Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 March 1944 — Page 6

(A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

a” |

a week.

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LSCRIPAS ~ NOWARD |

BLACK MARKET IN GASOLINE

ydianapolis Times Saturday, March 18, 1944.»

HOWARD WALTER LECKRONE MARK FERREE

'

Price in Marion Coune ty, ¢ cents a copy; .delive ered by carrier, 18 cents

Mail rates in Indi ana, $5 a year; adjoining states, 75 cents a month; others, $1 monthly.

= RILEY 5551

Give Light and the People Will Pind Ther Own Way

THE revelation by The Times last Wedpesday that Indiana motorists bought nearly 100 million gallons of bootleg gasoline in 1943, and the OPA order this week cutting legal allowance about one-third, together describe the virtual collapse of gasoline rationing in the United States. One hundred million gallons of gasoline, legally distributed in Indiana, would have allowed every A-card driver in the state an extra two gallons-a week all last year, and Indiana’s black market is by no means the biggest in the country. Admitting that it has completely failed, on a national scale, to enforce gas rationing regulations, OPA now feels compelled to penalize the law-abiding driver by cutting the quantity he may legally have. The result may very well be, as it has been before when rations were cut,

to stimulate further black market operations.

OPA officials say they have been’ powerless to check the flood of counterfeit ration coupons that seem to be a major source of bootleg supplies. The entry of Treasury Department Secret Service agents into that fight offers the first real hope that something effective may be done to halt this racket. Secret Service—and not the more publicized FBI—has for years been able to keep counterfeit

money at a negligible minimum in this country, although it is about as easy to make phony money as to make phony

ration stamps, and much more profitable.

‘BUT ENFORCEMENT, no matter how effective, can be only one side of the problem, and failure on the other side has been equally disastrous. Too many motorists simply do not believe gasoline should be closely rationed. They ~ do not believe it because they have been told, from time to time, and by high governmental authorities, that there is plenty of gasoline and what we need to save is tires. They do not believe it because they know that OPA has resolutely blocked the proposal of Harold L. Ickes and the oil

TR

it was only that.” more than a name

cause he has been

IT IS not alone

of war.” As much

Some of the bes those of whom he

says: “A small, bald,

world war II.

Ground Forces

enough,’ however,

Reflections By John W.

to beware of flying glass when frequenting the quarters of the working press. E : But it must have been a close call for Ernie, and, with a host of his other friends, we say, “Thank God,

For Ernie Pyle means something special to millions of readers. He is more than just another writer,

close and valued friend, someone who drops in for a chat in your home, leaving it brighter and fuller be-

woman ‘wrote, “Every night I pray for Ernie,” There must be many others. :

Sees the Little Things That Others Miss

about Ernie. To the fighting men, he is something special, too; one of their own “ghastly brotherhood

because he understands them, because he sees in the little things that others miss the reality of war and ‘the humanity of the common soldier.

the AA Barrage, a service paper published at Camp Davis, N.C. Entitled “Troubadour of the AGF,” it

light pack would break his back has told in imperishable words the story of the army ground forces in

« “SOMEHOW IT has always irked us that the artilleries, anti-aircraft and field; the infantry; the armored forces agd the rest of the fighting army ground forces haven't got their full share of written credit for the triumphs of American arms in this war. “We pay tribute here in solid type to the air corps, to the United States marines, and to the navy and the coast guard. Their part in the war has been outstandingly glorious, an everlasting pride to every American. The newspapers and the magazines and the radio have quite rightfully given the just acco-

“But, somehow, enough ‘copy’ telling the story of painful infantry marches through long hungry, weary, suffering hours; of lone-heroic AA and FA batteries on bleak hillsides, eating ration K if they were lucky, of tremendously intrepid little bands of men who stormed and took vital enemy positions. “There wouldn’t have been even that ‘not quite

we spoke of who would find a light pack hard to carry.

Hillman

MILLIONS OF Americans must have breathed a sigh of deep thankfulness yesterday when they learned that death had passed by

Ernie Pyle in the bombing of the |

correspondents’ = headquarters on the Anzio beachhead in Italy. ~ Pirst reports indicate that Ernie's injuries are minor, just a cut on the cheek. In due time, Ernie will tell us all about it, making it sound amusing and lighthearted, with probably a warning

at. the head of a column; he is a

there. In the Hoosier Forum, one

those at home who feel that way

as anyone else, he speaks for them

t tributes to Ernie have come from writes. One of these appeared in

little civilian who looks as if a

Haven't Had Full Credit

lades these branches merit. Credit has also been given the AGF.

we don’t think we've seen quite

if it hadn’t been for that little guy

gasoline.

to dispel that attitude.

sections of the country,

needs, over a good many years. But, on second thought, isn’t

nomically spent.

