Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 January 1943 — Page 10

[he Indianapolis Times|[

RALPH BURKHOLDER }- Editor, in U. S. Service WALTER LECKRONE Editor

¥ Ww. HOWARD ant

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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 1943

BIG IDEA , ONE constructive suggestion, at least, has come sit of the U. S. senate investigation of the ban on musical recordings by J. Caesar Petrillo, boss of the musicians’ union. It concerns juke boxes. “There ought to be,” observed Senator Tobey of New Hampshire, “a special slot on those things so you could i in an extra nickel and stop the damn stuff.”

FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR AND food will win the peace. President Roosevelt says 50. Former President Hoover says so. Ordinary Americans, facing shortages, drastic rationing, rising prices, ‘begin to worry lest lack of food lose the war. Perhaps there's no real danger. Belt-tightening on ‘the home front will be necessary. ‘And for American farm‘ers—that “small group with a great task,” as Mr. Roosevelt says—much more than pep talks will be necessary if they are to feed our growing army and navy and our civil“ian families and help to feed the fighting men and war work‘ers of Britain, Russia and other allied countries. Higher prices? Yes, say the farm organization lobbyists and the farm bloc congressmen. And certainly the ‘agriculture department’s figures, which as city folks read ‘them seem to indicate that war has brought great prosperity to the farms, don’t tell the whole story. . Gross farm income of nearly 16 billion dollars in 1942, “highest in history. Net farm income up 45 per cent in a year. Farm prices ndw at the highest level since 1920. The general level 15 points above parity. Yet thousands of farmers are selling out, others are abandonding their land, dairy cattle are being slaughtered, the mail of congressmen is crowded with bitter complaints from rural areas. tJ 2 ” - ” » ” Mos? of the increased agricultural income is going to big farm operators, not to. the little fellows. Such important crops as wheat, corn and oats are still below parity. Farming costs also are up. And the farmers can’t get enough machinery, enough gasoline, and—above all— enough help. That last is the grievance most frequently voiced and, we think, it’s the biggest. _ Despite some changes in the rules, farm boys are still being drafted in great numbers. And despite many promises of better manpower management, no way has yet been found to offset the lure of higher wages, shorter hours and ‘extra pay for overtime in munitions. plants, airplane fagtories and shipyards. City people need a better, more sympathetic understanding of the farmers’ very real problems. But that rule works both ways. If the farmers try to solve their problems by using political power to boost prices, what will happen? os, 2 x 8 2 x 8 HE cost of living will start jumping again—food is by far the largest factor in its mdre than 20 per cent increase since the war began. Then organized labor will demand, and undoubtedly get, higher wages. Millions of unorganized workers will be squeezed more painfully. The farmers’ costs will rise further. They will be no better able to compete with factory wages for labor. And ‘the eventual collapse of price controls will bring general dis-

; That, at least, is the way it looks to us. Farming is no picnic—probably it never was, or our folks wouldn’t have moved jo town. And we realize that farmers will be using restraint that some other groups have not if they don’t seek to make the most of this first opportunity i in many years to get an adequate return for their toil.’ We'll do our best tor help them bring pressure on the government for a real solution of their manpower troubles, but we hope they won't wreck us all by rekindling the cost-of-living skyrogket,

SOCIAL RATINGS A RISTOCRATS vary with the times. The first families of one era may be found way south of the tracks in another. Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations, and what puts you in the four hundred depends. Usually 10ney has played the major part. But, as the saying goes, oney isn't everything. “So now, as the war wheel tans, we have social ranks ivided in new, odd, but nevertheless accurate compartments. For millions of Americans, especially along the tlantic seaboard, in this mid-winter of 1942-43, it’s not a matter of how much money you have, but do you belong to coal family, or a gas family, or a fuel oil family? If ong the first two, you’ ro. upper crust. If among the atter vou're poor, no matter how ‘big your bankroll. The large house which once stood for affluence no longer ‘bespeaks good fortune, and lucky be he of the humabode, the humbler the better in terms of square footge, if there be a bucket of coal, or a barrel of kerosene, or gas jet that’s breathing. : t Therefore, as you write your story forthe social regis- , check first with the thermometer, then salaam to the ermostat, and remember that keeping up with the Joneses ying topping their B. T. U's.

