Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 December 1950 — Page 10

elephone RI ley 558) Give Light ans the People Will Ping Thewr Owe Wey

Too Small, Too Slow

N the days ahead, President Truman told the nation last night— “Each of us should measure his own efforts, his own sacrifices, by the standard of our heroic men in Korea.” ’ # x ’ '

But the efforts, the sacrifices, required by the steppedup defense program which Mr. Truman outlined would fall far below that standard. - * : ; And the upward steps which we proposed are by no

means commensurate to our country’s and the free world's

mortal danger. -- “ The 2.5 million men now in the Armed Forces, he said, will be increased to 3.5 million “as soon as possible.” That goal is too low. Expanded facilities for military training “will make possible a very rapid expansion to full mobilization if that becomes necessary.” Full mobilization may become desperately necessary next month, next week, tomorrow—if, indeed, it is not necessary today. ; “A very rapid speed-up in production of military equipment” will multiply the present output rate of planes five times, of combat vehicles four times and of electronics devices for defense four and a half times “within one year.” That is not rapid enough—not nearly—and a year is much too long. : A 20-fold increase of the small rate at which weapons are being produced, almost half a year after Korea revealed our peril and our unpreparedness, could not do adequately all the Presiednt promised. :

The piddling effort he discussed cannot arm our own forces, at the same time accumulating “a large reserve of weapons” for expanded forces “if necessary” and helping other free nations to arm. ~ » » » » ~ “WE MUST prevent inflation and stabilize the cost of living,” Mr. Truman said. : Prevent inflation?

For six months rising prices have been fast eating away the buying power of every defense dollar and every family income. vais res The feeble anti-inflation measures so far used have been ineffective. : ' Yet the inflationary impact of defense spending has ‘not yet really started. : The President has at last decided to begin using the powers Congress gave him last August. Compulsory price controls will be imposed on “a number” of materials and products. In fields where they are applied the government “will also undertake to stabilize wages, as the law requires.” In other fields, fair wage-price standards will be announced, and all concerned will be asked to comply voluntarily. But bitter experience in World War II proved to the hilt the inadequacy of selective controls, voluntary controls

and attempts to “roll back” prices and wages after they

once go up. And Mr. Truman apparently has modified his sound stand for pay-as-we-go taxes to curb inflation at its roots. What he spoke of last night was putting increased costs on a pay-as-we-go basis “as far as possible.” Who can set limits on what is possible for the American people to pay-—in taxes, in toil, in lowered living standards—wphen peace and freedom ‘and survival itself are at stake? 5 Gov. Dewey, speaking in New York the night before, advocated much bolder measures. He did all he could, as titular leader of the Republican Party, to promote hi-parti-san unity behind an all-out program of home-front effort ‘and sacrifice worthy to be compared with the standard of our men in Korea. : ’

Mr. Truman's stepped-up program would not be that.

® x » ® x = ' THERE IS, however, great merit in the President's decision to give one able man full, centralized responsibility and authority over all government mobilization activities. Charles E. Wilson, heading a new office of defense mobilization, will direct all agencies dealing with production, procurement, manpower, transportation and economic stabilization. Mr. Wilson, who resigned as president of General Electric to take on this job, had a leading role in the World War II production program. + In that war authority was scattered, conflicts between agencies were constant, precious time and energy were lost, endless dollars wasted. : The central control which Mr. Wilson will exercise should prevent confusion and get immeasurably better, faster results this time. It can mean vastly superior management of the all-out . program of rearmament and the all-out battle against inflation which Mr. Truman has not yet called for, but which must come if Communist aggression keeps on the march,

Not Running This Year

Gov: THOMAS E. DEWEY of New York calls for all-out ‘mobilization of the National Guard, registration of every American over 17, all-out sacrifice, all-out taxation. Because, says the governor, “Our country is in deadly im-

B: “Gov. Dewey is a candidate again, and is anticiit results of recent meetings on these matters held at White House.” o in giving out tough talk in tough times, Tom Dewey Ig a8 a candidate, all we can say is that he is running

bomber

Kentucky Democratic Congressman Brent Spence ob-

Dee. fense dollars to: : Outfit and equip 10 infantry divisions.

