Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 December 1941 — Page 8

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1941

THAT A. E. F. STORY THE public should and will withhold judgment on the published report that the Army-Navy joint board favors an A. E. F. of 5,000,000, until the President has restated his policy. Meanwhile, there is no reason to suppose that the President will support a plan which he has repeatedly disavowed, without first consulting Congress and the people. As for the Army, the fact that it has theoretic “plans” against all powers, friendly and otherwise, is routine. And the presumption that it is not trying to fix policy in defiance of the President’s pledges was attested by Gen. Marshall, chief of staff, three weeks ago when he officially denied any preparations for an A. E. F. outside this hemisphere, We hope the President will lose no time in dealing fully and frankly with this recurring report of an A. E. F.

LIBYA IS MORE THAN DESERT UBLIC reaction to British reverses on the Libyan front is unreasonably severe because Churchill erred in promising to annihilate the Nazis quickly. His statement, which apparently was forced by British impatience over long delay in launching the offensive, now boomerangs. The whole record of this war made any idea of easy Nazi defeat fantastic. It is true that Britain must win the battle of Libya if she ever expects to challenge, much less defeat, Hitler in

Europe.

» » ® UT is it not true that she must win by some quick miracle. Even if several weeks are required to destroy the Axis armies in Libya, Britain will have achieved most of the purposes of this crucial offensive. These include: Demonstration to the restless British public and servjees that Britain can and will fight the Nazis on land. A similar demonstration to wavering Axis associates such as Finland, Vichy-France, and Spain, and to strategic neutrals such as Turkey and Sweden. Relief for Russia. The Nazis cannot stay in the Libyan fight without withdrawing planes from the Russian front and rushing them via Crete to the desert. This may explain the unexpected German retreat from Rostov in the face of Cossack cavalry, which could hardly operate against adequate Nazi planes. Preparation for the battle of the Middle East. That larger campaign to come will be influenced by control of Libya without which Hitler cannot use his usual effective pincers attack. Beat Hitler to West Africa and control of the South Atlantic shipping lanes. Dakar, the much-advertised takeoff base for Latin America, is involved. Obtain North African bases for eventual invasion of Italy, the softest spot in the Nazi European line. Prove to Japan that Britain can wage an AfricanMediterranean offensive and at the same time put large army, navy and air reserves into Singapore for the threatened battle of the Pacific. All of this indicates that the Libyan stakes are sufficiently high and hard to justify patience by the British and American publics, rather than discouragement over Nazi refusal to collapse as quickly as Churchill wished.

THE SMITH BILL'S TEST

HEN one branch of Congress votes overwhelmingly > for any measure the other branch should at least consider that measure on its merits. Yet the Senate Labor Committee is said to be preparing to pigeonhole the Smith Bill, offered by an almost 2-to-1 vote of the House as a means of protecting defense production from strikes. The Committee has pronounced its opinion that “legislation regarded by a majority of either employees or employers as unfair, unnecessarily harsh, or punitive in its effects on them would defeat its own purpose.” Apparently the Committee is prepared to take the word of Philip Murray and William Green for what a majority of employees think of the Smith Bill. But these gentlemen, the presidents of the big rival labor organizations, have not merely announced opposition to the Smith Bill They are just as bitterly opposed to any legislation in any way touching what they call the rights of labor. If Messrs. Murray and Green are to have the power of veto, then there can be no legislation to prevent defense strikes, and the Senate Labor Committee is in an absurd position, for it acknowledges that some legislation has become necessary. We are certain that the Smith Bill is not perfect, and equally certain that it is no such menace to organized labor as professional union leaders would have their members and the public believe. The Senate Committee should hold hearings on it, Should propose improvements in it whenever the need for them is shown, should contribute in every possible way to a thorough public understanding of it—but should not - attempt to obstruct the right and duty of every member of the Senate to debate it and vote on it.

