Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 August 1951 — Page 16

action” to rescue him.

results.

useless.

costly one.

something about it.

Mr, Oatis.

courtesy.

point.

» " ”

“peace” gesture.

and they will have peace.

its words.

¥

Give Loh ond he People WU Pia Ther Son Woy

100 the Reds Know

FF CuORROW the U. S. House of Representatives is sched-, uled to debate and vote on the Oatis case. The House has before it a resolution deploring the im‘prisonment of William N. Oatis, Associated Press correspondent in Czechoslovakia, and calling for “all possible

The question is not simply whether “profound indignation,” as the resolution puts it, should be registered over the vicious mistreatment of an American citizen. Indignant words by the thousands have been heaped on the Czech Communists for this insolent and tragic humiliation of the United States. Without results. The issue is whether or not we are to translate our anger and shock over this outrage into the kind of action the Communists will understand, the kind which will get

. . FREE CZECHS and other refugees from countries geized by the Communists have made a strong plea to the State Department in the Oatis case. Having had first-hand experience with the gangsters who are cunning their native countries, these men know diplomatic representation is

The only thing the Communists understand, they say, fs force. And forceful action, such as economic embargoes, will get results. The only other way Mr. Oatis can be released is by payment of a ransom, and probably a

The refugees say we won't have to submit to that blackmail if we use the right kind of force—to the point of breaking off all relations with the Czech Communists. . One way to bring about this kind of tough action is “ror Congress to pass ‘& resolution -spblling sit. THs would give the Reds official notice of the temper of the American people. And it would serve to spur the State Department into the type of drastic action necessary.

EL

THE RESOLUTION reported to the House by the Foreign Affairs Committee does not do this. It is written in general terms. It condemns the prosecution of Mr. Oatis. But it does not declare Congress' intention to do

The weakness of the resolution can be repaired from the floor. Many members of the House are ready to offer . amendments which bespeak tough action. procrastination and diplomatic bickering will not free

It's time to let the Czech Communists know the United States means business, and is prepared to carry out swift and relentless retaliation.

President, Senator and Judges

> IN HIS peevish doar] with Sen. Paul Douglas of INjnois, President Truman appears tb most immovable "of Washington

hive run up gst that immovables, The President has chosen for federal judgeships in northern Illinois two candidates opposed by Sen. Douglas. The Senator says they are ‘personally obnoxious” On this basis, Mr. Truman's candidates probably will be rejected by the Senate. It's a tradition. Whether or not these judicial prospects, or the ones originally suggested by Sen. Douglas and ignored ‘by the President, are the better qualified appears to be beside the

The issue is mainly a personal one between the President and the Senator. And it illustrates, quite bluntly, how ‘federal judges are chosen. With a Democratic President in office, Democratic Senators expect to pick the appointees. And usually do. This “cofiftesy” toward the Senate does not apply, of course, when appointments are made in states vepresented by Republican Senators.

THERE is nothing wrong with this system, if it results in the naming of good judges. But it doesn't follow that a Senator always would make the best selections. Or that a President, with the sole motive of humbling a Senator who has piqued him,. would pick the best. :

Federal judges are named for affect the welfare—and even the lives In selecting men for this bench, the merits of Sen. Douglas’ complaints or the motives behind President Truman's crusty attitude toward the Senator are—or ought to be—side issues.

of countless litigants.

Familiar Propaganda HERE'S nothing to get excited about in Russia's latest

It cannot be termed a proposal. It is nothing more than a repetition of the propaganda to which Moscow resorts whenever the Kremlin encounters resistance to its imperialistic adventures. © When the Soviets really according to the principles of the United Nations charter

want peace they

Until then, Moscow will be judged by its actions-—not

The wars in Korea and Indo-China and the revolts iz the Philippines, Burma and Malaya were Soviet-inspired and are under Moscow direction. None of the free nations is engaging in such skulduggery. ' ,. The Russians do not need to resort to negotiations to obtain peace. If they will abandon aggression and simply accept pears; 3 will be unanimous. .