Buy 300 B-36 bombers, enough for 10 B-36 . X groups. ; 4 ] 2250 F-80 jet fighters, enough for 30 _ its dollars constantly

fighter groups. enough

it de tanks for 10 armored divisions.

rising prices have melted away the purchasing power of the defense dollar. Gi oe @» : IN OTHER words, we would have been able to buy this much more with the money Congress

+ has voted and is now voting had prices been

held to their pre-Korea levels. What the military is now preparing to spend $30 billion for could have been bought for $27 billion at pre-Korea prices. (The $30 billion is

UN... By Clyde Farnsworth

Big Question:

Red War Now?

FLUSHING MEADOW, Dec. 16—The real question before the United Nations seems to be not whether Communists want war but whether they want it now, The Kremlin itself may be undecided. :

The answer logically would be no — it the Reds could be persuaded that they have more to win through proffered “peaceful solution of existing issues"-than they could by fighting right now, The indicated reluctance of the Moscow-Peking axis to accept a Korea cease-fire dverture voted Thursday may be readily explained on the ground

Mr. Stalin lowed through.

wwe undecided? Atlee communique most under-

lined by United Nations dele-

gates and no doubt by foreign offices around the world is: “We shall do everything we can through whatever channels are open to us . , , to seek a peaceful solution of existing issues.”

That idea was taken up and given more shape this week by 12 Asian and Arabic natfons As a companion measure to their cease-fire move. 3 The prime mover in this approach, Sir Bepegal N. Rau of India; would have preferred to combine the two proposals but ran into opposition, particularly American. separated. ;

Poker Game

THE Americans, with the security of United Nations forces in Korea as thgir first consideration, want a cease-fire rrangement, and if possible an over-all agreement under United Na-

tions auspices on Korea's immediate future be-

fore being dealt in on any Far Eastern or «global poker game with the Communists. ~ Meanwhile the 12-nation proposal for a round-table settlement of “existing issues” as bait for acceptance of a cease-fire is still pending in the Assembly's Political and Security Committee.

“ CHINA . . . By James Daniel

ASHINGTON, 16—Rising prices since last June have eaten up enough of our de-

that the Truman-Atlee offer ofsettlement hasn't been fol-

The part of the Truman-

So they were 5

Senate hi The money which would have bought 100 miles of field wire before Korea would buy only in September and only 78 miles in

rels in November. :

The money that would have bought 1000

truck tires before Korea would buy only 830 in September and 720 in November.

Will U.S. Give Nationalists OK?

WASHINGTON. Dec. 16—Is the Truman administration modifying its strong opposition to the use of Chinese Nationalist troops in the war in Asia? . There is no. visible change. But there are signs of a new willingness to listen to the arguments in favor. Seven members of the House who had written to President Truman pointing out the ad-

vantages of letting the Nationalists get into -

the fight against their old enemies met Thursday with the President for half an hour. The meeting was at Mr. Truman's invitation,

Guarded Comments

PRESENT were Sen.-elect George A. Smathers (D. Fla.), and Reps. Brooks Hays (D. Ark.), Percy Priest (D, Tenn.), Francis E. Walter (D. Pa.), Walter H. Judd (R. Minn:) Kenneth B, Keating (R. N. Y.) and Robert Hale (R. Me.). Their comments afterward were extremely guarded—amounting mainly to a statement that the policy on the Chinese Nationalists was unchanged. But Rep. Keating did say that many Congressmen who had originally sided with

the -administrdtion against using the National-:

ists had changed their minds since the Chinese

Reds invaded Korea. vo

The principal reason given for not using the Nationalists up to the reversal of the United Nations drive was that it might draw the Chinese Reds into a larger war. But some Congressmen now say that argument has lost its validity. “When your house is burning down,” Rep. Keating said, "I am in favor of using any firemen you can get. - That goes for Chiang Kaishek or for Tito.” ji If the ‘administration persists in fhe de-

SIDE GLANCES

By Galbraith

©» FOPR. 1960 BY WEA SERVE. Mec. T. M. ROO. 4 & PAL. OF :

“This year when we fake the boss his present we wan fo hear

termination of holding part of Korea, it is acknowledged that the need of reinforcement could arise. In such a case, it is argued to the administration that a Chinese Nationalist invasion of China would draw Red Gen. Lin Piao’s Fourth Army down out of Korea in a matter of days. ol

Compact Force

IT'S FURTHER argued that Chiang's 450,000 troops, though possibly only a fifth of these of Red China, provide a compact force equal or superior to that which the Reds had when they began to take over China five years ago. In such a large area, with poor communications, the defender needs vast numerical superiority to garrison the country. Moreover, the Chinese have had time to compare the promises of communism with’performance.

