Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 September 1942 — Page 10

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: Give Light and the People Wilt Find Their Own Way :

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1042

t THE JAPS AREN'T FOOLING ORMER AMBASSADOR GREW, returning from Tokyo, brings us an impressive warning that the Japanese, having embarked on a war of conquest, have steeled themselves for such hardships as we can hardly imagine. - The people of Japan, he says, “look upon us Americans as constitutional weaklings, demanding our daily comforts and unwilling to make the sacrifices demanded for victory in a war against a military machine which has prepared and trained itself in spartan simplicity, hardness and toughness. They made no provision for failure; they left no road open for retreat.” ‘Another home-coming American—Ray Cromley, for six years Tokyo correspondent of the Wall Street Journal

—is providing a detailed picture of war’s impact on Japanese

civilian life. The army, writes Mr. Cromley, takes ruthlessly whatever it wants of food, materials, private property of any kind. The people are allowed a bare living, nothing

more.

» » ” ” ” » ALVAGE campaigns, for example, don’t depend on.voluntary co-operation in Japan, Homes, factories, stores, public buildings have been ordered to give up every bit of “non-essential” iron, steel and copper, and government inspectors see that the orders are obeyed. Peacetime plants and machines, not adaptable to war production, are scrapped. Metal fences, window frames, gates, art objects, trays, broken keys, hairpins, spectacle frames, bottle caps, baling

wire, all go into the military stockpile.

It may never be necessary for American civilians to submit to such regimentation, such grinding economies, such belly-pinching standards of living. as the Japanese people are enduring. Our resources are far greater than theirs. But even so, our steel industry is running hundreds of thousands of .tons below capacity -each month for lack of scrap supplies which lie idle and uncollécted everywhere in the country."Our government doesn’t order—it asks us to gather and turn in this scrap at a fair price. We can’t afford a half-

‘hearted response, for the Japanese military machine does

look forward to giving us stern orders. Its purpose is to impose on us greater hardships than

itd is now imposing on its own people. :

“Don’t forget that.

TAX BILL BOTCHED THE tax bill on which the senate finance ‘committee has

concluded action is sadly disappointing. It will raise only $7,000,000,000 additional, which, together with present taxes, will provide less than $25,000,-

000,000 total revenue, in a: year when the government is]

A Churchill Boner?

budgeted to spend $75,000,000,000. That means we will have fo have another big tax bill

next year—another 12 months of the uncertainties and con-

fusion that attend these year-after-year revisions in the tax laws—another long and critical period on which all the other improvised curbs on inflation will be engaged in a handi-

capped and probably a losing struggle.

That, at a time when we should not be dissipating our

energies, but should be devoting all our efforts to the one

big and immediate job of winning the war. There is one last hope of averting this catastrophe— and that is that public opinion may be brought to bear to the end that this tax bill may be amended on the senate floor into an adequate war revenue program. # t # # ”n » THE tax bill has been mishandled from the start. When Secretary Morgenthau and his assistants drafted it they were thinking more of politics than of revenue. "And the taxing committees of the two houses failed utterly to assume the responsibility that was theirs. True, the committees killed off some .of the more cockeyed schemes advanced by the freasury’s experts, but they never stepped out in a positive way to provide an adequate substitute

- program.

One thing which occurred in yesterday’s concluding session ‘of the senate committee gives a tipoff to the whole proceeding. A motion was made to adopt a modified form

of the By plan to put.income taxes on a pay-as-you-go

basis. vote was cast in’ the name of Senator Smathers of New Jersey, who wasn’t present at yesferday’s committee meeting—indeed, who: hadn't been present more than once or twice in all’ the ‘Weeks: the committee ‘had been working

“on the bill.

As a footnote to this farce, perhaps it should be recalled

that absentee ‘Senator Smathers is best known to the coun-

try as Jersey City Boss Frank Hague’s spokesman in “the

greatest deliverative body on earth.”

LASS IN THE GUTTER HE T= ‘in the gutter never could have won a popularity contest among his neighbors. Now, when rubber is more precious than much gold, he invites deserved chastisement. But more than that, he is opening himself to the justifiable description of war saboteur. For tires have ceased to matters solely of private concern. They are a major weapon against the enemy. For patriotism, if not from common decency, les keep out of the gutters and out of the streets, and give our n, Treplaseable tires a chance.

e motion was defeated by one vote. The deciding |-

man who left glass, nails and similar tire-destroyers

. NEW YORK, Sept. people of the United States, all - the peoplé,’ are entering a new experience. We are about to submit to the limita “of wages by the national government - -and the

15.—The A

government has already made ‘al ee Se “beginning, in a limited field, on{

* the conscription of labor. “This |

means that, in principal ‘right now, the government can establish an American's pay by de~ cree of executive order and freeze, or chain, him to his job. If he is a farm hand at $90 a month he must remain a farm hand at $90 a month and can't

‘go to town, 150 miles away, to. work ‘on. some other

job in a war plant or: war building project paying $1.50 an hour.