4

fund money in 1945.

BEDTIME STORY

weapon ?

0 TEMPORA!

Justice Frankfurter. Why, Felix!

plenty of

industry to increase petroleum production because to increase it would add about.one cent a gallon to the price of

We are already getting a good many letters from In"diana drivers pointing out that gasoline can’t be very scarce if there is enough for Mrs. Roosevelt to make what they consider no more than a political campaign tour of the Caribbean region in a military airplane that burns more gasoline per minute than the average American family is allowed for three months. The statements from Washington, accompanying the reduction order, that cutting rations will save very little gasoline but “Mr, Ickes wanted gas rations equalized” throughout the whole country, have not helped

Without better co-operation from the people who buy all the gasoline, legal and illegal, there cannot be very much improvement in rationing enforcement. Such co-operation is not likely to be gained by giving them conflicting stories about motor fuel supplies, or by basing vital transportation allotments on whimsical desires to “equalize” travel for all

WAR FUNDS AND TOMORROW'S JOBS 3

THOSE citizens—and there were a good many of them— who yesterday so quickly: questioned the right of the United War Fund to help finance Indianapolis post-war planning, were following a perfectly natural impulse. The assumption that community funds are raised for charitable or relief purposes is pretty firmly entrenched, and has grown out of appeals for contributions emphasizing such

job that will keep a family off relief and self-supporting, than to support them on public relief? If, by expenditure of some of the funds raised in the annual community fund drive, a hundred jobs, or a thousand jobs, can be created for Indianapolis men and women after the war, there can be no doubt that the money has been properly and eco-

That is the attitude with which United War Fund directors have approached the question, an attitude fully shared by the leaders of the post-war planning group. It is an angle that should be very thoroughly considered before the proposal is condemned. Wise use of community fund money now may well mean less need for community

HE newspaper account of the man discharged from the army because of his loud snoring opens up a fascinating field of .speculation. What, for instance, would have happened if he had remained in the service and gone into action? Would he have put Tojo's jungle troops to flight with a sound like several lions on the loose? Wehrmacht with the conviction that here was a new secret

What effect will his discharge have on future inductions and the manpower. situation in general? Will it mean that 1-A’s must take a sleep test as part of their physical? Will it turn loose upon the country a horde of nocturnally raucous 4-F’s who some day: must answer their grandchildren, “What did 1 do in the great war? 1 snored.” . @ Co

; ANYTHING can happen in Washington. . . . a Ata British embassy tea, a lady pinches a congressman from behind, then stammers that she mistook him for

The National Press club, facing a shortage, forbids the ¥ of Scotch whisky to guests, including the ladies, members may partake. Chivalry, where art thou?

I WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED U. 8. public health service has set up a psychiatric for government employees in Washington, And Employees of the ‘business

it better to provide a

Or terrorized the

internal revenue bureau for it. an

this little guy has gone.

American soldier.”

couldn't add anything more to that.

be resumed when he returns.)

By Ruth Millett

stranger.” That's true, what of it?

love.

Children Bring Big Change

just what to expect of each other.

ried in peacetime.

other,

the lam. - * * .

piness. f . 3

income tax, give it to the

of them is driving.

haven't busy.

‘Shining Reflection of Valley Forge'

“WITH THE AGF through the hot and freezing days of North Africa, of Sicily, and throughout Italy, He’s shared the rations of the soldiers, ducked bullets and shrapnel with them, shared their almost constant misery. He’s carried that pack we spoke of. He's never complained. His whole being has been focused on an objective—to tell the folks at home the small stories of small groups of soldiers whose exploits fitted together from the magnificent story of victories of the AGF. “This little guy, who carries in him a shining reflection of Valley Forge, Pickett's charge, the defense of Corregidor, and Wake (Salute the marines), -is— and, of course, you've guessed it —ERNIE PYLE. “Ernie Pyle, whose daily column all enlisted men and officers should read, writes for several hundred newspapers. Your Mom and Pop and sweetheart and wife read him every day. The Barrage takes this opportuity to salute the historian of the average

That's what the soldiers think of Ernie.

