Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 August 1942 — Page 12

‘The Indianapolis Times ROY W. HOWARD RALPR ‘BURKHOLDER MARK FERREE| President Editor Business Manager (A. SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER) Price in Marion County: 3 cents a copy: delivered by carrier, 15 cents "a week.

Mail rates in Indians, $4 a year; adjoining states, 75 cents a month; others, $1 monthly.

> RILEY 5551

Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

Member of United Press, Scripps - Howard News paper Alliance, NEA ‘Service, and Audit Bu-

~ feau of Circulations. Y SCRIPPS ~ HOVARY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 35, 1043

‘A COUPLE OF CAN-DO MEN ERE is a combination that looks like a winner in any league— 1. Henry J. Kaiser, builder of great dams, factories, ‘ships and what not; master of production shorts cuts; nemesis of in-the-rut methods, and 2. Howard R. Hughes, manufacturer, aviator and movie-maker; the man who flew around the world in 3 days 19 hours 8 minutes; sponsor of the giant Constellation passenger plane. Messrs. Kaiser and Hughes have thrown in tegether - to push the former's project for building 500 70-ton cargo ‘airplanes, as a starter toward a swift and torpedo-immune service of supply to our troops in distant theaters of war. These two men, one 60, the other 36, are both old hands at innovation, at upsetting the orthodox, at feeding crow to those who say “it can’t be done.” The folks who tell this pair those cargo planes “can’t be done” will be running a great risk of being made to look silly.

PUTTING THE INCOME TAX ON A CASH BASIS SENATORS CLARK of Missouri, Danaher of Connnecticut "and Gerry of Rhode Island— These three men, functioning as a subcommittee of ‘the senate finance committee, have just taken the most constructive step toward modernizing and humanizing the income tax that has been taken in the 29 years this tax “has been a part of the federal revenue system. They have recommended adoption of the Ruml plan to put the income tax on a pay-as-you-go basis. ‘We hope ‘the finance committee as a whole, and then the senate and . congress, will follow the recommendation... And we believe they will. For the logic and common sense of the Ruml plan are compelling. .

w 2 t 4 = # ® . HEN the income tax was first adopted, in 1913, it didn’t matter much that tax collections were made in the year after the income was earned. There weren’t many income-tax payers then. The first $3000 or $4000 was exempt. Taxes were low. The rate on the first’ $20,000 of taxable income was only 1 per cent. The top surtax, on all above $500,000, was only 6 per cent. But how different the situation is to be nest year. Under pending legislation there will be more than 25,000,000 income-tax payers. The exemptions are to be $500 for single persons and $1200 for married couples. The first bracket rate is to be 19 per cent, meaning 19 cents tax out of the first taxable dollar, the rate graduating to a top of 88 per cent, bill, the rates may be still steeper. ~~ «= Under the present system of a one-year lag i in el tions, many citizens who don’t prosper as well next year as they have this, would not be able to pay their taxes. Among those who would find themselves in hock to the government would be men who enlisted in the army and others who lost their jobs and businesses through war priorities. But under the Rumi plan, all can pay as they earn next year, each srl his ability to pay as he earns.

ERE’S the situation, and how the “Runtl “plan would

take hold— Last March 15, you and you and you filed a tax return

on your 1941 income. If you had enough money, you prob- +

ably paid the whole of your tax then in a lump sum. If you . didn’t, you paid the first quarterly installment.: Then on

July 15 you made the second-quarter payment. On Sept. | 15 you will make the third payment, and on Dec. 15 the :

fourth and final.

That's where the Ruml plan would take hold. At the ] end of the year, if the Ruml plan becomes law, the taxes | ‘you paid i in 1942 will be reckoned as taxes on your 1942 in- |;

come. You will add up your 1942 income, and if it proves to be the same as your 1941 income, the 1942 taxes you have paid will put you even with your government, and ready to start fresh on 1948 income and taxes. If your 1942 income proves to be more than in 1941, the treasury will assess you for the added amount, and you will pay the difference. If your 1942 incomes proves to be less, the treasury will give you a rebate. In either case, you can start 1943 with ‘a clean slate—ready to pay taxes on your 1948 income at’ the new and ‘much higher 1948 tax rates. The taxpayer will go right on paying. The treasury will go right on collecting. There will be no drop in revenues. The 1941 and 1942 tax bills will be telescoped and counted ~as paid in full. And the citizen will start 1948, on a tax-cash

- basis.

