Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 November 1946 — Page 14
"PAGE 14 . Monday, Nov. 11, 1946 5 ARD WALTER LECKRONE = HENRY W. MANZ President Editor * Business Manager rr A SORIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER spss Owned and published daily (except Sunday) by Times Publishing Co., 214 W. Marylan, Btn — st.
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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way
UNEASY ARMISTICE THIS Armistice day finds a restless world, just as suspicious and at odds as on Nov. 11, 1918, when the bugles sounded the order to cease fire. Subsequent events showed that heralded just what ; the dictionary describes an armistic as being—a temporary ~ gessation of the fighting. But new tensions still prevail, the successful global war did not remove threat of another Here at home, the same uneasiness prevails. The country has welcomed its veterans back to civilian life, only to find that it has not matured along with them, to find itself ill-prepared to absorb them once more as citizens. Production lags because of conflicts between management and labor, and because of excessive government interference that soon should be removed. America has lost sight of the heavy toll of its victories. As we observe Armistice day, 1946, let us rededicate ourselves to winning a peace that can be attained only by moral and spiritual determination that each shall do all in his power to bring genuin® peace to America and to the world,
FREE WAGES, FREE PRICES y PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S action on price and wage con- ] trols was necessary and inevitable. : As he said, price controls had lost popular support. Trying to enforce such of them as remained would only have distorted produétion, blocked the flow of goods and hampered progress toward a stable economy. : He over-simplified when he blamed all OPA difficulties on the “unworkable” price-control law congress passed last summer. Root of those difficulties runs back long beyond that. : It takes more than popular support to make price controls work. Bernard M. Barugh, in October, 1941, told congress what it takes: “You have first to put a ceiling over the whole price structure, including wages, rents and farm prices.” One lesson seems to be that a political government always will be reluctant, even in wartime, to hold down the whole price structure, including wages and farm prices. Another is that our economy can't operate efficiently part controlled and part free. A third is that any element in our economy which wants to keep its own freedom must concede freedom to the other elements. ; The end of practically all price controls means great opportunity and great test for the free-enterprise system. Some prices will rise for a while, some should rise to attain a balance with costs. But the law of supply and demand can operate to prevent a price runaway. : Mr. Truman says, rightly, that his action places squarely upon management and labor responsibility for. working out agreements to adjust their differences without stopping production.
KU-KLUX KLAN HUMBUG T E has been a considerable hue and cry around town for a few days about the supposed revival of the kuklux klan in Indiana. We can appreciate the concern that causes, knowing’ as we do the vicious record this gang of hooded hoodlums wrote for itself back in the days when it had thousands of suckers paying dues into its coffers and voting its corrupt leaders into public office. We are in full accord with the determination of Governor Gates and Attorney General Emmert and every truly American citizen of Indiana that such a thing shall never happen here again. The Times is no stranger to . klan tactics. After all, it was The Times that busted the klan in Indiana back in the twenties, and the proudest possession we have today is the Pulitzer Award of national recognition for the successful, singlehanded battle this " newspaper waged against kluxism, Frankly, there's more noise than substance in this “revival” of the klan. Klan press agents have been trying . to “plant” that story in this town for months past. Samples ~ of their “application blanks” for membership have been allowed to fall “accidentally” into the hands of every newspaper, and of several organizations known to be against everything the klan stands for, especially C. I. O. unions, in the hope of stirring up an attack that would get the organizers a little publicity. Anonymous tipsters in hushed voices have passed out the name and address of the chief orgamizers in the hope of getting them published, so that any sucker who wants to part with $10 can find out where to send the money. It follows right on the heels of a similar publicity campaign out of Georgia and Alabama, a campaign which revolved around “initiation” scenes, and well-publicized in advance burnings of fiery crosses—many of which never actually came off, uy 3 :
a 9» HERE is, today, no evidence from any source that the ku-Klux klan has any members in Indiana, or anywhere else, other than the little inside group of “organizers” who hope to make themselves some easy money by getting some members. These organizers can thrive on the belief—if they can spread it far enough—that their silly little shakedown is a vast, powerful, mysterious force, dangerous to oppose, or conversely, a good thing to join. One way to spread that belief is to get respectable organizations and individuals to attack them as just what they want people to believe they are. Klan press agents have always lied about how many
at a handful of sharpers in Georgia decided the times another collection from the gullible at $10 a n to put out publicity. They easily found a liana with morals as low as their own, who them for a share in the cash.
| just use the common sense keep their $10 in their. a press agent's fantasy
e Indianapolis Times]
Hoosier
ie
"I do not agree with a word that you say, but | will defend to the death your right to say it." — Voltaire.
