Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 May 1942 — Page 9

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{ MONDAY, MAY Is, 1942

Washington

. WASHINGTON, May 18.—Senator Barkley can call this indignation over unlimited gasoline cards for congressmen a tempest in a teapot if he wants to. _ But he is the majority leader of the senate, and as be &manis to preserve congress as a force in our public affairs, he might do well to let down his blood pressure and think it over. * Whether 200 congressmen and a flock of their secretaries get unlimited gasoline cards is a small thing in’ the relative amount ' of gasoline involved. sees no more in the matter than ' that then he is asleep. . As a force in our government congress is sliding down hill. It is endangered not by the press nor by the executive branch but by its own , shallow incompetency. It faiis to exert the real Jesdersiip that the nation must have in modern

Sa ios has remained a collection of 2-cent poli-

, ticians who could serve well enough in simpler days.

But the ignorance and provincialism of congress ‘renders .it incapable of meeting the needs of modern government. Consequently the center of gravity has shifted toward the executive branch.

People Hungry for Information ;

NO MATTER HOW capable congress might be, many of its functions would have to .be delegated to administrative officers. Regulatory bodies have had to be set up. The power over tariffs, one of the most

important held in the past by congress, has had to be

delegated fo the executive branch because no large legislative body can handle: the: delicate and compli-

" ecated adjustments necessary under modern world eco-

nomie conditions. Those delegations of power, while removing a good deal of responsibility from congress, need not mean the decline of congress. On the contrary, by getting rid of the details of tariff making and other housekeeping routine, congress releases itself from a burden of petty chores. It

If the senator.

‘they can from those speakers and writers in whom

‘struggle they would like congress to be the great

By Raymond Clapper

becomes free to fulfill a more fundamental function.

Never was there such need for intelligent and informed. debate on public affairs. People are looking to editorials, . radio commentators and newspaper columnists for the discussion of public affairs that they ought to get from congress, f Not the newspaper columnists but senators and representatives should be developing and leading the thinking of the country at this time. Since we have no Webster-Hayne debates, people want to know what Dorothy Thompson and Walter Lippmann think.

It Is Destroying Itself

OUR PROBLEMS WERE never so worthy of earnest thought and discussion. . The people are hungry for it—so hungry that they sit up nights at the radio and pore over their newspapers eager to soak up what

they have confidence. - Never has congress had such a chance to make itself a great national forum of discussion. Our supreme debating forum should be congress—not Town

Hall of the Air. The people elect congress and surely]:

they would rather hear from it. In this democratic|

tribune of the people. . The only reason congress is not just that is that people don’t give a damn what the average senator or congressman says. The reason they don’t care is that they know what you hear in congress is 99 per cent, tripe, ignorance and demagogery and not to be relied on. At: the Harvard tercentenary a few years ago I heard Dr. A. Lawrence Lowell say that great institutions were not killed but committed suicide, and then somebody came along and buried them. Nobody is going to destroy congress. It is doing that job itself at the very moment when it is most needed. Members are so busy sneaking through retirement pensions, grabbing unlimited gasoline ration-

ing, hiding wives, children, nephews, and in-laws on|

the payroll that they are missing the boat. And then they say the newspapers are out to destroy congress, Think it over again, Senator Barkley, please.

Ernie Pyle, in poor health for some time, has been forced to take a rest. However, he . is expected to resume his daily column within a short time.

Inside Indianapolis By Lowell Nussbaum

.A BUSINESSMAN who has just discovered that after all these years he’s merely a drone, hands us the following: “A Call to organize Drones, Inc. It is to/be an informal organization of U, S. male citizens between the ages of 35 and 65—married and with one or more offspring—who after having dazedly filled out the draft board's Occupational Questionnaire, discover that half a lifetime has been spent in useless pursuits. “Dedicated to those male citizens who, with an embarrassed little laugh, sneaked these questionnaires out the back door to the mail box without showing them to the wife who always has had the quaint idea that the head’ of the house was slightly useful. “In sympathy with those male citizens wo, unable to check any of the jobs, skills or professions listed on the questionnaire, chewed his pen and tried so hard to make the description of what he could do (his present job) sound impressive and needed. . . J» : And ‘here we thought we were the only one: :

