Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 April 1943 — Page 18

RALPH BURKHOLDER Editor, in U. 8S. Service WALTER LECKRONE ager 5 Editor : (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

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«> RILEY 5551

Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

~ THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1943

Lt

{THE U-BOATS KEEP COMING SECRETARY OF THE NAVY KNOX deserves a great deal of credit for coming clean on the critical battle of the JAtlantic. The navy, having failed to develop effective anti-submarine wedpons in time, is on the spot. The natural ‘temptation now is to cover up. Instead, Mr. Knox tells ‘the disagreeable truth: ~~ “The situation is serious and a tough one. Nobody is a bit complacent about it.” This Washington warning, which follows a similar one by Elmer Davis of OWI, is all the more necessary because the usually frank: Churchill has been making deceptively Pollyannish statements on the subject. The London government is under such bitter public pressure that the ‘prime minister and admiralty now claim that the shipping war is under control because the allies in the past eight months have built more tonnage than they have lost. . t 4 8.8 8 » » : ERTAINLY the shipbuilding record, particularly of the “United States, is one of the wonders of this war. We _ are now delivering five new ships a day; and, after producing the unheard-of figure of ‘eight million tons in 1942, _ probably will turn out 19 million tons this year. But meanwhile, Hitler is launching submarines more than twice as fast as we can sink them—not only more - U-boats, but bigger, faster, and better-armed ones. Now he has from 400 to 500. After the usual winter lull, the number of allied ships sunk increased alarmingly in March and may continue to increase for several months. Since the North African and Russian offensives and any new invasion front on the continent depends directly on shipping, Secretary Knox is using the word “serious” advisedly. oe : . Fortunately, the long picture is not as bleak as the immediate future. The navy’'s new escort destroyers and escort carriers are now coming off the ways. These, together with newly developed devices, more patrol planes and more bombing raids on bases, eventuaily may lick the Nazi subs.

*

CORRECT, MR. JEFFERS

VW LLIAM M. JEFFERS makes it emphatically plain that + he believes the great wartime synthetic-rubber industry, now being created under his direction, must be maintained when peace returns. “I'm not in favor of junking anything,” he says, adding the forecast that “We'll never again be caught as we were this time, depending upon sources of rubber as far away as Malaya.” - Vice President Wallace's views -to the contrary notwithstanding, we think that the great majority of Americans agree with Mr. Jeffers. It is true that synthetic rubber, at the outset, will cost more per pound than we paid for the natural product from the East Indies. It may not immediately be as satisfactory in all respects for all uses. But these are handicaps that mass production and tech‘nological advances certainly can and will overcome.

Arguments that most of the new synthetic plants

£ - should be closed after the war, and that this country should again rely on imports, may be inspired by highest idealism. But these arguments just don’t go down with people who "have been taught by bitter experience what it means to be shut off from adequate supplies of rubber, and who are learning that synthetic processes using their own grain and petroleum can make them independent of outside

sources.

GO ALL THE WAY

A FEDERAL grand jury, convening Monday at Pittsburgh, will investigate the scandal exposed by the senate’s Truman committee at the Irvin (Pennsylvania) works of the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corp. Top officials of the corporation acknowledge fakery in the tests of some 26,000 tons of steel plates sold to the government for shipbuilding and lend-lease uses, but have ‘asserted that the cheating was done by overzealous employees without knowledge of the management. The Truman committee, not satisfied with that explanation, turned . over its evidence to the war fraud unit of the justice department and demanded prosecution of the guilty persons. The Pittsburgh grand jury has a tremendously important job to do. It must determine whether the faking actually was limited to underlings, or whether responsibility reaches high into the big subsidiary of the U. S, Steel Corp. In any event, it should leave no doubt that it has gone all the way in its search for facts. For the public, willing as it may be to reserve judgment while the truth is being sought, will be satisfied with nothing less than the whole truth and the punishment of all who share guilt for this shocking fraud.

