Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 January 1942 — Page 14

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PAGE 14

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The Indianapolis Times

ROY W. HOWARD RALPH BURKHOLDER MARK FERREE President Editor Business Manager

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«Se RILEY 3551

Give Licht and the People Will Find Ther Own Way

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1042

WRONG FROM THE START RESIDENT ROOSEVELT and Price Administrator Leon Henderson use strong language in condemning the Senate's so-called price-control bill. It would compel inflation, according to the President. Mr. Henderson predicts that it would lead to “national If it became law “we would be. worse off than we are today.” Well, strong language is justified. Certainly the farm bloc has exceeded all bounds in seeking special protection and special benefits for agriculture through this measure. And certainly the Senate bill would encourage crop prices and industrial wages to chase each other out of sight up a dizzy spiral The fact is that the present effort to enact such legislation has been on a false basis from the start. The Administration and Congress have both been unwilling to attempt any control of wages, and both have been willing to give agriculture a specially favored position, We still believe that any bill to control prices will tend to defeat its own professed purpose unless it embodies the sound advice of Bernard M. Baruch: “You have first to put a ceiling over the whole price structure, including wages, rents, and farm prices up to the parity level—and no higher—and then to adjust separate price schedules upward, if necessary, where justice or Governmental policy so require.”

Sint » . sx lads suicide” through inflation.

“DEFENSE” IS OUT OF DATE EFORE Dec. T the names “defense bonds” and “defense stamps” were accurate and adequate. Today these terms smack of the wrong psychology. Today we must do more than defend ourselves. The bonds and stamps sold today are war bonds and war stamps. The armament plants are war plants, not de- | fense plants. Why not call them that—in keeping with the drastic change that has taken place? Or—perhaps better yet—why not use the names “vietory bonds" and “victory stamps” The change should be made. Nor is it a trivial mat-

ter. Psychology—public thinking—the national trend of mind—all these are major weapons of war. One essential | step in changing from defense to offensive war is to re- | christen the stamps, bonds, plants and efforts on which the | war depends.

DON'T UNDERRATE THE ENEMY HE Government is disturbed by the propaganda potential of stories about German weakness, It fears that | reports of Nazi army purges and party conflicts, of soldier | and civilian discontent, and of Axis plane and supply shortage, may inspire American over-confidence. There is such a danger, as we pointed out when these hopeful stories of Germany's near-collapse first began to appear. © Donald M. Nelson, the new war production chief, dis- | counts reports of Axis shortage in essential materials: “The enemy's planes are very good planes, his tanks are very good tanks, and his guns are very good guns. That, bluntly, 18 what we are up against.” Full American war production immediately is necessary “if we are to lick an enemy who has won the first inning.” 2 = ” = = = OWEVER clever Hitler may be in the use of ‘‘psychological weapons,” he would not sacrifice hundreds of thousands of men and machines—as reported by Allied officials and American correspondents—just to fool us. But it would certainly be effective propaganda for | Hitler, having suffered losses which he cannot conceal, to | exaggerate them greatly for foreign consumption. The extent of internal German collapse—if any—is an unhealthy subject for American and British speculation. It is impossible to know all the facts. And whatever the facts, our cue is the same, If Hitler is having his troubles, we need to fight all the harder to prevent him from recovering as he has done so often in the past. If Hitler is not in serious trouble, we need to fight all the harder so he will be.

AGAIN, TAX-EXEMPTS NCE again President Roosevelt has asked that future issues of tax-exempt securities be forbidden. The Federal Government has already stopped issuing | tax-exempts. But state and local governments are still borrowing in this protected money market. There are outstanding now some £20,000,000,000 werth of securities of | states, cities, counties and other governmental subdivisions, | paring an estimated annual interest income of £600,000,000 | to their holders, wholly exempt from any tax whatever. And, ac these outstanding issues fall due, new issues are peddled. So long as this reservoir of tax-exemption continues, it will make mockery of the Federal income tax and its principle of ability to pay. This is the biggest of all the loopholes. It should be closed promptly, by a law making all future issues fully taxable, making all income, from whatever source derived, subject alike to the progressive rates of tax.

