Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 August 1942 — Page 10

i

a. by Wesbrook Pelr

PA IC OFFENSIVE

AE long preparation our navy has taken the offensive

® -

at both ends of the Pacific.

Two months after Jap occupation of the western Aleutians the first task force fijeding surface ships: hos bom- |

barded Kiska harbor.

And three months after the battle of the Coral ses,

which

defeated the Japs but left them in the New Guinea,

Bismarck and Solomon islands, our forces. of the south |

Pacific again are attacking ina major - Whether these - widely separated ac

battle. a gotions are the -be-

ginning of the. long-awaited grand offensive. in

remains to be seen.

the Pacific.

. They are not isolated efforts, at least. They were tied

together and large forces apparently were employed—and ; stilt are fighting off the Solomons.

At the same time a third blow was Yeh at the. en-

8a FT

! ‘emy’s major south Pacific base of Rabaul by MacArthur’s "land planes from Australia. This is described -as the heavi- : est and’ most successful air raid agaist Rabaul. it

\HESE offensives result from something more than the

Vigorous

coming from

actions proves. There are more hard-boiled reasons: FIRST: Our Pacific naval forces are ‘presumably

* stronger since there has been time to repair and reinforce _ Pearl Harbor units. The enemy is certainly weaker since his losses in the Coral sea and Midway battles.

SECOND,: The western Aleutian occupation—which . our navy originally mistook for a face-saving gesture of no

; importance—has proved. a major enemy adyance which threatens our Pacific coast, Canada, Alaskg and Siberia.

THIRD: The enemy is reported ready to attack Siberia, |

. while Russia is retreating before the Nazis. ; United States can keep ‘the Japs busy in the North Pacific | . they may hesitate to strike at Siberia with their flank exposed. If the United States can recapture the western Aleutians we will have a better supply line to Siberia.

If the

FOURTH: The Australians expect a Jap attack. That

would be crippled, if not prevented, by allied control of

the. New Guinea-Bismarek-Solomon-Coral sea area. An reason for engaging the enemy ‘at his take-off bases, tead of waiting to meet him on the Australian beaches, is that English and Russian priorities and the long supply

line make further large-scale reinforcement of Australia difficult:

If ‘this second battle of the Coral sea is .as successful

as the first, and as the even more effective battle of Mid~ way, the resulting balance of power may be enough in our

avor for a real roll ‘em back offensive up and down the

MORE IMPORTANT THAN DEAD SPIES

T THE time the: six Nazi spies were being executed, a

lot of our own soldiers, sailors and airmen, and those |]

of our allies, were facing Honorable death in action—off the Aleutians, near the Solomon islands, in” China, on the At-

lantic, in Russia and Libya.

‘But the spies got ‘the headlines, because their death ed the end. of a dramatic story of capture and trial,

first ‘case of its kind.

“+ Americans can draw comfort in the knowledge that the spies got what was coming to them, not only in punishment, but in the protection afforded by our laws—the nation’s highest court passing on the validity of the military procedure through which they were found guilty. To a free people, that is more smporisn than ‘what

app ened to the six Nazi agents.

Believing that the maintenance of due process is vital, | ‘await with great interest the studied opinion supreme court. is now drafting, outlining the Teasoning

ch impelled its. decision.

That document may well become a high point § in Amigkis urisprudence, if the court makes the most of its opporv to spell out the wartime powers of the president, the civil’ rights ‘of “citizens and aliens which must Ye-

aviglaje even in a state of war.

THO SAID MUSIC?