WHAT JEFFERSON BELIEVED—VII QUE country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government. Public servants at such a tance, and from under the eye of their constituents, must, from the circumstances of distance, be unable to dminister and overlook all the details necessary for the od government of the citizens; and the same circumnce, by rendering detection impossible to their constituts, will invite the public agents to corruption, plunder and lating, plundering, office building and office hunting Id be produced by an assumption of all the state powers the hands of the ‘general government.”—To Gideon

~ TRT 4 RY Ahan

napolis Times

What an augmentation of the field for jobbing,

Youth at the Polls By Walter Leckrone

THERE DOESN'T seem to be any connection, but we doubt if the sponsors of current proposals to lower the voting age -to 18 get any comfort out of the answers to the recent New York Times college quiz. The Times asked 7000 first-year college students, among them students at Indiana university, a list of simple questions on American history, including ‘the questions customarily asked of immigrants seeking to be naturalized, found that a startling number of college freshmen did not know the answers. Nearly a third of them, for instance, did not know Woodrow Wilson was president during the first world war (some thought it was Alfred M. Landon). and only a tiny percentage knew who was president during the war with Spain. About 2000 of them did not know Lincoln was president during the Civil war, though some believed he was the first president of the United States, and a few were of the opinion that the Civil war president was Herbert Hoover. They showed a similar lack of information on other historical points, even on virtually current affairs, several hundred asserting that Theodore Roosevelt was the founder of WPA.

Not Yet Learned Basic Facts

must be at least 18, have had schooling far beyond the average of American youths of similar age who. have not entered college, and might reasonably be expected to know a great deal more about the affairs of their own country. ; The conclusion is that they simply have not yet had time even to learn the basic facts of American history, government and tradition, much less to evaluate them and form judgments of their own. Well, that isn’t surprising and certainly not to their discredit, and would excite very little comment now except that there is a fairly potent move under way to place the ballot in the hands of these young men and women, and ask them to help make the nation’s decisions on intricate issues of foreign policy and of national financing and of our post-war domestic program.

6 When New Deal Started

SO FAR AS we know the idea came originally from Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, who based her proposal on the grounds that since boys are old enough, at 18, to fight, they are old enough to vote. That must have been a question when the age for voting first was fixed at. 21 years, too, since boys of 18 and younger -have fought in all American wars, and the average age of all the men in the Revolutionary war army was below 18. : There is a more practical viewpoint in favor of the proposal, as indicated by the prompt introduction into several state legislatures, in each case by Democratic members, of legislation toward that end. The next national election will be in 1944. Boys and girls who will be 18 in 1944 were six years old when the present administration went into office. They can remember no other administration. They have no basis in experience, and, the Times quiz indicates, little from education, on which to make comparisons and arrive at decisions. : There is at least a strong presumption as to how the overwhelming majority of them would vote, if given the ballot, in 1944.

Knowledge Required of Aliens

THE FEDERAL government has long recognized the advantage of an electorate with a general knowledge of the history, traditions, and government of this country. Aliens seeking citizenship are required to have such knowledge, and are refused naturalization until they acquire it. There is no doubt at all that a great many youths of 18, and much younger, do have it and have also the ability to form reasonable judgments of their own about American policies. But if the Times questionnaire produced any fair sample of the distribution of those qualifications among the upper strata of 18-year-old Americans, it can only be evidence that nothing of value would be added by extending the franchise to a lower age group. The college students who believe Thomas Jefferson was a Salvation Army worker and Andrew Jackson was a Spanish-American war hero are hardly yet prepared to pass on the position of the United States in post-war world organization. s n s

Westbrook Pegler is on vacation.