It's a Nice View

TOM HENDRICKS, who divides his time between here and Washington, has just discovered “what a beautiful sight the city of Indianapolis presents from the air at night.” He sneaked a peek through the eurtains as his plane took off recently . Don’t you know, Tom, yow're supposed to pull the shades beside your plane seat while over cities? That's to prevent passengers from taking aerial pictures of cities. By the way, Tom’s title in Washington is executive consultant of the directing board for the procurement and assignment service for physicians, dentists and veterinarians, At least, that’s all we.remember of if. . Mrs, Benjamin Hitz, president of the Council of Social Agencies, is attending the annual meeting of the Mt. Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union, at Washington’s old home. The society was formed in 1860 to preserve Mt. Vernon, and has one vice regent to a

U-Boat Warfare

LONDON, May 18—Using all the submarines and aerial raiders they can scrape together, the Germans are now making an all-out effort to cripple the mer-

‘chant Shippice fleet of the united nations “while the

~ Their fantastic U-boat incursions into the St. Lawrence, the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico are obviously designed to slash allied shipping in American waters. The great running U-boat attack on an Atlantic. convoy, in which the Germans claim to have sunk nine ships—an extravagant claim—was staged with this in view. Nazi U-boats and bombers, working in close co-operation, from ports and air bases in northern. Norway, are simultaneously emi every convoy that they detect on the way to or fro in that region. Off the northernmost tip of Norway, these con-

going Is good.”

. yoys have to cope with ice floes and, at the same

time, stand off incessant assaults by Junkers-87s and 88s.

Warships Being Risked, Too

THE RECENT LOSS of the 10,000-ton cruiser,

Jamin, Gung one SY Hee giiacks, emphasized

My Day

Ma BEACH, Florida, Sunday. ~It is very good back in Miami Beach, for I have looked upon A Mian] Znath a1m pleasant place ia This year I have taken no holiday during winter. I can hardly call these three days a

White House aide, ho ing possible to make us comfortable ‘and ‘happy while we were here. The representatives of the farm security admin"istration took us te see the various improvements ‘which have been made in the camps for migratory workers since I was Here last. I was glad to have another EE to Sour chugs that has come

state. While there, the vice regents sleep right on the

grounds. Mrs. Hitz’ quarters are in the estate’s old|

slave quarters. She’ll be there several days longer. Fill ’Er Up

A FILLING station’ friend tells us that a lot of motorists now tell him to “fill ’er up,” instead of ordering the usual ‘five gallons, - They're trying to be sure of a full tank when and if gas rationing hits us. . « The Heustis Pharmacy, 19th and College, wants to know what Don Burchard means about not being able to get phosphates with phosphate in them. “We serve phosphates with phosphate in them,” they write. (Unpaid adv.). . . . Those Western Union girls have started wearing caps—just like the boys. They started out working .in buildings, only. Then, W. U. started using them on the streets, too, but without any uniforms. Now, one of the girls tells us, they have started wearing caps because they had so much trouble getting into some offices where the guardians of the gates thought they merely were sneaking in to see boy friends.

gd.

“Talk More, Write Less”

THE GAS CO. publication suggests that “maybe wartime restrictions have their good points, after-all.” For instance, it is suggested, they may break us of some bad habits, including “flipping rubber bands, bending paper clips, throwing away scratch paper with only two or three words on it.” The utility used to use 40 to 45 pounds of rubber bands a month, but can’t buy any now and has to stuff its bills under the door instead of hanging them on the door knob. They used to use 600 paper clips a day, can’t get any more, have a few on hand, and the purchasing agent says: “For heavens sakes get over that nervous habit of straightening them out.” About 10000 pounds of scratch pads were used annually. They still can get paper, but they don’t know for how long. The utility’s advice to its employees is: “Sacrifice neatness for conservation; use both sides of your scratch paper, and| talk more, write less.”

