Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 January 1945 — Page 10

'e Indianapolis Times

PAGE 10 Tuesday, January 16, 1945

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WALTER LECKRONE HENRY W. MANZ Editor "Business Manager

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Give Light ané the People Will Find Their Own Way

IT LOOKS LIKE THE REAL THING F the Russian offensive on the Polish front is indeed “the ' biggest of all time,” as the Germans say, the final phase of the European war has begun. Even if it 1s on the scale "of the Red drive last summer, it should carry deep into Germany. Anyway, it eliminates the danger of a winter stalemate in Europe, which would have given the Nazis a breather while preparing for spring campaigns. on Results of this pressure on Germany from the Vistula will depend in part, of course, on the other Russian drives in East Prussia, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and particularly on Eisenhower's reserves. For Germany has shown that she is still strong enough to delay défeat by local coutter-offensive fronts, so long as the allies are unable to press from all sides at once. From the beginning, therefore, allied strategy has called for co-ordinated major offensives from the west and east, : : » » " . s n WHY STALIN waited nearly six months on the Vistula, why he did not strike there when Eisenhower mounted the autumn western offensive, we may never know, Whether the reason was political—or military, or both—lack of an Eastern pincers at that time upset allied plans; prevented European victory in 1944, and enabled Hitler to throw a third of a million men into the Ardennes diversion. But since this Red drive did not come in October or after the freeze in early December, thé present timing is perfect. Small German counter-offensives have failed in Italy and Hungary, and the larger one has been turned back by Eisenhower in Belgium. There is now a Ehénce of catching the enemy off balance, at the moment he is bleeding on several fronts. Tea ua tl : * As usual in his big campaigns, Stalin seems to have prepared thoroughly on a wide base. His plunge through center—toward Krakow and the German war industries of Silesia—is protected by simultaneous moves of his right flank, from Warsaw to East Prussia, and of his left in Czechoslovakia. He is off to a fine start, with frozen plains inviting his tanks straight into Germany. This looks like the real thing. :

CHICKENS COME HOME

IF some of the other war organizations had worked better, with less confusion, duplication, overlapping and.competition, there might not only be less need for a national service law but far less skepticism about its enactment. A lot of chickens are coming home to roost now that ‘the President has proposed this most drastic of war recommendations—a labor draft to control America’s man and womanpower. : : » We are frankly hesitant lest it lead to confusion more confounded. Also, lest it involve social experimentation above and beyond the needs of war. > A country that has seen the seemingly endless red tape and questionnaires and directives and interpretations and shifting policies of other war bureaus may well wonder what might happen under this superdooper organization. : 8 » A = ® » WE RECALL that so serious and practical a thing as civilian defense was heavily tinged in its early days with rhythm daneing; eemmunity singing-and organized physical fitness programs. : We have seen all about us a maze of organizations floundering in the field of labor relations, getting in each other’s way, passing the buck to each other, hesitating to take firm -positions,-and enforging decisions with one set of rules for the Averys and anothe. for the Petrillos. We have seen selective service issuing such a barrage of predictions, instructions and rulings as to keep registrants, employers and draft boards in a whirl of misunderstanding. ET We have seen bureaus to deal with manpower and production and employment and labor °problems blossom and fade, to be overshadowed by new bureaus created to do ~~ the same job, which later faded while still other new : bureaus blossomed—but all clinging tenaciously to existence and adding to the complexity and inefficiency of the .. home-front setup. Many of these bureaus already handle phases of the job which a natioral service: administration would tackle. On the basis of experience, is there any reason to believe that any of them would be eliminated ? Or, rather, wouldn't the new agency merely be piled on top of them, to build up a new library of directives, regulations and precedents, while the old. bureaus still struggled for as prominent a spot as possible in the revised setup? .» . » “ ~ . 2 MANY OF THE PROBLEMS which it is ¢laimed a national service law would settle largely grew out of the failure of existing bureaus to establish and observe firm policies, or to policies which shifted so rapidly that they left both workers and employers in a daze. : Some grew out of failure to do comparatively simple things—such as that of selective service in granting occupational deferments without taking precautions to see that men remained in the jobs for which: they “were deferred. Of the same pattern: has been the laxity of the war man- | power commission in parmitting some workers to hift from essential to less essential jobs—thus violating its own com- ~ mandments. ; z : : Is it necessary to pile a great new bureau controlling millions of men on top of all the bureaus now existing in order to get the war workers who are needed? : - We don’t know, but because we recall what has hap_pened with other war ageneies we hope that congress takes a careful look before voting. Tu

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ONGRESSWOMAN HELEN GAHAGAN DOUGLAS of ornia, former actress, had to be prompted when she nswer present at her first. congressional roi call.