In Washington By Peter Edson

WASHINGTON, April 8.—Mohandas K. Gandhi may have invented this idea of “passive resistance” in opposition to the British, but information now coming into the overseas branch of the e of war information indicates t passive resistance in Europe is today one of the most effective weapons against the Germans. In every occupied country, the native population is finding ingenious and often humorous ways of getting the Nazi goat. Danish newspapers have become particularly adept at this stuff. Instead of filling their columns with hot news on Nazi issues, as the invaders want them to do, they play up stories like these: Dedication of a new public comfort station in Copenhagen square. : . The tragic death of an elk, with editorials, letters to the editor and much public discussion follow-up on what to do with the corpse. The future of Danish grammer and horse racing Whenever the British air force comes over on a raid, the Danish papers break out with pictures of smiling citizens in air raid shelters, and lyrical descriptions of burning buildings.

Daily Fires in Denmark

SURPRISINGLY, R. A. F. costume jewelry is now made in Denmark and worn openly. And on Red army day, the Nazi weekly political organ in Denmark complained that the Danish high school students

wore red neckties, scarfs and hair ribbons without being reprimanded by their teachers.

mark. Judging by Danish press excerpts over the past two months, an average of three farms or factories are destroyed by fire every day. The fire brigade, it seems, always arrives too late. A Norwegian factory which was ordered by the Nazis to begin wholesale production of shoes made out of paper and wool had its orders canceled when it was discovered that the paper to be used was red, white and blue. The Nazis objected because it looked like a planned demonstration.

Dutch War of Nerves

THE DUTCH are old masters at this passive resistance technique. Supposedly a stolid folk, they have revealed a sense of humor under adversity that few foreigners thought they possessed. Dutch news-

Hitler ‘and Mussolini met.

monuments, the natives tossed their wreaths through the windows. Perhaps the prize goes to a Norwegian farmer, ordered to deliver. to the Germans an overdue quota of eggs. Wrote the farmer to the Nazi authorities: POL Lotar vas up in the henhouse. When, in

this, the hens after 10 days had not resumed

_ THE INDIANAPOLIS

Getting on With Our 1 uy

YET COLLEGE freshmen, whose average age |

“A sabotage fire a day seems to have become the | motto,” complained another Nazi publication in Den- |.

papers. published pages of pictures of dogs, every time

When the Belgian people were ordered not to gath- |; er at memorials erected to the honor of heroes of the | last war, the Belgian streetcar moformen solved that | one. Slowing down their conveyances as they passed |

A,

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1943

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

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“WE DON'T NEED HALF OF GOVERNMENT BUREAUS” By Jeremy L. Dorne, R. R. 7 Evansville

Mr. Roosevelt claims that by preventing the farmers from receiving higher prices for their food products, he is thus keeping down the high cost of living for the people, and so saving them money. Most of the people would like it better if Mr. Roosevelt made some attempt to keep down the high cost of his bureaucratic government in Washington, for which the people

‘have to pay. The people would

much rather pay that money to the farmers and get something in return. Mr. Roosevelt would be more consistent if he manifested a little zeal toward saving the people money by abolishing the most of his bureaus. We don’t need the half of them.

continues to multiply them and then talks about saving the people money. ’ #” ” 2 “IS THIS NOT A RIDICULOUS SITUATION?” By Mrs. J. J. Sims Indianapolis

I wonder if there are not a great many people who feel the same way I do about the fact that it seems we are forced sometimes to strain out gnats and swallow: camels by the rules we are now living under. I refer particularly to the fact that we cannot buy ice cream to take home. Recently we had illness in our home and we. tried to buy a little good ice cream, which was about the only thing the sick

person wanted, but were. informed | very curtly by the drug store clerk

that they did not sell ice cream to take out. ¢ However, we could have bought a quart of whisky or a bottle of wine in the drug store, and yesterday I see by the paper that the government officials are hinting that distilleries may soon have their quotas of alcohol and be allowed to run some whisky for storage. Is this not a most ridiculous situation where we cannot buy ice

But instead of abolishing them, he!