THE. PEACEFUL WAY

DON'T delve upon an argument . . .. and wonder who's to blame ... . but merely forgive

yards of jute burlap before Korea now will buy

only little more than half that amount. Over-all, wholesale prices—the level at which the military buys in most instances —have gone

Joppa

and forget . .. and smother doubt and shame

+s,+ try hard to do the manly thing . . . and try to. understand - . . the other person’s point of view .... and what they might have planned

sometimes tHat can’t be . . . I only say give things a chance . . . and you'll know victory . . . for what's the good of carrying ... a grudge or a deep hate . . . when you ¢an be much happier . . . with a peaceful debate . .. because there is no argument . . . that's worth losing a friend . . . and though you may have to give in... you'll win out in the end. —By Ben Burroughs.

and wage controls together.”

“It does net specify that in each case, a price freeze means a wage freeze, nor vice versa.” All this, however, is still under study by the embryo legal staff of the ESA. How they interpret it, will be revealed only when ESA hands down

Stabilization Michael DiSalle and the Wage . Stabilization Board under Chairman Cyrus Their regulations, in

fried ws mow Io don't say always say yes J for

“But the act allows flexibility sometimes,” he continues,

* more of clauses and exemp-

directives to Director of Price

=. MECARTHY TAKES

SOCK AT COLUMNIST

Why Wait? By Mrs. R. F,, City. REPLY to Thomas Markey: You say why don’t they take men like me in the armed forces? Why wait to be taken?

* Why don’t you join? There is nothing wrong

with enlisting, is there? I'm sure they would take you since you're so anxious to go. I'm doubly sure they would accommodate you. My boy was in World War II. Saw plenty of active fighting with the airborne infantry.

From day to day I looked for news from him.

I was unable. to do my housework until after the mailman came. Then I'd resign myself to do my work until the next day, hoping then I might get a letter, ; He did his part. Why should he have to go again? He was drafted when he was 18 years old. Just a young boy. Eighteen then was just as young as 18 today. I hate to see any of the boys have to go, but each one has to take their turn. > & @ I FEEL sorry for the veterans that joined the reserves, not thinking that some day they ‘might be some of the first ones to be called.

They probably thought the war they had just

would: ‘be-the- Tast: RA mars I have talked to a iot of veterans and they have the feeling that if they go over there again they won't come back. They feel as though their luck won't hold out. So why don't you talk to your veteran friends that feel as you do and get them to join up and keep a few of these young boys from having to go? If, as you say, you are just as good as ever, and want to go so bad, I say Join up right away. n't wait another minute, We'll remember you as one of our great heroes,

been through

WAGES, PRICES . . . By Peter Edson

Lawyers Will Have Field Day With Prices

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16—Congress may have given ESA the.new Economic Stabilization Agency—an impossible job by tieing price and wage contfols together. “As I understand it,” says Dr. Alan Valentine, the new ESA administrator, “it was the clear intent of Congress to tie price

products like

paragraphs under three of the sub-sections and a score or price: tions in the other sub-sections. (1) It's an uncharted wilderness “for laymen, but probably a paradise for lawyers who will probably ‘ be filing suits and getting rich for a iong time in testing its various provisions.

terially” affect

TAKE an expensive item—now about $50,000 height finders for the Air Force.

"| do not agree with a word that sou say, but | wil defend to the death your right to say it."

terials like steel, or single

subjects right now, ; Under paragraph (b)-(2) the act says that a ceiling may be Ls established by the President . “only” when he finds that the

Has risen ably” above the May 25-June 24, 1950, level; (II) will “ma-

ing or national defense; (III)

: 48 Rubber, per Ib, .. 82 133 Tin, per Ib. ....« .784 83 Copper, per 1b. .. 224 89 Zine, per 1b. .... 157 16 Wool tops, per1b.,, 2.00 3.35 67% "+ Steel scrap, per ton ; ~ at Chicago .... 37.50 42.50 13 Cotton, per 1b. .. 338 419 24 Rosin, per 100 1bs,, 4.95 8.50 71 _ Hides, per 1b. ... 258 378 48 Shellac, per Ib ... .35 465 33