THE CRISIS, 1776 “THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon i goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an

article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”— (The Crisis, 1776, by Tom Paine) - =a =

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Fair Enough By Westbrook Pegler

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15—You ought to know that our young

friend, Mr. Sam Ballard of Houma, La, received a very fair and courteous hearing from the august statesmen of the subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate when he went back Monday t6 renew his protest against the appointment of Herbert Christenberry, a veteran member of the unspeakable Huey Long mob, to the position of U. 8. District Attorney in New Orleans. On Saturday the three statesmen of the suboommittee had roughed up our young friend as though he were a mildewed bum and more than slightly colored and they were city detectives in the back. robm of policé headquarters in Memphis, Tenn, or Miami, Fla. Mr. Ballard, who soon will enter the Navy to fight for democracy, believed that as a citizen he had a right, indeed a civic duty, to present to Congress reasons why he believed the confirmation of Mr Christenberry would constitute a blow at the honor of ¢he Federal courts, and that the statesmen had a civic and official duty to hear and even elicit information bearing on the inappropriateness of the nominee.

Don't Give the Press a Thought

BEING IN HIS hither 20s, he appeared to be an inviting sucker for the traditional tréat-‘em-rough tactics of Senators. But when Senators O'Mahoney of Wyoming, MeFarland of Arizona and Austin of Vermont began to bounce him around with sharp questions, loud and impatient comments and senatorial fingershakes, he reacted unexpectedly. Mr. Ballard held his temper, with a politeness that might with advantage be adopted by Senators themselves in their dealings with citizens, and, with a dogged zeal for his rights, he insisted on pursuing his case. On Monday when the case resumed, somehow, there was a considerable press present to observe the treatment of young Mr, Ballard. And, somehow, the three august Senators, who had been so impatient and sharp when it seethed that nobody was looking, were now as nice as pie and most helpful and legal and kind. The turnout of reporters and photographers could have had nothing to do with this, because it is well known that the press is without influence, so the change in demeanor might be explained by the fact that they had a good rest over Sunday.

The Moving Finger Having Writ

ANYWAY, IT WAS “Mister Ballard” this and “Mistér Ballard” that and Senator Austin, particularly, who had been distinctly on the grumpy side Saturday, went out of his way to help Mr. Ballard develop what might be called the people's side. The principal witness was John Rogge, later of the Department of Justice, who ran the prosecutions of the ribald thieves in the odoriferous double-dip case in New Orleans in which numerous close personal and political associates of Mr. Christenberry and of his sponsoring Senators, Ellender and. Overton, of Louisfana, were sent to prison, and Mr. Rogge said he distinctly felt that the nominee's loyalty was given first to his political faction as against the D. of J. Mr. Rogge said that, believing Herbert “would place his political faction ahead of his duty to the Government,” he could not recommend him for the post of KS DA After the hearing Senator O'Mahoney sought out Mr. Ballard to say that he was a United States Senator and that his motives had been honorable, to which Mr. Ballard, looking him calmly in the eye, replied that he wag a United States citizen whose motives were no less honorable. Senator Connally came in to jollify the occasion, but his unhappy part was written years ago by the moving finger which, having writ, moves on. Discovering fraud in the election by which Overton reached the Senate, Mr. Connally, nevertheless, suggested that this wise but naive man had had no Knowledge of the fraud, and that is in the record, nor all his piety nor wit shall lure it back.

U. S. Aviation

By Maj. Al Williams

WE MUST REVISE our old rulebooks of war. This calls for personal courage greater than ever demanded from Americans since the Civil War. It's not the job of planning and building new weapons that worries me, but rather the Herculean task of discarding, scrapping and ditching the old ideas and the old ways that won't work in modern warfare. American airpower—full American airpower, free ard unhampered—must be inspired and built to reach any continent, to bridge any ocean, to strike any enemy nation at the heart—at home. Show me some other weapon besides airpower that holds such promise of military effectiveness and victory and I'll fold up and follow you. The men of England pleaded at Namsos: “For God's sake, tell them to give us planes!” Ditto the French and English in the Battle of France and Dunkirk. Ditto the defenders of Crete. Ditto the British High Seas Fleet. Ditto the fighting men all over the world whose own air forces were weaker than those of the enemy. The Dutch general in the East Indies pleads with us today, “We'll do the job if you'll send us the planes” The gallant MacArthur, stalwart soldier, pleads not. But airpower could save him and his command. These are the lessons of destiny standing nakedly before us.