It can, and presently may, mean that, as things tighten and nonessential civilian occupations are eliminated, any man, perhaps any woman, wili be subject to orders to accept any work offered by an official agency, at the established rate of pay.

"Inching Toward It Long Time"

WE HAVE BEEN inching toward this for a long

‘time, although attempts to mark the trend have

always been fiercely denounced as labor-baiting it was not plain but it could be sensed, five or seven years

‘ago that in establishing controls over private busi-

ness and in acting as the bargaining agent for work-

ers, through the labor ‘board, the government was

establishing control over the workers. If the government could say what was a fair minimum wage, it could also establish a fair maximum and if the government eventually became the

principal employer of labor, as it now is, it would

then be not only the ‘bargaining agent and arbiter but boss, as well, : Even if there had been no war, this probably would - have come about, for the government was

regulating business so firmly that eventually if would {

have been necessary either ‘to take over business by foreclosure or establish maximum wages based on the ability of private industry to pay and :keep the people employed. :

"We Got the General Idea

WE DO NOT KNOW yet how President Roosevelt would go about fixing top-limits on wages as he has

promised to do but probably he would do so with a |

bow to the big unions which are under heavy obligations to his administration and political aceessories of the administration, so as to create an appearance of willing co-operation. President Roosevelt was indistinct buf we got the general idea when he said in his message to congress that because thé costs of production are now, in many cases, passed on to government, and because so large a percentage of profits would: be taken away by ‘taxation, collective bargaining had changed “a great deal from what it was in peace times.” \ That was a way of saying, without really saying, that having taken over control and most of the profits of private industry, the national government is now compelled to regulate its own. labor problems in the role of the boss’s boss. . : ;

Then, Why Unions at All?

ONE. VERY IMPORTANT issue must. be met soon. That is the question whether citizens who are com-

pelled to work or fight or fo work or go hungry, shall

be forced to join unions. Unions would seem to have lost their reason. for being, their role as bargaining agents, under a system of fixed wages and compulsion but, of course, they will be kept going, ‘anyway, as a sort of front to balance the representatives of industry in consultations on pay, hours, rate of production and so forth, . But, as bargaining agents, they can only plead, not

| demand, and under: labor compulsion, their sacred

right to strike would seem to be gone. Why then, should anyone be compelled to join a union? And why should anyone voluntarily join a union unless in the determination that when peace comes the united workers will insist on the revival of free competition in industry which is the only system which provides freedom from government control for the worker. -

By William H. Stoneman

"LONDON, Sept. 18. — London political circles are still trying to explain the why and wherefore of Prime Minister Winston Church- " {li's India speech in the house of commons Friday, a speech which has certainly contributed nothing to the solution of the India probs lem and has sharply disappointed a good many honest people, both here and India, who have labored on behalf of such a settlement,’ It is persistently maintained by liberal members of parliament that Churchill made his speech on his own and in disregard of advice which he had sought and which had ‘been given to him by non-conservative collaborators in his cabinet. : According to these accounts, Churchill submitted the first draft of his speech fo Sir Stafford Cripps,

who in turn suggested 4 number of important modi-

fications. (Cripps, lord privy seal, carried a compromise to Iridia last summer which the Indians rejected.) ' The final draft, it is stated, did not conform either to-the first draft or to Cripps’ suggestions and it was not shown to oripps. before Churchill made his speech. Se

Criticized by: Labor Organ

' CHURCHILL 18 "REPORTED to have shown it in ; a peremptory sort of way to Maj. Clement R. Attlee, ’ leader of the parliamentary labor party and deputy| }

prime minister, in the late hours. of Thursday night.

The speech’ was sharply criticized yesterday by the|

London Daily #erald, organ of the Labor party. ; It condemns what it describes as “the govern-

‘ment’s reluctance to try again—-a weakness of will!

which the prime minister tried to conceal last week |

by thunderous oratory and sweeping allegation. If

the government has no constructive proposal to make,

cent above parity.

<= INFLATION LEGISLATION 222 et

; | - * : The Hoosier Forum 1 wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

“WHY NOT TAKE TIRES NOW WHILE RUBBER IS STILL ON?” By James Bingham, 20 N. Meridian st.

We of the proletariat like your three “bell ringer” editorials of today, viz: “The 18s and 19s,” “Churchill Forgets Burma” and “Not Too Much Time”’—as for instance gas rationing deferred until “after

the election.

