Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 August 1941 — Page 1

The Indianapolis Times

FORECAST: Fair and cooler tonight; tomorrow increasing cloudiness.

FINAL

HOME

Keep Hands Off American Shipments,

VOLUME 53—NUMBER 145

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1941

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Tndianapolis, Ind.

Russia

PRICE THREE CENTS

arns Japan

,3 AFRICAN BASES OFFERED U.S.

By DOUGLAS

Au and Former

UP TO THIS POINT w

or

aims and methods of the Nazis. longs to the past and present.

You Can't Do Business With Hitler~~No. 3

Nazi Goal. England-Completely

With Barriers Down, Totalitarianism Would Sweep the World ‘Like a Raging Fire'.

U. & Commercial

Destroy

MILLER

Attache in Berlin e have been discussing the This consideration beCan we picture the world

of the future after a Nazi victory? Fortunately for our clear thinking, the Nazis’ record

is well known. they will do if they win.

We do not have to speculate about what They will certainly and surely

continue the same sort of activity that has characterized

them in the past. Men and

STATE CAN'T BUY FOR EMPLOYEES

at

Personal Purchasing Wholesale Banned by Schricker Order.

By EARL RICHERT Governor Schricker has halted | the buying of personal items such as electric toasters and lawn mowers by state employees at wholesale

prices through the State. He has sent written notices to some State Department heads and given verbal instructions to others that this practice—which has been going on to a certain extent for years—should cease at once. “The retail hardware merchants | have to stay in business and pay taxes and there is no reason why state employees should be privileged to buy personal items at wholesale prices,” he explained. Clyde Fulton, assistant state purchasing agent who was appointed by former Governor Townsend and retained by Governor Schricker, said that this type of buying had been limited ghiefly to “shelf items” such as electrical, sporting goods and hardware equipment.

Dealers Protested

In a few cases, however, he said. pieces of furniture such as “love seats” and easy chairs were purchased by State employees at wholesale prices. Hardware dealers who called the practice to Governor Schricker’s attention said it also had been pointed out to former Governor M. Clifford Townsend, but that he had done nothing about it. Mr. Fulton explained that in the past, in the aksence of any order telling the purchasing department not to make any such purchases, the department officials naturally hon(Continued on Page Seven)

Engineers Duck

Colonel in River

WITH THE SECOND ARMY IN ARKANSAS, Aug. 27 (U. P). —Col. Carl Hobart told his 108th Regiment of Engineers from Chicago yesterday that they could throw him into the Red River if they completed a bridge across it by noon. The bridge was completed at 11:50 a. m. Col. Hobart was thrown into the river.

JOHNSTON NAMED TO LIQUOR POST

Merton A. Johnston. 3730 N. Pennsylvania St.. today was appointed to the newly-created post of General Auditor of the Alcoholic Beverages Commission. Mr. Johnston, a Republican, is president. of Management Service, Inc, and has long experience in auditing work. He formerly served as treasurer of the Guaranty Reserve Life Insurance Co. and as accounting machine division manager of the Underwood Typewriter Co. of New York City. Commission members said that Mr. Johnston would supervise and co-ordinate the auditing work of the entire department.

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

11 | Movies 19 | Obituaries . 18! Pegler 11{ Pyle .... 13! Questions Mrs. Ferguson 12 | Radio Financial . 16 | Mrs. Roosevelt 11 Forum In Indpls. ... Inside Bb, 11 | Society .... Jane Jordan . 13 Sports Johnson

ceed

Clapper Comics

movements do not change overnight. We can project into the future their probable course of action and estimate fairly accurately what sort of world we shall have to live in if Hitler is the master of Europe.

First of all. a Nazi victory

| means victory over Great Britain.

This must be so complete that the British fleet is either destroyed, captured, or driven Pp e r manently away from its European bases. If this occurs, Britains doomed. There ar e 45,000,000 people living on Mr, Miller t h e British Isles today. About 80 per cent of their food comes from abroad.

They have lived in the past by | If |

their international trade. Hitler wins, British trade is gone; the ports of the European continent will remain closed to her. The British Isles must shrink their populations to a figure which can be nourished from their own soil, perhaps 15,000,000 to 20.000.000 people or a little more than a third of the present

number.

