Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 March 1942 — Page 8

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PIES eee The Indianapolis Times

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

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«Po RILEY 8551

Give light and the People Will Find Their Own Wap

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1942

BUSINESS IS ON TRIAL, TOO USINESS abuses, so far in the defense and war period have not been as vigorously condemned by press and public as have labor abuses. One reason, perhaps, is the very general belief that wrong-doing corporations would get neither protection nor mercy from the New Deal government, But there's an emphatic warning for all business in such revelations as Thurman Arnold is making about the synthetic-rubber dealings by Standard Oil of New Jersey with German interests. And in the other revelations of excessive profits made, and fantastic bonuses paid, by some war contractors. Business is just as much on trial as organized labor is. Corporation chiefs will catch the same hell that union officials have been catching—unless they discharge their responsibility for keeping their own house clean. The whole American business system will be punished terribly, and perhaps destroyed, if some of its elements ignore their duty to the country and place profits above patriotism. We don’t believe the officials of Standard Oil are proNazi. Mr. Arnold, himself, concedes that they didn’t intend to aid Germany against America. But the evidence seems conclusive that Germany was aided, and our own war effort has been hindered, by what this corporation did. It developed a cheaper, better synthetic rubber than Germany had, Mr. Arnold charges, and made the patents available to a German trust, but refused, even after Pearl Harbor, to make them freely available to American companies. And, he adds, this was no worse than what other American firms have done, through cartel arrangements with German interests, in the matter of other essential war materials. 2 = 2 = 2 E'RE glad that Mr. Arnold's anti-trust division has forced Standard of New Jersey to release its rubber process for free use by United States manufacturers. Many citizens will agree with the senators who feel that Standard is getting off very cheaply with a $50,000 fine and no criminal prosecution, even though Mr. Arnold explains that he agreed to the consent decree to get quick action and avoid

Price in Marion County, 3 cents a copy; deliv- |

‘but very dangerous Mediterranean.

Vichy In Line

‘By William Philip Simms

WASHINGTON, March 28— Not since June, 1940, have relations between the United States and France been closer to an understanding than they are today. The Vichy government has not only given definite assurances to this country that neither the French fleet, Madagascar nor France's African bases will be turned over to the axis, but further, it has assured the United States that in its dealings with Germany it will not go beyond the terms laid down in the armistice. Hitherto such understandings as Vichy and Washington may have enjoyed has been extremely vague. Usually it had to do with certain limited shipments of essentials for eivilian use in wWnoccupied France and North Africa. At times relations have seemed on the point of rupture because of rumors that France was not living up to her agreements but was helping the Italians in Libya or the Nazis in occupied France. " But today the understanding covers everything. from the French fleet to Dakar and France's other colonial possessions throughout the world.

It's Been Hard Going

YHUS THE POLICY which the United States has consistently pursued from the outset seems to have proved that it was both objective and realistic. What it started out to do was, first, to keep the French fleet from falling into the hands of the axis; second, to do the same with regard to France's African bases: and, third, to see that the French government did not exceed the terms of the 1940 articles of capitulation. Holding to this policy has not always been easy. An influential section of opinion openly urged getting “tough” and taking what we needed. And others, insisting that she was about to deliver both fleet and the African bases to Germany, demanded Vichy be treated as an open enemy. From the president down, the administration has opposed using force. Sentiment aside, it is well known that regardless of the attitude of this or that small group, France remains a democracy at heart and an overwhelming majority of her citizens are

our friends.

We've Made Ourselves Clear

THIS DOESN'T MEAN that Mr. Roosevelt has not peen irritated by certain Vichy acts. He didn’t like what happened in Indio-China. And he didn’t like it when the battleship Dunkerque was moved without notice after Petain promised due notice would be given. He didn’t like it when part of France's military stock of gasoline in North Africa was turned over to Italy in Libya. And so on. But these things have been ironed out—perhaps not always satisfactorily but at least so they understand each other. For instance: France is required by the armistice to turn over to Italy certain of her military gasoline reserves in unoccupied France. But when France let Italy have some of her North African stock, it saved Ttaly from having to transport it across the narrow The United States. therefore, had no right to complain over a transfer of gas from France to Italy but it did have the right to complain over such a transfer in North

long litigation. Anyway, you can't put a corporation in jail. And that's just the point. The officials of most cor- | porations, like the officials of most unions, are good, loyal | Americans. They'd die rather than betray their country. | But too many corporations—and too many unions—are | soulless, artificial creatures which develop a power to make | good men who serve them forget public responsibility in the interest of corporate or union “success.” That won't do in these times. Corporations and unions must hold themselves to the same standards of honesty and patriotism that govern individuals. If they fail, the | consequences will be terrible for them and for the country.

