Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 November 1944 — Page 18

The Indianapolis Times

PAGE 18 Thursday, Noyember 16, 1944

ROY W. HOWARD , WALTER LECKRONE MARK FERREE President Editor ~ ° . "Business Manager : : (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

IT’S 1944, CONGRESS! | HOUSANDS of cheering citizens turned out the other morning to welcome President Roosevelt back to Washington after his fourth-term victory. But there was no excitement over the congressmen who returned to work Tuesday. Well, that’s not surprising. The average senator or representative isn't a very glamorous figure, even when he has just been re-elected, and if he's a lame duck he probably feels like a neglected relative of the forgotten man. Yet, in our scheme of things, congress is supposed to be important—just as important as the President, and in some ways more so, It's having a congress that makes ours a representative government, of, by and for the people. So, we wish congress would live up to its own importance by bringing its working methods up to date. Many of those methods are 50 or 100 years behind the times, and that's one of. the chief reasons why Capitol Hill is being eclipsed by the White House. The executive branch, heaven knows, is not always a marvel of efficiency. But, being far better equipped with information-gathering and othex facilities, it can make up its mind about policies while the creaking legislative branch is only starting to begin to consider them. And that, in these rushing times, is what the executive increasingly does. Which certainly is not a good thing if we want to keep our government representative.

” . . . » w AMONG THE HANDICAPS under which congress labors are too many cumbersome committees, too much duplication of effort by these committees, too little cooperation among them, too. many committee chairmen who have power only because they have grown old in office, and

a woeful lack of expert technical advisers comparable to|

those with which the executive agencies are so plentifully supplied. Remedying these troubles is not a simple matter. A great many precedents and prejudices stand in the way. But unless they are remedied, and very soon, congress will continue to lose standing and influence, Therefore, we urge the house to follow the good example set by the senate las August and to adopt the Maloney-Monroney resol which proposes, as an essential first step, that a bi-par committee shall study and make recommendations<

“With a view toward strengthening the gress, simplifying its operations, improving its rel onships with other branches of the government, and epabling it better to

meet the »eSponsibilities under the gofistitution.”

PROOF INCONTROVERTIBLE

fellow Americans. Although he is British, he has spent a considerable amount, of time over here—and not unpréfitably—so we thought he understood this country. : Hence we're baffled by his remarks in his new book, “Middle Ea&t Diary,” about the fortitude of wounded soldiers from Brooklyn. Anyone who slurs the fair name of Brooklyn had best stay on the other side of the bridge, and po’ American is going to take kindly to those who question the courage of any of our men in uniform. If these men "were cowards (with a small “c"), they would not be fighting in a part of the world where British interests, rather than American, are at stake. So you think the Brooklyn boys can't take it, Mr. Coward? That's where you're wrong. Ever see the Dodgers play?

7

THE LEGION TO THE FORE It was the American Legion's misfortune during peacetime years to have the public judge its activities by the antics of its annual convention. And it cannot be denied that the legionnaires tended to aid and abet this one-sided judgment. Their quieter, conservative work in the-fields of welfare and citizenship were overlooked. Now, with the war mounting toward victory, the Legion is assuming a dominant place in reconversion and rehabilitation plans. It drafted and sponsored the so-called “G. 1. Bill of Rights.” It is interesting itself in helping disabled men to find work, and it has made the wise suggestion that a world war II veteran be appointed to each draft board to assist the other members in finding re-em-ployment for other veterans. The fact that 800,000 veterans of this war have already joined the Legion speaks well for its prestige and appeal. The further fact that the Legion has overhauled its public relations system promises a better public understanding of its efforts. All these things suggest that the reinforced «wi American Legion will fulfill its potentialities as a strong and active democratic group during the difficult days to come,

