Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 May 1942 — Page 21

FRIDAY, MAY 8, 942

mes.

‘Hoosier Vagabond

Editor’s Note: Ernie Pyle Bn in poor health and is taking a rest. Meanwhile, The Times, following readers’ desires, is reprinting some of Ernie's betterknown columns,

DOVER, March, 1941. —All day long I rode around southern England, skirting the coast from the mouth of the Thames to Dover. And somehow I got an impression that Germans wouldn't be welcome in these parts. I never hope to see again in my lifetime so much barbed wire and so many highway obstructions and roadside blockhouses as I saw in this one day.

Right at the moment the mili-

tary arm is sick of visitors, so I couldn’t get a pass to see all the heavy stuff and the hidden stuff and the trick stuff that Britain has evolved to foil the encroaching villain. But just driving around, almost like a tourist, you are constantly in such a maze of soldiers, camouflaged trucks, half-hidden guns, trenches, pillboxes, lookout towers, blocked roads and endlessly stretching barbed wire that when you finally leave it you begin to feel lonesome and unsafe. The censorship doesn’t pertit a description of camouflage, but I saw camouflaged things that would make you split with laughing if it weren’t so deadly serious.

Public Barred From Area

. MANY FARMHOUSES stand empty, for they will be in the line of battle if battle comes. Sheep ‘graze in the fields while soldiers occupy the sheep sheds. A farmer's simple thatched heme may be a general's headquarters: Every roadside wood doesn’t cover a gun, but you don’t know which one does and which one doesn’t. The public is barred from this whole area covering the channel coast and extending for many miles inland. Those who live in the area can move about

By Ernie Pyle

thousands used to lie and relax are now bare and

blocked off. Each town along the coast is so heavily defended

in front that it seems to me impossible for the Ger-]

mans to make a landing in force directly by water. So the next assumption is that they would land men and tanks and guns inland, by air, and then try to push back and capture a pers to establish a bridgehead for water-borne troops. Consequently the cities are ‘as well defended behind as in front. For miles, in a great semicircle behind each city, the fortifications are complex. Roads and fields and fence-rows are entangled and blocked. Behind them are hundreds of gun posts in natural craters.

Concrete, Concrete, Concrete

ALL,THOUGH THE WHOLE country fis already solid with obstruction and defense, men are still working constantly on more and more of the same.

If they put much more concrete down here I think

the whole end of this island will sink into the sea. Surprisingly, the towns in this area don’t seem like ghost towns at all. Only about a third of the people have been evacuated, and new soldiers coming in more than make up for this decrease in population. In Dover, Ramsgate and Deal the streets are filled with people The pubs and picture shows operate as usual. The shops are well stocked. Nobody seems to be going around casting haunted looks over his shoulder. It is next summer that the difference will be really apparent. For this is the Atlantic City and Coney Island section of England, where half a million Londoners come on a holiday to stroll and bathe and lounge. They won't come next summer. For one thing, most of the big hotels are evacuated. For another, the great beaches and promenade decks up on the cliffsides are now all tangled with barbed wire and concrete blocks. All this is reason enough for the crowds not coming next summer. But the best reason is—the government won’t let anybody in. Not even the Germans.

Inside Indianapolis By Lowell Nussbaum

THE PRICE OF MILK is likely to remain 14 cents a quart (home delivered) for several months at least, despite a substantial drop in the price paid the pro-

ducer in recent months. This price is fixed by the

state milk control board. It reached a peak of $3.14 a hundred pounds for Class 1 milk in December. Since then, the amount of dried milk and other milk products being shipped overseas has been reduced because of the need of ship bottoms for munitions, ana the milk products have been piling up in warehouses. Accordingly, the price paid the producer has dropped 38 cents since December, but there has been no corresponding decrease in the retail price. Why? A representative of the milk distributors says one reason is that the retail price should have been increased in December when the $3.14 peak was reached, but wasn’t. Another is the fact that the cost of distribution is increasing daily. If the price paid the producer drops much more, the retail price may be cut. But don’t count on it.

