Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 July 1946 — Page 12

Owned and published daily (except Sunday) by Indianapolis Times Publishing Co, 214 W. Maryland st. Postal Zone 9. : "Member of United Press, Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance, NEA' Service, and Audit Bureau of Circulations. { Price in Marion County, 5 cents a copy; delly-. ered by carrier, 20 cents a week. ; Mail rates in Indiana, $5 & year; all other states, U. 8. possessions, Canada and Mexico, 87 cents a month. h » RI-8551.

. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Woy

'CH IT OR KILL IT F we're going to revive OPA, let's doctor it up before it * bleeds to death ; if we're not, let's put it out of its misery. | | There are definite advantages in price control, definite advantages in a free market. At the moment we have A er but are in a period of suspended economic animaWe have all the evil features of each, with none of benefits. : "OPA is designed to keep down prices. A free market | {8 designed to provide a plentiful supply. In this period of indecision, we have the high costs but still have to stand in line. : "Today the manufacturer may manufacture, the retailer may retail at whatever price he can get. Such a situation normally provides powerful incentive for production. But manufacturing takes time. Stocks do not move instantaneously. Those who produce and trade hold back because they fear that tomorrow, or next week, or next month, new OPA price schedules may force them to sell at a loss. So scarcities remain and a field day is provided for the chiseler and the profitéer who have come out from under the counter to collect whatever a seller's market will bear, without fear of the law or of competition from decent

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‘ - LJ x i WHAT we need is some rules—or no rules—that can be relied upon to hold for a while. _ Congress seems inclined not to crucify OPA but merely to annoy it to death. ; House Republican strategy calls for passage of the "pew senate bill which would then go to President Truman. Mr. Truman says of this bill that “it couldn't be worse,” which means veto. Republican strategy, therefore, would maneuver the President into the final act of putting OPA out of its misery—the mercy stroke. i Democratic strategy, on the other hand, is to send the senate bill to a joint senate-house conference, there to rewrite it into a “workable” measure. The house rules committee has recommended this procedure and the house votes upon the recommendation today. By “workable” is meant, presumably, something more to the liking of President Truman and Paul Porter of OPA than the bill recently vetoed by the President. Congress has been progressively disinclined to give Mr, Truman and Mr. Porter what they want, and the longer congress has worked on the bill the less Mr. Truman and Mr. Porter have liked it. : What this adds up to, therefore, is a stall, a postponement of the evil day when the patient may roll over and quit breathing with no one drawing the disagreeable job of knocking him in the head. Meanwhile the mess which Mr. Porter would have to " unscramble under any new OPA bill gets worse by the hour. It was admittedly a bad mess when the old OPA bill expired. It grows worse day by day. And while this political face-saving goes on, the consumer gets the short end of it. We consider it increasingly obvious that congress and the President are not going to get together on OPA. If this be true, the sooner the fact is faced, the better. .

NEW G. O. P. CHAIRMAN WICE within the past few days, the Citizens’ Repub- | © lican committee has been quoted as stating that the pew G. O. P. county chairman should be acceptable to the Republican candidates in the fall elections, the “people” d “the press.” #» Include us out. So far as our own segment of “the press” is concerned, the only ones who have to be satisfied are’ the people of Marion county. 1 The committee is speaking of the movement, expected ' fo culminate soon, to force resignation from that post of . Henry E. Ostrom, whose machine was badly defeated in a . primary which chose a number of anti-machine candidates. | If we feel that the man finally chosen for county chairman is a good man, fitted for the exercise of party responsibility to the community, we'll say so. And if we don’t | feel that way, we'll say so, too. But our opinions are voiced in our editorials on this page—not in caucuses or anywhere else.

BUYERS’ STRIKES PLANS of U. A. W.’s fiery leader Walter Reuther to call a “buyers’ strike” in protest against higher prices could be extremely effective if skillfully organized and carried out. Obviously people can't just stop buying everything. A certain minimum of purchases is necessary for bare existence. But if Mr. Reuther, his members, and enough other consumers buy only what they need of scarce items, and refuse to pay exorbitant prices, they certainly can help keep down prices. : Mr. Reuther and his members, it will be recalled, did part toward making automobiles scarce by stopping lll manufacture of new cars for two or three months last ng, until their own price was raised. If his members, d all other consumers now refuse to buy automobiles, h are perhaps somewhat higher because of the somet higher wages paid to produce them, automobile progion will slow down, or maybe even stop, in which case 8 members will be out of jobs.. Any “buyers’ ke” carried out on an indiscriminate basis, if successful, would have that same result on workers in other industries, and if big enough and successful enough would create mas ‘unemployment rather quickly, But a “strike” against too much, or paying too much, is just good common