COMEBACK? . = By Jim G. we North Koreans Set for Push

TOKYO, Dec. 16—When the Reds strike

again at the United Nations forces in Korea, the reorganized North Korean Army is expected to be in the first assault. :

The North Korean Army all but disappeared in late October. Since the Chinese Reds got in the fighting, however, the North Korean forces have been reorganized, and rearmed at Manpofin, just over the Yalu River from Manchuria. ; 5 . Originally, Communist strategy ‘was for a Chinese surprise attack to destroy the Eighth Army and so maul the Tenth Corps it could be eliminated by the North Koreans. The Chinese were to carry the war to the 38th Parallel. After that the North Korean army was to take over. Those plans upset, however, when Gen. Douglas MacArthur started his offensive. Alerted in time the Eighth Army escaped and was able to withdraw. It has now established 2 new and better defense line. Our losses—while ‘heavy—have not been excessive, Short on Supplies . COMMUNIST strategy now may be for the North Koreans to make an assault on Seoul and ~—if possible—reoccupy the city from whieh they were driven in mid-September. The North Koreans are believed to have a formidable fores of 45,000 fighting men. If the North Koreans are unable to carry out their mission, the Chinese are expected to help. : & The present ominous lull on all fighting fronts is believed attributable in part, at least, to this strategy. Intelligence reports indicate the North Korean Army is moving forward. Small

- - Units already have appeared in battle. It may be

another week before the shift is made and the Communists are ready for an all-out drive.

There are other reasons for the lull,

Chinese losses have been heavy. The Reds’ supply lines have been destroyed in many sectors. Some prisoners taken recently had been

without food or ammunition for three or four

days, The prisoners said they left Manchuria

with 10 days’ supply of rice and three days’

supply—125 ‘rounds—of ammunition. In some sectors that's all they got. Moreover, the Chinese are suffering from the cold. Not all Chinese are able to withstand sub- » zero temperatures. A number of prisoners have been taken with frozen arms and legs, of 23 captured recently, 14 required amputations.

he)

‘Double Play’ By Jean M. Bell, City BEING a Times subscriber, I have noted your articles on the dirt that is the Indianapolis police force. I have witnessed something which bears this out even more. ~~ Last night, Sunday, Dec. 10, there was a - late model Cadillac, license number AL93, parked in the yellow No Parking zone at the east entrance to the.main postoffice, at about 8:30 p. m. Part of the time a man and a woman sat there. Part of the time the man got out to talk to a motorcycle policeman. No attempt was made to clear this vehicle, yet it was parkéd in such a manner as to prohibit any vehicle from entering the zone to permit its driver to deposit mail in the curb mailbox. ¥ : As other vehicles double parked (and you had to deposit mail) one of at least two other officers hidden in the building across the street would emerge and write out a ticket for double parking. A al? esi I CALLED police headquarters twice, but I doubt if it did any good, is . ~~" They didn’t get me in their trap because I parked two blocks away and walked back. I believe this is gross injustice and offer my services as a witness in behalf of the driver of

the Television Techpician’s Lecture Bureau's pick-up truck, or the drivers of any of the little

Fords, Chevrolets, Plymouths, etc, who wers .

cited : there. a I believe that such a practice drives business from Indianapolis. I'am very thankful for Broad Ripple and will be quite content to transact my business there in the future.

made that it would be advisable to slap price ceilings on new autos, would this mean that the President would also have to put a ceiling on wages in the auto industry? ® = =» 23 AS for the cost of living in crease itself, paragraph (b)-(4)

automobiles—to

of 402 says that whenever ceil-

ings on prices have been es! tablished on materials and services

“unreason-

the cost of liv-

| ———- 1 { i - 38 is

sHmInnn MARRIAG]I

Iwan C, Willi Agnes M. Capitol,

‘Donald L. Edi Wi

oodruff Pl. E. Merrill, Delbert W, Elk C. Lally, 28, ton C. MW nna L. Je Donald K. Je Base, ns ¥ gress,

on prices and services general. If the Congress had deliberate- " bilize ly tried to make the thing un- nq Suitable; ia I¥, and (Ih) an) ges workable and get it all snarled : y up in the courts, it couldn't HERE you have enough have done better. road blocks to stop any price or. or wage controls. What

THE _ price . wage matter seems to center in paragraphs