Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 March 1943 — Page 10

Bes lr FeLTES wiosRone * Editor .

Price in Marion Coun

— , 4 cents a copy; deliv3 ered by carrier, 18 cents Mall gates in Indiana, $4 a year; adjoining

states, 75 cents a month; others, $1 monthly. :

Give Light and the People win Find Their Gin Way

* MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1943 -

| POST-WAR PLANNING, A JOINT JOB

CHAIRMAN Connally of the senate foreign relations com- ~~ mittee has named a strong subcommittee to consider : resolutions on war aims and post-war plans. With the Connally subcommittee, and the companion George sub- - committee on economic planning, the senate will be better ( able to advise and consent in foreign policy as required by the constitution. Anything that will increase co-operation between the ~ president and congress is all to the good. This time we must win the peace as well as the war, and we can’t do . this if we duplicate the fatal deadlock between President : Wilson and the senate. Some of the seven resolutions before the Connally subcommittee propose definite forms of world organization. . Others would merely provide machinery for allied confer‘ences, or a joint presidential-congressional advisory council, 3 to -develop post-war policy. ~~ Thus the Ball-Burton-Hatch-Hill measure advises the 2 president to call an allied conference to create an international organization and police force. The Thomas resolution - asks him to call such a conference for an international . co-operation program. The Gillette proposal is for him to a put the Atlantic Charter Pledges into definite treaty form. #® » 2 # # » 3 SOME fear that the resoliftions favoring specific forms of =. world organization may precipitate, rather than prevent, a partisan deadlock. In any event, no advance senate action can bind it to later treaty ratification. The Willis admendment to the Ball resolution reiterates this and emphasizes the constitutional requirement of a * two-thirds senate vote of ratification of treaties. #.. Another approach is that of the AViley resolution. It ‘asks the president to create a foreign relations advisory souncil of the secretary and undersecretary of state, the chairman and ranking minority members of the congresgional foreign committees, and others the president may designate. “Chairman Bloom of the house foreign affairs committee also proposes a joint senate-house approach. .. The main thing is to get a closer and regularized working relationship between the president and congress in planning ‘the post-war settlement. Otherwise we risk a repetition of the Wilson failure.

a

WHAT JEFFERSON BELIEVED—I

: Wn one is preparing for a big celebration of the ; 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s birth, April 13. This will be an important commemorative event, and ~ a people now fighting desperately to protect their right to : “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” can no better prepare themselves to pay homage to that truly great Amer‘ican than by recalling the principles of ‘government for which he stood. So for several days in this space we.will quote some of . the precepts of the Founder of American Freedom, starting ; today with the public debt as a text—Jefferson speaking: “I place economy among the first ‘and most important ~ of republican vires, and public debt as the greatest of the angers to be fear 2 8 = “a x = F we run into such debts, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England ark, our people, like them, must come to labor 16 hours in the 24, give the earnings of 15 of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses; and the 16th being sufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they now do, on oatmeal and potatoes; have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account; but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves out to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers.” 8 8 = ” » " “To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between ‘economy and liberty, o or r profusion. ‘and. Ave Tiinde” ;

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HE : ORIGINAL SIN

retroactive income tax is like a cyst. You don’t WOTTY about it until it gets big. Then You want to have it cut out. “The income tax, 30 years ago, was a puny ‘thing, It , protrudes from the public's neck. like an oversized ich egg. And now: nearly: Steryendy 'si got one. Hence, present urge. for surgery. The federaliincome tax: re became: effective as of Oct. 1918. A fellow who ranked ‘as quite a- statesman i in those s; Elihu Root; got the point; a simple point, and logical; too simple for: the ‘expe 2 even then. : He said, if a becomes effective, as of Oct: 38,1918, eollectors should as of Oct. 3, dois. “That would, have meant, paying you go. ~ But it was too opicalsadt Shiiiplicated enough. And all it was a small-change proposition. So what the ! Make it on the year preceding and get on fo other "And thereby a retroactive system was born, ] fis the: venpayss jasnedintaly 40 8 Year behind,

CLS

jon. The cyst grew. low, after three decades, we're calling the surgeon. you want to find the original sin, read senate docu71 of the first session 63d congress, dated Aug. 26,

To HH to

i |

22% cents an hour.