According to your editorial and your Raymond Clapper, the Baruch report is a good one. But if the

‘rubber stock pile is low: and if ‘we

are in a very dangerous war, and if the rubber supply is inadequate as to replenishment, how will gas rationing increase the pile? : It will save gas which we don’t need to save, and it will save tires now in use. But if we -are in ne hell of a war-as 1 believe we are. why doesn’t the Baruch report say something — “Take your tires and mine now while there is rubber on them.” If that isn't good advice then we don't need to worry and we don’t need to save gasoline, If we are hard we can win this war; if we are soft we will lose it. : > 5 # = =

| “WHY THEY PICK ON THE

: | FARMER ISN'T CLEAR” | By Charles A. Hubbard, Martinsville

Farm prices are now about 16 per Congress and Price Administrator Henderson think they are too high and should be deflated to avoid inflation. Why they should pick on the farmer is not clear.’ The parity price of wheat is about $1 per bushel; four bushels will buy a very cheap pair of shoés. The cost of producing wheat fs probably 60 per cent more than prewar, because of this higher cost the farmer can buy only one shoe ‘with the parity price of wheat. If Mr. Hendersor succeeds in restoring parity, we will probably see farmers “hipping” around with “one

shoe off and one shoe on.”

#. 8 = : “THE WAY PEOPLE GRUMBLE ABOUT LITTLE THINGS” By Mrs. A. b Indianapolis “Don’t it make you sick the way some people grumble about little things? Overheard in a restaurant the other day: “This sugar business. is all the bunk.” Big fat lazy man trying to get some girl at a restaurant to give him twice his amount of sugar and these sugar

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

them. Back here at home enjoying home life with their families

going and coming when they please, drawing big fat pay checks. Belly-| aching about having to give 10 per cent, for bonds. Ought to have to give 50 per cent. They are no better than the soldier that gave up a good paying job for his uniform at about one-fourth his regular pay to say nothing of risking his life for all of us. People. I know never let the motor ‘get cool in their car. Vacations as usual and do they ever think of the poor working man here at home? . Loud radios, loud talking women are the worst offenders. Early in the. mornings get out front or back and- begin gossiping, calling children loud enough to wake up the dead. - Allowing their children to make loud noise with the full knowledge

few hours sleep, and at night loud noisy children going by on the street from a neighborhood show at midnight. Eight and 10 years old, where are the parents of such children?’ Go around some of ‘these taverns and you will find more women than men. Believe me there should be a cunfew law in this town. After all we are at war. This is no time for so much foolishness while our own flesh and blood are giving their lives for us. All unnecessary noise should be| avoided so these hard-working men and women can get some rest, and put every extra dollar in war bonds. This living as usual shouldn’t be allowed and don’t let any Hitler helper tell you they are not the best buy in this world. Why let the servicemen do all the sacrificing? You are just plain cheating when you do, Some people never read the papers or listen to war news over the radio. Say it bothers them?

hoarders, yes, there are lots of

Well, shouldn’t it? Some people

Side Glances—By Galbraith

it should at least refrain from speeches which, by| |

their provocation tone, tend only to increase the 1

number of our declared opponents in India.” It continues: “Labor—whiokh has endorsed the arrest of congress leaders (of M. K. Gandhi's all-India national congress)—was quick to question Churchill's speech of Friday. The week-end news of Indian reactions has shown its deplorable effect on men who

have been’ sincerely working for an improvement in |

the situation, We shall not be satisfied with the

government's Indian policy until that policy shows | E ] Sige 5 uitusy stort 0 eilist: the co-operation ¥

of the Indian, people.”

sin

Editor's Note: The views expressed by columnists in this |

newspaper are their own. ¥hey are not asessmarily those St 2he Tdianapelts. Times. : ; |

So They Say— pe

t night men are trying to get a|

would- sit on front porch while the back of their house is on fire. Let's all pitch in and do. our duty and help win this war so our loved ones can come hqme if God so wills it. ® = = 5 “WE CAN WIN WAR ONLY WITH GOD'S HELP” By Mrs. Mary Dupee, 1413 Lexington ave. In this time of war, crime and vice, why don’t we the people of America demand the beer taverns, liquor stores, houses of vice and any other thing that is harmful to our young men and women be closed. We can live very well without them now and ever.

Our men and boys can’t fight for our freedom’ if “their minds “and

Why fot pick up our Bibles, read and have faith, why not get on our knees and pray, why not fill the bchurches instead of' other: places that can do us no good? This 1s

only with God's help. He

in faith to help us. We need God now as never before.

