Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 January 1946 — Page 8

4

'W. MANZ Manager

Business

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Indiana, $5 a year; all other states, , Canada and Mexico; 87 cents a ho « RI-5551,

| than 700,000 steel workers are set to strike at atly nothing can now avert that strike except e by the U. S. Steel Corp. of its decision yesterday oct President Truman's proposal for settlement of the The C. I O. demanded a general wage increase of 25 cents an hour, then reduced the demand to 1934 cents. ~The corporation offered, first, 1214 cents an hour, then 15. | | Mr. Truman proposed a compromise 1814 cents. The union agreed to that. The corporation refused. : We believe that in the few short hours before the * deadline U. S. Steel's officials should consider earnestly “Myr, Truman's strongly urged s tion that they alter “their stand and accept his terms for settlement. It is true that he is asking them to accept a grave responsibility. or The difference between the President's proposal and | © the corporation’s best offer is 814 cents an hour. That sounds small. But the union’s demand is industry wide. What big steel grants, some 800 other steel and iron companies, big and little, will be expected to grant. And 8% cents an hour added to the payrolls of the whole steel industry would mean a huge increase in labor costs. Nor would that be all. Mr. Truman says his proposal is not intended to set a pattern for all industry. But it would set a pattern if accepted by U. S. Steel, for unions regard it as precedent for settlement of wage demands ‘on many other industries. *' We have no means of judging whether the inflationary ~ effect on costs and prices would be as serious as President Fairless of U. S. Steel says, but unquestionably it would “be great. or ® 2» . sn 2 JHOWEVER, the effects of a steel strike could be worse. i Steel is our key industry. If the manufacture of steel i stops, while management and labor fight a finish test of “economic strength, manufacture of everything made of | steel or iron—from locomotives, automobiles and refrigera- : . tors to bobby pins, paper clips and thumb tacks—will stop. y Hundreds of thousands of people, not directly inter- _ ested in the strike, will lose their jobs. This country can’t achieve prosperity and full employ‘ment by closing down plants. It.can't pay the war debt or defeat inflation by freezing industry. The only formula “for high real wages and sound business profits is volume . production. And a long steel strike could destroy all hope = of getting production into high volume for many months, 1% and perhaps forever. We've got the best chance now we're © likely to have. If the C. I. 0. had turned down President Truman's Ly | for avoiding a steel strike and its ‘consequences, © the union would be in the national doghouse. If U. S. Steel insists on turning down that proposal, we believe the corporation will put itself in bad with what Mr. Truman © has termed the greatest pressure bloc of all—the American . » . ® . . 0» QTEEL strike or no, we think the tidal wave of strikes now bringing this worst threat absolutely proves one thing. That is that government by men—even though the * men are presidents of great unions, great corporations and a great nation—has not solved and can not solve the problem of labor-management relations. For that we need government by law. We need a rule * book, instead of the maneuvering and improvising and temporizing that takes us all to the edge of a cliff, and maybe sends us over. And it’s the job of congress to write the rules.

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| HOW ABOUT IT, MR. GREEN? : A DRIVE to arouse public opinion for action on the © housing crisis is announced by President William 1 Green of the American Federation of Labor. + He calls on A. F. of L. central labor unions in 800 ~ cities to organize community campaigns for prompt con- | struction of new homes and for passage by congress of the 38 Wagner-Ellender-Taft housing bill. . 1 : Which reminds us that, a few days ago, we praised a big A. F. of L. union in New York City—Ilocal 8, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers—for making what | has been called an “unprecedented” agreement with ‘employers. = Bi That agreement is to permit “use of the most modern ‘methods and of high-speed, labor-saving tools 78 “in order to reduce the cost of Jow-rental housing ~and to make new dwellings available as soon as possible for returning veterans.” «. Local 3 is entitled to the praise. But the fact that such an agreement needed to be made ought to arouse every veteran and every other citizen who wants..a new home at a reasonable price.

