Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 September 1947 — Page 12

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“to be thanked for showing the Soviet hand. Russia's record

“and through obstruction in other constituent bodies, is

preparedness,

ndianapol: PAGE 12 Monday, Sept. 22, 1947 ROY W. HOWARD WALTER LECKRONE President Editor .

HENRY W. MANZ Business Manager

Member of United ‘Press, ScrippseHoward Newspaper Alliance, NEA Service, and Audit Bureau of Circulations. Price in Marion County, § cents a copy: deliyered by carrier, 25¢c a week, Mall rates in Indiana, $5 a year; all other states, U. 8. possessions, Canada and Mexico, $110 a month. Telephone RI ley 6561

Give Light and the People Will Find Ther Own Way

Restraints on Russia

- M® VISHINSKY and his stooges, who have been trying in the United Nations assembly to smear the United States for alleged world domination and war-mongering, are

in breaking pledges and in aggressive expansion has been clear enough for two years. But it remained for these Soviet speeches to clarify the Kremlin's rating of various barriers against its imperialistic ambitions. Foremost of those barriers, of course, is a functioning United Nations. Soviet sabotage of the United Nations, (hrough misuse of her veto power in the security council

notorious. But it was not known until last week how far she was prepared to go to restrict the growth of the 55nation general assembly. Her determination to run afoul of so many nations is the measure of her desperate policy. The second barrier, against which she is howling loudly, is the system of regional agreements sponsored by the United States within the framework of the United Nations. These include the inter-American political and military security pacts, such as that recently concluded at the Rio con-| ference, and Anglo-American partnership. Similarly the I'ruman doctrine aid to Greece and Turkey, and the Mar-|

.ghall plan for European recovery with which 16 nations are

co-operating, are hotly berated barriers to Soviet expansion. Thirdly, the Kremlin objects to United States military Aweapipan yawillingness.. to. give. up. the atomic bomb without effective international control of it— to which Russia will not consent because that involves foreign inspection of her secrets—hurts her most. But she is also yelping because the United States will not limit its army, navy and air- force while the Red army is on the march. ‘ The fourth power she fears isthe tree press. Hence her fantastic proposal to curb the press in the democracies, as she has enslaved it as a condition of her dictatorship in Russia and neighboring states. Under the Vishinsky resoJution the United Nations would urge such countries as the United States to make war-mongering a criminal offense— the democratic press“being the chief offender, according to, him: He means by “war-mongering” factual reporting’ of | Soviet sabotage and aggression, » nn - » » RUSSIA may be able in the future, as in the past, to prevent the United Nations from functioning effectively though the temper of the present assémbly has Moscow worried. As for the other three major barriers to Soviet world penetration and expansion, we don’t think the Kremlin can prevent regional security co-operation, or disarm the U. S. A. while the U. S. S. R. is militarized, or suppress the truth about Russia in the free press. As long as these three restraints exist in the world, Russia will not find aggression healthy in the long run. And if she didn’t know that, she would not be making so much noise about it,

No Easy Way Out

TTORNEY GENERAL CLARK orders government lawyers to act against illegal price fixing wherever they find it increasing food and other costs. A good idea, and sound public policy always. The government asks big grain exchanges to double the margins required of speculators in grain futures. Another good idea. It should help to discourage reckless speculation. Don't, however, expect too much of such steps. It's humanly natural to look for a set of villains—monopolists, | profiteers, speculators or whatever—that can be blamed and | punished for causing high prices. It's natural to want to ¢ believe that:there must be some such easy way out of the situation we're in. That situation does offer tempting opportunities to sharpshooters, who should be prosecuted or pilloried if they do things that make it worse. But, though monopolists, profiteers, speculators, etc., take advantage of the situation, they didn’t create it. The fundamental fact is that food prices are high, and | keep rising, because there isn't enough grain and meat to supply both the full demands of Americans who have money | to buy with and the pitiful needs of hungry people in other, countries. ¥ /

Even in America there are plenty. of people who can't] afford as much food, and as good food, a8 they should have. | But here we do have steady and full employment at the| highest wages in history. Here, despite high prices, we still] have enormous purchasing power, widely distributed, and it is being used, and its use is bidding prices higher. And more and more of us are saying that we can’t afford to spare food to be sent to combat starvation and communism abroad.

