Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 February 1946 — Page 18

ar the President down are worried aout the i of American military forces. obilization within six short months has reduced us from st power in the world to something much less.

With record-breaking speed, our veterans have been ‘are being returned to civilian life, which is as it should ut no post-war defense force is being created for our present and future responsibilities, which is a grave air For we are up to our necks in responsibilities from “Berlin to Budapest to Tokyo to Chungking, and a lot of way points. "That would not be so’ bad if an international police force : of the United Nations were ready to take over. But there is none sich, and none in sight. We are left holding the bag, having little to hold it with. So we are not doing a good, job; in fact, we are doing an increasingly worse job as our trained forces melt away. If the process goes on much Jonger, we are liable to get hurt.

ONE immedinte esi | is that the United States no longer the influence in foreign affairs it had a few — ago. In London, Russia flourished the big stick— she is keeping her military power—and the smaller nations

for the most part were afraid to stand up for their rights. They watch with dread the decline of American strength. ‘Even China, who trusts us alone among the big nations, is

beginning to wonder.

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Why is it that we are letting our military force ebb away, when most Americans in high office don’t want that to ‘happen? The usual answer is that our country is war-weary and ‘anti-militarist anyway, and that it thinks our victory is so

doubt that this is accurate. Certainly our people are fed up with war and opposed to militarism, but all signs indi-

that Preparedness against future war is essential,

3 tary of State Byrnes have developed no strong and consis-

agree -on a unified defense organization and plan. Con-

sal military training, on extension of the draft, on atom Like most Americans, we have our own ideas on these various controversial issues. But we are much less concerned with our own pet theories, or any others, than with the fact that nothing at all is being done. decisions regarding our post-war military establishment, they cannot be evaded and delayed any longer without serious consequences, If we are to have any army or navy or air force or ftom bomb security, the commander-in-chief and the service commanders and congressional leaders had better get busy fast. ’

“ONE-STOP” VETERANS AGENCY

IT is disgraceful that the war veteran returning to Indianapolis has to run all over town to find ‘the information and services so necessary in his adjustment to eivil life. The Times yesterday carried a Page One account of the present run-around the veteran gets here, together with a map showing some of the many agencies with which he must deal if he is to get “readjusted” quickly, Today, another account of the situation facing the local veteran appears in this newspaper. . Co-ordinated effort is necessary if the community and the agencies set up for veteran welfare and service are to meet their responsibilities. The- veterans administration says plans are in progress for a "ghesstop” center. It’s about time.

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A TREE GROWS IN CROOKLYN

IVE some people a pocketful of money and they get pappy-happy. They long to be told their ancestors were big shots. Certain cheats know this and act accordingly. They'te resuming right now. Smoothly they move in with offers to establish a family tree for practically anyone with a buck or two on the dotted line. They'll make a tree grow where there wasn't even a scrub before,

~~ Say the name is Mergenthioid, and over the war years Mr. M. has managed to snag a few grand. Mrs. M. is flinging festivals to which she'd prefer to welcome the better people of the neighborhood. ‘But has the M. clan sprung uy 2 a strain exalted enough to justify such dis- | As Mrs. M. muses over this vexatious question, the mn rings. He hands in an offer to grow a family tree return mail, at a fee ridiculously negligible compared | the luster about to be shed. © Mrs. M. bites. She gets back a sheaf of papers setting names, dates and places of more Mergenthoids than imagined—all except a few hardy cousins who as horse-thieves, wife-beaters or boodlers, Their happily omitted. ’s all such a generality that Mrs. M. can't dethe ‘exact social excellence of her specific hubby’s fla ancestors. Mrs. M. has been gently gypped. ndianapolis Better Business Bureau could tell genealogy should be sought through a ed by continuing history of operabig enough to pay for the re-

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By Theo. B. Marshall, Indianapolis

The labor unions have and are rendering inestimable service to the

nation as a whole. They have WE THINK the failure is not with the American people |caused the sweat shop to disappear, but with their leaders. President Truman and Secre- |they cleaned up pl ment and by th . ‘sanitary conditions greatly improved ‘tent foreign policy. The army ahd navy chiefs cannot |the health of the worker. Had it not been for legislation enacted

of employinsistence on

under insistence of labor it would

gress, with an eye on the November elections, cannot make |, 4ve een impossible for our armies

its mind on a single department of defense, on univer- |of women to carry~on in the noble up o : and efficient manner they did their

duties in our great war plants. Labor in its unorganized day was but a tool in the hands of the employer to be squeezed of the last drop of production for the smallest amount of remuneration. Collective bargaining is the only method under which—although far from perfect on account of lack of just laws for its operation— agreements are reached between management and labor. Some of our big industries are balking at this method because it restricts them in their actions.