ON KEEPING MOUTHS SHUT OVER the desk of one high executive in the war producoo: tion, board offices in Washington ‘hangs this “Daily - Prayer”: “Oh, Lord! Help 1 me to keep my big mouth shut until 1 know what I'm talking about. Amen.”

If more officials in more government offices had that

spirit, there would have been less reason for President _ Roosevelt to write the letter just sent to the heads of all o federal departments and agencies felis them to cease their

: public squabblings. : yNIvERSAL RATIONING BOOK

advantage of a universal rationing book has not been 2! mentioned by the office of .price administration, but|

“is close to the top of the OPA mind. :

So long as. individual books are used for each rationed

item, it is impossible to inaugurate a new program" without \ e fanfare, because the mechanical preparations—the

and printing of We foms--a19 curtain become |

”

a Vniversa) book, the presumably discreet top

can att doeide, in.executive session, that at t midnight

Before congress completes action on’ i the tax.

Fair Enough

[By Westbrook Pegler ;

“k

NEW YORK, Aug. 25.—After poor old: Eddie Deezanose went crazy and ate up a bar of soap and killed himself because he had to give the customers a bonus of $1.25 with every 50-cent ticket for the bleachers, why things gradually began to get worse and worse with our ball club. From a wonderful prospect that spring we went haywire like I told you after they hired Charlie Dissenat to run the club and he brings his wife in to set on the bench with the players and help run the team. I never knew a woman with so many ideas about everything, and she hardly ever seen a game of ball in all her life before but the first thing you know it turns out she thinks baseball is like the slums and you have got to help out everybody, even if they are strictly no good. Like for instance, some professor from a night school downtown where they don’t study arithmetic or writing or reading or how to be a_doctor but a

school where they just have discussions why people.

aren’t happy; well he got an idea you ought to help out the weak hitters because otherwise they would get discouraged and might start a revolution.

‘Now Comes a 10-Story Bleacher

~ SO HE BENDS the old lady's ear and next day she comes up with a new rule that if you are hitting over .300 then you only get two strikes and if you

gét.a double why it is only good for a single and a triple is only good for two and they take the extra base off for income tax. But if you are down under .250 you get four strikes and fouls don’t count except if it is a foul into the stands it is a home run, and if you are under .200 you can stand up there and swing all afternoon until you get a hit or if the pitchers don’t want to kill thereself they can spot you a Single and get on with the ball game. Well, naturally, this caused quite a lot of confusion and the official scorers and the umpires don't known where they are at. But still we are drawing

1 the greatest crowds you ever saw because that bonus

with the bleacher ticket gets all the muggs and the Bulgarian economist who got up this idea he steps into the business office after poor Eddie died and right in the middle of the season he starts building the bleacher 10 stories high, with elevators to accomodate the phenominal growth of business.

Free Picnic Lunches, Too

SOMETIMES I WOULD appeal to Charlie Dissenat but it didn’t do no good because he would always just say this was the new kind of baseball and old-fashioned reactionaries would just have to get adjusted or maybe it would be better if they would quietly retire for some new blood. By that time we weren't playing baseball any more, anyway, but just crazy stuff and you could never prove anything by the rule book and the umpires didn’t know where they were at but the bleacher fans didn’t mind because they were getting that bonus and moreover she was now giving them free picnic lunch with every ticket and two bits extra for each child they brought. She even brought parties of fans into the dressing room and I lost my watch and my wallet with $40 the first day, and when you would go to take your shower you would find some fat old dame in there scrubbing down a lot of kids.