COME ON, CAPS

OW that we've gotten over that limp feeling we went | through during the “sudden-death” overtime period the other night, we can start cheering again for our Indianapolis hockey team to win the Calder cup. As you well know, the Indianapolis team defeated Springfield in a best-three-out-of-five-game series. Tomor- | row night, the team starts a new three-out-of-five series with its western division rivals, the Hershey Bears, The Caps ought to know that everyone in Indianapolis is pulling for them te win the Calder cup. Come on, Caps!

GET ON WITH THE WAR

DMINISTRATION spokesmen insist that the NYA and CCC must be preserved because of their “defense activities.” The President lists these activities as NYA's defense training program, CCC's work protecting forests against sabotage fives, especially on the West Coast, and CCC's construction work on military reservations. Senator McKellar of Tennessee makes a sensible coun- | ter-proposition: Preserve the defense activities, but dis- | mantle the CCC and NYA overhead bureaucracies. He would | do it this way— Transfer NYA's defense training shops to the office of education, which conducts similar vocational training | through the public school systems, graduates more trainees, much better trained, at much lower per capita | cost. The public school training is more efficient, because | the men in charge have the “know-how,” while most of the | social workers running NYA wouldn't even know how to put a corncob handle on a file, To guard against forest fires, turn that portion of the CCC money over to the forest service. Transfer to the war department all the CCC camps doing necessary work at army posts.

2 = » = = 8

ENATOR McKELLAR estimates that, under his pro- |

gram, all these activities can be continued, more efficiently, for 8£75,000,000—or about half what CCC and NYA are asking to do the same work.

The way some administration spokesmen talk, we some-

times wonder how the United States got through the last | Maybe our |

big war without benefit of NYA and CCC. nation’s conduct of World War [ was not perfect. But we did two things in that war that were no mistakes: We stuck primarily to the business of fighting. And we won.

THIS IS AMERICA

SKBD in the question and answer column to state the nationality and religion of Gen. MacArthur, an Ohio editor gave the best reply we have seen yet: “I can think of nothing of less conse? quence right now than the nationality and religion of Gen. MacArthur. He is an Amer: ican. That's what counts.”

Africa—and did in no uncertain terms. The U. S. has now spelled out its position in great detail. And France understands. She has pledged herself to take every precaution against repetitions of the things complained of and against similar hap-

| penings in the future.

Westbrook Pegler is on Vacation

Ep “Root, Hog or Die ‘By Gen. Hugh S. Johnson

WASHINGTON, March 28— Arthur Weik of WPB told a convention of ice-men that many small businesses must close up shop and “root, hog or die” before they lose all their money through the priorities system. The advice was probably good if present policies are to continue, but does it lie in the mouth of a WPB man to be saying so? Part of the duty of that organization is to see to it that civilian morale and supply is maintained as long as possible. If it has done one thing to help in that direction, the record does not show it. Wherever it sees a shortage looming its first and only thought is to take it out on small business and the civilian population, Mr. Weik points out that this will so restrict the volume of sales of small retailers and manufacturers that their intake will not carry their overhead and that they ought to liquidate and offer their services to the government which, by the way, and to their bitter disappointment, may not want them no natter what has been their experience.

"The Day Is Coming"

TAKE A CASE in point. It has been announced that men must worry along with one razor blade a week for safety razors. This may save 300,000 pounds

| of steel of varying grades.

At about the same time we learn that plans are being studied for reclaiming the scrap-steel lying around in weeds of farmers’ fense corners, on abandoned railways and the like. It is estimated by somebody that this will salvage 3,000,000 tons of steel. A

KH IND) ; 3

| Roosevelt has done.