s = =» 2 GOVERNOR GATES REPLIES TO REQUEST FOR CONFERENCE” By Lincoln Robertson, Elsworth 0. Young, John H. Garver, Indianapolis Here is our reply to the letter we wrote Governor Gates asking for an appointment with him to discuss the payment of a state bonus, “This acknowledges receipt of your letter requesting an'.appointment with me on February 10th for yourself, Mrs. Young and Mr. Garver. “I note you wish to discuss the subject of a state bonus for veterans of world war II. You are undoubtedly familiar with the fact that any such measure would have to be passed by the legislature. Though I have discussed this matter with various veterans and in groups, I have had no opportunity to ascertain the sentiment of the legislative body toward it. I am certain that when it is presented to them, they will go into it very thoroughly. Of course, in considering such action, provision will have to be made for raising revenues with which to pay such a bonus. “I feel that very little could be accomplished by your having a dis-

"When Labor Gets a Fair. Wage, Prosperity Comes"

Ww Today there's much unfavorable comment about labor unions; complete that paredness is no longer necessary. @ [some by crackpots, some inspired by employer organizations and some pre by well-meaning individuals who have formed opinions by observing and reading the much publicized cases where wildcat strikes and other forms of evil have been done by a very few union members and concate they are well aware that the peace is not yet won and | demned, by the unions as a whole as well as the public.

cussion with me on the matter, since it must, ultimately, be referred to the genera] assembly for action.” The building of a monument requires approval by the state legislature (of which Governor Gates is the chief executive) and a provision for raising revenues as well as a bonus, does it not? . » ”- “MOVIES, CIGARETTES, LIQUOR UNDERMINING”

By Joyce Page, Indianapolis In a recent Hoosier Forum, I

read the view of a mother in regard to the type of movies being shown. She especially calls: attention to

those such as the one portraying Dillinger. I heartily agree that such pictures are bad influence, not only on children but adults as well. I like to attend movies but have had some difficulty in getting a good one. Most of the movies are morale breakers. Recently I attended with a friend the showing of “The Lost Weekend.” Many people will say that it was a boom to the liquor industry, What I (got out of it was to put before "the people the actual results which come from its use. To me it was one way of introducing the drinking people to their own future. Personally, I am a strict prohibitlonist and never touch it any time. Between movies playing up crime in the pictures and liquor mixed in too, and the ease with which the youths are able to secure it from a all about, it is no wonder the juvenile courts are overflowing. I detest seeing young people holding their cigarets with poise as they eat in the restaurants. Recently I watched a couple of girls who could not have been more than 16, probably younger, who as they ate their snack inhaled a lot of this poison into their systems and seemed to be quite happy to put on the display. Let's all get together ahd in cooperation whip these evils here in our city at least. It can be done but it will take the hand of all interested and concerned persons W

carry it out.

Side Glances—By Galbraith

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“LICENSE FEES GO FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAM” By N. G., Kirklin An ideal country would be one where every person could and would support himself without pensions, oi silos, or special privileges of} any kind. For these aré' all mainly cases where wealth is taken from some and given to others, often without justification. Wouldn't it be nice that when you receive your pay check to just know that a sizable part of it will not be taken from you to keep or aid someone else who will not or can not take care of himself? ui Many years ago we Hoosiers became legarthic from an overdose of laissez-faire ideology—and were thoughtlessly destroying- our wild