That is our situation, and we must understand it if we hope to deal with it intelligently. » » » ” » » ANY of us seem to feel that bringing back -government price controls would be the solution. °

But there is no real basis for belief that control of food prices could succeed unless many other prices, and wages, also were controlled. It would take months, and cost a vast amount of money, to set up the machinery and hire the thousands of people needed for an effort to enforce price and wage controls. And the controls would not encourage production of one extra bushel of grain or pound of | meat. Past experience provides plenty of reason to expect that their effect would be just the opposite. We'd be happier if we knew an easy way out. It may | be that the best way is the hard way—self-restraint— whether it's called by some pretty name or described in the blunt, though politically risky, words of Senator Taft. If this country is to escape the disaster of price boom and bust—if food prices are to be brought within reach of hun‘gry people here and food is to be supplied to hungry people abroad—it seems certain that millions of well-fed Ameri cans will have to “eat less and eat less extravagantly” for’ the next year or twa.

“a- In Tune oe

With the Times

Donald D. Hoover

REKINDLING CHRISTIANITY

MOST SIGNIFICANT historical Americans is pointed out by Prof. Toynbee in

for

“A Study of History.” It concerns the role of the Negro in our civilization and its analogue in the conversion of the Roman world to Christianity by its Italo-Oriental plantation slaves from the Mediteranean coast. : According to Prof. Toynbee, it is not unreasonable to expect that the evangelically converted American Negro, by virtue of his discovery that Jesus was a prophet come into the world not to confirm the mighty in their seats but to exalt the humble and weak; and by virtue also of his spiritual intuition and his genius for giv ing spontaneous aesthetic to emotional religious experience, may be able to rekindle the dying ashes of a Christianity now expiring among those who consider themselves the social and intellectual superiors of the Negro.

It is then that Christianity may become the®

living faith of a dying spiritual civilization for a second time, And this is more to the credit of the Negro than the first conversion was to the .credit of the Italo-Oriental plantation slaves. They were drawn from a deeply cultivated Oriental popula tion, whereas the Negro's ancestral religion could not compete with a superigr white civilization, Indeed, the response of the Negro in American society would be, according to Prof. Toynbee, “the most dynamic response to the challenge of social penalization that has yet been made by man.” ~JOHN 8. HARRISON, ® © Americans are folks who elect people to pass down the laws so they can pass them up. ® & 9

WHEN | WAS YOUNG

When I%was young, my heart would sing. It. pumped all day without a ping. Now that I'm old and things look dim, It sound like an auto on the rim. ~EARL STAUDACHER.

* 4 % You'll never convince the man of the house that the beauty of autumn leaves is in the fall > 4 % ee NOSTALG

I love the prairie broad and free, No towering hills to hamper me. I love the sun as it sinks to rest ‘Neath the smooth, straight line of the prairie's breath. As far as the naked eye can see The good sweet earth seems to beckon me. Some sing of the mountains and some of the sea But the rolling prairie thrills the heart of me. ~—CLARA BROWN. > 4 & Trying to cure a grievance with careful nursing is a waste of time. * > 4

COURTESY HELPS

FEW DAYS AGO 1 administered college entrance tests to ‘a group of freshmen. - Special

_ pencils were used and at the end of the period

were called for. As I went among the desks collecting the pencils, all students handed them to me with the pencil head first, turning them if necessary to avoid presenting me: the sharp point. I was impressed by their courteous response in this small thing. Courtesy as « character builder and contribution to better living is significant. These students had come from homes where courtesy was taught as part of everyday living. They are taking a fine thing with them ‘into their college life. It is a part of the teachers’ jobs to see that it is nurtured and developed. Business functions better because of courtesy. 1 once worked in a store where I handled advertising. Every day the newspaper salesman called to inquire if we had an ad to place, I always thanked him. My boss said, “Why thank him? He's only selling something.” The salesman's efforts to give service seemed worth a thank you and I said so. It wasn't so long before the boss began thanking such inquiries himself. Brusqueness and discourtesy do not indicate superior business ability. Sports observe courtesies calculated to build up a feeling of fair play, stores promote courtesy campaigns, social behavior demands it. The complex machine of living needs power to run it, but it also needs the lubrication which makes it function smoothly. Courtesy is an important lubricant, —~ROSAMOND RISSER JONES. ed & A local chain store is advertising bread made out of “twisted dough.” You don't know how twisted dough really is these days until you buy » pound of butter.

‘Slowness in Peace-Making Is Strength’

IMPATIENCE WITH THE SLOW PROGRESS of peace after world war II needs to be checked. When hostilities ceased no one We have three years

anticipated a real peace in less than five years. to go.

