Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 March 1942 — Page 14

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as ever.

‘he Indianapolis Times ROY W. HOWARD RALPH BURKHOLDER MARK FERREE President Editor ; Business Manager

(A SQRIPPR HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

in Marion Coun-

published Price A ( ) (= 13 canta s copy) delivgal toed Sunday) by hb a ge Fi galt

NewsAlliance, NEA and Audit Bu- ~ reau of Circulations.

Gi LAE ol 00 Be WEE Plat Hi gn, How

{~~ ' WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1943

DON'T LET MACARTHUR DOWN! JE VERYBODY is cheering Douglas MacArthur’s promotion to supreme command of all allied forces in the south Pacific. - ; | + And why not? He has the best fighting record of any allied general. Outnumbered 20-to-1, he has held the line. His very name inspires in America and Australia a confidence which is matched in intensity only by the dread it arouses in Japan. President Roosevelt deserves high praise. This trans: fer, which seemed so simple, was 2 delicate operation. You don’t “rescue” an army commander, any more than you save the captain of a ship while others sink—not unless you want to destroy the morale which sustains the services, leaders and men. Illogical, perhaps, like love and patriotism and other imponderables, but as terribly real as war and the will to victory.

“ » » 8 AC ARTHUR has not been “rescued.” He is shifting "~ headquarters from one fighting front to another— indeed, to a front hotter than Bataan at the moment. That is important to Douglas MacArthur, who is famous for being in the thickest danger. I He is not “leaving the Philippines to their fate.” On the contrary, he is as much in supreme command of Bataan With this difference—he now also commands the bases and forces for eventual relief and recovery of those islands with which the name of MacArthur has been linked so heroically -for two generations. MacArthur's command of the south Pacific, and the arrival of an A. E. F. in Australia, is notice to friend and foe alike that the United States will yet rescue the Philippines for the freedom earned with their blood. However desirable this promotion otherwise, it would have been questionable unless demanded by the Australians themselves. Australia is the base, and Australians will form the largest part of the forces of the south Pacific command. ‘Not only do men usually fight best under one of their own, but the Australians—justly or unjustly—had lost confidence in the allied commander, the British Gen. Wavell, So the right way for MacArthur to be chosen was not by Washington or London, but by Aussies asking him to lead them into battle. And that is the way it was done— as our war department announces, “in accordance with the request of the Australian government.”

8 " #” o = GIGNIFICANTLY, MacArthur did oh move on Feb. 22 when invited to do so. He waited to reorganize Philippine defences under his able second in command, the veteran Gen. Wainwright.

Douglas MacArthur knows better than anyone else that hoopla and big names—even the magic name of MacArthur—won’t win the battle of the south Pacific. He

knows, from tragic experience with too few planes and |

weapons in the Philippines, that bravery is not enough. In Australia he will demand and must get—as he did not get in Manila before Dec. 7—the weapons to win. Not cheers alone, but more planes and guns and ships, faster and faster. d Don’t let MacArthur down! : j

WOLF TO THE RESCUE

.. BE. COSGROVE recently read in the Irish parliament a letter he had received from a taxpayer: “My shattered financial condition is due to. national laws, state laws, county laws, city laws, corporation laws, liquor laws, mother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws, and outlaws. “Through these laws, I am compelled to pay a business tax, school tax, gasoline tax, light tax, and excise tax. I am required to get a business license and a dog license plus a marriage license. “I am also required to soniribute to every society and organization which the genius of man is capable of bringing to life; women’s relief, unemployment relief, and golddiggers’ relief. Also to every hospital and charitable institution in the city. “For my own safety, I am required to carry health insurance, life insurance, fire insurance, property insurance, earthquake insurance, accident insurance, storm insurance, unemployment insurance, and old-age insurance. “My business is so governed that it is no easy matter to find out who owns it. 1 am inspected, expected, suspected, disrespected, rejected, dejected, examined, re-examined, informed, required, summoned, fined, commanded, and com_pelled until I provide an inexhaustible supply of money for every known need, desire and hope of the human race. : “Simply because I refuse to donate something or other 1 am boycotted, talked about, lied about, held up, and robbed until 1 am almost ruined. : ~ “I can tell you, honestly, that but for a miracle that ‘happened I could not inclose this check. The wolf that comes to many doors has just had pups in my kitchen; I 30ld them, and here is the money.”