:

We trust Mr. Reuther does not seriously propose to few hundred thousand of his members quit work ze their ‘opposition to high prices, though. That contribute to greater scarcity of the things and scarcity is one of the reasons for high And, by the way, when customers ‘for what embers have to sell decline to pay the lly isn’t called a “bufers’ strike.” Mr. call that a “lockout.” :

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businessmen who are struggling to head off wild-eyed :

Next Stop?

| smirhsonian INSTITUTION

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~ Hoosier

say, but |

Forum

"] do not agree with a word that you

will defend to the death

your right to say it." — Yoltaire.

"State Speed Limit

this and others will not.

the citizens to either attend or write in your suggestions for this purpose, and when you do it would be well to state the rate of speed at which you think the Indiana law should be set. It is my understanding that there will be asked a maximum speed law for days of 60 miles an hour (which is 10 miles too fast for safety's sake) and 50 for night driving. I hope many persons will think this over carefully and write in their recommendations that the Indiana speed law be set at 50 miles an hour for days and nights. Anyone who drives knows well that a car going 50 miles an hour is not standing still by any means, and that a rate higher than this is murderous and nothing short of it. Persons who have been involved in serious accidents or those who have had their loved ones involved in

Per Hour Would Save Many Lives"

: By John C. Snyder, Brendenwood There is to be a safety conference the week of July 17 in which our governor, Ralph Gates, and other state officials will be in attendance and in which they will be very much interested. In this connection, they have asked persons to attend and give their views.

In the interest of a greatly reduced accident rate, may I ask all

{lie meeting, to

such will certainly agree that 50 is| a high enough rate of speed no matter what the time, day or night. Eastern states, including New York, | have speed limits of 50 miles an| hour on their roads. Surely they are as intelligent there as we are here, and if 50 is high enough there, it certainly should be here in Indiana. How about it, fellow Hoosiers—let's write today on this| very important subject, important to all, for no one of us knows who will be the next victim. » ” » “DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE TICKET PLEDGES REFORMS” By Rarnd F. Murrey, TIS Fletcher

Answering the inquiry prompted by your editorial “Democratic County Platform,” I rise to explain my position in regard to the Democratic platform, and more particularly to the plank favoring nonpartisan election of all judges, as I wish every voter to clearly understand that I stand squarely on that plank, as well as each of the other planks therein, and further, if

of 50 Miles

Some will do

write into law, each state plank and each proposal contained in the county platform. As a member of the committee designated by the Democratic county chairman to draft a platform, I know that it was the purpose of that committee that the county platform adopted by the candidates unanimously in pubsupplement the state platform- and lend emphasis to the fact that legislative candidates from Marion county would insist that any legislation proposing the non-partizan election of judges be specific in that it be made clear that the juvenile court of Marion county be emancipated “from all political influence, whatsoever, and to that end and purpose all steps be taken to provide for the election of the judge of that court” as well as other judges, “upon an independent ballot.”

I am certain that all Democratic legislative candidates from Marion county join in a position for full enactment of every provision in the state platform. We wish to go further, that the voters of Marion county will understand clearly that we will keep in mind the interest of Marion county in such vital matters as legislative reapportionment as mandated by the constitution— a duty that the present Republican members of the senate and house from this gounty have failed to attend to. We further are determined to “oppose a payroll tax on any employee's pay either for municipal or county tax purposes” and instead we will demand a more equitable return to Marion county of the gross income tax, such return to be in proportion to the tax paid in this county, and that the same rule shall apply to motor highway vehicle funds. In short, the Democratic legislative ¢candidates intend to look after the interests in the legislature of the taxpayers and citizens of Indianapolis and Marjon county, which was not, and is

elected to the state senate, I will present and support legislation to

not being effectively done at the present time.

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Carnival—By Dick Turner

* "Murphy, investigate a complaint at the Ritzmore Arms—a qu , in 214 claims the. hotel-is stealing his towels!” z

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“WHY DON'T CRITICS TRY RENTING OUT PROPERTY?”

