Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 August 1943 — Page 14

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RALPH BURKHOLDER - Editor, in U. 8. Service

WALTER LECKRONE ' Edifor

(A SCRIPFS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

4 cents a copy; deliv- |.

18 cents a week.

«p> RILEY 5551

“Give. Ligne and. the People Will Find Their Own Way

“FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1943

"MUNDA AND TOKYO HILE the limelight has played on the larger battles of Russia and Sicily, American jungle fighters have doggedly struggled for Munda airfield on New Georgia in the central ‘Solomons. Ea After 85 days of sweat and blood, gaining yard by ard. they have finally taken it. On no front has tHe going been harder, the heroism greater To all the services of ground, air and sea which have co-operated so effectively, the folks ‘at home send appreciative congratulations for this hardwon victory "Conquest of New Georgia island itself is still to be completed . After that there are a whole string of Jap bases in the northern Solomons between our forces and the enemy . stronghold of Rabaul on New Britain island Then 800 miles beyond Rabaul is the enemy’s major outer defense line at Pru, ‘which-in turn is 2100 miles from Tokyo. = ":Sp Japan 20 months after Pearl Harbor is still forcing us to fight more than 3000 miles away from her shores. ‘Some months ago Adm. Halsey from his Solomons com‘mand boasted that he would be in Tokyo before Christmas. : Maybe 80, but hardly by the Solomons route. i 8 ” ” » 8 » that” were the only route, the Jap war at the present rate : * would not end in this generation. We are not apt to have finer fighting men than the heroes who have been inching through the Solomons jungles, or more vigorous comyhanders than Adm. Halsey and Gen. MacArthur. The job in the Southwest Pacific has to be done, and there is no way to make it a quick and easy one. Australia and our ‘pupply lines must be protected. - | But it is not the main. job. ..It'is not the spot where Japan will be dealt the death blow. | This of course is recognized generally. Secretary of ~« khe Navy Knox and others have repeated Phat. island. hopping is not the way to reach Tokyo. :' = “<= : ' Since the season for a Burma offensive to relieve China §s still some months off, and Russia is more than busy chasing Nazis, the two remaining ‘routes of attack are the northern from the Aleutians and the central from Midway. We hope those can be used before long.

FIGURE IT OUT

HE military rodubiion program continues to fall behind “ gdhedule. That startling fact does not get as big headines as the battle victories but it has the army chiefs very uch worried. Lt. Gen. Somervell, head of the army service forces, : old 1000 war plant executives that preliminary reports for - July make the picture even worse, and that a 30 per cent increase in output is essential. | “May figures showed production 51% per cent below forecasts,” he said. | “June showed no improvement. Preliminary figures for the first 20 days of July indicate, that July will be decidedly worse than the last month. i Vice Chairman Wilson of WPB listed over-optimism and absenteeism among the causes. There is an idea that the war is already won, and that we on the home front can let down a bit in safety. 3 High officials and officers have done their best to per- : puade the public that this is a very dangerous delusion, that the need is greater now than ever, but the public ‘does mot seem to believe them. ~

se 8 # AFTER all, the public is well aware that the war in Europe = at least: has been shortened by the invasion of Sicily, . the disintegration of Italy, mounting success against the U-boats, : bombing destruction of Hamburg, Ruhr cénters gd Surana giffslae, failure of the German summer Vv

And home front afford to relax a little? 1estion which any citizen or war worker can with. a few minutes of thought. “Hout fight g forces are ahead of schedule, if they are closer to i invasion of the continent than ‘was supposed possible’ a few months ago, if ‘the big push is coming much ner than ‘expected, doesn’t that mean they must have ore. supplies and quicker than otherwise? Obviously that recisely what it means. And obviously if our forces do not have the extra es and materials to take advantage of this earlier mity, they will miss the boat—because of failure of he home front to keep up with the fighting front. As ‘Gen. Somervell explains: “These military successes, £8 of offering a chance to relax, actually have quickened he tempo of our need for the materials of war.” uk ude have to be generals to figure that out.