KEEP ’EM FIGHTING ; OR the first time in the history of the Hoboken, N. J., Jai three inmates have been tossed out. Three hitchg girls, aged 18 to 15, were thrown in the cooler. They u; tod their mattresses, knocked a hole in the wall, turned e water cooler, and then punched the matron on the Then they were released. Oh, how MacArthur can use them.

The Dutch Way

By George Weller

| tailed before the war

that Soerabaja was

ally did its job.

POR. i vist to Sourival tree SAV bO-

fore its demolition began and accompanied a party

| of Dutch naval demolitionists aboard the last ship

which ran Japan’s cruiser and submarine blockade south, from Java to Australia. According to a fully pre-arranged plan, they coolly carried out their total labor of destruction.

Making the Destruction Complete WITH DUTCH method they had divided the demo-

navy executives themselves, All documents were burned. With fire axes, file cases, desks and chairs were smashed into small kindling. Telephones were smashed to bits. The radio workshops alone employed 250 trained mechanics. Hammer in hand, the superintendent walked down the line of scores of big American-made radio tubes, each worth more than $500, shattering them like wine glasses. The office staffs ended their work by sprinkling kerosene over the interiors of all buildings. . The heavy destruction occurred on Monday, March 2, occupying 6% hours. Fifty specially-deputized members of the naval police carried out the task.

"But Their War Goes On" WITH COTTON in their ears, the naval police

first destroyed the coastal guns, exploding dynamite

within the barrels. Then came the drydocks. At exactly 10 o'clock, the pyrotechnical magazines on the island of Madura were blown, in 62 huge concussions. Five'great hangars. along the mother-sheds for the American navy’s PBY flying boats, were blasted. The engine workshop, after the lathes and motors were all smashed, blew heavenward. Once 2000 of the bhase’s 16,000 men worked there. Torpedo magazines holding from 500 to 600 torpedo shells each were exploded individually, while N. E 1 submarine commanders watched with set faces. When charges of picrine had been laid the flames began their work. Those who had seen the oil fields of Tarakan and Balikpapan (both in Borneo) and Pelembang (capital of Sumatra) destroyed, said they had never witnessed anything comparable. Thus, fhe Dutch carried out punctiliously, systematically and with a completeness beyond cavil, the final destruction of their greatest eastern fortress, Few of their naval officers had time even to see their families. A train was waiting to take them to Tijilatjap. Their wives and children are in Jap hands—and some are known to be dead—but their war goes on.

Westbrook Pegler is on Vacation

j The. Riom Trials

By Paul Chal

: BERN, March 18 —“Hitler’s faim is clear,” observers said today Eon the basis of the fuehrer’s reference to France in his heroes day address in Berlin Sunday. Hitler has stripped France economically, it was pointed out. Now he expects from Vichy, through the Riom srials, to receive final satisfaction in the form of a “public and voluntary admission,” by both France and England of their responsibility for this war. Hitler, by his reiteration of persistent Nazi criticisms of Vichy’s “slackness” in its’ conduct of the trials at Riom, has given that attitude an importance which France and the rest of the world dare mot overlook. But, say commentators here, Hitlet's wish is hard to understand in the light of history. Germany itself, after World War I, never admitted her warsguilt. It ‘even refused to acknowledge its signature of the treaty of Versailles on the ground that this had been obtairad “by force.”