Than Hitting Each Other

The Hoosier Forum

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

“NYA ONE OF FINEST THINGS IN COUNTRY By G. D., Indianapolis You have had so many people writing in your editorials against the NYA. Well, I am an NYA worker, and I want to say that it is one of the finest things our

country could do for its youth. I am not well enough to enter the army or the rest of the armed forces of the country. Factories will not hire me. There are many more youth like myself who depend on the NYA. If the NYA must be discounted, what are fellows like myself going to do when the factroies won't hire you unless your health is in number one condition? The people who don't like the NYA should know that this is the only country in the world that gives the youth of its country such fine training and that is through NYA and CCC. ” ” 2 “WAKE UP, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S ASLEEP” By Mrs. Ruth Uland, 1545 Lexington ave. I wouldn't want you disappointed | for the world, Mr. Wainwright, so here's to you— : I'm not an old lady with grey hair, so therefore, I do not know much about our other first ladies, but 10 to 1 none of them would attempt to help the poor as Mrs. Very doubtful that any of them would step on the same soil as those poor Kentucky mountaineer people as she did. Why would she attempt to make more and more money when she has enough and more too, to last her the rest of her days? And as for helping her husband, wouldn't any true-blooded American oman do the same? Haven't they always stood by their husbands in time of need? But he certainly didn’t need her to gain votes for him. He had plenty. I don’t know much about Mayvris Chaney, but I will say she and Mrs. Roosevelt very gracefully withdrew their positions of their own accord when they were so highly criticized | by people who didn't have sense enough to see that they were only trying to do as they thought best. Everyone makes mistakes, but it

(Times readers are invited their these columns, religious conMake

your letters short, so’ all can

to express views in

excluded.

troversies

have a chance. Letters must

be signed.)

takes people with backbone to admit it. . I certainly am not on a Roosevelt Christmas tree either, but you should thank yolr stars and stripes we have such highly respected, understanding people as the Roosevelts. Too bad we haven't more like them. Wake up yourself, you're the one who's asleep.

“IN LINE WITH YOUR

8 ”

| FASCIST THEORY OF RULE” | By William Murphy, 1088 W. Morris st.

Your recent front page blast on labor unions and the different governmental agencies is in general line with your fascist theory of rule, Labor unions are the very bulwark of democracy. Destroy them and you immediately have the totalitarian set-up wihch you seem to favor so highly. The 48-hour week is certainly no cure-all for the ills of the countyy. The whole secret of the woes of democracy is the fact that your whole economy is overrun with chiselers. They grab themselves a toe-hold in high places, hang on like leeches and won't let go. A good example of this is this emergency training outfit sponsored by WPA. Due to the fact that much of the activity of this latter organization has been curtailed, the boys were finding themselves hard put to hang on to their jobs. Then along came this emergency training and the day was saved. As long as the WPA projects were fairly active they were content to go a little slow, but since the whole kiboodle is about ready to go “over the hill” the boys went all out for defense. Everybody including the lame, the halt and the blind were rushed into the breech. Timekeepers, clerks, foremen and water boys were hurled

Side Glances=By G

albraith

better estimate would be 30,000.000 tons if the job |

were properly done. But, for us it is too much trouble.

quite spectacular but very sterile of results. Three hundred thousand pounds steel) is not a drop in the bucket of our needs, but it

of business through small outlets. Our people are ready to make any sacrifice to match or emulate the sacrifice of our soldiers, but the day is coming, as sure as sunrise, when all this

comfort and convenience of our people is going to be felt and resented and with it the mentality of this advice to hogs, to “root or die”

Editor's Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. Thev are fet necessarily those of The Indiananelis Times

So They Say—

A machine gun factory in full swing can equip a whole regiment in a day and a half. That's Why hours are important. Every minute counts.—Donald M. Nelson.

* * .

The scandalous increases in bonuses and salaries of some war plant executives are evidence of inordinate profits and evasion of the high bracket profit taxes —Rep. Albert A. Gore, Tennessee Democrat.

= » *

Neither side of this conflict can build warships

—Maj. Alexander de Seversky. * . +

Too many people believe the war is a glorified Burton,

Will the 200 per centers among us please take note.

