Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 February 1949 — Page 26

Ew ove id WALTER IBCRRONE HENRY W. MANZ iy Editor Business Manager

PAGE 2% Sunday, Feb. 20, 1949 by Pagina) is Timas Publish, v ° ember in So pas Scr a Newspaper Alliance, NEA Serve fee and Audit Bureau of Circuls oe . e Riles in Marion County, cents copy Ry dally or Sunday; delive 4 k, gob SE SE, oop and. Sunday, $7.50 a Joar, dally, $5.00 » year, Bunday only, $2.50; all other state 8. ssions, Csnada and Mexico, dally, $1.10 » oh, Sunday, 5c a copy.

Telephone RI ley 5551 BEBE Give Light and the People Will Find: Their Own Way

‘Charles F. Weddle

‘Most Hoosiers would have to admit they did not know Charley Weddle. Yet, at one time or another, probably a million people have stood within arm’s length of his work. Mr. Weddle, frail - bodied, sensitive, and patient, ‘earned his gray hairs young. It is the anxiety color which _womes early to newspapermen. And Mr. Weddle, with a dignity and self-reliance all his own, sat for several years ‘on the “anxious seat” in the editorial room of The Times. He was news editor. Yesterday the mind and hands which created the sparkling headlines Times readers love, passed to eternity. He had long stuck by the rugged principles of Scripps-Howard journalism, believed to the depths of his soul in the freedom of expression, the elasticity of thought, which has kept The Times close to the hearts of the-common people. Mr. Weddle did his level best to preserve the free thinking of men. His passing is a challenge to the rest of us to carry on.

Slums . . . by Law!

WERE not proud of it, but it is nevertheless a fact that Indianapolis has some of the worst slum areas in North America, We are proud, though, of the fact that Indianapolis has perhaps the most progressive program in the United States : for clearing away those slums and replacing them with decent, low-cost homes. That program has been carefully worked out, and has been under way for more than two years. It has been

legal points regarding it were decided. It is just now be"ginning to produce concrete results, Under it the city has purchased literally acres of shacks that are unfit for human beings to live in, and is clearing and improving the land on which they stand. Once’ improved the land will be sold, usually for less than it cost the city, to anyone who promises to ‘build a decent home on it.. Private citizens have contributed more than $200,000 as a revolving fund to furnish capital for those who haven't the cash to build, and so organized it that it will make possible the construction, immediately, of more than $2 million : . worth of new low-cost homes by private home-owners. It has been administered so carefully that not one “family has been forced out of a single home to make way - for it; and so that it will continually provide more homes ‘than the area now contains. The program has been widely acclaimed as a national model, and extensively studied and

FOR reasons that have never yet. been explained, certain little groups have launched a demagogic attack on «the project. * 7""'They have charged that families are being driven out ‘of their homes without shelter to make way for it. They have charged that homes “worth $10,000 or $12,000” are being torn down as “slum dwellings.” They have charged ~that private interests are making, or about to make, private ~ “profits out of the program. All those charges are completely and absolutely false. Yet they are the only basis for the drive in the state legislature to destroy this whole program, and to fasten Shogo slums permanently on Indianapolis by state law. Members of the General Assembly who obviously have “no ‘personal knowledge of the plan or the need for it are being urged by high-pressure tactics to vote for amendments to be the present law that would accomplish just that. | +. We doubt if many members would consciously vote to ‘keep these sub-human slums in Indianapolis. . We doubt whether the political party to which most ~~ of the members belong would care to accept responsibility ~for doing so. * This is a good law and a good program as it stands -

right now. It should be preserved and continued.

The Case of Ott Workman

“MORE: ‘than 12 years ago.a man named Charles Basch was shot during an attempted holdup in Haysville. The man who shot him confessed, was convicted, and + sentenced to life imprisonment. Then Ott Workman, a brother-in-law of the victim, also was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment, although the prosecution admitted Workman was miles away from the scene of the crime. The only -evidence ever offered in court connecting «~him.with the shooting was a doubtful. statement of the confessed robber, a man of questionable veracity, who told many conflicting stories. He testified that Workman had told him, months before the ‘crime, that Mr. Basch kept money ih his safe which could easily be robbed. - +. There appears to have been no other evidence against Workinan, at least none was offered in court,

“A PRISON authority recently charged". that Work‘man is a “political prisoner.” The careful analysis of the crime and the trial and the evidence in this case which Times. Writer Robert ‘Bloem completes in this edition, ~~ neither proves nor disproves.that statement. Nor, does jt conclusively prove or disprove that Ott Workman is * innocent, or guilty, of connection with this crime. But it does show conclusively that Ott Workman ‘never was proved guilty of it in court “beyond a reasonable doubt.” We have, in fact, seldom seen a flimsier case. Unfortunately political ramifications Appear to have . blocked any objective examination of this case. After looking at /the record, we believe there ought to be one.

