Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 February 1951 — Page 19

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The Indianapolis Times

A SCRIPPS-HOWARD NEWSPAPER

ROY W. HOWARD WALTER LECKRONE HENRY W, MANZ © President

Editor PAGE -20

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n , Scripps ice and Audit Bureau of

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Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way

Thursday, Feb. 8, 1951

Thanks, Jerry

THANKS Jerry, thanks for everything. This is a hard world we're living in. Hard to understand and hard to deal with. There are & lot of things we would like to do that we can’t do. There are a lot of things that should be done that can’t be done yet . . . like saving the lives of little children stricken with leukemia. You made your mark, Jerry, ... in the state of Indiana and in the nation . , , in your short eight years. It's a mark to be proud of. ~ Hoosier hearts swelled with pride when they saw a tough little guy fight off attack after attack and come through with flying colors. Hoosier hearts mourned when the final attack came and the game little spirit could not rally again. You taught us a lesson, Jerry... a lesson in hope, faith and bravery. In the nation, Jerry, you helped our doctors in a scientific way. Because of your sacrifice, perhaps other little children in, the near future will be allowed to live through the scourge of leukemia. You made your mark, Jerry., And thanks again, for

everything.

Prevent Rail Strikes

THS country must find a way to prevent railroad strikes, In peacetime or wartime, such strikes are intolerable. Railway labor cannot fight out its controversies with railway managements without hurting millions of innocent bystanders and gravely endangering the whole nation. Most of the yardmen who took part in the “sick strikes” have gone back to work in response to Defense Mobilizer Wilson's appeal to their patriotism. The damage they have done cannot soon be repaired. The public anger they have aroused is inspiring demands for law to draft strikers into the Army, or to compel arbitration or to authorize other drastic measures.

.© Their controversy with the railroads is still unsettled.

"Sen. Morse of Oregon urges President Truman to settle

it by using his war powers and calling on unions and managements to accept the decision of an arbitrator appointed by the President. 5 That might insure temporary peace on the railroads. It might produce an approximation of justice. But it is not a good plan, because it calls for more personal intervention by the President, whereas the need is for less.

~ . » . » - . FOR 15 YEARS this country did have a way to prevent railroad strikes. ¢

That way was provided by the Railway Labor Act of 1926, a law sponsored by the railroad unions. Strikes were not forbidden, There was no compulsory arbitration. The law created good machinery for conciliation and mediation, which helped to settle a large majority of controversies. Those not thus settled were submitted to able fact-finding boards, appointed by the President. The recommendations of such boards were not binding. There was no power to enforce them except the power of public opinion. a : Both sides often complained about the boards’ recommendations. But both sides customarily accepted them. Labor, management and the public were spared the economic loss and punishment of strikes. The Railway Labor Act still is on the books, but most of its effectiveness is gone, destroyed since 1941 when President Roosevelt first intervened to help strike-threatening unions get more than his own appointees to a fact-finding board had recommended.

Time after time since then, railroad unions have rejected conciliation, mediation and fact-finding recommendations, and carried their cases to the White House, seeking and too offen getting presidential intervention.

The ruin of a good law by bad administration and political interference, started under Mr. Roosevelt, has gontinued under Mr. Truman.

The fine machinery erected by the Railway Labor Act has all but broken down. It has become almost impossible to persuade enough able, fair, experienced men to help operate that machinery. » » . = » » YET THE principles of the Railway Labor Act are still sound. :

What the country needs is not stern new laws to forbid strikes or to punish strikers, but a return to those sound principles. The way that prevented railroad strikes for 15 years can prevent them again—not to the complete satisfaction of either labor or management but with happier results for all concerned than the last 10 years have produced. : Root politics and incompetence out of the opegation of this law. Put ability and integrity back in. Encourage and help the railroad unions and their members to recover the keen sense of public responsibility they once displayed in such great measure. Help them to regain public confidence and gain public determination that, because they must not strike, they must be fairly treated.