# #

WPA project.—Sen. Harold HM. Ohio Repul« lican. ‘ :

(not tons of |

It is easier to | “ration” razor blades to get 300.000 pounds, which is |

will be a great and needless daily annoyance to a good | many million men, and one more stoppage in the flow |

rough-shod, ill-considered unnecessary riding over the |

as fast as aviation can destroy them from the skies.

"We can write up some swell tire

3-18

and sugar scandals in our neighs

borhood if you'll give us a job as reporters!”

at the enemy. Men who never worked around a piece of machinery in their lives were rushed into molding, machine shop, foundry and welding jobs and were to be turned out as a finished product in 12 weeks. Those who had been receiving the magnificent salary of $87.60 a month were cut to $57.60 and were told to be very patriotic about it. One instructor was imported from Marshall, Ill, at a salary of $2.50 an hour and several more were recruited from shops at a $2 an hour rate. They worked during the day in their respective shops making $10 or $12 and then finished up with another ‘sawbuck” for five hours of instructing. As is usual in such cases, there were, no doubt, competent instructors walking the streets who did not have the necessary “drag” to land one of these positions, Such stuff as this, multiplied a number of times and by many situations comprises the chief source of bottlenecks in the democracies. A last word in regard to labor unions. Destroy a man’s incentive to fight for his rights and your ecoonmy goes into a state of decay and you immediately become a victim of what was predicted to be in store for you in that morbid fantasy written by that sadistic exponent of bad dreams, Mr, Oswald Spengler, in “The Decline of the West.” wv ¥ Wu “PEOPLE WILL GET FED UP

WITH THIS BLUNDERING” By a Republican, Indianapolis I am surprised and dismayed to see the number of unqualified men filing for public office these days. This is a time of war when we most certainly need the most able and most competent people we can find to be our public officials. And yet what happens? Here is the Democratic organization, one which a great many people in Marion county know to be not much more than a group of greedy, selfish people, determined to keep so many jobs within the hands of just the same men. But what is my own party doing Why, they're just following the same tack. They're putting up a bunch of unqualified ward heelers for public office. This is the rotten sort of thing that led to the downfall of democracy abroad. It can only lead to fascism, because the people sooner or later will get fed up to the gills with this inefficient, inept, stupid, biundering method of running local government. We need men of character, men of high caliber, not a bunch of petty Boss Tweeds. As a Republican, I appeal to my party leaders to quit following the path of the Democrats and to name candidates so outstandingly able that victory will be certain. The other road leads nowhere, because no matter who wins, the party and the people will stand discredited.

£.8 » “A SALUTE TO THE C. I O. AND A. F. OF L."

By M. B., Indianapolis A sincere salute from America to the €. I. O. and the A. F. of L. for offering to give up holiday and Sunday double pay for the duration. That was the patriotic thing to do, the kind of action that wins wars. Now let’s have some comparable concessions from those who have been loudly criticizing “double pay.”

DAILY THOUGHT

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. I. John 3:4.

WHO TO HIMSELF is law law doth need, offends no law, 'is a king indeed.~~Cieorge

, no and}

Pulse of Power By Nat A. Barrows

GUATEMALA CITY, March 28, —In the same type of gigantic four-motored Boeing bomber in which Gen. MacArthur finished his flight from Bataan to Australia, we soar almost three miles above the mountains of Guate« mala and towards the Pacific part of the encircling aerial net work protecting the Panama Canal from attack. Pointing her two-floored glass nose upwards until the altimeter swings around like an elevator indicator, the huge plane easily climbs over the smoking craters of active volcanoes. Just so did that other flying fortress-type bomber climb when failuge could mean sudden death from Japanese machine guns for the hero of Bataan and his party. What MacArthur did and saw in his dash for Australia—I see now—a vast, flying platform from which to drop tons of explosives, an airplane so large it seems like a submarine, a weapon embracing every bit of fighting efficiency our engineers are able to devise. There is a rhythm here that sounds a cadence of great power waiting to be released; there is here, all about us, an efficiency of highly-specialized coordination, Here is 10-man teamwork raised to near perfection.

