Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 December 1944 — Page 18

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sentatives had full faith in Mr. Hull. His studied effort was to keep his former colleagues of the senate advised as to the government's foreign policies, and to seek their counsel,

The Indianapolis Times

REFLECTIONS— foi

"PAGE 18 Thursday, December 21, 1944

MARK FERREE

WALTER LECKRONE Sy Business Manager

Editor (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

ROY W. HOWARD President

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RILEY 5851

THE BIGGEST BATTLE

underrate the importance of the German counteroffensive on the Western front would be dangerous stupidity. Even if the allies recover all the ground taken by the Germans, but fail to wipe out the crack enemy reserves which mounted this drive, it will be an enemy victory in the sense of prolonging the war for many months and reviving German morale, Only by eliminating most of the German reserves now engaged, can the allies win this battle. ile facing the dangers, however, the quiet confidence of the allied command seems justified by such facts as are known to the public. According to the military experts, the balance is somewhat like this: The Germans have the advantage of surprise and initiative. That there would be local counter-offensives was taken for granted, since that is the traditional German metHod of defense. Likewise the place of attack could be assumed, since it was much the weakest part of the allied line. But the extent and power of the Nazi operation was a surprise, and therefore produced big initial results. . .

» » ~ ” » » ENEMY RESERVES are much larger than believed. While it was known that many second-rate divisions were in the fromt line defenses with crack divisions and reinforcements in the rear, the amount of enemy armor, artillery and new aircraft is unexpected. Allied bombing, slowed down by recent bad weather, has not crippled German production and Supply facilities as completely as hoped—due in part, apparently, to relatively untouched enemy factories in the East, But, despite underestimated German strength, allied reserves -remain much larger in manpower, in armor, in fire power, and in the air. Indeed this superior allied reserve, which made the November-December battles of attrition a losing strategy for the enemy, was probably what drove the Germans to the desperate gamble of an all-out counter-offensive as the lesser of evils,

n » . [J J » EVEN THE German advantage of surprise and initiative, however, cannot offset allied superiority unless there is a major defect in allied command or troops—which no American fears. In fact Eisenhower, who has out-generaled the Germans in every test to date, has openly based his strategy in the entire Rhine campaign not on territorial gains but on destruction of the German army. Have the Germans, by throwing in reserves which our armies have been unable. to reach, played into Eisenhower's hands? ‘Whether the German wedge throws the allied line off balance, relieves pressure on the Ruhr and Saar, and creates a military stalemate for a Nazi compromise peace move; or whether Eisenhower turns the enemy wedge into a giant trap to wipe out remaining German reserves; and thus speed final victory, will be decided in the bitterest fighting of the war. : . Now is the time for the home front to produce as it has never produced before.

IT'S TIME TO LEAD, MR. PRESIDENT THE President's return to his White House desk is timely. Things have not been going well in Washington in his absence, and there is urgent need to get on with the war. Having listened through several weeks of rumors about where the President was, the people are happy to learn that all this time he has been resting, tanning and fattening up

has stored, all the thinking ahead he has been able to do. For there has been developing in’ the country disillusionment about the war, uneasiness as to how far Amer‘jca and her allies can travel down the same road in this war and whatever peace is to follow, misgivings as to whether political leadership is keeping faith with the men who are doing the fighting.

» » » . » ” NOWHERE IS this disquiet more evident than in the administration's own high circles. That trouble in the senate over confirmation of the President's nominees for state department posts was in itself only a teapot tempest as was proved when Mr. Roosevelt speedily called off the filibusterers and the senate overwhelmingly confirmed all appointments, New Dealers, including such slavish coattail riders as Pepper of Florida and Guffey of Pennsylvania, spearheaded the revolt. Some conservatives joined in the two-week Donnybrook Fair, notably senators from the South who don't like Will Clayton and others who don’t like Archibald MacLeish. Objections to the other state department appointees were even less formidable, if possible, It was a silly performance, on its face. Outraged cries of the New Dealers—"“Who won the election, anyway ?"'— didn’t make sense. The new secretary of state, Mr. Stettinius, and those appointed to help him handle foreign affairs—Grew, Clayton, MacLeish, Dunn, Rockefeller, Holmes—all were in the Roosevelt administration at the time of the election. Their promotions were but a shuffling