’”

| NEW. YORK, Aug: 10. — The|

So over the nomination of a ; candidate for governor .of New York grows cocks - cockeyeder by .the hour.

rand ne Nie escape |

stuff it is amusing and thder the |

guns of the ‘enemy in a war for |.

survival, ‘and: with the political and "journalistic - vigilantes of .the New

Deal howling that disunity. is akin | a

to treason, it is grotesque, “There

i politica group. of ‘ali,

of “Foropean inioneers and some nondescript follow= | : mostly unassimilated immigrants, called "the |.

ers, American Labor party, which is trying to beat John

| Bennett, Jim Farley’s candidate, and nominate Sena-

tor Jim Mead, the White House. candidate; ‘Farley's attitude toward the so-called American Labor party is one of disdain, for he believes its numerical strength is small and that strength is divided into two groups; -the Social Democrats and the Communists. Its political principles ‘in both ‘names ‘are imported : stuff

and the two wings hate one another worse than they nd

hate. even Herbert Hoover.

Enters Private Citizen Eleanor

VITO MARCANTONIO, 8 ‘congressman who .formerly enjoyed nominal listing and ‘some support as a Republican, is the only congressman in American history who has followed the Moscow party line. He is a left-winger in the so-called ‘Labor party with a consistent record of isolationism | up to the time that

| Hitler struck Russia last. year. He isa political protege of Mayor La Guardia, and La Cluardia has indorsed | :

Marcantonio notwithstanding his record. Thomas J. Curran, the Republican county chair-

‘man, has repudiated. Marcantonio with the remark |

‘that if ‘congress as a whole had followed his line on war issues, the American soldier at this hour would ‘have insufficient weapons for & - first front to say nothing of a second front, for which Marcantonio now clamors. At this point, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt declares her- | self into the mess. Mrs. Roosevelt delivered an address before the Communist left wing-of the so-called Labor party some time ago, knowing that the group

public pressure for action which has been } was communistic. But, in the present strife between |' : Australia and from all parts of the Unite ) States, especially our Pacific coast. And from more tha ‘the impatience of American officers. and forces to get at the Japs. : American strategy is not evolved by emotion, owe “laudable or strong, as the long delay in starting these

the Communists, or Marcantonio, wing -and the 'Social Democrats; she has written a letter strongly re-: pudiating the Muscovites and favoring the Social mocrats,

What a Terrible Mixup! NOTWITHSTANDING HER previous appearance

as a speaker. before the Communists, Mrs. Roosevelt now frankly admits that she knows the communistic

character of this group and says she does not “wish |]

to be controlled in this country by an American group ‘that; in turn, is controlled by Russia and Russia’s interests.” That is the first admission by Mrs. Roose‘velt ‘that the Communists here are an alien political influence operating; in American: affairs. Now, to sum up, we have La Guardia, a belligerent New Dealer, indorsing a candidate whose political group the president’s wife has denounced as communistic and un-American. - And we have Mrs. Roosevelt cheering on the Social Democratic group in its -efforts to dictate the nomination of the White House candidate for governor. If Thomas E. Dewey, the probably: Republican nominee and probable governor, had indorsed Congressman Ham Fish he wotld have been ‘accused of the foulest perfidy, but La Guardia will suffer noth-

ling worse than a scolding and his’ support of the

Communists’ only man in the United States congress will . be excused as unwise sentimentalism. Mr. Farley, incidentally, is. still maintaining his contempt for the “combination of Social Democrats

question whether they ‘are a party or nierely a clamorous nuisance skilled in the European art of propaganda and minority control. His man, Bennett, is not ‘a New Dealer and if Bennett gets the nomination the New Deal will be checked in New York.

Time to Gamble By S. Burton Heath

CLEVELAND, Aug. 10—1It is not necessary to have access to any secret statistics to realize that as of today, and as-of any tomor-. row soon:enough to be significant, the united nations are losing the battle of the Atlantic. The fact is * inescapable in the light of official statements that axis submarines, mostly Gerinan, are ‘sinking our vessels faster than we can replace them. : Considering also the official concessions that we ‘never had enough shipping space for the war job, the only sane conclusion is that a bad situation is steadily becoming worse. How can we beat the U-boats, solve our shipping headaches, and. get to the fighting fronts those supnlies which are useless while they lie around factories, warehouses and piers? . Ohviously there are three methods, and To more. The first is to reduce the submarine tool.’ Thus far every effort in that direction has failed. The secend is to build even more ships even faster than our astounding successful current program is ding. And where shall be get the raw materials in e The third is to cast tradition to thé witids, climb out of the deep rut we are in, and beat: German initiative with American ingenuity and initiative by carrying our cargoes where the submarines cannot even see them—much less torpedo them. :