"Endlessly, They Peer Around"

SCATTERED AT their posts in the six compart ments the 10 man their stations with the easy skill that comes only from long experience. They would seem almost casual if it was not for the fact that this is wartime and this'is a war mission—and any= thing can happen. Endlessly they peer aloft and below, from side to side. No surprise attack from an enemy fighters plane, peeling out of the formation above them, is going to catch them unawares, In front of me as I sit aft in the control room are the pilot and his radio operator, a microphone at his mouth to issue an intercompartment order by tele phone. The co-pilot studies an aviation map. At this height, one sees the world like a brown and green patchwork, 11,000-foot volcanoes flattened out underneath. Two compartments to the rear, one of the radiomen listens to the base radio station, far behind us, alert for any alarm that would send us into either the Pacific or the Caribbean for action. Further aft, in a room large enough for a dinner party, machine« gunners sit by their weapons, their heads swinging back and forth as they cover the plane against sure prise attack from the air,

Leaning Over |5 Empire State Bldgs.

THEN, THROUGH a trap door behihd the pilot's steel-backed seat, I work myself to the lower-deck control room, to the section where the navigator and bombardier gaze down upon an unbroken view that is like leaning over the edge of 15 Empire State buildings. The bombardier sits grimly in his seat, bent fore ward on lookout. His responsibility includes both aiming the bombsight and an important share in locating targets or reporting attackers. Seated at the table to the rear, the navigator, checks the ground drift through the sight indicator in the bottom and plots our course, frequently telephoning it to the deck above. We soar along, still at high altitude. The bomber rides easily, hardly disturbed by the rough air, amid the clouds. Her four motors pound out a symphony of strength. Her crew keep her flying and ready for action with a calm determination that is fine to see. Capt. Robert Bruskin of Washington, a G-2 officer of the Caribbean defense command back at Panama, nods at me as we survey our little universe in the cloud patches. He needs no words to express his emotions at being the guest of such a fighting crew, in such a fighting ship.

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

IF FEMININE energy can win the war, victory is in the bag. I've just come from the Districe of Columbia headquarters of the American Women's Volunteer Service group, and my head swims. Those AWVS gals are filled with patriotic ginger, and they manage to look efficient and smart even if they do work in a stable. It's the truth, They are housed in a Washington landmark, the famous old Towne send barn, now the property of Mrs. Sumner Welles. But it's the sort of barn which fills you with new respect for the horse in his heydey.

Not Only Helping . . . Learning

DON'T ASK ME what these women do. It would be easier to mention a few things they haven't tried. For they are busy with housekeeping aid, finger printing, classes in public speaking, telepiione switclie

board instruction, motor corps training, civilian protection and ambulance driving. Some are learning how to take apart and put together again the insides of army trucks. The gentler arts of agriculture are also followed, and they have fair-sized classes in gardening, milking and poultry raising. This volunteer organization, a major war service group, is patterned after the one in England and has its national headquarters in New York City, with branches in widely scattered cities. Some 2900 women have already enrolled here, Most workers are housewives, and I wish more men could see how well they work and how gay they are about it. This is the way things ought to be done— with verve, merriment, efficiency and speed. These women give an impression of enthusiasm which lifts your spirits. They are not only helping, they are learning. They have enrolled to fight a war and they like it.

Questions and Answers

(The Indianapolis Times Service Bureau will answer any question of fact or information, not involving extensive research. 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. C.)

Q—What is the source of the phrase, “the way of a man with a mati”? A~Proverbs 30:19 in the Bible. Q—Can you give some information about the origin of the Fanny Brice character, “Baby Snooks”? A—"Baby Snooks” first came into being at a pri. vate party in New York. While singing a patter song, “Poor Pauline,” Miss Brice lapsed inta baby talk, Years later Moss Hart wrote a “Snooks” skit for “Sweet and Low,” but “Snooks” was not officially recognized until she was included in the Brice routine for the 1034 “Ziegfeld Follies.” Q-—-How many casualties were suffered by the Brite ish at Dunkirk? A—One estimate places the number at about 30,~ 000. Official figures haye not been issued.

Q-—What is the usual cost of a modern battleship? A—From $70,000,000 to $100,000,000. Q—How much does a navy mosquito boat cost?

AcBRYNS. SAW. i

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