) (Westbrook Pegler is on vacation. His column will

We The People

ONE OF the warnings that would-be war brides are handed again and again is this: husband may come back to you a

of course. But

Husbands and wives always start their married life as strangers to each other, no matter how many years they have been going together or how much they afe in

It takes years of marriage before they know each other well. They don't know what to expect of each other or what to count on until they have shared good and bad luck, and have found how both react to each. Probably more marriages crack up when the going is easy than when the going is hard. Just think of how’ many husbands and wives seek new mates after one or the other has made a success at his career,

FURTHERMORE, a couple never knows how children will affect their happiness until they have some. They may make it happier, or they may break it up. Some women can no more combine wifehood and motherhood than some other women can combine housekeeping and an outside job. And some men resent having a quiet house that has been run like a hotel, suddenly turned into a nursery. So couples are usually strangers to each other for a long time after marriage when it comes to knowing

And if a man comes home a stranger to his war bride—because of the experiences he has had in the war—he will just be a different stranger than the one she would have settled down with had she mar-

,If she could have adjusted herself to one, the chances are she will be,able to adjust herself to the

To The Point—

IN SOME places March weather came in like a lion—and as far as we're concerned can take it on

We

. | French were busy with a social re-

“Your

/

SOME SUBSTITUTES may be as good as the. original, but don’t try to substitute money for hap-

IF YOU have any blood left after you've paid your Red Cross!

LOOSE AUTO nuts are most dangerous when one

WE'VE BEEN urged to keep our homes cooler this

The Hoosier Forum

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

“I JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME” By Voice In The Crowd, Indianapolis

First I wish to compliment your family’s patriotism, Mrs. A. C. H. If you have seven members in the services, that is a splendid record. Then I wish to remind you that your family is not fighting the war alone. Nor is it your right to make me give up my “arm chair.” After putting in a full ninety-hour work week, every week, at war work, with no time and one-half and with some responsibility, I sit down in that arm chair every Saturday night, turn on the radio and go to sleep. I guess I can’t take it any more, because I just don’t work good

day night's rest. Now, if you read my comments on League of Nations membership before you blew the tire, you might recall that I asked Switzer what proof he had that having us in the League would have avoided war. I also queried: “Who can say that five hundred men were wrong and one man was right?” Can you take up that burden of proof? If you don’t believe that the European members of the League at one time could have stopped Hitler with a couple of pop guns, it is my opinion that you missed a couple of history lessons. . The English were busy making umbrellas for Chamberlain and the

form that was to lift the masses. (Take note as to where they lifted them.) At that time we were making some mistakes at home also. But do you suppose that had we been in the League we would have marched past England and France to keep the Germans from the Ruhr? I don’t think so. If you do not believe that there was danger of invasion before we got going, would you say that the O. C. D. was kidding us? Now to get back to Wilson's last congress. That congress fought to preserve our foreign policy of “no entangling _ alliances.” That does not mean solation, nor non-co-operation or non-participation. It means that we are plain fools if we marry any group of old world nations that always go nationalistic at war's end. I hope that Washing-

on Sunday if I don’t get my Satur-|

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns, religious con. troversies excluded. Because of the volume received, letters should be limited to 250 _ words. Letters must be “signed. Opinions set forth here are those of the writers, and publication in no way implies agreement with those opinions by The Times. The Times assumes no responsibility for the return of manuscripts and cannot enter correspondence regarding them.)

heading, but don’t tell me to dig potatoes or mind someone's kids, I just don’t have the time, ” = » “ONLY ONE KIND OF ENGLISHMAN" By Hugh M. Quill, 913 N. Audubon rd. So, we are not only fighting England’s battles but we are doing their dirty work! The farce that “Eire was holding up invasion plans” was foisted upon us American suckers with all the solemnity of a $l-a-year yes man.

The great power of the United States and the power we poor taxpayers made and called Britain have turned with bared fangs on a country about the size of Marion county and cut off food supplies together with her commercial trade. What a triumph! We should really be proud of our State Department and its accomplices (newspapers) for their interest in Britain. ’ We Americans are supposed to swallow the bologna that we build our invasion plaps around a neutral country and they will’ fall through if Eire doesn't get into the profiteering mess. How about Spain, Portugal and Turkey? Or is British business too good in those countries? The London Daily Mail wrote “It is time she (Eire) learns how self-sufficient she is.” Hence the blockades. Listen to who is talking. England, the blood-suckers of the world. England, the drone of nations. England, the parasites of civilization. She who couldn't

ton’s foreign policy lives on. I firmly believe in the Forum's

exist without our money and our

F ’ ya hy {i ©

& VLoosis— ~

Side Glances—By Galbraith

{all you martyrs of British oppres-

.}did they come screaming to us! Of

'| OF YOU THINK?"