More About Sugar

DON'T MENTION sugar to Mrs. Georgia Decker. The very thought of it makes her see red. She's a clerk at the Power & Light Co. Monday evening she left work at 4:30 p. m., hurried right out to a certain schoel'on E. New York st. and got in line to get her sugar rationing book. She waited right on through 1e supper hour without a bite to eat and there was only one ahead of ‘her at 9 p. m. when those. in charge announced that “that’s all for tonight; the rest of you come back tomorrow.” . Ray Milholland has returned to his job in the production drive section of the WPB at Washington after a visit here. . . . Smith Gray, financial secretary of the Third Christian

Washington

WASHINGTON, May 8—The new offensive spirit ‘ that is taking hold of the united nations is expressed in the timely forehanded occupation of Madagascar. This is once the united nations got there first. It is the kind of thing that the British attempted in 1940 when they made their unsuccessful assault on Dakar. Failing in that because the attack was not made with sufficient force, the British lapsed into a defensive psychology. It was understandable,

especially in veiw of the peril:

which England barely escaped after Dunkirk. Nevertheless for nearly two years there has been little initiative on our side, and the lack of it has been costly. Now united nations strength is : growing rapidly. There are signs that new naval strength is coming into the picture on our side, President Roosevelt recently mentioned that "American naval forces were operating in the Mediterranean and now Berlin says two American battleships have passed through Suez into the Indian ocean. The British were outclassed recently by the Japanese naval forces in the bay of Bengal but they have since mustered enough force to occupy Madagascar. The United States announces its intention of giving any assistance needed to hold Madagascar.

Greater Freedom of Action

THUS BY JOINT naval action Great Britain and the United States are moving to prevent the Japanese from accomplishing their fatal purpose of closing the Indian ocean. New naval strength now coming and due to come in the next few weeks gives our side greater freedom of action. We are taking the first opportunity to exercise it in the critical area on the other side of Africa.

My Day

WASHINGTON, Thursday—Y walked into the

White House from the hairdressers a few minutes ago and roticed a groud of kags in the Lincoln. roc.a. My csdosity got- the betser of me and I looked further, lo and behold, there was our son Elliott and a civilian friend, who had come with him from Africa. I had been asking the president every day if there had heen any news of when Elliott might turn up. Not later than last night, my husband assured me he had heard nothing, so this was a very joyous surprise. My only regret is that Elliott's wife isn't here, and will have to fly up from Texas. : ‘ Apparently even the president of the United States isn’t told

church for years, is on leave of absence for a visit with his daughter in California.

Hobby of the Month

HOW A HOBBY was turned into a national business was described to members of the Ad club yestercay by Walter Shirley. The business is the Flower of the Month guild. It was launched here late last summer and now has members in 45 states and the Canal Zone. Each month subscribers are sent a potted plant with instructions for growing it. One of the most unusual requests was that received from an officer aboard a submarine. He asked that a plant be sent each month to his recent bride on the anniversary of their wedding. , . . Sheriff Feeney’ is showing friends a set of credentials entitling him to be on the floor of Tomlinson hall where they're counting the vote. Al says he couldn’t get credentials from his fellow dengbcrat, Charley Ettinger, so he just phoned Republican Chairman Jim Bradford “and Jim sent me a set within five minutes.” Of course Al could have forced his way in with his badge, but—.

Department of Confusion

THOSE GOVERNMENT advertisements for. furnishing supplies to the army, etc., sometimes prove confusing to the average citizen, For instance, a woman, were told, called at the WPB offices and said she’d read where the government wanted to buy mincemeat. She had a sample quart with her and said all she needed to know was “how many.” They looked it up and found Uncle Sam wanted 1,350,000 quarts. She gave up. . . . And then there was the bowling alley proprietor from a nearby town who visited the WPB with the idea that he could get some of that money the government was spending to help the little businessman. The way he figured it, he had something coming since he couldn’t pay the instalments on his bowling alley equipment “because you people are taking all my best customers into the army.”

