Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 March 1944 — Page 16

a week.’

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Give Light ond the People Willi Fins Thelr Own Way

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SALARIES IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS : HE Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners has shown itself to be sympathetic to reasonable salary increases for local teachers, so it may be expected to give careful consideration to the requests submitted this week by representatives of the Federation of Indianapolis Public”

School Teachers.

The teachers are asking for salary adjustments of some $441,715, which would allow increases of from $120 to $180 a year for each teacher in the system. Under the law, pay schedules which are to be included in the 1945

budget must be adopted by May 1.

Anyone familiar with present conditions knows that, by and large, most public school teachers are underpaid, considering the value of their services and the amount of professional training required. Many teachers are receiving the minimum of $1500, which is $900 a year less than the minimum salary for firemen and policemen in this city. Even if the requested raises are granted, grade school salaries would be $200 under the national median for cities of this size, while the pay of high school teachers would be

$300 below the comparable national figures.

LIKE MOST white collar workers, school teachers have been caught in the inflationary squeeze. During the war teachers’ salaries have increased from 6 to 11 per cent while the cost of living has advanced approximately 25 per cent. At the same time, the war has increased: the pressure of work ip the schools. Staffs are shorthanded and individual teachers must carry a heavier load, work longer hours and handle such volunteer work as ration book registration. And they aren't paid overtime. School executives face a difficult problem. Many of the best teachers have gone into the armed forces; others’ can readily make more money in war industries. That - more have not left the profession is proof of the high sense of duty and responsibility of individual teachers. But teachers must eat, and they must buy their groceries at wartime prices. If the schools are not to be crippled at a critical time, it is imperative that the teachers should

ceive a fair and living wage.

As the late Superintendent DeWitt S. Morgan pointed out: “The teaching and training of youth is work at the foundation of the whole structure of our national life. It is for youth that thousands are fighting and dying to preserve the nation; and it is youth now in school who will

continue the struggle for freedom.”

- The laborer is worthy of his hire. And none are more worthy than the teachers in the public schools.

'OWNIE GETS A TEAM

his active playing days, Ownie Bush, manager of the ~ Indianapolis baseball club, was known throughout the major leagues as a scrapper and a square-shooter. As manager of the Indians, he is continuing to demonstrate those

qualities.

The lot of a baseball manager is not easy these days, and Bush has had more than his share of bad breaks. Some of them he could have avoided had he chosen to. The Indians last year had a number of outstanding players for whose services the major leagues were willing to bid high. In these uncertain times, a “smart” manager would have sold and delivered them before the season closed to be sure that the deals would “stick.” But Bush, the squareshooter, played fair with loyal Indianapolis fans. He kept the players until after the playoffs, so Indianapolis would have the best possible team. Then he sold his stars, always specifying that the deals must include player replacements

as well as cash.

Most of the men sold have since been called to the armed forces, thus cancelling the deals and making it necessary to return the players taken in the trades. Wherever possible, Bush bought these men outright but, because of baseball rules and the manpower stringency, many of them

could not be purchased.

So things looked bad for the Indians. There was a question at times whether there would be even a full team, let alone a. capable squad, on the roster when the season opened. But Bush, the scrapper, wouldn't let hard luck get the better of him. The Bush-McKinney management scoured the country for good men, and paid to get them. As a result, there are now 20 players in the Tribe training camp at Bloomington and Bush says they look good. There'll be baseball. in Indianapolis this year, thanks to

Ownie Bush, the manager who wouldn't quit.

Indianapolis wants baseball. That is shown by the fact that, as of yesterday, 8000 of the 9941 reserved seats at ‘Victory Field had been sold for the opening game on

April 19,

A scrapper and square-shooter like Ownie Bush deserves the support of Indianapolis baseball fans. And he'll

get it.

OH-THE-PITY-OF-IT DEPARTMENT

ONE of the two daily “refugee trains” from Florida has

been canceled for lack of business.

It seems that some of the “desperate” tourists stranded in the land of $250 neckties were desperate only for de luxe accommodations, not for the plebeian day-coaches they were

offered.