L » . J » » . OR the fact means that modern technological methods and high-speed, labor-saving tools and’ devices cannot used to reduce the cost of housing unless labor unions ive their permission. Most A. F. of L. building-trades 8 long have refused, and still do refuse, to grant such

Most of the unions that forbid use of modern methods peed tools don’t intend to rob the public. They to make more and longer jobs for their members, ib motive is understandable. But the effect is to public, to make homes cost more than they need

and fo hold down the volume of building. ) » » » G the public, with or without deliberate intent, federal law. Yet Mr, Green and other A. F. s have fought for years to get and keep “for Jorbia modern methods and high-speed cuse for continuing that fight is gone. ‘needs millions of new homes, : to: correct the laws and’ take away

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ished daily (except | by | Publishing Co. 214 W. Maryland

legitimate right of labor and ought not to be |

us and now self-defeating power |. ‘ ve been wise -epough temporarily. Mr. Green and |

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~ Hoosier

say, but

Forum

"I wholly disagree with what you

your right to say it."—Voltaire.

will defend to the death

By Discharged Veteran, Indianapolis.

to do their part. -

has been created by congress in the past twenty years. That is what some of our politicians in congress do to hide the fact of not wanting to do anything about labor problems, and other numerous problems that would benefit the common people of America. Could it be that their political standing might be hurt by the wrath of the big shots who are the rungs in the ladder they use to climb to power. Yes, and a lot of government problems are divided along party lines. And the outcome? The government problems end up with only promises made to do something about them, And Senator Wayne L. Morse (R. Ore.) wants his liberal Republicans in power because he doesn’t agree with President Truman's ideas about the dangers of inflation or deflation, and congress has done little to stave them off. I think Mr. Truman is right, and so do millions of people. Yes, a lot more than Senator Wayne L. Morse thinks. And why has the senate education and labor committee and the house labor failed to report to congress emergency legislation to compel corporations to open their books in wage disputes? . I fully agree with Mr. Truman's major proposals. But what has congress done about them? Nothing. Yes, it's time for the American people to change a lot of things. One of the changes that should be made is to oust the corrupt politicians in congress. And how about our local governments? Let's clean them up, too. What kind of government do we have, to grant the Indianapolis Railways a threemonth trial period to raise their rates on transportation. Why? 1Is the railway company going bank-

from the boost on the fares, taken from poor people who have to ride the streetcars to work, and who make just enough to live on. Or do a few politicians need some extra

Tupt? Do they need the extra money |

"Oust Red-Tape Politicians in Congress; Clean Up Locally, Too"

The President of the United States asked the people of America to put on.pressure to stave off economic chaos. I ask just what kind of power can we use to prevent the economic disaster that threatens us. Yes, how can we, the common people, buck the corrupt political powers that refuse to act for the situation. I agree, something must be done, and the people must find a way

Let’s begin at the bottom first and put the kind of people in our public offices who will work for the welfare of our country and not evade government problems and issues by crawling into a lot of red tape that

cash, and might get it from the deal? If the Indiana public service grants their petition for higher rates, then it will be time for the people to start a cleaning up campaign on Indiana public service commission, plus a few other corrupt commissions. And how about some information on the franchise that the Indianapolis Railways has? And how much? But that would be telling, wouldn't it? Yes, American people’s action is what we need. What are we going to do about it? » 5 » “‘30 SORRY, NO BACON!” SENT ME ON MY WAY.” By Clyde L. Wheatley, 911% E. Maryland

If this article finds its way into your column, I hope the right person’s ears start b Iam-nos looking for trouble nor do I want to start arguments, but the experience which happened to me at a meat market leaves me with but one alternative—to write about it. I would feel cowardly not to. I have been discharged from the U, 8. N. for three wegeks; during the time before entering service, I patronized this particular meat market. I walked in today and asked for a pound of bacon, The man behind the counter just smiled so friendly (like a Jap) and with “so sorry, no bacon today,” sent me on my merry way. Now, the other man had just sold the woman standing beside me a pound and was very careful to conceal his goods (so he thought). If the service man is going to be treated this way in such small dealings, I shudder to think what the next will bring.

1 am only thankful, yes thankful}

beyond words, that we still have enough honest, fair-minded people left in the U. 8. to keep us the greatest advancing nagion in the world.

uing their old fight,

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Carnival —By Dick Turner

| I don't cate if she is your favorite actress—you can't put her heii A picture on a $5 bill”

“1 a . -

-|by risking his capital in a business

- | train-a-waiting benches

.| anything remotely resembling com-

(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 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.)