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REFLECTIONS—

‘Good Books from Retiring Authors .

eT at eh ~

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Queer Fellows By. Harry. Hansen

—take it from the anonymous head of the publicity departmen of a publishing house. ie Stung to bitter reflection ‘by the annual lsts of the “10 best,” he or she lists the 10 worst types of authors in the curreht Pub. “lishers Weekly. in Boiled down they include ‘the bookstore checker - upper, who sends his friends to the stores to locate a copy of his book, not to buy one; the advertising expert, who suggests doublespreads in national magazines; the reviewer baiter, who knows that when his book gets panned the reviewer must be a Trotzkyite; the publicity hound, who wants to be photographed handing a copy of his book to Mrs. Roosevelt—or is it Gypsy Rose Lee?

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THEN THE service-complex hound, who makes the publisher get him cigarets, plane reservations, etc.; the publisher's helper, who checks on type faces

.and wants to give a pep talk to the sales depart

ment; the vague-and-promising author who ,doesn't show up at the radio talk or autographing party for which he is booked. And the hungry and thirsty author “who always appears in the office unannounced at 12:30 if hungry and at 5 when thirsty, just to talk things over, and.wouldn’t it be cosier over lunch or a drink at the Ritz?”

All these types are recognizable in New York's lit erary merry-go-round. But the better the book, the more retiring the author. There are exceptions, of course. Sometimes an inexperienced author of a good book—I am thinking of one right now—allows herself to be run ragged being interviewed, appearing on radio programs, going to cockiail parties and luncheons, because the energetic publicity man is on the job. Sometimes these activities are intended to impress Hollywood and make a good movie sale. But if an author's book appeals to the public all this energy is unnecessary, and if it doesn’t no amount of appearances on Information Please can help it. A book the public wants is just like butter hese days —it melts away in a hurry.

Spiritual Freedom ‘in Prison

WHAT STARTLES me about “Prisoners’ Quest,” a series of talks on religion by a British chaplain, Capt. D. H. C. Read, is not that they are about re-ligion-but that they were given in a prison camp in Germany, right under the noses of the pagan Nazis. In 1942 Capt. Read spoke to men captured in France, Greece and Crete—“behind barbed wire, guarded by Nazi sentries, in a bare, unattractive room.” Here was spiritual freedom in a prison. Also unusual is the substance of these lectures. Candidly he declares that “determinism seeks to explain the mystery of life by denying to man any vestige of free will, reducing all human behavior to pre-determined patterns.” To the chaplain determinism is an evasion, a means of avoiding the moral choice the age demands of men. Then he passes on to’ humanism, atonement and faith. These were not primarily inspirational talks; nor did they. use an emotional appeal; they were analytical, spoken to British officers and their orderlies, giving them something to think in the long, gray days that have no ending, (Macmillan, $1.50.) ’

WORLD AFFAIRS—

Fork In The Road

By William Philip Simms

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.—The Grand Alliance—especially the Big Three faces a crisis which, if not solved quickly, will dash allied hopes for post-war collaboration to maintain the peace. The policy favored by most of the united nations—namely, to let the problems of frontiers, populations and sovereignties wait for the peace table—is out the window. Europe's fate is being settled right now. Little of importance is being left for the peace conference. The advance of the Red armies into Western Poland calls for an immediate understanding between the Big Three. Lack of such an understanding, it is feared here, will almost certainly doom the sort of world planned at Dumbarton Oaks, Russia has recognized the puppet regime at Lublin. Britain and the United States refuse recognition. They back the government-in-exile in London. Once the Reds occupy the rest of Poland, however, the Lublinitesy-are scheduled to move. to Warsaw and Polish independence will be a thing of the past.

