Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 August 1943 — Page 12

. reau of Circulations.

The Indian polis Times)

RALPH BURKHOLDER Editor, in U. 8S. Service

MARK FERREE WALTER LECKRONE Business Manager . Editor EE ; a SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAVER). 5

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a RILEY sh

Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Woy:

TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1043

‘THE RELAXING IS PREMATURE

R. BYRNES made a fine speech last night, but it is a pity he had to make it. It is a pity that it was neces. sary for him to explain to Americans that the war is not ‘over, nor in the bag, nor a picnic from here on in. Too many of us are too eager to jump at pleasant conclusions—to suppose that when Mussolini falls, the curtain on the whole show is about to be run down; that Tunisia and Sicily, are decisive battles in the larger sense;

_ that Russia, in retaking fragments of her own territory,

has opened an eastern boulevard to Berlin; that the dissolution of Hamburg is the dissolution of the axis; and even that our hard-won footholds in the Pacific thousands of miles from Tokyo presage the quick capitulation of Japan.

In short, we have been adding two and two and calling

"it a baker's dozen. Mr. Byrnes, with all the official knowl-

ve

edge of Washington at his command, used a less elastic . brand of arithmetic. | “We have met and defeated less than 7 per cent of the combat divisions which the enemy has in the European ‘area,” he said. Even Russia has been fighting against only

; “approximately 40 per cent” of those enemy divisions.

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‘In the light of these and other assertions, Mr. Brynes can. be forgiven the irony with which he said:“It inconveniences us when we cannot use our automobiles for pleasure and for greater mileage. But after all there are greater sacrifices. Today our casualties number 90,454.” » » o anybody who thinks the rest of the war is easy street, we recommend a reading of Mr. Byrnes’ remarks—not only about the progress of the war itself, but about the need for holding the economic line here at home. As— ; ad e cannot abandon the hold-the-line order of the price front without abandoning it on the wage front. And RE we abandon it on both fronts, the 20 millions or more of our people receiving low wages, small salaries and small " fixed incomes which have not been increased materially

since the war started, will be ground ‘below the: level -of

fair subsistence.” About rationing—‘There is no form of wartime rationing and price control which does not involve a degree of _regimentation: which we would not tolerate in normal times. But this regimentation of our civilian life is as necessary ‘in a period -of {otal war as military discipline is on Hie. battlefield. “Without rationing and price control there would be a food famine in thousands of American homes.” 2 And about taxes: “We have spent too much time arguing how much of our past taxes should be forgiven in order to get on a pay-as-you-go basis, instead of getting down to the grim business of imposing the higher taxes which total war requires.” » » oAS for Mr. Byrnes’ concluding sentences, However, : we beg leave to dissent. The less political discussion we have before the fall of 1944, he says, the better. “The people of America are not: ‘concerned about party advantage

or personal ambition.” Mr. Byrnes himself should know, from long participa-

tion i in the game, that “talking politics” is one of America’s

. favorite pastimes.

A F. of L WANTS REAL JOBS

MOST of the administration's thinking on post-war problems has followed the depression pattern, taking for granted that the end of the war will be the start of an indefinite period of hard times.

That seemed to be the idea in the back of the presi-

dent's mind recently when he made his emphatic bid for ~ generous treatment of men and women who have served in the armed forces, calling for such obvious minimum assur-

~ ances as mustering-out pay, unemployment compensation ~ for those who can’t find jobs, ete.

It has been the dominant idea behind the demand for sxpanding the benefits of our social security system, and

: behind plans to create temporary jobs through public works.

‘The executive council of the American Federation of

i Labor ‘courageously and farsightedly declares that such

“stop-gap protection” is not enough. It rejects “the pessi-

flepression at the conclusion of the war.” :

s ® 8 8 8 =

Mail rates in Indians, | $4 a year; adjoining’

Fair Enough

|By Westbrook Pegler

school at Turnbull, New London, Conn., Which

; clarifies many matters.