Defeat Hitler or Die

FOR THE OTHER 25.000.000 there is no hope except emigration, and they could never get away. There are not ships

enough anywhere to carry such a multitude overseas before starvation would set in. This is the essential reason why the British know they are engaged in a life-and-death struggle. They cannot survive a stalemate. They must literally defeat Hitler or die. There would be no room in Nazi Europe for a strong and vigorous British people. Hitler has already given his most solemn warning on this point. At the close of his book, Mein Kampf, he has proposed a political testament for the German nation, to be its supreme guiding star of policy for the future. This contains the following words: “The political testament of the German people for its actions abroad should be for all times as follows: “Never allow the growth of a (Continued on Page 11)

40 COUNTY HIGHWAY

EMPLOYEES STRIKE

{unless unreasonable

‘Truck Drivers Walk Out as

Contract Is Refused.

About 40 truck drivers in the County Highway Department went on strike today. protesting the County Commissioners’ refusal to sign a contract with the Teamsters’ and Chauffeurs’ Union. Union officials presented a contract to the commissioners last week providing for wages and hours agreement and a check-off system of collecting union dues from workers. Commissioners refused to sign the contract on the ground that a governmental unit cannot be bound to a labor contract. William Brown, commissioner, said when commissioners refused to sign last week union officials indicated that the matter would be dropped. William Ayers, commissioner, said the county road maintenance department will continue to operate “even if we have to draft farmers to help on the roads.” There are about 90 employees in the highway department. Fifty of the workers were not affected by the

strike. 4

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

. 60 10 a. m. .. 68 7a. m .. 60 11a. m .. 7 8a. m ..61 12 (noon).. 12 Sam .. 68 1pm. 73

6 a. m.

MAYOR MOVES T0 BAN UNFAIR RENT UPSWING

Committee to ‘Referee’ Disputes Will Be Named Here.

By DAVID MARSHALL Mayor Sullivan soon will name a| “fair rent committee” similar to those operating in some other defense centers to prevent unwarranted rent increases. The Mayor's decision has come after conferences with Paul J. Smith, an investigator Price Administrator son's fair rent section, who has been here a week studying rent increases reported to Washington. | The Mayor's committee will in{clude representatives of the Merchants’ Association, the Manufacturers’ Association, the A. F. of {L., the C. I. O., the Apartment Owners’ Association, the Indianlapolis Real Estate Board, some social agency or group of agencies, land perhaps the Chamber of Commerce,

Act as Referee

The committee would act as a referee in disputes over rent in(creases between landlords and tenfants. Tenants who felt rent raises were unfair could appeal to the committee for help. Both sides then would be heard. At first the committee would be purely a voluntary group with but one weapon against landlords who boosted rents beyond reason—publicity. However, there are .provisions under the rent and price control

decisions. These sections of the pending bill would give sucn committees the authority to subpena witnesses, order them to testify, and power, in fact, to control rents as a sub-committee of the Office of

Supply. 14,000 New Workers

Mr. was but one in a series being made] throughout the nation with a view] of determining some rent control | policy. When he first conferred with Mayor Sullivan he said that {the price control agency was particularly interested in Indianapolis because the agency estimated that 14,000 new defence workers would be coming here between now and the first of next year. Some few months ago the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that rents in Indianapolis were up 10 per cent over the same cate of the preceding year. The Indianapolis Real Estate Board in one of its reports to the National Association of Real Estate Boards said that rents here over a year ago were up a little more than 10 per cent. This increase, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, was third

bill now being considered by Con-|§ gress which would give the com-|§ mittee enough power te enforce its! §

Price Administration and Civilian

Smith's investigation here :

‘We're Tenting Tonight—"!

EMBARRASSED

of Federal o Leon Hender-|§

Mack Bolin, 535 N. of the Fifth Army

Division, pauses fo eat.

Davidson St, a member of an engineers unit

His outfit last night

marked out a bivouac area near New Bethel for the main body of 5500 troops due tonight for an overnight stay.

And here are a couple of men, pup tent up, with an hour to spare. They were both asleep and could not identify themselves.

Marching Through Indiana, 5500 Troops Move to War

Fifty-five hundred troops, composing the east columns of the Army's Fifth Division, were crossing Indiana today as reinforcements to the

the South.