Only the Surface Scratched

READ THEM. Study them. No matter what airpower has accomplished to date, only the surface has been scratched. Even the German Air Force was not up to the unbelievable might planned for it. Why, therefore, should we Americans—who have led the world—timidly and faintheartedly plan to equal the airpower or any other plans of Germany, Italy and Japan? Why not move our full might into the atmospheric ocean that covers the world? If we slowed down on everything else right now and built airpower—gigantic air fleets—we would be taking the first step to subduing our enemies. We are not going to land any expeditionary force in any fereign land until our planes dominate the air over those debarkation points. Let's quit thinking of air service as auxiliary to any type of land or sea machinery. The nation that rules the air will rule the world, just as England ruled it with seapower for centuries.

So They Say—

I FEEL it is time that a bit of healthy hate for the enemies crept into our war efforts.—Air Marshal William A. Bishop, Royal Canadian Air Force.

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I SPEAK FOR the rest of my countrymen when I say that all Cubans, civilian and military alike, stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States in her determination that the Axis shall never menace the shores of the Western Hemisphere.—Dr. Juan Mgueroa, president, Cuban physicians’ commission.

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IT WOULD be difficult to over-emphasize the

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I wholly disagree with what you say

The Hoosier Forum

defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

, but will

“ANOTHER BLUNDER BY OUR FUMBLING HOOSIER?” | By J. F. 8, Indianapolis Wendell Willkie, in his speech in the ring at Madison Square Garden before the Louis-Baer fight of Jan. Oth, said: “I took on a champion last year . ., . we are now agreed that America will not only win this war, but will rule the world.” Most Americans thought this war was being fought to prevent any one nation from ruling the world. [wheat are set at parity then we If the Willkie declaration is a should also have a guarantee of a (true statement of our objective, it floor under other products. Inciden[comes as an unpleasant surprise totally even now while part of these most of us, and must be quite a products are above parity at present | shock to our Allies who thought that [others are still below equality. our policy was based on the prin-| parmers and their sons and busi-

(Times readers are invited

to express their views in these columns, religious con. Make

your letters short, so all can

troversies excluded.

have a chance. Letters must

be .igned.)

Charter.

the cat is now out of the bag, but will find it is more probable that this is just lei 5 another blunder by our fumbling

Hoosier exponent of ‘‘der-mock-| ercy.”

aries while soldiers serve for $21

rd per month and farm prices are fixed

WANTS WAGES LIMITED IF FARM PRICES ARE By W. B. Singleton, R. R. 3, Brazil Your editorial in Saturday's Times 8 # #4 shows either a lack of knowledge of “RESIDENT HAS POOR agricultural facts and interests or a CHANCE AT DEFENSE JOB” deliberate attempt to mislead opinBy Walter D. Wright, 824 Warren Ave.

fon, The representatives of farmers ask| In regards to a letter sent to you

only that if we are to have our|’Y A. S. W, Jan. 9, 1942, I agree prices set that also wages be fixed [hat they are right. and other prices of things that we| Dike the old song, “If You Don't buy be likewise fixed, in fairness, so bike Your Uncle, Go Back Over so that we will not be pauperized the Seas,” so likewise about our city. as we were following the last war. There are several defense factories

We also ask that, if farm prices here but a resident of this city has are set, that they be set somewhat ® Very poor chance of getting a dein line with costs and we believe fense job. If we had the correct that the Secretary or Agriculture is|City officials these things might be the logical one to consult as he is|2@veided, so that the city’s residents likely to know something about the could pay all their taxes for such things as you spoke of.

business. In the Eastern cities they have

Also we know that if all agricultural prices are set at a limit that|rules which give local residents first chance at a job. Here they are re-

it may control downward some prices that would go higher but also| Verse. leave below cost many other pro-| I, a resident of the city for the ducts of a farm. In other words, if past 14 years, have worked about the price of cattle and hogs and six vears on private employmens,

better organized now than in the past and ask only equality with other industry.