“WHY NOT GIVE THE SHERIFF A BREAK?” By Mrs. Anne Boswell, Indianapolis I don't know who the writer of the article “Are You Interested, Mr. Blue?” is, but I think you overstepped. Why don’t you Democrats of The Times print something about your own politicians. Brother, | they are not “holier than thou” by| far. Sheriff Petit has too many friends that wouldn't believe such] common trash. Why don’t you guys go to see him and get “an inside interview? I'm sure le could and would give you a satisfactory one and treat you more decent than you have him. Anyone should give the devil his dues. The Times has been the only paper that does not give the sheriff's office credit for the good they do. Why not ask for the good side of the office from the

Or are you afraid of the common truth that will bring out the bare facts? I didn't write this for personal reasons, but don’t you think your column is a little one-sided. By now you have probably guessed it, I'm definitely a Republican.

L (Editor's Note: Neither Demo: cratic or Republican, The Times would be happy indeed to learn of any good done by the sheriff's office under Mr, Petit's administration.) t J » ” “FRANK REPORTING FOR CLEAN POLITICS” By Mrs. George Rice, 233 8. Randolph st. | I want to congratulate your editor on his comments of the underhanded work of our sheriff and Attorney Blue. If more papers would take his stand, I am sure we would

have cleaner politics in Indiana, Now would you please have your editor to explain what free enterprise is, and who benefits from this thing called free enterprise? Thanks again for a good clean paper. (Editor's Note: Free enterprise isthe right of every individual to improve his own economic condition by his own efforts, whether they be by earning more pay from his job or

to make profits. Every home, every factory, every city, every farm and every job in America is the product of free enterprise, and everybody benefits from it.) 4 "8 » “CAN'T LIE DOWN OR SIT ON UNION STATION SEATS” By G. B. Jeffrey Jr, Indianapolis This is to register a formal complaint about the condition of the in our Union Station. They have arms spaced so that the casual traveler cap neither lie down or sit up in

fort. How could we expect the UNO to choose this glorious town as its permanent camp when we allow such flagrant insults to our fellow citizen as this to exist?

DAILY THOUGHT

Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath; And behold every one

Job 40:11,

hundreds of people it has helped. | .

“that 15 proud, and wbase him= |

i

REFLECTIONS. .-. By Jim @, Loeng 3, “771 2 1 {+ "Murder of Japs Calls for Death’

I can understand and sympathize with the citizens of Wallington, N. J, who learned that Pte. Joe Hicswa, one of their neighborhood boys, has heen sentenced to dfe in Japafi for the murder of two Japanese civilians, :

who remember Joe as a “good boy” and an honor student, Under like circumstances, I'd dowhat they have done—appeal to Prgsident Truman, Patterson and Gen. MacArthur to set aside the death But, viewed on a broader scale, I cannot help but feel that the sentence should be allowed to stand. Too much is at stake.. i Pfc. Hicswa's offense was a seriows one. Without provocation, he attacked and murdered two unsusppeting Japanese in a public park at Nara. His only excuse was ‘that he was drunk, i (i Just. for the record; I should like to make it clear that I hold no brief for the Japs; I fought against them with the marines from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima.

Jap Non-Resistance ©. WE HAVE occupted Japan, a defeated enemy nation. No resistance was offered when our troops

.offenses, they will be judged.

came ashore. On the whole, the Japanese co-operated in making that occupation a peaceful one. on We have solemnly contracted to protect the lives - of those who have surrendered. ‘As representatives of those who claim to have fought for decency and

t, : 1 think I know how grief-stricken must be his ight, our responsibilities are heavy.

‘parents, his friends and his high school classmates,

It is not enough to claim that Yamashita murdered thousands of Filipinos or that Homma was responsible for the Death March from Bataan. For those

U.S. Prestige Hurt

ne may in she domabnion Spmonmmaion 1 , has 0) tion di throughout the world. = 3 Failure of officers to enforce discipline, their un-

‘soldierly fear of retribution at the hands of an

hysterical congress and an undisciplined mob if th meet their responsibilities, has sown the seeds Sey lationism and perhaps even a third world war. This nation cannot afford still shrinking from duty. Conceded Joe Hicswa was a good boy” until the night of Nov, 24. He was not a “good boy” when he assaulted and killed two men. It's a hard decision to make, but there should be no equivocation. The rest of the world is watching us for another indication of moral disintegration. If we ‘go “soft,” it may cost us thousands of lives in a generation yet unborn.