HOME TIES : ME CHURCHILL, who has spread more good will than the former Prince of Wales and traveled farther than Mrs. Roosevelt, has done it again—this time a trip to Paris, Meanwhile, reports are current that another meeting of the Big Three is impending, which probably will mean added mileage for the peripatetic prime minister. In the course - of his travels Mr. Churchill has picked up more knowledge of world conditions than most of his fellow men could ever hope to know. Yet there is one condition prevalent in America which we do know about, and we suspect that it: prevails throughout the world. On the basis of it we offer our explanation of why England gets to see as much of its prime minister as it. does. He has to go home occasionally to get his laundry gone. .f. : se

“ .. IS MORE DEADLY THAN... "THE census bureau reports that there are only 1,700,000 "unmarried men in civilian life between the. ages of 20 dnd 84 in this country, while there are about 4,000,000 women in that age group—which means about 425/thou-

REFLECTIONS—

regard for Noel Coward, and |

A Challenge By Ludwell Denny.

IT IS TIME to begin worrying © more about rationing. . Not the. kind that cramps us at the eorner grocery and gas station--we can do with less complaining about some hardships, which would seem like heaven to the British and our allies in liberated countries, The rationing that should trouble us is ‘on the fighting fronts. Our troops don't have enough heavy ammuni- §. tlon, tanks and other things. What of the injustice of sending men abroad to fight for us and then failing to give them sufficient munitions?

Supply Shortage Stalled Patton

WHEN GEN. PATTON and his racing columns were suddenly stopped and stalled for weeks, supply shortage was the answer. The same thing happened to the American 1st army around Aachen. Part of the diMculty was in delivery--lack of ports and transport ~now improved. But, aside from that, there simply is not enough production in several critical materials. Undersecretary of War Patterson lists the monthly production increases required by the army alone: Heavy artillery ammunition 35 per cent, mortar ammunition 17 per cent, cotton duck 40 per cent, heavy trucks 31 per cent, and tanks 35 per cent. These increases would not meet the army's need, they cover only the barest minimum. And of course they do not include the navy’s critical shortages, especially in landing craft and auxiliary ships, The causes of this condition are varied. There have been some administrative blunders. In some cases, bad guessing, poor co-ordination, and lack of foresight have contributed. Labor is a factor; while most workers have produced magnificently, others have struck and many have left war industries prematurely.

Victims of Our Own Victories

BUT THE CHIEF cause of the shortages is the rapid progress of the war, We are victims of our own victories, in the sense that allied advances open up new opportunities with greater demands than we are geared to supply promptly. Mr, Patterson cites the example of Eisenhower's forces who had to fire 38 days’ supply of heavy ammunition in 10 days. Mac~ Arthur had to use more artillery ammunition in the

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past month than during the earlier 16 months com-

bined. . Now Eisenhower, MacArthur, and our other commands face even larger battles and heavier supply requirements. So the duration of the war—whether

The Hoosier Forum

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

t runs all the way from the line up to the President, who on a pledge of win-the-war

WORLD AFFAIRS—

\Frieridship Day

By William Philip Simms

WASHINGTON, Nov, 18.~Today is the 11th anniversary’ of American recognition of Soviet Russia. By proclamation, the state of New York has set it aside “American-Soviet friendship

The meeting, says the council, will climax the nation-wide celebrations commemorating the 27th anniversary of the founding of the Soviet Union. Acting Secretary of State Stettinius will speak, so will Soviet Ambassador Gromyko, British Ambassador the Earl of Halifax and Shipbuilder Henry J. Kaiser, Joseph E. (Mission to Moscow) Davies will preside.

