Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 December 1941 — Page 7

SATURDAY, DEC. 27, 1941 |

Hoosier Vagabond

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 27.—My friends here in San Francisco, being mostly babes in the war woods. are eager to learn all the little niceties of proper conduct in case the air raids come. And since I was exposed last winter to a few sashays of German bombers, people out here keep plying me with war-conduct questions, which gives me the opportunity that all men look forward to—that of posing as the fount of all knowledge. Why, during this past week I've been asked war questions by the thousand. No matver what the question, I answer it. My replies are quick and confident, even to problems I never heard of before. This is done on the assumption Jat the Japs won't come till afver i I get out of town, and then the local people will be tos BuRY to remember what 1 tol

Mt the kids on The San Francisco News have seriously written out a batch of questions for me, and I think I'll spend a couple of days answering them in public. For even if Indianapolis and Denver never hear the crunch of a bomb, still people there might like to know. So here we go: Q—Do skyscrapers or small structures seem to withstand bombings better? A—Id say skyscrapers, although of course London has no real skyscrapers, the building limit there being, if I remember, about 10 stories. Q—Do you think the newer-type, so-called earth-quake-proof buildings out here are safest of all? A— Yes. In London it was the old brick buildings, with dry crumbly mortar, that went down so fast. The new steel and concrete buildings could take bombs up to 1000 pounds without great damage,

Don’t Send Children Away

Q—WHAT MIGHT a big bomb dropped in one of the local canyons of skyscrapers do to the surrounding buildings? A—Blow out all windows for several blocks, probably cave in the fronts of some of the smaller buildings, and twist and shatter all furnishings within the nearby buildings. But I cant conceive of even the biggest bomb completely knocking down one of San Francisco's high office buildings.

Q—What good does sandbagging nce, does it seem vents and

ings collapse by absorbing don I believe has found its sandbagging relatively Stiiprtant, 900.1 Gum's sue much elise So 3 i Sun

neisco. DeSuould | send 13 two children to Sir grand. parents in Arizona for the duration? A-—No. I paid a lot of attention to children in England, and what I gathered was this—bombings don’t bother them much (unless they get hit of course). Children are easily adaptable and can take their

He May Bag a Seagull

Q—ARE PLYBOARD frames for windows okay blackout use, so long as the blackout is complete will they shatter with concussion and add to damage? A-—They're okay, at least they're used a bit in England. They'll shatter if but so will anything else yor would absorb the fine particles of ttered if the hit is close the drapes blow out and the chews them up. Q—San Francisco has forbidden smoking on the streets during blackout. Is that necessary. A—I don’t want to get into a quarrel with the Army. But everybody smokes on the street in England. You daren't, however, LIGHT a cigaret on the street. Q—Could you pick off an enemy ilot with a rifle that has a range of 5000 feet? A-—VYes, if you were Annie Oakley and had your pockets full of Q—My Pop wants to hide in the hydrangeas and take pot shots at Jap planes. I say he’s nuts. A—Aw, let him go ahead and enjoy himself. He might bring down a seaguil for dinner, you never can tell.

{More Questions Tomorrow)

Inside Indianapolis By Lowell Nussbaum

PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Fermor S. Cannon, former architect, model train enthusiast, church and civic leader, president of the Railroadmen’s Federal Savings & Loan Association and head of enough cther long titled organizations to fill this column. To mention a few, hes president of the Board of Trade, vice president of the Boy Scout Council, an elder in the Second Presbyterian Church, the retiring president of the Y. M. C. A. after seven years of service, and just recently was named head of the U. S. Savings & Loan League. With so many meetings to attend, he has very little time to himself, but when he does get a few hours free, there's nothing he likes better than to gev on his blue and white striped overalls and go to work on his model railroad in the basement of his home. He has built it all himself, even the rolling stock, as a means of finding relaxation.

Likes Model Railroading

The mode! railroad has the equivalent of many niles of track; switches galore, bridges, a turntable, el s, a subway and even a large painted background of mountains, towns and the Union Station. Fermor Cannon is a 53-year-old six footer. Still I's always in a state of construction. It's one of those projects that never will be finished until he loses interes: in it. His most noticeable physical characteristic is his reasonably slender, he weighs 180 or so. His eyes are brown and he wears rimless spectacles. He has an alert expression, an engaging smile and a voice that's rather low pitched and quite pleasant.