WORLD AFFAIRS . . . By William Philip Simms yr vn Nations Must Know U.S. Policies

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.—In a letter to the.Associated Press, Assistant Secretary of State William Benton charges that disconfiiuance of the AP service to the government's International shortwave broadcasting “jeopardizes . . . the cause of peace itself.” ! Both the Associated Press and the United Press have informed the department of state of their intention to discontinue such service. Specifically, Mr. Benton cites parts of the Balkans, the Near East, Southeast Asia and Russia as areas into which “news from America, by Americans, can penetrate only by shortwave radio.” Unfortunately, there is every reason to believe that an infinitesimal« ly small proportion of the few. who own radios in those areas would dare tune in on “The American Story” if they could. . Mr. Benton said in his letter that “it is critically important that the peoples of other nations understand the aims and policies of the United States and the background of those aims and policies as they spring from our national life.” He said ““the evidence is overwhelming that in ‘many parts of the world the aims and policies of the United States are not understood.” And, finally, that “misunderstanding among peoples can prevent the advent of peace and—set the stage for new conflicts.” No informed observer disputes any one of these points.

News Control Abroad BUT the tragedy of it is that unless and until the United States can get other nations—especially in the blackout areas referred to—to reciprocate a little of our own freedom of the press and of information, there is little that we can do. It would be surprising in the extreme if Marshal Tito, for example, permitted us to broadcast to his people the aims and policies of the United States. We are against dictatorships imposed by minorities, whether by a Tito or a King Peter. We are for the

Atlantic: Charter. We are for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press and assembly a ul the Prin of the bill of rights. We are for ree and unfettered elections, v er Inte universal suffrage and We are against concentration cam y : r and firing squads for political arog Se Jar Such is the background of “our aims and policies as they spring from our national life.” But would Tito allow us to explain all that to the people of Yugoslavia? Certainly Russia would apply the muzzle. Yet Russia, just now, is the gravest preoccupation of our statesmen. Foreign books, newspapers, news dispatches, news reels, plays, pictures, and other media of story-telling, are stopped dead at the Soviet frontier. If Washington tried to get around the censorship via shortwave, the Kremlin would let the state

department hear about it almost before the announcer

could leave the microphone.

Russian Iron News Wall

RUSSIA is.the one country above all others where, as Mr. Benton so correctly pointed out, “it is critically important” to have the people understand our true aims and Policies. But the iron wall of censorship is there. And our government ean no more get the American story across to the Soviet masses, as long as that wall exists, than anyone else. If Mr. Benton could really do it, the $25 million which he is said to want from congress, would get us the biggest bargain in American history. For Russia’s morbid and carefully cultivated suspicions are the biggest peril to peace in the world today. The late OWI can be criticized for many things. But its failure to sell America to the Russian people is not among them. And if the Soviet door was slammed in the OWI's face—if Moscow was unwilling during the war to let Russians know what we were doing to help them—few see much likelihood of any immediate change. .

IN WASHINGTON . ... By Thomas L. Stokes

Arnerican UNO Leadership Vital

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.—There are two major matters involving United States leadership in the United Nations Organization which already are being raised here. American leadership is most important because of the known influence of our example. We can do much to make or break this co-operative international endeavor. Our responsibility is great. One of these matters is the handling of Pacific bases. 4he other is the caliber of Americans nominated for possible election to the new international court of justice.

Pacific Island Bases

THE FIRST, basically, would seem to inyolve whether we are to prolong imperialism by our own example, or whether we are to strike out boldly on a new path of co-operation. It comes about this way. We took, at great sacrifice in American lives, some islands in the Pacific. They are regarded as valuable as potential future bases. Some in the army and navy, supported by a sizable group in the senate, want us to annex outright such of these islands as we need for future bases, to do with them as we, choose. That view is understandable, both from the cost to win them and from a national defense standpoint. 1t is in keeping with past traditions of warfare and

| ‘conquest. But it smacks of plain imperialism.

There are two alternatives so far as such “strategic areas” captured from the enemy are concerned, One is for a United Nations Organization trusteeship, a joint trusteeship. The other is for a trusteeship by the United States upon designation by the UNO security council. President Truman has indicated he favors a UNO trusteeship for some of the islands that we do not need in our defense system, with those that we do need

going. under our trusteeship. This compromise seems a wise one if we are to exemplify at the outset our trust in the UNO as a going. concern, and are not to embark on a course of annexation which would weaken our hands in-dealing with similar problems of other nations. The group of senators who are balking profess to fear that unless we annex outright the islands we need as bases, then some one or other of the big five on the security council might use the veto to prevent our fortifying them as we saw fit. But if we are going to trust UNO, and that is the only way it can work, it would seem that we'd better start right here on this first issue raised. This problem surely can be worked out on a co-operative basis. Once we start on an imperialistic course, off we go, with everybody else doing the same.