It's a Watchdog’ s Life 7 {GOVERNOR DEWEY ‘and Senator Vandenberg have advised the GOP to resume its position in the middle ‘of the road and its role of governmental watchdog. We SSE So Schl Hah She GOF TAIN in The Jaime aot 3 the same duty in '36, '40, "44 and '48 when

| ____Heavy Pressure Seen _

delayed while money to Fun it-SHEHE KVETEEIE "and while..| Jacore

A ol SLUR

DEAR BOSS . . . By Dan Kidney Hoosiers Face oe,

From Indiana Dairymen

WASHINGTON, Feb, 19—Dear Boss: Hoosier Democrats, like their colleagues elsewhere, were elected to Congress “on a national platform calling for repeal of oleomargarine taxes. They, are not unmindful, however, of the part the dairymen played in making former Rep. Edward A. Mitchell, Evansville Republican, a one-termer in the Eighth District. Instead of staying awake nights counting sheep, some of them seems to be counting the cows. Rep. John R. Walsh, Anderson Democrat, has concluded that there are a considerable number of cow farmers in the Fifth District and that their voting strength outweighs the soybean growers and housewives combined. ov has decided to be for'repeal of the penalty on margarine “if it isn't colored yellow.” rs of course is the heart of the matter,

10 Cents a Pound Extra

"ONLY yellow margarine pays the 10 cents a pound now, In order to escape such payment housewives have been spending their time

punching small bags of margarine after they |

get home, The bags contain a capsule of coloring and the result is okay, except ghat they

- still don't like it. Admitting it is an improve-

ment on the old way of mixing the coloring in, they would like to get it colored at the stores —the same as butter. ‘ There is the rub, The butter boys say they don’t mind coloring margarine so long as it isn’t yellow. They consider they have a patent on that. And despite the Democratic platform, there may be others from Indiana voting to prove it. _ Mr, Walsh put a big blast against yellow margarine into the congressional record this week. He cites how big the dairy industry is in Indiana and sees the creameries closing if margarine is allowed to compete with butter on

the same yellow basis. In fact he introduced a -

Bill to 1ift the tax, but ban yellow margarine, which seems to solve eéverythMg but the problem, . Taft-Hartley ‘Answers ANOTHER Freshman Democrat, Rep, An-

. drew Jacobs, Indianapolis, ‘took a number of

pages in the appendix of the record to publish hig answers to Taft-Hartley law questions sent all the legislators in the name of President Charles E. Wilson of General Electric Co. “In replying to the Wilson questionnaire, Mr. raised a few questions of his own. He said he mailed the letter to Mr. Wilson Feb, 9,

but hasn't heard from him yet. Since the Wilson

letter was sent broadside throughout the country, it seems doubtful that he will. Requests to gamut of things, but éne of the most curio was received this week by Rep. Charles A.

— Halleck, Rennsselaer Republican. A constituent

wanted to kpow where he could buy a tiger skin, His able secretary, Jesse Nolph, turned up with the answer, It was a New York importing firm's address obtained from the fish and wildifie service in the Interior Department. Tiger skins can be obtained there “either raw or dressed.” All are non-Tammany.

Register as Lobbyists A former Indiana Congressmen have as lobbyists here so far. They are the recently defeated Rep. Gerald W. Landis, Linton and long-time ex-Rep. Ralph Updike, Indianapolis, both Republicans, and Rep. John W. Boehne, Evansville Democrat, who lost his seat to former Rep. Charles M. Lafollette, who served two terms as Republican. «Mr. Landis announced that he is staying on n Washington to help keep some of the Taft Hartley law, which he aided in formulating as ranking minority member of the House Labor Committee in the GOP 80th Congress. His part in putting that measure over caused him to be singled out for slaughter at the polls by the

United Mine Workers in the Seventh District

at the personal behest of President John L. Lewis. His successor is Rep. James E. Noland, Bloomington Democrat. Republicans in Indiana are agreed on only one thing at this point according to reports back here from the state. That is—Gov. Thomas E. Dewey will not be the GOP presidential nominee In 1952. They are saying the same thing as In 1945—remember.