(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.)

but can have all the liquor we want to buy? » ”» s “NO KNOWLEDGE OF HISTORY OR ECONOMICS”

By Joseph A. Dickey, Anderson There is a letter in your today's issue that needs some attention, not because of the merit therein but because of the- absolute ignorance displayed by the writer, Edward F. Maddox. I have made a point of studying this writer's fulminations because of their guinea pig value. One may search his letters in vain for any evidence of any knowledge of American history or of the economic forces that have continually operated in this country. In his letter today he makes the charge that “The new orders, the new freedoms and the new deals are based on some form of socialistic totalitarianism”; then he adds, “I challenge anybody to successfully and truthfully deny these facts.” In the entire history of logic I know of only one instance that matches this statement. The man said, “I saw a grindstone floating down stream.” The other man said, “Grindstones don’t float.” The first man said, “This one had an iron handle.” ' One would think, and it is generally accepted in pleading and in debate, that he who asserts has the burden of proof. Just for the fun of the thing, if Mr. Maddox will attempt to prove that the ney deal, as a whole, is based on “ listic totalitarianism,” I shall attempt to answer, But I make it as one proviso that the truth only shall

cream for our children and aged,

be accepted in proof and not Mr.}

Side Glances—By Galbraith

. lone while England has been piling

_|to her, and when she is well able to

‘|needs only to read it.

Maddox’s twisted notions and hatreds. I wish to say, too, that I shall not object to Jefferson and Lincoln being brought in, but I would want it distinctly understood that what Jefferson did as president be considered along with what he wrote and said while out of office. I have no objection to taking into consideration all of Lincoln’s activities. I hope that when Mr. Maddox writes his next letter he will be enjoying a lucid moment.

“" 2 ” “WHY MUST RENTALS STAY FROZEN?” By Mrs. A. H. Horton, 612 Gerrard dr. I, like Mrs. James Brothers, and others, wonder just why rentals have to stay frozen to July 1941 levels. It seems the owners who asked reasonable rents and were slow to take advantage of the fact that the depression was over and they could be getting some profit on their investment were the ones that are penalized. Others, who boosted their rents as high as they could and as soon as they could get it, are the ones who raised their rents before July, 1941 and the OPA thinks that is all right. They seem to be willing to adjust ‘ceiling prices on food and everything else, even wages, so why do owners of small homes have to continue to take a loss on their homes, when they had to rent them for almost nothing during the depression years. People are making good wages and are able to pay a fair rent on the amount of money invested in the property.” If times were hard and people unable to make a living, we could understand the OPA wanting to have reduced rents to help people get along, but wages of many tenants are $60 to $80 a week in these defense industries. Why does not someone get up a petition and have property owners affected sign it and send a copy to OPA and also our congressmen and representatives? . . .

5 » » “THERE’S A SCREW LOOSE SOMEWHERE” By George Maxwell, 450 N. Senate “India Richer,” is the title of a piece by William Philip Simms published in your Tuesday's paper. In

that piece, Mr. Simms aims to show how India has profited at the ex-

up debts on top of ‘debts. Isn't it fair to ask: why England persists in holding on to India when she is such a distinet liability

here some-

..Maybe this statement to-

DAILY THOUGHT Thus said the Lord of hosts;

By Daniel M. Kidney

WASHINGTON, April 8— Opinion is divided as to whether there is a definite “back to the farm for Claude R. Wickard” movement under way here, or whether the secretary of agriculture from Camden, Ind.; may be “kicked upstairs” by being assigned a world-wide role in the united nations food program. That program will be up for discussion shortly “somewhere in the U.S. A” Gh Cot Meanwhile, with Chester C. Davis in complete control of all the functions Mr, Wickard had originally been assigned as food administrator, there is little but departmental routine for him to handle. In fact the Hoosier cabinet member is in some-. what the same position as Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, who has been shorn of most everything but her tricorne hat. About the only recent official act of Mr. Wickard was to issue the Arbor Day proclamation, which eontained such phrases as: “Today more than ever, we have need to appreciate our trees.”