Beautifully Bombed

PUBLICITY handout informs us that the “beauty industry” of America wants to get into the civil defense act, s - It hopes the government will designate the 125,000 beauty shops throughout the country as first-aid eenters. Personnel would be trained to treat injured and ‘messed-up citizens—with particular attention, we suppose, in case a omb disarranges milady’s coiffure. : : Also, the shops would serve as “a source for news dissemination and liason (sic) between official defense organi-

zations and the beauty industry.” It's true, there's no place

like a beauty parlor for news dissemination. a But over-all advantage of this plan, as we see it, is that i we're whipped in the war, we'll at least still be pretty.

Business Manager .

® Ce

Touch ASK + ss By Earl Richert a Time to Beat Excise Tax

Congress Has Long, Hard Grind To Prepare Measure for Public

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8-You'll' have plenty of time to beat the proposed new 25 per cent manufacturers’ excise tax on dishwashers, washing machines, Jeving machines, vacuum cleaners, etc, Ad things stand at present, Congress plans : to take a lot of time ~probably months— on the administration's proposals for $10 billion in new taxes. The House Ways and Means Committee, which studies the proposals and writes the original tax bill, alone is expected to take at least six weeks in public hearings. And the taxwriting Senate Finance Committee seems Indisposed to do anything until a clearer picture can be fares obtained of how much the President's $71.8 billion budget can be cut, July 1 would seem the earliest possible date, under this situation on which the proposed new excise taxes and individual income tax increases could be made effective. And, if there are no new warlike acts by the Russians or Chinese Reds, a later effective date seems probable. Here are the electrical goods which the administration now is proposing to tax for the first time: Washing machines, mangles, dishwashers, dryers, sewing machines, floor polishers, waxers, garbage disposal units and electric razors. All would be taxed 25 per cent on the factory price. This tax would be passed along and eventually would be paid by the purchaser in the retail price. Other major household appliances, such as refrigerators, radios, television sets, phonograpns and electric and gas stoves already are taxed at 10 per cent on the factory price. The administration proposal would up the tax to 25 per cent. Other items to be taxed for the first time would be golf greens fees, silver-plated flatware, certain fountain pens and shampoos—all at 20 per cent.of the retail price. Except for adding silver-plated flatware and shampoos, the administration did not propose to change the current 20 per cent luxury taxes on handbags, cosmetics, jewelry and furs. Treasury Secretary John Snyder said he thought they were high enough. Nor were increases sought in many other excises, such as in those on transportation, telephone and telegraph, light bulbs, photographic equipment, etc.

Mr. Snyder

. + + taxes, taxes,

Other Ideas Due

SHARPEST increase of all, percentage-wise,

«was proposed for autos: . An incredse from 7 to

“20 per cent on the factory price. This, Treasury

: experts said, would add about $200 to the retail price of a $2000 automobile.

On whisky, the administration proposed a

“3315 per cent tax increase, from $9 to $12 a gallon, Several House Ways and Means Committee members indicated they would oppose this increase on the ground that liquor taxes are so high now they are bringing back bootlegging and smuggling. Rep. John Dingell (D. Mich.) said he thought the proposed increase—which would raise prices of 100 proof whisky by at least 60 cents a fifth-—would bring back “bath tub” gin. Some also feel that cigarets are being taxed enough now. The administrition proposal is to increase cigaret taxes from 7 to 10 cents a pack. Committee members undoubtedly will write in some tax ideas of their own. There seems to be strong sentiment for a 1-cent tax on all soft drinks—which the Treasury estimates would net $280 million a year. And Rep. Noah Mason (R. Ill.) believes that a $500 cloth coat should be taxed just as much as a $500 fur coat.

FOSTER'S FOLLIES

CHICAGO—A local lady offered to drop her

separite maintenance suit and take a divorce if her husband would give her his §10,000 airplane.

Here is a lady whose ideas seem just; The communal law at its best, Whatever outcome develops, we trust Her offer will weather the test.

Though at first blush you might not realize, We ask you, what could be so fair? She'll take the plane and glide off through the skies, And hubby-—can just take the air!