“I'd Mow Her Down"

I AM NOT AGAINST the people in any way but when you are chasing a fly and you have to step over a picnic in short center and eggshells and babies all over the ‘place it certainly gets on your nerves. ; It got so you i tell the score or who won or the standing of the clubs, and out is safe and a home run is against the law if yu are a good hitter but a long foul is a homer you are a bum, especially, a left-hand bum and the ‘guys in the press coop are out: of their mind trying to explain it because it doesn’t make any sense. I still say she was nice and polite at all times and I didn’t exactly hate the old lady but just the same

a man has got to be his own man in this world and

I have got my ideas what I would do if my old lady ever came messing around my business. : I certainly would mow her down.

Stabilizing Wages By S. Burton Heath

‘CLEVELAND, Aug. 25.—After wonths of puzzling, and much reading of speeches and consultation with authorities, perhaps we have found the legitimate line of demarcation between two approaches to the problem of wartime wages. There has been a great dea] of talk about wage freezing. on the one -hand, and wage stabilization on the other. So far as most of the definition went,’ these seemed to be different names for the same thing—though proponents of stabilization expressed intense dislike for “freezing,” and the freezers were cold toward “stabilization.” Now it appears that the freezers would have every wage, high or low, pegged right where it is until the danger of inflation is past. The stabilizers, on the. other hand, would have adequate wages pegged,

. but would permit the raising of. substandard wages

to the level of adequacy. On that basis, few could argue successfully against the advocates of ‘stabilization. One could, however, easily throw the convention into turmoil by inquiring where Substandard, wages end and adequate wages begin. President Roosevelt appears to be in the stabilization camp. The president appointed the War labor board, and that body is responsible to him. In a sort of

vague, formless way, the WLB appears to be | under

a mandate to stabilize wages.

“This Ought to Clarify Things

SO WHAT DOES THE board do? It gathers roots and herbs and fragrant grasses, stews ‘them in a

"copper kettle in the light of a quarter-eclipsed moon, |

and brings forth a potion guaranteed to: cure everything from static to inflation. We are handed, with “explanatory” ext, a formula for wage “stabilization” which pegs wages at the Jan, 1, 1941, level plus a percentage determined by

| the intervening rise in the cost of living.

giving a few men and women a , he will have satisfied the ula. He gives the raises, and inal a as aul So |

prosperous craftsmen, receiving sometimes as much hl 48

2s $125 a week with overtime, iz entitled cent raise. The poor REREa%

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

“If SOLDIERS WILL WRITE, FLL WRITE TO THEM”

By W. H. Richards, 127 E. New York ‘st. We read every day that the boys in service take great pleasure in getting letters from home, but how can the home folks write to them

unless they are informed where and ow to address? No doubt many of the boys feel keenly seeing others getting mail when there is none for them, but if they would write home to their friends they too might be- getting letters. I know several in service and have not the address of one of them. 8 8 8 “GIVE WHOLE POLICE DEPT. THE THIRD DEGREE!” By O. B. Beck, 532 E. Morris st. Congratulations to City Councilman Harmon A, Campbell for the

existing conditions of the city administration. . To Mr, Campbell and other members of the city council, I suggest a “third degree” of the whole police department, make them talk, and find out who really runs the city of Indianapolis. Find out who really owns these establishments in question. Who owns ‘and controls the baseball pools? Who gives the goahead signal on pool room games and slot machines? It was really amusing the other day to see ‘the man at the “green door” ‘quit talking to a policeman and walk not over six feet, take a key from his pocket and let a man upstairs to the athletic club above. Since: when did horse racing -come under athletics? There are hundreds of soldiers visiting Indianapolis every week from various camps, and they all spend money; this increase in revenue should go to the taxpaying merchants and businessmen, whose cost of operation is increasing daily. The mayor and officials of the police department and prosecutor’s office are paid through taxation: by these merchants and residents of Indianapolis and Marion county. If they can’t execute their duties properly in behalf of those who employ them, they should be fired the same as any other employee who is shirking his duties. Government officials have the right to prohibit soldiers, sailors and marines: ‘from visiting any town

attitude he has taken toward the

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

be- signed.)

or city where the morale is not commendable, Indianapolis has the possibilities of being a rendezvous with the highest environment, for the boys of our armed forces, instead of being

{on the spot due to lack of proper law

enforcement. ‘Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chief of Police}

{and Mr. Prosecutor, are you proud

of the. conditions that exist in Indianapolis?. {More ‘power’ ‘to Mr. Campbell and fellow councilmen, and as Walter Winchell so ably puts it, “Why isn’t something done about it?”