Barbs—,

ETIQUET is really saying, “No, thank you” when you mean “Gimme!” ® & oO CARELESS pedestrians and careless drivers think the same of each other—and they're both

ri ant. *

’

® ¢ i MOST people are willing to try anything

once—too often. ® oo o ABOUT the only price we can't kick about is that on government bonds.

essmen cover a great 1

ESPIONAGE PROBE . .

‘WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 — During World War II intelligence reports out of enemy Germany were often amazingly accurate. At times the most secret plans of Hitler and the Nazi high command were transmitted to London. The chief reason was the extraordinary network of professional agents developed by the British intelligence service in Germany through the years. There was also the fact that many courageous Germans, hating the Nazis and all they stood for, risked torture and death to try tn send out vital information. As a British

* cabinet member expressed it to mé in a con-

versation in London during the war: “Why shouldn't our intelligence out of Germany be good? Some of our agents are the third generation of the same family working for us.” That is to say that German grandfather, father and son were each in turn British agents, That is the achievement of a professional intel-

~ ligence system which, when all the romantio " nofisense is stripped away, is a dirty, mean, . Sterut business that most governments regard

as necessary at the present level of human development.

Professional Job

IN RELEASING the hitherto secret Tokyo spy report the Department of the Army seemed to me to show a basic confusion. Spies are not caught by whipping up public fear and suspicion. Counter-espionage, the business of blocking and defeating sples planted by an enemy or a potential enemy, is also a highly professional job in which amateurs are likely to do more harm than good. The authors of the Tokyo spy report express admiration for tha Canadian spy inquiry and the report that came from the Royal Commission. But the twd documents could hardly be more unlike, The Canadian report consists largely of testimony given by witnesses before the commission, with conclusions stated briefly and unemotionally. The report from Tokyo made public by the

: Department of the Army is based on second-

hand and unverified sources, chiefly the state-

ments of convicted German and Japanese spies .

prior to their execution. It is written in a florid style with highly editorialized comments

| about official United States policy.

The American Army officers who put together the Tokyo document apparently felt it was their mission to arouse the public in- this country to a sense of danger. After the Canadian report, with its grim and unmistakable warning, that hardly seems necessary.

. By Marquis Childs Harm Seen in Amateur Spy Work

In fact, it has positive dangers. The impulse in many state legislatures is to create local legislative committees to hunt out subversive activities, Such committees are likely to conduct their hunt with even less discrimination and caution than the House Un-American Activities Committee in Washington and thereby they may do great injustices without contributing to the national security in any practical or direct way. . . Head Start in Spying AS THE Canadian report made abundantly clear, Soviet Russia has a head start in the spy busines. Within the Communist parties in each country are fanatical individuals who have transferred their loyalties to Soviet Communism and who engage in espionage not for pay but out of devotion to the fountainhead of communism in Moscow. But even apprehending this" type of spy seems to me to be a highly professional undertaking, which should not be: entered into by those unable to distinguish between disloyal acts and thoughts which may be outside the accepted and “conventional pattern. As we are fond of proclaiming to the world, freedom of thought and freedom of expression dre two qualities that distinguish ours from a totalitarian society. A fascinating and little known book, “The Fourth Seal,” by Samuel Hoare, describes“the British secret serve mission in Russia in 1916

.and '17. Hoare (now Viscount Templewood),

the head of the mission, relates how every government department in Russia under the czar, had its own espionage service which often devoted most of their time to spying on each other.

Business for Experts HE TELLS of the “cover” he used in obtaining information and he also ventures to give a thumbnail sketch of the director of Britain's world-wide secret service. Even though that director had long since retired, the author is careful not to give his name. The professional intelligence service is reported to have been shocked by these indiscretions which violated the strict code of secrecy. According to one report, most of the edition was

bought up by the secret service and it is today -

almost impossible to obtain a copy. In other words, in the view of the most successful sécret service in the world this is a professional business which must be kept strictly within professional confines. That is a lesson some Anierican officials would do well to learn.

"Hoosier Forum

#1 do not agree with a word thet you say, but | will defend to the death your right fo sey i."

