Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 November 1948 — Page 20

D WALTER LECKRONE HENRY W. MANZ

“Thursday, Nov. 18, 1048

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i Telephone RI ley 5851 ° i 2 ei “Give Light and the People Will Find Thetr Own Woy

Happy Birthday . . . ON THE 18th of November, 1840, Martin van Buren was ~~ President of the United States, events were moving inexorably toward the Civil War,. still 20 years off and there wasn't a telephone, or a radio, or an automobile in the whole of Indiana. ' That was the morning Charles Mayer opened his store in Indianapolis. a) So, today, as that same store begins its 109th year with a Charles Mayer (though not, of course, the same one) always at its head, we join the rest of the city in birthday greetings—and best wishes for the next 108 years.

Automobile Gravy

HE automobile industry had better act promptly and vigorously to clean up the questionable selling practices now being aired by a congressional committee in Washington, D. C. » The committee is headed by Rep. W. Kingsland Macy, a New York Republican. It has brought out some startling information about the methods used by certain automobile dealers and salesmen to squeeze extra money out of customers eager to buy new cars. In some cases the customers were allowed hundreds of dollars less than the fair trade-in value of their old cars. Or they wene required to pay large sums for accessories and gadgets. Or they got quick deliveries by “tipping salesmen as much as $500. = We don’t know how,general such practices have been. So far, the committee has questioned publicly only a few of the many automobile dealers and salesmen in Washington. Mr, Macy says he has found others who make every effort to deal honestly and fairly with the public.

# . BUT HE also says his committee has checked about 60 per cent of the néw-car sales in the Washington area in the first seven months of 1948. On the basis of this check, he estimates that such practices cost customers in that area about $4,400,000. And, assuming that drea to be representative, he estimates that such practices cost customers throughout the United States as much. as $450,000,000 in the seven months. ; The estimates may be, and we hope are, greatly exaggerated. Even if they're accurate, the practices Mr. Macy complains of probably aren't illegal. Dealers who engage in them are taking advantage of a sellers’ market, in which lots of people will pay almost any price to get new cars in a hurry. There may be no law against that, unfair as it is to people who need new cars but aren't willing or able to pay the present high list prices plus extra gravy for dealers and salesmen..

1 . . . » . BUT THE automobile industry—the car manufacturers ~sghould not digclaim all responsibility for such practices as the Macy committee is exposing. The manufacturers don't gell directly to the public. But we think they should hold themselves responsible for the good character and fairness of their sales agents and dealers. . They can find out whether agents and dealers are using improper methods and, if so, get rid of them. They can stop the loading of new cars with expensive unnecessary gadgets. They ought to do these things. For the sellers’ market won't last forever. The time will come when the public ill will now being built up by dealers and salesmen who grab for easy extra money will be a costly liability to the whole industry. 1

Britain Ngeds Bipartisan Policy

Vy JEN Prime Minister Attlee reigcted Winston Church.ill’s request for a bipartisan British delegation to the forthcoming Western European Union conference, the Conservative Party leader retorted that America would be disappointed. Under ordinary circumstances this would be hone of our business. But this looks like an exception. In our country bipartisan foreign policy has prevented the division which was 80 costly to us and to Europe after World War I. Today the essential continuity of diplomatic and defense policy is threatened in Western Europe instead of here. It is not only a matter of obtaining support of opposi- | tion parties and consequent national unity now, important as that is. Opposition parties should share the foreign policy-making function because they may be the governments of tomorrow. The British Labor Cabinet is not as shaky as those of France and Belgium, but it may be succeeded by Churchill's Conservatives next year.

2 » » » 2 ” "DEVELOPMENT of the Western European Union un‘der the five-power Brussels pact would seem to be one issue at least on which all non-Communist parties in those countries are equally interested and to which all of them should contribute. \ As for the WEU conference opening in Paris tomorrow, its purpose is to strengthen defense. That is where the United States comes in. The WEU nations need American arms and planes. And even an armed Western Europe would be relatively helpless against further Russian aggression without some form of larger North Atlantic defense “system, to which the United States is the key. : When the British Labor government took office in th summer of 1945, a foreign policy break was avoided because Mr, Attlee, Mr. Bevin and their labor colleagues had been members of the wartime coalition cabinet. Though feelers for another coalition are far-fetched, the Churchill suggestion for bipartisan diplomatic delegations deserves more than an Attlee brush-off.