Harvard Crew Haircut His most noticeable physical characteristic is his Harvard crew haircut. His black hair, now graying, is «tiff and stubborn and he keeps it about one inch long He used to try to part it, but finally gave up and ¥ doesn’t even own a comb or brush now. He insists heres only one barber in town that can cut his hair, and he gets up early every couple of weeks or so and visits him before going to work.

Washington

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—We are doubly fortunate that Winston Churchill came to Washington at this

ume. First, because his presence here and that of his

military staff make it possible to move more quickly in the military decisions. Time is vital. With the Philippines in such danger as they are today, the threat to Singapore grows hourly. Everything that both powers can throw into the Pacific will be needed to insure success against the hard-hitting Japanese attack. Second, the presence of Winston Churchill is fortunate because it brings back fresh to mind the courageous example of Britain during the days when the going was blackest. We need now the same American fortitude to carrv us through the gallant sacrifice of the Marines at Wake and the fight which Gen. MacArthur and his men are putting up against larger forces ih the Philippines. The British went through Dunkirk and for a short time it was a question whether the British Isles would stand. When France quit, the Germans were certain the British would also fold up. But the British were of harder fiber. Under the unshakeable confidence and determination of Churchill, they held against what seemed impossible odds.

Churchill Radiates Confidence

THOSE OF US who were at the White House press conference the other day, and had opportunity to pyestion Churchill, felt his spirit of confidence. It breathed itself into every answer he made. We already know the hard and unrelenting fighting courage of President Roosevelt. With two such leaders, backed by such enormous resources, and assisted by the tough and agressive Russian forces under Iron Man Stalin, we can be sure that our side is not going to lose heart, or be stam-

My Day

WASHINGTON, Friday. —Last night we had a rather large gathering of various family groups at Christmas dinner. The number of cousins was really quite amusing. I think the complications of family

relationships, as regards my husband and myself, became completely baffling to our English guests. I tried to explain to Lord Beaverbrook, what relatien my husband is to Mrs. Tieodore Douglas Robinson, and I think at the end he was as mystified as if I had never attempted an explanation! When you tell some one, that the lovely lady sitting opposite him is your husband's half-niece, that she married your first cousin, and that he was her sixth cousin, whereas you are married to your fifth cousin once removed, and are also her sixth cousin and that her children, in

Mr. Cannon was born in Indianapolis, attended Shortridge, received his degree in architecture at the University of Illineis in 1911 and practiced here until 1820. In 1918 and i919, he was associated with the Lake Erie & Western Railroad construction division. Among the buildings for which he was architect was the Butler Field House. His home at 4235 N. Pennsylvania St. is the last residence he designed. In 1930, he succeeded his father, William T. Cannon, as president of the 30 million dollar Railroadmen’s. He is modest, mild mannered and affable; hates to hurt anybody's feelings but can become firm if the diplomatic approach doesn’t work.

Reads Newspaper Comics

Besides model train building, he has several other hobbies. The current favorite is color photography. He loves to take vacation trips to the Smokies, or Cape Cod or down on the Gulf Coast and come back with some nice color transparencies. And he gets quite a kick out of showing them to his friends. He is fond of Currier and Ives prints and has a nice collection. He's also interested in Egyptian collections and pictures; hunts them up in museums. He smokes cigars and a pipe—but almost never smokes while hes in his office. He reads a lot, likes all sorts of magazines, historical novels and mystery stories, He's fond of music and seldom passes up a symphony concert. His sense of humor is well developed, and he dotes on newspaper comics—says he wouldnt know human nature if he didn’t read them.

Dog Walks Him

Although he’s pretty handy, he doesn't care much

about doing anything around the house, Once in a!

while, when the notion strikes him, he’ll get on overalls and trim shrubbery and work in the yard, but hed rather work on his model railroad. When he goes to bed at night, he takes along two or three model railroad magazines to study. He's quite fond of Dannie, a wire haired. Most; every evening after the 10 o'clock news broadcast, | Dannie takes him for a walk.