Can Not Be Postponed Much Longer

ally. According to the official Pglish news agency, the prime minister replied: “You may be sure that we shall not depart in any way from our resolve that independence, domestic freedom and full sovereignty of the Polish state will be preserved.” Nothing could be more categorical. The announced stand of the United States is fundamentally the same. - The schism between the Big Three, therefore, is glaring. The test of whether they can and' will continue to co-operate in the political field after the war, cannot be postponed much longer. It is believed to be a matter of weeks at the outside, No amount of propaganda can hide the fact that the Lublin regime is Communist in‘ character or that it is directed from Moscow. The name, Boleslaw Beirut, acting president of the “provisional government” at Lublin, is assumed. London Poles say his real name is Krasnodebski. The name, Beirut, was made up of the two first syllables of two other. aliases —Bienkowski and Rutkowski—used during previous political activities. Beirut was born in 1891, near Lublin. was granted Soviet citizenship and admitted to the Comintern. Since then, say the Poles, he has worked in various capacities, including a tour of duty in the Ogpu (Soviet secret police). Eastern Poland has already been Sovietized in line with Russian practice and Western Poland's turn seems imminent.

Big Threq Meeting Will Be Decisive

THAT PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S forthcoming meeting with Marshal Stalin. and Prime Minister Churchill will be decisive 1s widely believed here, The enthusiastic reception accorded Senator Vandenberg'’s proposal for an immediate international understand-

Hill, Both houses of congress admittedly are growing impatient. They want something done, and quickly. They know the Dumbarton Oaks plan is already seriously undermined and .they want it salvaged. They realize that the Grand Alliance has come to a fork in the road, One road, they believe, leads to a world security organization—the kind blueprinted here by the Big Four last fall. The other, they are convinced. backtracks to the old’ balance-of-power system which Has never yet failed to wind up in an“other war, . “I i

- “Meanwhile, one

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“ sae i ; A QUEER FELLOWE are authors |

LORD ALFRED DOUGLAS last week appealed to | Prime Minister, Churchill on behalf of Britain’s Polish |

In 1921 he |

ing 1s regarded as significant of the trend on Capitol | -

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Up in the Home Sector

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The Hoosier Forum

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

“WILL HOKUS-POKUS NEVER END?”

By James D. Roth, Indianapolis Orchids to Shelbyville—It would be a pleasure to shake the hand of the gentleman from Shelbyville who said in Hoosier Forum Jan. 13— “Nuts to the ice carnival.” Oh, yes, we need an ice carnival like an Eskimo needs a refrigerator. Why not save the ice for the ice shortage we have each summer, and devote the labor to the war effort? I suppose this ice business is listed with the co-ordination of fan-danc-ing .and ping pong, horseshoe pitching and boxing. The park board denies a poor man™and his family the right to fish in White river at Riverside, which they could walk to. A dirty deal, says I. Now comes the ice carnival, king and queen. Will hokus-pokus never end? Phooey! = s 2 “JUST WHAT GRIPE HAVE YOU COMING?” By Miss M. E. Okey, Indianapolis ° I read the Hoosier Forum evely night’ and think it’s a swell part of The Times. I have never written anything like this so maybe you will have enough space to print this following letter in your paper. Iam sure there are plenty of people who think as I do about the railway situation. :

To Mrs. E. S. and other gripers: So you are a war worker. Well, so are a blue million other people, including myself. And believe me, if everyone was upset about the railway situation as you, things would be in a devil of a shape. Most of the “pleasure seekers” you spoke of are people who are going to and returning from work. Just because they don’t have on overalls and dirty faces doesn’t mean they aren't war workers. There are clean jobs, too, you know. Others are people who work on an earlier shift than vours and are going out for an evening: of entertainment. What's wrong with that? After your work day is finished, you, too, like a little enjoyment. That is, of course, if {you are a normal human being. As I have said before. I am a worker. Although I am not married, I have taken over at home | when my mother was ill. Believe | me, washing, ironing, cleaning, | cooking and the. other things that housewives and mothers have to do are not any easier than your job. Yes, they even have longer hours

(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 ways implies agreement with. those opinions by The Times. The Times assumes no responsibility for the return of manuscripts and cannot enter core respondence regarding them.)

than your nine. Just why should ‘you or anyone else begrudge somée one a ride -or a seat on the railway cars? Remember those ‘people are just as important to the home front and victory as you are.

The boys overseas would most likely give a dollar, stand in the rain, anfl even sit on top, just to get #8 ride. On the battlefields over there, no trolleys, streetcars or busses are to be seen. Here the cars come eventually, but those wonderful guys don’t get that chance. So just what gripe have you coming? Maybe the vehicle operator does: overrun your stop but walking a couple of blocks won't hurt you.-It'’s good for those sore muscles you get from working so hard.