In the past two years, a course has been followed with the deliberate intention of avoiding the blunders of the Versailles peace of 1919 which all agreed was too hasty. It was a peace imposed with hatred still rampant and with vengeance as a motive regardless of reason.

OUR TOWN: ~~ By-Anton

Scherrer den

First Local Fire Océuired ii in 1825

HEREWITH anéther disorganized batch of items all of which, this time, have something to do with the Indianapolis fire department. ONE: The first fire on record around here occurred on Jan, 17, 1825, when Maj. Thomas Carter's tavern (The Rosebush) burned to the ground. On that occasion, a group of zealous citizens sought to save the hotel sign, a colorful pictorial masterpiece by Sam Rooker (our first house painter). In their zeal, they proceeded to chop down the post to which the sigh was fastened. “Their technique was that of pioneer woodsmen; with the~=result that when the post fell, the sign went with it, too. Sure, it was busted to smithereens. For "years, Indianapolis preachers used the

”

incident to illustrate the folly of sensible men when

faced with calamity. TWO: Indianapolis had to wait 17 months after the first fire to observe the behavior of women under similar conditions. On that occasion, Mrs. McCarty

Freturned to the ruins of her burned-down house to

save her pet candry.

THREE: On June 20, 1826, right after the burning down of Nicholas McCarty’'s house (our second fire), the Indianapolis volunteer fire department was organized with John Hawkins as captain. It operated with ladders and leather buckets painted a pale blue (by Sam Rooker).

Fire Razes Fire House

FOUR: The Hawkins outfit maintained its organization until 1835 when it was absorbed by the Marion Engine Co. organized to operate the “engine” purchased at the joint expense of the state and city ($1800). It was what was then called an “end brake” requiring the muscles of 24 men to operate it efficiently. FIVE: In 1837, a two-story frame house was built on. the northwest quadrant of the Circle to house the Marion engine. In 1851, the fire engine house was destroyed by fire taking with it a large portion of city records. It remains the prize example of irony around here, SIX: On Nov. 14, 1859, two city ordinances were passed—one disbanded the volunteer companies; the other provided for a paid fire department consisting of one steam and two hand engines and a hook and ladder company. The two men, whose business it

was to stay at the engine house all the time, received $300 apiece per year. As for the other fire laddies, they got $25 apiece per year with the privilege of pursuing their regular trades while waiting for fires to turn-up: SEVEN: A year later, in 1860, arrangements were made for a central alarm systém. The council placed a watchman in the tower of Glenn's block, the building that was torn down later to make room for the first unit of the New York store (25 E. Washington st. to you youngsters). It was in this tower that Charlie Rhodes «was stationed constantly equipped with a field glass. When he detected wid? “docked

_like ‘a fire, he gave the alarm on a big bell mounted

on an open frame work. The city had nine wards at the time, and the bell stfuck the number of the ward in which the fire appeared to be located whereupon, the firemen went in the general direction of that ward and hunted until they found the fire,

Fire Chief Killed in 1873

EIGHT: Up until 1874 only three fires gave the |

department any trouble—Kingan's pork house (1865), Morrison's opera house (1870) and the WoodburnSarven Wheel Co. (1873). The latter was a ghastly affair because of the falling of a wall. It resulted in the death of Chief Fire Engineer Daniel Glazier, the first catastrophe of its kind in Indianapolis. (Prior to 1890, fire fighters were called “engineers.”) NINE: Up until crossed a street in Indianapolis. The first to do so was the one that started in Wright's Exchange Block on the west side of Pennsylvania st. north of Market. In no time at all, it shot across the street destroying two buildings in the neighborhood of where Thompson's restaurant now stands. Up until that time it

was generaHy believed that such a thing couldn't |

happen here because of our broad streets. TEN: The watch tower in the Courthouse steeple was established in 1883 with Frank Gresham in charge. To get to his station, Frank had to climb a 60-foot-high ladder from the clock to the “watch house.” On March 17, 1890, Frank watched the Bow-en-Merrill fire from beginning to end. He was the first to learn its terrible toll—12 Indianapolis firemen killed, 16 severely injured. And I stili insist (a footnote) that of all the old fire horses around here, Dick and Ned were as good as any and a lot faster than most. They belonged to No. 10, the engine house at Merrill st. and Russell ave. right in the heart of the bailiwick where I spent my boyhood.

open break.

of leaving voluntarily.

nations.

oe The alternative would be to let our exasperation lead us into an

We might conceivably have Russia thrown out of the United Nations or, by illuminating its ‘many faults, humiliate it to the point ens That would leave the world in the same plight caused by the refusal of the United States to join the league of

1874, too, no fire had ever

x ne ;

Fh TT Hoosier Forum

"I do not agree with a word that you say, but | will defend to the death your right te say i."