Side Glances=By Galbraith

| Lose ssp me vs 00 Lr "You'd be a fine one to handle the labor situation! What happened when | asked you fo speak to the cook about being late?"

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Our enemies are sure to cry that | eq a year in the last World War.

however, that they strenuously object to labor be-|rest of us hope you get back where

ing paid outlandish wages and sal-|YOU came from as the road is not

below cost of production. We are!

the rest on WPA or direct relief. I have been in some of your Eastern cities looking for a job, but because I did not have a resident card of some kind, went out .unemployed. I am like all the men and women who work for a living, would like a job working in a high paid defense factory so I would not have

cause of certain grafters will have to. ¥ 5 # |“ON YOUR WAY IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT HERE"

By Mrs. E. Hurd, 830 S. Addison St.

I would like to say to a Mr. A. S. |W. who wrote an article Jan. 9 in

ciples laid down in the Atlantic], cc and their funds are always The Times criticizing our great city back of our government. I myself Of Indianapolis: True enough may- |

{be some of us did not send for you [folks from the East and maybe the

|all taken up yet. So on your way if |you don't like it here. .... I think most of us city folks like our form of government or we (wouldn't stay here. We might be trying to crawfish out somewhere else. If you try hard enough you might get a very nice place to stay at the Wally Windsor's wherever they are. I guess you are so used to griping and finding fault that there is nothing that pleases you wherever you go. ” ” ” FROWNS ON TRIALS FOR

AXIS SYMPATHIZERS

By A Disgusted Taxpayer, Thorntown It just makes my blood boil when I read in the paper or hear on the radio that some Axis sympathizer has been caught with papers and |been indicted or out on bail. I don't [like to be the one to start anything against our Government at a time like this but the laboring class of people are solely sponsors of this war and I think should have some word in it of what goes on with our tax money. So why not instead of spending our tax money on a long drawn out trial for one of those people, labor demands he be put in a concentration camp immediately and the lawver that takes his case sent right along. : We have already spent enough tax paying money on foreign agents for [trials to pay a goodly sum on our |defense program. I think it's time for labor to strike against our foreign agents, the trial money to be [put on our war debt. And don't let them take their golf bags along, give them picks and shovels and make them build roads and work like that for their keep. I hope labor takes this to heart, also, each and every taxpayer.

SHE COMES NOT WHEN NOON IS ON THE ROSES

She comes not when Noon is on the roses— Too bright is Day. She comes not to the Soul till it reposes From work and play.

But when Night is on the hills, and the great Voices Roll in from Sea, By starlight and by candle-light and dreamlight She comes to me. Herbert Trench (1865-1923)

DAILY THOUGHT

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.— Ephesians 2:8.

FAITH AND unfaitH can ne'er be equal powers; unfaith in aught Is want of faith in all.—Tenny-

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: YURSDAY IAN. 15, 100 Gen. Johnson Says—

WASHINGTON, Jan, 15—~My mail is filled with a type of letter that, to me, is pathetic. These letters are from officers and enlisted men who have been separated from the service for one honorable reason or another and whose records, they say, are excellent, With hardly an exception the substance of the query in such letters is to the same effect: “How can I serve in this em=~ ergency. I am an able-bodied professional soldier with years of training. I am not seeking a job for pay or asking for any particular rank or place or kind of service. It is simply unbearable to sit here twiddling my thumbs and talking to myself with my coun try at such a crisis?” Everybody knows the reasons for the War Departments policy. This is a young man’s war. These veterans can't stand field service and command under modern conditions. When you accept one, you simply acquire a new candidate fof future pension rolls.