It is Murray's contention that such percentagewise hikes in wage rates merely increase the disparity BeSWeen Wage groups, ait 8 Hound 1g promote further unrest.

Flat Increases Proposed

THE C. 1. O. PRESIDENT therefore proposes that determination should be made to give workers suffi-

increases in cost of living per week, and these same increases applied horizontally to all wage levels. If ‘the determined increase amounted to $4 a week for a basic 40-hour week, that would be an increase of 10 cents an hour, and the 40-cents-an-hour worker and the $1.50-an-hour worker would both get that amount. This theory of flat increases to meet rises in the cost of living, as opposed to percentage increases, was first presented by Murray at a C. I. O. executive board

meeting in February, but it was given its first public |'

airing before the Truman committee investigation of labor efficiency. On its face, the theory has considerable merit, and as a criticism of war labor board policy it is hard to kiss off. . Murray goes on from this premise to assert that the war labor board has ‘disregarded” the wage stabilization law of Oct. 2, 1943, which charges the board to carrect inequities and correct maladjustments. This is perhaps the most construstive criticism of the war labor hoard and the little steel formula that

“| has been made thus far, but the situation it presents

is not one to which the board itself has been blind.

Recognition of Weakness

FOR AN EXAMPLE, you need go back no farther than the Big Four packing house workers’ case last February, in which the war labor board recommended “a general wage increase of 5% cents an hour for all employees.” Furthermore, “the panel unanimously recommended the ironing out of inequalities within the wage scales of particular plants as well as inequalities between packing plants in different localities.” Note that the board did not correct the inequalities itself, leaving that to local negotiation. George W. Taylor; vice chairman of the war labor board, writing the opinion in this .packing house workers case, pointed out thag, “the little steel formula was not designed to equalize in cents per hour or in percentages, the general wage increases in all industries, that have been made available to some industries. General wage increases have not been uniform in times of peace and could not be made so

national policy is to stabilize wages at Sept. 15 levels.” There you have a recognition of this weakness in the’ little steel formula.

Living Costs Advance

THE WAR LABOR BOARD has attempted to meet this point in several ways, principally by its order of March 11, setting up a shortcut procedure, giving regional boards authority to determine “substandards of living” and grant increases to bring wages up to 50 cents an hour or $20 a week, without going through the formality of a full dress war labor board case. In spite of this effort to adjust inequities in lower income brackets, it has not been possible to correct a sufficient number. In the mean-time, the cost of live ing has advanced some 22 per cent since Jan. 1, 1941. Prices have not been frozen, though a better job of | freezing wages has been done. If prices and the cost of living had been frozen at Sept. 15 levels, the little steel formula might have held. Prices can’t be lowered, so it is becoming increasingly apparent that the little steel formula may have to give and if it does, here we go up the first round of the ladder of inflation. ” ® ¥ Westbrook Pegler is on vacation.

Shell Shock

By David Dietz

‘CLEVELAND, March 20.—The “shell shock” of world war I continues to be the most common cause of mental casualty in world war II, according to Dr. Edward A. Strecker, head of the department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and presi-dent-elect of the American Psychiatric association. Today's prefer to call it “war conversion hysteria. The malady is an abnormal solution of a strong emotional conflict which takes place in the soldier between his ego-instinct or instict of self-pres-ervation, which is strongly moved by such emotions as fear, horror, and revulsion, and the opposing claims

‘of soldierly ideals and disciplinary reactions,” Dr.

Strecker said in a lecture before the Neuro-Psychi-atric institute at Hartford, Conn. “In other words,” he continued, “when the conflict within the ‘soldier, which is common among al! of today’s active combatants, becomes too strong, the soldier responds by a state of shell shock.”

Conflict Faces All Soldiers

faced with the same conflict between his determination to do his duty and his instincts of self-preserva-

tion, But the average soldier resolves the conflict. of

course he's frightened in battle. But he gets through all right.