By Raymond Clapper

No development could be of greater encouragement to Russia. For Madagascar lies directly gn the supply line to Russia. Your geography is correct. Madagascar is way down on the lower eastern coast of Africa. You might think it was of little concern except to South Africa. But this is a world-wide war and supplies to Russia go around the Cape of Good Hope and up through the Indian ocean. Japan is trying to edge over and take Ceylon, off the lower tip of India. That would enable her to point out across the Indian ocean from the eastern side. She already has acquired some stepping stones toward Madagascar, and if she could have gone on across and occupied this Vichy. French island, Japan would have been able to close the gate. From Tokyo to Madagascar is as far as from New York to Madagascar. Few places in the world are without importance to both sides in this war.

Why It Is Hopeful

WE ARE IN the midst of a battle for these strategic places. Japan has most of them in the southwest Pacific. She is trying to get those in the Indian ocean. We may expect that Laval's new power will mean German use of Dakar, -a key point on the west coast of Africa. Long ago President. Roosevelt was foresighted enough to occupy Greenland and to join the British in Iceland. As American and British naval strength increases from the furious building of the last year we may expect the united nations to become more aggressive in this battle of the bases. It may be that the first sign of a decisive turn in the course of the

‘war will come tHrough the battle of the bases.

Certainly, before the united nations can hope to be effective in land campaigns, they must regain superiority on the seas and hold and regain ‘bases vital to the protection of our supply routes, particularly those that feed Russia and those that will be necessary in supplying a continental offensive in Buzope.

By Eleanor Roosevelt

The meeting last night of the Pan-American Child Congress here in the White House, was extremely interesting. I was very proud of -Miss Katharine Lenroot and Adolph Berle, assistant secretary of state, ior the fluent way in which they gave their speeches I was the only person who had to say a few words in the English language. I felt much ashamed of myself and hope that some day I shall find an opportunity to master at least enough Spanish to say the few sentences necessary for welcoming a gréup.

Our hearts have been heavy ever since we heard| °

of the final surrender in the Philippines. These men have made such magnificent history, that one can only feel that Secretary of State Hull has well expressed it in saying the present reverses are a prelude to future victory. + However that does not make anyone feel happier about the men, nurses and few civilians, all now prisoners, Above everything else, I wright’s decision to stay with fate. ,'I know what every

CHILLY WINTER

Lose Their Steam Heat and Priorities May Deny Them

Coal Furnaces.

By EARL RICHERT Probably the largest group of “sleep losers” in the state today are 100 of the most prominent citizens and businessmen of the town of Rochester (population around 3600). For, under a four-year-old order of the state public service commission the Public Service Co. next Friday is to discontinue furnishing steam heat to these citizens, all of whom live in or operate businesses

in the heart of Rochester. The order had the approval of a big majority of these citizens when it was written in the spring of 1938. It was agreeable with them for the utility, which was. losing money on the heating operation, to discontinue the service after four years.

The War Was Far Away

There wasn’t a war on then and they had no idea that when the steam heat actually was cut off that they would have to get priority ratings with the federal government even to install a coal furnace and that it practically would be impossible to install gas or oil heating plants. These citizens were told, they say, that natural gas was to be furnished them and only a handful have installed private heating plants during the four years since the order was issued. So, they are completely unprepared for the present situation. Some of their houses don’t even have chimneys and most all of them will have to dig basements under their houses and business establishments, if they. can get a coal fure nace to install.

Labor Is Scarce, Too

And the labor supply is inadequate. Most of the persons whe would be glad to get such jobs are now working at the Kingsbury ordnance plant where they get “fancy” wages. : The town has only two plumbers left, the others having left for defense jobs. “The state and federal governments just can’t let this happen to us,” commented one of the citizens. “If they do, we might just as well join the army dnd spend a winter in Russia.” The citizens have filed a petition with the public service commission

to continue the steam heat service for the duration of the ‘war.