KING OF BOSSES ~~ Boss “Eddie” Flynn c of the Bronx is eligible to © sppont-

go as vy asain to China and issue to | ne atin o of Jussey City plenipotentiary is ion

Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

«© RK, Jan. 16.—About of the Pennsylvania hard coal miners against a boost of 50 cents a month in their union dues, the second strike of miners against their union, you will hear ~ this and that iat Sontusine argument about side issues But if we are going to solve this thing we must start at the root of the trouble and the root is the evil, deceptive Wagner act, a law to deliver the American workman into the hands of despotic and brutal union bosses which was pup over on congress and the people disguised as a law to protect workers from the greed and cruelty

The schemers who did this had the benefit of a wonderful ballyhoo. The act, which was a New Deal party measure, was tagged with the name df Senator Robert Wagner of New York and he did the heavy-

a one-man concept or a one-man- job.

hope and intent, however, that the union bosses would more or less unaniinously go along with the New Deal

control by the party.

Feel Handcuffs on Their Wrists

BUT IT TAKES cool intelligence to analyze a proposal amid the emotional excitement and bitter-

as this act was and moral courage to fight against it when all opposition is instantly and clamorously denounced as toryism.

So the people didn't begin to realize what had been done to them in the guise of a great favor until they suddenly felt the handcuffs on their wrists. True, these coal miners are stopping the production of close on to half a million tons of fuel at a time when oil is terribly scarce and eastern factories, office buildings and homes have converted from oil to coal on the assurance that coal would be abundant. They may cause some deaths among the civil population if not by freezing then by colds and pneumonia and, ultimately some loss uf life among the soldiers in Africa and the Pacific through insufficiency of weapons, explosives and all.

Miner's Life Painful and Hard

BUT THESE MINERS have their share of sons and brothers in the fight and they have no grudge against their country or their fellow-Americans. God only knows why any man would willingly become a coal miner. It is a terribly dangerous occupation and life in the coal fields is, at the very best, bleak, painful and hard. They should net have struck at this time but who made it necessary for them to strike? Well, you say who it was that turned them over, body and soul, to John L. Lewis by way of the Wagner act and you will have named those who dre ultimately guilty of any tragic consequence of this strike. Their boss, John L. Lewis, fixes their dues and assessments and does as he pleases with their money, Sometimes he squanders it on the organization of other unions. as in the case of the C. I. O. and other times he uses it to elect political canaidetes, as in the case of his contributions and loans to the Democratic party.

No Protection From Despotism

IN ALL CASES, however, Mr. Lewis and his daughter and his brother, who draw big salaries and liberal expenses, are duilding=. power for themselves with ‘the workers’ money and the Wagner act pointedly contains no provision to protect the miners from despotism. Last November, at the C. }. O. convention in Boston, Lewis’ old colleague in the miners’ union, Philip Murray, now estranged from Lewis, said Lewis had a diabolical mind, said he was universally recognized by the organized workers as an established national prevaricator and told of a plot against his own life.

of Mr. Lewis just as Mr. Murray did when they w friends. They planned it that way and they nave fought down every effort to have it any other way.

In Washington

By Peter Edson

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.— Whether or not the United States can escape serious inflation in this war may depend largely on how successfully the public, the price administrators and the rationing boards can prevent development of a black market. . The parallel to that can be observed in prohibition. No one ever made any accurate survey of the number of people who abided by the prohibition law, but even if it ran as high as 90 per cent, still it was the 10 per cent who patronized the bootlegger that made the law unenforceable. _ The same thing goes for the black market. If 90 per cent of the people buy only within their rationed allowances of foods, gasoline and fuel oil, price con= trol and rationing schedules can still be broken down if 10 per cent start buying bootlegged supplies. The black market, rationing officials -believe, does

the back fence. Rationing systems have to be set up on the principle that everyone consumes pretty much the same quantities of the rationed items, whether he does or not.