Petain Praised for Courage

AT RIOM, Marshal Petain’s France is realy to agree that French officialdom, prior to World War II, lacked conscience and efficiency. But further than that it will not go. As seen here, the procedure at Riom where the manifold trials are being dragged out, again shows that Petain has “guts” and a “clear apprehension” of his nation’s dignity. Meanwhile, estimates of Hitler's war chances are advanced in two pungent comments here. A German businessman, recently arrived in Switzerland, said: “How can a 1942 army achieve what 1041 troops were unable to do?” And one of the shrewdest Balkan observers said:

“If Hitler has not won his battle before October, :

1942, then Burope will elude the Nazi grip and the Germans themselves will escape from Nazism.”

Editor's Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. Thev are not necessarily those of The Indianapolis Times.

So They Say—

The greater your sweat, the fewer your tears.— Lieut. Gen. Ben Lear.

. 4 *

The world public conscience knows without any need of a supreme court where lies the responsibility of this war—Leon Blum, former French premier, at his “war guilt” trial. 4

Never in the world’s history has the danger to civilization been comparable to what it is at this ‘very hour.—Mackenzie King, prime minister of Canada.

- * *

These rampant totalitarian military forces seek to and can dethrone Christ and then shout as the pagans of the past, “there is no other god but Caesar.” —Msgr. Michael Ready, general secretary of National

Catholic Welfare Council, observing third anniversary

of coronation of Pope Pius. The series of destruction and retreat, of too little and too late, must end. The time of advance and attack should be near.—Lieutenant Governor Van Mok of Dutch East Indies.

What a Queer T

Little Dutch Boy Has!

The Hoosier Forum

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

“YOUR EDITORIALS WORTHY OF GENERAL COMMENDATION” By E. J. Conger, Crawfordsville. Your recent editorials urging concerted and concentrated effort to lick the enemy are worthy of general commendation. It is a pity that they were not published months ago, so that they might have had effect on those members of the Indiana delegation in congress who were doing all in their power to forestall preparations for the crisis which everybody else saw approaching.

: . 8 8 “IF LINCOLN WERE ONLY HERE TODAY” By Voice in the Crowd, Indianapolis

Mr. Daacke, tell us what would happen if all of the people quit work. That was your primary question and if you do not believe in my deduction “that we would all starve and that weakest of mind and body would starve first” give us the proper answer. That is, if you have an answer.

You certainly gave the farmers a good tip when you told them about chiseling nature for three crops & year in Texas, but I don’t believe you told them how: to get “green” stuff to a distant market or anything about the freight rates. Perhaps they raise some things up north that do not do so good in Texas. Anyway it seems that the farmers of the “solid South” needed the most relief and it couldn’t have been all politics. Or could it? Even Texas can raise only one grain crop. All of us revere Lincoln. He is quoted, however, with so many meanings that it is sad that he is not here to defend himself. Lincoln was a firm believer in a thrifty and industrious man’s right to have and to hold the benefits of his work and his thrift. That in his estimation would include all honest men in industry from its managerial leadership and shareholder to its most lowly. Were he here today to witness a fairly large minority who rather than to rise from their own efforts, desire to divide the fruits

“consideration.”

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

of other men’s lives, you might be surprised at his philosophy. You might well be surprised to note the phrases that he would leave for other generations to and misquote, could he witziess : this great country in an age where there are no chattel slaves, and most people earn a good livelihood at tasks that are far removed from the soil. Lincoln was a politician. I donot mean the kind that will fix a sticker or get your kid out of trouble, or get a special privilege for you for a I mean the kind that can fuse the ideas of millions of mental midgets into action for the good of all. Their value to mankind is high but sadly their numbers are few. 2 = 5 “WE ARE NOT LAYING DOWN ON THE JOB” By Noble Adams, 411 N, Chester st.