If Mr. Cannon has a pet peeve, it's probably bridge. | If he has to Play something, he'd rather make it {caught within the jaws of the larger

By Raymond Clapper meno:

panicky | moves, but that on the contrary it will push on with unswerving and ever-growing force. As Churchill indicated in his White House press conference, the hardest job will be to get our war materials to the places where they are needed. There is abundant manpower. Within a few months our output of war materials will be staggering in volume. It has been so good lately that some officials, before we got into the war, thought it might be good propa Fanda to show our hand to. the Axis and let. them know what an enormous stream of equipment was beginning to rise out of American factories. Now that we are in the war that might not be i But Hitler knows he is now up

peded under hard blows into foolish and

before the superiority of arms on the Allied comes fully into play.

Time on Our Side

AS WE SEE how woefully inadequate the defenses of the Philippines were, we must have more respect than ever for the way in which Secretary Hull conducted the delaying negotiations in the ope of 0 pre; venting a Pacific war before we were course obtaining a peaceful adjustment if nd 5 possible, although we know now it never was possible. We needed more time. But we didn't get it. Now we can only hope to hold Singapore at all costs and the Philippines if possible with relaying resistance until we can put into the area a superiority of planes and other fighting forces. Hitler undoubtedly is trying to take what advantage he can of this situation and we must expect him to strike at some point. These actions are the last chance of the Axis. The balance is turning steadily against the Axis. The most it can hope for is to make its final arives quickly ve, fore the full might of the Allies can be brought against it It can never win the war, because it can never knock out Russia, Britain and the United States. It can only prolong it—and the longer it goes on, the nearer the day when it will face irresistible superiority.

By Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor,” when the relationship is really only that of a half great-uncle; you may well imagine that you have led anyone, no matter how great his interest in genealogy, through a maze from which there is no emerging! Field Marshal Sir John Dill celebrated his birth-

rh MPR

RUSSIANS TAKE BLITZ OUT OF | GERMAN WAR

Wide Defense Zones Absorb Tremendous Impact of Armored Wedges.

By A. T. STEELE

MOSCOW, Dev, 7—The shakeup in the German High Command must be accompanied by a complete revision of German tactical methods before the Nazis can hope to resume offensive operations in Russia. This is the opinion of Russian military observers who point out that the Soviet counteroffensive at Moscow proves that the traditional German blitz war methods—so successful in Poland, France and the

Balkans—already are outdated. The Russians, though numerically inferior in tanks and airplanes, appear to have found an effective antidote for the type of warfare which up to now has been regarded as infallible, This has much more to do with the German setback than any weakness in the Reich’s military leaders in the Russian campaign, such as Gen. Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch, who has been made Hitler's scapegoat. The Russians, now concentrating all their efforts on the most rapid possible followup of the retiring Germans, show no inclination to rest on their laurels. It is realized that the German Army is wounded but not beaten and that it is most essential to give it no rest througnout the coming winter months.

Change in Methods Forced

The battle for Moscow clearly marks a turning point at least in the character of modern warfare. It will almost certainly bring some basic modifications in German tactics for Hitler tried everything he had in this operation and yet failed to achieve his goal. Basically, Russian strategy is the same now as it was at the beginning of the war—a system of defense in depth. But this strategy has been enormously strengthened and improved upon as a result of the lessons learned in actual combat with the Germans. One by one, the holes have been plugged and weaknesses corrected. One by one, the secret of German blitz warfare have been solved by the resourceful and adaptable Russians. The German tactics consist in breaking through defending positions with masses of tanks heavily supported by aircraft and followed by motorized infantry. Once holes have been punched through, the main armored spearheads plunge on while the supporting forces break off to partition and encircles groups of the enemy from their flanks and | rear.