. ” » . » ¥ BUT BENEATH the surface of this bitter controversy was the feeling of unrest shared by practically all members of the senate, who fear that things are being done which they don’t. know about. They suspect deals and doubledeals at the top level of united nations’ diplomacy—commitments to which they would not willingly consent. We cannot “win the peace” unless it is a peace to which congress and the people—especially the senate, which has constitutional responsibilities—will subscribe. The President lost more of his leadership strength than he apparently yet realizes, when Cordell Hull resigned as secretary of state. The people and their elected repre-

in pressing the American viewpoint before our allies and ‘the world. If Mr. Roosevelt and Mr, Stettinius expect the

‘countries ask, how can they have any confidence in

branch they. must someliow earn | 4

Special Privilege By James Thrasher -

ALMOST EVERYBODY was suspicious of the American Communist party when it announced, nearly» a year ago, that it was swearing off party-line politics for the time being. But maybe there was no subterfuge about it, after all. Maybe the comrades just got " discouraged after watching the {American civilian’s wartime b.-~ havi or two years, and decided to g p. We can -understand how the comrades may have felt, for some of our behavior would discourage a Vermont Republican. This is a time when unselfishness and a few material sacrifices are demanded of all of us. We haven't met the demand too well. Rather, we have demonstrated how heartily most of us approve the social philosophy of special privilege, : We accept it as our right that the corner druggist should stint our neighbor and save us a pack of cigarets. We understand why we shouldn't travel, yet some of us don't scruple to pull strings and perhaps stretch the truth to get comfortable accommodations for a vacatiton trip. We pull more strings and use a

theater tickets when we're in New York.

Selfish, Childish Self-Indulgence

OTHERS OF US pursue the I'll-get-mine idea a bit farther, As a result we have some unnecessary shortages, and the black market flourishes. We approve sacrifice in principle, sure. But we also approve the principle of special privillege. When we have risen up in arms against it, it was because some Jim Fisk or Boss Tweed had carried the idea to scandalous and injurious lengths. We aren't the only nation whose citizens indulge a desire for special privilege, but our indulgence of it is most unflattering at this moment in the world’s, history. And it is unfortunate, for this same selfish, childish self-indulgence is a twisted and confused,

version of one of our most admired national characteristics—individual initiative,

Alot of people, here and abroad, are contemptuous of American initiative. To them our striving after material comforts, a higher living standard and. some

social standing in the community is bourgedts snobbery, or worse.

Better Aspects Are Apparent Today

BUT IT CAN'T be denied that this same initiative, on the right track, has been translated into a lot of hard work and good results which benefit even those most scornful of the American go-getter. Its better aspects are apparent today in the tools of our military might,

ror hal Seaton it is all the more shameful when our ative es the cheap, fo or Tittatre p, lazy form of hoarding It is too bad that we must take this way of informing the Communists of the depressing rh that it’s going to be awfully hard to start a revoluttion in & country where every man not only feels that he is the equal of his fellow, but that he stands a darned good chance of being his superior,

