Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 May 1942 — Page 10

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The Indianapolis Times

ROY W. HOWARD RALPH BURKHOLDER MARK FERREE President Editor Business Manager (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their own Way

.

TUESDAY, MAY 132, 1042

WE CAN CHEER

~ AFTER waiting so long for good news from the front, we Americans can’t be blamed if we are a bit intoxicated by recent cheering reports. But Americans and British officials are more restrained. They apparently are afraid the public may : get the cockeyed notion that the Japs and Germans are on the run. ‘Such an idea would be more than stupid, it would be dangerous—for it would slow down production when a speed-up is needed, and it might destroy our morale the next time the enemy won a victory. But—with this warning against exaggerating the significance of the recent favorable trend—we like the luxury of listing the following: Allied sea lines around Norway’ 8s North cape are still open and carrying more supplies than ever, despite Nazi efforts to cut them. Ditto on the north Atlantic supply route to England. Britain’s bombing offensive against German ports and war industries increases’ in tempo and destruction, with Hitler unable to stop it. ~~ In North Africa, the season for a desert. offensive is almost over and the Nazi Libyan campaign is still stalled. * The vital allied supply routes to the Middle East, India and China have been secured by British seizure of Madagascar’s main base before Vichy-France could turn it over to the Japs, a la Indo-China. Even in North Burma the Japs are being denied the

fruits of easy victory by one of the most brilliant reversals

of the war—under Gen. Stilwell, and with American fliers, the fighting Chinese are now pursuing their pursuers. And, most thrilling of all, is the great Coral sea victory of MacArthur's planes and fleet, the first major J Japeness defeat of the war. . Yes, cheers are in order.

IN AGAIN—THE U.S.C.OF C.

Y its recent resolution that congress should act immediately to outlaw the closed shop, wherever and regardless, the United States Chamber of Commerce gave a

perfect example of the stupidity of extremism in action.

Thereby, though obviously not realizing what it was doing, it greatly aided the cause of its opponents at the other extreme—that group of organized labor officials who are trying to use the war to put over their pet project, the.closed shop, wherever and regardless. ‘ on The closed-shop push was in bad public favor.’ But. the U. S. C. of C.’s characteristically blundering effort to upset tse status quo which wartime calls for in such matters, and which was maintained in the last war, gave the labor officials new ammunition. The lesson: A public curse on all extremists. : No matter what anyone thinks about the closed shop as an issue, throughout a considerable part of industry it has become a condition, not a theory. This through voluntary agreements and free-handed negotiations over the years. #8 : 8 8 =» N our own business, the mechanical departments of most newspapers have operated amicably under the closed shop, through no government duress, even during years when organized labor was by no means on the upgrade. But at no time in all those years has there been any inhibition against raising the question, on the expiration of any contract, whether the closed-shop policy is wise or whether it should be continued. It must be clear, to anyone less fanatic than the U. S. C. of C., that those contracts should not now be ditched by government fiat just because war has come upon us. Clearly, too, those industries or departments which were not operating under the closed shop should not now be forced by the government to accept it in order that certain labor extremists may advance their own interests. o ” » 8 o »

pu closed-shop situation should have. been allowed to ride “as -is” for the duration, not made subject of

"internal strife at a time when we have so many foreign

battles to fight. It was a sense of the value of the domestic status quo in a great international emergency that helped to make: Samuel Gompers a labor statesman beside whose record the present-day Lewises, Murrays and Greens look painfully small. Mr. Gompers would have been sadly disturbed if he could have foreseen that his successors would seek the

. aid of a government war labor board in compelling indus-

tries to make their employees belong to unions. He knew that unionism by government compulsion is an inevitable

~ step toward government control of unions.

But the U. S. C. of C., by its foolish resolution, helped

to weaken the hope that the common-sense rompers for

mula might yet prevail.

