer to obey its will in violation of his agreement with another union. Mr. Sullivan said the members were anxious to find out “if there is any truth in what you say in your recent reference to Harry Van Arsdale Jr. business manager of Local No. 3.” I doubt that Mr. Sullivan was speaking for the members and suspect that he spoke for the union bosses, instead, but, in any case, the answer is that if I haven't proved on paper my “recent references” to Mr. Van Arsdale, I couldn't prove them any more convincingly in a packed meeting I said that Van Arsdale was now under conviction and sentence for rioting against the public peace and the authority of the established government in New York, and nothing I might say on a platform could be as effective as the official court records. Local No. 3 has plenty of lawyers, and any one of these officers of the court may find proof of the truth of that “recent reference” in unquestionable legal form. n s =

ALSO referred to the time that Van Arsdale was sentenced to Sing Sing after a trial in which he

drew their complaints, following the payment to them of $15,000 out of the union treasury which belonged to the workers, not to Van Arsdale. They said the money was by way of compensation for their injuries and was not a bribe or inducement to persuade them to forget their complaint against Van Arsdale, and the judge accepted this explanation and let Van Arsdale go. This, too, can be confirmed in the records of the New York courts, which is where I got the information, and anyone who wants to dig further in the interests of enlightenment can discover that one witness to the shooting by name, at that time, Adelbert Letscher, was sprayed in the face with acid a few hours after he had appeared in the magistrate’s court, where he gave testimony. Adelbert Letscher later testified again regarding the acid throwing as a State witness in the trial of Van Arsdale for shooting the two men. I say this brother's name was Adelbert Letscher “at that time,” because he is now known as Albert Litscher, and w as booked under this name when arrested in a strike disorder of the same union a few months ago. Like the two men who got $15,000 of the worker's money to heal wounds which obviously were not inflicted by the whole membership, nor in their name, nor with their consent or approval, Litscher, formerly Letscher, ain't mad at Harry Van Arsdale no more,

n = n I SAID that in the trial of Van Arsdale on a charge of shooting the two men, one of them, by name Sorenson, was asked a question regarding another brother named Harry Godell. Sorenson said Godell helped him up, after he fell wounded, and the prosecutor then asked, “is he dead or alive?” “He is dead,” brother Sorenson replied. “He was murdered right afterward.” which is a fact that the membership of Local No. 3 can verify in the homicide records of Bronx County, as I did. Unidentified men waylaid him on a dark street at night and shot him dead, and the murder has never been solved. And the fact also remains that Godell was murdered less than one month after Van Arsdale’s indictment and before the trial at which he would have been a witness, had he lived. I am glad to give Mr. Sullivan these citations, and will give him chapter and verse if he insists, but I Just don’t believe the membership had anything to My letters from rank and

the purpose of giving them proof of “references” concerning the union's boss.

Business By John T. Flynn

Treasury Again Urges the Unfair Increase in Social Security Taxes

EW YORK, Aug. 20.—Henry Morgenthau is again playing with the proposal to increase the rate of the so-called social security tax. In other words. he is toying with the idea of charging the working people of this country a higher fee for their old-age benefits and their unemployment insurance protection. The reason for this is not to provide more social security or because the Government is not already collecting sufficient funds for the present social security. It is adding to the cost of the workman's social security in order to use the money for other government activities.

In promoting this scheme the |

Treasury gives out the information that it merely wishes to restore the social security rate to its original figure. Two years ago, we are told, the rate was reduced at the request of the Secretary of the Treasury because of the recession. Now the Secretary would like to have it restored. But this explanation is without a shred of truth. The original rates were based on a plan to establish | a 47-billion-dollar reserve. completely debunked by every expert in the field of social security and insurance. A movement to abolish this reserve and therefore to abolish the high rates which were charged to create it was begun hy the American Association for Social Security, The whole matter was threshed out before the Ways and Means Committee of the House.

a n a

BOLITION of the reserve and the high rates were A opposed by a well-known economist who appeared there for the Treasury Department. He made the amazing argument that the rates for social security ought not to be reduced as the Government needed the money for armaments. The Ways and Means Committee was pretty well convinced that the rates were indefensible. And the Secretary of the Treasury then informed the committee that the Government would agree to the reduction. And as a matter of fact the Secretary or the President made a statement to the effect that the origina] rates were a mistake. Now the. Treasury is trying to create the impression that the rates were reduced for a different reason —because the Government wanted to be nice to the workers and cut the cost of social security because of the recession. The Government is engaged in a vast program of arming Britain and America. This has to be paid for. The Government ought to impose taxes to pay for this. But to increase the cost of social security to the workers and then use that increased cost to pay these armament bills is as completely indefensible a tax policy as the human mind can fabricate. A Government pressed for cash, of course, must pile on the sacrifices. But there is such a thing as plain morality in taxation as there is in everything else.