By N. EK. Rensberger, Bloomington, Ind. As a subscriber of your paper I feel some interest in it, and as there has been a lot of ballyhoo lately about rent control, a lot of it so shallow as to be nauseating, I think it just about time that “landlords” are waking up, and speaking their pieces. I don't like this word “landlord.” It sounds too much like ancient estate owners. Property owner is a more sensible title, and millions of Americans in very modest circumstances are property owners, and more or less rent out houses or apartments they have accumulated by hard work, saving and skimping, and thriftiness. Now, along comes a bunch of Communists, mostly, to blat their blather about something they don't know a thing about, and care a sight less. In the first place, if you will check up on the horn-blowers closely you will find eight out of 10 never owned or rented out a home so, therefore, don't know the first letter, what grief comes with rental properties. In your issue of July 8 was a letter by J. Wesley Smith which hits the nail on the head exactly, only he does not make it complete, he should have added the following: House had to be fumigated to get rid of fleas caused by dogs, at a cost of $35 before it could be rented again; another house infested with bedbugs, fumigated at a cost of $40; another one had to have truck to haul two loads of rubbish, ashes and filth at cost of $14; another perfectly new wall paper all marked up with colored pencils by youngsters, had to be completely redecorated before renting again, at a cost of $85. Oh, yes! A beautiful story, this “landlord” business, isn’t it? And I can prove every word of it. You fellows who are running up and down the streets with banners denouncing property owners, why in the devil don’t you buy a place of your own and try it out? These unions have had two or three raises in wages but they want the property owner to maintain a home over their heads at the same old tune, when all upkeep has cost 30 per cent more and some homes, yes I will say thousands of them, are frozen at depression prices. HN. “STREET RAILWAY FARES

SHOULD NOT BE RAISED”

By G, F. Lee, 4050 Cornelius ave. I cannot help writing a few words on the article of Mrs. G. A. R. in The Times Forum of July 3. For her enlightenment, public hearings have been held on the sublect of increased city railway fares, during the course of which it was proven that all employees of the city railway offices are still making the same high salaries they were getting during the bonanza war years, This one fact proved that the Indianapolis Street Railways, Inc. is not losing money. Mrs. G. A. R. mentioned the rises in price of several commodities, but does she think that everybody in Indianapolis got a raise in salary to offset these price increases? Far from it! On the contrary, a lot of people have been laid off, and those that did return to work found their salaries cut. And one thing is sure —if Indianapolis Street Railways, Inc, does get its fare increase, it will never be reduced, no matter if we are making only four dollars a week. “>The public service commission voted agdinst the fare increase because the P. 8. C, represents the public, the public is against fare increase by a ratio of 20 to 1, so why not accede in good grace?

DAILY THOUGHT Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.—Matthew 10:« 16, .

POWER is more safely retained

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by cautious than severe councils.

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b him except the Communists

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Help Youngsters Abroad Enjoy Sports

THE Y. M. C. A. 18 CONDUCTING a campaign the rest of this month that can be supported painlessly and certainly deserves support. « It's not a drive for money, but for sports equipment for the youngsters of the Philippine republic and of Poland. I've seen many of the gutted buildings that once were Y. M. C. A's in the Philippines, 18 of the 19 there were destroyed by the Japanese or by our gunfire and bombs in the process of liberating the islands. They need this help.

U.S. Offers Only Source

IN THE PHILIPPINES, in Poland and in many other cduntries, the “Y” is the principal center for organized sports, particularly among those who can't afford equipment even if it were available. And sports equipment was one of the few items one couldn't buy for any price in Manila's Chinese shops «+ One could get silk stockings and alarm clocks, but no catcher's mitt. We're just about the only country which could provide such athletic equipment. It ‘hasn't been manufactured in any other country directly affected by the war . . . at least to any extent, : Stuck up in the attic, under the bed of that G. I. who has only recently come home, in the garage or some closet . . . in one of those places in almost every home there is discarded baseballs, footballs and basketballs, Or perhaps a tennis racket, bat, old swimming suit or that book you bought but never read when you decided to study up on the rules of your favorite sport. Or books on physical education, health, recreation and eamping. ® The range of needs is great . . . from sweatshirts to gym pants, “pants, gym (short, long; gymnastic) running, sweat.” . There's a tinge of quartermaster classification in that terminology . . . but it seems to say that the Filipinos and the Poles can use Just about anything in the sports line,

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By Donald D: Hoover oe lng my

The Y. M. C. A. here says that the equipment either will be used in their work or distributed in places where it will do the most good. It will do

inestimable good if it helps keep, those kids off the

streets and out of trouble. “Trouble” means in their country much more than an escape from nof having enough to do. It means escape from unrest and insecurity . . . it will be reduced if they know we of America are interested in the youth of the rest of the world. Sending fgod is fine . , , and necessary . . . xu this sports equipment will be a great contribution, D, . : The Young Men's. Christian association program abroad is not a preaching program. It helps youngsters of all types adapt themselves to new behaviour patterns. Many of these boys and girls grew. up in an atmosphere where it was necessary for their par-

_ents to evade the laws of the axis invaders if they |

were to survive. They will have to revise their whole concepts of living . . . and through sports, they will be able to make a step in that direction.