_ Harder to Drive Wedges

imendous impact of the German wedges. ve Jo learned from experience to

As a main tank unit presses! {deeper into the rear, other parts] veer off to throw bigger circles | around lesser circles, thus hope- | | lessly dividing and disorganizing ‘the defending army. Then it becomes Simply a matter of masticating small centers of resistance

opers tion. to this are the Russian defenses in depth—wide zones of defense designed to absorb the tre-

The Russians

make these zones deeper and more densely defended than was first thought necessary. This has made it extremely difficult and in many cases impossible for the Germans to drive wedges deep enough to achieve encirclement and disorganization,

Emphasizes Flank Attacks

The Russians have learned to im« pede the advance of these wedges with all sorts and kinds of obstacles. They have learned to weaken them and soften them in their incipiency

strength and an adequate technique to destroy these wedges, once formed.

The Russians have simply employed all the resources at their of | command to wear down the enemy's Were manpower and materiel and then strike hard at him. They have concentrated on flank attacks to which Gérman wedges are especially vulnerable. Winter has been the Red Army's ally, for with the advent of snowstorms and cold weather the engines of war, like tanks, armored cars and airplanes, have declined in importance and the role of the individual soldier has grown. Cavalry, ski troops and infantry with automatic rifles, had much to do with the success of Russian flanking operations against German motorized divisions whose operations are confined largely to highways.

U. S. DAILIES REACH CIRCULATION HIGH

NEW YORK, Dec. 27 (U. P)— Circulation of United States daily newspapers reached an all-time high during 1941, the trade magazine, Editor and Publisher, said today in reporting results of a survey by the Audit Bureau of Circulations, The combined morning and evening circulations showed a gain of two per cent, Sunday newspapers showed an increase of 4.21 per cent for the sixmonth period beginning Sept. 30, as compared with the similar period a year ago. :

MARINES REJECT AUTHOR WASINGTON, Dec, 21 (U. P).—

The Indianapolis Times

This is the third of a series of articles by outstanding men in Government and industry as they look ahead to 1942.

By WILLIAM P. WITHEROW

Presiden National Association of Manufacturers Written for NEA Serviee

NEW YORK, Dec. 27.—The year 1942 will burn the last of the fat off the muscles that have made America great. . : Not that » American industry has much fat left since 1929, From then through 1940, EY industry as a

: Jars of its reserves to keep going, to keep business alive, to give men jobs. That sacrifice proves now to be one of the strengths of the Nation. The fact that during the good years industry had been able to save up some fat on which it could live through the bad years proved one of the present strengths of the Nation. When the call came to build defense an industry still existed that could go to work speedily and effectively. “8 8

NOW THE call is to build armaments and equipment for war, and industry is its very life blood. It will be an aggressive war. America, armed by industry, will carry the fight. In the large that will be the whole story of 1942. The basic industries are, whenever possible, going into a 168hour week. Some have already been able to. It is necessary to find and train new supplies of workers—both men and women. Every factory and every industrialist who can service the basic industries in any way will try to do the same thing. That means all of the sub-contractors on war goods down to the smallest employer whose managerial skill and equipment can help to make a tool. But there is another body of industry. These are the factories which cannot make war goods or any part of any item of war goods, because they do not have and cannot get the equipment. They also have their duty to perform. To the degree that workers are available and to the extent of materials that can be used without interfering in any

Witherow

In the Services

SIX FROM HERE

Industry Offers Peak Arms Output, N. A.M. Chief Says

SECOND SECTION

“America, armed by tndushey, will carry on the fight.”

way with the production of war goods, these factories will work as hard to support American morale as the war industries will work to keep our fighting forces and our allies armed. = = ”

AMERICANS cannot work without the goods and services to keep their daily lives supplied, any more than fighting men can fight without the ships, tanks, airplanes, guns, small-arms and ammunition to fight with. Since the fall of France, England has done a truly magnificent job in turning its national industrial plant over to war production. But now England has learned that such transformation can be too absolute. The strength of the nation is sapped if supplying the needs of living of the people is cut too fine. There is danger that during 1942 America may lose its head and repeat England's mistake. We in America must benefit from all the experiences of the last two years in Europe and not repeat the same delaying mistakes in any field of endeavor. This applies to tactics, strategy, armament, government prosecution of the war program.