All extremists should look into their mirrors and de- |

cide that this, our nation’s greatest crisis, is no time for them to make hay.

omapLs W. CHASE | 323 Te

UNERAL services are being held in Chicago today for ; Charles W. Chase, the man who almost single-handedly built Indianapolis Railways from bankruptcy to ranking one of the country’s outstanding transit lines. But Indianapolis should remember Mr. Chase for more an his brilliant record as a transportation expert. During e decade he lived here, he served wholeheartedly in the community interests. He was one of this city’s most enlightened citizens:

ride

ug of iia hardest working. He deserves to be remem-

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Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

NEW. YORK, May 12.—~When, on a recent date, I discussed the Chicago Defender and the Pittsburgh Courier, Negro weekly pub lications of wide circulation, I naturally expected some unreasons able reaction along with some calm and intelligent discussion of the points of criticism. The point of my essay was that these two papers expressed a low cultural level which was not a compliment to the aspiring millions of colored Americans for whom and to whom they undertake to speak and that they insulted the intelligence and character of their Negro readers by publishing advertisements of various luck charms, good luck incense and books on “unusual love requirements and ancient sexual practices.” I offered the opinion, also, that a Negro editor 1s

lacking in sincerity and is imposing on his readers |’

when he bids them be proud of their race but sells space to an advertiser offering a skin cream under the illusory and ignoble promise that it will turn them more or less white.

"They'll Twist It Around"

ONE COLORED MAN wrote that he had long wished that someone would “take a crack at the yellow journalism of Negro newspapers,” adding, how=ever, that he shuddered fo think what their headlines would be, concerning me, next week. “Many liberal Negroes are painfully aware of the harm caused by the confusing and misleading statements of these publications but there is little that can be done about it under the present Negro leadership,” he said. and say you advocated abolition of Negro newspapers.” My colored correspondent clearly called the turn although I didn’t need him to tell me. I got used to this sort of thing in writing of criminals and dictators in the union racket, every factual, provable word of which has been airily ignored by the culprits who have constantly howled “labor baiter” to divert attention from their guilt.

Is This a Pathetic Admission?

BUT I HAVE BEEN shocked to receive a press release from Howard university in Washington which is supposed to be a center of Negro intelligence, upholding the Defender and the Courier in the practices cited on the pathetic ground-¢hat they are “heroic defenders” of the colored people. It is my point that these papers tend to secure that segregation by exploiting a Negro world far apart from the whole community of the United States and that the Negro press, in its pride of race, should be careful always of its racial mission to express the highest qualities of the colored people, not the lowest, in its own particular field, which is journalism. It would be a pathetic admission by Howard university that there two papers do represent the best ability of colored men in journalism because, if we are arguing from the basis of my professional opinion, they are very inferior to the standard white journalism. .

Where Does Howard Stand?

I HOPE HOWARD does not say that the standard represented by. the Defender and the Courier is the best the colored people can produce and I know it isn’t, myself. This standard is just trash and is imitative, and in a crude way, of all that is discreditable or least admirable in the white press.

The university even says the Negro editor must stoop to “trite and detestable matter” by way of appealing to the Negro masses so as to acquire power and influence among those masses “who need his teachings most,”. which strikes me as an argument for deliberate degradation of the readership. by clever: men who know better so “that the clever men may use the masses according to their own versatile ethics and personal ambitions. The ‘university further explains that these papers are “big business” and then says that this big business must resort to “sordid exploitation” of the credulity of its mass clientele so that it may live to befriend them. At this point I have to ask myself whether Howard university is for the colored man or against him, respects his intelligence or regards him as a very low-grade person. The arguments do not make the University’s position quite clear to me.

Second Front By Major Al Williams

NEW YORK, May 12.—TIt Is evident that we are approaching the war's most critical period. I believe that, by the end of this summer, all the cards afl over the world will be on the table, face up. The war won't be over by then, but we'll be able to see its last long miles. Air power has been forging its way to a position of absolute determination, and it can't and won't wait more than a few more months for a showdown. Settle the air end of this war, and the rest is mopping up. During the war's first uncertain eight or nine months—the “phoney war” stage—air power didn’t disclose its potentialities. Traditional warfare monopolized the minds of the Brass Hats who scoffed at air power as any more than an-auxiliary weapon.