WORLD AFFAIRS—

Shifting the Blame

By William Philip Simms

(Continued From Page One)

ful though the truth is, it is still more honorable, and less damaging to post-war collaboration plans, than some of the excuses advanced .by, or on behalf of, the great powers. For a man to fork over his wallet because a bandit sticks a gun in his ribs is one thing, but for him later to try to justify his surrender by claiming the stolen money really belonged to a dishonest pal who deserved to lose is another, Dumbarton Oaks places the real power in the hands of the Big Three. These big ones tell the little ones to rely on them for secufity. At the same time they fix it so (at least that is the way it stands now) that they themselves can commit aggressions and then veto any action against them. In view of what is happening in Europe, the little

the future? Especially, they add, if the big aggressors not only can do as they like, but also have their acts whitewashed with references to “historical boundaries.” eto] There is scarcely a frontier in Europe, it is pointed out, that has not changed hands half a dozen times in past centuries, Scotland coud claim England or England claim Scotland, or Britain claim France or France claim Britain, or Rome claim everything, if you delve back far enough. Or Mexico might take back Texas, or Russia take Alaska, or France take Louisiana, or Spain take Florida, or the Indians take back Manhattan on the grounds that we had taken advantage of them when they were weak, If existing pacts between free and sovereign states are now to be disregarded at will, the little nations query plaintively, what is left for them to rely on? Why bother to mess up more clean sheets of paper with new pledges guaranteeing some new status quo?

Russia Was Not Weak in 1932

BOME SAY Russia is right to take everything up to the Curzon line because she was weak when Poland crossed that line 25 years ago. All right, say the

Poles, forget about the Polish-Russian treaties of 1020, "21, '22 and '23 when Lenin recognized Poland's frontiers as valid. But Russia certainly was no longer weak in 1932 when the two neighbors voluntarily signed their pact or non-aggression. She was still Sonee in 1934 when that pact was renewed until

But In 1039 Russia went back on all this when she and Germany divided up Poland, each taking approximately half. In 1041, Russia did another handspring. She signed a new treaty with Poland, recognizing “the Soviet-German treaties of 1939 as having lost their validity” thus restoring Poland's former frontiers. A Now Russia scraps this pact and London says she Is right and Washington hedges. Secretary of State Stettinius says it is all right with us if the Polish

applied to Polish “reactionaries” who object to giving up half of their country—a more “reasonable” one will almost certainly be found to replace it. For weak and helpless nations this will be a bleak Christmas. * ao :

So They Say—

EVERYONE IS AT once » scentist, 8 farmer and

® sage. Bananas, coconuts also help in establishing self A can also be eaten and lizards. are delicious. a background of

white clouds and blue skies, we can see

little genteel bribery to gep a couple of unprocurable

The Hoosier Forum

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

.

“ONE BOY’S OPINION ON MILITARY TRAINING” By Jerry Hier, Indianapolis There has been a lot of bickering, ¢riticism and argument over the question of military training that is compulsory. Everybody I notice in the paper has his opinions on this question, One thing that rubs me the wrong way is, why doesn’t scmebody ask the opinion of a boy who will have to take this training? I am practically 17 and will be affected by this law. I, as one of the modern generation, believe we should have this law passed. One year is not a very long time compared to what it might mean to o country in the future. . It would not make us aggressors as some people have stated, because Americans are a happy-go-lucky people until angered. It would be healthy, educational and be good discipline for the boys. This is just one boy's opinion. How -about some of you other boys writing in? » y » Z . “WE'LL STILL DELIVER DISGUSTED'S MAIL” $y Thomas E: Inman, 1210 N. Linwood

I always swore that I wouldn't, but I'm so “burned up” after reading “Disgusted’s” letter in your column I guess I'll just have to have my “two cents” worth printed. In the first place, there is no com= pany operating as many trucks nor driving as many miles as the P. O, trucks, and ofr accident record can't be equaled anywhere, My dear Disgusted, you should get a job driving a mail truck. You'd learn so much about human nature that you never dreamed of, or ever come in contact with taking that Sunday afternoon spin in the country. Get downtown and drive in traffic for six to 10 hours, then you'd learn. You'd meet these dear darlings who are the first in line at a traffic light, and who are much too, too interested in talking about Mrs. Jones’ new hat to notice when the light changes. Then by the time she does notice it and has taken her own sweet time to cross the intersection, the

back flve or six cars behind her, gets up to the light, it changes, she stops and resumes her knitting, little caring or worrying about the fact

mail truck, which has been setting|

(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 responsibility for the return of manuscripts and cannot enter correspondence regarding them.)

