Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 September 1942 — Page 10

ioe Light and the ron wi Ping. Thor Own Woy.

. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 14

SOAP-BOX STRATEGISTS

: TEE: current Communist party line, as indicated by Mos7 cow’s Charlie McCarthy Earl Browder, calls for popular clamor for an immediate second front against Germany. It

is a line by which the public may very easily be tripped up.

Modern war is in no sense a game. It involves co- _ ordinated use of air, water and land fofces and necessitates minutely detailed study and comparison of the relative strength of every element of both the attack and the defense. To leave anything to chance, or to count on lucky ~ breaks, is to invite disaster in modern amphibian warfare. ~The united nations’ success in the Solomons represented

weeks of planning, calculation and evaluation of all fac-

tors involved. Months of meticulous planning preceded the Nazi offensive. The successful drive of the Japs down the Malay peninsula, through the Dutch Indies and the South. Pacific, followed years of geographical research, sliderule calculation, and training. 2 8 ‘= # ed » vj iLiTARY. “actions launched tb appease political agitatidns, in disregard of. the realities, are foredoomed to ~ failure, possibly to disaster. The gods of war confer no favors for political reasons. United nations’ military leaders respect and value highly the courage and the effectiveness of the Russian army, but they are not concerned with the political theories of Mr. Stalin. All are anxious to launch a second front in their own, quite as much as in Russia's, interests; but decision on the time, the armament and military factors is one solely ~ for the trained strategists. : Certainly our military leaders will give no consideration to the soap-box : strategists and Red wranglers of the ~ Browder school of political warfare,

. GIVES HIS LIFE—AND STILL OWES A TAX

MANY n men who had considerable incomes last year are ; now in the army. Taxes on last yéar’s income are due this year. Qbviously a man with an income of $25,000 last year—or $10,000 or $5000 or even $3000-—can’'t meet his income taxes out of his $50-a-month pay as a soldier. So the government declares a moratorium on his taxes until the end of the war. ; However, suppose the soldier is killed in the line of duty. ‘At the end of the war or at some time after his death, ‘his taxes, which are a lien on his estate, becomes due and payable by his widow. Net result: The soldier gives his life for his country and bequeaths as a liability to his widow his income taxes on his last year in civilian life, the funds to pay which he was unable to raise because of service to hig country. Which is another good reason why the Ruml pay-as-‘you-go income-tax plan should be adopted—now.

EAKER SAYS IT CAN BE DONE

HE theory that Germany can be destroyed from the air has now been publicly embraced by Maj. Gen. Ira C. _ Eaker, chief of the U. 8. bpmber command in Britain. This i is the ‘theory, subscribed to by many able airmen, which was explored. in this newspaper a few. weeks ago in a series of dispatches by Thomas L. Stokes. > It looked good. to us’ then. It has looked increasingly better as our flying fortresses, with their daylight precision ‘bombing from high levels, have moved in to supplement the R. A, F.s night-time “saturation bombing.” It looks still better'now that the veteran Gen. Eaker has committed himself. g ® . * 8 8

THE rub i is, fight now, that we have not delivered enough 7" bombers to the British isles to match the multi-hundred-plane raids that have become an R. A. F. routine. The sooner our deliveries reach and surpass that scale,

“the sooner Gen. Eaker will have an opportunity to prove his

words.

As Gen. Eaker says, airpower jen't the whole show in |.

this war. “We should, of course, use every weapon—not just one—but the winning side in this war will be the one : that has the biggest and most effective air force,” he said. __ At.any rate, as we have said before in peaking cf a stepped-up bombing offensive against Germany— “The war cannot be lost by.such an air offensive.

: It mist be won that way.”

LET'S JUNK “CZAR”

“HIS may or may not seem important in a time when we've all got so much to trouble about. But, anyway, we want to get it off our chest. "We don’t like the word “czar” as applied to Manpower Commissioner McNutt, to Rubber Administrator Jeffers, or to anyone else in this democracy of ours. “Czar” is a news a symbole quality and fits much more neatly. into a headline than * ioner” or “director” or:“administratét.” -

We are dealing with the assignment of men—free men |: —to this and that part of the war effort. .It’s the job of the | manpower commission. And when it comes to telling you | and me and the fellow over yonder that, because of the |

rate need of the nation, we ‘ve got to do this or that

lve here, there OF dlseyete, we'd rather be tol by the |

“ezar. "

Sea American people are fo Willig io take what it faa) ;

per creation. It’s a short word, has |

Collier’ 5, Wrote to one of our government departments about and stating that the thought had been nia jay » by Joe Carreau, & Street fellow. /Cheneng said in his letter to Washington that the yield would be more than equivalent to the amount of metal required for a®pipeline to the Atlantic seaboard, although he didn’t say from where 3, of course, the pipe wouldn’} require that kind of steel.