Holding Up

A LUXURY? . . . By Frederick C. Othman

Their End |

Steady, Son—Saturday Night Will Come Before a Soap Tax

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8—The time has come to consider the war between the sexes, U. S. government division. Or what have the federalsgot against females? . This ever-exciting subject. came up when George J. Schoeneman, the demon tax collector, IM IN FAVOR House Ways and "QF THIS © Means Committee to “ explain how he intended to pry from the people that extra $10 billion President Truman wants. The atmosphere immediately turned soapy. :

Rep. Carl T. Curtis, the happily married Republican of Minden, . Neb., ) rapidly is losing his hair, expressed a sury prising interest in shampoo. ‘turns out that Mr. Truman intends to collect 20 per cent excises on all shampoos that contain 5 per cent or more of soap. “How are you going to tax one kind of _ soap and not another?” he demanded.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Schoeneman, a large, gray-haired gentleman ‘with an eagle eye such as to make even an honest taxpayer tremble, said it was for Congress to pass the laws; he merely tried to enforce them. Rep. Curtis passed his hand across what hair he had left and continued relentlessly: “Now certainly a clean scalp is not a luxury, is it?” Mr. Schoeneman said he was just a tax collector; no expert on scalps. “Well, the Secretary of the Treasury thinks he can collect $3 million a year, taxing shampoos,” Rep. Curtis insisted. And some people use one thing to wash their hair, if any, and some another and who's to say what kind of soap is shampoo, and what kind isn’t? “So it looks to me as though we'll be taxing all soaps,” he said, “and thus taxing cleanliness.”

appeared before the .

who

The commissioner, who obviously had a fresh shave, shampoo, and haircut, squirmed, but said nothing. This was a mistake. The Congressman from Nebraska took advantdge of. the

‘pause. “Who is down at the Treasury that has.it

. \

“fn for women?” he asked: -

Commissioner Schoeneman said he always understood the Treasury Department had the ‘highest regard and greatest admiration for the ladies. “But you tax practically everything a woman must buy,” Rep. Curtis retorted. “You must have it in for women. You know as well as I do that women’s clothes are not designed for pockets. So she has to use a purse and you tax that. You tax her household equipment. Now this thing is another tax on women.”

Useful Phrase By “UH...” began Mr. Schoeneman. Rep. Curtis interrupted. “There must be some particular drive against women down there at the Treasury Department,” he said. The commissioner, who has been a federal worker since 1920, took refuge in one of the most useful phrases of the bureaucrat. “I am not prepared to discuss subjects of this kind,” he replied. That's what he thinks. He's a married man, too. It is my guess that he discusses taxes on ladies tonight when he gets home. Discusses is not the proper word. He'll be listening.

LITTLE NIECE

THERE is an angel in our house . . . that makes the world seem gay . . . for when she casts her smile around . . . she brightens up sach day . .. she’s wonderful, this niece of mine . . and like the stars above . . . her eyes are ever shining with . . . the light of childish love . « . her face has that same beauty glow . .. that face creams advertise . . . and if you take one look at her . . . I know you'll realize . .. that even when a girl is one . . , one little year I mean... she takes on all the glamour of ... a famous movie queen. ~By Ben Burroughs

A FIGHT FOR PEACE AND FOOD . . . By Ludwell Denny Italy Can Help West Europe Best By Industrial Production Now

Gasperi cabinet has taken its

fortunately. So full credit is

poor and "unstable country

“I do not ag I will defend to the death your right to say it."

‘COs Not Cowards' MR. EDITOR:

Seeing how some people feel, who lay claim to be American citizens, motivates me to present the side of the conscientious objector. Too frequently conscientious objectors are made to appear as cowards; and of course no one approves of cowards. May I say that true Christian conscientious objectors are everything but cowards. To go contrary to the opinions of the masses because of our con= science, and stick to it in spite of the reproach, slander, and persecution heaped upon one Is more than a coward could ever do. As for the remarks of our Mr. Ruark who . desires to “shoot a few for a healthy example” ° and ‘the other readers who think the same to be true, it is now time for all true Americans to question and challenge such un-American principles, Today this nation is making an all-out fight against Communists, who believe that the ruler (Stalin) is supreme, and that is precisely the method advocated by him LA YOUNG men of this nation now are drenching the little country of Korea with their blood, Why? Many would answer—to preserve the American way of life which our forefathers fought and died to establish, namely freedom. The foremost of those was the freedom of worship, . The freedom to worship according to the dictates of their conscience was the leading factor which motivated the Pilgrims and others to come to this new found country. I do not oppose the U. S. government in its endeavor to conscript the manpower of the na-