that he should be. three squares down the street, pulling a letter box! Oh yes, and the maiden aunt— she comes up to the stop sign, changes her mind and wants to turn

|right from the center line or left

from the curb. Of course, if a mail truck pops up—they always do— they don't drive down the street they have a habit of jumping out of nowhere—and passes our dear lady as he thought she originally intended, he is rude and the service he is rendering the public is naught—"He could see I wanted to turn” : Yes, we have schedules and we make them. The whole postoffice, from the beginning, was erected on that prineiple. Quick collection and dispatch of the mail. Disgusted, herself, probably has “growled” at her postman more than once because she didn't get her letter she was expecting. And now she growls about our schedules! Maybe the driver in question could have pulled over, but she says her-

er anyway. Yes, you've guessed it, I drive a

Side Glances=By Galbraith

Eh

mail truck and I've been in the P. O, eight years and I'll say there's not a better bunch of drivers anywhere. And remember, out of 75 or 80 trucks, 90 per cent of them are 10 to 15 years old! And we still make our schedules and we still will bring Disgusted’s mail to her, even if we bring it on a bicycle.

| “SHE 18 DOING

A WONDERFUL JOB” By Mn. Carl Vaughn, 2262 8. Pennsylvania

I am writing in answer to a letter printed in last night's Hoosier Forum by Mrs. Helen Bishop, Dogs and dog pounds are my favorite subjects. I am a true dog lover, as is Mrs. Frankfort, A true dog lover doesn’t have a dog put to sleep because it gets so wild they can’t do anything with it. They love a dog as much as they would

their own children. Would you have your child put to sleep because it got so wild you couldn't do anything with‘ it or because it has a cold? God put dogs on this earth for some reason and I don’t think it was for men to put to sleep. Let them live outside in the cold if they must, but let them live. As for the dog pound being heated at night. That wouldn't be necessary. Youll always find someone trying to run your business without assuming the responsibility. All dogs. short-haired and long-haired, can get used to the cold. I would certainly lots rather see a dog sleeping on a board in an unheated building than outside on the snow and ice as do many dogs that enjoy good health. The short-haired dogs weren't shaking from cold but from fright. I think Mrs, Frankfort is doing more good for dogs than anyone else ever tried to do, and I wish there were some way I could help her keep right on doing what she is. She is doing a wonderful job and a hard one, Last March I purchased a little dog from the dog pound. She was sick the first two weeks I had her, but I didn’t take her back or have her put to sleep. I called the veterinarian and doctored her myself. Any dog will get sick after having such a change of atmosphere, environment and diet. Last July I had her spayed. And she has made such a wonderful little pet. I wouldn't part with her nor would I let anyone harm her. I have two small children and a cat 4 years old and a singing canary. I also take in stray animals and find them good homes. My neighbors purchased a nice little female dog at my suggestion from the dog pound when their other one died of old age. They like it very much. So I know of two dogs from the dog pound that have good homes. I would like to suggest that all female dogs be spayed at the dog pound before selling them and

\

POLITICAL SCENE— . ~

‘

By Thomas L. Stokes ed

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21~The senate performed a very useful i public service when it let in -the .light on President Roosevelt's appointments to the state department under-secretariat—the m below who help to shape policy by day-by-day supervision and deci sions, and who are not the mere puppets that some administration leaders advertised them to be. Though the minority which was sincerely skeptical of the cali« ber of some of the nominations lost their fight when the New Deal leaders of the revolt buckled under at the cracking of the presidential whip, the fight was well worth-while. Like a thunderstorm—and it was that—it cleared . the atmosphere. The thunder, too, was accompanied with some effective flashes of lightning which made enough illumination to let the people in on some of the | issues that will be involved in the making of ‘a peace that will more properly protect their interests, theif welfare and their lives than that which followed thé first world war,