It's the Time for Daring? THAT 18 WHAT: propanents-of a huge air freight

“| fleet, to supplement x and: perhaps: even. replace the

wonder whether maybe the main point hasn't been ¥ missed ; in’ this whole James Caesar Petrillo juke-box

d canned music issue.

The point being, just how much damage after all would me to public morale if James Caesar actually won out ole hog in his campaign to silence all those millions of seords. that blare forth from the trombones in the derbies. Perhaps, instead of being a blow, it might prove. a

jor blessing.

Of course, if it went that far it would: be hell on} pirillo and his 138,000 followers who, notwithstanding e noises they make, are all classified, after initiation

' and dues are paid, as musicians.

an offset to losing them, however, and a recom-| we would have an era of still nights without. the

r swing-and-sway.

might contribute such a nerve-soothing to the f our 138. million population as to increase immeasurour sation’ s capacity for meeting the hard days that

re ‘we “become too downhearted over loging the

water-borne merchant: ‘marine, : are urging.

Aeronautical science has reached a ‘point where we can build aircraft capable of carrying two of -our

largest tanks, or 20 of our P-40 fighters, or corre-|.

sponding quantities of other armament, thousands of milés, non-stop. They can go to the farthest. corners of the war front, leave their cargoes, pick up any return loads,

and. be back in a ‘week. It takes a ship five months 0

forisome of these round trips—provided the ship gets back at all. :

Radical? Sure. Daring? Of ‘course. 4 gambler]

-§ Probably. ‘will improve the odds now agains; us?”

commas Teed Editor's Note: The views expressed iy dolumnists tn tis newspaper are their own, Whey S0:0f nseselly: How "of The Indlanagols Rimes; hel

So. They Sov

‘We must have democracy ta tact aswel ag nif | form, in. Industry! as well as in constitution, 1A eco- i i

Isn't this the time for daringfor a gamble that] |

-

eg He oo, SE re free at the moment. ‘Into this board come’ all t telephone calls to the war Wepazunent; that.

.knows what- else to do with;

of humor and can take: it. ‘He ¢ A ders and the sense of humor, fo Soe tha. Hen. gots fon imugh ox. feu olBY S00 i 10 g's io 2 e, the major takes, it. ion | ie

5, ‘Most Bother: Congressment

HE BAILED FROM ob Angeles. arigivally, snd

_ | put in 14 years in banks, two years with he Lou Ane

I

-1 wholly -

"The Hoosier

disagree with what yo’

defend to the death your. right t to soy

forum % but will peVoltuire,

“YP’S TIME TO CALL HALT ON THIS GIANT ARMY” By R. T. D., Shelbyville

ments, we have about. four million men .in the army and one million in the navy, a total of five millions

the navy at the War I. Apparently we are going on expanding the army to a goal of some 10 millions. Isn't it about time the government considered calling a halt? The

course of this war raises strong

close of World

do anything ‘with 10 million soldiers. Already we are having difficulty getting man power for production. Doubling the size of the army means

- taking another five millions from

the production force that already is not sufficient to service the

present army plus our allies,

'|“BETTER NONE THAN USO J'CENTER FOR NEGROES”