‘| through. In this connection it is interesting to note

| the medical reports from the Pearl Harbor disaster. | A number of Individuals Wikite pericrmaite was

cient increases in dollars per week, corresponding to |

in times of war, particularly at a time when the’

psychiatrists, however,

AS DR. STRECKER points out, every soldier is |

The victim of shell shock is the one who doesn’t get

i EU —

‘| wartime.

| territory and talking to the plain farm

short’ of wi andi 8

‘They are not as isolationist as they wen

actually do the work. They are some machinery, but they expect

| with their sons and brothers and husbands off to the

| wars. But théy are

Quite ready to vote Republican again and frank to say This attitude disgusted one of the AAA payrollers : who summed up his opinion as follows: “Every time these darn Midwestern farmers get the wrinkles out of their bellies and a little money in the

he bank they go right back to voting for the G. O. B®

The Hoosier Forum

I wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

“THAT'S REALLY A CLASSIC” By Mrs. H. R. Perkins, 5739 Julian ave. Congratulations en your very excellent editorial on our national anthem — that’s really “a little classic!”

» 8 “PEGLER A TRUE FRIEND OF LABOR” By James R. Meitsler, Atties

Tom Berling sets up a straw man and then ferociously tears him to bits. To those who have followed Pegler's articles, it is evident’ he has never attacked the rank and file of the unions. Only . : . S privileges . . . unnecessary obstructions of the war effort, and . . . numerous crooks found in both high and low positions and whose crookedness has never ‘been disproved. - All of which is steadily turning public opinion against the unions, and must end in depriving them of their self-styled social gains. . .. If Mr. Berling was gifted with discernment he would recognize Pegler as a true friend of labor, . ,. > 2. 8 8. “WHY NOT CHARGE HIGH. ‘FEES FOR DRIFTERS?” By Mrs. Carroll Collins, Indianapolis I apologize for writing too often. I won't answer the Voice in the Crowd again. Honestly, I would like to talk to Mim. I think I could tell him the facts of life and say he had come of the pages torn out of his school primer—the ones about clear thinking and human kindness. Voice, I am no mental contortionist but I do have the honesty to look up facts before I write them. Judges and school teachers are politicians, not labor sympathizers. They just had their wages raised but. were not patriotic enough to re-

{fuse because the taxpayer is stoop-

shouldered now. I do not wish to say they should not have had a raise. I never said one thing about the employer and

-

In attempting to discredit Pegler,

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns, religious controversies excluded. Because of the volume received, letters must be limited to 250 words. Letters must be signed.)

the employee being enemies. They are very much like you, Voices

they jump to conclusions without looking at both sides of the picture.

You spoke of “crafts” charging] high union fees to men who drift from one place to the other. Why not? These men go to any job paying high wages, they live in one room, never own a thing, would not accept a home for fear they would have to pay taxes, they run up debts, draw down the biggest salaries. When the job is finished, they go merrilly on their way to the next job. But the man that spends long ears learning a trade, stays in one YS pays taxes, raises a family, owns his home and helps to make society a permanent fixture and a home a foundation for better life, and government can't compete with the man who has not and refuses to have any ties. Here is a true story of ‘drifters: During the first world war we lived in Kankakee, Ill. My husband was a riveter. He used a 90pound air hammer to drive those

rivets.

These hammers have a plunger made of steel and they weigh less than one-half pound, but are murderous with 90 pounds of air behind them when let loose. They stay put i a man knows his ousiness. Men were scarce in those days. This shop was not a union shop. A “gang” showed up one morning— that means four workers, a heater, a sticker, a bucker and driver. Yes, they were experienced men and the boss was glad to hire them. Fifteen minutes later the yard

Side Glances—By Galbraith

,

| Let payment be accepted in Christ

was in an uproar. They had never used an .air hammer, the plunger got away from them and flew the length of the yard. Men's lives were in danger. If these men had held ariion cards the boss could have checked their work record in a few minutes and have known their whole work history. . Yes, this is the type of man you want to protect—the drifter. Union dues have never kept any man from . buying “-or - owning a house. I believe if you check the facts you will find that in this state most men holding union cards own their homes, and believe me, Indiana is a bigot when it comes to labor or religion. ... Well, if you ever feel like a battle of words, I'm ready but refuse to impose on The Times any longer.