1 wish to correct any wrong impressions the public may have received after reading an article in your March 10th issue, signed by only, “A Defense Worker.” I am an employee of the paint départment at—————"'s and there is a similarity to some of his statements and to conditions in my department there. But only in the fact that we have a paint department there, we have a foreman and we are trying to attract the U.A. W. C. 1. O. as our bargaining agent. We have a foreman who has warned men that anyone caught soliciting membership in any union, on company time, is subject to dismissal. And he has never openly encouraged any soliciting as suggested by this unknown writer. I work the 4-12 shift and have

Side Glances=By Galbraith

since the middle of last summer, in this same department and as for learning all there is to know in one week, I can only say that I can stili learn a good deal about my job and am no master of it yet. ‘We had some men transferred into our department from other departments at 's. Men who because of their inability to understand their jobs they were hired for, or because of lack of work in their departments. . And naturally they feel disgruntled at having to come down to the paint department. . . . As for production, our department. with the same number of men as “ther “fWo shifts has consistently beat the other two shifts on production. . . . . I wish you would publish either this letter or any part of it in answer to this worker for the bunch of grand fellows, and our foreman of the paint shop, on the 4-12 shift at 's to let the public know we are not laying down on the job out there.

” " ” “COUNT ON HALLECX TO PLAY UP PREJUDICES” By J A. Benedict Jr., 2919 Madison

It seems there is a government sponsored farm in southern Indiana on which 41 families work .on a share-the-profit basis. It may or may not be a good thing. Reps. Halleck and Fish think not. In fact, they castigate it with what they deem most opprobrious terms. Halleck describes it as the “Russian farm.” “Ham” bellows about “plain, unadulterated communism.” Russia happens to be an ally. We don’t approve of communism, her form of government. But the Russians do, to the extent of fighting and dying heroically to defend it. In doing this they have dealt heavy losses to a common foe. Informed sources believe Russia and Japan will shortly be at war. We hope to acquire Siberian bases for an all-out attack on Tokyo. In view of this, it is hardly good sportsmanship, common decency or sound Americanism to berate or belittle unnecessarily an ally or its form of government. There are other things a great deal more im-

Jportant at this time than stirring

up prejudices. against the Soviet. And from what I gather, the project in question is merely an effort to make some tenant farmers selfsupporting. But you can count. on Messrs. Halleck and Fish playing up preju-

|dices, war or no war. That's how

they got in office. In fact, that’s how they hope to remain there. They are politicians, first, last and always. ; 8 EJ "w “WHY NOT DO AWAY WITH HANDBILLS?” By Rosemary Dickerson, 1504 W. 25th st. May 1 make a suggestion? If saving paper is so important, why not do away with the handbills distributed from door to door? The saving should be great if everyone gets as many as we do and we surely wouldn't miss them. All they do is clutter up the yards and porches. The larger stores can advertise in daily papers. The smaller ones can limit advertising to their regular customers, With the stores

. conserving on gAChz An Wapping = aay on

foolish for paper to be thrown away in this fashion.

DAILY THOUGHT

For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowl-

"| edge and Suderstanding-

Proverbs 2:8.

y & 7 Rul Lh

In Washington By Peter Edson.

WASHINGTON, March 18. Just a few days before Leon Henderson told a senate committee it might be necessary to requisition tires off civilian automobiles, Secretary of the Interior Harold Icke’s national parks travel magazine came out with a big blurb telling. people that in war times a trip to one of the national | parks provided a just dandy vacation. Kickbacks. on Henderson’s dire tire predictions were only two. Some people got the idea that government requisitioning of rubber on civilian automobiles was imminent, so they immediately made plans to burn up the road before the government should seize. The other unfavorable reaction came from some rubber interests, who. thought Henderson’s estimates entirely too optimistic, Some rubber people got excited after the Henderson statement when they heard that the army and navy munitions board was recommending a censorship to prohibit mention of rubber shortages. When the smoke blew away, it was revealed that all the services were trying to do was to stop publication of crackpot statements such as announcements of large imports of rubber from Brazil, and how the rabbit bush or the milkweed or the poinsettia could yield enough rubber to relieve the shortage. :