Understanding Is Vitally Important

THAT AMERICA should understand Russia is, of course, vitally important. Victory in the war and the fate of the world for decades depend on an Anglo-

work together, then Dumbarton Oaks and all it signi fles in the way of post-war peace and security aren't worth a kopek. But it takes at least two to make an understanding, It is just as important for Russia to understand America as it is the other way round. And one will look in vain to find in Russia the counterpart of the nation-wide pro-Soviet manifestations now taking place in this country. In fact, any Russian who organized a mass meeting in Red square to popularize the capitalist democracy of the Unithd States would probably show up missing the day after, However, that is no argument against the Madlson Square Carden celebration, On the contrary, it is a stép in the right direction. But Russia should meet us half way. Russians, for example, still do not know that the American people are not opposed to communism, per se. If the Russians want it, that, in American opinion, is Russia's business. Nor do the Russians understand that what Americans object to is the idea that Russia or its agents have the right to try to impose communism over here.

Conditions of Recognition Forgotten

{ WHAT MOST people seem to have forgotten— | Americans as well as Russians-—-are the conditions, sine qua non, of recognition. To obtain recognition, Moscow hgreed to refrain from the dissemination of Communist propaganda in the U, 8. and to restrain any agency under its direct or indirect control from interfering in our internal affairs. Yet within less than two years of this prori¥se, the 7th congress of the Third International, meeting in Moscow, first applauded then formally approved plans for gaining

organizations so that the Communists might “bore from within.” Washington protested emphatically, accusing Moscow of violating its signature of Nov, 16, 1933. But Moscow replied, cynically denying it had anything to do” with the congress—a ‘complete evasion as all the world knew, This newspaper campaigned throughout a decade for Russian recognition, trade and economic collaboration on the grounds that if the Russians wanted communism’ that was thelr affair . , , so long, that is, as they did not seek to force it on others. I wrote thousands of words on the subject. It is my cone viction that if the spirit of the agreement of 1933 were remembered, understood and implemented by the Kremlin, it would go far to cement Soviet. American friendship, and to make that triendship permanent and constructive, *

To The Poifit—

| THE BIO.jump in ;marriage Moenses indicates that this year's peach crop was not a failure, 1. r- vas “ * WE COULD keep it-a mote cheerful world if we'd all remember to forget our troubles in front of others. i aw ? : A “ > ‘NAZI GERMANY'S national debt is announced by Berlin as 315 billion marks, That doesn't begin to ‘cover what they're going to have'to pay for. =~

“A fwic

Soviet-American entente, If the Big Three cannot

a foothold in American labor, political and other |

“CONSULT MEN WHO ARE FIGHTING” By A. H. H., Indianapolis

of consulting the men who are fighting this war for their ideas on how to achieve a lasting peace. It might happen that those who have experienced the hell of war first hand might be as well qualified as the statesmen, diplomats, etc, who

swivel chairs. These latter have been signdlly unsuccessful in recent decades in their attempts to settle the troubles of the world.

Suppose you take a representative group of fighting men from each country involved and let them sit at the peace table and talk it over. I venture to say the result would be a more realistic peace than has ever been achieved before. Whatever their decision or plan would be it would probably be more real than any we will get from the present arbiters of our future, » » w “WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?” By Plc, Army of the U. 8.

Here's a letter you can use for publication if you like, I read a story last night, picturing the influence of Naziism and Gestapo terrorism in this country’s prisoner of war camps, with the clear indication that our PW’s are preparing to fight us again, : What are we fighting for? To give everything we have to those Germans who are nice enough to surrender to us after killing all of our buddies that they are able to? These men are our enemies and only take us prisoner to save the lives of all the Nazis we hold. _ Ab_that, they treat many, most or all of our men very badly in German prison camps. I've talked to many battle patrol infantry, and other advance troops, who have many stories of German mistreatment, murder, and torture of Ameri cans who are unlucky enough to become prisoners. War isn't nice, and there's no undercurrent of friendliness for the Boche among combat troops, who know what war really is.

I wonder if anyone has thought |

have been doing their fighting from |.