RADIO FAN PHILOSOPHY ~ ple like to listen. ~The truth is, they want to

talk. ©

Perhaps the government, touched by this evidence of loyalty to the cushier things of life, will now make all- ~ compartment cars available for those who are so valiantly resisting the alien doctrine of wartime austerity.

‘BROADCASTING is based on the false premise that peo-

people seldom want to hear the same thing at the

re-

| for illegal liquor activities and because he is one

.| about. husbands fighting unchivalrously for custody’

will how to rn year. 2:

their local government for the

face and a scraggly mustache, He wore a.

BE 2

plaid mackinaw because whoever built the hall forgot to regulate the drafts, auditorium was stone cold. * ’ Laughton sat at a long board table the stage. At his right was the town Rena Ried. At her right was the first constable,

face, a red-checkered woolen shirt, green checkered woolen trousers tucked at the bottom into the lumbermen’s boots.

Nothing Formal or Fixed

AND AT Chamberlin’s right, presiding over the ballot box that was used only to decide against licensing the sale of liquors in town, was Justice of the Peace George Willard, a direct descendant of one Josiah Willard who, beginning as captain and ending as colonel, from 1726 to 1757, was commandant of Ft, Dummer, at nearby Brattleboro—principal English outpost against the French and Indians raiding southward from Canada. There was nothing formal or fixed about the town meeting. The agenda had been publicized in the call printed on each copy of the annual town report sent in advance to every voter and taxpayer. Item by item, the gathering went through the day's business. Floyd Clark was re-elected first selectman. As usual, it was decided to have two road commissioners, one for the east side and one for the west, and the incumbents were re-elected. An overseer of the poor was chosen, a town agent, a trustee of the public library, a school director, two constables, a lister (appraisal of real estate for tax purposes), a town grand jur.-. Virtually all were re-elected, and. in most instances unanimously. It sounded cut and dried, but wasn't. .All nominations were from the

mality and a maximum of -good-

shirt, his second-best trousers, and kept on a sober :

Kenneth Chamberlin, a young farm worker with red |

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‘ ° ’ ¥, om * The Hoosier Forum 1 wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

floor, and Moderator Laughton gave ample time for any opposition to develop. .

Amount of Tax Discussed Thoroughly

* AMONG THE elections were those trustees of several cemetery funds, mostly of $50 to $100 each, the income from which is for the care of specific graves. All incumbents but one were re-elected. When the Wells fund ($50 principal, probably $1 annual income) came up, there were some five minutes of general dis cussion because the current trustee wasn't caring for the grave. Several suggestions were offered and talked over, and eventually Lester Jilson, who lives near that cemetery, was elected. The amount of the tax to be levied was hashed over thoroughly. First Selectman Floyd Clark reported that “my advice and idea is the same tax rate as last year” but declined to make a motion until any other ideas were advanced. The local dissident—every New England town has one—arose to ask some questions about a bridge whose repairing made a substantial item in next years budget. This dissident is unpopular—not because he is always objecting, but because he once served time

of the few local people who are willing to see the federal government flood this valley. Nevertheless, every body listened to him courteously and attentively. First Selectman Clark answered his questions pertinently, and others joined in the discussion, -

Differences Sharp But Friendly

THE ONLY real controversy of the session arose when Thomas Tier suggested that the meeting instruct the Board of Civil Authority not to remit any of the taxes due from a granite quarry whose owners, in the opinion of everybody who spoke, were trying to “bulldoze” the town into forgiving some $600 already due.

There was no question whether the voters wanted the full tax collected, but only whether a resolution would force the town to sue, which it was felt might be costly, troublesome and generally undesirable. Difference of opinion was sharp but entirely friendly. Eventually it was decided that the selectman_had no legal right to remit the taxes anyway, and no desire to do so, which made formal action unnecessary. So Tier moved to leave it to the board of civil authority “to do what seems best.” “I guess they know how the town feels about it,” he remarked. Does this seem trivial? It really isn’t. Dummerston is a small town. Its population is 630. Perhaps it is a doomed town, if Washington succeeds in flooding out its largest village and best farm land. It imposed a tax rate of $3.30, and settled every detail of a year's government, without a harsh word, at a mass meeting as casual and commonplace as a Thanksgiving family gathering back on the farm, That is democracy actually at work.