The Good Old Brush: Of te

THE REPLY FROM WASHINGTON, indicated that they had already had an eye on these bumpers, but summed up as a brush-off and nothing got done.

They may have figured that this bumper steel coulan’t |,

run away or get lost anyhow and would remain in good condition while attention centered on scrap rusting away in sutomobile boneyards and other casual collections or lost to view in homes and public buildings. . But there are a lot of difficulties in the way of conversion of that kind of scrap to fighting metal which have intérfered with the work all along and are still causing delay. Scrap metal is property and the collectors are businessmen who rate a decent margin, People contribut=]

ing scrap through the channels of this industry ex-:

pect pay for their metal all the way down, the line to the little kid with two pounds of old stove lids and a leaky wash boiler haggling with a peddler for a closing’ price somewhere between 10 cents asked and 8 cents bid. Anyone contributing junk to the rational pile through a dealer, who then shoves it through a regular market commercially, expects to be paid, and, moreover, a lot of this stuff is trash, or, at best, low grade,

Are We Being Kidded, or Not? y

BUT THIS BUMPER steel is all high-grade stock and inasmuch as it isn’t really necessary under normal traffic conditions and can’t possibly justify its con-

tinued existence in the form of bumpers and could”

be routed straight to the mills as a gift of the people with no profit to anyone, and considering the terrible shortage, it should be turned in now. - The quantity is the same whether you boil it down now or next year and if we don't need it desperately right now, then we certainly are being kidded by someone. People who are afraid of damage to their radiators and tail lights might be reassured by a letter from J. D. Young of Market Service, Inc., highway transport specialists of Pittsburgh, apparently a trucking company, who says two-by-six plank can be shackled. in place of the steel bumper and recalls that, for some reason, a taxi company in Springfield, Mo., equipped its whole feat with Wooden Bumpers several years ago.

Oh, Say, Mr. Tobin «ov

BUT IF THIS is to he a campaign it needs expert direction. It needs pictures of the White House cars being stripped of their bumpers, it needs an indorsement from old Dan Tobin, the president of the teamsters’ union, and a picture of his car wearjng plank bumpers, or none at all, instead ‘of steel, And some cheesecake shots of movie cuties and perhdps some of Clare Luce, who is running for con-°

gress and could use the publicity, and never fails ta.

pretty up a page. I just learned that cars which are being bought on time through finance companies can’t be stripped, legally, until they are out of hock. Our promotion genius, when we find him, might get to the flnance companies and get an exception for bumpers sven to the collection.

Editor's Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. They are not necessarily these of The Indianapolis Times.

Frankly Speaking

By Norman E. Isaacs

. 80 YOU THOUGHT the merit |ago

system had been saved from the clutches of - the politicians, eh? Don’t kid yourself. The battle is still on—and. just as hot as.ever. You ‘know the picture: The merit system law was extended by the last legislature. It was spread to all the state institutions. A four-man personnel board was set-up, a personnel director hired by competitive examination. And before the system could even start to crawl, the politicos started hacking away at the foundations. It had come to pretty much of a private scandal when Rowland Allen, a Democratic appointee to the board, broke out with. an open letter to the gbvernor charging politicians were attempting to savotage the law. The fuss went on for a week, ending with

the governor indorsing the merit principle and im-

plying that everybody: was going to live happily ever Who Said They Were Smart?

WELL, THE EVER-APFTER is hardly starting out as & honeymoon. Democratic party organs seem to be outraged by what's happened. Take the editorial

which ran only the other day in one of the Johnson

county papers. Here's what it said: “We were a bit disappointed in such a tragic ° ending. . . . We had hoped that Allen's allegations were true and that the boys who were trying to ‘sabotage’ merit ' system would"

is a lot’

thelr manner of Jie %0 Kt the war nest; but | JV

Wall |

# ~ : The Hoosier Forum 1 wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to 80y 1 it. Voltaire.

“IS IT TRUE CHAILLAUX WILL BE REAPPOINTED?” By A Loyal Fellow Legionnaire, Indianapolis.