Forum
Armistice Day; Be
"Don't Forget Significance of
By R. V. P, Carrollton ave. Please publish this in your newspaper on Armistice day.
“EX-NEWSBOYS GAVE STRONG BOYS OF GERMANY LICKING” By Mother of a Times Carrier So, Ex-newsboy, the boys of today are sissies. Well, I think, and I have an idea a great many other
Loyal to U. S."
.as the dash :—.
I am a veteran with three years overseas service in England, Iceland, Northern Ireland, France and Germany, with a few other stops between Normandy and Indianapolis. I have visited Flanders’ fields where the poppies grow, and seen the row after row of white crosses in the cemeteries of the first world war, and the less formalized and sometimes hastily improvised burying places of those who died in this
péople share my _ opinion, that if this country is going to hell, as you stated, it’s probably because there's so many more of you old crabs and grouches sending it there.
members they had, and how powerful their organization was, even when it was big and was powerful. Is there any’ reason to believe they have suddenly become truthful now? simple truth about the ku-klux klan “revival” is
the
{but as a reminder to those who en-| | sage in conflict and un-American activities today that men have died to preserve our form of government.
we fail to remember what America meant to them and what it should mean to all of us.
» EJ » “DON'T LIKE CRITICISM OF MODERN PAPER CARRIERS" By a Times Carrier's Mother, Indianapolis After reading “We Newsboys Were Real Kids Not Sissies” and being a mother of a Times carrier it made my blood boil to read this ex-carrier's letter. In the first place, The Times should not have printed such a nasty letter where our youngsters were called ' sissies,” and said our country was going to hell. It is men such.as he that is making our country what it is. Why doesn't he walk to the correr newstand and buy his paper if he doesn't want to be bothered about paying for it. It is quite evident he has no children of his own. * td o » “WE SHOULD HAVE BOWED OUR HEADS IN SHAME” By Mrs. M. 8., Prospect st. In this no-mean city we should have bowed our heads in shame, as about one thousand of us stood under umbrellas and in raincoats, protecting ourselves from the elements Sunday afternoon as. we watched hundreds of girl scouts, clad only in scout uniforms, march like soldiers out of our beautiful World War Memorial into a drench~ ing rain, and stand- there for 30 minutes. holding our American flag and the troop flag. We are proud of them, and they are proud to be girl scouts. But what a shame there cannot be some place during the winter months. for them to have these gatherings with-
Those men died, whether they knew it or not, for an ideal. It was ideal of democracy. It was to end war. I'm not writing this to complain about the conditions we find in our own country when we réturn,|that the so-called sissies, many of
We are traitors to those mer if| :
The newspapers neglected to praise the Nazi youth. How very interesting. Maybe you didn’t take the paper long enough to find out
| |them ex-newsboys, gave the coura-
|geous, strong boys of Germany a devil of a good licking. If the Ger{man youth are so admirable, I un[derstang there are boats going that way.
VIEWS ON THE NEWS
President Wilson campaigned|¥ants something for nothing. You after world war I and lost the Object to paying the boys so stronghouse to the G. O. P. President/'y: I'll bet you were very careful Truman didn't campaign after to collect on every paper: you put world war II and lost both the Out. Remember, the boys have to
house and senate. His advisors Pay Whether you pay them or not. told him not to repeat Wilson's] Many of the boys are under ten mistake. years of age. It's too bad there
sn = had to be such legislation, but perTwo Ohtoans, both senators, prob- haps ‘it had to be made for the ably are sorry to see the little man likes of you. on the wedding cake become top| Of course, Mr. Ex-newsboy, it's man on the presidential totem pole. | nice you can pick on a little news8 on boy, because you'd nine chances out Ohio long ago has been cilled the | of ten turn tail and run if you had mother of Republican presidents.|an adult to deal with, just as your Right now Ohio ls like the old lady brave Nazi youth did when the “sisin the shoe. sies” got after them. 0 #. 8 8 : All I've got to add is, hell ‘will be The Wallace-Pepper-C. I. O.-P.|full of the such of you, and the A. C.-Democrats may confront newsboys won't be the ones that will President Truman with that syc-{ send you there. cessful G, O. P. slogan—“Had 28 a
enough?’ ’ . “HAVE FAITH IN THE TIMES
One week before election day,| TO CURB ELECTION ERRORS” OPA decontrolled shrouds. Sounds By a Disgusted Veter, Indianapolis like they anticipated the Democratic| Do we still have a democracy, or defeat. {are we being governed by a couple
|of political machines that spare out facing all kinds of weather in| nothing to win over the other? nothing but a thin cotton uniform gvery American citizen has the with no: protection whatsoever. Irijght to vote, so we're told; but City officials who are interested | when we go to the polls, properly in children should find, without | egistered, and find that our names charge, a place suitable for these are torn out and we are refused worthwhile programs. The leaders|that right then we're made to hive worked so faithfully to per-|wonder. fect them and in doing so are mak- ¢ ing better citizens for tomorrow. A 3 hapned itis plang ion WHy not help them in this work|other voters this year. they are doing, in this no-mean| we should be able to go to the
city of ours? % : " ; polls, knowing that we’ll be -able Just one of the one thousand. |i, exercise our right of vote. We
Side Glances -By Galbraith
should not have to stand guard over the poll books constantly, so that our names won't be missing on
. , 7 l. a >
. 1946 BY NEA SERVICE.