SERVICE SANTA CLAUS SPEAKING of doing the Christmas shopping early (and most of us are these days, even if we're not acting accordingly) here’s one field where “early” doesn’t mean “may » That’s in sending gifts to soldiers and sailors, especially those on foreign service. To make sure they get their gifts on time, buy them early, and ship them early. And don't trust to chance. Find out the deadline for the camp where the soldier or sailor is stationed, allow something extra, and get that gift on is way. i Chrismas isn't very merry on station in the services unless there are packages from home. Don't rely on an pverworked postoffice to make up for your own delay. Ship that p ¢ to the soldier or sa

Fair Enough By Westbrook Pegler

Dec. 6—We must ts

the action which the Senate will take on the Smith Bill or other legislation for the purpose of curbing the unioneers who have set themselves up as bosses, some of them as dictators, over millions of men and women and as collectors of taxes, tribute and plain graft from the entire American nation. The Smith Bill, as amended and adopted by the House, seems to miss the fundamental point of the union trouble in emphasizing defense of war projects. The provision for registration of unions with the Department of Labor and for the filing of information about dues, fees, finances and the identity of union officials, appears to apply to unions in their relations with ordinary industry, but the law, in the main, bears on the war industries.

Unless we are to decide that war is our only oe-

cupations and industries.

‘Senate Trickier Than House'

THE SENATE IS MORE suave and tricky than the House, more compact and afflicted with a pompous self-importance, and probably will try to swindle the country out of a square deal. This the Senate did last year when the House passed a good bill which was smothered in the upper House, obviously by command of the executive branch.

The Senate undoubtedly will try the same trick again, but this time the heat is on and the attempt at frustration probably will take the form of a fake. Neither the Senate nor the Labor Committee of the House, which is an A. F. of L. stooge headed by Mrs. Mary Norton of the notorious Frank Hague machine, can be trusted for a moment. They require watching and frank goading from the people. Majority Leader McCormack said in the House in the debate on the Smith measure, “We are not on the kill today; while I favor passing some labor legislation, it should not be punitive.”

'F. D. R. Recognized Iniquities'

HE WAS CORRECT, but he was ignoring the fact that the Administration had earned deep suspicion by its stubborn, tricky obstruction of all previous attempts to enact relief from unconscionable conduct by professional, political and, often, criminal unioneers. The punitive mood which he seemed to sense was the fault of a contemptuous executive branch of the Government which had sneered at all temperate, moderate efforts to repair the manifest indecencies of the Wagner Act. ' The President, himself, as he lately revealed in another installment of his private papers, long ago recognized the iniquities of this act and Frances Perkins only recently and very reluctantly admitted the necessity to establish the principle of the open shop and to place the unions under certain reasonable compulsions. But over the years, the White House has been responsible for the neglect, indeed the refusal, of the national legislature to remedy these evils, Mr. McCormack was right and no punitive measures are needed. Amendment of the Wagner Act by one process or another so as to protect workers from coercion by unions as well as by employers, who now are the only ones forbidden to coerce, would not be a punitive action. Labor would not be punished but would be benefited by a law forbidding unions to impose interstate boycots and certainly would lose nothing by a law requiring that strike proposals and union elections be submitted to the rank and file by secret ballot.

"Worker Would Be Grateful

IT IS A NOTORIOUS fact that many billions of dollars—many billions, not mere millions—have been wrung from the workers by the professional unioneers and that only pennies of this enormous tribute have been accounted for in the last eight years. So the worker could not be punished and undoubtedly would be very grateful for any law that would put the union bosses under a requirement to account for all moneys down to the last nickel. At last the House seems to have realized with a start, that .the arrogant, ignorant union lobbyists who prowl the halls of Congress threatening reprisals represent not the workers but only their own greedy and often crooked rackets and may be kicked out and run off the place with impunity.

Gondar’s Fall

By George Weller

GONDAR, Dec. 8—A Union Jack fastened to an iron rail jammed down the chimney of Gen. Gulielmo Nasi's Gondar headquarters in the Banca D'Italia Building announced to the British and Empire forces closing in on the besieged tity that the Italians had surrendered thejr last remaining stronghold in Ethiopia. Gen, Nasi surrendered unconditionally to officers of a Kenya armored car unit Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 4 p. m., after a final 11-hour battle had brought the attacking forces into the very streets of the city. The same officers to whom Gen. Nasi surrendered had been in Gondar earlier in the afternoon but they had been forced to withdraw. A few essential supply trucks and my press truck entered the city on Wednesday at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. There was still some shooting going on as isolated Italian units had not heard of the surrender, In the Ambazzo district Italian demolition squads still were carrying out their tasks. The demolition ended after South African air force pilots dropped messages warning them to stop or the British would open fire on them.