, tion nor do I endeavor to convert all the peo-

ple to be conscientious objectors, I merely preach the truth as contrined in God's word the Bible and maintain my neutrality on the entire issue. ’ If a person is endeavoring to follow our commander, and leader Christ Jesus, wha plainly says My kingdom is not of this world, how could we as true Christians participate in the wars of this old world. Another question all true Americans should consider is when did any man (Mr. Ruark) receive from the almightly God the right to ordain who should live and who should die? Undoubtedly what America is then coming to is like the powers it is fighting; if you don’t believe like I do, you should be taken out and shot, It has been proven by those who are true Christians and are Christians conscientious objectors that death does not make them lose their integrity for the Most High.

~James ¥F. Nantz, Bloomington.

| ‘Just C Sense’ MR. ITOR: I see by the Hoosier Forum that Arthur Mellinger has come up with some good old-fashe ioned common sense regarding’ building atom bomb = shelters in Indianapolis,, While he stretched his figures a little on the probability of an atomic bomb air attack on Indianapolis as “a. million to one,” I think the chances for an atomic air attack on our city is not more than 10,000 to one. : That is the figure I suggested to Gov, Schricker, and right here I wish to state that Indiana is fortunate to have a Governor who has kept his feet on the ground and has not gone off the deep end for squandering tax money on senseless building of bomb shelters. =—E. G. Maddox, City.

Lower the Fare MR! EDITOR: The endless insoluble transit controversy hereabouts has so far left untried one possible expedient; namely, reducing the fare. Inasmuch as fare increases have repeatedly decreased

patronage, a lowering should logically raise it.

With the company already hopelessly in the red, the prospect of going a shade deeper should be not all too deterring. Certainly, a rate reduction would make for the public's friendliness, whic a raise never could. What the company needs is mass response; raising prices never makes for mass response. It might be good food for thought that the present world debacle, including local transit ‘woes, has come on simultaneously with an increasing world wide “take” and decreasing “give” all round. “The world owes me” has gone all out against what I may owe the world. The wholesome spirit of sacrifice and humility, from high places to low, has been gathering telltale cobwebs over a period marked by two world wars, and maybe a third. Who remembers when a President of the U. 8. turned his entire salary over to the U. 8. Treasury? Incidentally, his name was Herbert Hoover.

sary not only on general prin-

gree with a word that you say, but

ROME, Feb. 8—The Italians don’t want to fight but they are eager to get into the munitions business in a big way, particularly

if the United States will pay.

# That is a bit selfish perhaps. It is not as bad as it sounds,

however.

American officials agree that the biggest contribution Italy

can make to Western European defense now is industrial production. Even if she could supply many divisions to Gen. Eisenhower—which she can't, because of treaty and other limitations-—-the Allies’ greater immediate need is equipment. As Defense Secretary Marshall and— Gen. Eisenhower have emphasized, there are already many Europeans in uniform without adequate guns and tanks. This is true even in Germany, where French divisions have almost no modern equipment. » n » AND IT'S particularly true in Italy. Mobilized divisions and squadrons lack enough late weapons even for training. The United States has begun major industrial mobilization, but our European Allies have not. So, despite American production, there is danger the gap between troops and weapons in Europe may be wider a year hence than now. The reason our Allies are so slow to switch to arms production is only partly a matter of money. There are other bar-

riers, One is fear of provoking -

Stalin. Another is that most

‘of the Allies, like the United industrial -

States, have no slack efther fn plant or labor. So arms production will mean cutting normal output, reducing consumer goods and lowering living standards.