‘Over the Hil URRENT news from Washington gives us hope that the

housing situation is finally heading back to normal. 16 owners of the White House have given the present

ng-term lease; have agreed to repair and decorate,

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In Tune With the Times

Barton Rees Pogue’ ‘WHERE | LIVE :

Well-kept lawns surround my dWelling— Trees, shrubs and flowers fair; * But in a shady nook,

I sit beneath small stunted trees © . And drink sweet-scented air, Xd "While watching® yellow ducklings Ee swim and float— ‘ Bmacking at tidbit rare— Yes, I am living, dreaming, Dreaming and living there. —SADIE POUISE MILLER, Upland. “.o 4 @

ODD FACTS

Isn't it stra that so often we see Some problems in life as queer as can be? A fellow who-hasn’t a reason to live . Keeps hanging on with nothing to give, While the bne who are needed, s For the good they may de, Are taken away. It's strange—but so true!

Life is a mystery which few understand, With days that are troubled, and some that are grand. > The blessings of living are fleeting, and change, From one to the other, is a puzzle that's strange. The kaleidoscope turns, then—behold the view Is shifted about. It's queer—but so true!

There are those who today have plenty to spend, 3 But fortune may bring bad luck in the end, And those who are sad, with life full of sorrow May change. with the tide and be happy tomorrow, Life is a problem with many a hue And we need much of wisdom to pull safely through. —~MARY LARKIN COOK, Anderson. > % ¢

. NOSTALGIA

. I am homesick for home— : Each lengthening day is wearisome. Where it is I do not know— Daily it further seems away.

The way seems lost somehow, And the r is strange. I do not kapw the passers-by— I shrink away till they are gone.

My loneness burns like the desert, And my hunger frets for hom House, grounds, trees— : Blood of my blood and hearts at one.

Somewhere they wait for me, But I have lost the way, Ey Oh, tarry till I come! My heart will find the road.

BARNEY ANTROBUS, Crawfordsville. ®

REMINISCENCE

Since last we met . . . how time does fly A summer gone and autumn nigh— Of sights I've ggen I cannot tell And yet... fro my summer well, ,

I haven't cros the ocean wide Nor have I climbed the mountainside, Nor painted a masterpiece nor written a song But , . . I've been happy all summer long.

Doing the tasks that I had to do Doing thegthough they were never new; And books ‘and friends and my lovely® flowers Have helped me pass . . . the summer hours.

—MINNIE BOURGOYNE-RODEFER, . Libel * 4 4

ANHELPING HAND

God those ‘help themsélves,

He also a The one who delves Right in and gives A few good strokes Of a helping hand Aor other folks.

~—MILDRED C. YOUNG, thaianapolis.

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WASHINGTON, Nov: 18—Like the flow of

‘lava from a bottomless volcano, the flood of

personal reminiscences about the war continues. Far from abating, it promises to grow in volume. The personal story of Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Holland ‘M. Smith now appearing serially las stirred a hornet’s nest of controversy, Gen. Smith revives the dispute over the conduct of the battle for Saipan when he removed the Army command. To answer ‘the Marine Corps version of the battle, Secretary of Army Kenneth Royall opened secret files. The Army defends its commander at Saipan, Maj. Gen. Ralph Smith, pointing to the cial judgments upholding the Army Smith over the Marine Corps Smith,