The Summer Will Tell

TODAY EVEN THE brassiest Brass Hat will concede that no land or sea force can move successfully without first having established air control of the combat zone. That air power’s status as the “chosen weapon” of this war has been appreciated by ‘the political command is shown by the boosting of the totals assigned to mass production of aircraft. Before each decisive air offensive, acting as the spearhead for some new major thrust, there has been a time interval—a breathing space for air power to gather itself together.

The British and the Nazi gang have now had seven or eight months of comparative air quiet. British have been heavily reinforced by Amer-

ican production. What the Nazis have been able to

do is unknown. But both sides seem to indicate that this summer weather must be used fo Frogs an answer in this war.

So They Say—

If this is to be a long war, we must now: face the fact that we may be confronted with a5 Sverall na~ tion-wide labor shortage.—Paul V. McNutt. "® * »* Americans like democracy well enough to fight for it any time and every time a new mob of international racketeers wants to take it over and change it for us. —William L. Batt of WPB.

Some are holding ‘aloof from the war effort, but that is the heritage of the decades of the selfishness

of Isolation.—~Federal Judge Robert N, Wilkin of

Cleveland.

8 ioe ee

aung pple sr tee by war o talk on aul vfor they unprepared.—Dr.

“They’ll twist your column around :

Hoosier Forum

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

“TEACHERS AND MOTHERS DESERVE HIGH PRAISE” By Nell W. Scott, 5435 Pleasant Run blvd.

The teachers of the Indianapolis schools and the mothers who assisted them should receive grateful appreciation for the services they rendered during the sugar rationing week. Working as a volunteer in a strange community, I had an opportunity to observe a very loyal group of people, loyal to authority, to patrons and to their immediate school family. An understanding feeling of sympathy was expressed on both sides of the long fables. Beneath quiet, organized questioning, one could detect sympathetic help from the teachers and grateful appreciation from the heads of families. The final thank-yous carried great sincerity. I considered it a privilege to be part of such a group. The same report came from outside workers in other parts of our city, so that I feel that Indianapolis should be very proud of its teachers. Working at the family foundation, they stand at the top of our great forces for national service. 8 ” 8 “WHAT GOOD IS THIS BIG MONEY IF WE LOSE?” By H. E. Marshall, 37 W, 21st st. What I fear is the possibility of our losing this war while knowing as most people should know we can and will win—-if: Our leaders in Washington will get tough enough to tell both management and labor that regardless of whether they make a dime or a million dollars that the people of America are losing patience and are demanding full speed ahead in the production of all war materials. They (the people) know that all is not being produced that can and must be produced, by about 50 per cent. If it is management’s fault, put someone in charge who has the safety of his country at heart and not his pocketbook, If it is labor's fault, give them the choice of working or taking the place of one of our brave boys at the front who

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

to save the slacker who refused to produce even for fabulous pay, What good is this big money if we lose? . . . ° The time is short and the hour is late. This is your war, laboring man, and it is up to you and you alone to win or lose and I am not just talking to hear my head rattle, even though my knees do when I think what could happen to you and me.

» o ” “NOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS A NEAR-SLUM AREA” By A West Indianapolis Hoosier

I have read with interest the replies in the Forum to the east-

sider who objected to the influx of |®

cheap property in the vicinity of Irvington. The reply to him in tonight's Times from “A Kentucky War Worker's Wife” presents an analogy that is too fitting to pass up. I am not an eastsider or Irvingtonian, rather I am a westsider, one of many who put their hard-earned money into a home, and with the initiative, ambition and pride, not to mention expense that goes into the maintenance of an attractive home. Our neighborhood was pleasant and desirable until the start of the boom years after World War I when Indianapolis industry seemed to require only a Kentucky birth certificate as assurance for a job. The influx started and persons came into the community from our

neighboring state whose domestic

science teachings evidently proscribed that they use a broom only for sweeping the front yard, not the house. This has grown to such