By Win. H. Stoneman

the fact that warships as well as merchantmen were being risked and sacrificed on this dangerous daylight route.

Experience has taught the British that you cannot begin to knock out U-boats in wholesale fashion unless you use good bait. Hunting U-boats all’ over the place, in water deeper than 100 fathoms, is like hunting needles: in a haystack. That is one great advantage of the convoy system, because it forces Uboats to come within range of powerful escorts which, with. luck, can sink them.

Many Escorts. Needed

A NECESSARY COROLLARY fo this proposition is to have powerful and numerous escorts available. British and American shipyards will have to build light surface craft frantically during the next few months to satisfy that requirement and keep it satisfied. It is fully admitted here that the next few months will be very difficult from the naval viewpoint and thet they may bring an extremely serious situation unless the. united nations employ all their energy and brain power in coping with the problem..

By Eleanor Roosevelt

We leave tonight for Washington by plane. I know I shall feel I have hardly been away, for these days have been so full of interest. I have just been notified of a new idea which is being sponsored by the vietory book campaign, and which I hope will be ‘very successful. "A number of college presidents and a small student group have formed af committee to urge that, at comméncements, students throughout the country bring a book’ with a personal autograph to some member of the armed fOrces. This ought to bring in a great many books and I hope will be a widely observed - custom. “The Navy Relief society is joining with the Army Emergency Relief in undertaking more work than has ever been done before for the families of the men in service. Up to this time the navy has always taken care of its own people. For the first time, through a series of special events, they are asking the general public to join with them in raising their funds. I am sure there is going to be a very warm response. From these funds the navy wlil lend money to he Iain of Jen Who Zin: themselves temporarily

Russia Blocks

Hitler

While Tokyo May Have Struck Mightiest Blow

By VIRGIL PINKLEY United Press Staff Correspondent LONDON, May 18.—Axis hopes for a 1942 meeting of the German and Japanese armies in the Middle East have dwindled almost to the vanishing point, and the ouds against them are mounting daily.

with whom I talked on a

‘That is the conclusion of allied and neutral expert:

round-the-world reportoris’

assignment westward from New York.

Military experts believe

that at least six months 0.

careful, co-ordinated preparation and another six month: of hard fighting would face the Germans and the Japanese if they could afford to concentrate on the easiest paths toward a meeting place in an area where American air- .

planes are now gathering in

increasing numbers against

them. But these experts believe, too, that there are other vital circumstances confronting the axis in any effort to break through the united nations’ defenses and join forces in the Middle East or India.

Four Big ‘Ifs’

1. Hitler has his hands full in Russia and the big-scale fighting now raging will decide whether the Nazis can fight their way to the Near Eastern oil fields by way of the Caucasus.

2.. The Germans can hardly afford to move big forces toward the Middle East by way of Syria while united nations strength—and the threat of ‘an invasion of Europe— is increasing in Britain and the R.AF. by increasing its offensive against Nazi war factories.

3. Japan’s extension of communications lines is possible only with strong precautions against a flanking attack by allied fighting power mobilized: in Australia. 4. There is considerable speculation whether, aside from fighting the allies for their own gain, Germany and Japan are agreed on any broad strategic plan and that their designs on the Middle East might clash. . These conclusions based on the views of competent observers in a position to assess the war with reasonable accuracy are, of course, dependent upon the outcome of operations now in progress, principally on the Russian and Burma fronts. ” n ”

Japs Far From Home

A STALEMATE in Russia might force Hitler to grope his way out as bést he could and risk a push

into the Middle East by a route

other than Russia. Such a development : might enable the axis partners to meet if the Japanesé are successful in pushing through India. There is a growing belief, however, that . Japan will find the going increasingly difficult as its communication lines are stretched,

especially if its navy meets with more reverses similar to that of the Coral sea. And there is a feeling that the Japanese army has « reached its maximum striking strength. Japan obviously took the easiest conquests first, hitting those objectives closest to its bases and

. employing fully every possible ad-

vantage before the united nations could throw in their full weight. Some astute observers believe Japan sought to grab and hold a vast territory with the hope that if the war goes badly she might be able to strike a good bargain.