Battle of 1" moirs

PLAINLY here is another place where unification has worked not at all. This battle of the memoirs has in fact caused Secretary of Defense James Forrestal a lot of ‘worry. For weeks prior to publication, the-Helland Smith story stirred a mimic warfare in the pentagon. Aware of the storm It would stir, Mr. Forrestal seriously considered ways and means of censoring the memoir. Gen. Smith is on the retired list. What he came up against, however, is a major discrepancy between the services in this matter. A long standing Army regulation provides that anything written by an officer, whether retired or not, must be submitted for approval. L + Thus Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose story of the Allied command in the battle for Europe is also appearing serially, submitted his manuscript to the department for clearance. S80 have all other Army officers writing for publication. But Navy and Air Force have no such regulation covering retired officers. So there was nothing Mr, Forrestal could do about the Holland (nickname: Howling Mad) Smith story. Discussing the both with officers and with civilians, Mr. For-

implications of censorship -

| ROW IN PENTAGON . . . By Marquis Child General's Battle Story Stirs Friction in Armed Services

restal has contemplated an over-all rule applying to the three services. To restrict one and not the others is;clearly unfair,

Sensational Articles -

WHETHER the kind of censorship aimed at eliminating irictions between services and between Allies is permissible in peace time is the question troubling the Secretary of Defense. The reading public does not distinguish between retired officers and those on active duty. Sensational articles by retired Air officers are mistaken for official policy. It is a troublesome business and bound to cause unhappiness until it is resolved at the top, So long as the market remains good for this kind of personal narrative, so long will the principals be eager to tell all or nearly all Several principals are still to be heard from. Gen. Omar N. Bradley has tentatively begun his story of the European War, but he will be unable to publish until his four years tour of duty as chief of staff is ended. Adm. Ernest King, chief of Naval operations throughout fhe global conflict, has not yet given us his version nor has Adm. William D. Leahy, chief of staff to President Roosevelt and President Truman and a particjpantdn every high-level conference.

Refused to See Story

CHARLES BOHLEN, counsellor of the State Department, is the only living American who knows exactly what Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Stalin said to each other at Teheran and Yalta since he was interpreter for the President. Some time ago a magazine offered him a large sum for his story. but fortunately Mr. Boklen, just about the ablest career officer in the department, said no. One of the most fascinating narratives to appear thus far is Robert Sherwood’'s book about Harry. L. Hopkins, based on the Hopkins papers. It containe more hitherto secret documents than anything yet published.

Hoosier Forum

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

Keep letters 200 words or less on any subject with which you are familiar. Some letters "used will be edited but content will be pre. served, for bere the People Speak in Freedom, |

: 1 A Complaint Against GOP " By X¥Z, Elwood, Ind. if The backbone of either the Democrat or Re= publican Party is the precinct committeeman, The position of a township chairman of either party is merely a matter of courtesy extended and recognized by the county chairman. With the approval of the county chairman, the éommitteemen elect their township chair. man and indorse the appointments of their treasurer, vice chairman and other officers. All political officers of the party obtained their positions from the votes of the lowly precinct committeeman. Many people have asked us lately, “What ‘can the Republicans do to win?” In answer. ing I wish to state a few things I think if the Republicans had not done, they might have won, Too many ridiculed the New Deal. Too many high hat and political prass who did not merit their positions of policy through political efforts. Too much internal strife over antici. pated fat salaried jobs. Over-confidence. Too many businessmen committeemen who thought that by the committeeman’s office (without merit or political experience) they could step into a lucrative political position, There are exceptions to all propositions. Lack of interest in the needs of the lowly committeeman who talks the language of the common voter. Too much money spent for ade vertisements, banquets, programs, 1 work, and counting ballots before they are cist. ¢ % ¢

‘Electric Chair for Sale?’ By Mrs. M.S, City Is the state's electric chair up for sale? Here's a wonderful chance for you householders who like picking up interesting pieces of furni. ture. Once the wires are removed, you'll have a particularly sturdy, well-built chair capable of standing up under years of hard wear. It will be as good as new, too, once you've wiped oft the inch or so of dust and cobwebs that have accumulated through lack of use. Incidentally, my husband sometimes tweaks my nose. Ho hum, guess I'll oil up the old automatic and give him the works, First I'll wait until my birthday, though, because I want to see what he's getting me for a present. It's a good thing for me it's just 4 husband I want to shoot. Here in Indiana they only get tough if you kill a dog. To.