In other words, if you can’t gripe about something bigger than not being satisfied with the people riding the ® transportation vehicles, don’t gripe at all. "4 8 “JUDGE HAS SLIGHTLY

ALTERED THE CASE”

By Stephen Abnerd, Indianapolis In answer to the Hon. Judge Niblack article in your Friday issue, I would say that the good judge has slightly altered the case, Ward's is the party questioning the law, not the U. 8. government. Also, at the present time, the case is in court and until the case is decided, the U. 8. government will enforce the law that is row on the statute books. As for the military personnel involved when a man is a soldier, he does what he is told or else he takes the consequences.

Side Glances—By Galbraith

a HEL te

Wane

“THE PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO CHOICE” By W. C. Reese, Shelbyville One of the Indianapolis newspapers has come out against the enactment of a primary law which would provide for the nomination of United States senators and governors and other state officers, stating that the primary was indorsed as a local matter to nominnate county candidates. The people of Indiana are entitled to a choice in.the nomination of United States senators and other officers of the siate. Indiana is one of the five states of the union which does not have a primary law. The convention system does not express the will of the people. Money plays too great a part in the nomination of governor and senasors. In fact, if we had the pris mary I doubt if many of the cans didates for governor would be nominated at all. Party organization thwarts the wil] of the people. It is no reflection to say that the people of Indiana saw in the last convention of the Democratic” party a horse trade and the candidate for United - States senator bécame the candidate for governor. It was known for weeks ahead that the Republican candidate would be the present elected governor. This all brought about by politica] manipulation of the convention system. Indiana is a.backward state when it comes to nominations of the candidates for national and state offices. In fact, even the elections have been made a football of politics in that thousands of voters in the state of Indiana did not get to vote in the last election. i The temperance people have asked for a local option law, but both political parties are bound hand and foot by the liquor interest in the state of Indiana. The new administration may ignore the demands of the people for a local option law and a direct primary but they cannot escape the fact that, as a party long out of power in the state of Indiana, they are merely on trial and that if the people will assert’ themselves they will at the first chance remove from office at the next election those who stand in the way of the people. The Democrats were defeated because they retained in office of the party organization those who would not take any stand for the primary. The opposition to the direct primary comes from the press that is .in league with the present bi-partisan organization which opposes the direct primary law for the nomination of officers above. that of township road supervisor. . »

1“NOT CLASSED +-F

FROM CHOICE” By Fairplay, Indianapolis As the mother of a 4-F, 1 resent the threatening attitudes toward this contingent. They presented, themselves to their draft boards when called and without regard for their feelings, were given the 4-F classification and made to feel inferior and unwanted. Insult was added to injury. when many war plants and essential industriés refused to employ some of them. The 4-F"s are as patriotic as any Americans and it hurt their pride when they were not permitted to wear the uniform. It has been suggested that they now be drafted into the army for limited service or work battalions at army base pay without depéndency allotments or other veteran's benefits. And so stigma is to be attached to the 4-F class. ~ Surely men with physical defects do not deserve such unkind treatment. It should never be forgotten

that men are not classed 4-F from|.

choles. ~~

* DAILY THOUGHTS |

But the ing, and

POLITICAL SCENE ia |ronic Situation By Thomas, L Stokes

WASHINGTON, Jan, 16.-~The strange situations into which the house can work itself up to ine vestigate “un-American activities” : as aptly exemplified in what is happening about the new coms mittee created for that purpose. Democratic leaders seem to have followed certain impish inclinae ® tions in picking the membership of the new committee which was authorized by the house, against. the leadership's wishes and in une usual procedure, on the opening day of éongress by & coalition .of Republicans and southern Democrats under the skillful direction of Rep, Rankin (D, Miss.), The almost ironic results become clear by.analysis and contrast, Ta ‘i The old Dies committee was headed by former Rep. Matin Dies (D. Tex.), who expressed through the committee a prejudice against New Dealers and

1 lahore. which ehe worked off in.the way. he conducted.

the committee, Anybody who knew Mr, Dies, who knew the motions of his mental processes and who watched ‘the committee knew this to be true, His purpose was crystal clear, ' -

