Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 September 1942 — Page 10

and cont B A (except Sunday) by i 30apal

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ber of United Press, pps - Howard - News=

Alliance, NEA Ee qthers, 5 monthly,

Give Light ¢ and the People win Find Their Own Way

MONDAY, J ———— 4, 1943

D RECRUITING RS. ROOSEVELT tells in her column’ of a medical ~ school where young ‘doctors are being trained as y as possible to serve where they will fit in the war. “If these young men, out of uniform of course; go for ‘a walk at night,” Mrs. Roosevelt writes, “they have on veral occasions found themselves attacked by soldiers m a nearby camp. The soldiers do not stop to find out what the boys are doing, they just brand them as cowards for being out of uniform. < “I remember a similar psychology in the last war, ‘and it certainly was very unfair. I receive a great many letters from young men who have been turned down by their draft boards for physical reasons and who beg me to ind a way in which they can get into the armed forces.” 8s =u son 8 TE think this poses one of the most important of all our manpower problems. It's a phase—a poisonous phase. .As Mrs. Roosevelt says, a similar psychology ‘developed in the last war. It might be called the whitefeather phase. It can only do harm, great harm. It is more than unfair. It is self-destroying. > ‘We think the best way to cure it is by. making selective service serve as it was intended to serve—to have an all-inclusive restatement and . application of what the selective-service principal actually is. Selective service is designed to put each man in the ob in which he fits most effectively. That job may be in the army, the navy, the marines, the air forces. Or it may be in a logging camp, a munitions works, a mine, a steel factory, a shipyard, or in any other spot where he is needed. Where the white-feather danger enters is in just such incidents as Mrs. Roosevelt describes. It is spreading into vital war industries as well as medical schools. It is causing a lot of young men who are vital where they are, who are not cowards, but who feel the, sting of the white feather, to get into uniform by the volunteer route, though they themselves become infinitely less valuable than in the jobs they have been doing. : . 8 = ki Te THERE seems to be only way to stop this. It is to stop recruiting. And then to allow the selective service _ priaciple to function 100 per ‘cent. Properly assigned by

his selective service beard, the expert machine-tool-maker, |

~ for example, would be ordered to continue making tools until he, in the judgment" ‘of the board; is needed more somewhere else~and- can be- replaced. He couldn’t go into uniform if he wanted to—until the service board gave him the green light: And with this understood by the whole public, the white-feather, stuff would be automatically out. Suspension of recruiting is now under consideration, according to the president himself, Selective service officials strongly advocate<it. They contend that until it is done, control of industrial manpower will be impossible. "We think the time has come to take a plunge that should have been taken many months ago. The white-feather phase, though important, is only pne aspect of our nation’s stern task of directing this war to the true and.complete principle of every man to his post.

THEY STAND AND DIE THIS week may. decide the biggest and bloodiest battle i in all history. The grim Russians, pushed back to the out-

skirts of Stalingrad, are fighting as a suicide army. They|

have burned their own Volga bridges and sent away their boats, so that none shall retreat. They will stand and die. The only way Hitler’ s larger ‘army can take the greatest prize of south Russia is to kill I'the defenders—civilians and soldiers alike. All signs point to the city’s fall. But Russia is a land of military miracles. ‘doomed; it still stands. When Tokyo ordered the attack Pearl Harbor, it was certain Moscow was falling—but te, in the form of fresh Soviet armies, intervened to turn k the Germans. So only the fool today will sell Russia short. As long as 2 are Russians in Stalingrad there is hope—hope that Nazis will weaken under the stfain of slanghter, hope . new Soviet armies may drive down from the north in me to pierce the German flank. : ‘Whatever comes, no American and no o Briton can ever rget that the courageous Russians at the Volga have ught the precious; weeks and months for us-to prepare. ip d.out more: Nazis, and tanks and planes, Oh fronts put together. Hitler's ‘best troops ver march on congiest again—on the steppes of are deal] a of thousands. of them. In

So ema ered by carrier, 15 nia Hn

Mail rates in soaisad $4 a year; adjoining| states, 76 cents a month; |

.tion has started world wars.