Keep letters 200 words or less on any sub-

ject with which you are familiar, Some letters | used will be edited but content Will bs pre- |

served, for here the People Speak in Freedom, |

‘No Freedom fo Slander’ | By the Rev. Walter Chenault, Lafayette, Ind. W. M. Ferree of Indianapolis in a letter to The Tiines defetiah W. O. Osimal of

of Indiana. He deplores , Mr, Osman for flagrant violation of the Indiana Anti-Hate Statute. .

caught in the overt act and proven guilty, Yes, I am entitled to my share of free speech until I abuse that right by slandering my neighbor pale os LSE 2% 8 IH on

reputations have been blasted and honest indi. viduals hounded to their graves in the name of the abuse of the right of free speech? Bhakespeare sald, “He who filces from me my good name, robs me of that which does not enrich him; but makeg me poor indeed.” We ask only to be accorded the same kind of treatment that any other group under this American flag receives. This has not always been accorded us but, thank God, there are stiil more good Amerians than Jaa

‘Need for Community Action’ By Frank H. Fairchild, President Indianapolis Social Hygiene Association. The Times’ editorial recently on social health was greatly appreciated by organizations and individuals who ‘are interested in “eturbing venereal diseases. When it is realized that in this area venereal disease cases exceed the number of cases of childhood diseases, it is quite apparent that a situation exists that just cannot be shrugged off but calls for community action. Effective action is beirig taken by the Indianapolis Social Hygiene Association which is a Community Fund Agency, This includes education and treatment over a long range period looking forward to eradication of these

_ diseases and attendant delinquencies,

* & o

‘Squeeze Play Investigations’ By H. V. P, City I think it is about time Prosecutor Dailey went to work on the backlog of safecrackers,

"robbers, etc, and stopped the “squeeze play”

investigations of lotteries. Everyone knows he wants to replace Chief Rotils. And he is trying to embarrass Mayor Feeney who has done a splendid job. It is just a battle for power, and he will wake up out on a limb like Judson Stark. Mr. Dailey has far more important things to do and should stop wasting the taxpayers’ money with his “monkey shines.” ®* ¢ Warning to Veterans By Arthur B. Crane, City This is a warning to all ex-service men. A man came to our house at 2849 N. Sherman Drive. He was a member of my son's company in the Army. He wanted to stay all night and he did. I was at Veterans Hospital at the time, and my wife and son both had to work so they let him sleep. When they got home from work Saturday evening-he was gone and so were a lot of our clothes, $16 in silver, a German Luger and P.38 and one box of cigars. Be on your guard and don't let them take you for a ride.

What Others Say—

NO university is giving the young man a

basic, fundamental understanding of his Ameri- -

can civilization. Yale is going deeply into this fleld to provide intensive study that is badly needed today. —Dr. Howard W. director, office of university development, Yale University. * 4 ¢

FOOD still is an important weapon in our

"effort to help bring about stability in the world.

If we... use our land, our energies and our technological skills to build a permanently sound And productive agriculture in America, we shall be making a fundamental contribution to peace—Agriculture Secretary Brannan. ® oo 9 - THE iAdustry policy, morally indefensible and economically stupid, is to give pensions to executives who do not need them, but not to be able to afford pensions for workers who do.—Walter Cr Reuther, president, CIO-United Auto Workers. }

MILITARY STRATEGY ... By r= Lucas

Europe Top Priority

WASHINGTON, Feb, 19—U. 8. military strategists give first

Penny Serenade

TAX INCREASE . . . By Tony Smith

Budget Cut Possible

WASHINGTON, Feb, 19—Congressional tax leaders have

fast Democratic maghine came whizzing around r and smacked it.

priority to the Atlantic and Europe and assign only a minor role to | the Pacific and Far East, it was learned today.

. The joint chiefs of staff have made no formal decision. * They insist that redyctions so far were dictated by budget ceilings. They concede privately, however, that they plan only a strategic

defense in the Far East, af compared with a military structure !

capable of stategic offense in the Atlantic,

Army Secretary Kenneth Royall has denied he said the United

States might withdraw from Japan in ‘case of war with Russia. He admitted, however, he was the “high government official” to whom the remark. was attributed by numerous reporters. .

Pushed Into Background

FROM competent military sources, it was -learned that the Far Bast-Pacific has been pushed to the background of stategic

PREY |

planning. Budget cuts will, whenever possible, be made there in-

stead of the Atlantic and Europe. - High-fanking officers defend this as the only possible choice. They say the Marshall Plan “clearly shows where our interests lle.” They we cannot police the globe with a $15 billion budget and it is-their job to place their troops where they will be most effective. One Pentagon source says the joint chiefs’ most optimistic plans call for merely holding our own in the Far East. This source doubts we can do that but he thinks we may be able to salvage something. 80 he defends such a policy.

“As long as we operate under ceilings, and we do hot oppose.

them; we have no other choice,” he says. A spot comparison of the European and Far Eastern military pictures does not reflect this now, lie admits, Statistically, Uncle Sam still is stronger in the Pacific. The difference so far is intangible—strategic planning and future emphasis, The joint chiefs hope to bridge the North Atlantic and restore Western Europe's defenses with an outlay of $1 billion -to $5 billion in armaments as they reduce on the other side of the globe.

