Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 February 1945 — Page 14

" HENRY W. MANZ Business Manager

| (A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER)

ROY W.

HOWARD WALTER LECKRONE

“Price in Marion Coun‘ty, 5 cents a copy; deliv- , ered by carrier, 20 tents a week. Mail rates in Indiana, $5 a year; all other states, U. 8. possessions, Canada and Mexico, 87 cents a | month. |

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“ive Light and the People Will Find Their Own Woy

Ownsd and. published =o daily (except Sunday) by § ~ {00 Indianapolis Times oh 2

OVERLOOK THE RUDENESS

GEN. DE GAULLE'S ‘rudeness, in pointedly declining President Roosevelt's invitation to a meeting somewhere in the Mediterranean area, should not be allowed to make American-French relations worse. Americans can | afford to overlook the bad manners of a French patriot suf- | fering from an inferiority complex. If we were in the position of a proud nation rescued by friends, probably we would be supersensitive too—and not as gracious as are most Frenchmen. : Anyway, the main %hing is to strengthen the friendship of the two. great republics which traditionally have stood together. That should not be hard to do. Our national loyalties are to the same democratic ideal. There are no basic conflicts of interest to divide us. And America shares the hope that France shall be a strong, free nation, an example to European peoples less experienced in liberty. Apparently De Gaulle and his group are convinced of the ‘contrary. They seem to assume that our state department | stays awake nights trying to think up ways to keep France | down. The fact that millions of Americans are risking their lives to help raise France, and to’ preserve our common civilization from a common menace, should be enough proof of our real attitude but is not.

» ® .

ONE POINT of friction is over our failure to build up the French army faster. But we have already supplied one French army; sometimes at the expense of our own troops who were short of essentials, and we shall give them more as soon as possible. The same applies to the criticism that France needs materials to restore civilian economy more rapidly. : But probably the worse rub—apart from psychological ‘factors inherent in the transition from enemy rule to representative government—is fear that the United States will prevent France from having an equal voice with the other powers. Certainly this is not so. America wants a strong France with a full voice politically in allied affairs, because a weak France means a weak and chaotic Europe. ‘ We hope our government, despite De Gaulle’s unfriendliness, can make this increasingly clear to the French people —and, if possible, to him.

THEY COULD EARN HIGHER PAY

GOOD case is being made for higher salaries for congressmen. Maury Maverick, chairman of the Smaller War Plants Corporation and a former member of congress, last week gave a graphic comparison of the pay, perquisites, labor's and responsibilities of a congressman in contrast to a topdrawer bureaucrat in the executive department. The picture he painted, and a quite accurate one, too, showed the lawmaker harassed, overworked, overloaded with responsibility, and underpaid. The congressman has no government automobile and chauffeur to haul him around, as the executive official has. The congressman can’t charge his long-distance phone calls. He gets no travel expense, except the “mileage” for one trip to Washington per session. And there is no allowance whatever for the endless entertainment of visiting constituents, for the costs of campaigning, or for the fact that a congressman maintains a

home in his district and another in Washington. » »

miles a day, presumably for business. *

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REFLECTONS— Pleasure Capital | By Ned Brooks | |

MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Feb, 20. —This eapital of the winter resorts offers a curibys mixture of wartime activity and pleasure-as-usual, : Purple heart veterans back from overseas, and free-spend-ers in from the north . . . psychoneurotic hospitals and $75-a-day beach hotels . . . jeeps and limousines . . . nurseg and- movie actresses . . . khaki and furs. . . Within another month the gay high life of Miami will begin to ebb. Already the scramble for rail and plane space is beginning |. and transportation officials predict & worse jam than in 1944, when thousands were marooned here for weeks. The office of defense transportation has | warned that it will be impossible to provide extra accommodations for vacationists this year. Hotel transportation agents wear harried looks. Says one: ‘We aren't allowed to charge if we don't get the accommodations and we can collect only a dollar if we do. It doesn't begin to pay expenses. A lot of guests apply at several places and when we do get their tickets, they don't want ‘em. Whatta life!” . One of OPA's Biggest Headaches SWOLLEN bankrolls and visitors eager to spendhave made Miami one of OPA’s biggest headaches. Authorities have cracked down on hotels, food stores, laundries and clothing shops, but black markets continue to flourish. Meat, butter and cigarets are obtainable if the buyer is willing to look past the ceiling signs. : Scotch is ‘available to customers willing to’ buys two bottles of rum despite the OPA rule against “tie-in” sales. & A “help-wanted” ad reads: washer. Cigarets furnished.” OPA permits hotels and apartment owners to boost their rents during the vacation season of five months, November to March. A modest onebedroom apartment near. the ocean-front brings $400 and up a month, Many visitors who formerly came to Miami by auto used trains and planes this year and bus, jitney and taxi service is overloaded to the- point of breakdown. The vacationist, for $70 a week, can rent an automobile which he is entitled to drive up to 45

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Poignant Sequel - .

By Thomas L Stokes =~

PouTicAL

_ WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.—Life moves on like a book of short stories in which the same chare: acters reappear, except that in war the pace is swifter, the events more dramatic, the tragedies so much more frequent and poignant. Here in this space, only a week = i ago, there was related the story ‘of the American Legion post at ; Hood River, Ore, which had L erased the names of 16 Japanese- : ~ Americans, or Nisei as they are called, from its honor roll, and how National Com mander Edward N. Scheiberling intervened with the past, in vain, to recall its action. ‘ Now comes the story of one of ‘the 16, Frank T. Hachiya, 25, of Portland, Ore, who died a hero's death after a dangerous mission for which he vol unteerediat Leyte.

'One of Those Sharp Cameos of War'

IT WAS one of those sharp cameos of war. The regiment was in a difficult position. Information of the disposition of the enemy was needed. Hachiya volunteered to lead a patrol across a valley swept by Japanese fire. He got out ahead of the patrol. A Jap sniper shot him through the stomach. He was - able -to-make his way back up the hill. But the bullet had passed through his liver. He died on the operating table. 3 What the American boys who served with him d "HHL thought of him is shown by the fact that nearly ; Attn everybody in the regiment volunteered to give blood 4 { transfusions to try to save his life. Jick Will his name go back on the honor roll? A " In this same place, too, only a week ago, was told ‘Fo " the story of the Disabled American Veterans post at Hermiston, Ore., which had voted against admission of Japanese;American or Negro 'veterans to meme, bership.

What Are They Fighting For?

. NOW COMES the copy of a letter which an Amer. ican aviator, a first lieutenant, has sent to that post, from which the following is quoted: “I read in the morning® paper where you had recently voted ‘never to allow a Japanese or a colored veteran’ to become members of your post. “It is impossible for me to convey to you the greag dismay that seeing this caused me.

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'The Heat' Is on Gambling Establishments

SOME VISITORS who found enough gasoline to | drive here ran afoul of OPA by using their cars to | visit race tracks and gther pleasure spots. Shrewder | and looser ones fouhd -that $25 would buy Florida | license plates and immunity from OPA’s annoyances. |

. e : : . . ; The Hoosier Forum 1 wholly disagree with what you say, but will i defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

“I have just returned from a tour of combat duty 'as a navigator on a B-24 with the 15th air force and am fully aware of the great esteem in which the colored fighter pilots are held by the bomber boya they cover. Are they fighting for the continuance « }lot discriminatiof against themselves? 1 “Infantrymen returning on the same boat with me told me of the fine record established by the

The shutdown of the race tracks saddened the sporting element, but Miami is not entirely without speculative opportunities. Crowds flock nightly to the Jai-Alai (Hi-Li) temple where Cubans and bAsques match their skill and pari-mutuel betting “is legal. . The flossier gambling establishments are closed at the moment. Proprietors say ‘“the heat” is on but promise it won't last long. Civic reformers are active again, but observers expect the anti-gambling crusade to subside as soon as the operators find a way to make up the deficits in charitable funds caused by the tracks’ closing. ; Slot machines, once the source of an enormous “take,” have been outlawed, but “consoles” which serve the same purpose are reappearing.