i A
« “Gladys hbd »
date with
he aaa
him and she told me he was just braggingl”
election day, when it's all too late to do anything about it, I have faith in The Times power to expose any crookedness, so luck to you. I'm sure this needs investigating if we are to retain our government by the people and for the people. » ” ” “KEEP KNOCKING YOUR HEAD, MR. GERKING” By A Precinet Committeeman, Indianapolis
his repeated requests that Mr. Henry Ostrom resign? Did Mr, Gerking ever do anything for the city of Indianapolis? Henry Ostrom is by far the best chairman that we have ever had and he knows that we precinct committeemen are behind him one hundred per cent. So keep up knocking your head‘ against that wall, Mr. Gerking.
DAILY THOUGHT
Be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I-am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.—Haggal 2:4. : 4 8.8 | Bo let it be in God's own might | We gird us for the coming fight, | And, strong in Him whose cause is ‘ours In conflict with unholy powers,
We gr the weapons He has end Ba Li;
7
Lr
was an awful
T. M, REG. U. 8. PAT.
Why is Don Gerking so silly in|
press 1
»
OUR TOWN. “in By Anion Scherrer A Fellow ‘Indianapoli
AT THE RISK of losing my job to a better man, * I am turning today’s column over to Sam J. Freeman,
| who, by virtue of his office (vice president of L.
Strauss & Co., Inc.), is in charge of their department of onomatopoeia (advertising to you). Sam begins his postpaid letter to me on a peace footing, which is to say that his first paragraph is entirely free
of the punctuation mark known
Like the innocent boob that I am, I fell for it only to learn that, after the first disarming paragraph, all hell breaks loose. In ‘the rarefied atmosphere of ofr modern advertising this is known as the ferocious “follow up” of the gentle “approach,” or getting into a house by way of one foot in the front door, I thought you ought to know. And don't tell me that I didn't warn you of what is coming.
Mr. Freeman Speaks
¢ LET MR. FREEMAN speak for himself: #1 should like to make a few comments anent your ‘Indianapolitan or Indianapolisite’ column that appeared a few days ago in The Times,” (an apparently soothing introduction that can't be beat for blandness). He continues: “1 do so—rather hesitatingly and a bit humbly”— (this from an experienced adman)—“for I have an awesome respect for the scholarly way in which you write—and for your retentive and research mind” (Same to you, Sam; scratch my back and I'll scratch yours). “But—there may be other choices,” continues the dashing Sam. “For instance—Indianapolis has a terrifically (and irritatingly) high pollen count—maybe some of our hay fever sufferers might suggest derisively ‘Indianapollenate.’ “And there is the Indianapolis predilection for polities~=which suggests ‘Indianapolitician.’
3
tan’ Speaks “And the city is famed for hospitality—as are also other Indiana communities— ‘Hoosier Hospitality’—so maybe the proverbial politeness could merit ‘Indianapolite’—ouch!” (The painful exclamation is that of Sam himself which when you come to think of it, does credit to a professional adman; indeed, it makes the whole ilk appear more human). > - “There are those in the vicinity of Pogue's Run’ (Sam continues) “that warn against ‘pollution'— which may suggest that maybe if the condition isn't taken care of—that an eastern sector of Indian- | apolis people may, tragically, become ‘indianapollutioners.’ : At this point (Pogue's Run) Mr. Freeman comes up for air for, by this time, he is well-nigh breath. less; to such an alarming degree, indeed, that, even in his last paragraph, his breath comes in shor pants.