A year ago Leningrad seemed|

“by nature, and go to war only at

the orders: of their masters and, | Tn therefore, when beaten, should be | helped up, dusted off and allowed to remain a nation. | If that is the case, then what about the péople| "| of the United States? Do these thinkers undertake to} = | say that this country, too, was driven to this war by}

a set of masters and that Americans have no responsibility for their conduct as a nation?

I am ready for the argument that our case is dif- ¢ ferent because we are, as we say, a democracy and |

make our own decisions in all important matters. The Je

answer is that the Germans, as a big and strongly

nationalistic nation, must take an adult responsibility | ‘in the world. It was up to them to adopt a form of |

government and create leaders who would respert the rights of others and this they fald todo.

Truculent, Arrogant, Confi dent— | ; TWICE IN THE LAST quarter century their na=

theirs and it need not be conceded that they were

displeased with their leadership either in: 4 or|

this time. “The beaten Germans of 1918 and after do fot present a convincing portrait. It is legitimate tc ask what the attitude of the German people would have been if they had won that war. Would they then have regretted their conquests over Belgium, France, Italy, Russia, Britain and the United States? Isn't it more likely that they would have considered themselves, in their hearts, members of a master race with a right to rule’ their victims with the same brutality that they have showh the Poles and French this time?

The Blood Guilt Is Recognized

ONE COMPLAINT AGAINST such’ thinking is that if the German people are given to understand that defeat means obliteration as a nation they will

fight to the death. : This would prolong the sitjsgle .

and cost lives on both sides. But it isn’t necessary to tell them this, nor will they believe any propaganda to the contrary from the allied nations. They know that in defeat this time the German nation will cease to exist, for the brunt of the land fighting has been borne by Soviet Russia concerning whose methods and probable intentions neither the Germans nor the free peoples have any illusions, The blood guilt of the leading war makers has been recognized and punishment has been promised them and all those responsible for the murder of hostages, but no promises have been made that iar nation will be allowed to live on as such. And itis doubtful that they would believe any assurances, because they know their nation deliberately made this war, needlessly and wantonly, and has carried it on with-unnecessary cruelty.

All Pretty Idle Because . . . I

IT IS SAID that to recognize in the ‘German people a warlike and brutal strain of character is to

‘indulge in the evil fallacy of racism which is one of

their own worst vices. - But how can anyone who rejects racism on that ground consistently hold that the Germans, as a people, are devoted to peace and kindly and poetic? Moreover, anyone who decries as racism the attribution of a warlike character to the German people immediately contradicts himself when he ‘speaks of German poets, philosophers’ and scientists. Were these. men German notables and were their gifts to the world German contributions? Because, if so, then the Kaiser and Hitler and all the evil men around them -were German war makers and equally Spe. sive of the German people. But all this is pretty idle because it must be assumed -that.. Germany will lose the war and that, in

that case; the future of the German nation will be |.

decided by the man whese arms fought them hardest, Joseph Stalin, who, up to now, has said nothing about the peace-loving nature of his enemies.

Editor’s Note: The views expressed by columnists in ‘this

newspaper are their’ own. They®are not necessarily those of The Indianapolis Times, iio

The Arctic Line

a| By William H. Stoneman

LONDON, Sept. 14 (CDN).— As mid-September approaches wd the Arctic night begins to lengthen into complete darkness of winter, the long convoy route from the United States and the British “isles to northern Russia—a veritable death trap during the white nights’ of summer—are again be- © coming a feasible channel . for «supplies to Russia. : vo Allied statesmen have made it clear that supplies will continue to be rushed to the Soviet Union by all possible means and it is assumed that the northern route will be used to the fullest extent when light conditions make it possible. ‘The absence of any recent news about convoys en route to northern Russia must be attributed to the fact that such operations are rendered virtually impossible when they must be made in the constant] daylight: of the Arctic summer. : There already are four and one-half ‘hours of darkness at 70 degrees north and ‘this ‘will rapidly in crease until Dec. 1 when, there will be 15 or 16 hou

of total darkness and it 1s never broad daylight. These | & conditions will continue until ‘mid-January when the x

nights will again decrease.