Talent Needed on Court OF A different sort, and yet related, is the problem of the international court of justice and its personnel. If UNO is to succeed, it must build up a foundation and framework of law through this court. Therefore, whatever talent the United States con-

tributes should be capable of marking out new -

courses, bold and imaginative. Threé men have been nominated from the United States for the 15-judge court. They are being criticized here as not of the caliber needed. They are Green H. Hackworth, legal adviser to the stat department, who is regarded skeptically because he has been long in the career mould of the state department; Judge Manley O. Hudson, who was a member of the old international court of Justice, and Dr. Charles G. Fenwick, law professor at Bryn Mawr, regarded by some as too much of a library lawyer. Can't we have some other nominee for the court who would possess the needed qualities to a greater degree?

TODAY IN EUROPE . . . By Randolph Churchill

Balkan Rule Always Autocratic

LONDON, Jan. 19.—The main impression I received on my recent visit to Yugoslavia was that the country is still in a state of siege. The end of the war has not brought a resumption of normal, peaceful civilian life which can already be detected in other war-ravaged countries. This is not because the Yugoslavs are less energetic than other Europeans but. because a definite revolution ig still actively in progress. Many observers are apt to explain what is going on in Yugoslavia by pointing out that it is foolish to expect: Balkan democracy to be like Western democracy as we understand it in the United States and Britain. This certainly is true, but it is equally naive to expect any form of democracy in the Balkans. They never have had democracy, and many generations probably will pass before they even begin to have it. Therefore, it is a waste of time to expect democracy there just now, immediately .after the war. ; Balkan governments always have been autocratic and probably always will be. At the same time, it is important to remember that, even without de racy, it is possible for people. to enjoy certain minimum standards of personal liberty, law and justice. One cannot pretend that these standards are in any way approached by the present government of Yugoslavia. In political terminology, there is only one. way accurately to describe Tito's regime: A semi-Commu-nist totalitarian police state. I stress “semi-Com-munist” by putting it first because Tito’s regime has a long way to go before it becomes fully Communist. However, there is no doubt that this is the path on which they are determined to march.

Communists Dominate BRITISH and American officers who served with the Partisans:during the. war hoped that the National Liberation Front was a reality and that, after the war, other parties besides the Communist would play important roles. - Events have shown that those of us who cherished this hope were over optimistic. Though

key posts ate firmly -held by Communists, many of

"_}whom, like Tito, have been carefully educated in

They are proud in humility, proud

in that they are not proud.~Burton.

ny Sa

Moscow. : : Unlike. the the Yugoslav Communist

a ie a

Russians,

there are-some non-Communists In the regime, all the .

party organization is still largely secret. No list of «he members of the Political Bureau or the Central Committee has yet been published. The party will shortly have a ‘congress and hold elections. Thereafter, it is possible they will be more informative abgut their organization. Meanwhile, it seems certain that the ‘real power is effectively exercised by an inner group of nine staunch, unyielding Communists. They are, in order of probable importance: Tito, Kardelj, at present representing Yugoslavia at the UNO meeting in London! Pidje, the party's leading Marxist theoretician; Ozilas, who is believed to be the main Moscow contact: Rankovic, head of the secret police (OZNA); Hebrang, minister of industry; Zujovic, Bacaric, prime minister of Croatia, and Kidric, prime minister of Slovenia. Wer? .

Police State Rules 3 THESE men already have set up a modern police state and there seems little doubt that they can impose their doctrines and theories on the Yugoslav people to any extent they may decide. : Tito probably is as pre-eminent among these nine men as Stalin is among the 13 members of the Russian Politburo. The great enigma about Tito is whether he *regards himself first and foremost as a Comintern agent of the Kremlin or as the leader of an independent country. . : “He must remember that his predecessor as secre-tary-general of the Yugoslav Communist party was summoned to Moscow and never heard of again! At the same time, it is a more heroic role—and he cer-

tainly is a’ heroic figure—to be a national leader than

puppet of a foreign country. But five years of education in Moscow are not easily forgotten. ~The hopes which. many observers had that, once the country was liberated, or at least after t tions, moderate councils might prevail and the coun~ try might be allowed to settle down, have been def initely proved false. The Communists who believe in

the doctrine of “continuing revolution” are everywhere | in power. police activity increases from day to day,- |

and . all opposition groups or potential opposition

groups being progressively liquidated or rendered.

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