‘Protecting Their Interests’ By Mrs. Marshall Yates, 1624 Bacon St. Just a word or so to Mrs. Mary Schepp of Martinsville who says that the mothers who voted for the Democrats will bring wars and more wars to our beloved nation. Of course, I realize that had the Republican Party got in the Cheshire cat grins would have beerf on the other faces. Besides, I expect there are as many Demoerat mothers as there are Republicans who had boys in service, who feel like they are protecting their interests also, if possible.

What Others Say—

I DO not believe another war imminent, and hope it eventually will be averted. Buf the fear remains. To what distortions of our lives, hopes and habits we shall have to submit because of this overhanging dread, cannot now be fully foreseen.—Bernard M. Baruch.

wp. & &

SHORT SKIRTS couldn't last. The minute a style becomes popular it’s unpopular. . . + Necklines will drop way below the bosom. A lady in 1950 will be almost completely exposed. But not completely.—Rene Hubert, Hollywood dress designer. ‘ae

THE main purpose of the Marshall Plan is to build Germany up again—at the expense of the rest of Europe. The other purpose is to squeeze profits out of Europeans.—Henry Wal-

lace. ¢ 4 9

BETTER 12 monthe¢ in jail here (in the United States) than 12 months free in France— or anywhere else in Europe.—Alvin Garcia, 20-

year-old Spanish youth, at deportation hearing,

POLITICS IN 1952 . . . By Peter Edson Lines Form on Next ‘Race ror President

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18—Who will succeed President Truman and Vice Prepident, Barkiey as heads of the Democratic ticket in 1952? os President Truman will be 68 in 1952, Barkley will be 75. It is unlikely that either will be renominated. 8am Rayburn is likely to be Speaker of the House in the new Congress, but he will be 70 in 1952, So the Democratic Party must find new and younger leaders and byijd them up during the next four years. That's why* talk of making Sen. Scott Lucas, 56, of Illinois, majority leader gf the Senate is important. Lucas would take the place of Sen. Kenneth McKellar of Tennessee, now 79. That's why there is so much talk about possible shifts in Truman's cajjinet. Washington. is now just as full of cabinet rumors as it would have been if Dewey had been elected. Party leaders vacatithing at Key West, F'la., have lots to talk about. Since Democrats consider the election such a smashing victory for the New Deal principles of Franklin D. Roosevelt. the party leadership would like to find some ardent New Dealer to build up for yegrs to come,

Dc -'1s Boom Underwgy

A BOOM has already been started for Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, now 50. He was the unwilling candidate of Leon Henderson's Americans for Democratic Action before the Philadelphia convention. Labor groups also backed him. The play now is to get Justice Douglas named Secretary of State, to succeed Gen. Marshall if and when he retires. That would put Justice Douglas in the limelight and give the public a chance to know him better, Principal obstacle in the road of Douglas backers now seems to be Dean Acheson. When he left the job of Undersecretary of "State, to go back into private law practice and recoup his farfunes, President Truman is supposed to have told him: “Dean,:some day I want you back as secretary.” Acheson wasn't sure whether the President meant it, or whether it was just a nice speech. Mr. Acheson's friends now say that he would be available if the job were offered him. Defense Secretary James V. Forrestal, now 56, bowed himself out of the 1948 pelitical picture early this year. He may have bowed himself out for good at the same time. One explanation is that he wanted to keep the national defense job on a nonpartisan basis. The ether explanation is that he wanied to keep his job regardless of which party won the election, and that he had been flirting with the Dewey Republicans. Gossip Flying Around MUCH of the gossip now flying around Washington on imminent cabinet changes is inspired by people who want some incumbents fired, and so plant rumors. : Take the cade of Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer of Ohio. It has been reported that he might get the bounce because he made no campaign speeches in support of President Truman. It was Mr. Sawyer, however, who had a big hand in arranging President Truman’s campaign trip in Ohio. . ’ Several people are said to want Mr, Sawyer’s job, including Eric Johnston, who is a Republican, and was mentioned as a possibility for the job under Gov. Dewey. Friends of William Benton, former assistant secretary of state, are boosting him for the Commerce job. : ; Interior Secretary J. A. Krug's case ‘Is much like Sawyer's. Krug is only the biggest but the youngest man in the cabinet, being only 41. He would have a great political future before him,

thumb: king pede

Side Glances—By Galbraith

0PR, 1940 BY NEA SERVICE. ING. Y, M. REG. U. & PAT. OFF. "When | get a little better, my folks are going to promote me to the living room!"