Ethiopians Build Victory Bonfires

AN OFFICER of the South African air force, who was a prisoner in Gondar for a month before its fall, was released by Gen. Nasi a few hours before the surrender and placed in charge of the town. He said he had been well treated and had plenty of food although most of it consisted of meat and black bread. The final battle for Gondar started at 5 o'clock in the morning from the Tadda Ridge. An infantry detachment of the King’s African Rifles took a series of Italian positions with the support of Indian mounted batteries and their own mortars. The last advance lines of Italian artillery were silenced at 2 p. m. after a six-mile advance, with five separate assaults in nine hours. Only the local defenses of Gondar were left and armored units of the King's African Rifles advanced on the city to wipe these out, but were forced to retire. I was with infantry detachments all morning and watched the magnificent assaults on hill after hill in very. tough going. When these infantrymen marched into Gondar that night they were very tired after fighting all day but not too to sing and cheer. The Ethiopians spent the night celebrating, blowing horns and building huge victory bonfires on the hills around the city. the eity wiiia Perfect order reigns now a curfew imposed from 6 p. m. until dawn. The results of the bombardments by the South African and the Royal Air Forces before the fall of the city are very apparent although few casualties were inflicted beendid Italian dugouts and air raid

cause of the shelters.

So They Say—

Every time you take a breath nearly 100 bolts of lightning strike somewhere in the world. —Dr. Gilbert D. McCann, Westinghouse engineer.

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the Mighty Caesar Stood!

The Hoosier Forum

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

‘THE HIGHER MY RESPECT MOUNTS FOR ANIMALS’ By Lillian D., Indianapolis.

I have been watching the papers daily for some reaction to your feature article about the Japs using gas bombs in the China “incident.” Am amazed to find no comment anywhere. We have become a very callous people—and are now expected to make terms with this revolting race, being particularly careful to help them “save face.” The more I read about men these days, the higher my respect mounts for animals!

# #8 “PRICES SHOULD BE

LOWERED AND FROZEN” By Jack Hayes, 3736 N. Meridian St. Number 3. On Dec. 1 Mr. Edwards answered my letter of Nov. 25. He claimed I missed the tarket, but this is why I think I hit the bull’s-eye. First I would like to correct Mr. Edwards’ belief that I accused Congress of being anti-labor. My point was that there are laborbaiting reactionaries in Congress who wish to encroach on labor's gains in the name of defense. And this will be done unless the American public awakens to the fact that free labor is the backbone of democracy and, therefore, must be protected. Second in reading Mr. Edwards’ article one is apt to gain the impression that all labor leaders are racketeers. This is an incorrect conclusion; only a very small minority are racketeers. Mr. Edwards is correct in his contention that capitalists force prices up by restricting production. But he is wrong in his conclusion that high wages are responsible for much present price increase. Prices are going up because profits are greater. Four hundred sixteen firms show a profit increase of 31 per cent for the first nine months of 1940 as compared with the same period last

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year, Government figures also show that labor's income has risen 6 per cent and prices 20 per cent since the war began and price rises were not necessarily in industries where wage increases were made,

These figures show it is not necessary to freeze wages but prices and profits. And that must be done now. Retail prices are rising, bat wholesale are even higher; soon the gap will close and pocketbooks will be hit even harder, especially in groups unable to raise their income. Prices should be lowered and frozen, but if they are not, we the unorganized, cannot expect organized labor not to Keep pace with the rapidly rising cost of living. ” LJ s ‘YOU NAME EM, I'LL READ EM,” RETORTS C. O. T,

By C. 0. T., East Chicago. To Voice in the Orowd: Dale Carnegie claims the way to win an argument is to avoid it. But there are other considerations, too, to think of; it may be more important to learn a thing or two from an argument than to win it. A sure way to lose an argument is to become angry and also subjective rather than objective. Now you are claiming I should read a few books I did not like buf you did not name them. You name ‘em, I'll read ‘em. Isn't co-operation in any deavor stronger in the long run than competition? Would not American production, distribution

