Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 September 1942 — Page 10
' RALPH SURENOLDER Jiri . Editor, in U. 8S. Service - PR
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Give vio and the People Will Pind Their own Way
MONDAY, SRPTEMBER 28, 1043
DOSE E TALK KBYWILLKE
ee I am row conyinced we can best. help by tii resl second front in ‘Europe, with Britain, at the earliest. possible on ent which our ‘military leaders will: approve. AND PERHAP 8. i OF THEM. WiLL NEED SOME PUBLIC PRODDING. . ~ —WENDELL WILLKIE, Sept. 26. rE DOUBT if any public fig figure Has, since’ the outbreak of this war, uttered a statement so ill-advised, or advod a course so weighted with danger and possible dis- , as the capitalized portion of Mr. Willkie’s statement plod from Moscow on Saturday and quoted above. ; To term it shocking is gross understatement. Not only every allied military commander authorized 20 speak, but the two best-informed non-military figures in fhe - united nations, ‘Winston Churchill and Franklin D. posevelt, have made crystal clear their eagerness, and 1h eir determination, to open a second European front at the lest hour compatible with the possibility of ‘military ess. To move sooner than would be justified by the inexofe rules of military science would be to condemn thouds, probably hundreds of thousands, of young American ‘and British soldiers to purposeless slaughter.
Po 8 8 8 8 » » . wUCH an ill-timed move might even mean loss of the war. "For the united nations to accede to uninformed public amor would necessitate a political cowardice of which “neither the president 1 nor the prime minister is capable, and of which neither has been accused by even his most partisan political critics. 5 As has been repeatedly revealed in recent months modern warfare is a science, not a game. - It can not be directed ccessfully from ‘the bleachers. .~ We do riot question Mr. Willkie’s good intentions. We do question the depth and clarity of his thinking. His sev‘eral expressions on military subjects, ‘made during his present tour, have bordered on the sophomoric. His latest ‘suggestion for a public clamor to upset and nullify seasoned military judgment’ could only result in death and disaster y the misled participants in the clamor. Applause and sh bulbs have apparently caused Mr. Willkie to talk out of turn. This i is no » time for innocents abroad.
io hug
FT ENCH STORY
J VERY member of congress ought to study a sinall book “ just. published by ‘the Brookings institution at Washgton—a history of France's efforts to control prices, itten by a. Frenchman named Louis Franck. It is a dismal story of legislative cowardice and bureauratic fumbling in a country which once was a democracy, Which once had parliamentary government, and now is enslaved. Between June, 1936, when genera) price control was st attempted, and April, 1941, the French cost of living more than doubled. It probably has increased more rapidly ir the last 16 months. The objective, at the beginning, was lo insure to the workers “the advantages of the social legislion sponsored by the Popular Front.” But these advanages “completely disappeared in‘a little more than two jars.” By the first part of 1939 the wage earner “no nger enjoyed a preferred position . . . while after the outeak of the war his position declined. ” It [has become progressively worse. “A major ‘portion ‘of the difficulties,” writes . Mr. Franck, “must be charged to the fact that all too frequently | brice-control problems were approached on the basis of group interests rather than the national interest. The] armers have: genérally enjoyed a preferred position. . . .
for to the Vichy regime the political importancé of the | |
al vote was the basic factor, while since the fall of ance the -enormous foodstuff demands of both France 1 Germany have made it possible for the farmers to ntain their relatively favorable position.” But that position, the writer makes clear, is not an able one. The: farmers of France have lost their freeThey are only a little less Iniserible than ‘the wage ners of France:- A Th Ea : 8.8 gy Sty a A IE first part ‘of ‘the. Hbsioe seerns terribly familiar—the politicians thinking. ‘of votes, seeking to insure ‘“‘pread position” for one powerful group, then another, and icing the general welfare; the prestige of parliamengovernment falling. lower and lower. That has hapshed here. hod Will the American. story end more happily? That, we thing, depends on congress. A congress brave igh to. defy the pressure blocs. “But the preset outlook is not hopeful. The house has ded to the farm bloc and passed a measure which would p price’ inflation. The senate is talking of a coms which would be little better, Congress needs ening in Bite backbone. That can be Supplied if enough
11,
bot or or industry, but for Ametics.”
SPIRIT LIVESON.