only he just isn’t interested and can’t be bothered with politica. During the campaign Mr. Krug made a six weeks’ inspection tour of Interior projects in the West. He has done this every summer, President Truman wanted him to do it again this year. Besides which there was no money in the Democratic kitty to finance a political tour for Mr. Krug. He did make 25 speeches and held numerous press conferences on his tour, appealing for independent and Republican support for the present Department of Interior policies. At the end of the tour, Mr. Krug made political speeches at Seattle, Madison and Hot Springs, on his way home. Reports that Krug would retire from the cabinet and go into the textile business arise from the fact he holds a small interest in Brookside mills, Knoxville, Tenn. When Mr. Krug entered the cabinet he told the President he owned this stock and intended to keep it, and this was ekayed.

Barbs—

A-BOOTLEGGER was caught directing his business from. jail. Another shock from a dry cell. : I ”

# » : . | RE'S a hitch somewhere—else we wouldn't have wo many estrians.: - . 4

SELECTIVE SERVICE . . . By James Daniel

70 Per Cent of New Draftees Rejected

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18—The Army and selective service have no program for telling 4-F's what is wrong with them.

ning above 70 per cent in many localities, no effort is being made to get the rejected men to undergo medical treatment.

According to an Army spokesman, “Our sole concern is in getting so many head of physically fit men. We have no respone sibility for those who aren’t accepted.” A selective service spokesmen also disclaimed responsibility. “We tell a man he has been classified 4-F,” he said. “We don’t say why in the notice mailed to him. If he comes to our office we will tell him. You would think that anybody who was classified 4-F would have the gumption to find out the reason. Bu a lot don’t.” .

Hi=" Rejection Rate :

ANOTHER draft official said the medical terminology used in classifying a man physically unfit wouldn't make much sense to the manjconcerned, or to a draft board clerk called on to explain it, . Behind the scenes, the buck is being passed here regarding the extraordinarily high rejection rate of the new draft. A recent United Press survey of 10 large cities put the average at 72 per cent. In World War II it was 35 per cent. A partial explanation ig seen in the fact that the draft start ed on the 25-year-olds, to catch them before they graduate into thé over-age class. Many of these were classed 4-F during the war, Others were in essential jobs or were not in uniform long enough to be deferred now as veterans. Selective service assumes that the 4-F rate will decline as the draft moves down to the lower 20's, but is not sure of this. Some draft officials believe the Army is applying its physical standards with a vengeance to weed out all except the cream of physical specimens.

R::zirements Are Down PRIOR TO World War II the physical requirements were high. They dropped during the war, as the demand for manpower grew into the millions. Since the war they have stayed down—on paper—except for a recent requirement for a goodly number of natural teeth, the result of a shortage of Army dentists. . It is recalled that the Army has consistently preferred the 18 and 19-year-olds and only accepted the draft of older men when it couldn't get universal military training. Its sensitivity regarding physical requirements was shown in refusal of the

Second Corps Area headquarters in Baltimore to discuss the subject with reporters,

men and the Army accepted 94. Later the ‘state draft director sent a second batch of 31. He himself had carefully gone over the list to eliminate any obvious misfits. The Army accepted two. In a cross section of these rejections, 26 per cent were on account of heart and circulatory disorders, 25 per cent for bad or not enough teeth, 20 per cent were psychoneurotic, eight per cent had poor vision, seven per cent were illiterate and the re mainder had ulcers, deafness, epilepsy and malformed feet. .. If any in the group had had venereal disease or tuberculosis, "their draft boards under local law would have been required to report them to local health But otherwise no effort

wag made to info: th 2utnarition m rm the men of the nature, severity or course treatment for their diseadbs. : o

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With reports of the rejection rate on the new draftees rune,

Recently an eastern state draft board sent the Army 321 .

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