Indianapolitan Is Choice THE LAST paragraph: “Of course, dictionaries can become reactionary | and dictatorial—the language isn’t something static or frozen between Aachen—and Zyxomma--with certain fixed meanings—but constantly fed and blended and renewed—and altered and vitalized and increased by coinages from Mr. Public—Mr. Mencken—by newspaper writers (particularly sports writers)—by Winchellisms—by the TIMESTYLE of reporting—by soldiers and sailors and marines—by aviators and ra- | diorators—etc.—which brings me (meaning Sam) to | Indiana university—where there is quite a sizable and persistent segment that refers, kindly, to Indianapolis as ‘NAPTOWN. Perhaps this will not make great headway—but it does slide nicely from the tongue—it does react pleasantly on the tympanum. “‘Indianapolitan’ is our choice. “With kindest regards,
For a
“Sam J. Freeman “Indianapublicity”
IN WASHINGTON . . . By Thomas L. Stokes un
Southern Democrats Unperturbed
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11.—How disrupted and shaken the Democratic party was left by last week's election - hurricane becomes more apparent with analysis of the complete returns. In recent years Democrats have had to rely for their victories on a combination of the solid south and the big city vote of eastern and industrial midwest states where labor was a potent factor. Midwestern farmers, who had rallied to Franklin D. Roosevelt when depression brought them low, long ago began to desert the Democratic party when they became prosperous again from New Deal farmrelief measures. One of the most significant things in this week's election was the way the once handsome Democratic majorities in the big cities were whittled down until in some cases they almost disappeared. This was oné of the most disturbing results to Democratic stritegists as they studied the returns.
Kelly Takes Drubbing
THE KELLY MACHINE in Chicago and Cook county, once so dependable for the Democrats, was badly hit when a resurgent Republicanism not only captured four Cook county house seats, but, what is more important for the machine, regained key county ts. This gives Republicans a foothold for their attempt to win the mayor's office from Ed Kelly rlext spring. Boss Frank Hague suffered in Jersey City where his majority was greatly reduced. The new Pendergast machine in Kansas City was rudely checked in its comeback drive. : Important nationally, too, was the failure of the Democratic organization in New York City to turn in the necessary quota to offset the upstate vote., Governor Dewey ate great chunks out of the usual heavy Democratic city vote.
The same law of diminishing returns operated ar
in other. cities—Boston, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles. The big city-southern Democratic coalition within the party is a strange alliance. It was held together by common political interest. The weakening of the big city bosses indicates that the southerners now will assume the major role in the party, making for conservatism. The city machines yielded to progressivism of necessity, to some degree, because of the voters upon whom they depended. The ‘southerners will be strengthened proportionately in congress by elimination of a number of big-city Democrats in the election who generally were New Dealish and pro-labor. The party, in fact, returns to those who always hold the mortgage when it is out of power. It can be reported that some southerners of the extreme conservative bent accepted this election with smiling complacency. The reduction of C. I. O. influence in party affairs is most welcome to dominant economic interests which have so large a voice in | the southern wing of the party.
Not Winning Spirit .
THE ANTAGONISM of these interests toward the C. I. O. has been intensified in recent months by the appearance of C. I, O. organizers outside of their plants in the south. They interpret the election to mean curbs on labor generally in the next congress. It will suit a good many southerners just as well to have Republicans control congress. That is no secret. It isn’t exactly the spirit that builds up a winning ‘political party, nor will it be too pleasing to many people in the south who have benefited from New Deal measures. But it is, as they say, “practical and realistic.”
REFLECTIONS . . . By Robert C. Ruark Harmless Gag Has Its Potentialities
NEW YORK, Nov. 11.—The recent embarrassment of some stout citizens who didn’t realize they had been chumped into the directors’ board of a Commu-nist-front organization is an intriguing offshoot of the pew potency of the committee as a social force. The committee, which started meekly as a front for the legitimate project, usually allied with the separation of money from suckers and the projection of a point of view, has burgeoned into a broad industry. .
Can Be Kept Secret
THE GULLIBILITY of our yeomanry is so great that a campaign to popularize the spread of typhoid fever can be palmed off as positive propaganda if the letterhead is lush and the right names appear on the paper. There is nothing sinister in an incident I propose to unveil, except that it's a magnificent example of what a smart lad can shove, in the way of hoodwinkery, down the public throat. You heard anything lately about the national committee of 13 to combat superstition and fear? It has had considerable vogue of late, and has even been seriously evaluated. March of Time touched on it in a recent release. It had a whack at the air waves via a Sunday network program. I understand some 500 papers carried stories and editorials concerning the committee, on Sept. 13, and that magazine articles, a book, and a future radio show are to be built around it. The committee to combat superstition and fear is the biggest phony since the Russo-German alliance. It was a press-agent’s prank, designed to kid the press and publicize a clarinet player named Woody Herman, who was named president of the committee.