Military Population Had Declined

THE MILITARY population has declined since the army air forces moved out its training center after turning out 550.000 officers and men for fighting duty. At the peak, the armed services were occupying 330 hotels and apartment buildings. More than half of these have been returned to civilian occupancy but the navy is now preparing to requisition eight large buildings. Managers, tenants. and merchants are protesting that the navy could find accommodations in other cities just as suitable as Miami, which already is bulging. Most of the army space is occupied by troops sent here for redistribution, by hospital patients and recuperation troops. : Miami is undergoing another real estate boom and builders are expecting a rushing business after the war. Beach homes which a few years ago could be bought for $10,000 are now bringing $25,000. Staked out in the marshland of Biscayne bay is another new island. After the war the dredges will go to work, the muck will be pumped up and Miami

| will have more real estate.

WORLD AFFAIRS—

" » ” THE PEOPLE are quite willing to pay congressmen what they are worth. Yet, in our opinion, it would be a | mistake for congressmen to raise their own salaries at this * time, until they have first taken steps to make themselves more efficient as lawmakers and thereby more entitled to better pay. The Monroney resolution for a study of congressional machinery and procedures is pending. First let the study | be made, and the recommendations brought in 2nd adopted. It's a fair guess that the recommendations will call for a drastic cut in the number of congressional committees, and | adequate staffs of lawyers, statisticians and researchers | to help the lawmakers do their work more effectively. After |

they have reorganized the legislative branch along that line |

congressmen can make a much better case for higher pay.

5

DOUBTFUL PARTY

WE love the American system of political parties for all its faults, and would not see it changed. Still, it was | rather pleasant to learn that when Adm. Thomas C. Hart was appointed United States senator from Connecticut, after 48 years in the navy, no one was certain of his party | affiliation. Perhaps the admiral wasn’t quite sure himself. | (He finally decided to sit on the Republican side.) There have been occasions when one had reason to suspect that party affiliation was the only thing that sonie . congressmen were sure of. The presence of Senatordesignate Hart in their midst should at least provide . welcome variety.

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

SECRETARY OF STATE STETTINIUS made a big hit ‘in a Moscoy theater by presenting a 3000-ruble ($240) bouquet to the prima ballerina. The dispatch relates— - incidentally making our own profit-motive florist industry look good—that in Russia “the price is only nominal ‘for uch a luxury at this season.” * Fortunately Ed Stettinius reputed to have plenty of money. For when he gets back may take nothing less than a mink coat for Mrs. S. to p the peace on the hoe front, Tam

of the United Mine Workers of Labor hit % snag at me Joerence of opinion oposed to rejoin.the A.'F.

Cornered Rats

By William Philip Simms

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20—Our great task force raid on Tokyo and the landings on Corregidor and Iwo Jima, allied intelligence circles say, mark a sensational turn in the whole Pacific war. The Japs may now be forced to revamp their entire strategy to avert early disaster. a. ’ Just before Pearl Harbor, Adm. Takahashi, former commander-in-chief of the combined fleet, prepared an exhaustive study on the Japanese position, military and diplomatic. A translated extract, now in my hands, reveals how desperate that position has betome. , “Manchukuo,” observed the admiral, “is Japan's life-line on land. The South seas is Japan's life-line at sea. But despite this obvious fact, the real in=terest of the Japan®se people remains centered in the North (China and Manchuria) as the Manchurian affairs and the China affair indicate. “Nevertheless, the northward policy will become untenable if the sguthern life-line is neglected. Only with the addition of the South seas can the East Asia bloc, composed of Manchukuo, China and Japan, become complete for the achievement of the new order in this part of. the globe, It is a matter of life and death for Japan to bring the Indies and Indo-China within the Japanese sphere of influence.”