XY. Saturday a young man named. Stephin § Helburn | Not many persons knew |
| here in Indianapolis. . Helburn. . He didn’t get around much. He couldn’t,
paralyzed since youth—infantile paralysis,
inability to get around never worried Steve =
| vage division, and he says ~~] steel right away, wwe 1 in Washington and go ahead {came up from ,Was J == 1 paign. There are about 28 million sets of bumpers | hefting somewHere between 300,000 and half-a-million | : tons, but probably much more than the first figure :
80 never niind
because that is based on a weight of 10. pounds per bumper, plus a little for luck. However, most bumpers
| weigh at least 15 pounds and the bumpers from one. | |
1042 Chrysler, a rather showy job, which were turned in at one town collection the other day weighed 78 pounds. ® These and a lot of other bumpers on recent Jobs are steel shells and cost quite a lot of money new at the dealer's and thus might tempt someone along
so it would be a good idea to smash them with a sledge before throwing them in the pile. :
Only About 400,000 Junkers Left
THE GOVERNMENT is going to get those bumpers anyway, sometime, for they had been included in the estimates of available scrap and were regarded as money in the bank, but now they are desperately needed. They have been boiling down the old automobiles in the graveyards at a great rate this summer and there are now only about 400,000 left in the whole country. It seems that in normal times we retire cars at the rate of ‘about 2,500,000 a year, so you can see that 400,000 cars aren’t many. Of the 28 million jobs still in existence about 6,800,000 are 10 years old or more and are not long for this world, but the rate of retirement probably will be slower from now on because people will hang onto anything that will roll, Incidentally, although there was a lot of beefing
out cars in 1941 instead of converting to war tools, even without orders, that last year's production before conversion will be very helpful in a long warand the rubber is practically a gift to the nation, because if the motor industry hadn’t imported it for that last line of cars, the Japs would have it now and we wouldn’ 't.
"My Bumpers Are in the Scrap"
. THIS IS THE fen idea I have ever had that didn’t have something wrong with it and it has turned out so well that I kind of wish it had been original with me, s Steel men and junkmen have written, ‘wired and phoned from all over agreeing that'these bumpers are fine steel and in the best possible shape for convenient handling as scrap and the only objection at all is that they are covered with nickel and a thin skin of chromium which can’t be recovered from the boiling and which Hight impair the high qualtiy of the un--derlying metal, - Incidentally, too, people who hestitate to give other scrap to the big, general collection because they will
be darned if they will let the local scrap dealer make
a profit on their contributions might be glad to hear
that the PWB is policing the industry and watching
junk piles and prices closely. In fact, some junkmen say the prices are set so low that they exclude, some scrap from- the Sollestion because they can't afford to handle it. A lot of suggestions are coming in which I probably will pass along,.but, for a sample, William Fellowes Morgan of Mount Kisco, N. ¥., proposes wooden bumpers in place of the steel, to be lettered with the slogan, “My Bumpers Are in the Scrap.”
Editor's Note: The views expressed by columnists in this newspaper are their own. They are not necessarily those of The Indianapolis Times. \
African Offensive By Ludwell Denny
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28— Allied delay in starting an Egyptian offensive to relieve Nazi pres- - sure on Stalingrad is much more mysterious than the hotly debated ' ‘failure to open a western European - front. Everybody knows that the latter would be a terrible gainble at best, but the North African move has been prepared for many weeks. Of course an Egyptian offensive would not force Hitler to withdraw large forces from southern Russia, as ‘an allied invasion across the ‘English channel might. make Hitler return to Rommel the several hundred planes borrowed from the Africa Korps for the Stalingrad assault. That would be of real service to the Russians, now so heavily outnumbered in the air. So far the front in Africa has been a hindrance instead of a help to Russia, because the allied offensive there was stopped by Rommel before it got started —even while. he was sending air reinforcements to the Stalingrad. front.
It Still Comes First
THE NEW BRITISH commander, Gen. Alexander, having control of the air, shorter supply lines and other advantages, was reported r.ady for an offensive more than s month ago. But, while We waited, the
| weaker Rommel struck first. After a week of seesaw,
the Alamein line remained in about the same position and the British army was too disorganized to attempt an offensive, ; It was ithen that the sighisseing Wendell - Willkie announced the allies had shattered Rommel’s forces in a probable turning point of the war.. Though the.
public naturally discounted the military judgmen
t of ‘Willkie, who has since y confessed that he is only a nori-expert in such matters, it hoped at least
Wanbler of any sore Rommel planes to attack Stal Ingrad.
der nshle either to hel Russia or fo take advantage
t to plug the cam-.
the line between the collection point and the smelter,
against the automobile industry for continuing to turn |-
that Alexander was strong efiough to prevent the |
Three more weeks have now passed with Alexan-
B |... Total cost to date, $1
: z PY : ” t The Hoosier Forum I wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire:
“IS IT TRUE FEENEY IS TO BECOME POLICE CHIEF?” By Lawrence Brewer, 3761 N. Meridian st. Are the. rumors, prevalent about the city, true that Sheriff Al Feeney is to become the new police chief under Dewey Myers should the latter be elected mayor? Feeney is qualified with his state police and sheriff experience, I believe that it would help Judge Myers in his’ candidacy if he pledges this to the voters. : . & 8 “WE'D ALL FEEL SAFER IF POLICE PATROLLED BEATS” By Harriet M. Shepard, 1504 W. 28th st.