Yugoslav Religious Freedom

By Dr. George Walker Buckner Jr, Editor, World

Call, Indianapdlis The letter of Msgr. Paul A. Deery in your issue of Sept. 16 commenting upon an interview with me on Sept. 9, following my return from Yugoslavia, is amazing in its avoidance of discussion of I sald. In his opening paragraphs, the Vincennes njonsignor seems to promise your readers that, since they are “entitled to the truth,” he is going to give them just that. Then he fails to make & single comment upon any statement by me. : Rather, he tells of papers and individuals who agree with him and say so in name-calling headlines and cartoons, : The unfortunate suggestion of division between Protestant and Roman Catholic was raised by Msgr. Deery rather than in my, interview in which 1 took particular pains to refer to both collaborators and members of the resistance as including al] faiths. Honest acceptance of this fact would go far toward doing away with misunderstanding among religious groups. In my own case, the charge of “opposition to Catholicism” which Father Derry quotes with evident approval is a bit absurd in the light of years in the ministry and in the fleld of religious. journalism attended by a record that is clear and ‘unbroken in support of mutual respect and appreciation among those of various religious faiths, I have never said or written one word derogatory to any faith. That does not mean at all that I not free to criticize the acts of individuals may be Catholics, Mormons or Hindus or .of statements made or lines of policy adopted by their groups when they get into the field of public and international policy. . Rather surprisingly, Father Deery refers through quotation to Archbishop Stepinac now serving a 16-year term in Lepoglava prison. for collaboration. A story current in America in midJuly was that Stepinac was slowly starving .and that his health was undermined. A Rowan Catholic paper in Cleveland urged our party to ask to see him. But when we visited Stepinac in his comfortable room next to his private chapel ;and were told by him directly, and not through interpreters, that his food was good, that he had been blessed with good health throughout his imprisonment and that he celebrated the mass daily, our report. was, largely ignored or distorted ogg ao starting point for editortixi tirades’ “religious bigotry.” Msgr. Deery paid too great a price for bringing Tito into the picture when he had to mention him in connection with ‘the war with Spain.” He refers, of course, to the: time when a duly elected republican government of Spain was overthrown by an uprising led by a man named Franco who is none too popular in this ‘country and whose brand of liberty is a constant embarrassment to his defenders. Monsignor Deery does get near a vital issue when he quotes Dr. E. R. Clinchy as saying that

Rt

ment did not deal with the question as to whether human: rights and the various freedoms as we know. them in the United States are guaranteed at this time to the citizens of Yugoslavia.” My comment on this important question may be quoted from something written for the issue of “World Call” now on the press and is as ‘follows: “There is one important aspect ot the ‘question of religious "liberty of which I wish I felt’ more certain—both in Yugoslavia and elsewhere. I refer to the freedom of the church to criticize and to speak out prophetically on questions of human welfare. I am not convinced that the churches in Yugoslavia can claim this right or that they have wanted it. But I must admit that even in America this right is questioned by many who feel that the church should keep “out of politics” and who dub as “political” all pronouncements in the field of human welfare. In Yugoslavia, where churches have traditionally had scant interest. in such questions and too much interest in their own maneuvering for special privilege, it is not surprising that the government should insist that they keep “out of politics.” The present inquiry over freedom to criticize would be more convincing if the churches had a better record in the matter of standing up for human rights in the days of collaboration with Hitler and Hitler's puppets.”

Make It Legal to Gamble By Josephine Buck, R. R. 1, Westfield I'm of a different opinion apparently oh gambling than most are expressing today. I, myself, am definitely not a gambler, being criticized often for my steadfast simple ways of money managing. But, I see people eager for a thance to try their luck in. different ways. If gambling causes such problems I can't see why we can't license it systematically. That would legitmatize it and place it along with taverns and pool halls. Everyone knows liquer -is° dangerous, but many enjoy it a bit. I believe gambling can come along also on the same plane.

4 By Hal O'Flaherty

| his patience is not exhausted. He has been tough. Far more so than Secretary Byrnes who originated the “get tough” policy. But he is still reasonable and has given his countrymen a lead which h they can follow with assurance,

WORLD AFFAIRS .

it is unforunate that “the, delegation in its state-

Today, our approach to a settlement ofthe manifold problems left in the path of war is so deliberate that patience appears to be a vice. We forget the lessons of the past. and see only the dreadful mess in Europe and the Far East. .