went all out by offering his life

proportions that. today our neigh-

Side Glances—By Galbraith

borhood is a near slum area and our property is worth little. And here again in another boom period workers are being imported from everywhere else to do war work in Indianapolis, If I construed the eastsider’s letter correctly, he does not object to poor people moving into his neighborhood; what he .is fighting, and rightly ‘so, is a swarm of squatters who have no interest in or love for Indianapolis, its residents or its desirable neighborhoods, and who, when the present job is done, will move on to some other place and start sweeping the front yard and parking the car on the lawn. The desirable Kentuckians, like the desirable Hoosiers, Buckeyes and others are those who maintain permanent homes, pay taxes for the support of their homes and schools

own locality, principally by staying there. 8 » 2 “TAFT CLIQUE. RESEMBLES BRITISH CLIVEDEN SET”

W. Scott Taylor, 756 Middle drive, oodruft Place

According to Republican Senator Taft, the G. O. P. “has drawn the teeth” out of Mr, Willkie’s proposals for winning a lasting peace. The senator is gratified that “no one can take exceptions to the language employed.” In other words, what will appear to Mr. Willkie’s supporters as a full set of uppers and lowers,

triumphantly announces—just gums. There are a lot of things concerning the faction in the Republican party represented by Senator Taft that have a striking resemblance to the principles and policies of the British “Cliveden Set.” Neither group has been able fo afford the cost of making its wars short and decisive. Both groups resist equality of sacrifice, clinging desperately to their luxuries, while demanding that the poor surrender more of the necessities of life. They can’t afford to give all nations equal access to world markets and raw materials. Hence they can’t afford enduring peace. Nor can they afford to supply continuous employment in peace-time. They can’t afford to enable the victims of enforced idleness to. keep their 'amilies - together, or give them adequale means of subsistence in old age, or give their young ones a helping hand in preparing themselves to make a living. They are horrified at the thought of making medical science available to prolong lives that are of no use to them. In short, they can’t afford to keep the people of nation busy, healthy or safe. Mr. Willkie has different ideas. ” ” ” “LABOR ASSURED OF VOICE IN HOUSE” By 8. H., Indianapolis

. This is an answer to A. B.'s letter today on whom labor failed to elect in last week's primary. Let me call his attention to some

because of the backing of labor. Four of the 11 Republican candidates for the legislature—Baxter, Lee, Les, Lows and Downing—are labor union members; one of the 11 on the Demonic ticket represents lapo This will assure Marion county labor a voice in the House of Representatives next January.

DAILY THOUGHT

iy shalt not go up and down a talebearer among thy people; er. shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor.—Levi‘ticus 19:16. :

| ing their minds. . . - dependent, of Waverly, Iowa, finally: getting mad

and otherwise take pride in their|

will be, in fact, as the senator;

of the people who were nominated

The Midwest

By Thomas L. Stokes

THE MIDWEST HOME FRONT, May 12.—The seismo-~ graph of war scrawls its finger across the face of the Middle West, The surface scratches tell of deepe er changes, deeper meanings, far below. : Older men, men between a and 64, standing in long queues, waiting to be registered, chatting amiably, all one big brotherhood, Some speaking shyly of their days “across the big pond” in the last war, . . , Seems 80 long ago now—yet not so long ago, as they recall common experiences. The boss in the front office, the night watchman, side by side, , . . Democracy has & new meaning for them. So it has for women standing in line, waiting for their sugar ration cards, the banker's wife and the cook who has a big family of her own to feed . . . Women ringing door bells, in house-to-house cane vasses to sell war bonds and stamps. . . . Men and women attending meetings, discussing air raid pro tection (though they can't believe they'll ever be bombed), planning feeding stations, taking first-aid courses, training as auxiliary firemen and police= men. . .. A new community endeavor.