Swapping Not the Problem

SO, IF. THE family of Dick Diabetic doesn’t use sugar and the family of Ike Insomniac doesn’t use coffee, there is no objection on the part of the Yationing boards it the diabetics-draw their allowances of sugar which taey don’t use and swap it with the insomniacs for coffee which they have drawn and don’t use. That isn’t considered a black market operation. . Where the black market comes into the picture is when some Sam Slicker organizes a route, makes the rounds to -collect whatever undistributed supplies he can lay his hands on, then goes into the business of selling these surpluses at fancy prices and without benefit of ration stamps. The money is there for paying the fancy price. “Income is up. The supply of goods to buy with that income is down. Not just the things like automobiles and refrigerators and radios and toasters which aren’t being made any more, but things like towels, candy, infants’ wear and the essential foods like butter, ‘meat, and canned goods. Sh

Housewife Key to Enforcement

of employers. of

duty dirty work of pushing it through but it was aot.

It was called labor's Magna Charta, although it | was, in fact, a writ to enslave the people with the' i

ness raised by such a demagogic and dishonest trick |

The New Deal knew the charatter and methods |

not consist of individual trades between families over .

WHEN THAT situation obtains, you have the mak- | broken,

and that the workers thus would be held in close Ea

Sosa” ne

ot STP

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

“'WHAT MRS. ROOSEVELT I$ DOING” By M. R. 8, Bloomington To Ernest Johnson, 2330 N. Illinois st.: When I read your “open letter to Mrs. Roosevelt,” with its contemptible criticism of her motive in writing her column, “My Day,” I, too, with “M. N.,” who has answered you, was “thoroughly disgusted.” Do you really not know that eveiy cent our first lady .is paid for her column, “My Day,” and for her sponsored radio talks is used for charitable purposes? I personally know of one case in

'a, nearby city where a family too

poor to avail themselves of surgical aid for a crippled child was advised to appeal to Mrs. Rdosevelt. After thorough investigation of the case the family was notified to send the child to a certain hospital for surgical attention and to send the entire bill to Mrs. Roosevelt. As to what Mrs. Roosevelt is doing for the war—if nothing more—she has contributed four sons. Shame on you, Mr. Johnson—but you asked for it!

» ” 2 “GIVE OUR LEADERS A GREAT BIG HAND” By Mrs. Floyd Berlin, Plainfield One Saturday night I sat in a movie in this town beside a young man and his girl friend. The young man was old enough to be wearing a uniform for his country but was not, When our president and Churchill’s picturue came on the screen, he booed them. I suppose this young man calls himself an American, but I %ure have another name for him. He is worse than a Jap. Regardless of politics, our president and Churchill should be given a hand when they are put on the screen or at any other time. Presidest Roosevelt is not only our president, but commander-in-chief of our armed forces and the father of four sons in the service and that alone is enough for any true American to give him a hand instead of a boo. ! I know folks here cashing in their

7

(Times readers are invited

"to express their views in ‘these columns, religious controveries excluded. Make your letters short, so all can have a chance. Letters must

be signed)

ponds. I know théy are not in need of the money. They have children, small children not old enough to be in the service. If, they were and they got letters from homesick boys far away from home . .. those almighty dollars they have to put in bonds would not seem so important: to them. Instead, they would give till it hurt plenty, so their homesick sons could soon get back to their home. Maybe they will not get their

‘money back. I do not know, but I

also do not know that I will get my two sons back. People seem to

think the boys are having ‘it easy|

compared to what we at home are having it, but any boy in camp would gladly change places with them. What is a little gas, coffee,

.|sugar, canned goods compared to

giving up our boys? - Why not buy bonds and buy them until it hurts and do not cash them in so all our boys can come home real soon and why not give our leaders a great big hand instead of a boo? Not as a Democrat, not as a Republican, but as a real American. s 8 8 “WE SHOULD AVOID MISTAKES MADE IN PAST” By T. McGuire, 1105 W. 28th st. We should set the course for the future by avoiding mistakes made in our recent past. .Let us not be misled by a popular clamor that is aroused by and for selfish individual

or group, . Inasmuch as we are told by Biblical authority that there will always be war and rumors of war, why should we scrap our basic defense by weakening our army and navy when the present conflict is over?