without. But under enlightened leadership we began a compre(hensive conservation program to bring back our wild life in field, forest and stream. To do this we asked all good sportsmen to aid in this program by contributing the Small, annual license sum of $1.50. This is a small sum from each person but if enough contributed, much could be done. This work is for all of us, by most of us, and how could anyone be so small or selfish to say, “Fine idea, go ahead and do it, and then give me a free, i pass to enjoy it.” I agree with The Times in elicy. ing that our young returning soldiers, veterans and otherwise do not seek handouts and special privileges, but rather do they seek opportunity to build, to earn, so that they may carry their own share of the load in this society of ours. This. special privilege idea is for politicians, and the selfish few. ” » » “WHAT ABOUT PLAN FOR ASSURED ANNUAL WAGE?” By Voice in The Dark, New Castle What do these radical strikers want anyway? Very nearly all of themi have been employed full and overtime at exorbitant wages since sometime before Pearl Harbor. The people who are so considerate In reminding them that they will lose more in a few weeks of their selfchosen idleness are the same who did the stentorian griping about those high wartime wages they wecelved for loafing around in th: war plants waiting for the fat weekly pay envelope. What the average mass production worker wants above all things else is some hope of security for himself and family. A solution for that was offered some months ago and for a week or 10 days gas played upon in grandiose scale by press and radio but all at once it was smothered as completely as England's encouragement of independence to India when the war ended. That solution was the establishment of a plan for a guaranteed annual wage for worgers. ” » ” ‘TAKE TAXES OFF INCOME OF SMALL WAGE EARNERS” By Wesley Norton, Indianapolis Let us look at the strike situation lke this, why strike against your employer for more money, why not the small wage earner strike against the government for + raise, I'll take my case for exumple: My wife and I have given the government in 1945 $584 In taxes, or a little better than $11 a week. Let them take the tax off the individual making under $5000 a year and we will all get a raise. If the government needs this tax, let it be put onto the corporation taxes. If all industry operated on » profit-sharing plan, there would not be any strikes, and there would be no need for any union. In the present union demand, the unions are asking for an increase for themselves and the government. Why not take it the former way and get the full advantage of it.

' DAILY THOUGHT Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despired, and his words are not heard.— Ecclesiastes 9:16,

' SOME rien ‘never spake a wise word, yet age wisely; some on the other side doe never a wise deed, and yet sfigake wisely. —8ir Thomas

OUR TOWN . . . By Anton Scherrer eho hap] Aesthetics at the Governor s Parly,

OSCAR WILDE, self-styled “Apostle of Aestheti-

ton’s birthday, 1882. His audience at English’s that night comprised 500, good for a gate of $350 of which Queen Victoria's gift to civilization received 75 per cent. The top price paid by any- _ body was one dollar; lowest, two bits. Ld Col. Maynard of The Sentinel had a ringside seat (by way of a ° pass). And so did Morris Ross of The News and Elijah Halford of The Journal, © Charles Kregelo, a fashionable Indianapolis undertaker, paid cash. He said he had : come to get pointers to improve his funerals, if possible, Daniel Hanchcette, & retired thespian, who ran a dramatic school at the time, w walked out on the lecture which, by the way, Vas aheiug Te English Renaissance.” As a matter of fact, Mr. Han-

{ cheette stayed only long enough to pronounce Mr.

Wilde “a bad actor.” Most critical, however—and, certainly, the most articulate in the audience that night—was Charlie Dennis who edited The Saturday Evening Review, a loud and lusty weekly published in the Eighties. Mr/ Dennis was especially critical of Oscar's legs. “They had no more symmetry than the same length of garden hose,” he said.

A Quaint Hoosier Custom AFTER the lecture Oscar Wilde returned to his hotel (the New Denison) and went to bed. At any rate, that’s where Governor Porter's messenger found him, Seems that the Governor couldn't attend Mr. Wilde's lecture because of a party of his own that night. It was even more complicated for Governor Porter had two parties that night, both of which were run off simultaneously. For one thing, he entertained the G. A. R. veterans;. for another, the so-called Greenbackers who had picked Washington's birthday to stage a .convention in Indianapolis. Both parties took place in the front parlors of Governor Porter's home on N. Tennessee st. (now known as Capitol ave.). Governor Porter's complicated party showed signs

REFLECTIONS .

NEW YORK, Feb. 22.—According to the mail I get, all officers in this recent war were monsters, often with three heads, and all enlisted men were angels, harried and abused by the boys with brass. -

The flood of mail against commissioned men has become so vituperative that I have quit telling people I used to be a tired lieutenant in the navy. I now merely mutter: “I was a draft dodger,” and go away, secure in the affections of my fellow man. It comes as an awful shock to learn that I was such a vicious fellow, who ate steak while his men starved, rioted with bonded liquor, lazed about in palatial dwellings, and amused himself by plucking the wings off seamen second class, It must be my lousy memory. It is probably equivalent to digging my grave with a typewriter, but I would like to chuck in a few kind" words here for some officers. After all, there was a peak strength of 350,000 officers in the navy, and nearly a millién in the army. Percentages would seem to argue that some of us were kindly, if stupid, folk, with the normal complement of ears and noses, and maybe even a few of us were deserving the love of a good woman. I know my mother often speaks kindly of me,

Brass Had Its Troubles, Too

IT'S SORT OF HARD to believe that all the pilots and co-pilots of aircraft, landing craft skippers, sec-

such-like people were 100 per cent bad. It just must be that memory again. For instance, I can recall that on several stations you had to go to the enlisted men’s mess to get anything decent to eat. I remember commanding quite a few men, and so help me, I had no idea they hated the deck I stood on. They must have been gluttons for punishment, be~ cause even now some of the men who served with me drop a line to say hello, and call my house when they pass through town, and ask me down to the local pub for a nip or two. It’s probably. something that never happened, but

WORLD AFFAIRS .

. WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.—Failure of the allies to conclude a single peace treaty almost a year after end of the war in Europe and six months after surrender of Japan is undermining world security, ' United Nations statesmen are deeply disturbed: Half the population of the globe—in Europe, Asia and Africa—still have little idea what their future is to be. Their frontiers have not been determined. Their permanent form of government is .in doubt. The old game of territor:al grabs and spheres-of-influence is in full swing. Nations too weak to defend themselves continue to be at the mercy of the strong. The imperative need of the times, these statesmen insist, is to get on with the peace-making. Yet word from London indicates that the Big Three—upon whom the first steps would seem to depend—can’t even agree on the terms for Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Finland, let alone Germany and Japah, There is talk that the Paris peace conference, scheduled for not later than May 1, may have to be postponed. As for peace with Germany and Japan, there “isn’t the faintest suggestion of a conference date.

Russian Influence Grows MEANTIME, the Soviet Union dominates the scene more and more. She is growing stronger militarily each day, while the United States, Great Britain, Prance and China—the other members of the Big PFive—are becoting weaker. She alone knows exactly what she wants while the others don’t. At least they don't seem to. Already Russia has expanded into the three Baltic states, eastern and central Europe, the Balkahs, Outer Mongolia, Sakhalin, Dairen, Port Arthur, and the Kuriles. Her influence is spreading.

TODAY IN EUROPE

LONDON, Feb, 22.—-I have described how the by persuading Americans that the British Empire is no longer a first-class power and therefore no longer worthy of American support. The Kremlin is being greatly assisted in this campaign by an argument which is being assiduously propounded by officials of the U. 8. state department: This.is to the effect that Britain is trying to sustaln her position in the world by old-fashioned power politics and by trying to create a balance of power. Bo long as there are great powers, there will be power politics and, if nations are to remain independent, there must be a balance of power. The only question is whether that balance shall be favorable to the peace-loving, freedom-loving nations of the world or to totalitarian expansionist nations. The state department, by the attitude adopted at the recent UNO meeting, is merely helping to make a favorable balance less favorable

U. N. O. Vindicated Britain - I AM SORRY to see that one of America's leading columnists who usually takes a sagacious view of world affairs, has become a spokesman for this school of thought. Recently he wrote of disputes between Bevin and Vishinsky in the UNO security council ‘in terms of such smug, cold-blooded detachment that one might almost be led to the conclusion that it was Britain, which had stirred up the strife

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of falling apart around 10 o'clock. Anyway, just about yawning, Billy Roberts (the Governor's clerk), suggested bringing Oscar Wilde | over to put some life into the party,

“The very thing” exclaimed the Governor and, |

forthwith, dispatched Mr. Roberts to go in search of Mr, Wilde. For the second time that day, Oscar donned his silk knee breeches and decorated himself with a lily, Before leaving his room, however, he offered Mr. Roberts a drink of Spanish wine which

- he kept hidden in a goat's skin underneath his bed.

On the way over, Mr. Wilde remarked: “I noe ticed that the men ‘shake hands a great deal over here. Do the ladies shake hands, t00?” Mr. Roberts guessed they did. “Aw,” drawled Mr. Wilde, “I think I should like that. I believe I will—aw—familiarize myself with the custom tonight.”

Maybe It Was the Ice Cream ARRIVING at the Governor's mansion, Mr. Wilde immediately expressed great dissatisfaction with the architecture of Mr, Porter's home. He wanted to know whether the people of Indiana had given Mr. Porter the house or whether, by any chance, it was his by choice. Assured that the people had nothing to do with it, he remarked that it wasn't any better than the Atlantic ocean, “If as good,” he added. This was, of course, an extension of his famous inderview when he arrived in New York. On that occasion, Mr, Wilde remarked that the Atlantie ocean had no merit whatever considered as a work of art. It was his second observation after landing. He delivered the first when he met the custom-house inspector and said: “Sir, I have pothing to. declare except my genius.” After the reception (I am back in the Governor's mansion), Mr. Wilde was invited to partake of re freshments with Mr. Porter and his ‘family. “Mr, Wilde,” reported the ubiquitous Mr. Dennis, “is not an animated feeder. He placed the small of his back in the seat of the chair and spooned in the ice cream with the languer of a debilitated duck.” When he got ready, Oscar Wilde rose stiddenly, solemnly shook hands with all ladies present, and strode sorrowfully away. “Perhaps” concluded Mr, Dennis, “ice cream disagrees with him.”