By Henry J. Richardson’ Jr., Indianapolis

It is indeed paradoxical to wage a war for world-wide democraey on the one hand and set up a segregated USO center in. America on the other. : ‘One USO center should’ be. sutficient, adéquate and" proper to tertain ‘all ‘soldiers in this vicinity who are training to defend one and the same flag, one and the same country, one and the same set of ideals of prejudiced and unprejudiced peoples alike. A separate but equal (if even that were possible) USO center for Negro soldiers simply will help to perpetuate the status-quo which subtly brands the Negro as sub-

man—thus- unfit to play ping pong with white soldiers, though both groups: receive the same military training and have the same nightmare of dying together to save ‘the same democracy. . Warped social or community con-

rant separate USO centers, ob-

Judging from official announce-|

under arms, as contrasted with 3,-| 673,888 in ‘the army and 260,162 in|

[Tinie readers are inv to express their views these columns, religious <2 troversies excluded. Ma ‘your letters ‘short, so all ‘have a chance. Letters rt be signd)

=

"| question whether this country can

| dicated tripe?

normal, sub-American- and subhu-|

ditions, which might seem to war-

tain not: &s en because of attitudes ‘of soldiers as becs:: attitudes «oi Christian, civic, I ical, educational and economi: ers who ar: either without cot

in their lheral “convictions -

dowed with racial impeialisi challenged democracy. Whatever the motive for su ch sired discrimination, it seem: appropriate to have no uso ter at all than one which | one group o: soldiers. and wa: 1% other. ; #8 8 “I HOPE MR. PETRILLO | ACCOMPL SHES mT By Geoige F:incis, Bradford, : 2208 N. Alabama st. Your cartoon “on ‘the elit page of today’s “Times (Thins Aug. 6) is a lamentable exagg: of fact. Woy do you use suc: Mr. Petrillo, » dent of the A. FP. of M., directiy .|imaginary rehesifa mn a nul entitled “Tc Public Be Darr The wish:s and interests of people have nothing to do wit2 controversy between the musi: union and ‘he record industry, you or any ren in a position : as yours is supposed to know i plblishing ‘hat ing car you . have shown /about as 1 understandizg as a duck alizt on a hunte’'s cun barrel. ‘You do krow that this controv and others of the same nati: and are; a quistion of adv:in

‘or survival, class vs. class, anc

he mass of the ple can hav: i‘tle or nothing ic for the reas::. ‘hat they know I about it anc care less. ; ‘The ‘peop! e fed to then 2

such wrangie:

od like 1, with 12

~

Side Glances=By Galbraith _

will swallow any ¢

a yip of protest. “They did it when | {the sound track took the place of “| theater orchestras some 15 years ago, are doing it now, and will con- | tinue to do if. ‘Why didn’t the people protect the musicians then, and insist upon a | continuation ‘of orchestras in the‘laters? In a few cities they did, but without success. such is the power of organization among theater man~lagers, and prior to the advent of | Mr, Petrillo the musicians never had ‘brains enough to get together and stick. They didn’t know how to plead their case. . They just took

On- the people's’ part it is always a case of the musicians be damned, := lor the glass: blowers be damned, or the machinists, or'any other class ‘or trade that is thrown out of work by new inventions. Thus thousands of skilled workmen, in themselves representing ' cross sections of the people, are thrown back jobless upon society, to sink’ or swim without popular support.

7 stand., up on their hind legs and

“|The people? Absurd! ‘So more strength to Mr. Petrillo’s ~|good right arm. "| But for professional musicians. we "| couldn't’ have the majority of our 11 records or musical effects on picture films, and if we had no canned mu i . sic there would be prosperity among “| professional nfusicians. There must S| be a dividing line, ‘where one begins ‘and’ the other ends, and that , [line must ‘be drawn by the musicians "| themselves. Musicians must get. their rightful share of work. They are not getting} it now. When this desirable result is accomplished, the people’s interests will be enhanced, not prosti~ tuted, as today’s cartoon wrongly indicates. I hope to see the day when picture films will be made without the music track for, the larger theaters, land’ musical scores and orchestra parts supplied, so that there may {be a return of pit orchestras. = “I. Whe is going to force this? The _| people? Impossible. The _picturemaking "gentlemen ' in ‘Hollywood? | ‘| Preposterous. The musicians? Yes, "lif they can develop brains enough to get together and stick together. ix hope Mr. Petrillo acsomptishes it.