So They Say—

I LOOK TO the day when we shall go forward hand in hand to build a better, a kinder and a happier world for our children.—Queen Elizabeth of Britain, » - * TODAY IT HAS become clear that Hitler was playing a perfidious game.—Fritz Thyssen, German industrialist and “angel” of the early National Socialist movement. $ * *

THE REAL problem is winning the ce.—Wendell Willkie, Pes

This fantastic notion was |

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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.

URGES MORE ATTENTION FOR PUBLIC RESULTS By Willis M. Rexford, 2107 N. Delaware St. While I was doing some contemplative thinking this morning, it occurred to me that many of the ideas that I am trying to get adopted, and many of the projects that I am trying to bring to completion, are in the category of what could] |be calied public results. That is, (they are results that affect the pub-| lic, or all the people, in contrast to| private results that affect only one person, or at most, a few persons. I have been chided for my interest

lin public results, and I've been re- Hitlerism are crushed, and he isn't lor otherwise,

ferred to, as taking the cares or worries of the whole world onto my | shoulders. (I guess the person who said it, said “troubles of the whole world,” but you get the idea.) I would just like to state my ohservation that until more persons become actively concerned with pubtlic results, the newspapers will contain reports of things that aren't pleasant, reports of persons who are in misery and suffering. If more persons would become interested in public results, they wouldn't have to work so hard to obtain the private results that they need and want. un u 2 DEPLORES RISE OF A ‘SHOUTING AMERICA’ By A. C. Ayers, Indianapolis Recently I met a man who had escaped not so long ago from a Nazi concentration camp. He said, “There is a shouting Germany, a silent Germany and a suffering Germany.” The shouting Germany is, of course, the Nazi party. In the past year we have seen the rise of a shouting America, whose latest move is to demand that Roosevelt intervene for {peace between those nations who are fighting in defense of their scvereignty and Hitler who is fighting to conquer the globe. | Their idea seems to be if all nations as yet unattacked by Hitler |got together and put pressure on the warring ones the result would be peace, now and forever. Just {what pressure America could exert lis not very clear, in view of the (fact that shouting America has givlen the Nazis a picture of ourseives jas a nation both unwilling and un- | prepared to back up any persuasive |talk with any real show of force. And persuasive talk would have {about as much effect on Hitler as would a Sunday School lecture on the devil. . .. Shouting America might give a thought to the dozen or so nations

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

views in

troversies

{who, by negotiating for peace with Hitler, are today being crucified at ‘his hands. There cannot be a just ‘peace in the world until Hitler and

‘going to be crushed by any persua-

|sive appeal.

” » ” CONTENDS REFORM MUST START WITH PEOPLE By Voice In The Crowd, Rev. Carrick should plainly state what he is for, if anything, and then quit knocking. A minister should know enough of man’s psychology to know that whenever corrections are in progress the pendulum of reform swings too! far; however, it naturally swings| back again to a more central position. No one dislikes New Dealism any more than I do, not even Rev. Carrick. I am positive despite my feeling of its failure to solve any of the problems that it was to solve, that we would never have had New Dealers if there were a better percentage of Square Dealers. Our representatives and our Chief Executive are elected by the people

Indianapolis

DEFENSIVE POLICY URGED TO BRING UNITY By Edward F. Maddox, 959 W. 28th St. It is going to take a clear, concise, strong and definitely defensive foreign policy to get the united backing of the American people. We cannot and we must not allow anybody but our constitutionallyelected representatives in Congress who alone have the power to declare war, and who must ratify all treaties or agreements and alliances made by the President, before they are legal and binding on our naition, to make commitments, secret which would automatically and inexorably draw us into the war. We face that situation now! . o un =

