Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 October 1945 — Page 18

he Indianapolis Times AGE 18 Thursday, Oct. 18, 1945

ROY W. HOWARD WALTER LECKRONE . HENRY W.MANZ ' President : Editor Business Manager

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Woy

ANYHOW, IT'S WELCOME : (Xx 7HATEVER his reason, John L. Lewis" action in calling Y¥ off the coal strike certaifily is welcome. : We should like to be able to agree with Mr. Lewis’ spokesman who says that this action “obviously was taken “in the public interest.” But a tender regard for the public interest has never seemed to us to be one of Mr. Lewis’ outstanding characteristics. Even during the war, when coal strikes were a greater menace to the public interest, he never called one off without getting what he wanted. And so now, when he orders a strike stopped short of its objective—namely, the organization of coal-mine foremen by a branch of his union—a good many people probahly can’t help wondering why. We don’t know why. Perhaps, however, Mr. Lewis supplied a clue when he said that the effort to unionize the mine foremen would be resumed “at a later and more

appropriate date.”

» » ” » " ~ I8 it possible that Mr. Lewis found a great many rank-and-file members of his union becoming more and more reluctant to stay on strike over the foremen issue? Did he sense the development of a back-to-work gentiment that he couldn't stop? iad wi .Does he believe that next spring may be the “more appropriate” time? Contracts with the mine owners will be up for renewal then, wages will be an issue, and the miners might be more willing to support a prolonged strike for higher pay as well as for unionization of foremen. ... Could be, we think. And, if there must be a coal strike carried on to a complete victory for Mr. Lewis, it may cause less public hardship next spring than it would now. We believe, though, that the issue of whether foremen should belong to the same union as the workers they are supposed to supervise is not one that should be left to settlement by a strike, or even by the national labor relations board. That issue involves a question of national policy so important to the whole future of industry-labor relations that congress ought to answer it.

NO HITCH-HIKING f OME members of congress are talking about writing legislative restraints on organized labor into the administration’s “full 'employment” bill. This bill, passed by the senate, is before the house committee on executive expenditures. Rep. Ed Gossett of Texas, a member of the committee, says that he and others have discussed the idea of an amendment to impose on

unions greater responsibility for the use of their power. [

Now we believe that labor's organized power urgently needs checks and balances against its abuse, and that. it is the duty of congress to provide them—but fot by the method Mr. Gossett suggests. Legislation proposed for that purpose should not be made a hitch-hiker on any other measure. It should stand on its own feet. It should be considered carefully, on its own merits or lack thereof. It could be so considered if the labor committees of house and senate would do their jobs properly. But for many years these two committees have considered it their function to pigeonhole any legislation opposed by the leaders of organized labor. And the labor leaders, pursuing a normal, human course, always. oppose any legislation that would restrict their complete freedom to do as they please with the enormous power the government has helped them to attain.

¥ » »” W » . HE result is that congress, when stirred to the point of action by public protests against some particularly flagrant labor infringement on public rights, feels that it ean do nothing unless it by-passes the labor committees. The sort of action suggested by Mr. Gossett grows out of that feeling. One measure violently opposed by the labor leaders— the Hatch-Ball-Burton bill—has been before the senate labor committee for more than four months, The committee has not refused to consider this bill, or to hold hearings on it. But it takes the position that this is not the time for hearings; that nothing should be done now because President Truman has called a conference to meet next month and try to work out a voluntary basis for labormanagement peace. We hope that conference will succeed magnificently. We do not believe that its success would be endangered by a senate committee hearing arguments for and against legislation proposed as a statutory basis for labor-manage-ment peace. If the conference does not succeed, there will certainly be compelling public demand for legislative action in a hurry. Congress should be getting ready now to meet that demand wisely and constructively, if it comes. The senate labor committee should not wait, and by waiting create danger of hot, hasty and unwise legislation. 1¢ should begin hearings at once on the Hatch-Ball-Burton bill, the bill offered by Senator McMahon of Connecticut, and any other proposals to safeguard labor's necessary power by preventing its abuse. ;