Byrnes Carries Sad News WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE “benzine board” de-

cided Mr. Wickard was washed up as food administra-

tor,: James F. Byrnes was assigned to tell the secretary the sad news. Mr. Byrnes is on the board, which sometimes is referred to as the “kitchen cabinet.” Other members reportedly are Judge Samuel Rosenman of New York; Harry L. Hopkins, Bernard M. Baruch and Admiral William D. Leahy. According to the story current here, Mr. Byrnes, a former senator and supreme court justice, called on Mr. Wickard and outlined as gently as possible the fact that Mr. Davis would do the food administration job from now on. ‘ At the conclusion, Mr. Wickard scratched:his head and said: “Well, who is going to be secretary of agriculture?” “You can if you still want to,” Mr. Byrnes reportedly replied. And Mr. Wickard concluded: “I believe I would rather do that than be sent home.”

*Autolycus in Limbo’ By Stephen Ellis

RANGING FROM naughtiness

through inanity to simple sincer- -

ity, the verses of Vincent Starrett are published today in a little volume titled “Autolycus in Limbo.” The writer uses Shakespeare's rogue of “The Winter's Tale” for the first word of the title; he described Autolycus as a ‘‘snapperup of inconsidered trifles.” Limbo is, of course, the outskirts of hell. Vineent Starrett is probably best known for his “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes” and a number of detective tales. This is his 129th book. It contains an introduction by William Rose Benet, surveying the scope of the verses, characterizing the moods and fancies of the poet. Mr. Starrett furnishes enjoyment with his humor, he startles v. vh his quips, waylays with his surprises. He is extravagantly egotistical (“There is the whole thing in a phrase; patrons die and the riddle stays, poets pass and their songs remain,” and a few pages further, “and I 4 my marvelous self again.”)

"Foxes Chanting in Mexican’

HE I8 FULL of imagination, dreaming up “emerald foxes chanting deliciously in Mexican.” He is cynical of drab jobs, calling a bookkeeper a galley slave kept in a cage. He has a variety of ideas for his love: Her smile made him feed his watch to an astonished horse; he wanted to inscribe her name in sky-writing. The little volume includes a long list of sonnets ad~ dressed to or discussing various writers and fictional characters. Of Falstaff he says: Yet two plays only know your jocund bawl. Dear Jack, I wish that you were in them all. There are verses about other Shakespearean characters, and Pickwick, Salome, Don Quixote, D'Artagnon Villon and Ballou each has a poem. Mr, Starrett also deals at length with ideas of

, death, perhaps as a result of his wide experience with

detective plots. ‘

“AUTOLYCUS IN LIMBO,” by Vincent Starrett. Introduction by Yiliam Rose Benet. E. P, Dutton & Co. New York, 86 pages. y

We the Women

By Ruth Millett

, A BRITISH philosopher who ‘claims that a man needs a number of mates recently wrote a newspaper article in which he said, “I, for example, like the company of different women for different purposes—one to go out to dinner with, another to go to church with, another to cook for, another to mother me, another to play games with and another to make love‘to.” | If he thought that was going to be startling news to women he is pretty naive for a philosopher. Because it is a fact most women realize. It is why they work so hard at the job of marriage, trying to be all of those different women to one man. No matter how hard she has worked all day, or how trying the children have been, if a husband breaks down and takes his wife out to dinner she gets dressed in her best clothes and tries to be an entertaining companion. His eyes may shift around to other women in the restaurant—-but if he doesn’t find his wife an absorbing companion it isn’t because ‘she doesn’t try as hard as she did before marriage.

She Tries Her Best Go

' AND NO MATTER how undomestic a woman was before marriage once she realizes how important food is to a man, she gets busy learning to cook his favorite dishes and for his sake serves them over and over. . She takes on the job of mothering the man, too, if

To the Point— o ST mw we ae wt

DON'T LET the liquor shortage

consider your ways.—Haggal 1:17.

‘| war bonds will keep you in high spirits,

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