DEMANDS THOROUGH PROBE IN FIREMAN'S DEATH

By R. W. Weber, Indianapolis The death of one fireman and the serious injury of another while working on the home of the Fire Chief deserves thorough investigation. If the Fire Chief had repairs, painting or anything else to be done, why shouldn't he go and hire workmen to do the job, just as any other ordinary householder would have to do if he needed work done? Why should he call on firemen to do the job, whether they were on or off duty? The whole situation ought to be thoroughly gone into just to see how

public employees. ” 2 o CLAIMS MANY SADDENED

If men are in office that are unsuited for their purpose it is be-| cause people do not keep well enough informed to make the | proper selection. So if the Rev.| Carrick wishes to reform the politiclans he will first have to reform the people. When the people have their fill of the present day politics they will indeed be easy to reform. One thing that any fair-minded man should remember is that since 1929 the world has seen perhaps the most trying and confusing times that it has ever seen and the darkest days are yet ahead. A third party as the Rev. Carrick suggests would only add to the confusion as the people don't seem to know what they want anyway. Until the majority of our people make up their minds as to what we need we are going to have square pegs in round holes in Washington.

Side Glances=By Galbraith

COPR. 1941 BY NEA SERVICE, INC. T. M. REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.

"That ought to

be encugh, Mother, to keep the children coming home to sep us all through the winter."

{BY DRAFT EXTENSION

{By E. G., Indianapolis The hearts of the wives, mothers jand sweethearts of draft soldiers are saddened by the new law extending the service of their boys. The day when “Johnny comes marching home” has been postponed. It is no doubt a necessary move, probably premeditated by the framers of the original draft law. Thus a promise is broken. But another promise remains. The solemn promise of our President that no American boys will be sent to die on foreign battlefields. That is a promise which must be kept! It is a promise which will bear repeating at this time to reassure the people and keep alive their faith in democracy. ” 8 #" GASOLINE FOR RUSSIA, TUGBOATS FOR ENGLAND By E. F. M,, Indianapolis As usual, Gen. Johnson's column (on oil by barge) was very well worth reading. The idea of bringing up barges with sea-going tugs would solve the problem for gasoline on the Eastern seaboard. but I understand from the radio that we| are to give England our badly! needed seagoing tugs and, in addition, send four barges of gasoline to Russia. No doubt all patriotic Americans wquid be pleased to walk so that Red Russians may be able to use their cars, but there are a few so dumb that they have not as yet been sold on the idea of “America third,” or is it fourth or fifth by this time?

GOOD OLD WORLD

. JAMES D. ROTH Oh the world is full of flowers For us to love and pick. There are many golden hours, As precious minutes tick.

And many friends are standing; They're our trees so stately grand. Between them, brooks are running Through banks of grass and sand.

We have the birds to cheer our path, | When it seems long and rough. | Surely none the understanding hath | To thank our Lord enough.

DAILY THOUGHT

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge; but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.—Proverbs 15:14.

BUT FAR more numerous was the herd of such, who think too little, and who talk too much.—Dryfen.

~

far this practice has gone among 3

| time to time, with the consent of the supervisor,

Gen. Johnson Says—

F. D. R. Knows Defense Setup Needs Overhauling, Yet Picks Old Cronies - Instead of Capable Experts to Do It,

ASHINGTON, Aug. 20.—As this column has pre= dicted, now that the President has returned

there is going to be a real attempt to reorganize the whole top-side control of industrial mobilization to

cut out the almost scandalous lack of concern for

the civilian population, confusion, cross-purposes, overlapping, jealousies, extravagance, back-biting, palace politics, inefficiency and Donnybrook Fair kind of administration that has cursed the Herculean multibillion dollar ef= fort to this date. As far as the President is con= cerned, it will be an earnest and sincere attempt to correct what might be called by history one of the blackest marks on his = record. He is thoroughly awars of the national dissatisfaction, approaching disgust, that is arising in this regard.