WORLD AFFAIRS 5 . By William Philip Simms
~ Geneva Pictured
NEW YORK, Nov. 11.—~When Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov arrived in the United States three weeks ago, he was known to have been a strong advocate of moving the United Nations to Geneva. He may have changed his mind since then but that remains an excellent idea. Not only is it common sense to ch a site as far as possible from the turmoil and pressures of any of the major powers, particularly of the Big Five, but a beautiful, modern and thoroughly adequate United Nations home already exists in Switzerland.
Predicted Home of Nations
AS FAR BACK as 1771 a certain Marquis de Pezay told the Swiss not to bewail their rocks and mountains. Theirs, he sald, was not a barren soil. The olive tree, symbol of peace, would flourish there and doubtless one day “a society of nations” would make Switzerland its headquarters. The prophecy came true. The old League of Nations built its home there. And what a home. In a beautiful park donated by the Genevese, a palace almost as large as that at Versailles was built at great expense. The building alone cost more than $7 million, but what with the tapestries, paintings, decorations and furnishings, the gifts of foreign governments, it must be worti many times that. There is a great library donated by the elder Rockefeller, costing $2 million without the books. There is a magnificent assembly roomi and another for the security council, There are committee roéms, rooms, lounges and even bars, not to mention
does put up most of the money.
Giggling evilly over lunch, Nick Matsuokas of 20thCentury Fox and Marvin Kohn, an imaginative New York press agent, bet each other they could beat the newsprint shortage and unleash a torrent of personal publicity for Herman. They were right. The bandleader picked up more free space than if he had invented a cancer cure. Mr. Kohn, while a mere boy of 23, is an old hand with what the trade calls an “angle.” He is the J inventor of the professional autograph hound. By organizing the youth of New York's schools, Mr. Kohn could guarantee that a visiting celeb would be swarmed by juveniles. For a fee ranging upward from 50 cents a head, the kids to be paid off in free tickets. At a prearranged signal, his pimply minions have ripped the clothes from many a celebrity. These two expert kidders of the public had a fine old time with the committee of 13. They named all their clients vice presidents, sticking Louis Adamic, the round-heeled committeeman, on the list to enlarge | its social significance in the pinkish sense.
Success Not Anticipated
NEITHER OF THOSE practiced lobbyists, Mr. Kohn and Mr. Matsuokas, expected such giddy success. But they are planning to make more or less of a career out of the furtherance of their spurious campaign. i Mind you, this was a gag, and essentially a harmless one, but if you want to nourish a new ulcer, sit down and figure what a couple of nimble brained gents with a really sinister project could swing in the way of public delusion. It is getting all too easy to plant any point of # view, and the committee is the handiest gadget yet invented for the planting.
as Ideal UN Home
dens surround the palace, sloping down to Lake Geneva on the far shores of which the mountains | begin their climb to snow-covered Mont Blanc. i The United Nations in session here now is about | to decide on a home-site. Before the members com- | mit themselves, however, they should do some serious thinking. To date they seem—some of them at least—to have weighed the matter hardly at all. To begin “with, Geneva was given the brush-off partly because Russia was sore at Switzerland over a minor } political incident of many years ago. And as Europe had no other serious contenders, and China, Australia || and South America were regarded as somewhat re- | mote, the assembly settled on the United States. :
. . Yul 4] Now Is Time of Decision : IN THIS COUNTRY San Francisco was the spo ‘most favored by the United Nations. But Great Britain and some others argued that the West Coast was “too far” and eventually the East Coast won. il
Whereupon a commission named by the assembly YS nonchalantly picked a site in Westchester, New York, i ~~ ST extensive enough for a principality. At present, how- 4 . ever, in addition to a whittled-down Westchester © Bri project, sites including Flushing Meadow and san | Francisco are again under consideration. { bl > Now is the time for the 61 members of the United shi
Nations to make up their minds. Experts figure that i] an establishment, with grounds, such as already exists § at Geneva would cost, over here, \no less than $100 million to reproduce at present prices. And after all that morfay, {ime and effort were spent, recriminations and regrets would come a little late—even if the U.S.