blood. Don't turn in your graves,

sion. These are the same Englishmen that screamed about the four freedoms when they looked up from their profiteering to see ‘the Krauts just across the channel and

all the nations to speak of selfsufficiency, England takes the cake for speaking out of turn. Someday & man with guts enough to tell England to go where all British should go will head this country, and when that time comes you'll see a real America, living for herself and not sniffing and sniveling at a people's heels that live off the fruits of others. Thus will not see print because it is anti, but I just wanted you to know that there are many people in America today that laugh out-

to edit Washington handouts, and the press would be downright shocked at the attitude many take toward the printed war news. Credit Eire with staying out of the mess longer than we suckers, anyway. Just remember there is only one kind of Englishman. That's right, just like there is only one kind of Jap. The best Englishman wouldn't make a good patch on an ordinary Irishman’s pants! P. 8. 1 feel better. uw ® » “WHAT DO REST

By Disillusioned, Tipton As your column seems to be a place for airing gross injustices I wish to hang mine up and get it aired. For four years I worked on WPA as a timekeeper. During those four years I served the government faithfully; giving them value received, as did all my other fellow workers. After the WPA closed down I went to work in a defense plant in a nearby city. I worked over there at this plant for two years. I started in as a janitor and worked up to a fairly important job. At the time I left there I was winding wire around a doo-dad. About one month aga they laid me off, saying that they had enough doo-dads made up for this war and the next one, too. Now here comes my gripe. After being laid off, I "went and. applied for my unemployment compensation. As I had been making about an average of $58 per week, I should have been eligible for the maximum benefits of $18 per week. When I went up to get my money they told me that I could not draw because one of, the local poultry equipment manufacturing plants needed help and I would have to go to work out there. Wanting to do whatever the government thinks is right, I went out there to look the job over. When I got out there they wanted me to work in the warehouse loading heavy equipment. The job only paid $35 per week. That wasn't the worst feature. When I asked where the room was where I was supposed to change from my good clothes to my work clothes and where the locker room was, they told me that there was none. Where I worked before they had a splendid locker and shower room. I asked how much extra gas they could get me and whether or not they could get me some tires that I am beginning to need. ‘They told me that they wouldn't get me one drop of gas nor would they get me tires for as much as a baby cart. Now where I worked before they didn’t treat me like that. After carefully considering all these facts, I have decided to refuse to start to work at this place. What do the rest of you fellows think?

DAILY THOUGHTS The spirit of a man will sustain

winter because of the shortage of coal. Shake well : : -before using. Si & + NEA § me. 1. uy, 8. PAT. OFF. 3-8 : ; . : - THE O cabinet has had a shakeup. Thcy

.)nything yet—just wait till our bombers

“Even if you did see the first robin, remember the Aa hie Fa best oars rk toe et fhe

Our

| By Daniel M

‘moment to strike.” by station WWDGC and built around the idea that

right at the presses’ feeble efforts] :

Kidney

WASHINGTON, March 18— ‘ That “isolationism is not dead” was the viewpoint expressed by Indiana’s new Democratic senator, Samuel D. Jackson, in a radio ‘interview here, . : .” He recalled that his home town of Ft. Wayne had been a center of “America First” and concluded that this spirit is “not dead, nor even dormant—it 1s just simply lying back in its natural camou= flage, waiting for the first safe The radio interview was arranged .

Senator Jackson could. give a first-hand report from the Midwest, since he has only been here a few weeks.

Jackson answered: “One of my constituents wrote me a letter the other day asking me: “Why does the Middlewest have such a bad reputation for isolationism and being so opposed to the war?” ;

Rank and File Is Patriotic

“I ANSWERED that the reputation, if it does have such a reputation, and perhaps some of the basis of the reputation for isolationism, might be justly accredited to the Chicago Tribune and other isolation newspapers in the Middlewest. “It is true many of the papers there seem to have plenty of space to scold our allies and hold them up ridicule, and no doubt the constant repetition of sort of thing has had its effect and left its color and tone upon public opinion. ” “For the rank and file, though, it must be sald that they are as patriotic as any section of the country. There is a great deal of respectable opinion to the effect that from a pacific nation in 1040 we have become the strongest military power on earth in 1944. The United States has accomplished more in three and one-half years than the combined mili= tary and naval achievements of the Japs in one-half century ‘and the Nazis in a decade. * “You must remember the ‘America First’ movement was exceedingly strong in the Middlewest just before the war began, and perhaps no stronger anywhere than in my own state of Indiana, and nowhere in Indiana stronger than in my own city, I am sorry to say.