Malta, There She Stands

IF HITLER fails to reach his Caucasus goal and still desired to reach the Middle East, he might elect to strike through Turkey from Greece and: Crete or along the ‘southern shores of the Medi--terranean through Egypt. These moves are not expected presently, however, because of his commitments elsewhere, and there has been -no indication of increased . axis strength along the Greek and Bulgarian borders or the eastern Mediterranean Italian islands. In recent months the axis forces of Marshal Erwin Rommel in North Africa have been strengthened chiefly by tanks and tank crews and possibly a few other mobile units and British imperial forces have been strengthened in at least a similar amount of men and equipment, plus the arrival of American army, navy and air units.

the failure of the axis to soften up Malta for an invasion attempt or a knockout blow from the air apparently has offset any increase in Rommel’s strength, while the serious axis air losses have hit the luftwaffe at a critical time. The work of the British in the Mediterranean has been an outstanding job for many months, with the sinking at least a third of the axis convoys while the R.AF, chalked up additional victories, These same forces also would stand in the way of any effort to move against Syria from the sea.

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Like a huge punch-absorbing pillow, India lies in the way of a Japanese juncture with, German forces in case the Germans eventually should push into the Caucasus directly through Russia or by way of Turkey,

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It’s still a long way to the Caucasus for Hitler with the Russian Bear guarding the: route, Whether These American arrivals and his dream of conquering the oil region needed to lubricate his army machine turns inte a permanent “hightmare may be determined during the summer..

Turkey Question Mark

WHETHER HITLER will try to invade Turkey and if so how formidable Turkish resistance will be are hoth large question marks. So far Hitler has carefully avoided all clashes with the Moslem world while trying to cash in on its opposition to Britain and playing up to Turkey's national aspirpr Should Hifler suddenly wheel and turn into Turkey it is believed that the reaction at Ankara would

depend largely upon the immedi ate situation in Russia and the visible evidence that the united nations were prepared to support her resistance, chiefly with warplanes .and tanks. In any event, Turkey may be relied on to take a hard-headed, realistic decision. An additional barrier to a possible juncture of the Japanese and the Germans is India’s growing military strength. Very few men of Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell’s army have yet been employed in actual combat, and the Japanase

are faced with the difficult task of eliminating Ceylon as a threat to their flank before risking any meeting. with their partner at the Red Sea or near the Mediterran ean. Both sides, "it is generally agreed, have as many troops as can be effectively employed in Libya because of the special cone ditions of desert warfare, and unless one can build up crushing superiority in the air or in tanks this affair is likely to continue deadlocked,

3 U. S. SAILORS ESCAPE JAPS

Demolition Squad Brought Old Coal Burner and

Crew to Safety.

WASHINGTON, May 18 (U.P.).— Comm. Henry E. Eccles of Flushing, N. Y., who was in command of an American destroyer during the Java sea battle, tells how a resourceful American demolition squad outwitted the Japanese on Java to escape death or capture. The demolition squad of five men —an inexperienced ensign, a chief electrician’s mate named James K. Brody and three enlisted men— were left behind on Java with orders to blow up the destroyer Stewart in drydock at Soerabaja to keep it from the Japanese, Comm. Eccles told a press conference at the navy department Saturday. “When I said goodby to the men I figured the chances of seeing them again were absolutely nil,” Comm. Eccles said. “But two weeks

75 Per Cori Women Juries Will Serve in Local Courts

“Female justice” will be no idle phrase in Marion county courts

from now on.

A survey of jury panels for the May trials in seven local courts show that about 75 per cent of those serving on juries will be women, Once the exclusive right of men, the business of meting out justice is rapidly becoming the business of women.

There are many reasons for this transition. For one thing, men are too busy in war industries ‘and

other business .to sit through jury trials. Judges are recognizing war industry work as an excuse.