IBEERISH ON THE POTOMAC AT with the war invading all the far places where i ey used to spread the gospel and teach the English thére must be lots of missionaries without misf any of Jhese ‘unemployed bringers of the light a ob g this, here is a suggestion—

some assorted English gram-

‘and birch rods, and hustle down to the s of the ‘OPA in Was n; where you will find a lush for the propagation of our mother tongue. For in the jungles. of the OPA the economists and professors in a gibberish or patois or pidgin that has little rela- \ . i In proof, we submit the fol. ; the OPA fruit-cake order: 1 appendix A are those known refrom suc

| Fair Enough

By Westbrook Pegler

HE YORE, Ang 6h wind International Ladies’ Garment ~ Workers’ union, under the presi-

the American Federation of Labor and to compensate the heavyhanded rascality of the Spemaing engineers, the hod-carriers

rackets. Its proudest boast is that it keeps books and renders accounts to its members and to the world at large. : I was one of those who accepted this reputation

altruism of that pious old nepotist and moneygrabber, Daniel Tobin, the president of the teamsters union. I have already apologized to myself for gulping the Tabin myth and I am now about to fork my way through a platter of crow and beg my pardon for believing all that I read and what some of my friends in the unioneering trade told me about Dubinsky’s

- garment workers.

Has Mr. Dubinsky Got a Licomse?

A LAWYER OF my acquaintance tells me that unless Mr. Dubinsky or his union, as such, has a license from President Roosevelt or his agent, to carry on the underground activities in Europe for which it levied a compulsory tax on its members a short time ago, there would seem to be a conflict between this program and the act of congress which forbids trading with the enemy. Having studied the act myst I am persuaded that my lawyer friend is right. The union announced recently that from its levy of one day’s-pay from 315,000 members which yielded $1,300,000 for various purposes,

labor council (whater that is) and the Italian underground movement, and $35,000 to underground movements other than the Italian. . Now, obviously, these underground movements operate in the.enemy’s own countries or in territory occupied and controlled by him and any remittances of money to agents in such territory would constitute trading with the enemy, an offense of which our department of justice takes a very serious view in most cases. Of course, it is possible that the union has obtained a license to send this $85,000 into the enemy’s country for this purpose, for it is not only a union but a political party in itself, the nucleus of the socalled American Labor party, which does not represent and is not American at all but strictly European in its political aims and in most of its dominant personalities.

Uses Minority Party Method

AND THE so-called American Labor party is a minor agency or offshoot of the New Deal party, which does not pretend to operate according to the American political tradition, with its own ticket of candidates, but, being European by nature, uses the Eriropean minority-party method of existing as a parasite on the other parties. It indorses New Deal candidates and, by the power of organization, backed’ by the power of coercion over its members, turns out quite a_block of votes on the A. L. P. ticket, which entitle it to special political consideration from the New Deal. For this reason it may have been granted a spe# cial permit to trade with the enemy as such trading is defined in the act of congress, but if so, the only reason would be political because the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ union has no ‘more right to engage in such operas than the Port Chester Garden club, the B. P. O. E, or the Silver Shirts, ‘How doef’ anybody kfiow who gets this $85,000, and how ‘does anybody know it isn’t being used by the enemy himself? Nobody knows except those who are in charge of the underground activities and they, of course, won’t tell and there goes our pretty myth about the scrupulous accountancy of Mr. Dubinsky’s union, The members, themselves, did not all want to be a party to this but they had no say about it. The union told their bosses to check off one day’s pay and that was all there was to it. If they objected to the point of refusal they could be fired for not keeping themselves in good standing with their union.