He Picked the Wrong Guy

A DRAFTEE WHO had been reclassified from 4-F to 1-B got so mad about it the other day he made a long distance call for Selective Service Director Lewis B. Hershey. “There must be some mistake,” the draftee complained to Mrs. Hershey who had answered the phone, “because I have only one eye.” What the draftee didn't know was that .in a polo ace cident 14 years ago, Hershey himself lost an eye and it hasn't impaired his military service in the slightest,

A 30 Per Cent Traffic Drop

TREASURY actuaries are generally conceded to be pretty good. As statisticians, their estimates and predictions have to be good or else. Consequently, Secretary of the Henry Morgenthau, Jr.'s forecast for the house ways and means committee on the probable reduction in federal gasoline taxes gives an indication of the amount automobile trafllo may fall off this year. Pederal gas taxes of a cent and a half a gallon collected at the refinery last year yielded $342,000,000, The estimate for this year, if the rate is unchanged, is $242,000,0000. That's a 30 per cent drop.

Turn About's Fair Play

DOUGLAS C. MacKEACHIE, the Boston chain ° store executive who has been director of purchases in the war. production board but now becomes a civilian purchasing director for the army’s new service of supply, had only one previous contact with the SOS commander, Maj. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, before going to work for him. That was about a cone struction detail of “the world’s largest office building,” now being built for the army across the Potomac from Washington. . Gen. Somervell; previously chief of army cone struction, had held out for aluminum window frames. MacKeachie said the army would have to be satisfied with steel. There was quite a fuss, but MacKeachie won. Now he goes to work for the man he had the argument with.

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

THE FARM WOMEN'S Co-0p-erative market of Montgomery County, Maryland, seems to me one of the most interesting and suce . cessful projects ever attempted by women. You have to see it to believe it. Housed in a long, low frame building on the main highway a mile from the District of Columbia line, it has become the pride of the Washington suburb of Bethesda. - Like many another successful venture, the co-op-erative market is proof of the truth of an ancient adage, “Necessity 1s the mother of invention.” When economic conditions were at their worst a killing drought visited this section of Maryland and the farmers faced disaster. It was then the women dee cided to act. In Fébruary, 1932, some 19 of them Bough their produce down to the highway and set up their dis plays on card tables under a small tent. That was the beginning of what is now one of the most unusual and flourishing markets in’the nation.

It's Fun As Well As Profitable

EVERY WEDNESDAY and Saturday business. Long rows of stalls hold all things—pies, cakes, tarts, bread and rolls fit your mouth water, dressed and cooked poultry, ages, preserves, golden butter, thick eream, canned chicken broth, pickles and relishes just like Mother used to make. Each woman has a favorite specialty, and in 10 years customers have increased, many come ing long distances to buy the delicacies. Miss Pearl Marlow, vice president, and Mrs, Albert Cissel, treasurer, both confessed that most of the women get fun as well as profits out of the venture, There is a friendly spirit in the place; market day is a. gay ahd Rappy occasion, fur i gives them 3 chianes to exchange ideas and gather and dispense bits of news. Right now the women are a little bothered about the tire shortage, since they depend on automobiles, but I'm betting on their ingenuity and good sense to carry them gallantly through this new difficulty,

Questions and Answers

A—1It was in New London, on March 18, 1991. Four hundred and fifty-six teachers and pupils were killed,

Q—When were X-rays discovered? A—In the fall of 1895 by Prof. Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen, professor of physics in the University of Wurzburg, Bavads, Gefiany. The discovery was the result of extensive research Boog Bis an electric current in an evacuated tube. This subJE SAR See A ot unquestionably, been p rece ognized, by many investigators. Probably the first per« son actually so to produce X-rays was William Morgan in the year 1785. Q—Are spark plugs and auto batteies oing 10 be rationed? ; :