BE WEG WN ee

2

8 . » 1#1944 NOMINATION REAL ISSUE OF N. Y. FIGHT” By » Hoosier Politis, Indiangpolis. | The ‘Democratic battle over the |New York governorship is not a pri« vate fight. Rather, it is the pre{liminary maneuver to ‘determine whether the president or his former} + buddy, Jim Farley, shall controi the

He iii

be pretty well Washed up as a_political figure. BUS If Parley wins—

| at a recreation area, on administrative duty with’ he

¢ thelr medicine, a all Ignorant men - sas do, = Say W

If they don’t protect themselves;| fight back, who will do it for them? :

| geles city administration, six: years as a COQ camp | executive, and by way of army background, 1 two years’

in the first World war; plus. assignments in this war: quartermaster general's. ‘office, finally in ch seeing that all letters from congressmen to the army were properly and duly answered. It was trons this last job that he was moved in to take charge of this ‘expanded special information. office of - the: service of

supply.

: ¢

As for the type of question that comes - in, every.

thing under the sun-is asked about and a good many of the questions come from other branches ‘of. the government. Congressmen ask’ more: questions of the na than almost any other group, and some of them are dandies because the congressmen have to relay questions that are asked by their constituents. For instance, one congressman wrote in that be

had & constituent 78 years old who wanfed to teach ‘| telegraphy, and didn’t the army have a school that

could give him a job?

He Sleeps Nights—He Says J

' ANOTHER CALLED UP to ask for a copy of letter he had written to the corps of engineers. The congressman admitted he should have a copy of it, and then the congressman came back and demanded an answer to the letter he had lost. . Major Leasure’s prize job for a gongressman, how= ever, was the tracing of a letter to the files of the navy department, although the official said it had been written to the army. After a fruitless search in army files, the major played a hunch and called ‘the navy, and there, sure enough, was ‘the letter. The army itself can ask its own quiz girls some dandies.

Like somebody in the signal corps calling

up and asking what USO stood for. Or whether aletter. signed with an Indian name was from a man.

or a. woman. Or how an ex-candy-and-tobacco sales-

man could get a job in a post exchange.

. Biggest problem the office has to guard against,

is when it knows the answer but can’t give: gi reasons of military secrecy. AZ Biggest nuisance the office has is We tions for people too lazy to look up the ov them

go 3 WONDER WHO’ FIRST thought up the phrase, “I gave my son to ght for his country.” ‘It is one of the platitudes that . war makes popular, but I think it is an insult to the soldiers. : is Sh I The ote slate sification as| scrap iron and old rubber ‘and other materials we help win the war. them of individuals.

Actually, parents do not “give” their children, without bitterness; they may feel great satisfaction of the family are in the service; “they may “believe that to die for country.is ma , and. can therefore say with truth, * I boy died fighting for his na

much credit to themselves when they repeat the

trite and usually untruthful phrase, “1 gave |

¥

Let Them Have the Full Credit

AD RENE WE SAVE un atures whieh ead lights the chief vice of adults—their smug

So LT 1 PL which their dren live, their exaggerated notion of their power over cre, An y made up of 3 : tributed to the national defense y generoys, benevos Jens and patriotic parents would probably make sony fighters. : ~~ And our boys are good ones. Sr ‘Those now signing up for varied effort do so of their own : Nobody, not even their fa “giving” them to Uncle Sam. ‘They are offering. shetmselve Let them have sn edit

son.”

received fom ole

&

Chiestions and Answers

(The Indisnapolis Times Service: » Win ssewer a , search. Write your question clearly, : inclose a three-cent posiage stamp. cannot be given. Address The 1 Wis Thisteenth 8t., 'W

Q—What fie, ts for the : I:

: the city of Decca, India, b

A_The city Was a center of 1 ture. In 1801 She population