Hearing Tomorrow

And the utility has filed a motion for the dismissal of the petition because it contends that the case has already been settled. The commission is to hold a hearing on the utility’s motion at 10 a. m. tomorYow. ; The war production board, which will be flooded with requests for permission to install heating plants if the order goes into effect, is checking into the matter. “Naturally we are worried about the situation,” commented Levi P. Moore, publicity director of the state fair, whose homie is one of those which would be left without heat. “But we just can’t feel that our government would let our Woodlown hospital, First National bank, Trinity Evangelical church, Rex theater, cafes and clothing stores and homes be without heat next winter.”

REVEALS HIGH GOST OF T. B. IN LAST WAR

PHILADELPHIA, May 8 (U. P.). —Dr. C. Howard Marcy, secretary of the Pennsylvania Tuberculosis society, told the 38th annual meefing of the National Tuberculosis association yesterday that the government has spent $960,000,000 on soldiers of world war I who devel-

’| oped tuberculosis.

This huge sum, he said, would buy 19,000,000 bombs to rain down or. the axis or 6000 bombers to carry them. Dr. Marcy, who is also medical director of the Tuberculosis League of Pittsburgh, said in this war the government. is making a careful check for tuberculosis before admitting them to the armed services. This check has uncovered 4000 new cases of tuberculosis in Pennsylvania alone, he stated. State and local health authori-

prepared to face “nearly as staggering a bill for the care of the war-time tuberculosis victims as the

after the last war.”

Begins 26th Year With Indiana Bell

L. L. BENTON, 815 Wallace st., today began his 26th year of continuous service with the Indiana Bell system. At present he is switchman in the firm’s Irvington office. During his years of service he has been switchboard installer and equipment installer. He is a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, an or-

ganization of telephone men and

100 ROCHESTER CITIZENS FACE]

asking that the utility be directed).

ties, Dr. Marcy warned, must be|:"

government was forced to assume

By FREMONT POWER

‘WHEN A BOY locks himself in the bathroom and has to be rescued by a fireman, he gets his picture in the paper. It’s automatic. Like yawning when you hear a-political speech. Feeling in a devilish mood, the city editor had one of these assignments on tap when I reported for work this morning. I was ignorant of what the boss had in mind and thus was happy, up to that point. “Go over and get the fire helmet,” he said. Another boy had joined the I Have Been Rescued by a Fireman club. He was Jimmy Craig, 2, who is visiting his grandmother, Mrs. 8. J. Craig, at 3640 Park ave, Yesterday Mrs. Craig had finished giving Jimmy his bath and when she went out to get some clothes, it happened. Jimmy locked himself in, A fireman got him out.

Dons That Helmet

WELL, THERE was no trouble getting the helmet. Lieut. William Bulmer handed his over without, any argument. And so to Mrs. Craig's house, but not without stopping to have a bottle of pop on company time. This’s customary when a reporter goes on an assignment. Jimmy was feeling very frisky. and ran about the house like mad when we arrived. : He made one complete circuit through the sitting room, kitchen and dining room and then beat it for the stairway. I caught him about half way up. “Look Jimmy,” I said, “look at the red hat.” And I put it on sideways and made a funny noise, Jimmy looked disgusted. It was evident this wasn’t going to be an easy job.

Mounts Hobby Horse

“LET'S PUT HIM on hobby horse,” suggested the patient Mrs. Craig. With two newspaper guys running around her house and Jimmy jumping up and. down her good nature never wavered. She’s a reporter’s dream woman. On the hobby horse, Jimmy jumped up and down and soon banged his head against the metal helmet with a resounding crack.

COLLETT GIVEN STATE WPB JOB

Investment Firm Chief Is Named Head of Industrial Salvage Section.