Genghis Khan waged total war, asking and giving no quarter— killed all his enemies, and had no

(Times readers are invited 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 core respondence regarding them.)

has the same idea. We at least can be merciful to our prisoners without coddling them. - “WHAT IS OUR FOREIGN POLICY?" By J. L., Indianapolis After the war, what? This question must be answered at once, unless we want to pave the way to future wars, What is our foreign policy? What commitments are our leaders making? The men who will sit at the peace conference have a great responsibility and will face a' great many problems, Several thousands of miles of new boundaries will have to be drawn. Provision must be made for the restoring of the lands devastated by war. The hungry must be fed. The people responsible for this war must be severely punished. But there are danger signals ahead. ; Each major country is seeking “strategic frontiers.” I believe that frontiers should be determined by the kind of world for which they are made, If Europe is to continue an armed camp, divided by the lust of power on the part of the victors, then the strongest possible military frontiers must be maintained. If, on the other hand we pursue the policy for which we claim we are fighting—such as freedom from want and dictatorship — strategic consideration should be pushed aside

trouble with future wars. Japan

and be replaced by economic cone

.|ted Americans to an amount more

| “FIRST FIND

.|like to point out that our own

veniences and the political desire of the peoples concerned. If colonial rivalries are to be reduced in the interest of peace, we must have international government in Europe. We must refrain from personal bickering between the allies. America mist not be made the scapegoat of this war. Some questions that the Americans must consider are: Are we willing to open the gates of unlimited immigration? Does anyone believe that American labor will permit any substantial lowering of their own standards of living 'and wages or repeal our labor laws in order to lift up the underprivileged of the rest of the world? Will our farmers give up good prices and parity with labor to bolster international agriculture? I doubt it. And so it would seem wise for the peace makers of our country to pay heed to their constituents, » " “WHY ALL THIS PROPAGANDA?” By W, H. K., Indianspolis According to figures recently published, cigarets are corisumed as follows: 30 per cent by our armed forces; 38 per cent by our allies and other foreign sourges, and the balance, or 33 per cent by Amerfcans. Why then all this propaganda over the radio that cigarets are needed by our armed forces and so people should not complain if they cannot get their accustomed brands? Isn't it about time this contniual partiality shown to foreigners in other lands over Americans be stopped. . "1s it not enough that Americans are fighting every war in the world for every one else, without maintaining them in a style to which they are not accustomed and cer= tainly not entitled by their militar accomplishments before we so -

lions of dollars worth of weapons and supplies with which to fight? It is time to remember that 1,500,000 servicemen are now back in civil life and deserve some consideration before foreigners, even if ordinary Americans who were not in the service have hitherto been given the short end of every allotment when foreigners are:involved, and silenced by the plea that the men in service must be supplied. ’ ; Give those in our armed forces their 30 per cent or any more needed, but cut out the 38 per cent to allies. and other foreigners ang increase the 32 per cent now allot-

in proportion to their larger effort in this war. "

ALL THE FACTS”

By Bill Fitzpatrick, 5408 Burgess ave. In reply to a letter “What Is a British Army?” by 8. 0. J, I would

Canadians, Poles, Frenchmen, New Zealanders, “Aussies, South Africans and two battalions of American~ Japanese soldiers. I think that S. C. J. could, in the future, refrain from writing such letters without first finding all the facts,

DAILY THOUGHTS

erously Lend-Leased them 38 bil-| 3

POLITICAL SCENE— rr No Millenium By Thomas L. Stokes

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18.-~The one thing everybody talks about in Washington these days, though nothing else is being done about it, is whether President Roosevelt is going to reorganize his administration, weed ofit some of the obvious weak figures, and tighten

One is that the Roosevelt regime is admittedly ‘flabby in administration, as was emphasized effectively by Governor Dewey, and so Well demonstrated publicly by the noisy and spontaneous reaction he got every time he promised a “housecleaning” in Washington. The other circumstance involves a personal situs tion of Mr. Roosévelt, himself. This is undoubtedly his last term as President. Virtually free of political restraints, he might strike out boldly, it is said,