Personal Representative of Boss Hague THE CHAIRMAN of the new committee is Rep, Hart (D. N. J.), one of the two personal representa

| tives in the house of Boss Frank Hague of Jersey

City, the other being Congresswoman Mary T, Norton, Now the background of Mr, Hague and his machine, of which Mr. Hart is a loyal and devoted cog—others wise he couldn't stay in congress—is very interesting, Not so many years ago Boss Hague was kicking the C. I. O. around Jersey City. He sicked his hooli= gans on them and once called a monster mass meeting to which his legions were ordered to whip up frenzy against the C. I. O. He delivered quite a harangue, himself, in which he denounced the ©. I. O. as communistic, That was very much in Dies tradition. But Mr. Hague has had a change of heart mean= while, dictated no doubt by political considerations, In the last election there was a close alliance between the Hague machine and the C. I. O. now politically potent, The C. I. O. backed him in his successful fight against the proposed new state corfstitution which might have been most embarrassing to the boss, For under it he could have been forced td testify: before legislative committees, which he has been avoiding for years, or else give up his practically permanent job as mayor of Jersey City. So, Mr. Hague is beholden to the C. I. O. Also the Communist party in New Jersey backed his machine, r 2

Rankin Will Be On Committee

REP. HART, the new head of the un-American activities committee, also had C. I. O. backing, being a machine candidate. The Hague organization also has stood stanchly by President Roosevelt and - the New Deal. So it is not likely that Rep, Hart will be inclined to kick around the C. I. O. and the New Dealers, or perhaps even the Communists, the way Mr, Dies was wont to do, which will be most disappointing to the Republicans and the Rankin southern Democrats who joined to revivé the Dies committee, obviously with that in mind, . Furthermore, the Democratic leadership did a good Job otherwise in packing the committee, for four of the six Democratis members voted against creation of . the new committee, including Rep. Hart. Of course : there is always Rep. Rankin, who will be on the come mittee, . He is effective, is bitterly anti-C. I..O. and undoubtedly will be influential with the Republican members, . : "It would be ironie if the new committee, instead of worrying so much about New Dealers and Come munists, should investigate some of the big industrial interests which, from time to time, the New Dealers call Fascists: and un-American,

IN WASHINGTON— Strange Legacy By Peter Edson

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.—-When Washington state's newly ape pointed Senator Hugh B. Mitchell took office as successor to his fore mer boss, Senator Mon C. Walle gren, he was assigned to the office suite formerly occupied by Senaw _ tor Gerald P. Nye of North Dae kota. Mitchell's secretary; Jack Croome, took the desk. formerly occupied by Nye's secretary, Gere ald W. Movius. Opening the desk drawer, Croome fourid this note: “To” my successor: Please take good care of Montmorency. He involves little trouble. Just don't hurt him or I will haunt you. He doesn't take baths and he doesn't, have to be taken out for’ walks. He used to be mine and now he is yours. You can have. him, . I don't’know what he eats, Apparently nothing, You may not see him right away, but you may be assured he is in this desk and will show up in due time. He is a cockroach, Goodby, Gerald W, Movius.” ” ” . . SENATOR ALBEN W. BARKLEY of Kentucky got roped in on a publicity stunt the other day, being photographed with Marie McDonald sitting on his desk: If the name doesn’t register, she is the Holly wood gal being promoted as “The Body.” You will recognize “The Body.” Just to clinch his gag, the press agent later called up the senator and all the photographers. to advise them that “The Body” was confined to her hotel with measles. The press agent wanted to know if the senator was immune, ” - .

That, Sir, Is Reappropriation

THE DAY before the President's budget message = went to congress, Director of the Budget Harold D, ' Smith held a seminar for newspapermen to go over some-of its intricacies. One of thé things Smith was - asked about was the 14 billion dollars worth of ree appropriations—what were reappropriations? “Supe pose your wife comes to the end of your budget year and finds you have $200 that she hasn't spent,” said Smith. “Then she says to you, ‘I've got’ $200 that we thought we'd spent, but didn’t, and here are some suggestions as to how we can reappropriate it.” on. * WHEN MacARTHUR'S forces landed on Luzon island in the Philippines, Brig. Gen, Horace 8, Sewell, British military spokesman in Washington, issued a statement to show that the Britishers had been at Luzon, too. Credit was given to an Australian naval squadron under a commander whose few destroyers had been with Adm. Kinkaid's covering fleet. Then, like an echo of the European controversy over Lt, Gen, Omar Bradley and Field Marshal Montgomery, there appeared in Gen, Sewell's communique this revealing paragraph: ° : Pl “The operations on land are presumably under the Sir Thomas Blamy, Australian army chief of allied land forces in the | Tn .

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