The Allies are loath to pay -

that price because living standards in most of the countries already are so low additional Austerity could cause labor disorders and political upsets. Britain and France at last are beginning te take that necessary risk, but they are moving

* hicles,

with extreme caution. Adequate arms production in those countries is unlikely. = n = THAT IS why Italy is so important. She is the only Allied country with large industrial capacity not now in use. West Germany also has unused capacity, but if and when she becomes an Ally there will remain several good reasons why the Ruhr cannot be converted quickly or fully to munitions producti®n, Over-all, Italian industry is about 20 per cent below capacity. In some fields the leeway is 40 to 50 per cent. She has large slack in chemicals and explosives, motors and veshipbuilding and railway equipment, textiles and electronics. Not all of her two million unemployed are skilled workers, though some are. Many skilled men are working only part-time, or are on slowdown to spread work. So Italy—apart Communists—tends to lo on arms production as an hor tunity of improving her economy, because her problem is the opposite of the British and French, Indeed, producing supplies for the Allies seems to be the only way she can put her unused machines to work and cut unemployment. For that slack exists despite Marshall Plan, and ECA funds are dwindling. :

” oN THERE was a time, not so long ago, when the foreign policy of thé Rome government was an obstruction. Fear” of Russian retaliation increased the dominant Italian “neutratism.” . Now the De

from the

stand with the Western democracies, and carried parliament with it. ’ Doubtless the fact that Italy needs Allied business so desperately helped to influence the decision for rearmament.. But great courage is required of a country as weak as Italy to defy Russia—as the hesitancy of stronger allies prgves, un-

SIDE GLANCES

7. oAtT

~ PO, 1961 BY WEA BERVIOR. 05. % WI 6 & NR OR

due the Italian government, especially because it is far out in front of its public in this. Having made the decision, however, the Rome cabinet wants to cash in as fully as possible on Allied armament orders. It argues, with truth, that this is not altogether selfish. Anything which brings jobs and’ more wages into this

By Galbraith

7 v

"If really is a lovely set of dishes, but you don't know how

AR, awkward my husband is with a dishpan!”

strengthens not only internal security but also Allied security. Of course there is the argument over who pays the bills for Italy’s own rearmament and for the things she produces for others. But she can make out a better case than most for financial aid. In the first place she can prove she has fewer resources than most. Secondly, she can: cit2 the size of her own program—which is large, relatively. : » ” » TO HER original 1951 defense budget, of $520 million, she has just added $400 million more. She estimates that this will take about 8 per cent of her national income and 32 per cent of her total budget expenditures. Unless she obtains financial ald—whether in the form of economic help or military ald, or profits from producing supplies for the Allied pool—the net effect of rearmament on her wobbly economy could be disastrous. This is recognized by Washington. There is agreement on the principle but not on the

. exact amount of ratio of ald.

A good guess is that American military aid for Italy this year will be about $100 million; besides the so-called “end items” or finished American equipment sent here, such as small vessels, light tanks and training material. The $100

million or thereabouts will pro- - vide the raw materials and ma~:

chine tools which Italy lacks, and which she could buy only with dollars—which she does not have. Alsc thére will be provision for patent rights and technieal assistance. - Much closer American supervision will follow the use

- of this military aid than has

‘been exercised in the case of

Marshall Ald. This is neces-

ry. -

ciples, but also because of certain specific liabilities which Italy will have as an Allied arsenal.

» " » OFFSETTING in part Italy's assets of available factory capacity and labor—which are lacking in other Allied counIries are the following face ors:

ONE: Plant Inefficiency, low productivity and high costs,

TWO: Industrialists’ demands for big profits, and for spreading orders among companies regardless of efficiency. THREE: Inadequate govern ment controls and inspection. FOUR: A bureaucracy which is often incompetent and sometimes corrupt. FIVE: Hydro-electric power shortage in periods of drought. SIX: The threat of sabotage, strikes and slowdowns in areas controlled by Red trade unions. This is potentially the most serious of all the liabilities. In many plants threefourths or more of the workers are Communists. But most of them want work, and many probably will ignore sabotage - orders from Moscow. Short of war, sporadic slowdowns are likely to be more of a problem than widespread sabotage. Despite these unfavorable factors, however, Italy on balance has available industrial capacity and manpower which make her the Allies’ best bet in Europe for light armament and semi-miliary production. If Washington and the Allied Resources’ Board will allocate to her the ‘essential raw materials on reasonable terms, she can turn out finished re- _ armament products, for the Al. lied. peel without the serious strain on the recovery economy common in other counes. » : /

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