Hoosiers in Washington

Only

INFLATION is already with us. There is no point in chiding Congress for its dilly-dallying with a price control law, The law it toyed with would not have solved much. War conditions demand all sections and elements of prices including wages, rents, interest and service charges, and agricultural products—which are food. That means sacrifice, but equal sacrifice for everybody. The year 1942 will prove that industry was right in asking for such a law in 1941. Industry confidently expects that there will be no defensecrippling strikes during 1942. All America is at war, not just a, part of America—at war for its life. Government should seek to make labor laws fair to both employer and employee and thus induce them to settle their differences without strikes in the interest of maximum war production. Industry asks one thing from its fellow Americans during the storms of 1942. It asks fair play. In return it offers maximum armament production with a minimum of delay. To win the victory of freedom this must be so!

- w

Brave Can Be Happy.

AT KELLY FIELD Pettengil Tells Ex-Colleagues

Aviation Cadel Enter Air Corps Replacement Training Center.

Among the first class of aviation cadets to enter the Air Corps Re-| placement Training Center at Kelly | Field, Tex, since hostilities began! are six Indianapolis men. | Emilio P. Ratti, 20, one of the] men, is the son of Gino A. Ratti, dean of the college of liberal arts, Butler University. Dean and Mrs. Ratti live at 329 Buckingham Drive. Other men are: Robert W. Boze, 1450 College Ave., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rollie Boze. | Arthur V. Sprowl, son of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Sprowl, 1247 King Ave.Eugene W. Kiser who transferred to the cadets from Company C, 52d Battalion, Camp Wolters, Tex. He is the son of John W. Kiser, 741 N. Wallace St. Norman J. Linne, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Linne, 2530 Brookway Drive. Leonard T. Lurvey, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Lurvey.

= » » Robert W. Shutt left for Camp Shelby today after spending the week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Shutt, 2011 W. Main St. Beech Grove. Just before he left Camp Shelby on his Christmas leave, he- was given his sergeant’s chevrons. He was a first-string member of the Cyclone Division,

DANIEL M. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—Congressional Hoosiers who remained in Washington over the holidays were willing to award the palm for a fine yultide message to Samuel PB. Pettengill, former Third Districe congressman, who retains law offices both here and at South Bend, Ind. A long-time New Deal critic and writer of some attainment, Mr, Pettengill sent his former colleagues a leaflet bearing the title “A Time When Men Grow Tall.” Both former isolationists and interventionists found in the tiny pamphlet a perfect example of the unity which now exists in the United States since the formal declaration of war. Here are some excerpts: “The famous words, ‘the pursuit of happiness,’ were written in ‘times that tried men’s souls.’ We are going to live through other days that will winnow out the sunshine patriots. Will this testing time break our morale, and, in so doing, destroy our faith in free institutions as something not worth the candle? “That will depend, in part, upon our yardstick of happiness. Victories may be won for despotism by men driven by whips. But freedom will be fought for only by those who are either happy in the fact, or in its pursuit.

HOLD EVERYTHING

“We have developed a false meaning of happiness. We have come to think of it as ease, not struggle; hot water and scented soap, rather than the ‘arduous greatness of things done.’ “Bu* let me ask this question. Do we thnk of Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson as unhappy men? No, I do not think so. They are the men we would wish our children to know we were, Valley Forge and all. “We think of the days in which they lived as ‘the times when men grew tall’ They did grow tall “There were giants on the earth in those days, mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” They grew tall and became giants for one reason only. They met and did not flinch from the challenge of their times. , , . “There is nothing wrong in the pursuit of happiness. The wrong comes in a false sense of the values of the things sought. “Years ago I was struck with Sir Gilbert Murray's belief that the Egyptian child of 4000 years ago was as happy with her baked clay doll as any modern child with a doll that cries and eyes that close and a very pretty dress. For the Egyptian child’s doll did all these things in the secret recess of a little girl's heart where is all that really counts for happiness. Shall We Conquer Fate? “If the automobile of 20 years ago had exhausted man’s invention, we would all be happy today driving that kind of car. So we do put too much value on material things—too little on things of the spirit. “So far as men can see, we are at the threshold of perhaps the most difficult period we have known since Washington's time. We are at war, Death will enter many homes. We will have to deal with unheard of debt, taxes, depression, unemployment and probably a lower standard of living for years to come. “Shall we, like petulant children, weep because of necessary sacrifice, and throw our toys upon the ground? Or shall we, like those who lived in ‘times when men grew tall’ pursue happiness by conquering our fate? “These, too, are times when men grow tall. And only the brave can be happy. “Because this is so, I can still wish you a Happy New Year.”