(Westbrook Pegler is on vacation. His column will be resumed when he returns.)

We The People

By Ruth Millett

THE WAR has knocked oldfashioned chivalry for a loop. It just isn’t practical in times like these. In England a husband who had a quarrel with his wife hauled off and. threw at her everything he could find in the family ice box—butter, cheese, margarine, lard, bacon, pickles and a few other groceries. He was called into court and the Judge fined him for wasting food.

| No Coupons for Chivalry

IF YOU think there is more chivalry in America— tonsider the case of the wife who smashes up the family car beyond repair—but escapes unhurt.» Do you think she is likely to have her husband say, as he might have in the old days, “It doesn't matter ‘about the car—since you weren't hurt?” More than likely he would say, “Well, you sure fixed things up

fing for us this time.. Now we'll go on foot for the duration.”

And the man who gives a pretty girl a lift in

but just let her off anywhere convenient to him. Chivalry doesn't stretch these days to wasting gasoline.

And you frequently read in divorce of the family alarm clock or a share in the canned

products of the victory garden.

are more er

0 enjoy a broadcast is the broad. | bande

his car is as likely as not to take her upon her | | suggestion not to go out of his way to take her home—

Bo don't be concerned, you brides, 1 Your hus-

“WORD IN DEFENSE OF LANDLORDS” By Mrs. H. J. N., Indianapolis I would like to say just a word in

{defense of Indianapolis and the

landlords. We are out-of-towners, moved here in the last few months, and when we first came we hunted for furnished rooms. We could find them very easily, but they did not want children. That is, the people or landlords who had rooms fit to live in did not. But I never met a single landlord or landlady who was impolite or rude. They were just as nice as could be and explained why they didn't want children. I have come onto several vacant houses; they were always rented before I got there, but in not one did the

I asked them just to see what they would say. x We had a house promised to us, but we did not get it, not because the landlord wasn't fair, but because another out-of-towner had Hed to the landlord and made promises to buy. After he got the house and moved in he bragged that he had no intentions of buying and that he would have told anything to get the house,

Now I have another house promised to me if the owner doesn’t sell it in a certain length of time. I hope to get it, but if I don’t, it won't be because the landlord did not tell me in advance that he was going to sell. That has been my experience with landlords. We are now living in one room and have a very nice landlord. He does not object to children. I have three and I never lived any place where they damaged the property. As to Indianapolis not being a fit place to raise children, one knows it must be as good as any other place. Look at the fine men and women that have grown up here, Children hear bad language and talk at any school, public or private. The home environment should help them shun bad behavior. Someone who wrote in the Forum sald, “Dumb war workers were only thinking of the big pay.” That is someone with a guilty conscience talking, for the great majority of war workers have loved ones in the service in action or lost over there, prisoners, etc. Most all of them will be glad when it is over and they can get back to the home. So, although I like my home town

landlord say he objected to children. |.

to express their views in these columns, religious controversies 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 responsi bility for the return of manuscripts and cannot enter correspondence regarding them.)

long, I think Indianapolis is O.K., and so are the landlords, anyway the ones I have met. | And wecare planning to buy a home here later. # . » “YOU DISGRACE THE NAME AMERICAN” By I Want A Locker, Indianapolis I don’t have the time or the patience to answer Hugh 'M. Quill at length. I am afraid that he has lost his sense of fairness and allowed the Irishman's hate of the

English to muddle his mind, I hold no brief for the English and admire Eire for her independence; but to compare Eire's position with Turkey, Spain, Portugal, etc. is the height of asininity, geographically or otherwise, Wake up, Mr, Quill, and exercise your common sense.

destruction of our enemies she must suffer with the rést of the world. I can’t resist expressing my disgust with “Disillusioned.” He asks for opinions. Here is mine. He seems to be suffering from a surfeit of WPA-itis, His letter indicates that no sooner was he laid off than he rushed to headquarters for more relief. Why, in times like these, did he not go out and secure another job? There certainly are plenty available and there is no excuse for anyone crying for relief as he did. Disgusting! Hang your head in shame, Disillusioned. How you can write such a whining appeal is beyond me, + Too bad they had no plushlined lockers for you and couldn't furnish ' tires and gas. Have you

best because it has been home so

tried the transportation system or

INC. T. M. REG.