We know as God also knows that

Side Glances—By Galbraith

a minimum of 1,000,000 men in our navy and 1,000,000 men in our army is @ substantial -guarantee of our national defense. In times of war our fighting men are our heroes and their pay is somewhat in keeping with their worth and value, But after the roar, the smoke and the bloodshed is over, then our professional defenders are looked on as beggars and a disgrace to their civil relatives. It is a shame to our nation and a blot on freedom’s banners that in ‘peacetime our soldiers and sailors are again placed in the position of Washington at Valley Forge. Their forces decimated, deprived of equitable pay and equipment, must they plod bitter and ragged, ashamed of their own uniform when the battle’s roar is over, waiting faithfully, obediently and dutifully until their country calls again? 1t is far cheaper and better to maintain our safeguards by Kkeeping two or three million civilian workers busy supplying their needs than to repeat our frantic, frenzied efforts every 20 years. Why are we so cheap that we

are called upon to pay as much as 20 per cent income taxes? Are we so block-headed that we cannot or will not see that it is -our United States that is making our income what it is today? It is our land, our resources, our people and our faith in man’s freedom and equality before God. that has made our nation what it is. And it is-our belief in the righte'ousness of our purpose and objectives that will bring the ultimate victory to us. .

: #2 = = “SO WE GRUMBLE BUT PUSH ON TOWARD VICTORY" By Wm. 1. Hall, 642 Home Place In answer to Mr. Hess of the 8th: To you, who have seen the miserable, deplorable conditions of Europe, no doubt Indianapolis is a haven second only to heaven. You nave no doubt tasted of the bitter

‘hatred that envelops the old world. We are free Americans, we love |

our country and will fight for it and all it represents. ... We are used to being free, each of us growing to maturity with a pronounced hatred for anything else, that when it does become necessary for us to make enforced sac-

|rifices, at home, we become angry ‘and voice our opinions in public,

which in Europe and Asia is pun-

: lishable with death.

I have lived in Indianapolis scveral tines over a period of 24 years and also have .lived in other! cities as well. To me Indianapolis is the same sleepy town that it has been for a hundred “years, growing, yes, but still much like an overgrown

{boy that does not yet know -how

and what to do with himself. That's how 1 see it.. to you it's a haven, two men’s opinion, but this is war and we are fighting for something far greater and more portant than two men’s opinions,

1 |so Americans grumble one to another, ‘pushing ever harder toward

victory. ‘We “blow our tops”. for pastime, we play hard, yet we never take our

| eyes nor minds off our work.

So “let's keep 'em flying.”

DAILY THOUGHT Behold that which I have seen:

weep and tear our hair even if we|

i |

sm 10 of the most dynamic of Deal figures is about to }ass te firing line. Thurman Arnold. is soon lear ing his post as assistant attorn:y general in charge of the anii= trust division, probably to dim the judicial robes of the U. 8. court of appeals for the District of Columbia, in the vacany created by elevation of Wily Rutledge to the supreme court. With him will pass one of the few remaining symbols of tire social-ecd~ nomic crusade which made the New Ileal, in other days, a bright and shining adventure,

Provoked Many Complaints

LIKE OTHER phases of the New Leal, the aniitrust crusade has been overwhelmed ny the war, For the last few months Mr. Arnold been fighting nn uphill battle, finding ‘himself more snd more re stricted in his operations as giant economic forces have come together and merged, with: a ticket of leave from the government, to carry or the war. President Roosevelt himself issued an .executive order for suspension of the anti-trust laws where necessary to promote the war program, and congress subsequently approved such relaxation of the laws. This relaxation was agitated by the V/PB, in whose high councils sit so many big-business representativis, and by war and navy department officials, who coil= plained bitterly when Mr, Arnold moved in to protect the public interest as he saw it. he