John P. Collett, president of Col= lett & Co. Inc. local investment firm, today was appointed state director of the industrial salvage section of the war production board. Mr. Collett’s duty will be to make Indiana manufacturing executives conscious of the vital need for scrap steel, iron and other materials in the war industries so that they will scrap old and unused machinery, buildings, sidings and obsolete equipment in their plants, Dan W. Gee, regional director, said. “We will ask executives to dismantle and sell machinery and other metal which has been accumulating in their plants and for which they have no use,” Mr. Collett said. “This type of scrap is urgently needed by the war industries.” Mr, Collett is serving the WPB as a $1 a year man with headquarters in Indianapolis and will continue his private business affairs.

DOWN 101 AXIS PLANES

defenders of Malta, using fighter planes and anti-aircraft guns, destroyed 101 axis warplanes during April, but despite this high toll the enemy dropped 7000 tons of bombs,

LONDON, May 8 (U. P.). — The|

Ege Waggle, Says Jimmy, Meaning: | Have Been Saved ‘by a Fireman’

Outstanding Attorney will

Assist Caughran in

Prosecution.

DANIEL M. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON, May s—Atty, Gen, Francis Biddle shortly will ane nounce the appointment of a nae tionally prominent trial lawyer to prosecute the William Dudley Pelley case in Indianapolis, it was learned today. The attorney will be named as an’ assistant attorney general and will

lwork with B. Howard Caughran, U,

Jimmy Craig . . . journalism didn’t impress him.

He Wouldn't Hold Still

It looked like the jig .might be up. “Ege waggle oola,” said Jimmy with the inflection of a question. “Yes,” I replied and tried to think up something else. “Put him in the big chair,” said the photographer. Jimmy was more interested in the camera than the helmet, so he slid down and made a bee~ line for the photographer.

Law. ONCE BACK IN the chair; Jimmy stuck his dad’s pipes in his mouth and simultaneously ate a cracker. That's the neatest trick I've seen this week. But when you tried to put the helmet on Jimmy, it came down clear over his head and rested on his shoulders. We stuffed it with paper but that was no good either. Jimmy didn’t like the thing on

Dog Gone!

Maggie Couldn’t Take

Lost Cat’s Meows Any Longer.

By TIM TIPPETT

THE OTTO TAMM FAMILY, 26068 N. Delaware st. (the family that hears meows in its sleep and wakes up to find out it wasn’t dreaming), still is harboring an unwanted cat and is missing one dog—name of “Maggie.” The cat, sometime, somewhere, somehow got itself trapped in the walls of the Tamm bungalow. The feline’s first meow was recorded a week ago Sunday. Since then its just been a matter of tearing down one wall after er with no success. Tamm’s toy poodle, the afore-mentioned “Maggie,” left at a high rate of speed early this morning and hasn't been seen since. » » ” IT WAS MAGGIE who finally located the flue in which the cat is supposed to be “sitting it out.” The problem of removing the cat has to date, stumped the following: Two confractors, two , one carpenter, City building commissioner Sioorge Popp, the humane society, the health board, a brick layer, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Tamm and neighbors and friends from the near and far. Personally, we haven't got any solution either.

THIS CURIOUS WORLD

EITHER /

COPR. 1942 BY NEA T. M. REG. U. 8. PAT.

Slow, ain, ARK ?

Quplisc) OE

his head and besides it was so heavy it bent him down and then he just lay on his stomach, Obviously, Young Jimmy never heard of a city editor or he would have tried harder. “Well,” said the photographer, “you just hold it over his head.” That looked about as natural as most blonds,

® = »

Then Camera Balks

AT THIS POINT it developed the camera wouldnt work, which is old stuff too. Newspaper cameras never work. The photographer beat it on the floor. It finally worked. - We started moving out the front door, “Hello,” said Jimmy, officially recognizing us for the first time. We headed for the office, feeling very fagged. That, friends, is how journalism is born.

INDIANA $. & L. ELECTS SLATE

{Edward Springer Named

President as 2-Day Parley Ends.

Edward W. Springer of Indianapolis was elected president of the Savings & Loan League of Indiana today as the annual two-day meeting of the organization ended in the Hotel Severin. Other officers named were George E. Hayes of Marion, first vice president, and Arthur W. Allen of Washington, second vice president. Dr. H. C. Sauvain, director of the investment research bureau, Indiana university, and Earl B. Teckemeyer, past president of the Indianapolis Real Estate Board, were to address the delegates.