Thank you, J. F. 8, for putting into print what, so many of us have been . If we had patrolmen walking beats it would do away with
a lot of crimes.
Some time ago the. papers were full of news about women "being beaten and robbed after they left the bus, even as they unlocked their door. If some policemen had dressed up”as women and walked on the streets they would. probably have caught a number of the attackers. .Some time ago when a prowler was busy in our neighborhood, I called the police station and asked about our street being patrolled and explained about the prowler. And the answer I received was “Lady, the town is full of them.” : Even now as the papers are full of this “ice pick” robber, when someone telephones it; it seems to me the police could get in that neighborhood and run him down if they wanted to, for he seems to
|work in a radius of several blocks.
Of course, they couldn’t come in a car with their sirens going, full blast, it would have to be ‘done
But it would af least |Quietly.
We have lived at our: present address two years and the only time we have seen a policeman was when our car was hurriedly parked headed the wrong way and the keys in my. son’s pocket and him’ at work. A policeman wis here ‘in an hour.’ We are on a street that has houses only on one side and very little traffic anyway. We paid our fine willingly
(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)
because we were in the wrong—but just wish oe ‘appear ‘when they are wan It policemen illo regular beats we would all feel safer and be safer. We lived in a large city that had patrol service at night and if you wanted a policeman at any time of night you turned on your porch light and they were on the job. Of course the light would let the prowler know something was up but it surely stopped the gas stealing and could stop a lot of other t 8 a =» “SAME BLIND PARTISANSHIP THAT CORRUPTED FRANCE”
By Edward Barker, 108 E. Washington st. It seems that our national congressmen just cannnot consider any public question without weighing its political effect on their personal fortunes for re-election. We have read much respecting the same political poison being responsible for the quick collapse of the French defense against Hitler, and if this same personal selfish attitude shall continue to dominate our politicians with the same blind partisanship that corrupted. the French, the same thing could happen here that happened to France. Our congress acts as if it had not fully realized that this war may be the great Armageddon of history between civilization and despotism. It seems that our congressmen, our farm bloé and our. labor bloc are not yet ready to pay the price for
-
victory: over the powers of darkness|
and aggression. ° I'am inclined to believe that the sinister motive back of the mutila«
tion of the inflation bill now befor¥,
congress is for the purpose of throw-
Side Glances—By Galbraith ’
ing the responsibility back to the
president hoping he will veto the same, so they may have further excuse to charge him with dictator ship when he exercises the powers of his office of commander-in-chief in establishing: the necessary ceilings to preverit further inflation, which if continued may wreck our democracy. : = # 8 ” “WE HAVE DONE LITTLE "ELSE BUT DEFY GOD” Br A. Schrieider; 504 W, dr, Woodruff
lected for the letter. of Mrs. Mary Dupee; truth in the caption, I submit it ill fits the subject of the letter. If Mrs. Dupee will only consult
her own Bible, she will find ample proof that morals are not legislated "|—~rather they ‘are e¢ontrolled by spiritual guidance ‘and: education. And as only superficial backing for my assertions, I recall to her two instances, the ‘one in' which water was turned to wine, and the other when the mob was invited to cast stones at Mary Magdalene only if they had not sinned themselves, Legislators, therefore, who: are Simon pure. and without having erred, may legislate morals; but I doubt if th they have divine license to hope that such legislation will be heeded. Mrs. Dupee, if you are a mother
which 1t Sig now, perhaps, too late for you to correct. However, I must agrée with Mrs.
this war so long as we:put our lete faith in ons of mere
a
Li
year Say resth 2.8 billion po
“We Can’ Win: War Only With |§ Cod’s Help” is the caption you se- |
and while there is much}
Dupee that we cannot hope to. win |.
breif
per cent of the sole leather supply has been set civilian shoes. . . , With farm inFook ui prodtictiots batts B0 per
j - vent in; 1942) than iin $he
: of 1910-1904, form tn. ‘come this year may double the ‘average of thé pre-w Siu Benny} t production this unds or eight, times. the, crop of 1919, . . . Hosplters have been given same. amount of sugar as used last’ year. ... Cockpits in’ army pursuit planes won't accommodate pilots taller
‘| than 5 feet 9, heavier than 170. . .. Enlisted men who: ‘become officers. get to keep the. uniforms the army gave them. . . .