Collection Centers Set Up

YOU CAN TURN IN your old equipment at neighborhood points as well as at the Central Y. M,C A. at 310 N: Illinois st. . .. It will be hot up in the attic or perhaps dusty down in the basement, but how about digging out your unused sports equipment tonight, It can he left at Hawthorne Social Service hi 2440 W. Ohio st.; Olive Branch Christian church, 101 E. Raymond st. Senate ave. Y. M. C. A, 450 N. Senate ave.; East district Y, M. C. A, 5501 E. Washington st; North district Y. M. C. A, at Butler university, where it is located in the basement of the main building, and Meridian Heights Presbyterian church, 47th st. and Central ave. It won't take long to do a mighty helpt 1 deed, to lapse into Boy Scout phra gle about it?

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IN WASHINGTON . . . By Peter Edson

Country Seems A

WASHINGTON, July 16.—President Harry 8. (for Stubborn) Truman is prepared to veto another unsatisfactory price-control bill, if that's what congress hands him again, But President Truman still hopes that congress will send him a satisfactory price-con-trol bill that he can sign.

These conclusions are inescapable to anyone who «bMl |

reads the quarterly report just sent to the President and congress by Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion John R. Steelman. Every section dwells on ‘the dangers of inflation and the need for continued economic controls. Like the President's OPA veto message, the report needles congress for action only in the direction in which the President wants to go.

Truman ldeas on OPA

OF COURSE, the President didn't write this report. Neither did Assistant President Steelman. As a matter of fact, the report incorporates a number of ideas which Dr. Steelman didn't have a few weeks ago. The report was drafted by some of the bright young men in government for John W. Snyder to sign. Snyder approved it, but was made secretary of the treasury, so the report was signed by Steelman, his successor and director of OWMR. And the President put out a statement endorsing it in full. So responsibility for this document belongs to the economic high-command of Truman, Snyder and Steelman. The report really constitutes an interim message to congress on the state of the nation. Steelman, in his letter of transmittal to the President and congress, says the report should be called “The Crossroads.” Somehow, the country always seems to be on that spot. . “We must choose now,” it says, “whether we shall move forward through the final stages of reconversion

lways at Crossroad

with effective price and wage controls, or whether we are prepared to take the risk of abandoning such controls at a time when supply and demand are radically out of balance.” More interesting than that, however, the report reveals that Harry Truman has not yielded one speck in his determination to have a workable price-control at will prevent inflation. : Specifications’ as to what the President considers a workable Priog-controb bill, are set forth clearly in the Steelman “Crossroads report.” ONE: It must actually control prices, preventing unnecessary price incredses and permitting price increases necessary to stimulate production of items in short supply. TWO: It must be administrable and enforceable. A law that would control prices industry by industry,

“with cost absorption where necessary, is considered

administrable. A law that would require the government to study and pass on the profit earned by every business on every item it handled is considered unadministrable and unenforceable. THREE: The law must be flexible, so that its application changes as the . supply-demand balance changes. It is today considered virtually impossible to find any important product that is in supply-de-mand balance, That is mentioned to show the need for continued controls.

Control Extension Dubious

DECONTROL MACHINERY, as proposed by congress, however, is now accepted by the President. In this respect only, the President indicated he is willing to compromise with the congress on OPA. Whether or not the President can get a price-con- _ trol-extension law incorporating these principles is a question. It seems almost impossible. But the President has shown himself to be a hopeful fellow, confident that everything is going to turn out all right. “All right” means the way he wants it. Maybe so.

WORLD AFFAIRS . . . By Sidney B. Whipple

Red Link with °

MAGALANG, July 16.—Military authorities of Pampanga province of the Philippines are convinced they have discovered a physical link between the terroristic organization known as Hukbalahaps and

Russia. The spiritual bond already has been -emphasized daily by Huk supporters in Manila and elsewhere. Capt. E. M. Sadang, commander of the military police company here, says it is well known that prior to the war three Russians ostensibly employed at a saw mill and sugar mill near Mt. Arayat were lecturing and propagandizing the Huks. They remained in the hills throughout the war.