“I agree with you. . However, in your attacks on the Communist element in the N.'M. U. you: are :

no doubt, is a definite Communist element in the N. M. U. and many of its policies probably have followed the party line but I am convinced: this element is a small minority. “As far as the Pilot (official party-line journal of the union) is concerned, it is misleading to mass of men by what you read in it. It the first against fascism more than it does to save’ America but most members joined the Tetum: of ‘conditions that formerly prevailed.

No More Bonuses

“AS FAR as those fabulous wages: are concerned they no longer exist. Most of the ‘port bonuses’ have been done away with. These bonuses were started to compensate men going into war zones before Pearl Harbor. than soldiers and (navy) sailors. So do miners, aircraft workers and most everyone else. The merchant marine is not a branch of the armed forces. Most men in it are following their regular profession. Meanwhile, they are not eligible for the same high insurance members df the armed forces are, permanent disability allowance, post-war bonuses, reduced postwar taxation, preferred civil service status, etc. (Note: President Roosevelt did, however, include the merchant sailors in some of his recent recommendations for post-war recognition, rehabilitation and benefits.) And many of the men who long since retired from the sea have now left comfortable -shoreside jobs and families to go to sea again for purely patriotic reasons. A seaman’s pay may seem fabulous as compared with soldiers and sailors’. pay, but so is every defense worker's He is the backbone of our overseas war effort and after the war will continue to be the backbone of a new and better merchant marine.

Seaman's Life Is Hard

“A SEAMAN'S life is no bed of roses In peace or war and I see no reason why his pay should, in war time, be reduced to that of a’soldier or navy sailor. This reasoning, carried to its logical and just end would require the whole country to be placed. on & $50-a-month basis. “I personaly, have not been at sea since 1033. I returned from China shortly after Pearl Harbor and was engaged by a branch of the armed forces for a mission in the Far East. Due to various questions of policy and politics this mission was stalled and delayed. I found it difficult to keep my self-respect and stay in Washington so I have returned to seafaring, which I followed from 1929 to 1933. After the war, I may continue in a new and better merchant marine. “My observation as to the general trend of thinking among seamen is based on rubbing elbows with 2000 of them in this school. At least 14 months’ active sea duty is required to be eligible for officer’s training and about 80 per cent, are fresh from the gea. The course is four months. . After graduation and passing the steamboat inspector's exams, we are given 24 hours to report to New York and be assigned a ship.

Asks Fairer Comment

“I have passed your articles around and the remarks are not complimentary. Men who have seen their comrades die in open boats, blasted by shell fire, trapped in steam-filled rooms and hobble around on crutches with feet amputated from frost bite do not like to read derogatory articles about the profession. Trusting you will continue to attack where evil exists but also give credit where credit is due, 1 am yours truly.” In presenting this letter in full I trust the author agrees that if the merchant marine is to be an asset to this country after the war it will be necessary to break the power of those union officials representing minority rule who fought every measure of American preparation for war until Hitler attacked Russia and who: will turn against the United States again if Russia's course and ours ever cease to run together.

We the People By Ruth Millett

THE LIBRARIAN st Halloran, the U. 8. army hospital on Staten Island, N. Y. says that most of - the soldiers she talks to confess that they don’t. want to go back to their old jobs when the war

; mistie attitude of those who foresee no escape from a aor 1 :

[ proposes a dee praniged offensive to create plenty of fl go.

™ real jobs at real wages—

x The war production board to “begin plans ‘om tr i

most unjust to the merchant service as a whole. There, |

The. men, it is true, do make more money.

The Hoosier Forum

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

“SOCIAL EQUALITY LEFT ENTIRELY TO INDIVIDUAL” By Mrs. Gaynelle 'N. Hibbité, 291¢ N. Capitel ave.