The Unions Set the Pace

THIS WOULD happen even though their money was being taken from them for charities to which some of them had already made their own contributions and to a number of foreign relief organizations, and even though their hb might be vital war work, as the phrase goes. Incidentally, more and more Jnions are .taking it on themselves to decide how

other organizations and some are beginning to move in and claim, in return, a share of the community funds on the ground that their social activities are meritorious like those of Red Cross and the U. S. O. Mr. Dubinsky’s union also has been collecting by check-off an amount equal to 3 per cent of its members’ pay, but in addition to their pay, from employers, as a vacation fund and has been sprinkling new-mown rose petals all-over Mr. Dubinsky and his close accociates for obtaining this vacation pay. But when the time came for the union to distribute the checks, instead of paying the members such small interest as they would have been entitled to on the money which had lain to their credit in the union treasury as it accumulated month by month, the union actually deducted 3 per cent as a bookkeeping charge. I have simply got to be more skeptical about unions,

We the People By Ruth Millett

AT LEAST once a day it your misfortune to stand behind her in 8 line, or sit beside her in * a public place. She is usually’ middle-aged or older. She has a dissatisfied’ look on her face. And she wears the clerks down. It she is in a grocery store, her

15 cents apiece. Why that’s outrageous. I used to get five for that” And on and "If he its across from, you in» ¢

fo op If she is in a department stc comparing the quality of what s what she used to be able to

Living in the Past

: SHE CAN'T seem to reconcile herself that she can’t have everything she used to have,

far as it once would, there aren't erough | working Ix ¢ Hn ie ie Be her right. - Bo she keeps ight on tlking

sanctimonious ; no suposed 10.give tone th common - laborers and el

without question, along with the fallacy of the selfless |.

$50,000 had been allocated to the Italian-American,

much the members. shall give to the Red Cross and |

By Peter Edson

In Washington

”

civilian - supply, covering fii) requirements and recommended production rates for each quarter up to the end of 1944, are now in ° preparation by the office of civilian réquirements in the war, produce tion board. A good. many people were 7 scared half to death last February : when the “old office. of civilian supply in WPB broke loose with some. 14 +detall “bed-rock economy” tables, listing the absolute.m mum amounts of . clothing, food, drugs, newspaper: cleaning services, fuel, household appliances and - similar items on which the American. people.could subsist in wartime. The report got out that, far from being just theoretical tables, these were the low levels of life to which the war planners intended . to reduce the American standard of living, whether. the American people liked it or not. . There was so much fuss over these tables, how« ever, that the war production board tried to soft-pedal , them and, gradually, they were sucked back and more. or less forgotten. i

How Much for Civilians? =

OF LATE there has been a much more realistic ape. proach to the question of civilian supply. Congress, sensing that the American people would not stand for any unnecessary kicking around, was about to’ force through a bill setiing up an independent office of civilian supply to look after the needs of the folks at home. Then, in mid-April, such action was fore="\y/ stalled by the action of WPB Chairman Donald Mi" Nelson in setting up within his organization an office” of civilian requirements, headed by Arthur D..Whitee. side, president of Dun & Bradstreet. gard Since that time, Whiteside’s small organiza has been pecking away at its: job. Nudged on by office of war mobilization Director Joseph F. Byrnes, the approach to the problem of civilian supply has

"| been to determine how, much could be given to civile

The Hoosier Forum

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

“CRUEL POISONER OF DOGS AT CUMBERLAND” By Dan Miller, Cumberland Cumberland is a small town and is an ideal “dumping” place for unwanted pets and strays which cause trouble at times. No amount of trouble, however, warrants wholesale poisoning of strays and pets alike. The dogs poisoned have been those owned by neighbors who pay taxes on them just as they would their other possessions. I, myself, have had one poisoned and, although she was not- kept tied all the time, did not give any trouble to anyone. She was poisoned by a dose of strychnine, as almost a dozen other dogs were, and endured undescribable suffering before she died. This took place in February along with the poisoning of several cats and a dog which belonged to a family in the next block. This dog was a purebred and of considerable value to its owner. Then there was a lull in.the polsoner’s activities, but lately he has been at work again causing the deaths of 10 more unlucky animals. Whoever he is, he is clever enough not to buy the stuff at the local drugstore and so could not be distcovered without considerable trouble, if at all. Whoever would do such a thing is cruel, without decency (I hope he reads this) and should be punished. ® 8 0» “SMASH EVERY VESTIGE OF AMERICAN FASCISM” By Joseph C. Bush, 1208 N. Senate ave.