| In one of the most remarkably frank statements ever

made by so able a politician he said, even before this stench arose and even on the eve of a political campaign, something to the effect that the weak joint in the New Deal harness was bad administra= tion. Ain't it the truth? -

n 8 a

ND now we're going to fix it all up. And who do you suppose are now revealed as the architects of this new structure for the mobilization and admin-=

istration of the great American industrial complex? None other than a couple of guys of the lighter and brighter days of Presidential pleasantry toward the White House jannissariat, when knights of that roundtable were yclept by the boss even as King Arthur did, Henry the Morgue (Morgenthau), Tommy tha Cork (Corcoran), Harry the Hop (Hopkins), Leon the Hen (Henderson), Benny the Cone (Cohen), and Sammy the Rose (Rosenman), etcet. The last two have been recalled to the siege perilous to reorient the cosmic chaos of this industrial and economic universe. . It would be manifestly unfair to criticize their work, which has been shrouded in considerabls secrecy, until we see the final product, but it is appropriate to question on what special Kind of wisdom or experience these two specialisis in a very different field could be expected to function in this one This is not said to disparage either of them, I scarcely know Mr. Cohen except by his handiwork, I know Sam Rosenman very well. I count him as a personal friend. I have known few men I liked better. Modest to a fault, he is the literary genius who has put the finishing and refining® touches ta most of the President's better speecnes and to some of the very best of his state papers. He is an honest and an unusually able lawyer and a loyal, faithful friend—one of the sweetest characters in public life, But what does he know about industry, organization and especially the bedlam of present day Washington confusion?

f

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HE same question could be asked about Ben Cohen. Judging solely by his work, he is one of tha cleverest legal draftsman that ever effectively con cealed a joker in a statute that should have been as obvious as a bull in a china shop. He has a mind as adroit and astute as that of Cardinal Richelieu and he, too, has a passion for anonymity but for a reason quite different from that of Sammy the Rose, who shrinks through genuine modesty, Benny knows that from his past triumphs, peopla are on warning and on guard about anything that bears the hall-mark of his genius. These two, in closer collaboration with Hillman, another able Richeliell, than with anybody else, are baking this new pie. It may be perfection but just as a gamble, I'll bet it contains four and twenty black-birds and that when the pie is opened they will sing, in this dainty dish before the king, as stridently as the present flock. Why can't we shake this business out into the open and really get going?

Sidney

: / . . A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

HERE'S one advantage to writing a newspaper column. You have a chance to see yourself as others see vou, and what a shock that can be! It isn’t a business that encourages conceit. Just about the time you think youre making an impression along comes a letter like the fole lowing from S. A. Johnson of Ft, Worth to take the wind out of your sails: Dear Madame: For the past five months I have read your column and believe me I would redlly enjoy seeing something that, bordered on being at least agreeable with somebody or something once in a lifetime. Are you ona of the females who have nothing but vinegar in your veins? And don’t you believe it possible there might be a few really nice people in the world who could be right in what they believe? Or are you just plain cantankerous anc haven't the ability to understand nice people and nice things?” Now what do you think of that, when I had kidded myself that readers must surely visualize me as a lovable homebody with a good disposition and a big heart? It only goes to show how we can fool oure selves. To be honest. Mr. Johnson's got something on me, There are a good many things going on right now which make me feel vinegary and cantankerous, and no doubt the column reflects that state of mind. And what makes me cantankerous, Mr. Johnson, is this: I know so many nice people myself. I know how extra fine and unselfish and good-intentioned the average man actually is, and how foolishly soft, senti= mental, self-sacrificing and noble-hearted most women are. The boys and girls I meet are dependable and fine. I'm convinced the whole kit and caboodle of humankind is something to be proud of, individually, and that in most places men and women do the very best they can to behave like beings created in the image of God. How then does it happen that all these nice, nice people are collectively making such a brutal barbaria world? Answer me that riddle, Mr. Johnson, and I promise to become a convert to the ‘sweetness and light” philosophy.

Editor's Note: newspaper are their own. of The Indianapolis Times.

The views expressed by columnists in this They are not necessarily those

Questions and Answers

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

Q—If I should buy a farm on the tenant-purchase plan, would I have to follow a set plan of farming? A—All loans made by the Farm Security Admine istration are based on carefully worked out farm and home plans, which the borrowers draw up in co= operation with the county supervisor. The approved plan becomes a part of the borrower's loan agreement, When necessary, these plans can be revised from te meet changing cenditions. Q—What is the airline distance between New York and Berlin? A—3961 miles. Q—What is the average width shoe worn by American soldiers? A—Petween D and E. Q—Is there any chance that the first class postage rate will be reduced in the near future? A —A recent Act of Congress provides for continue ing the present rates until July 1, 1943. Q—Did the British ever occupy Cuba? A—In 1762, a force of English and American colo= nial troops, under Lord Albemarle, took Havana and held it until, by the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1763, Spain regained possession.

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