President Would Have to Break Habits

THERE MAY BE some wishful thinking in all of this, but the occasion justifies that, To do it, the President would have to break some old and seemingly ingrained habits which are not conducive to the best administration. He, himself, pleads guilty

to them privately, according to his friends,

Well known is his disinclination to fire anybody. Instead he tries to placate antagonisms, to smooth out irritations, by a sort of soothing sirup, now-you-fel-lows-get-together method. It never works. The word always gets out, and Washington witnesses one of those nasty flare-ups, beginning with rumors in the newspapers, and finally breaking into the open, with the public calling of names on each side. Examples are the Henry Wallace-Jesse Jones feud some time ago and more recently the Donald Nelson-Charles E. Wilson embroglio in WPB. The history of the administration is unpleasantly littered with them, going back several years. The President's stock solution, as in those two cases, is to drop both parties, or have them drop out in disgust or ennui, without any resolving of the basic ) policy issue.

Clash of Philosophy Inherent

THERE IS a clash of philosophy inherent in the talk now in some quarters about possible changes in top places, as well as a sincere and objective desire in others merely to get better and more efficient administration. New Dealers, for instance, are saying it is essential, in carrying out the mandate of the election, to get rid of some conservative figures they feel are not in sympathy with the New Deal. At the top of this list always is Jesse Jones who exerts considerable influence from his numerous posts having to do with business and finance. The “Jones-must-go” movement is whipping up nicely. The New Dealers won't believe that Mr. Jones did not have some behind-the-scenes part in that Texas “revolt.” : Others mentioned include James F. Byrnes, war mobilization director, who presumably is leaving any how after the end of the war with Germany, though his name is being mentioned among possible successors should Secretary of State Hull retire, chiefly because of Mr. Byrnes’ influence in the senate where the big fight over the post-war international ore ganization will come.

New Dealers Want to Reverse Process .

MR. BYRNES was moved into the top civilian command, along with other southerners—Marvin Jones of Texas and Fred M. Vinson of Kentucky— in the veering to the right which President Roosevelt took some months back to conciliate conservatives in anticipation of renomination for a fourth term. New Dealers want to reverse that process now. They also want a place for retiring Vice President Wallace. It is reported he has his .eyes either upon the state department or the commerce department, the latter now one of Jesse Jones’ perquisites. The theory on the latter is that the vice president.would build himself up with businessmen, presumably as an aid to seeking the 1048 nomination. Always, of course, there is Mrs, Perkins, secretary of labor, who has been parked on a side road fur a long time now. Bhe is always mentioned in connec tion with any report of a cabinet shakeup. This time the project is to put a strong figure at the head of that department and reorganize under it the numer ous independent agencies dealing with labor. As a tip, look for some few changes, but ne millenium.

IN WASHINGTON—

Indiana Report | M. Kidney

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 —While the ©. I. O. News, published here, is crowing over the part P. A. O, played in the fourth-term victory, its state-by-state report shows Indiana was one spot where they didn’t deliver the goods. Here is what the Indiana ree port states:

By Daniel

and in addition Homer Capehart, reactionary G. O. P. juke box manufacturer, won the senate seat from the Democratic candidate, Henry F. Schricker, | who had C. I. O.-P, A, C. support. “C. I' OP. A. OC, activities cut down G, O, P, majorities for house incumbents, but were not able to overcome apathy and indifference of Democratic

the theory, according to reports, that ¥. D: R, was a liability that should not be mentioned during the campaign, “They actually issued buttons urging people to vote for Dewey (G. O; P.) and Schricker, Democratio nominee for the senate, . “C. 1. O.-backed Rep. Ray Madden (D.)) and Louis Ludlow (D.) were re-elected by larger majorities than in 1942. “Incomplete returns show that the state govern ment will be in the hands of the G. O, P. again, though by a slightly smaller majority.” ;

Hoosier Democrat Tokes Different View

“All incumbents were re-elected, ]

state apparatus. Official Democratic leaders went on

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