£ Slacks, Slacks, Slacks

YOUNG WOMEN IN slacks, striding with healthy, efficient steps out of plants making the implements of war, proud of their new jobs, heads high. . . . More women in slacks on the streets, , , , Fewer young men in civilian clothes. . . . More and more in uniform. . . . Lonely soldiers, standing on street corners, in town for Sunday, aimlessly looking around, starting and stopping indecisively with wistful glances at passing girls. . , . Individualists who hesitate to seek out ( recreation centers, or timid boys, or men who'd rather work for feminine favore, not have them handed, giggling, flufly, on a platter,

The Editors Speak Their Minds

County editors still taking pen in hand and write Y . Like the editor of The Ine

at the stuff highbrow editors in the East were ‘writing about - the “complacency” of the - Middle West. . . Young men from this district helped swamp the army, navy and marine corps with vole untary enlistments after Pearl Harbor; his. town named guards for vital points within 48 hours after it was suggested from Washington; it agreed to boost production; its volunteer workers collected hundreds of books for the soldiers; and it brought over $300,000 worth of war bonds and stamps without even a local campaign.

"Until That Time . . .

oo Th 1 od 3 ew 1 \ “Of course, we know there are:-s few slackers, and a few hoarders, and the few chiselers who are always with us. "And there are a few folks who, as some fellow said, ‘if the Japs were coming across the Missouri river,sthey would still be worrying about keeping Willie home to plow corn.’ And we know that we bellyache once in awhile, but if we quit bellyaching we wouldn't be Americans. “But by and large this is\the situation: “When our leadership has given us a. job to do, we have pitched in and got it done! “If Washington thinks we ara complacent, let it give us something more to do. “If we don't do it, then let Washington yell. “Until fhat time, Washington could well catch up on its own knitting.”

A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

THE WAR DEPARTMENT has announced that we shall soon have one chaplain to every 1200 soldiers, which constitutes an alltime high for any country. ~The cost of keeping religion at the front will also come high, we are told, and so we hope the chaplains will do their best for . us. We know they will do their best for our boys, which is what matters most, Many a father and mother will sleep sounder with the thought that their sons in army camps go regularly to religious‘ services—yes, even those sons ‘who were not faithful church sgttendants in peacetimes. The knowledge that Uncle Sam has supplied them with Bibles and hymn books will also be a source of comfort to home folks. I feel sure our men of God who accompany the troops will not make the mistake committed by many of their kind during the first World War—the mistake of trying to convince the soldiers that killing is a glorious business.

Give Them Wisdom

THE MEN OF OUR time know better and they won't swallow platitudes with good . That's why I'm sure they will win in the end. This conflict which has ‘been thrust upon them is a "nasty job which must be done. It's up to them to do it, and that's that. ° You can't talk to soldiers anywhere without being aware of the attitude. They have few illusions, which is all to the good; for that means they will not suffer such dreadful disillusions when they come home again, As fighting realists they are better idealists. - Everybody knows that the individual takes his God with him wherever he goes. Man is never separated from those things in which he believes, but he can lose his firm hold on them and feel his faith slipping now and then. And that’s where the pastors and priests and rabbis will be valuable. May our Lord give them the wisdom to speak with sincerity to the young men under their guidance, for the future of all present-day religions ‘may well ‘dee pend upon their behavior during this crisis. .. Editor’s Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. They are not nseesmarily those of The Indianapolis Times. ‘

Questions and Answers

(The Indianapolis Times Service Bureau will. answer any question of fact or information, not involving extensive ree search. Write your question clearly, sign name and address, inclosé a three-cemt postage stamp. - “Medical or legal advice cannot be given. Address The Times Washington Service Bureau, 1013 Thirteenth St., Washington, Dy 0) 2

ohio th. anes aks sale han Earth? io far A—Venus is a trifle smaller; Mars is about ¢ half the Earth's diameter; about onePluto probably is about seven Aho Sones} Pluto probubiy 1s abou sevesteisfits. Juptiss. Sh 8 Q-Did apy Negroes hold commissions in the U: 8, army during the first World war?

ate »

were two colonels, three lieutenant Gi bon & |

nels, 11 majors, 162 captains, 403 first Heutenants about 700 second lieutenants.

» sere in World V