Regardless of the constitution, Mr. Reger feels that Negroes must yet prove their entitlement to equal

Negroes prove themselves superior to white people. This demagogy is not the main issue. If it were I would cite the remarkably glorious history of American Negroes. No race, under similar duress and oppression, favorably compare advancement

rights. His simple test- is that

(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.)

records with that made by American Negroes since 1863. ‘Mr. Reger not only misunderstands the white masses, but he fights against’ the victory tide when he opposes equal rights demands for Negro people. The present struggle to fully integrate Negroes into the American way of life is being .led by President Roosevelt. He is flanked by no less outstanding figures than Vice-President Wallace and the honorable Wendell Willkie. Millions of white trade unionist support the president’s executive order that discrimination be abolished in industry. On May 24, New York City held a Negro freedom rally where 30,000 people were in attendance. One-third of this group were white unionist who supported the Negro leaders who said- victory demands that Negro rights be granted now. No! Negroes and patriotic whites will not relinquish their demands for equal rights for the Negro peo= ple. It is a pre-condition for national unity. Smash every vestige of American fascism for the uncomditional surrender of the Hitler axis.

” ” ” “HELP SHORTAGE TALK JUST IDLE GOSSIP?” By Mrs. A. M. Henry, Indianapolis Why not «clean house at the U. 8. employment office? After reading Mr. Cullings’ letter I feel something should be done by those in charge of help to clean out this office of employees who are not capable of dealing with job seekers. They are certainly not helping in

can | the war effort. Some time ago, my-

self with some lady friends who felt

Jide Glances Spy Galbraith

we might be able to contribute our part to the war applied for work here. s He made out our applications and after being interviewed by some high and mighty persons who condescended to listen to us poor job seekers, we all decided we were noi wanted and felt this radio talk of help shortage was a lot of idle gossip. Have wondered many times since if these same persons who pass in judgment on those seeking employment could go out themselves and get a job if ey had to. I doubt it.

“AND THERE AINT GONNA BE NO APPLES” By Pat Hogan, Columbus

Your editorial, “The Middle Class |- Asks: Where's All Them Apples” explodes a vicious-theory which persists, for we still hear much from the money changers about “excessive purchasing power.” . The middle class can tell you bluntly, there ain’t no apples; there never was no apples; and there ain’t gonna be no ‘apples. In 1932 we had one-third “ill fed, ill clothed, etc.”; we also had another third trying to live by its wits while the other third — that middle class—paid for the ghastly show. Again it is the one-third game: the boys in service and their relatives bear the brunt of the sacrifices; another third on the federal payroll dodging the draft in bungling bureaucracies, (or as before, living by their wits) and again the middle class pays the piper. Now the tax boys want to saddle another burden on this-class and a senator rightly rebels, saying .this class is ‘the backbone of the nation! The senator should have said they are the ‘“backside,” for they have been taking an unmerciful kicking for 10 years, However, this additional plea for more taxes may be the kick that breaks the backbone and change the anatomical set-up so that it becomes the mouth-piece. Right now is the time for this class to deluge congress with protests. What Washington needs most is ‘more boys like Lou Maxon, who exposed the red tape, confusion, inefficiency; young ' lawyers, college doctors and slide-rule theorists in Washington. ys We can lick Hitler and the Japs but we can ‘never lick this everexpanding army of useless, moneysquandering bureaucrats in our front yard until we have a congress with the courage and horse sense to clean out the bureau-rats who are getting the cream. » ” ” “ISOLATED BIBLE TEXTS CAN PROVE ANYTHING” By A Teetotlar, Indianapolis I don’t think you temperance people should feel too badly about what Mr. James R. Meitzler says about the Bible. After all, when a fellow has only read over in the Bible as far as Numbers, his knowledge of

|. | the Bible standard is very limited.

jans witHout cramping the war production effort: not how little the civilians could get by on. .