MacARTHUR PROTECTS FREE PRESS EN. MacARTHUR has acted promptly on protests of the war department and American press against restrictions on the number of correspondents covering Japan, Korea and the Philippines. His chief of public relations, Brig. Gen. Diller, had decreed a quota system which was discriminatory and repressive. Yesterday the supreme commander canceled it. In so doing he showed that intelligence and fairness which Americans associate with the name MacArthur, A © We trust him to see to it that members of his staff - ‘who want to restrict the press do not accomplish indirectly ‘what he has prohibited directly. The rub, of course, is that the army controls the living facilities. Cancellation of the Diller quota system will not help if correspondents

to move around and gather news,

"But, now that he has taken a personal hand to prevent

no place to live, no way to get winter clothing, no |

REFLECTIONS—'

Waffle Irons

By Frank Aston

~ WASHINGTON, Oct. 18—~The waffle iron is now 76 years old. The first one, patented in 1869, was a ponderous contraption with a heavy lid and a broad bottom for use directly above wood or coal flames. The original lid and base were equipped, much like today’s model, with toothlike projections. The adventurous housewife of 1869 was advised to start proceedings with a slightly enriched pancake or flap~ jack batter. She leurned from experience that it also was advisable to have a sturdy set of wrists and biceps. After getting the monster hot, she was to spread batter over its jagged base, then lower away, If she were a good cook she would know by instinct when to make the big flip and when to hoist the top jaw, The big flip was a matter of turning the clenched jaws upside down at the moment the lower side was done. This exercise required intuition and muscle; intuition to sense without peeping that the time had come, and muscle to heave the machinery which weighed less than a ton. game was to part the jaws before the content§ were burned black, but not until they had passed the rubbery stage. She who won was the girl who pried at the instant of brown crispness,

Gallons of Batter Lost

PATENT OFFICE records do not show how many gallons of batter were thrown out as cinders or something like pale glue. This waste resulted from faulty timing by the cook in hoisting too soon or too late. Patent experts reveal that lifting too early was as devastating as lifting too late. No matter how deftly the cook might replace the jaw at the semigoo state, the teeth chewed the remains into shambles. The cook could nibble this by herself or scrape it into the sink, Other members of the family looked upon it without ardor. In time, the word got around that a waffle iron, to be right, had to be seasoned. That meant it should not be washed. This happy condition, according to the Patent Office, lured many a husband to try the waffle art. After a batter orgy, he had no skillet to launder. Waffling prevailed with somewhat spotty success until the electricians took it up. The electricians whipped up an iron that was blessedly lighter than the 1860 model. They dressed it with gleaming lid and set it on dainty legs fit to touch a table top. In the center of the lid they installed gay needles,

WE © OUGHT TO COT IT OFF ABOUT

gages, dials and other contrivances which apparently | tasted the waffle and announced its perfection on the split second. From that moment progress toward uniformity in brown crispness was frequently brilliant. The electric waffle iron became so nearly foolproof that it rivaled the toaster as a wedding present.

Extravagant Claims Made

WAFFLE IRONING touched an industrial peak in 1937 when almost a million units were produced. Sales in this country dropped in 1939 to about 700,000, About that time the home economics enthusiast came charging into the waffle arena with noisy promises of expansion. They argued the waffle iron could produce piscuits, corn bread, muffins, shortcake and French toast. Conservative wafflers drew back in digestive horror and were content with plain waffles so long as they neither dropped nor smoked. The wartime government stopped the feud abruptly in 1942 by halting waffle production for the duration, For three years waffle irons were treated as tenderly as automobile tires. Late in the summer of 1045, the government announced that the irons again might be produced. The manufacturers accepted the news with a dash of regret. Had the release come one year sooner, there could have been a diamond jubilee for waffle irons, centering on that patent issued in August, 1869. As it was, the irons came off the assembly line in 1045 without any fuss over being 76 years old.

WORLD AFFAIRS—

Labor Court

By Carl D. Groat

LONDON, Oct. 18.—America's current industrial troubles throw sharp focus on Sweden's method of handling such disputes. In an interview today Attache G. Edling of the Swedish legation here described the Swedish labor court where a union may have redress against management, and management similarly may proceed against unions. Usually such cases require only a single day, according to Mr. Edling, ahd thereafter there can be no appeal If an illegal strike has been proceeding, it must cease. It works well, Sweden has little labor strife due to its good systems of conciliation and arbitration, and to the court. It's true there was a months-long etal industry strike early this year which proved Prk. But Mr. Edling explained that cases go to the labor court only on petition of one side or the other and in the metal strike neither side petitioned. The government stepped in and appointed an arbitrator who finally solved the controversy. But even this was difficult to achieve. Sweden's industry is made up largely of lumber and metals. It ig partly rural and partly urban. Hence there is considerable seasonal or mixed employment and labor difficulties are different from those in the U. 8.