Russia Growing Restive

AT- ANY TIME Son ‘operations. through the| + PEE 5 | greatest of good luck that so many were carried out In the autumn of 1941 and the Winterof 194142 with ¥

northern seas are risky and

out loss.

The responsibility is |.

Js

i . @ . 1 : The Hoosier Forum I wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

“TAVERN PATRONS HERE |

ARE NOT HOOSIER NATIVES” By A Times Reader, Indianapolis The majority of tavern patrons

| are not’ Hoosier-born natives. They are mostly from out-of-the-state|-

migrates who have migrated to this state to find defense work. . Upon their arrival in: this state they seek to customize themselves to social habits which they think are the Hoosiers’ They are unaware of the fact they are making themselves socially unwanted by patterning their social level with their brethren migrates who have migrated to this state before them. Hoosier people—90 per cent of them—are clean living peoplé, \and despair at ths thought of having to put up with some of the drunken} trash that migrates to this state and have to live next door to them as neighbors. ; Viele ow oo» : “WHY THE STAGE MEDICAL MEETING IN FRENCH LICK?” By A Friend, Indianapolis I am wondering if you know that the state medical association is planning to hold its annual conven-

{tion at ‘French Lick" Sept. 30 to

Oct. 2. Can you tell the public as a newspaper how, if there is such a shortage of doctors, they can spend three to four days at French Lick? If you will contact different

doctors you will find they would]:

much rather have-had the conven= tion ‘in Indianapolis which is centrally located and has" sod transportation facilities: from parts of the state. * Can you imagine the doctors from our northern towns, Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, Ft. Wayne,

South Bend, Muncie; Marion, La-

fayette, etc. going clear down .to French Lick for three to four days: if there is such a shortage as is

stated in the papers? If you will}

investigate thoroughly you will find most .of us in. favor of a one day and at the most two days of meet ing: in Indianapolis where the largest group of doctors are located.

(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.) .

have canceled their engagements|

also. "een The Indiana association is supposed to have quite a reputation as a leader in their line but it looks like they slipped some to me, . ++ Ni ® = = aE “WHY ALL THIS ORATORY ABOUT NEW TAXES?” By H. E. Hurlbut, Newport, Ind, 3 o Why all ths oratory about a new on small incomes? Everyone on ‘Washington seems .to be doing a lot ‘of worrying. From the presi-

‘|dent to the youngest congressman

they have told us how “we” must and they, everyone, want to help as much as any sergeant in the army. Well they can! ‘Why tot raise more tax money by not having so many salaries exempt from income tax. Isn't it queer that they have overlooked this when we all know that they

want to be In the same boat with

other citizens? = | I am ‘informed that each and every one who is connected with making the tax. law, administering the tax law, or passing on it in all | court has a salary (from $10,000 up) which is not subject to income tax. Now I understand the for this is that they must be impartial about their duty. Isn't a police

_. -_

integrity to suggest ‘that anyone connected with making, administering or ‘judging the validity of any law must be exempt from ‘that law in order to be honest. % *If we are not careful, there is going to be a shortage of smoke screens for our fighting men. : ® = = 5 “AUTO GRAVEYARDS BIGGEST SOURCE OF U. S. SCRAP” .

By Harold Perkins, 5739 Julian ave, The country is crying for scrap metal; the papers are full of appeals and editorials on the subject; it is reported a number of - blast furnaces have closed because they could not get scrap iron and steel. People on farms and in the cities

Jare asked to scrape up all the metal

they can find around the place and turn if in. Here in Indianapolis they have considered throwing in all the old cannon which “decorate” various parks as well as statues of some people long since forgotten. ~All of these things are right and should be done, but one of the largest scrap piles in this or any other country remains untouched— the automobile “graveyard.” - There are thousands of tons of iron and steel, to say nothing of old tires, laying around these yards which are absolutely no good to anyone except the steel mills. Why doesn’t ' somebody. do something about this? ‘Trainloads of this iron and steel could be shipped out of this and every other town and i in the country. What are they ‘Waiting for? » 8 » “WE NEED NOT SEAR arn SOULS WITH HATRED” | ‘By Mrs. Grace Newby, 617'W. 30th st. Leland Stowe’s article on, “War and Hate” in Wednesday's “Times cannct but ‘cause any who call themselves Christians to pause in