‘Outlet for Some of the Doubts’

THOSE WHO watched the fight could see that the senate became the outlet for some of the doubts which plague the people as they look forward: to the peace, in spite of the contradictory motives that operated in various factions in the senate, not directly related to the main issue,

Some events in Europe which occurred before or during the debate caused the senate to take cognize ance of the semblance of the revival of power polis tics in Europe, with Great Britain and Russia in the main roles, and to broadcast a warning to the people to watch for anything like this and protest against it. The British military operations in Greece and Prime Minister Churchill's diplomatic operations in Italy took place ahead of the foreign relations come mittee’s investigation of the nominations, while the Polish agreement broke full upon the senate while ' it was considering the nominations formally, In casting such a sharp eye on the appointments the senate was well within its constitutions rights, though it has not always been so alert. It has a share in the conduct of foreign affairs together with the President, though largely in the negative sense. It can only veto, not initiate. It was not consulted about these appointments. But it was wise to exere cise is power to ask some questions about them.

'They Take Themselves Very Seriously’

IT'S ALWAYS a good thing, too, to bring the state department down to the level of ordinary mortals, It is such a sacred sort of place to soe many of those satellites. They take themselves very seriously. And they hate for anybody to question those diplomatio operations that are so often a mystery to the publie, and which are kept that way purposely. There's lots of mumbo jumbo about diplomacy, though there shouldn't be. The state department talks in obtuse language, and puts much stock in the bow from the waist, Much emphasis was made during debate that these men are not so important, that President Roosevelt will make foreign policy.- The President will be the master technician of policy, but in doing this he has" to call upon these men for advice on. matters which they have handled. He can’t know ev One factor that was given little attention, is that these men, as assistants, will have more pow than those who held such offices previously, becausy in reorganization of the department the lines of thority and responsibility will be more clearly dra and not be so loose as Under Secretary Hull, who no great shakes as an administrator,

/ IN WASHING TON—

Final Curtain By Charles T. Lucey

WASHINGTON, Dee. Ears whose names made across the years bowed out as thi 78th ‘congress died this Maybe some were heavily of exit from America’s No, 1 stagh, handclasps were longer than usual, once or twice a voice seemed {0 break in a speech. But mostly if was without dramaties, ~~... This was their last hour on carpeted green of the senate fl --Bennett Champ Clark of Mise sourt, Puddler Jim Davis of Pennsylvania, Nye 2 North Dakota, Reynolds of North Carolina, Gill of Iowa, Young John Danaher of Connecticut, And Hattie Caraway of Arkansas. They all stayed pretty well in character this las§ senate session. Senators Nye and Reynolds made long speeches, as they often had. Bennett Clark, a parliamentarian who often had tied the senate in knots, was fighting on his home grounds to the last minute and his quorum calle made when no quorum could be found--sent the 78th into adjournment and history.

Mrs. Caraway Given Ovation

SENATOR DANAHER said only a little but, from one of the ablest debaters on. the floor, that was enough to set down Senator Guffey (D. Pa.), sputters ing. They shook hands warmly later, And Mrs. Caraway said no word at all, but the men with whom she'd served arose, on motion of Senator Hatch (D. N. M.), and gallantly applauded her from the floor—an act almost without precedent, Often they had been in bitter debate but, with one or two exceptions now, none wanted acrimony, To Senator Davis, in his valedictory, senators were kind and considerate men and conscientious lawmakers. whose vote never was changed by oratory or flattery, Mr. Danaher, aside from his brief exchange with Senator Guffey, arose on his last day only to pay & | son's tribute to his father in entering into the cone gressional record a speech the elder Danaher had made. the senate, : “I've got no squawk,” he said. “If you run with the ball you've got to expect to be tackled.” J - Both Senators Nye and Reynolds, long-time, none | interventionist campmates, wound up on their favorité | subject—the fallacy of President Roosevelt's foreign policies,

‘Friendship Did Seem Pretty Solid’

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