The east column from Camp Custer,

Second Army arrayed against the Third Army in giant war games in

Mich., which camped last night

at Marion. Ind., was shuttling toward New Bethel today, on foot and

highest in the nation among all cities of comparable size to Indianapolis. ‘Gouging’ Is Charged Some landlords have raised rents —particularly on the cheaper properties needed by incoming defense workers—as much as 20 per cent or on up to even higher percentages. This type of increase has been branded by Earl B. Teckemeyer, Real Estate Board president, as “rent gouging.” Since he took office Jan. 1 he has warned against such practices and has termed such landlords “chiselers” and their actions “hoggish.” Long ago he cautioned that rent raises were halted the Government would

STATE ACTS TO HELP DRAFTEES GET JOBS

5000 Hoosier Youths Will|

Quit Service Soon.

Plans to help Hoosier draftees get

jobs when they are discharged from the Army were formulated at a meeting in the Governor's office today.

Governor. Henry .Schricker agreed,

ask the Mayor to appoint a rent control committee as the one to be named shortly, possibly within the next few days.

German Attache Flees Argentine

The Chicago Daily News, BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 27.—All Buenos Aires chuckled today over the sudden flight to Brazil of Gottfried Sanstede, German Embassy press attache and putative head of the Gestapo in Argentina. Sanstede fled on a transport plane early yesterday to escape questioning by Argentina's own “Dies” committee investigating subversive activities. Committee members said the flight of the German official was a confession of guilt; otherwise he would not have left the country so hurriedly. They are now after the scalp of German Ambassador Baron Edmund von Thermann.,

SPECIAL TAX ELIMINATED

Copyright, 1941, by The Indighepolis Times an Inc.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (U. P.).

—The Senate Finance Committee voted today to eliminate from the $3,593,700,000 revenue bill a special 10 per cent excess profits tax on certain classes of corporations, The action will reduce the measure’s annual yield by approximately $50,000,000.

on recommendation of Selective Service officials, to appoint an em-

ployment committeeman in each of the State’s 152 local draft board areas. Lieut. Robinson Hitchcock, head of the State selective service, estimated that out of the 200,000 draftees expected to be discharged this winter there would be 5000 Hoosiers. The employment committeemen are needed, he said, to aid boys who did not have jobs when they went into the Army, or who had jobs in industries whose production has since been curtailed by the defense program. : Many of them, he added, will get their old jobs back. The employment committeemen are to be named by the Governor upon the recommendation of the State employment security division. They will serve ‘without pay. Attending today’s meeting, besides the Governor and selective service officials, were Col. Everett Gardner, head of the Employment Security Division and Thomas Hutson, State Labor commission.

U. S. KNEW, SAYS BERLIN

BERLIN, Aug. 27 (U. P.).—The

United States knew in advance of!

British-Russian plans to. invade Iran and. President Roosevelt Pavey the Tole « of Pilate, ” author-

in 700 vehicles, where they will camp tonight. The camp site was set up and marked off last night by a unit of the Division's engineers, who moved on today to Spencer, Ind. to lay out tomorrow night's bivouac area. One battalion of the 10th Infantry will staff at Ft. Harrison tonight. In the movements, it takes the column approximately two hours to pass a given point with vehicles proceeding at 25 miles an hour.

‘Chow’ Major Problem

Each bivouac area requires an average of 100 acres of ground for the troops and the equipment. The motor equipment of the column consumes about 12,000 gallons of gasoline daily, and the food requirements are about 15,000 gallons of water, 3025 pounds of bread, 4125 pounds of meat and 5500 quarts of milk. When the troops arrived at the camping area near Indianapolis shortly before noon, the first major problem to be tackled was that of feeding the men. Field kitchens were set up and began making edible dishes of those tonnage items listed above as well as fresh vegetables and other foodstuffs. Greenburg Left Behind

The column has 91 too few vehicles to transport all its troops at the same time and while the main body of troops arrived here in the first trip, 1000 men remained behind at Marion for the second load. The 91 necessary trucks went back for them as soon as the main body dismounted and set about establishing the camo. Left behind at Camp Custer was the Second Infantry’s most famous draftee, Hank Greenburg. . The former big league ball player remained at the camp as a group of three delegated from each unit to maintain its quarters.