Global Strategy

ONE high-ranking source insists we have a global strategy despite this. He says, however, we are implementing only the Atlantic phase, The Pacific's role in that global strategy, he says, must remain in blueprints until we get more money. * As of today, we have 100,000 ground troops in Europe, 25,000 Alr Force and a few Navy men. On the other hand, we have 6000 Army men in Alaska, 120,000 un the Far Eastern command, and 8000 in Nawail. The Navy has 74,000 sailors And Marines io the Pacific, The Air Force will not disclose its troop

"Ta prea we have only 1000 troop, et fom 3500 Mr,

oo Ee

td vil A 5 .

- d od on — ow

Royall refused to say whether they would remain. In Alaska, we have one anti-aircraft battalion, a few B-20’s, about a group of jet fighters, a squadron of all-weather fighters and a few Navy trol planes. There are no combat troops. Rear Adm. A. E. ontgomery, deputy Alaskan commander, has warned we cannot hold there if attacked. Sources here say $40 million is provided in the budght for Alaskan defenses-—not enough to hold our’ dwn, * Another straw in the wind was the Navy's recent announce ment it is taking 72 ships and a dozen naval air stations out of Eh ML SATA gations ang many of the Ships wil

indicated that the Truman administration might modify its request for a $4 billion tax increase. Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee sald after a White House conference that the Treasury Department still’ had not decided whether the full amount asked by the President could be justified. They emphasized that no promise was asked or given that the majority committee mempers would fight as a unit for the sident’ The White House tax discussion was incidental and brief, as one participant described it. It came up in connection with a discussioni of the social security program, he said. He gave the following version: |... Mr. Truman asked the congressional leaders if J ey vas ond explain that the committee's action in taking ahead of tax aS was Sons at the adm Br Resmelin we Reduet and did not mean there d bé no consideration of W tax program. They agreed.

No Figure Mentioned

IT WAS this request from the President that prompted House Speaker Sam Rayburn (D, Tex.) to tell reporters that in all Figsabliny Congress — have to approve a tax increase bill. The Speaker was careful to avoid mentioning a figure. He merely referred to “some tax legislation.” Administration indecision over whether to insist on the first amount requested by Mr. Truman was sald to stem from these ByY £2 factors: (1) Uncertainty over the nation’s ecoriomic health

at that internal reveriue collections increased by some $3 billion in 1948 despite’ the reductions voted by the Republican

officials long have been in disagreement with the President's Council of Economic Advisers. over the amount and method of boosting the nation’s tax burden. Mr. Truman's recommendations are said to be based on the council's advice.

Tax Cut Bills Pour In

THE SURPRISINGLY large tax yleld t after’ a heavy reduction in rates gave the opponents of President Truman's $M “in Proposal a weighty argum one tax leader conceded, SW SiuPolla for reducing , meanwhile, poured in on the rs and Means Committee trom House members. A compilation of measures received up to Feb. 3 showed that tax-cut bills outnumbered tax-increase yu by nearly -50 to 1. More than 100 bills have been 0 cut taxes Hough

repeal of or exemptiones from the excise Be on luxuries; vari - ous gxemptions from income taxes, and by reductions in rates of

used hy food-price drops and similar indicators, and (2) Diss’

sponsor for | area legislate up while far Taft-Hartl that not mu pealed. Lal criticize Pres! for not bein; deeming cam Minimum V of small loca

- 75-cent rhinin

is having eff: hotels, cigar | pressing sho minimum will to 75 cents— tries already law. Rent Cont bill will be but will end present one. } mittee will f trol only fo forcing revie

And don’t 1 tinues “volun crease plan | rents haven't housing expe be forbidden damages on year just pas Civil Liber guess. Soutl they have ad Note: Ad

-it wanted fin

bill to go thi ing TVA stea freedom for House leade was never in

Food Pric

LATE NE) One big canr

to $1 a case salers are cu tories and so: ing bargain goods. Auto batte back product per cent bec: sistance to | rise in cost ¢ used by. batte big boost in now is expec makers use { tion. Big cand) prices .few d shot up imm Don’t coun due to grain point out th cut in corn | 2 cents-a-bo January a third abo and wholes: fs running down from vember, CI $77 a ton (; eries are do fn many pl this spring. Agricultur had to buy prices. Its ! port prograr worked out stronger, pri Experts ment’s consu be down aga rst |

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