Lindbergh Made Speech in Ft. Wayne

“CHARLES A. LINDBERGH made his last major speech in Ft. Wayne, under the auspices of the ‘America Firsters’. That was the one in which he said he thought perhaps he had seen his last presidential election. “Isolationism got°so bad in some parts of the Middlewest that Republican leaders and others of us had to form our own organizations to plead for unity and for a recognition that the country should be . ready for a war which appeared inevitable, and should take its rightful place in the world, “The pre-war draft was pretty unpopular gen erally. I might say parenthetically. To get back to the ‘America First’ movement, we recognize throughout the Middlewest that isolationism is not dead, nor even dormant—it is just simply lying back in its natural camouflage, waiting for the first safe moment to strike.” Sr : Senator Jackson has two sons in the service.

Clever Stroke By Thomas L. Stokes

WASHINGTON, March 18. President Roosevelt is credited “with a clever, political stroke in putting state governors on record as fo what provision they are making to permit soldiers from their states to vote. It was wholly unexpected in congress and was apparently somewhat embarrassing to Repub licans whose first reaction was, in effect: “What right has he got to interfere with state governors? Is he trying to tell them what to do?” But they are conscious that they put themselves on the spot, in the first instance, by insisting that soldiers would have every opportunity to vote under state laws by use of state ballots, and they, them selves, assumed responsibility and tfrew the burden back upon the states. All the President did was to ask for information, as a basis for his action on the bill, to decide whether he should approve it or veto it with the hope of gete ting something better, either by use of the existing ‘law or by enactment of another law.

Governors Are Put to the Test

IN A SERIES of meetings in the past months governors have been shouting about states’ rights and have professed publicly their desire to assume responsibility. Mr. Roosevelt has taken them

at their word. They are now put to the test. Their replies to the President, by and large, indi cated that they are alert to this responsibility. A few claimed it would not be possible under state laws or constitutions for soldiers overseas who don't get state ballots in time to use the short federal ballot as provided by the bill which has been sent to the President. Some reported they would have to investigate further to reply to the President's inquiry. But most indicated they realize it was up to them to see that their legislatures take action to assure soldiers the vote, though some omitted any mention of whether this included authorization for use of the -federal ballots in event soldiers do not get state ballots in time. The President's immediate objective seems to be to assure that as many soldiers vote as possible, in which he as a candidate for re-election has a per sonal interest. His reminder to the governors ape parently is intended as a reminder to the public also to hold their governors responsible.

Ace in the Hole for Campaign

MR. ROOSEVELT, too, has an ace in the hole which he can use for political propaganda purposes, This is the federal ballot bill passed separately by the senate, at the time it adopted a federal-state com« promise. It is reposing now, in the house elections committee. The President can point to this bill and say that it needs only house action, with his signature, to make it a law. If nothing is done about it, as noth= he probably will be, he can keep pointing to it as e cam

presumed, is to compile a record of what the states do and, as the campaign reaches its late stages, to point to whatever failures they are for effect among families of soldiers who may be deprived of their franchise under the system which congress has set up,

THE WHOLE tendency since the depression of the commodations with their immediate relatives. ~ But when the war is over; there will be a spreading out. ~Shipbuilder Henry J. Kaiser, a : NA »

his infirmity; but a wounded spirit ‘Who can bear?—Proverbs 18:14.

"UNLESS WE clearly define what we mean by “the 2 up and “discover

To the question “What do you consider is the, . | reaction of the Middlewest to the war?” Senator

"mills, collected . and then a clo At 19 he w served two yea that he went b _ fundamentally

Imprisoned

HE TRAVEI and Paris. He he returned to occasional cart , ing from the } of high treasor Dollfuss of Then he went of Spain and satirical drawl All his life violent extrem hard, steady re

Insic

. ADD SIGN! tising on billb s « » The public various books of gardening.

NEW YOR his own exper Colby, who he

equal particiy British gover basis, “Contrary government 8 undertaken .b “If such poli our country wars in bewi nance of Ame

‘Capricion

I think I am the engineeri ferent bases

palgn progresses. Mr. Roosevelt's long-time political objective, it is

early 30's. has been for families to share their ac-

it is impressi

The nava every facility a few seriofis