What Can Japan Do About It?

THE COMPLETE interdependence of Japan's northward and southward thrusts is here fully admitted and exposed by the Jap admiral Neither theater of operations is long tenable by Japan without the other. Yet American forces have virtually

This raises the vital question of what Japan can do about it. When Adm. Takahashi prepared his pre-Pearl Harbor thesis, Germany was everywhere triumphant, the United States was unprepared and Russia was a benevolent neutral. The world’s greatest opportunists, the Japs thought the stage was all set for a quick and complete axis victory. Today, the European end of the axis stands defeated. Only the coup de grace remains to-be administered. That done, all the allies—including, most likely, the Soviet Union—will fall on Nippon. And Nippon is already on the defensive, outclassed on land, sea and in the air. 3 - Traditional Japanese naval strategy had been to force the enemy to close in on Japan proper, then destroy them with superior forces. Before ihe war,’ that is what Jap writers sald they would do to the: United States. They would lure our fleet to the Western. Pacific, then sink it with the ald of swarms hot -based planes. - Jp

| to Bai 0” outs wiht mop. of" victory, ke. o fed cur swosper—insiead of clearing the carpet. .-

“WE HAVE OUR HOMES TO ENJOY” By Mrs. P. A. Berry, 1743 Hall pl.

(Times readers are invited to express their views in thesa columns, religious con-

Japanese-American troops of the 5th army. These white men to whom I spoke had only great admiration for these ‘Japs’ who had evidently carried far more than their share of the battle.”

‘An Un-American Trend'

“ALL WE NEED IS A LEADER" By Rees and Grace Coster, Mooresville This is a letter wa are sending to

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In a grocery store today, I heard a lady complaining about not being able to obtain the things she asked for. So I told her, “Many times I had asked for items I was unable to get, but my two sons, one stepson, a son-in-law, also a stepson-in-law, and many boys I knew as dear friends no doubt would like many things they cannot get.” If they get along without them so can I and so should she without complaining. We have our homes to enjoy and a bed to lie down in and sleep at night. I feel we should thank God for that, and pray for the quick and safe return of our “boys, and not | complain about the things we are unable to obtain. =» “AMERICA NEEDS SLUM CLEARANCE” By Bert Wilhelm, 2108 8. Emerson ave. ‘When Lockfield gardens was financed by the taxpayer and promoted by the Democrats, the entire set up was condemned as being|

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, ahd 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.)

Rep. Louis Ludlow: My husband and I have always been admirers of your work in congress. © You always are doing somehing for‘the good of the people regardless of politics, and we heartily approve of your. “Christian‘’ peace crusade.” You are putting into action what Christians the world over are desiring, and all we need is a leader. : We feel that a peace based on your sugg®stion would be a lasting peace. We think if the. churches had got behind the League of Nations at the close of the first world war as they should have done, we would not have been in this war, As the basis of a permanent world peace, we would suggest the plan |given by E. Stanley Jones in “The Christ of the Christian Road.” If every congressman, and every minister, and every Christian would and should adopt the move as a|read this book, our country would national policy, and put- it first on lead the world to a permanent world our after-the-war planning. When (peace based on justice for all. we have real social security and "ns 8 the funds collected are used to| WILL SAVE visionary, communistic and a loud|finance homes for those inthe MANY LIVES” move of the New Deal. But some of | OWT income groups at a low rate gy garry W. Hull, Indianapolis {of interest over a long period and| As one of your important missions

the same group who were so loud |“. 3 in condemning Lockefleld Gardens distributed through the local build- ls to reach the public .with your |’ editorials I believe this is a good

are all for a one story, single unit ing and loan associations . we will time for you to write a piece about