: their thinking as to whether we are

2 Widersiand Wisiy Sf he speskers

to discard ‘all the teachings of to “love your enemies, ete.” is no

less a command

‘today. ’ 1 think we can turn all the “para-

|Phernalia of war” loose -on the enemies to right principles in an

impersonal way without searing our| souls with hatred, as “two wrongs

i | never. yet made. a right’ Tor “never

Sone will say the Jas and Germans are inhuman to commit such

| atrocities, and so they are, and un-|

| "We Feel So Depressed”

Christ even in war, for his command

aac oothbaste, but it's fro t an,

» §

ON-MAY/ 11, THE mother of Private Heinsof, 34 German iaRtey- regimel regiment: serving on the Leningrad front, wrote from Hamburg: “Last Monday. night

burning buildings. In Lietrechstrasse everything

| burned up to our house.”

A grandfather, writing Corp. Adolt Schwartz on the ‘Kalinin front from Eisenstadt, said: “You'll be astonished, when you come home on leave, how every- W one has changed. I've lost 16 pounds and some of ‘our friends as much as 40 pounds.” ; From Dresden the wife of Sergt. Otto Flack wrote: “We didn't think you'd be in Russia so long. You remember, you thought you'd be going into Moscow in March. Unfortunately, it seems you only keep. marching in Russia.”

Q

AS OF JUNE 3, a letter from Hans to Lieut, Hergart Jaeger: “How can I write personal things when I hear, 100 bombers passing overhead. - We feel so ‘miserable, so depressed. It’s an idiotic sensation. It's pitiful to see handfuls of German planes against this mass. Really, it's time you finished everything in the - East—at least, we could get planes from there, for if “the British are going to send 1000 planes every night Western Germany will be out of the war.” A letter from a mother to Karl Schnitter on the Leningrad front: “Mahler has been. with us. He was ‘wounded but in spite of that he had to return. He told us things about Russia that almosf made our hair stand on end.” The wife of a soldier. named Gelmut, who was also on the northwestern front, said: “My father’s letter is terrible. He sent a photo. One sees ‘how he’s grown old. At 48 his bones can’t support war conditions. . . . A state of siege was proclaimed in the city. ‘All women, children and old people had to leave the city immediately.

"Too Much Sar the | Nerves”

FRAU GERTRUDA REUSCHEL, Writing. from a village in Saxony to her husband, George Reuschel: “The war’s getting. too much for the nerves. I don’t know how much longer we can continue. About the food, if-can’t go on like this, yet they say ft will get ever worse. There are people who already can just keep alive, . Each day they bring new foreigners into Germany and it’s necessary to feed them, too.” From Wupperthal, on June 28, Wilhelm Salzberg wrote to his son on fhe Russian central front: “At Kreyfeld we had good luck: At last we bought an umbrella. We've been looking for one since Christ mas, but in Bremen it's impossible to find one. Now it’s'a question of slippers. It you can find any, carpet material in Russia we can make slippers from it.”. On April 13, Frau Berthe Houck, writing from Vienna, to Hans on the, Kalinin front, said: %1 can tell you one thing. The life we lead here is not worth the life of one soldier. Thats all I can tell you.”

i

Peter Edson ne = vacati on.

A Woman's Viewpoint : By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

even a vital job, at the moment. us! communities have seen their Signs Sofense centers where all the adults ‘get work.’ re upheaval—and that’s. what it amounts to--will. mean tremendous hardship and great moral ‘dangers for the children. And snything sffecting the children of a nation ought to interest that nation’s women. Somehow, I can't get worked up about what sort of vanties and bras the WAACS ‘and WAVES are wearing, or whether it must be charm as usual’ for . the duration, when I think of the babies destined to suffer an exyesiehos, no’ ober Ametieny JOupRioss have ever suff ; Tho ]

Children Are Women's Business.

‘more important than they are, 4 Y after them there's not much use in fighting Governments Dave to care for those people are forgotten hy ete rope, ‘But it o's

responsi to the ui