Thirty U. 8. deaths are caused each week by. taking. the ‘wrong bottle out of cabinet. Moral: Don’t keep shoepolish, ectants, - cockroach killers or narcotics in, the bathroom. ox.
$184,000,000 a Day!"
WAR EXPENDITURES oo now #104 miliop 8 fax. billion’. . . Deaths from diabetes have increased from 11 per 100,000 iri 1900 to over 26 per 100,000 today, according to census. . . .’ New York, with 10 per cent of the population, paid 30 per cent of the internal revenue taxes in the last
¢
| fiscal year. . . . OPA is making an inventory of the. .
estimated half million pieces of second-hand ma-. chinery now in the U. 8. . . . Flat cars and gondolas are scarcer than box ears. . . . Home: owners wanting to convert their furnaces from fuel oil to:codl burners
don’t have to fill out any priority papers, dust place || an order with the plumber. :
.| Don't Kick on Meat Ration
AMERICANS WHO ARE asked to knock a aio pound per person off their weekly meat consumption shouldn’t kick; the British are averaging less than a
pound per person, Germans get less than 13 ounces;
IJgians 5 ounces and Italians, 4%. . .. Makes the American ration of 2% pounds seem more than ample.
. « $80,000,000,000 worth of war damage insurance is
now in force, Jesse Jones, secretary of commerce, announces. . . . United States Steel and ‘American Telephone & Telegraph have taken out more than a billion and a quarter dollars gpiece. |
No Pennies in Alaska
* ALASKAN PRICES are frozen to the nearest nickel, pennies not circulating there. . . . Wooden iceboxes, washtubs, ‘pails.are expected to do a comeback owing to metal shortages. . . . Army pilots forced to use
their parachutes carry a “bail out” ration of chocolate, .
dextrose, bouillon powder and chewing gum, , . , Cash farm income this year ‘is expected to top the 1919 record of $14.4 billion. . ... 279 towns are now dependent on government reclamation projects. . . . Army ground forces want an official song. —to reach overseds soldiérs by Christmas, :
A Woman's Viewpoint By Mrs. Walter Ferguson
EVERY PAPER you . open
these days reveals the happy faces
of brides—sweet: young. things in wedding finery—and if that finery is sometimes only a tailored suit decorated with’ a gardenia, the pictures are none the less maving. + Thousands .of couples are mak- ¢ ing" quick get: aways for. their
“good wishes follow them. ' Ang when the brides come home alone,
as many of them do, we are moved again by their ;
defiant courage.
Their little taste of happiness carries them :
through. With only a wed ‘ring and a few memo-
ries, they tackle life in wargrandmothers have heen so highly
praised. B They should serve as an inspiration for. older and 3
less valiant hearts, and I believe they do,
But: there is another side to. this ploture, OurIn cois .
munities where large defense plants are functioning, :
divorce mills are also, grinding overtime, the divorce rate is the highest it has ever been, "Old Foundations Were Rotten!"
A 00D 408 GIVES many women sw se lives, they, know what it Zeels like to be ‘financially
of “assurance. / Perhaps, for the. first time. in independent—and there's no sensation that can equal .
| quite. That/itidependence Foskerbook bret 4 about ~
the . teeity of wild animals, newly released from a
cage. No doubt ap accumulation of wrongs, real or | aia, ins deny in shel mind, sd wih the first taste of strength they want freedom, <i
their capabilities, or happens to marriage _ i “It's ruined,” say the pessimists. They've Ro I think. Nor ie Yesson. Wi believes if the funda
Questions and Answers | (Thy Inttanepolls’ Tues Service Bureau #il answer akiy
question of fact or informstisn, not tnvelving. exssnaive se‘seareh. I ite ar. wd
inclose a three-cent postage Medical or legal sdvide cannot be given. Address The Times Washington Service , Bureau,’ 1013 Thirteenth St. Washington, o. CJ) J § — : Q-Tiow are rambo los cubed made for trl Punches? iL ; Vary 3 if
aside for repairing
ar 1
e medicine. .
els Mail early~in October .
** brief, brief honeymoons. All: oun
Americg with the same yigor - and bravery for which ‘their. {donesr
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