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lays, changes of venue, further study and complications, before the man with the saw and hatchet gets on the job. America ‘needs slum clearance,

development, also financed by the have accomplished our desire and urpose, and local home builders} fire prevention on your editorial move without an effort or thought to| Will do the job as a part of their page, arrive at the probable cost or{Foutine work. Thus we have the v try a great tragedy occurs, and after And a Republican assembly that| The 30-hour week will arrive soon they happen the public feeling promised again and again and again after the war. A man getting 75 to end the New Deal in Indiana cents per hour will have an income minds of the people. Newspapers seems to like it. |of $22.50 per week, with a proposed are the only way the public can beacquire has been platted for a long his withholding tax which will | person should do to eliminate fire time, and contains about 500 legal| bring him back to the $15 per week | hazards. The terrible fire in Inprice will take considerable effort|man we are trying to-help. never have happened if each child land expense. Most every title will] If our general assembly would get|in that household had been on the {merchantahle. Condemnation pro- | resolution addressed to our congress|fires. ‘It is too late to bring back ceedings and suits to quiet title will|and_ senators in Washington re-|the lives of those four little gifs. mortgages held by the ward chair- | efforts to have all social security |preventionist out of each member man or by a contributor to the cam- | money loaned on the homes for|of every family. It ig not a quespolitical purchasing agents will have|income in the locality where it is|the Saturday night fire is of little to bé paid. It will be a field day earned we will do more for slum consequence. The thing that mat-

taxpayers, and are endorsing the|PUrP Every so often all over our counultimate outcome. answer to this important problem. I against fire hazards are in the The property the promoters aim to|8 per cent social security levy and|come acquainted th what each descriptions. To acquire it at a fair| WPA subsistence income. He is the | dianapolis Saturday - night would {have to be corrected to make it|down to brass tacks and pass &|lookout for the things which start appear, along with the top heavy questing them to use their best But it is not too late to make a fire paign fund; political appraisers and | those in the lower brackets of |tion of property loss. The loss in for abstractors, courts, lawyers and clearance than the socialistic planters is that lives were lost that

crimination here a week ago.

gested are the Bible and the American Constitution, but rather a letter from a man genuinely concerned with what he considers to be an un-American trend and one detrimentgl to the interests of our country.”

have fought side by side with Americans of other races. - -

come from civilians in this country. for refugees from other lands, that it has always been so, and that once they become citizens, they are due

the protection of our laws which are a guarantee of our democratic tradition. .

IN WASHINGTON—

By Earl Richert

tended by more than 50 persons is causing hotel and convention bureau men throughout.the country te lift their eyebrows. ”

official. “But isn't the whole idea of having meetings

or isn't it?”

HE REFERRED then to other incidents of dise against Japanese-Americans reported “Read and reflect on this. Other references sugs

“Please do not consider this as.a'mischievous paper

Such tolerance is typical among servicemen who

Tolerant, too, are communications which have

They reflect the view that this country is a haven

Rule of Fifty

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.—If 50 local residents get together at & Rotary club luncheon to hear an out-of-town speaker, total attend« ance 51, that's not cricket, under the “convention” rules set by the office of defense transportation. But if 50 persons come out of , town to attend ‘a meeting and’ that's the total attendance, -it's 0. K. i This present official intérpretation of the ban on meetings ate.

“Bure, it's silly,” agreed a defense transportation under present conditions silty? 1s this an all-out war, The whole point 6 War Mobilization Director Byrnes’ ban on meefings of more than 50 persons, he said, was to rel ¢e overburdened transportation and hotel facilities’and tp conserve manpower: “The questions brought up about the rule are a small a that causes a lot of trouble. But we are tremeydously encouraged by the number of groups that have canceled their meetings and have gone on

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severed the two and are hammering at Tokyo itself. [|

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real estate men, with the usual de-|suggested.