Follow Communist Pattern AFTER THE WAR they continued in the service of the Huks and were known to have been hiding out with them as late as in March, 1946. Meanwhile the M. P.’s whose ifitra-service radio broadcasts frequently have been jammed finally intercepted a Russian language code emanating from Huk territory. In March, the M. P.’s tracked down the source of the interference and found two short-wave transmitters and a generator which fleeing Huks apparently were forced to abandon. Both sets, partly destroyed, have been turned over to investigating authorities. Intelligence sources report the Russians have Hot been seen nor heard of since that time, but it is thought they fled to Manila and may be in the Russian colony there now. Further evidence of the Huk's link to Communistbacked organizations is shown in their methods of levying tribute for the benefit of outside groups. Among those under whose names fees and dues are

Huks’ Is Established

collected are P. K. P. (Pambansang Kommunista Pilipinas—national Communist ' party), the Democratic Alliance, C. L. O. or Committee for Labor Organization, the P. V. L., or National Veterans’ league, which denies it is Communist but is dominated by leftists, and the Pampanga trucking organization which appears to be a racket for levying tribute from truck owners for benefit of the workers. Many captured Huks admit proselyting is accomplished by promising the establishment of a Soviet system under which all share alike and all fortunes are confiscated for the state. They also admit their leaders pledge the overthrow of the gove ernment -and establishment of a peasants’ and workers’ regime. : Prisoners also have disclosed creation of an organization within the Huks known as the Pief, or Pampagna Ilocos expeditionary force charged with invading the province of Ilocos in small infiltration groups to establish local cells similar to the paper government now operating in Pampanga today.

Huks Deny Chance to Work

THERE 1S SOME FEELING among authorities that the Huks’' food, supplies and finances may be running low, They have picked some sections bare, and since the inhabitants have been driven off the farms and are staying in cities for safety, agricul tural production has ceased. Consequently the Huks are forced to seek new territory to exploit. The pathetic part is that all the farm refugees to whom I've talked unanimously agree they're satisfled with the conditions of enlightened Quezon laws and promises of the Roxas regime. They want only a chance to work, which the Huks are denying them.

TODAY IN EUROPE . . . By Randolph Churchil French Right-Wing Forces Recovering

PARIS, July 16~There are many Signs that the French Communists have not recovered from the severe check they received in the recent elections. Until this check was administered, they showed a self-confidence in their actions and propaganda which had a somewhat demoralizing effect upon all the right-wing political forces. Now, disconcerted by the fact that they aré no longer the largest party in the assembly, they seem to be playing their cards with much less than their former flair, By con= trast and as a direct result of this, the right-wing forces are recovering their nerve and are counterattacking with skill and courage.

Communists Isolated on Issue A NOTABLE EXAMPLE of this new tendency was seen some days ago when the Communists tried to carry a resolution in the assembly forbidding Paul Reynaud, France's premier at the time of the battle of France, from taking his seat as the newly-elected deputy for Dunkirk. The Communists were unable to suggest that there had been any irregularity in the conduct of the election. The gravamen of their charge against Reynaud was that it was he who, as premier, had invited Marshal Petain into the government and had appointed Gen. Maxime Weygand as commander-in-chief of the French forces, The Communists made a profound tactical mistake in taking up this case. They enabled Reynaud, who is & brilliant parliamentarian, to vindicate himself from calumnies that have been persistently directed against him, and, at the same time, to carry the fight into the Communists’ camp. And at the end ®»f a very lively debate, Reynaud's position was sustained By a large majority, no one voting against

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Not only the right-wing deputies but all of the Popular Republicans and Socialists supported Reynaud’s right to sit in the assembly. Thus, for the first time since the liberation of France, the Communists were completely isolated from all other parties. The implications of Reynaud's victory go much ‘deeper than his own personal situation. That the Communists should find themselves isolated is a very healthy sign. -But what is much more important is that all parties save the Communists have indicated support of the historic principle that the people and the people alone should choose their parliamentary representatives, If parliaments had the right to invalidate the election of members whose political opinions or antecedents they disliked, a formidable instrument of government tyranny would have been forged.

Leftists Lose Fight THIS ISSUE WAS FOUGHT out in the 18th century in England when government supporters repeatedly declared the election of John Wilkes by the borough of Middlesex tp be null and void, and three times ordered fresh elections to be held. ‘The only result was that Wilkes was returned each time with a largér majority... He became a popular hero, and parliament was eventually forced to acquiesce in his taking his seat. : The French Communists, like all other Communists, would dearly love to establish a tyranny of opinion which would bar from public life all’ who disagreed with them. It's a fine thing for France and for popular institutions everywhere that ‘they should have béen so firmly repulsed in their une yg - {

And this on an issue of their own choosing.

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DETROI! Henry Ford

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