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and consumption be more perfect if operated according to a cooperative plan than in energywasting, business-is-business competition? Competition is necessary in a ball game but is it also necessary in life? Is competition necessary in national defense or will unity do a better job? 2 2 ” ‘FAVOR KEEPING THE LAW, SCRAPPING CONSTITUTION’ By Claude Braddick, Kokomo,

If the 1941 Legislature had done nothing else than amend the delinquent tax law, that single act would have justified its otherwise inane existence. No doubt this law was intended to be as weak and innocuous as the others; but somehow, in the hustle and bustle of the closing days of that session, they forgot to pull its teeth. And thereby hangs a law, Under its wise provisions, the State seizes a property on which taxes are due, holds it a year, then sells to the highest bidder. But the pretty part is, it keeps all the money. Holders of previous liens and assessments can go roll a hoop. So can the previous owner. Judge Earl R. Cox of Marion Circuit Court has expressed the opinion the law is unconstitutional. This seems to presage its ultimate end in the ash can, along with the bulk of that session's work. In this case, however, we cannot say “good riddance.” True, it would work individual hardships, as what law doesn’t? But harsh conditions require harsh treatment. If this splendid law is found to be unconstitutional, then I for one would favor keeping the law and scrapping the constitution, My reasons for this are three: It would speed up taxpaying as nothing else has ever been able to do; it would replenish the general fund; and last but not least, I have no property on which taxes are due. » ” ” ‘LET'S MAKE BOYS IN CAMP HAPPY THIS CHRISTMAS. By John A. Bonseit, 317 N. Riley Ave.

Lgt's make this a real Christmas for our boys in camp. If you have a son or sons or some friend, write and ask him if he has a buddy or knows of someone who isn't looking forward to Christmas or maybe he “t esnvone back home to remember him, Let's get his name nd address and pass it to some who haven't a son in camp. I am sure we can make a lot of chaps happy with a box of candy, nuts or fruit and cookies. Let's all do our bit.

” ” ” ‘CO'TLDN'T WE HAVE ONE VAUDEVILLE SHOW HERE? By Arthur 8. Mellinger, 3500 W. 30th St. Why did the Lyric do away with the vaudeville features? I have talked with dozens o. people and they are all wondering why, I am getting older and my eyes are not as they once were, 80 4 enjoyed going to the Lyric and see a stage show. It seems as if a city as large as Indianapolis could have one vaudeville show for ordinary folks.

DEATH STANDS ABOVE ME Dest, Stands above me, whispering I kno . Of his sirange angusge a 1 know

Is, there is not a word of fear. ~~Walter Savage Landor (17715-1864)

DAILY THOUGHT

The word of the Lord endureth for ever~I Peter 1:25,

_ SATURDAY, DEC. 6, 104 n. Johnson Says—

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.—~This column discussed the improvements that could be made by the use of men of less than perfect physique for jobs not requiring such perfection, by relaxation of some of the physical standards, especially as to dental require ments, and by a much wider use of women in jobs for which they are particularly fitted.

It also criticized the 28-year draft age rule as one not of application in all cases. This implied no criticism of the effective work of Gen. Hershey and his selective service system. That system has functioned as well as any other in the world and as perfectly as could reasonably be expected in such an emergency development. But there is another field, almost equally important, which slightly overlaps this one but which is, in the

main, in the same central area. I refer to the insuring, # of selected and efficient manpower in insuring skilled %

labor to defense production,

The Labor Supply Committee

IT IS TRUE THAT there has been created within the general framework of OPM, a labor supply come mittee, operating under the able direction of Arthur S. Fleming of the Civil Service Commission. This committee has been working for some time but very little public attention has been given to its activity, It has at least one virtue—in this field, the Govern= ment seems to have at least partly appreciated the vital necessity of co-ordinating the efforts of all agencies affected by a single purpose under a single directive head. This is a basic principle of organiza= tion which has been too generally neglected in other phases of our mobilization effort. Some idea of the need for centralized control is conveyed, in this complex field of labor supply, by considering the number of agencies that are vitally involved. In addition to the various branches of the labor division of OPM, there are included, among others, the defense vocational training division of the Federal Security Agency, the U, S. Employment Service and all its affiliated state service, the Civil Service Commission, N. Y. A, Department of Agricule ture, W. P, A, and the great employers of defense production—Army, Navy and Maritime Commission, Certain attenuated offices of the wrecked Department of Labor and the Federal Committee on Apprentice= ship are also involved,