Half of Men Excused

More than half the men called in recent months have been excused because of work connected with the national war effort. In fact, most judges here automatically excuse all men from jury service if they are needed in vital industries or businesses. Not so long ago, judges “drafted” men fo serve on juries as their eitizenship duty, refusing to accept excuses that they were too busy to serve.’ This kept juries predominantly male. But during the last few months,

later Brody showed up with a broad grin on his face, No words were necessary. “It seems that after all American |] ships had cleared out of Java the

and found a deserted merchant ship tied up at dock. She was an old, slow Dutch coal burner. Two officers and two men were still hanging around.

rains came up and they steered that old hulk to safety.”

OPEN EVENINGS.

men went to south Java in a car|}

“Brody and the others gathered|

The local U. 8. employment serv-

HOLD EVERYTHING Sj

it’s a different picture as the women gradually take over the majority power on juries. Some lawyers are predicting that before long courts will be seeing allwomen juries.

They're Conscientious

Opinion around the court house is that women are conscientious and usually efficient jurors but that they are too “soft hearted.” Deputy prosecutors have observed that some women are reluctant to return a verdict carrying a heavy penalty and few-of them will vote a’ verdict to send a defendant to the électrie chair. Conversely, women are tougher on defendants in civil cases, often being inclined to award large damage verdicts in injury cases which sometimes can’t be sustained in the higher. Souris; eine to ob-

FT. WATE POSTAL GLERK HEADS. UNION

EVANSVILLE, Ind, May 18 (U. P)~The Indians Federation of

Jeffreys, South Bend, vice presi+ dents; Lester Lugo, Gary, secretarytreasurer, and Louis Decker, Indianapolis, trustee. The women’s: auxiliary elected Mrs.. William Peters, Terre Haute, president; Mrs. . Everett Jeffreys,

§ |South Bend, and ‘Mrs. William ¥ Marion,

SHANGHAI VAST PRISONER CAMP

Foreign Areas Barrjcaded, Many Americans and British Arrested.

By ROBERT P. MARTIN United: Press Staff Correspondent CHUNGKING, May 14.—(Delayed)—The Japanese have converted Shanghai into a vast concentra~ tion camp for enemy nationals, reliable information reaching Chungking indicated today. Trustworthy informants ‘said barries have been placed around foreign settlements and that numerous Americans and British have been arrested. Foreigners in Shanghai are forbidden by the Japanese to listen to foreign broadcasts, although radios have not been confiscated. Severe penalties are imposed for repeating information received by radio. Notables Arrested Persons who have been arrested in Shanghai included Sir Frederick Maze, British commissioner of maritime customs; the American head of the Red Cross; James White and George Bruce of the Associated Press, plus numerous members of the Shanghai; National City and Chase banks and of the customs taff. (Chungking radio earlier this week said Sir Frederick and L. H.

the Japanese March 14 and 15 and locked in the “notorious Bridge House apartments in Shanghai's New Asia ‘(Chunghai radio said more than

-| prisoned in the Bridge House apart-

ments after they were arrested in early morning raids. In some cases, the radio said, as many as 20 per-

sons were crowded in one room|

without adequate sanitary facilities, Among the internees, it. was report ed, were Victor Keene of the New York Herald Tribune and H. G. W. Woodiead, former edilor of * ‘the

blisher of the China Weekly Ree ew; Henry Ford, Shanghai mane ager of International News Service; Payton Griffin, editor of the North China Raily News, and Fletcher Finch of the same newspaper still {were in custody.) The Japanese in Shanghai were said to be extremely nationalistic— a spirit which has increased with each Japanese military victory. Shortly after outbreak of the war Japanese halted the growing influx of refugees from Japan who were fearful of bombing raids on their island home. Obvious purpose of this, it was believed here, was to prevent any breakdown in morale on the home front which might ac= company any wholesale evacuation of Japan.

What You Bray With WAR BONDS

Our army spells and: pronounces it ponton, not “pontoon,” as you do, Ponton bridges cost all the way from $15000 to $700,000. The

metal ponions is pleted here, The | largest ponton bridge is 1080 feet long and is made of rubber instead of aluminum. 2