There Must Be Some Place

ALL THIS IS TRUE as far as it goes—which isn't very far, The Government has millions of dollars invested in the professional training of such men. Its

supply and reserves of trained officers and non-coms is pitifully scanty. Many of the new formations do not have 10 per cent of trained professional soldiers, Nobody knows yet what will result from a vast raw recruit army, led by officers who are almost as raw themselves, except for some “get-rich-quick” fragmentary training course. They are as fine-look-ing and alert young men as you could find in a trip around the world, but, after all, soldiering is a profession, like medicine or the law, and they have had no opportunity to qualify. It is agreed that these older men are not up to taking all the hard knocks of field service, but isn't there a place to use many of them in helping with the training program? Aren't there thousands of office and other auxiliary Army jobs now being done by young regular officers which could as well be taken care of by one of these veterans?

Take Civilian Defense

CONSIDER THE MATTER of civilian defense. Considerable effort has been made to awaken enthusiasm by appointing committees in several walks of life to undertake this or that phase of home defense.

Yet there stand the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and various other nation-wide organizations composed of men, some cf whom are accomplished soldiers, and nearly all of whom at least have a great sense of responsibility, obedience and patriotism. I am not suggesting that the Army “take over” civilian defense but the conclusion is hard to escape that it is a mistake nov to stiffen our emergency helter-skelter organization of it by using, as a skeleton on which to frame it, these peculiarly qualified civilian organizations of ex-soldiers. I don't know whether there are overwhelming contrary considerations, but I do know what it is like for an ex-soldier to be told in time of war that there is no place for him, It is like hell.

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

SUPPOSE WE faced a terrible epidemic, such as bubonic plague or typhus fever, What would you do? There's no telling.

But I can tell you what you wouldn't do. You wouldn't go up and down shouting what a shabby creature the disease was and how strong and noble you were, You wouldn't be content with saluting the flag and daring the nasty thing to come on, because nobody can ever get the best of us big, strong wpnderful Americans. You wouldn't think" very much about how you were dressed to repel such an attack. You wouldn't criticize the doctors and nurses who were directing the efforts to save you, and you would certainly not be so foolish as to spout off all day about what a filthy, lowdown sneaking lot those germs were,

Talk Never. Won a War

NO, INDEED! You would be much more likely to keep your mouth shut and get busy, because no amount of tall talk has ever bested a germ and no amount of tall talk will ever win a war.

War is a disease—and, in my opinion, if men had done as much to fight war itself as has been done to keep the major plague from our land, we would not now be facing the grimmest job we have ever tackled. But that’s hindsight and no earthly good in an emergency. The occasion calls for a still tongue, a clear head and a humble heart. Nobody wanted this war; nobody likes it very well. It's simply a job that has to be done, and done as quickly as possible—and we won't do it speedily or well unless we all work harder than we talk.

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 wil answer any question of fact or information, not involving extensive ree search. Write vour question 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, ©.)

Q—Where should a disabled World War Veteran apply for a pension? A—Apply to the U. S. Veterans’ Administration, Washington, D. C. Be sure to include your claim number, If you do not remember it, give enough information to identify yourself, such as your rank and organization, date of enlistment, date of discharge and date and place of birth,

Q—How does the amount of money appropriated by the Government for defense plants compare with the total value of American factories?

A—Through Aug. 31, 1941, the U. S. Government appropriations for new plants and equipment amounted to 6.2 billion dollars, Manufacturers had financed a one-billion dollar defense plants expansion. A rough estimate of total value of manufacturing plants and equipment for 1940 amounted 22.5 billion dollars.

Q—How many people left the Dust Bowl during the last 10 years, and where did most of them go?

A—It is estimtaed that, between 1930 and 1940, about 550000 persons went to California from the Dust Bowl States and from Iowa and Illinois, There are no esitmates of the total number of persons whe left the Dust Bowl during that period, but it is be lieved half of the families that did leave went to California. Generally, the families were large,

Q—-Was George Washington made a citizen of France? A—In 1793 the French convention conferred on Washington the title of French citizen on the ground

that he was “one of the benefactors of mankind.” ai ) :

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