Mrs. Lawson's views on the demand for equal rights for the Negro imply that we have not yet earned

have rights but they must be lim;

i I hope that you will forgive me,| Mrs. Lawson, for being presumptuous, but I thought that this is as much our America as yours. Is it? Our forefathers did not fell the timber, construct roads, build railroads, erect bridges and buildings, mine the coal, feed the boilers of industry and harvest the crops on their side of the street only. No, they worked with and often without the aid of their white-skinned countrymen where and whenever | Prov their labor was needed. It is likewise common knowledge that they

this country against any aggressor. ' In palitics, as far back as 1870 we were helping make the laws in state and federal governments. Our thou~ sands of grade and secondary schools and colleges are helping educate America’s masses. (By the way, do you know how much ea of er the percentage of illiteracy is among whites than colored?) Aside from Charles CO, Spaulding’s life insurance company, there are many other business rprises with not so large but quite impressive capital, contributing to economic betterment the wealth of America. More than 200 Negro newspapers build morale, crusade for better un: derstanding among races. At least $ dozen war correspondents and many foreign correspondents in London, North Africa, Sicily, Moscow, Australia and New Guinea are interpreting. and writing the news for 13 million colored readers about colored soldiers fighting and winning the battle for democracy on war fronts around the world. How much about colored heroes have you read? Who are Charles Harmon, Hugh Mulzac, Charles B. Hall, Dorrie Miller, John Brooks

t land Charles French—to name 7 | handful. -

these rights.: She grants that we dojited to our own little segregated |

have been on hand to help defend]

We have contributed much to art,

(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.)

music, literature, producing such persons as Robeson, Anderson, Ellington, Hayes, Mills, E. Simms Campbell, Johnsons, Cullen, Hughes, DuBois and thousands of others, including Louis, Owens of Olympic immo ty = the first American to h « “Hitler and his pure race superlority—Metcalfe, Woodruff and’ Johnson. Yet you ask us, Mrs, Lawson, to prove ourselves! Is it we who have. to prove ourselves? We accept the tenets of democracy. Do others? “putting Negro foremen over white workers,” you say, “will never work.” Why? Is it because you fear

that with this background we might

shatter even more the myth of “white superiority”? That one has long been relegated to a place beside the other fairy tales and bits of folklore. You have read one article, Mrs. Lawson, will you read another—the Constitution of these United States? I believe you are confusing rights with respect. Your regard or respect matter little, as individuals, so long as you do not violate the Suits guaranteed us by the econstitution of a democracy: so long as you do not hinder the workings of a democracy by denying or blocking rcise of those rights. soldiers are not fighting on their side of the trench; our avistors are alling to their death from a ad section of the sky nor are our. sailors g drowned

in the “colored section the seas. No, they are fighting and g side by side with yours for democracy-.

but not “the colored section”! ~ Careful study might reveal to you the forces of bitterness behind the shameful destruction of properties by those so lacking in “reasoning and self-control.” This “unreasoning” element was comprised - not

only of U. 8. Negros bit Raodivwn

Side Glances-—By Galbraith

whites, West Indians, East Indians, Haitians, Puerto Ricans, Chinese and Filipinos—our allies all; and victims, too, of exploitation and your kind of highly diluted democracy. Think more of equality of apportunity, for the fourteenth amendment made the Negro a citizen and, I believe, implys that social equality is left entirely to the individual. You may choose your friends but the Constitution does not permit you to feed democracy to thé Negro cautiously and with a long-handied spoon. Law and order say his rights

guard our-Constittuion and its protection because, in our love for freedom, we rise above some of the things which are not wholly to our liking. Democracy, tolerance and growth are nice words to team in the search for unity and victory.

. 2 =x 9 “DON'T BLAME ALL PARENTS FOR BAD CHILDREN" By Father of Four, Indianapolis

States; those who have never tried their hands at it know more about haw it should be done than parents. Some claim that parents are to blame for children going bad. The only trouble with this conclusion is that it's a little too sweeping. If this be always true, then how can we account for the very black sheep in an otherwise fine family? Or how can we account for the children of bad parents turning out good? Nature does not fit up children with thejr parents’ heads. They are given one of their own to make Of [good use of, or to use merely as a hat rack. People have different standards raising children. One good woman has raised a able money-making boy, but she is dissatisfied because he is making no preparation for the hereafter. ~. Other parents might feel per-

‘| WILL NOT ENDURE”

} By Pe. EK RB. Furbrer,. Camp Davis, N. ©. .