STRIKE ACTION URGED

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 27 (U. P.). —The Veterans of Foreign Wars today unanimously adopted a resolution urging President Roosevelt ‘to outlaw jurisdictional strikes in national defense industries, -

BY SITUATION, TOKYO CLAIMS

U. S. Gets Protest, Too, but Hull Hints It Faces Rejection.

By JOE ALEX MORRIS United Press Foreign News Editor

Soviet Russia, indirectly backed by the United States and Great Britain, gave a stern warning to Japan today to avoid hindering American war shipments across the Pacific. The dramatic warning, given while American aviation gasoline was en route to Vladivostok and due to arrive early next month, followed representations -by the Japanese to Moscow. Secretary of State Cordell Hull implied today—just after a conference with the Russian Ambassador and just before seeing the Japanese Ambassador—that the United States would insist upon the freedom of the seas.

Japan to Speak First

He refused to comment on the protest it was understood had been made to the United States as well as to Japan, but told reporters that until the freedom of the seas policy is revoked, it can be presumed to be still in force. He said he would let Tokyo speak first on the protest, but it was believed the United States already had cautiously, but firmly rejected it. The Japanese envoy to Russia, Gen. Yoshitsugu Tatekawa, told Soviet Foreign Commissar Viacheslav Molotov-at a t_meeting in the Kremlin that American oil shipments to Russia would create a delicate and embarrassing situation for Tokyo. Molotov’s immediate reply was that Molotov's immediate reply was that Russia would regard as an “unfriendly act” any attempt by Japan to interfere with the shipments, which must pass through narrow Japanese-dominated straits to reach Vladivostok. Dispatch of a United States military mission to China was an indication that the Allies intended to try to maintain the initiative against the Axis powers in the Pacific war of nerves. Semi-Circle Around Port

The Japanese described the dispatch of the American mission as an unfriendly act toward Japan and the press renewed its bitter denunciation of American war shipments to the Soviet Union, purportedly because such materials might be used in a possible JapaneseRussian clash but actually as part of the Axis strategy to destroy the Red Army before American aid can become effective against the Axis. Japan's islands form a great semi-circle enclosing the narrow Sea of Japan on the other side of which is Russian Siberia, and the only practicable route for ships plying to and from Vladivostok is through one of the Straits between the islands. There 1s a stretch of ® bont 30 miles of sea between Sakhalin Island and the Island of Hokkaido, and about 15 miles of open sea between Hokkaido and Honshu, the main (island. From the southwest, there is about 30 miles between the Japanese southwestern main islands and the Tsushima Island, and about 35 miles between Tsushima and Japanese Korea on the Asia mainland. Through one of these passages, supply ships bound for Vladivostok must pass.

One-Sided Stories It was evident that the Japanese Government had inspired its newspapers to display prominently what they called a “warning” to Russia and the United States. They did not mention RusSia’s tart answer. The influential Japanese Times and Advertiser made a plea for the United States and Britain to take advantage of an “opportunity for a rapprochement” with Japan. The newspaper said a rapprochement could be based on: (1) Recognition of Japan’s right to trade freely in East Asia; (2) access to raw materials; (3) relaxation of Anglo-Amer-ican economic pressure.

RAF RAIDS FRANGE BEFORE BREAKFAST

Least Two Sweeps Made by Bombers.

LONDON, Aug. 27 (U. P).— British bombers and fighting planes raided Northern France in force before breakfast today. Squadron after squadron crossed the Channel with the regularity of hooting gallery ducks—one squadron of bombers, then one of fighters, all catching the glint of the rising sun. The drone of planes continued more than two hours. It was believed at least two sweeps of northern France had been made. Ten

At

‘German planes were shot down and -1eight British craft were missing,

secret -any longer. use of the principal ports in bases against Hitler.

analogous to the plan under offered States. stroyers in return. “I have asked only

erly will do as soon as he is some forces from Russia.”

NAZIS CLAIM 2

Britain Seeks Agreement to End Iranian War With Little Fighting.

By UNITED PRESS Great Britain sought speed capituiation of Iran without serious fighting, while Germany claimed two smashing victories on