They Learned to Fear Him

IN RECENT. WEEKS he has been hounded every |

way he turned in his attempt to break up what he regarded as monopolies created under the guise of war necessity, and which he felt had achieved a po:i= tiion to squeeze the public, now snd probally hereafter. This development, it may be imagined, has bein welcome to big industrial groups who have learned fo fear Thurman Arnold and the aggressive staff he built up to spy out and proceed against combinations that were hogging markets, fixing prices and killing competition from smaller businesses and industries. Mr. Arnold has felt himself in the middle of & slowly closing circle. Not only have his hands be¢n tied, but he has lost many members of his staff e the war—some to the services, some to other goveri« ment agencies. ;

\

A Symbol of Grievances a !

THE CROWNING BLOW came recently whem Attorney General Biddle, under pressure from the war and navy departments and the office of defenie transportation, called off the transportation rate caiie which his division had carefully built up and h:d taken before a grand jury Mr. Arnold is not being “kicked upstairs,” though the effect will be the same. He had become, somewhat like Leon Henderson, & symbol of grievances—not to the public as in Mr, Henderson's case, but to the war and navy depari= ments, WPB and big-business and industrial grouie now engaged in producing for war. Post-war investigation probably will reveal ju: what advantage has been taken of the war to build up powerful . combinations that some future anti= trust division, again active and alert, will have 1p unscramble unless the country goes. into a carta system and abandons competition. : 3

> E— 0 Yigg

Boomerangs By David M. Nichol

\

\ LL MOSCOW, Jan. 16.—Not lorg ago, a column of tanks belongir: § originally to the 13t} Nazi. pans zer division rolled through “th streets of Vladikavkaz and halted at a factory located there. They were trophies captured by -advancing Red army units in the course of the Caucasus offen + sive. They required only minct repairs to make them serviceabl} and are now being used agains) the Nazis in the savage, bitter fighting that continues in this area. These tanks are not alone in being turned agains the enemy. The Red Star’s account tod:y says thal 500 freight cars, loaded with bombs; airplane motor} and other supplies, have been captured in an are: little more than a mile long, near Soldatskoe. Twi) hundred more freight cars have been taken nea? Novo Pavlovskaya.

The retreating Germans are destroying equipment =

where possible, but in many places the Saviet attack: have been so quick that no time was left for such} : -destruction. Two things the Germans always do, according EE

‘| the army journal's description. One is lo blow ug)

bridges. The second is to destroy telegraph lines by blasting down the poles with small powder charges. Meanwhile, Soviet tanks on long raiding foray have been refueled with Nazi gasoline. Red army’ staff commanders are using cars which only a few days ago served Nazi officers. . There is even a lighter aspect to some of thest events, if anything connected with this titanic struggle can be considered lightly. One. accounts speaks of the difficulties of Soviet horsemen with captured anh: mals that understand only German. i

Copytight, 1943, by The Indianapolis Times nnd: ne ‘Chicago Daily News, tp . CSE 2: - : +

We the Women

By Ruth Millett \

HERE sks to he i Yeu one man in Washifigton who une derstands the housewifi’s morale, "He is Rep. Mahon of who is against lavish dinners’ by Washington big shots. The: son: It doesn’t bolster {he hot wife’s morale to go to the

store and not find the food she is ¥

looking for, only to’ go home and

read the list of delicacies served

\ at a Washington dinner party; He's right there, too. The average housew doesn’t mind skimping in a good cause if she it-is the order of the day. She may even jet. a of thrill out of working out nourishing nienus. th go easy on sugar, easy on butter, easy on neat.

A Good Example Must Be Set a

BUT THE THRILL is all gone if, ater: irating h own meatless dinner, she sits down to read an ae of a plentiful feast attended by the very are telling her how necessary it is for to substitute, to do without. SUE, 10 U0 Nu lot of things, for. a practical, down-to-earth sort of person. ; “Anybody ‘who wants to keep up her morale ” 0.14 in Just ane way-—by sstiing her a-xooe She doesn't go much. tor talk or high press

wi