nell ent

(Times readers are invited 3

‘for any man to be idle longer than + |& matter of hours if he wants to

Long live Eire, but if she obstructs|

you forget the WPA

“shank’s mare” like the rest of us poor mortals? Yes, I have been out of work, too; but I have found there is no reason

work. And showers—my, my! I wear my work clothes to work and bathe in a washtub. “Pifeftttt,” Mr. Disillusioned, “fefttt, fIfttt> You disgrace the name American and I hope some of our boys who don't have showers and lockers overseas get on you, but I don't believe you could be shamed. Relief and unemployment compensation. Blah!

“SHAME ON YOU, DISILLUSIONED” By J. F. Chumbley, Shelbyville ~~ 1 have just read an article in the Hoosier Forum by Disillusioned, Tipton, in which he was bemoaning the fact that he has been laid off from ga ‘defense job which was paying him $58 per week. He further boasts of being a timekeeper on the WPA for four years, which in my opinion accounts for his touchy attitude toward his employers. In his complaint he seems to be hurt be-

days of the WPA and since, This man was offered honest work, so he says, at $35 per week at & local poultry house which he re

and none of them

This dear man asks what the other fellows think of his conduct. Frankly, my friend, if you are able to

work to help your eountry this crisis. Shame on you! oe

Sherwood Blue wants a. third term. Oh, how the Republicans yelled when the President ran for v that one of

evil in your hearts against s Relghhout; and love ne false oeth:

Bn E

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congress men to over-ride the majority vote ih the senate, and then pointed the moral, : “This is democracy in reverse,” Senator Willis said. “The house itself and not just three members of it should have a chance to vote on my proposal.”

Brewster Joins Willis in Fight

THE WILLIS amendment provided that no UNRRA funds be spent for “religious, educational or political programs” —viz,, it should be used for relief and not propaganda. °°

“I wish that I could share your confidence. All we have to go on is the relief performances of this administration in the past. Basing our views on that, I think we should make our stand clear in the basic law. “Already the exiled governments of France, Holland, Belgium and Norway have stated that they will buy their own food for relief. They fear the very thing which Senator Willis’ amendment seeks to

In Washington By Peter Edson

WASHINGTON, March 23— That “goldfish bowl” in which

posed of, has not yet been set up. Surplus War Property Adminis. trator Will Clayton has considered that other things came first, and

plece of furniture, it is just as well kept on a shelf till the rest . of the house is in order. Setting up an organization to handle the world’s

being much more fun—and good men are hard to get. Mr. Clayton admits frankly that he would rather work without publicity, but that in this matter of selling surplus government property, the public is entitled to know what goes on. Already, while the Surplus War Property administration is getting organized, there have been several instances of sales being questioned. Congressman John J. Cochran of St. Louis has disclosed how 50,000 overage dry cell batteries were sold by the army for $80 to a buyer who resold a part for $20,000. Congressman Wright Patman of Texarkana, Tex, has reported that the Treasury department sold surplus army chinaware in original packing cases, at salvage prices, on the same day the navy was buying 110,000 pieces of the same items at 18 cents each.

$8,100,000 Loss—--Or Was It a $15,000 Gain?

SUCH THINGS naturally make taxpayers sore, but amounts involved here are relatively small change in comparison to the figures in the first major deal which crossed Administrator Clayton's desk—sale by the maritime commission for $200,000 of 40 acres of government land formerly ‘part of an 800-acre tract occupied by the San Jacinto shipyards at Houston, Tex., for building concrete barges. Because the maritime commission and defense plant corporation had sunk some $8,300,000 in the concrete barge venture, it

can be argued that the government took an $8,100,000 loss, Actually, the maritime commission had previ-

ously written off most of its $8,300,000 as ‘s War loss

incurred just as though the barges had been built and sunk, and it sold the 40 acres, which with im. provements were appraised at $185,000, for $200,000. disposal

Pressure Groups Are Active - ALREADY PRESSURE GROUPS are beginning to exert Influence to prevent sales of surpluses that ight enter into competition with tomorrow's manu-

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