Labor Court Has Good Points HOWEVER, from Mr. Edling’s account, the labor

used in the U. 8. The court has seven members, | Its president is a former member of the Swedish supreme court. It is required that the law, labor and management all must be represented. » Currently, besides the former supreme court judge, the membership includes another judge, one “civil servant,” one director of an employers’ association, one managing director of the Lumber Mills Employer association, the chairman of the lumber industry workers and chairman of the metal industry workers. Practically all cases come from employer or employee organizations. However, a worker who finds no union to represent him may take individual action. Ordinarily his case is unworthy, for if it had merit a union would represent him, Five of seven members of the court must concur

to make a decision binding. Penalties are provided ||

hut the court has discretion to modify where the offense is an innocent one or extenuated. The law says any case must be decided without delay, hence

issue is being considered. Usually after briefs are presented in advance, the court is well posted but it permits oral arguments and generally reaches a decision in one day,

Employee Cases Outnumber Employers IN REVEALING some figures, Mr. Edling noted

1035, employers brought 238 cases and employees 1026, while jointly there were eight. Conciliation and arbitration ‘ordinarily precedes court functioning, but if arbitration is refused the case goes to the court. There are four categories of cases, One determines legality of collective agreeents. A second covers interpretation of agreements, d, determination of facts in a dispufe—for instance, wag a discharged employee ill as the union claimed or & maligner as charged by the employer. Fourth, was the strike legal? ri © Most decisions, Mr. Edling said, are unanimous: The workers may not be fined over 200 kroner (about

$45). An interesting sidelight is that during the early |

stages of the dispute, the union is permitted to offer |

court seems to offer some machinery and methods not paid in advance, cops come along,

| where?

it is unusual to have any adjournments when an

that between 1020, when the court was set up, and |’

Hoosier

“HUSBAND OVERSEAS, WE HAVE TWO CHILDREN" By A War Wife, Bloomington Many people have expressed their opinions in the Hoosier Forum. I'd like to do the same on the subject of releasing fathers regardless of points. My husband has been in the army almost a year, and six months overseas. We have two children, a boy five and a girl two, I've told our son that his daddy couldn't come home until the war was over. Now since it is, he says, “Mother you said daddy could come home when the war was over. Why doesn't he come back now?’ What can I tell him as I don’t know the answer, myself. My husband has been in one battle and has only 45 points. A little fellow can’t understand that the lack of points is keeping him away. I understand that many air force cadets, many single fellows, are to be released as they're no longer needed. Why is it fair to release them and keep the fathers for occupation? There are plenty of men that are in service who have never been across. Can’t they occup, Cermany and Japan? x In a recent letter from my husband he told me how unfair the fellows in Germany thought it was when the drafting of men over 26 stopped. They feel that if they were inducted for a year it would give them who have done their part a chance to come home, When my husband went across, he didn’t know whether he would ever get back but the men that go now have one consolation—they will come home all in one piece, # n ”

“GIVE SOUTH SIDE YOUNG

PEOPLE A CHANCE” Nellie May Jones, Indianapolis What's wrong with the South side? I am a property owner there and lucky to buy a place within my means, We can’t all live where we “would like to. Young people don't have much of a chance there though as the cops are always picking them up trying to force them to say they did something when ‘they didn't, and if they ¢an’t prove anything on them they finally turn them loose, They get a room rent

search it and order them out. To Stay off the South side. Why? Tt takes money to live, eat, sleep and keep clean. How can they hold a job and go straight? They want to. Give them a chance,

Forum

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these columns, religious controversies excluded. Because of the volume received, letters should bg limited to 250 words. Letters must be signed. Opinions set forth here are those of the writers, and publication in ne way implies adteement with those opinions by The Times. The Times assumes no responsie bility for the return of manuscripts and cannot enter correspondence regarding them.)