® » “A PERFECTLY LOVELY IDEA” By H. W. Barnes, BR. R. 16, Indianapolis. Copy of a letter sent to Rep. Earl Wilson: : . My dear Congressman: Mr. Pat Hogan, of Columbus, who has been bitten by the 5 per cent victory tax, has submitted to you a perfectly lovely idea for prosecut-

Hogan. Quoting from his letter: “Instead of taxes, why not a compulsory savings in war bonds—and make the axis redeem them? . . . We are willing to sacrifice. and sup-. port an army, but there is no sane reason why we must pay . . . We the people are eager to loan the government money to win this war, but we will not .be taxed to death,” and so forth. “Make the axis pay the taxes!”|

it at Rudy Vallee’s broadcast? It ‘to ‘all of us who like country the way it is, but are anything except cof those in the armed ‘to keep it that way. is just dandy, and we people wish you would take up at once with whoever will be a position to make Hitler, Musso Co. pay‘ up, provided of course that someone wins the war for us. a 0 ‘Of course, there is the: ‘question

But we the people have a solution.

from Italy, statuettes of Pat Hogan in Carrara matble—all items nonwith our industries, ’ us, the people,

ing this war at no cost to Mr.

The Finest Farmlands

SOMEHOW THEY just seem to like the emblem of the elephant a bit better than that of the donkey, Perhaps it is because the elephant more nearly repree sents the inner strength to match this soil. For in tha Midwest are the finest farmlands that lie outdoors, Given a fair break on farm prices and even a mediocre farmer has a hard time of it to fail. They grow corn—hybrids which produce 100 bushels per acre—on the prairies in these states, and then turn the corn into fat hogs and finished cattle. Most of these farmers love their work. They are productive \ people and confess to being somewhat sheepish when ‘the New Deal paid them for curtailment. Smart, they know considerable about soil-building and were not so ashamed to receive AAA checks for restoration and conservation practices on their farms Most. have ‘signed the department of agriculture pledges for increasing wartime food production this year. They admit that 1942 was perfect and if they make as good an all-round record in 1943 will be. satisfied. Ranging in size from as ‘small as 80 toeas high as 500 acres or more, these flat black lands are made.to order for machinery. Where it used to take two men and a team all day to pick an acre of corn, the trac= tor-operated mechanical corn-picker now can handle 10 acres a day. The same goes for plowing and planting. It's the speedup on the farm. ;

Chuckle Over 'Collectivism'

THEY HAVE NO thought of giving up these 1 ne dividually-owned acres for any collective plan and only give out great belly-laughs when you confess coming from Washington and that such things some= times have been suggested here. ; Although: REA has speeded up bringing electrie lights and power to the farms, they still use for pumping hecause the breezes are free. They are apt to scoff, however, at many of the less practical and far more costly “windmills” in Washington. - Nor do they confine their strictures to administras tion circles. They are .just as apt to turn thumbs down on some windy member of the so-called farm bloc, or on farm lobbyists. Their viewpoint might be summed up as presented by Louis Schroeder, who owns jointly with his brother, John, 470 acres of some of the finest land in Henry county, Illinois. ~~ “I belong to the Farm Bureau,” Mr. Schroeder said. “But the main reason is .not to raise trouble with Washington in: wartime, but because I gei a good discount on feed purchased from them through the membership co-operatives.

Willing to Work and Win

“WE HAVE COUNTY agents and AAA men and all that and occasionally they used to come’ around, But they are 'so busy with conferences and paper work over at the county seat now we seldom see them any more. “Of course the farm organizations all have repre sentatives in Washington and then there are our representatives in congress. They all ‘say they repe resent us, but sometimes I think they must misrepree sent us according to their statements in the paper. “Prices are good now and certainly the farmers do not to want to be made to look as though they want more than a fair share in wartime. We are willing to work and win like all other good American citizens.” In interviews with 50 or more farmers in these four states, not one expressed either interest or particular concern about the great Washington windmill fight for putting labor costs into the parity payments. “We want to get paid for our labor, but prices are good now, and we do not want to add in any farm labor costs comparable with what they are paying in city war industries. That means inflation.

They're Swell Folks!

THE MIDWEST has had one of the hardest winters in years, but the farmers already have fine spring pig crops and loads of fattening cattle. They. have paid off their debts to a point where many small town banks are bursting with idle funds. ; . All they are waiting for is wedther which will per. i mit them to take their tractors into the fields an plow and plant, They are eating good and intend to try and help everyone else do so. They like to talk, once they get started; they listen to the radio reparts about the markets and the war; they take TT and -are well posted on what gues on in the But above all they can laugh at their own compl Midwest mers are ‘swell folks!

We the Wornen.

By Ruth Millet

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