“Voice in the Crowd”. ; ' Would’

are established and we in America|

Raising’ children is quite a hit |: like being president of the United |:

Our Hoosiers By. Daniel M. Kidney

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17-A Tell City girl who for 16 ye s as helped Washingtonians grows plump on good Hoosier homecooked food has been counted out on points by the OPA. : She is Miss Grace Goodpasture, proprietor of the Open Door cafe= teria. But now the Open Door is closed and will be until tier Labor day. Meanwhile the puzzled govern= ment and office workers who found at the Open 1]

something of the hominess of a small town supper are cussing OPA and trying to find an in

place to eat in the sweltering heat. Here is what The Washington News had to say

“about this business:

“The Open Door is closed Tow, 4a “Grace Goodpasture, proprietor -of the Open Door cafeteria, 1112 Eye st. N. W., is the hearty ‘type of restaurateur who served good rich food in. generous quantities. Working on these sound principles, she did just fine for the past 16 years, establishing a loyal clientele of Jovessanetl and office workers. She did, that «is, until her principles and OPA became in= volved. Her principles lost. ; “The point schedule of OPA is computed §¢ more meager scale than that adopted by Maitre pasture, for during the. latter part. of July, she discovered that her ration points would become exe hausted much too soon. Miss Goodpasture feels % little embarrassed about the whole thing.

Served Too Much Meat i"

Tw ‘MAYBE PEOPLE will think I'm a poor manager? she said, ‘but I don’t think that was the trouble. I just served too much meat per portion, I'm afraid.’ “She appealed to OPA for help on July 20.she says, but received no answer until Aug. 10, igre) days after she had been forced to close. Her meat points exhausted, she tried to eke out a few days’ meals with cheese and other substitutes, but despising such petty tactics, closed her doors for a month on Aug. 7. “‘Regrettable;’ says R. J. Wilson, executive secree ‘tary of the Washington Restaurant association, ‘thad one of the finest and most reliable restaurants in town should be forced to close because the meals if’ serves are too good. We ate Sing all 'we ‘an ensure an early opening.’ :

Defends OPA Policies

“ REGRETTABLE,’ ECHOED, a bevy of nt customers as they petitioned whomever it might o cern, via a sign on the door of the closed resta that the Open Door be opened. “An OPA official, agreeing that it was ‘regrettable,’ nevertheless defended OPA's position. “ ‘We've done all we could to keep the place open.’ he protested. ‘We've sent a man down to see Mise Goodpasture a dozen times to check her books and see if there wasn't some way we could help, but the situation was obviously hopeless. I'm afraid she juss wasn't good at arithmetic. After all, we hay e. 10 follow our rules. “It is all very odd. However, it dioaten’ , paradox: even if you serve food so putrified that yoy have to pay $25 a day to the courts for the privilege,

“you still stay in business and grow rich; but if you try

to please your customers with food at which their stomachs don’t revolt, the customers come to you in such droves that you run the chance of having eat you right out of your government Permit business. - “There’s. no hard feelings between Miss Goode pasture and OPA, she's just hur” a

In Washington :

¥ By Peter Edson

WASHINGTON, Avg. 11H © coming outxof Italy in ‘couple weeks has been a The ‘like the news that used to appear" back in the days of sail, a century ‘or more ago, when a traveler ‘would arrive at some port and relay by .word of mouth “the latest intelligence.” Today, it is travelers arriving in Berne or Madrid or Istanbul who bring out the latest news of what is actually going on inside of Italy, and thas is. not .much ‘more reliable, perhaps, than the axis radio from Rome or Berlin which obviously put ous only what they want the outside world to know. Adding together all the loose bits of information from all sources, checking off those that don't jibe or are obviously untrue, it is now possible, however, to make a coherent guess as to what kind of gove ment Italy has at the moment. hE ~~ The country has unquestionably gone through tremendous bloodless revolution, This is an effort to reconstruct and summarise its progress to date: There are still plenty of gaps in the story. Going back to the beginning, Mussolini walled the grand gouncil together on Saturday, July 24, to make his report of his conference with Hitler. After the report, however, it appears that Mussolini ho. Dart, in further debsis, Which Wet on aver § head between two factions. That led by Grandi prevailed and called for the Mussolini.

King Summons II Duce i

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nation as he had been o | council. Instead, he went [ harvest festival. Next day, Grandi went to the of the. grand Souncibs seuoncR