An open letter to Mr, Roane Waring, my new national commander of the American Legion: Back, around the first of August, I wrote an open letter to Mr. Frank Samuel, our national adjutant, about this so-called Americanism director of ours, Homer Chalillaux. I don't know whether you know about it or not, but Comrade Chaillaux made a public speech and said he wouldn't give a dollar to our local war fund because-it had

.| Russian relief in it. He never did

swallow his words, but Mr. Samuel backed up the fund 100 per cent, backed up, in turn, by Commander Stambaugh. Now, Commander Waring, I want to make a few things clear. I'm not a new member. I was over in '17. I've been grubbing out a living ever since. I've kept on paying my five bucks a year,' even though there have been times when that fin looked awfully darned big. What makes me write this letter today is the fact that one of our local legion bigwigs just told me he guessed Comrade Chaillaux might be reappointed. He was a little burned up because he knows a lot of fellows in the post who have kids

‘scattered all over hell’s half acres

and new they want these kids to join the legion and pay their five bucks toward Comrade Chaillaux’ six grand a year. Ever since this war fund business

folks around here, I made it my business to go poking around to find out about Comrade Chaillaux. I find out that some few years he was raising hell’ with our local Y. W. C. A, telling them who could and could not speak there; and that he got after minjsters, teachers .and other folks ‘around town, none of whom yet have been even looked at by the FBI. As far as I can see, they're still first-rate folks, who happen to be giving everything they've got to our war fund. I find out, too, that he is one of Hose who Siicks up for Franco, the

got started and burned up so many

-

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

guy who's been playing with Hitler all the time. I also find out that Comrade Chaillaux has said a lot of swell things about this Elizabeth Dilling, who has been indicted by the U. 8. A. for subversive activity, and that he was kind of friendly with this Gerald Winrod, that Kansas Pelley. -.I also was given a newspaper clipping where Comrade Chaillaux in the name of the legion tried to keep Spanish Loyalist kid refugees fiom being brought to this country, ‘where they might have a chance to be safe. In my church this kind of stuff certainly couldn't pass for Christianity. I thought Jesus Christ taught something bigger than that. And I thought all of us went over in ’17 to fight for something that He could stand for.~ I also find out that Comrade Chaillaux blabbed down in Southport the so-called inside dope on what he said really happened at Pearl Harbor and that our local legion big shots had to tell him to shut up. This could go on and on, ox mander Waring, but it all adds Ip to ene thing. Is it true a fellow like this is going to be reappointed to: be our Americanism director? - When we had that squabble over the war fund, I noticed that Wayne Coy, the president’s administrative assistant, said an odd thing. “To my mind,” he said, “it is much more serious than a chall to the suecess of the war relief drive and should be met for what it really is.” What do you think he meant, Commander Waring? I know that a lot of legionnaires around here think they know. P. S—I'm not signing this letter, because, as I wrote in my first one, the boys tell me Gomrade Chaillaux has tried to get fellows' jobs who've Sucked him and I've got to eat.

Side Glances—By Galbraith

I've been reading some stuff on the bill of rights and when I think I've got to keep my name out of priut it makes me all the more convinced that this. bird either doesn't know anything about our constitution—or doesn’t care, i 8 8” ; “DOGS WORST OFFENDERS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS” By Howard H. Jackson, 1126 N. Beville aye.

Here's a word in defense of the poor defense worker who must get his rest in the daytime. How anyone can get any sleep in this neighborhood in the daytime is beyond my understanding. This may sound like someone who did not like his community but this is not true. I don’t believe there is a finer, more agreeable group than those living in ‘this section. Dogs seem to be the worst offenders. I believe we have more dogs in this block than anywhere in the city. Somehow one can fight his way back to sleep amidst the bedlam of small children’s voices.

‘making learn to . re that kind of noise. But the .icious, nerve-destroying bark of several dogs is’more than the average day sleeper can stand. _ We had a man across the street from us who rode a motorcycle. ‘When he started it I think he must have had the fuel advanced so that it almost blew up when he started it. ‘Three times I bolted out of bed hell bent for the basement certain that an air raid was on. I usually survived these attacks with nothing imore serious than a mild stroke of apoplexy. Even that didn't wreck me like the record breaking popups tion of our dogs. ss 88 ; “HOW ABOUT THE LITTLE PIECES OF SCRAP” By Charles H. Morris, BR. R. 9, Box 34%-D We have all given the big pieces of scrap around our homes but how about small pieces, old bolts, unused tire irons and a thousand snd one other pieces left lying around because we think they are too small fo be of value. Each day there. are thousands of people going to theaters. I know ‘theaters- in Indianapolis and in other cities would be glad to cooperate in a 30-day drive for these small pieces of metal. The theaters could put a large box in front of ticket windows for collection of this scrap. I know it wouldn't be much trouble fo bring along a plece or two of this overloaded scrap each time one attends a theater during this 30 day period. This collection would aid immensely in keeping the furnaces going full blast.