And Concerning Mr. Sidney Hillman

IN ENGLAND THIS entire problem is handled by a single ministry of labor as it is in all other adequately organized governments. That it has been necessary to co-ordinate all these agencies through an office not even connected with the Department of Labor is a sad commentary upon the haphazard growth of our topsy-like mobilization organization. Under these handicaps the work of Mr. Fleming and his emergency organization are subject to even more commendation. It is to be hoped that the progress he has made will not be impaired by the petty inter-departmental bickerings likely to be engendered, the rumblings of which are already beginning to be ominously heard from some of the highly perfumed prima donnas who are the titular heads of the organization from which some of these subcommittees are drawn, A good deal has been heard about the ultimate authority of Sidney Hillman as the top-side poo-bah of all labor policies of this Government, If, with the clear authority of a plenary executive order in this field, he cannot stop the petty jealousies of existing bureaus whose peace-time prerogative may be here unimportantly invaded, he can hardly escape responsibility for the result if that be neither credit able nor effective,

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

ON HER PAGE which is & monthly feature of The Ladies Home Journal, Mrs. Roosevelt dishes out some smooth spoonbread. Her latest advice deals with the domestication of hus

bands.

A questioner writes: “Where husband and wife work, even if his salary is larger and their hours about the same, should he help with the work in the apartment and preparing meals?”

“Yes,” replies our ubiquitous First Lady. “Any hugband and wife, if they both werk, will usually want to share the work of the apartment or home. It is more fun to do the work when two 'people work together; and if they want more leisure time together to enjoy their lives, the way to get it is to do the work with four hands instead of two.”

Now that's just dandy, provided you've caught one of those nice pliant fellows, only I've never met one outside of a story book. In real life, house= breaking a husband is never quite so simple.

Domesticating the Brute!

THERE ARE OODLES OF MEN who don’t mind doing a few household chores when theyre in the mood. It's the routine that throws them. They will dash happily to the kitchen te broil a steak or whip up an omelet or concoct a strange sauce (they call it helping, though no woman wants to hurt their feelings by pointing out how the kitchen looks after ward).

Now and then, if the spirit moves them, they may even take a turn at wiping dishes. But show me a man who is willing to assume a regular daily household task--something described by my favorite mountaineer as “plumb constant”—and I'll show you a fellow who won't be worth wasting buckshot on in a few years.

There's no argument about the justice of the wife’s case. When a woman does a man’s work oute side, a man should be willing to help with women's work inside the home—but husbands are rarely made that way. This theory about domesticating the brute is one of the most pleasant of our many pleasant modern notions that seldom work. When men, married or single, start doing something because it is just, or righteous, or sensible, or even because Mrs. Roosevelt advocates it, the millenium will be here. Editor's Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. They are not necessarily those. of The Indianapolis Times.

Questions and Answers

(The Indianapolis Times Service Bureau will answer any question of faot or information, mot involving extensive ree search. Write your guestion clearly, sign name and address, inclose a three-cent postage stamp. Medical or legal advice cannot be given. Address The Times Washington Service Bureau. 1018 Thirteenth St. Washington, D, 0.)

Q—My husband has been ordered by his employer to a South American country for a year and, as we are expecting a child in about four months, we want to know how we can protect the American citizenship of our baby.

A-Register the birth of the child with the authori ties of the city where the child is born and with the nearest American Oonsul. Have your passport changed to include the baby. Keep the foreign birth certificate and the t as prooof of the baby’s citizenship. If possible have the authorities include the fact that the parents are American citizens in the

Q—What are “plastics”? A—The modern plastics industry deals chiefly with moldable materials manufactured from organic come pounds, that is, combinations of carbon with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements. The inorganie molding materials, such as concretes, cements, and Seramics, and also the substance, rubber,