. ‘By Robert C. Ruark

At Last, a a Kind Word for Officers!

vaguely in the background is a remembrance of leaky, floorless tents full of brass, and of officers standing 24-hour deck watches in the North Atlantic, just as cold and miserable as the enlisted man across the way. Some officers even had the poor taste to go out and get killed, too, in their ignorance of the fact that a hunk of flying steel couldn't tell the difference be tween a colonel and a pfe. Doubtless they were all renegade lieutenant come manders, busted down to seamen second for smoking marijuana in the chart room, but scat through this failing memory of ‘mine were a couple or three enlisted men who repaid trust with flagrant foulups, who stole, lied, jeopardized the lives of others with inattention to duty, and who generally put gray hairs I $he Head of the Wiesling bessi Whe had them in charge.

Home to Beat Little Women

ONE OF THE most common arguments today is that our future military should be peopled only by officers who serve first in the ranks. Am I wrong in remembering that some of the roughest commissioned personnel were old navy chiefs, suddenly kicked to lieutenant (j.g.) and that a former regular army corporal, graduate of OCS, was apt to be a little meaner than a lad with a reserve or a direct commission? I used to think that there was needless stupidity and incompetence among both officers and troopf with isolated instances of cruelty and unjust treate ment from officer to man—but overall, a pretty workable organization which won a war in a wonderfully short time. I used to think sometimes, when I was administer ing sulfa for carelessly acquired diseases, covering up to the shore patrol, and wondering where I could steal enough money to get my guys paid, that it might be pretty nice to be an enlisted man, with a sort of broode ing mother hen to look after me, I guess I was wrong. What I had was a three-year picnic at the expense of the enlisted men, and if you will pardon me, I will now go home and beat up my wife, just to stay in character,

. By William Philip Simms gr

Time lo Get On With Peace-Making

China is increasingly alarmed over the Soviet atti tude. After several promises to withdraw from Mane churia, informution from Chungking suggests that the Red army may be digging«in for an indefinite stay or to force further concessions before leaving. Even where Chinese regulars have been allowed to take over, the officers can’t move without first obtaine ing Soviet permission. In other areas, Red troops have left Chinese Communists in charge. And so on. Washington and London are nervous, if not jittery —and afraid. In order to buy Russia's good will and postwar co-operation they have surrendered on ques~ tions of principle again and again. Long since, their acts of appeasement have gone far past those of the late Neville Chamberlain whose bid “for peace in our time” is now an unsavory memory. And apparently te no avail,

Early Peace Settlement Vital IT OCCASIONED no surprise, therefore, when Harold McMillan Wednesday raised a cry of alarm in Britain's commons saying that’ relations among the great powers “are greatly—even alarmingly—strained,” and warned against the “folly” not to recognize it, “Whether we like it or not,” he said, “the world is in fact being divided into spheres of influence,” and fure ther delay in coming to an understanding would “lead up to the abyss.” An early world settlement, experienced diplomatists agree, is a must. The loose ends created everywhere by world war II imperatively require tieing up. The present complications are an open invitation to troue ‘ble. If left as they are, anything can happen.

By Randolph Churchill

‘Future U. S.Brinish Path Is the Same

of one and half a dozen of the other. He wrote as if. unaware ‘that it was Russia which brought two ‘untrue accusations against Britain and that, on both charges, Britain was vindicated by the assembled United Nations. Having suggested that this clash of interests bee tween Britain and Russia was no concern of the United States except so far as the U. 8. might play the role of an impartial intermediary, he expressed fear that the Soviet Union might “set out to become

in the Mediterranean and elsewhere a naval and air power.” In that case, “‘they might impinge directly _ |

on vital Interests of the United States.” Precisely, American Interests are sacred, but those of Britain are not worth worrying about!

Alliance Against Aggression CANNOT he understand what was understood andl expressed so cogently during the. war—that British and American interests are nearly always in hare mony and can‘ be . successfully defended only by Anglo-American co-operation? Any other lines of’ reasoning can only lead us through a series of

Munichs to another war. The last war came because.

of this identical form of unenlightened selfishnesés No country was prepafed to resist aggression unless its own interests were directly threatened, 1 Truth is that the only hope of peace lies in a

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