“EIGHT TOKENS FOR 55 CENTS CHEAPER? I CAN'T SEE IT” By A Times Reader, Indianapolis Here we are now with our means of transportation in this city raised. People out of jobs and sa great many of us without too much money. Especially we war wives and families. Then the streetcar company thinks it's a great time to start this. Why? If they had such an idea, why didn’t they put it into effect when people were making high wages and could afford it? Surely not now, when people are looking for employment. Maybe they have to go a dozen different places before they even get a promise of one. Think of the fare they spend if they keep this pace up for one week before they finally get employment, Eight tokens for 55¢ or a straight 10c fare. Cheaper? Well, 1 can't see it At the old rate the company was making plenty. 80 when a person rides them as often as I do they have a right to talk back. Only in one case could this be any cheaper, that is for the few who ride busses. But for the hundreds like myself who ride trolleys and streetcars, and maybe once a year a bus, we are the people who are paying more. » . . “CONTINUE DRAFT AND TAKE 4-F8”

By Mrs. 8S. E. B,, Mrs. E. E. R, Mrs. E. L. B., and Mrs. C. M. B,, Indianapolis

We agree with L. E. W. of Indianapolis in Tuesday's column of Hoosier Forum, regarding the 4-Fs and so-called essential workers. We all have husbands overseas and can't understand why they can't come home and let 4-Fs replace them. If 4-Fs can keep night spots in business over here, then why can’t they do the occupational force over there? After all, the hard and dangerous part is over. We also think that the draft

They want to do right. I am for them 100 per cent. of good young people yet.

There's a lot

should continue so the boys over there now can enjoy their families a while. .

Carnival —By Dick Turner

/

“lI wholly disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

“REPRESENTATIVES PLAY POLITICS IN DISCHARGES” By Mrs. G. B., Indianapolis An article in The Times this week stated how many thousands of letters were pouring into our representatives asking aid in getting your service men discharged. It also stated representatives could do nothing to help except in very rare cases where the service man bad been discriminated against, To prove that they do not do anything to help in the majority of cases is the letter of James J. Cullings. However,.I am in position to know. I state nothing but what I know is true facts. Higher-ups who have still higher aspirations and so have an ‘ax for certain people to grind have got discharges for several guys who did not even have enough points if we want to stick to the point system, service men who had never even been out of the States, run home every few months and had a good time, and earned more than they ever did in their life. We may be the so-called small fry, but we are the ones they want to put them in office. Who do they represent—all the people or a selected few? Now, Mr. Cullings, you or anyone else who could have ground ther ax for them they would have thought up a good enough excuse to make your son discriminated against. I say all you parents who have service men who have been in danger in combat over there raise your voices loudly about any of these who have had good times in no danger in the States getting discharged under any circumstances until those have been returned. » "n “LET CONGRESS KNOW WE WANT HUSBANDS” By V. F. J., Indianapolis To L. E. W,, and all wives of servicemen, let's get together and demand action from congress. Now that the war is over I need my husband home to relieve me of some of the burdens that I've had to carry for 18 months. My husband hasn't left this country, but that wasn’t his fault, He has 42 points and may have already shipped to the coast from Biggs field, Tex. Just this week an article declared that anyone with more thin 36 points wouldn't be sent overseas. But, still, he can’t help me any sitting in this country for the next year. And I mean sitting; he has had hardly anything to do for the past three months, If all the wives and mothers would Join together and let our congressmen know how we feel, we could get results. Come on--let's get together, Just one person can't do much.

Cle “DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO THINK OF OUR POLICE” By Mrs. J. 8, Indianapolis I would like to express my opinion of our police force in regard to this crime wave, I am a taxpayer and daily reader of your paper. I do not know what to think of our police force. I am sure they hang around taverns too much and wait for a hand-out. The taverns should

be closed as that is where a lof of crime begins. I read in the paper where they had to have the police guard the store where they sold the nylon hose a few days ago. The police should have

va

POLITICS—

GOP vs. FDR |

By Charles T. Lucey

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18—~The Republican party line of the mo= ment, as unveiled in newest speeches and writings, hangs on such chief pegs as these: ONE: Exploit “secret deals” made by the late President Roosevelt before Pearl Harbor which in the Republicans’ opinion tended to commit the United States to war. The same on secrecy of Churchill-Stalin-Roosevelt meetings. Stress the idea that commitments made by the executive, without consulting congress or the people, are settling peace treaty questions. TWO: Blame F. D. R. and his administration for the Pearl Harbor disaster, :

THREE: Link President Truman and his admin-

leftists.

FOUR: Identify President Truman with a continuing New Deal regime, FIVE: Belabor the Democrats for huge government spending.