Helps Educate World

ACTUALLY, THE FOUNDATIONS of an enduring peace have been laid. : We are restored to normal relations with Germany's satellites.

Peace treaties have been written for both Germany and Japan but with many points still in dispute. Nevertheless, those treaties-are in existence in more than Sutline form. «The machinery to maintain world seursy ¥ ids the Upited Nations is operating. Faulty as it is, an unprejudiced inspection would place the United Nations far ahead of the old teague and, further, more, it is in the process of revision. Secretary rshall’s proposals for modifying the veto powers of the big nations and strengthening the general assembly are of the greatest historic significance. Such is the cautious nature of the formulation of the present peace. It is not more than half done in two years whereas the peace of world war I was finished within a year. But the peace of Germany then was imposed upon a weak and reluctant Weimar republic. There is no government in Germany today and in all likelihood”it will be another year before the major powers agree upon a peace settlement. The impatient ones insist that unless Germany is freed all of Europe will go down in chaos. Looking back to the horrible results of the first world war peace, we have reason to hope that the very slowness of the present conferences will prove their greatest strength. Taking the time to do the job well also helps to educate nations, such as Russia, that suffer from both and educational and historical lag. Our intorlerance of Russia's endless obstructions should he modified by recalling that we, as a nation, walked out on the first world war peace and the security organization fathered by our own President.

Marshall Has Shown Way

AS A COUNTER to.the irritation and impatience, it would help everyone to set up a new timetable of peace. Give the worried statesmen ther 17 months to thresh out a German peace and at least another year to turn Japan loose. It is certain to take that long and if the public realizes the need for time, there will be far more tolerance. : Meantime, a supreme effort will be required to rebuild the world’s trade and prevent the victors from faring worse than the vanquished. It can be said in Russia's favor that it has not walked out ‘on the pro= cession. By curbing our impatience and slowing our pace to that of ~ Russia, we may’ find the road to a reasonable co-operation.

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aan -

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Statesmen such as Secretary Marshall are sorely tried. His observation of the Russian mentality at the conferences of the Big Three, followed by his failure to bring anything like order out of the Chinese situation, have evoked his strong stand at Lake Success. Fortunately,

Side Glances—By Galbraith

pita or the teachers whoss pupis get the highest marks?”

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“lf the graded hom ‘$0 lol, why. can't we parents provids little |

Greeks Know United Steins Herself Has a Domestic Red Scare By MARQUIS CHILDS

ATHENS, Sept. 22.—This overgrown city of nearly 2,000,000 people is almost invariably a phock to Americans who come to Athens for the first time to work ‘with the aid mission. A strangling, all-pervasive red tape gets in the way of everything. Official police permission, stamped and sealed, is a prerequisite to almost any move that one makes. Partly this is a result of the fear of a Communist revolution which besets many Athenians. Partly it is a familiar phenomenon in the Near East, where a government job is one of the few avenues of escape from the dead level of grid. ing poverty. Before pointing to the bureaucratic mote in the Greek eye, Americans had better take notice of some of the flaws in our own organization. A major one is this business of the security checkup which is carried to such exaggerated lengths as to seriously work of the aid mission. When, reluctantly, Clinton 8. Golden agreed to come to Greece as head of the labor division of the mission, it was on condition that he have a younger man as his assistant who should precede him to Athens. Golden, an elder statesman of the labor movement, with the trust of both the C. I. O. and A. F. of L. was cleared at ohoe.

‘Security’ Ridiculous BUT D. ALAN STRACHAN of the United Auto Workers, desig~ nated as his assistant, had a different experience. He was cleared by the FBI in three days. Then the security division of the state department took over. They went around to the same people interviewed by the FBI, and in some cases actually ied to persuade Vem; 19 change the stories they had originally told. Golden, on fhe eve of his departure for Greece, got more ‘and more angry. He knew Strachan as a conscientious and exceptionally

well-informed trade unionist, strongly anti-Comm Moreover, in the war production board and the war labor board the war years, Strachan had had an important role Which gave access

to highly confidential information.

More than six weeks went by without action. '1t finally took -

intervention of Secretary of State Marshall himself to get Strachan cleared and on his way. Educated Greeks kuow that we have st home a Fed scale of. our own. They politely hint at that fact. when they are told that # might be well if they overcame their phobia about communism. We can never do this job if we are to behave in such a childish v.* The people of ‘Greece have gone through dictatorship, war and tian Our fears and suspicions, as reflected in this passion for i lo a ia aon) Gin Voids

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