Essential Goods to Stay |

PURSUING this line Has finally resulted in. the formation of a new civilian supply policy which, while’ it still won't give the home folks everything they’ want or everything they think: they should have, ' looks a darn sight different from the stoné age: pice" ture. carved out by the bed-rock-economy boys last February. a) A continuing drop in the civilian economy is sa to be expected. But by the wise use of the same quantities of materials allocated to the produdtion of consumer goods, it is believed that all essential . civilian goods and services can be maintained. ? All the intricate problems of distribution of the scarce items have not been worked out so that every section of the country will get its full share,

Younger Voters * By Thomas L. Stokes

WASHINGTON, Aug. Pc, Georgia has become the first state to lower the voting age from 21° to 18, a change widely agitated in * the last two years as an oul growth of the war, which takes ' young men into the army at 18.14 This may readily become an ; jor issue nationally, For youth, - which is serving in the war, will « want increasingly to serve and be. served in the framing of policy,” ; both domestic and foreign, after the war. Governor Ellis G. Arnall of Georgia, the 36-year-old * : leader who performed a minor miracle by ousting Geng: Talmadge, sponsored the voting-age change, It b came law with adoption. of a constitutional ‘amends ment at Tuesday's election. He announced immediately that he and thei Georgia delegation at the Democratic national cone”. vention next year wilhdemand a plank in the ‘platlormat advocating the lower | voting age generally, pe

Old Enough to Fight

HE MADE the sa st stafement that has been wed by persons with as divergent political views as Mra, Eleanor Roosevelt ard Senator Vandenberg’ (R. Mich. Tas to-wit: ; _ “If they are old enough to fight, they are old's enough to vote.” 8 While proposed constitutional amendments werk introduced in 31 legislatures this past year for ing the age to 18, only the one. in Georgia has yom - | vailed. Several bills also. haye been’ iutrudused congress for a national law.’ 4

“ wn Sig,

A" proposed postitutional amendment 428 apes’ proved by both brifiches. of the Wisoonsin legislature,” Tout such amendments there must. be approved by tug successive legislattireg:before they can ‘be the people for Tatification. "The. degisiawure does not. , meet again until” 5 The New York assembly" ly ‘approved a Prov cone stifutional amendment this year, ‘but “senate % failed to act, ‘The Arkansas house LA lowers ing of the age to 18, but it was defeated by the se In four other states a lowering of, the age Wis: —in Fldrida, Michigan, Minnesota sug ta

Gallup Voters Opposed 5

A GALLUP poll April: this year + showed 4 52 pep cent opposed to the lower age, 42 per cent. for and per cent undecided." Lowering of the agd’ | 21° Yor 18; it 5 oi im would bring in 7,000,000 voters.” Iv, rg it is estimated the. change will coVém:160 A but not all these can vote, pli ded’ in the “white primary” where elections are) i Sided, snd many OO HE HN ding franchised by the poll-tax law, esistil reforms to admit these g he o03 Lowering of the age in j next year’s presidential elec will..vote who can't’ recall’ Franklin D. RooSesglt. i-looks 3 If they wil a chance to vote for him. Generally, it has been figured that youth New Deal, some estimates. being a 60-40 division, but the rapid changes.during the war and the nature ¢ problems arising out’ of, the war might very well this balance. The importance of young voters in the hotbwa period is not confined entirely to the “soldier votf which is now getting most emphasis, but intkuges el the youngsters just under soldier age who, in the p war period, will be pushing upward for places. in economic system. Various guarantees are being made to take care ¢ the soldiers, but there are no guarantees for the n age strata, and if the voting age should be lowe! generally they will become an important polis

To the Point—

FLARING UP doesut help 3ou shine wi friends.