“PEOPLE UNDER, OBLIGATION

1 end.

We all have been through the noise | § "1ildhood ‘and somehow | §

wi

: WASHINGTON, Sept. 23. =) Events in India prove Mn i & poor yeporier and arse prophet. A. week or so ago he reported to commons “that the situation in India at this moment gives nol occasion for undue despondency or alarm.” ME said the - congress party “‘does not even represent the ‘Hindu masses,” much less a “ma« jority of the people of India.” That the situation is alarming, except for propaganda purposes, is clear from the official report of Sir Reginald Maxwell, home minister of the viceroy's council in New Delhi. He described an orgy of destruction of communications and other government property, with whole districts isolated for days on « The posts and telegraph serv.ces (now) - ; generally satisfactory, except in Bihar (the strategic province). Scatfered wire-cutting, of which there have been 3500° cases, continues, Bome main lines have Been tampered with almost daily.” Those are the “improving” conditions under which Mr. Churehill expects American forces to help lick the Japs at the. gates of India. * Because “a revdlutionary movement” has been driven underground--340 civilians killed and 850 wounded, according to M ie Prime Minister thinks there is no cause fi alarm

"Terrible Fight' Threatened

AGAINST MR. CHURCHILL'S assumptidn that the campaign for Independence represents only a small minority ‘and is opposed by most of India, this is-what_happened in the legislative assembly at New Delhi last Wednesday: _ A: Moslem League leader threatened the govern= ment with a “terrible fight” unless Gendhi-and other ( congreSs party leaders are released from prison and allowed to negotiate. Another Moslem leader ridiculed the Churchill statements and said? “To ignore the congress (party) is folly of the first magnitude.” Four speakers in the legislative assembly—not, members of the congress party—echarged the British government with forgetting the lesson of Malaya and Burma. They warned that the results in India may be the same unless Britain meets Indian demands for freedom.

Time to Stop Kidding Himself

ON THE SAME DAY in Bombay two leaders of parties which Mr. Ohurchill thinks are opposing Gandhi's independence demands, joined in urging for= mation of Irdian nationalist government, On the preceding Monday the Hindu Mahasabba— - third largest party, after the Congress party and Moslem league—sought permission to negotiate with Gandhi in prison, and defied the Churchill cabinet as follows: “We put the British government fo the test here and now, apd call’ upon them to part with power, ” On Sunday the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce had condemned the Churchill statement to commons as “baised, disingenuous, provocative « + + tending to confirm the widespread and deeprooted distrust of British promises regarding India’s freedom.” The most important Indian newspapers attdcked the Churchill speech. The Bombay Chronicle called it “an amazing misrepresentation’”; the Madras Hindw sald it was “as dangerously irresponsible, as arrogants ly contemptuous, as purblind as ever.” The sooner Mr. Churchil] stops kidding himself abeut_the ‘reassuring” situation, and starts worki on a compromise agreement for Indian participatib in the war,"the quicker Jap defeat.

Peter Bdson is on vacation. fie

A Woman's Viewpoint, By Mrs. Walter Ferguson

‘THIS CERTAINLY * doesn't ‘seem the proper time to douhle the postage rate on books. Yet it has heen done. If there's a good reason I wish the postoffice de= partment would let us in on it. : We. got. y interesting facts ~ aboyt publit reading habits during he depression. City libraries 7 all the time and allie did & good ‘business. 'It

was proved that people who are

unemployed. and poor. read Rag more: than i do when they are busy SRA Jungs - Of course, few be: unemployed as long as the war las we hope afterwards—but many of our amuseménts will have to be given up when nationwide gas. rationing goes into eff t. We should ex~ pect more reading to be done in the home, and no matter how much the government needs Tryon it seems stupid to hamper the easy circulation of books. Instead, reading should be everywhere The government has rocked along with the in the red most of the time, and looked elsewhers for its funds.

Nothing Is Served by It

PERHAPS THE MOVE was made to ease the odd of postmen and other employees. But that’s a poor excuse, for if cutting had to be doné it had much better have occurred on the franking business, ' ' Millions of pounds of stuff pours from government printing offices weekly and is carted around, free of ‘charge, by mail carriers. Eventually most of it lands in the waste basket. The love of reading is a slow-growing process. Thousands of little town and couniry people have a hard time getting books, and the hunger for them | is just as dreadful when thwarted as the hunger for food and laughter, It's a little thing to be beefing about, I suppose. But for many people I know it may mean the differs ence between having all the books they want or only half enough. Tt seems 16 me that neither SHEL nor troudon ; served by a curtailment of any kind “ Ted ‘material. '

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