Schricker Is Speaker

Mr. Springer was to be in charge of a noon luncheon at which A. D Theobald, assistant vice president and treasurer of the United States Savings and Loan League, was to speak. More than 250 delegates and their wives attended a special 50th anniversary dinner in the Hotel Severin last night in honor of Fermor 8. Cannon,. national president of the league and president of the Railroadmen’s Savings and Loan Association. Ciovernor Schricker and Morton Bodfish, executive vice president of the national organization, spoke. Mr. Cannon said that “our organization’s principal job in peace or war is to be conscious of the social conditions of our city—to seek improvement in the blighted areas.” He said that areas within a stene’s throw of the state house which are in this classification could be eliminated by using the space for a downtown airport.

CITY FIRM TO PRINT OUTDOOR INDIANA

Bookwalter-Ball-Greathouse, Indianapolis printing company, today was awarded the contract by the state printing board for the publication of Outdoor Indiana, monthly publication of the state conservation department. The bid submitted by Bookwalter-Ball-Greathouss was the lowest of

‘|five received, board officials said. |} * |The contract was awarded on thei}

besis of pubilcation of 100,000 copies of the magazine monthly.

150 BOYS COMPLETE

8. district attorney, the justice des. partment said. Such an appointment involves ne reflection on the capacity of Mr, Caughran, a spokesman. for Mr, Biddle was careful to point out. H cited the recent naming of Jacob Bs Lashley, St. Louis, former president of the American Bar association, to aid the grand jury investigation of the Sikestown, Mo., lynching case.

¢ Jury Meets in June ; Mr. Lashley will work with Harry

1c. Blanton, U. 8. district attorney,

just as the lawyer named for the v Pelley case will work with Mr, Caughran, it was pointed, out. Pelley was arrested a few weeks ago on. charges of “intent to intere fere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies.” The founder of the “Silver Shirts of America” was taken into custody in Darien, Conn, on orders of Atty, Gen. Biddle, and lodged in jail in

His case will come before the fedw era] grand jury in June.

Appeals Carolina Case

He came to Indiana from Ashes’ ville, N. C., where he is now out on an appeal from a state court cone: viction, and established the Fellow« ship Press with an Indianapolis postoffice box and printing plant in Noblesville. From this plant came the pube lications which the U. S, will seek to prove seditious. Selection of a special prosecutor indicates that

might term their Nazi” list. Court Asher, former Klu Kluxer and publisher of the “X-Ray” at Muncie, is slated for a hearing here

QUEEN REIGNS OVER TECH CANNON DANCE

day as queen of the “Cannon ball,” annual event sponsored by members of the Arsenal Cannon, school paper at Technical. More than 400 Tech pupils ate tended the dance in the boy's gym, Miss Bergmann received her crown of gardenias from Hanson H. Ane derson, #chool principal, Shirley Aikin, the maid of honor, carried the crown on a white pillow. Ten girls who were the queen's attendants, the 12 high-point Cane non subscription agents, and 13 R. O. T. C. officers formed the pro= cessional for the ceremony.

“What Yous Buy With) WAR BONDS

A “JEEP” costs the army $900, Soldiers call them “four-by-fours,”

sance car. “Jeeps” can maintain a speed of 45 miles an hour, trans

We need thousands of the practical little cars. You and 4 of your neighbors buying an $18.7 war bond can buy one jeep. Do today, for the army needs sands of them. Top the quota your county and buy war bons every pay day.

HOLD EVERYTHING

no

SWIMMING COURSE |

One hundred and fifty-five county |}

%

Indianapolis until released on bond,

Pelley ranks high on what the FBI “pro-Jap and

May 19 on barring his allegedly subversive publication from the mails, He is not rated as high as Pelley on: the menace list, ‘officials, admit.

Betty Bergmann reigned yesters