RICHMAN EMPLOYEES WILL GET VACATION

Employees of Richman Brothers will each be taking a week's vacation with pay within the next two months as a gift from the company. F. E. Thornburgh, manager of the

store here, announced the gifts at a

Christmas party. Approximately 90 members of the “Richman Family,”

employes and their families, attended the party in Hotel

PEARL HARBOR RUINS INSPIRE REVENGE HOPE

Navy Officers and Men Become Grim on Seeing Place First Time.

By FRANK SMOTHERS

HONOLULU, Dec. 27.—Pearl Harbor’'s damage is not a pretty sight—but the effect it has upon the officers and men of the United States Navy seeing it for the first time would be heartening to every American. I have stood in the midst of many of these officers and men getting that first look at what the Japanese did. As we steamed into the harbor and approached the wreckage, their faces gradually became grimly set, Their eyes were fixed with an ine tensity one seldom sees so long suse tained in a lifetime. Most of them said nothing at first. Then there were low exclamations —as when we passed a capsized hull, “that would be the Oklahoma,” and as the twisted scorched wrecke age of another battleship sank into their consciousness—“that’'s the Arizona.” Determined on Revenge

Their eyes remained riveted as we observed the damages being re paired on other ships. When we had finished the spell broke. The officers gathered in groups, their faces grim, and unburdened theme selves. “We knew what to expect but it is another thing to see,” said one. “I wish every American could have watched with us.” “We shall repay Japan for this” was the keynote I heard from all sides. Some who had been in America enough before the outbreak of hostilities to know something of isolationist arguments before the war, said: “I wish every isolationist who argued that this sort of thing could not happen to our country could have an object lesson of Pearl Harbor before their eyes.”

Realize Task Is Hard

There were plenty of bitter words on Japan's treachery but the offi cers were not wasting any time in aimless thoughts on that all too apparent fact. What they dwelt upon was that they and their country were going to see it through to victory at whatever cost the bitter task forced on them. They realized that the task was hard. But their purposefulness was deeper after seeing Pearl Harbor than that of some sailor boys I had heard shouting on the West Coast, with rather easy optimism, “on to Tokyo." Enlisted men here in Pearl Harbor and those who saw the wrecke age with me are no less determined and full of fight than the officers, I have talked with many of them, heard no syllable of defeatism from a soul, but determination in all and confidence in the outcome.

Recognizes Son

In Hawaiian Photo

RENNSELAER, N. Y. Dec. 27 U. P).—Mrs. Anthony Nardacci got her daily newspaper to read the war news in the Pacific. Her son Fred, an Army private, is sta= tioned at Hawaii. “That’s my boy,” she exclaimed pointing to a photograph. Mrs. Nardacci had recognized her son among a group of Ameri= can soldiers pictured at the grave of a Japanese airman whose plane crashed near Honolulu.

KIT CARSON A MARINE

LA JUNTA, Col, Dec. 27 (U. P.).—Another Kit Carson—a great grandson of the famous Indian scout—is in the nation’s armed forces. Kit Edward Carson, 26, ane nounced today his enlistment in the Marine Corps Wednesday at Pueblo, Col.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1—Dutchman’s pipe is the name of a musical instrument, large leaved vine, or beer stein? 2—How many days has a leape year? 3—In which city was the World's Columbian Exposition held? 4—The Yellow Sea is a gulf of the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean? 5—Which mountain in the United States proper has the highest elevation above sea level?

6-—The minimum age for eligibility to the office of President of the United States is 35, 40 or 45 years? 7—Georgtown is the capital of which South American British crown colony? 8—Name the brother of Andrew, 8 disciple of Jesus?

Answers

1—Vine. 2—Three hundred and sixty-sig. 3-—Chicago. 4—Pacific. 5-—Mt. Whitney, Cal. 6-—Thirty-five. 7—British Guiana. 8—Peter,

« 8 ASK THE TIMES-

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