# 8 » “LET US GO BACK TO THINGS WHICH BUILT. U. 8.” By Fred E. Scroggs, 2122 N. Rural st.

number of years and pull up a few essential things we have forgot or neglected to do, for we are going to have to use them if we are going to win a just war and set an example to humanity. eo 6 wo. First, this country was built on hard work, long hours and- plain wholesome food. The man. worked 10 to 12 hours per day, walked to and from work, some as much as five miles round trip. Then spent two to three hours pulling weeds and beautifying the garden, lawn and fence rows. He grubbed the lands, he planted, he hustled up the winter's full six days a week and Sunday went to church;

this, but America grew. The little men (children) did the chores, they too pulled weeds and put scrap of different kinds in its place. Today that scrap is lost and needed at once. It has been located from the sky by our planes. Pull the weeds and more will be found and

will’ help beautify the city’ and countryside. Today eight hours work, ride home

‘doubtless | ‘what? Certainly not against fo

bodiés ate poisoned with such things.|

God's way and we can win this war 5

ri

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18.0 Events of trem importance are in the in France— | events which may ‘prove to be as epochal in their way ‘as those’ which led to ‘her capitulation in = June, : Eg For alice it was not, just for fun that Vichy's soldiers ‘anid police were suddenly ordered to’ man I strategic points in and around the provisional capital at daybreak Saturday; ge airports, radio telephone centrals, bridges, railway stations and roads leading to the city were covered by machine guns. “Practice” is what the Sithorities called it. And they spoke the truth. But. “practice” for

such weapons are scarcely adequate for that purpose. But against sudden revolt, yes, and apparently. that

is what Vichy has in mind.

Crisis Rapidly Approaching

* FOR THE MEN of Vichy and the people of France appear to be approaching a showdown. A crisis is rapidly: approaching in this “toughest of all wars," as President Roosevelt called it, and France: can.-no more stay out of the final rounds that she wag able $0 stay out of the start. Hitler must know hy this time that he will not be able to knock out Russia this year. He may take Stalingrad and occupy the rest: of the territory north of the Caucasus. He may even occupy Astrakhan and everything up to the Caspian sea. . But he can hardly do more before another deadly Russian winter descends upon him and holds ‘him in its grip for another six months. By next spring he will have passed his peak and the united nations

. will have begun to reach theirs,

He's Counting Heavily on France

HITLER, THEREFORE, cannot afford to femain idle throughout the winter. Unless he can bring off something pretty big in the Middle East, Egypt, North and West Africa, and at the same time keep the oce cupied countries of Europe from exploding, the thaws of 1943 may find him face to face with defeat. In the decisive months ~head, the fuehrer is counting heavily on France. With France in the war on‘the side of the axis, her example might influence Turkey, 8pain and Portugal. It would certainly discourage

{ the people of the occupied countries, now bordering

on revolt. It would make the opening of a second front in western Europe much harder and, with Dakar and West Africa in German hands, increase the mene ace to Brazil and the rest of South: America. Thus a second battle of France is now in full swing. 1t is being waged both from outside and inside. Hitler is trying to speed the hand of Pierre I.aval, his man at Vichy, while the French people are doing everything they can to keep from being plunged back into the conflict, this time against their former allies.

Watch These Two Men!

Edouard Herriot, former president of the chamber of deputies, has emerged as the people’s leader. He and the former president of the French senate; Jules Jeanneney, have warned Laval that France will not follow him if he insists on taking up arms against her traditional friends. So, watch these two men: Pierre Laval, the swarthy little Auvergnat, and the -otund, ruddy-faced, 70-year-old Edouard Herriot. They have become more than mere individuals. Each now represents a cauge, and each has burned his bridges behind him. ; For openly siding with he invader, Laval’s head

. may roll if Hitler loses. For just as openly espousing

the cause of republican France, Herriot’s position will be one of ‘great peril if tife united nations do not win, It took more than ordinary courage for him and M, Jeanneney to sign their names to such an outspoken pronunciamento.

From now on events in France should move rapidig,

; Peter Edson is on vacation. :

won't help us if we dons; ask Him|.

All right , . . let us go back a|

congressional vacations were used properly,

hay fever will be reduced. Also it|

A Woman’ S Viewpoint By Mrs. Waltgr Ferguson

J Rl he Ins rent letter to the New 7 ould Telegsta, Rep. Em

TS ts sAny bea .New Deal congressman lumps all geities under the SRgossvels haters and credits patriotism to the silent and the smug. Mr. Gell reall. ought to get out of ‘Washington for a few days. If short ‘they would open the eyes of many representatives suffer~ ing from official myopia. - $

-" There are two kinds of people outside of Washing=

ton. To one kind the war looks exactly like Old Man He had very few tools to do all] earned before. Sometimes the lowliest jobs are. the

best paid, and those who hold them have a new sense of importance. Never have their pockets been so well

lined. ny 4 them the Wes is wt siotoral gn 3

financial orgy. ; y

Talking Too Big ard Too Muck

THE OTHER GROUP is composed. of men and women who think of themselves as Americans, instead of as members. of closely organized group of Americans. And: these people ate Both canfused and worried, Mr. Celler. X

They want to trust their leaders—they sre ready

the United States. 1t ‘doesn't practice what it preaches; | ° ‘mueh.

invasion, for

5

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