» an a FIRST INDUCT MARRIED RESPONSIBILITY DODGERS” ‘By A Defender, Noblesville Here's to the indignation committee attacking Mr. Fox of Advance. I do not remember the gist

seems to be in need of defense. First you childless children lovers surely deserve sympathy! With thousands of little unfortunates in dire need of homes and affection you bemoan the fact that fate has been unkind to you. What a lame excuse! : And many of you semi-invalid women, if you had a child to claim part of your attention you would have been less conscious. of your own afflictions. - Thousands of these childless couples have dodged family re-

selfish interests, such as social ambitions, financial ambitions or plainly will not permit anything to interfere with their selfish entertainment. “They had their cake and ate it” and now they strike back furiously at the person who dares refmind them of their negligence of duty. ! ~ You who are so glih with your tax exemption remarks, where would your protection from the enemy's

invasion be if your element of so-

Side Glances=By Galbraith

of Mr. Fox’s remarks. ' However he|

sponsibilities because of absolute|

ciety were called on to furnish men and materiel for the armed forces? Don’t forget that we who rear the children also protect your precious

|property and lives at our own ex-

pense and the sacrifice of our children’s lives. What are you prepared to give in comparison? Also I insist these married responsibility dodgers be inducted into the army before our 18-year-old youngsters who by the very virtue of their youth are considered irresponsible of danger, therefore good combat material. I am not speaking for argument’s sake. I was reared by foster parents and have reared 12 children, have a son in the service and a boy 18 and I say they have a right to that two-year reprieve. 2 8 = “WE WANT UNITY, PEGLER, NOT YOUR DISUNITY”

By Nn a Mattin, Local Ne. 1452, L A. of M.,

After ia the article in The Times Aug. 20 by Westbrook Pegler, I can understand why many good Americans feel such writers should be kept out of the press.

wants our country to win this war; what he writes sure doesn’t show it.

our war effort? Does he’ ever suggest that men not employed in producing war supplies join the army or ‘navy, marines and branches of our armed forces? The

lines are the only two factors that will win this war. Why .isn’t Mr. Pegler in the service, or working in some ‘defense plant? No, he would write articles such as the one .I mentioned, and cause as much discontent as possible instead of giving

‘credit to men who are giving their

best. at Mr. Pegler, why shouldn't men on the assembly line be compli‘mented when they exceed what was considered “all out” for defense? Don’t we give medals and other forms of real appreciation for what our armed forces do beyond the regular line of duty? Isn't the defense worker a human being and) deserving something besides insults from the press? Are we trying to

preme effort to win this war? Get wise, ‘Pegler, let’s all be Americans and pull together. . Mr. Pegler, why ‘don’t Jyou start to do all you can to unify all Amer-

icans, all with one purpose in mind, |

win this war, because if we don’t win, you won't. have the soft job, you now have. . Mr, Pegler, put labor in the same as a child. * When a child in

school does just a little more than

: 4 | he has to, don’t we give them credit

and give them. scholarships to higher schools of learning? What if we said to them “It’s your duty to do

.| essential to essential jobs.