the Eastern Front, including annihilation of the Soviet 22d Army on the Moscow sector. The British-Russian occupation of Iran went steadily ahead, with the Allied troops reporting gains of from 40 to 70 miles without much opposition. The Persian Shah was pressed to accept an agreement which London believed might eliminate German elements from his desert country without serious warfare, but Iranian proposals so far were turned down. The Germans reported that Russia had lost 70,000 men in a great encirclement battle and that Borislav at the mouth of the Dnieper River had been taken after bloody street fighting. On the Central Front, the Germans said that recent weeks of apparent deadlock actually had been a tremendous encircling battle which now has resulted in destruction of the enemy’s 22d Army, the killing of 40,000 Russian soldiers and capture of 30,000 at Velikie Luki. This gigantic battle, fought midway between Lake Ilman and Smolensk and about 265 miles west of Moscow, centered near the crossroads of the. Leningrad-Kiev and Riga-Moscow supplemented the German efforts to push toward Moscow in the Smolensk sector, to the southeast. On the south central front, the Russians admitted a further loss, admitting that Gomel had been abandoned. Its capture had already been claimed at Berlin. Moscow said, however, that the city was given up only after the German army had lost 80,000 men in killed and wounded, 200 tanks, several hundred guns and 100 airplanes in the attack. Russian losses in the battle were not given. On the northern front, the Germans and Finns continued to threaten Leningrad, Viipuri and Tallinn, which was reported in flames set either by fleeing Russians or attacking German planes.

railroad lines and

AMERICA'S JOB—

"The British are weary of being told how brave they are — they want planes and ships." Raymond Clapper's dispatch from London on

PAGE ||

Read

% EY

With these words, uttered in quiet, controlled tones, Gen. Charles de Gaulle, the tall, angular George Washington of Free France, in a frank talk with this writer today revealed that he had invited the United States to take definite action to meet the Nazi threat against West Africa

BIG VICTORIES:

today tol

GEN. DEGAULLE ASKS TO LEASE PORTS TO NAVY

Declares They Would Checkmate Dakar; Also Willing to Lend Pacific Islands in Case of Need.

By GEORGE WELLER Copyright, 1941, by The Indianapolis Times and The Chicago Daily News, Inc.

BRAZZAVILLE, Aug. 27.—“I am not keeping facts I have offered the United States the

Free French Africa as naval

“I have offered them upon the basis of a ong. term lease,

which Britain

her Atlantic bases to the United But I have not asked for any de-

that the United States make use of these bases to counteract Dakar and make it more difficult for Hitler to thrust deeper into Africa, as he undoubt-

able to release

Gen. de Gaulle

without allowing Hitler to gain his customary first foot hold. The Free France chieftain

said also that “in case of

need” he would “lend” his Pacific islands, New Caledonia and the New Hebrides group, to the United States. Wears Lorraine Cross

Gen. de Gaulle received the writer in the snug, cream-colored study of his villa. The general was in a light tan uniform, without decorations except the douhle= barred Lorraine Cross. He ‘had several dossiers of work upon his desk and it was evident that his lightning two-day visit for the celebration of African France's first birthday meant only more work for him.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (U. P.). —Secretary of State Cordell Hull disclaimed knowledge today of a reported offer by Gen. Charles de Gaulle to lease Free French bases in West Africa to the United States. ‘ Secretary Hull said he never had heard of such an offer. Experts here doubted whether any of the three points reportedly mentioned by de Gaulle are so located as to warrant establishe ment of large American bases. But several experts agreed that free access to the three ports might prove valuable if it ever became necessary to counteract Axis movements from Dakar.

He gave full evidence that he une derstood the uses of soldierly dis cretion when asked to comment upon the fact that the United States was sending Col. Harry PF, Cunningham here as a military ob server. “I prefer to withhold comment upon that subject,” he said tersely, Speaking upon his own soil withe out the inhibitions natural in Cairo or London, Gen. de Gaulle spoke of that part of Africa nearest to Amers= ican soil in the same uncompromise ing terms with which he foretold the German invasion of Syria two months before it happened .and charted the blitzkrieg technique six years before Hitler launched it. Asks Break With Vichy “Through a suitable intermediary, I have offered the United States Duala, in the Cameroons, and Port. Gentil in Gabon, and Pointe Noire in French Equatorial Africa as naval. bases,” said Gen. de Gaulle in tones so grave and composed that they belied the importance of his words. “I always had faith that the United States would keep her word and I know that America does not covet territorial aggrandizement in Africa. Especially am I sure that France's African possessions would be in safe hands if strategic points were occupied by the American Navy. I observe that one of the cardinal points of the conference be= (Continued on Page Seven)

A. F. L. WINS IN DETROIT DETROIT, Aug. 27 (U. P.).—An American Federation of Labor union today defeated a rival C. I. O. group m a collective bargaining election for the exclusive right to represent. employees of Detroit's public trans portation system. The vote was 3076 to 1925. The election was ordered as a result’

a five-day strike last weeks ; ; en