Side Glances=By Galbraith

ase leave the radio alone, Henry!" | still remeber how you

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it gave it a shavel”

|mother or father, you can eliminate

should not have been lost. t is impossible for the fire mar- | shi], 8r the members of the fire department, to visit each and every home in a city, but if through an editorial you can bring before all the people who read your newspaper the fact that the elimination of carelessness in their homes will save the lives of their sisters, or brothers,

to accomplish their purposes without conventions.”

No Policeman at the Door

AT FIRST hotel and convention men believed that the ban pertained only to the numbers of persons traveling to conventions, But they were advised that the ODT wanted any meetings involving out-of-town travel held down to 50, As for the example of the Rotary club luncheon attended by 50 local residents and one out-of-town speaker, the ODT spokesman said there would be no policeman at the door to count the attendance. No government coercion’ was used to. halt the Westminister Kennel club dog show at Madison Square Garden recently which drew more than 2600 dogs from all sections of the country and thousands of spectators, he pointed out. AE The dog show sponsors believed it was not a trade show and that question was not raised until the show was in progress : “We are convinced they acted in good faith,” the ODT official said. “But dog shows, of course, are trade shows and they should not be held.” “We have not made any threats nor have we ane nounced any enforcement procedure,” he continued. “We have simply appealed to our citizens to help the war effort by cancelling “conventions.” ;

No Bans on Purely Local Meetings

THE RULE of 50 was adopted because it would be almost impossible, administratively, to pass on re’ quests for meetings involving fewer than that number, he said. No bans were placed on purely local meetings because they did not involve inter-éity transportation or hotel facilities.’ t So far, the ODT's committee on conventions has denied 469 applications for approval of meetings and has pased only 15. yom, Of the 15, four weré for legislative conferences of church groups, one wag for a wage conference of the Southern Coal Producérs Assn, and one was for.a national wage conference of the:United Mine Workers. |of America. ‘The remainder were for such meetings

unnecessary suffering amongst our citizens. You do not have to be a fire pre\vention expert to know or recognize a fire hazard. Improper heating plants, electric wiring, etc. cigarets thrown in a place where they will smolder, are all hazards, A small child can be taught to keep combustible material away from stoves. Vigilance on the part of the older members of the family can eliminate greater hazards. Fire prevention in homes to a large degree must be handled by the members of the family. They can have fire drills and know the windows they should rush.to in the event they are awakened at night. A little practice will save many lives and it is no great effort to go over these things with. your family before a fire happens.

DAILY THOUGHTS

FAK TOK

Organi? In!

By Un WASHI ganized and sugai gerous siz mation w They ar the, coun ' sugar cou major pi agencies. Institut sumers ar . llegitimat Reviewi tions in 1 ties, the C office of U. 8. secr tax unit showed: Illegal through pons has

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No orga in cigaret. ers” are o Organize ties in lic eliminated The en ported . to creasing against an that migh First inc eteering c¢ stemps ca Price Adm reported t« stamps—er rationed one weekactivity, F endangere tioning pre

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Sugar a modity fis in the so nation, O needed fo tions of tl operations get of the On one 2,000,000 pc sugar were lina. Seve! merchants, $14,200. Counterf are appear racketeers the field o said. The sam drove the gasoline co applied in . These incl of governn mechanical terfeit co changes, a

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Bowles v ers concen More than terfeit gaso along the.) 30 per cen sented by sold in Ne ark, N/ J. and Atlant said, ~~ In Balt | » dled cigare to be sold | . Portland, a rets throu Dearborn, cigarets for lecting to | ing machin chiselers di closing tim sold cigaret Two trou eling are ti shaving cre +. also buy so sales, wher cigar stan packs.

STATE OF INS.

One of th aches facing istration is | ture. The state proximately tax revenue surance con the U. 8. su year ago, | was intersta A premiu lected from firms, exem offices were supreme cc "structure we Republica: the legislat: flat 2 per ce insurance to

Mothe Finis MEDFOR

iveness, § years ago three chil was .one o at Tufts co “It was | way,” she i to play wit with my be