And the Union Side of It

I wonder if Mr. Pegler really]

What is Mr. Pegler doing to help ;

‘other, =

armed forces and the production |

get our nation to unify in our su- | up military tasks. Besides, there is a vast untapped

by Peter Edson WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.— Keeping the war labor force at

work after it has been recruited is one of the toughest of all the

there has been a new concentra~ tion of labor supplied largely by people from out of town, . Personnel and employment managers for individual plants have roamed all over the country, scouring the woods, hills and valleys for new workers. They offer fancy pay and the resulting shifts of population have in most cases been more than the important communities could ‘comfortably. absorb. With housing facilities crowded, many of the in-coming workmen have left their families back home and put up any place they could find a cot and under a roof. Sooner or later all such workmen

ge homesick. *

| And since they make good money, there has been little hesitancy to take a few days off to head for home, letting the job go hang till

| or they felt like going back to wor

What Employers Are to

IN THE BALTIMORE the attempt is being made to get all manufac and all labor organiza« tions to agree to a set of principles which should solve most if not all of the problems of manpower supply in ‘a labor market where the demand is greater than the supply of workers. Employers are asked to agree: \ 1. Not to employ anyone from another war produc tion contract holder unless the worker is rel 2. To employ only local labor, including ) and handicapped workers wherever possible, so as to avoid excessive labor in-migration. 3. To recruit new labor only through the United

‘States Employment Service, so as to centralize hiring,

4. To assist in the transfer of workers from none

5

5. To help reduce absenteeism.

UNIONS ARE SIMILARLY asked to agree: 1. To help eliminate labor piracy provided meme bers of the unions can review grievances in cases where an employer refuses to grant an employee's release. Th To co-operate in maximum utilization of tocal Tr. 3. To refrain from transferring workers from other areas unless transfers are cleared by the local U: 8. employment service office. . 4. To assist in the transfer of warkers from none essential to essential occupations. S. To help reduce absenteeism.

Britain Has a Law

MAYBE THE WAR. labor problem can’t be licked on any such democratic, voluntary basis. Maybe i§ will take a law. Great Britain has such a law, granting the _gov~ ernment the power to transfer any worker any place any time. However, 75 per cent of the British war transfers have been negotiated on a voluntary bases, . Canada is solving its labor shortage problems by a system of labor priorities which will go into: effect within the next 30' days. All labor in the Dominion will be put under selective service and required to transfer to or stay on high priority jobs. All induse tries will be registered and the unessential industries face eventual shutdown. ; THe United States may have to resort, to somet like fie British or Canadian system 1f the war) very long:

A Woman's Viewpoint | By Mrs. Walter Ferguson i

IF YOU ARE A female citizem with a child under 18 you may not join the WAVES (Women Ap- . pointed for Voluntary Emergency * ‘Service in Navy), but you may Join the WAACs (Women’s Auxe . iliary Corps). - Now, why do you suppose we confront that military inconsistency? is Your guess is as good as mjne. Mine is this: ce the WAACs were: organized there has been a good deal of SCOT imme because many mothers of small “children became members. Doubtless that atiitude is’ regarded as old-fashe joned in some ‘places, but. it exists, for the U. 8S A is a country whose” people believe they are fighting | a war to preserve: certain ‘old-fashioned things—and the home happens to be one of them. : 0 The navy avoided'the mistake of enrolling young er mothers—and a it certainly was on the J part of the army organizati not because these sea« = < faring men are more sentimental than the land forces, } but because they recognized the error of judgment,

"| Don't Like Public Nurseries"

WITH SO MANY women and

unmarried less wives in the country, it should not yet be n

sary for mothers to drop their home work to

reservoir - of material in the ‘past 50 group whose children are grown. They ought to be able to master a lot of the work the feminine iltaty. aids are

- preparing to do.

T dar’t Tike the notion of herding ‘our youngs into public nurseries, a much-touted feature of t Soviets’ first five-year plan. Such a , ey

1 eventually be necessary, ‘but we should resist it ‘as

long as Wwe can. ‘Arid the stoutest resisters ouglit fo he the mothers of America, to whos the home ul

been given | Sader do ghit, Badu Bowers, Eb If the war continues for years, if is admitted, he may order every man and woman to the job where his or her services are most effective. Please don't forget, Mr. President, .that, Whenever Joselble, a Jess a