See Strikes as Issue

OTHER MAJOR lines of attack will be developed, as the G. O. P, seeks congress control in the 1946 elections. Strikes and fumbling on the labor front probably will be emphasized. A swing to inflation, pinching the mass of workers who are not members of unions which can force wage raises, could be another line of attack.

#. The current issue of the Republican ‘News, news-

paper of the G. O. P. national committee, tries to show that President Truman and the ‘Commies’ are hearty pals. “Comparisons of points in President Truman's Sept. 6 message to congress and those in resolutions of the Communist party convention, six weeks before, give ample evidence of the pinkish’ color of the administration program,” the G.. O. P. paper said. The secrecy-in-foreign affairs issue was dressed up by National Chairman Herbert Brownell Jr, in a speech here yesterday. “% Mr. Brownell quoted Winston Churchill as reporting to Commons his belief well before Pearl Harbor the “probability” that the United States would come into the war. This probability existed, Mr. Churchill said, after his Atlantic Charter conference with Mr. Roosevelt in August, 1941, “At what point are the American people, at least through - their congress, entitled to information as to comimitments made in their name by the President?” Mr. Brownell asked,

Marshall Report Criticized :

MR. BROWNELL also cited a report by General Marshall on improvement of landing strips at Rabaul,

1941 and asked what right the U. 8. had to improve landing strips on the soil of other nations before Pearl Harbor. In the G. O. P. newspaper again, Mr. Brownell criticized the Roosevelt administration for delaying the Pearl Harbor investigation by “using the shopworn plea of jmilitary security.” He tossed back at Mr. Truman the President's recent comment that the country as a whole was as much to blame for Pearl Harbor as any individual. “New Deal Spending Craze Hits New High,” is one of the G. O. P. paper's headlines. “Racial Record Haunts (Secretary of State) Byrnes” is another. Still another article, referring to Mr. Roosevelt’s appoint ment of more than 200 of the 280 federal judges, is labeled “The Packed Judiciary.” : : The Republicans apparently think some issiies which were up in the 1042 and 1944 elections still are worth something. The G. O. P. paper talked of the swap of 50 destroyers to Britain and the lend-lesise program before Pearl Harbor, :

RECONVERSION—

Plane Plants § By Thomas L. Stokes £

HARTFORD, Conn, Oct. 18.— The plight of the aviation industry is worrying its managers and Washington just now. Aviation grew suddenly into a sprawling giant during the war—and luckily it did. Now with the war over there are acres of plant .capacity and heads full of know-how, not to speak of enotigh engines to last for perhaps 29 years (although they'll get obsolete). The problem is not one of reconversion but of construction, and balanced constriction, if possible, What to do about it? That's something the experts can't answer yet. But it is possible to suggest its scope from what has happened in United Aircraft which has headquarters here. United is composed of four divisions—Pratt and Whitney Aircraft which makes engines; Hamilton Standard, propellers; Chance Vought Aircraft which turned out navy fighters and observation planes; and Sikorsky Aircraft, which makes heli» copters.

Others Licensed to Help

UNITED LICENSED many other companies to assist with its war program. Engines were made by Ford, Buick, Chevrolet, Nash, Jacobs and Continental; propellers by Nash, Frigidaire and Remington Rand; Corsairs by Goodyear and Brewster, helicopters by Nash. This was in addition to production at its own expanded plants here and at Kansas City. A few statistics show the shrinkage of United. For example; engine capacity during the war—30 million horsepower a month; 1946 schedule, 500,000 a month, which is lessithan 2 per cent of the war schedule. Propeller capacity during the war—24,000 a month, For 1946—200. Chance Vought Corsalrs were built at a rate of 475 a month before the war ended. The new schedule is 21 a month. During the war 410 helicopters were produced by Sikorsky and Nash, Two a month by Siworsky is ‘the post-war schedule. Now for what President Roosevelt once called “the human side” of reconversion—the workers, United Aircraft’s peak war employment was 75,000, including (In addition, huridreds of

Plant Space a Problem

: £ | |

istration to the Communists and other shades of .

Port Moresby and Port Darwin in the summer of ¢

by the governthent. This poses the problem raised by Becretary of Commerce Wallace, among others, of using this plant capacity for something else to provide jobs. " . That 1s problem. So are other things which H. M. Horner, president of United, dis. cussed a few days ago in Washington with a congressional committee. * He asked as to a definite and continuing program for arg aid navy do the tidustzy oan make Tupure pista; a way to acquire facilities for that pro

- THURSDA