| WASHINGTON, Aug. 8—Exiled former leaders of eight Central and Eastern European nations today told the State Department that only “measures of force” will liberate Willlam N. Oatis from a Communist jail in Czechoslovakia. They said such measures are the only means

“understood by the rulers behind the Iron

Curtain.” > oo @

THESE refugees from communism, who said they spoke for the democratic elements in their subjugated lands, sent the State Department a formal 15-page paper. They id this on thelr own initiative, They said the paper represented their observations and suggestions in the Oatis case, which they considered important enough to justify their un action. They called the jailing of Mr. Oatis, American newspaperman, an “act of violence.” “If such acts of violence are not instantly

paper said, “the erosion of the prestige of the West will continue.”

‘DEAR BOSS . . . By Dan Kidney Brownson Plans

Panama Trip

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 — When Congress finally takes an announced recess, Rep. Charles B. Brownson, Indianapolis Republican, plans to make one of those special con-

gressional trips to Panam®. Instead of the usual junket, however, he intends to stay for a fortnight and do some research on his pet theory that the U. S. is now engaged in “Caucasian imperialism.” His recent reading has caused him to conclude that Panama is indeed a fertile field for such a study. As a member of the House Committee on Expenditures in the executive departments, Mr, Brownson strongly supports setting up a “Hoover Commission” to study governmental expenditures overseas. He would include Panama in such a study he said, but meanwhile intends to do the job himself as time permits, What Mr. Brownson will explore is the wage differentials based solely on color which prevail under the U. 8. rule’ in the Canal Zone. And he also will investigate the segregation rules there, he said. “In this modern world in ferment, we cane not stick to the old, out-moded white supremsacy stuff that was spread around the globe By the Been pel Mr. Brownson

bxplained. fo ae ge, WHAT THIS SYSTEM means in Panama

‘was explained to Mr, Brownson and other mem-

bers of his committee by Edward J. Gaskin, 33-year-old Negro school teacher there. “1 was particularly impressed with his testimony,” Mr. Brownson said, “A Panamanian, Mr. Gaskin is a non-citizen employee of the U. 8. government. He also heads local 900 of the Government and Civil Employees Organizing Committee—-CI0.” How this man may have saved the Canal Zone workers from communism was explained in an article by Harry Conn, member of the staff of the Public Affairs Institute. It appeared in the New Republic on July 9 and Mr. Brownson obtained permission for its republication in the Congressional Record. Setting out how Mr. Gaskin fought the United Public Workers Union, which was expelled from the CIO for being Communist dominated, against .the odds that go with wage dif. ferentials and segregation based on color lines, Mr. Conn wrote: “Mr, Gaskin is visiting the United States. He sits on the edge of his chair and with pleading eyes presents a picture of injustice with an eloquence rarely heard today. Mr. Gaskin refers to 1903 when the United States leased the Canal Zone from the Republic:of Panama in perpetuity and amazed the world by building the “big ditch.” As part of a ‘gentleman’s agreement” with Great Britain the United States developed a Caribbean wage scale under which the wo kers of the Caribbean countries were paid ap@edximately what they would receive in surrounding areas. This was deemed necessary in order not to upset the economics of these countries. So two pay scales were established in the zone, a local rate and a United States rate.

Rates Compared

TODAY THE AVERAGE local-rate pay is 55 cents an hour compared to the American rate of $2.15, a fantastic spread.” With Panamanian prices comparable to those of the U. 8, A. such things just should not be, Mr. Brownson believes. The Conn article blamed. the Defense Department more than the State Department, which, he says, is well aware of the effect on the Pan-American ‘good neighbor” policy. The writer cited Brig. Gen Francis K. Newcomer, Canal Zone governor, saying in 1949: “The organizational positiom of the Panama Canal has been satisfactory, and it is doubtful that it can be improved upon.” Mr. Brownson said that after listening to Mr. Gaskin he has some doubts about the matter and intends to resolve them first hand

What Others Say

COMMUNISM in the world ‘scene is no togeyman; but Communists as a political faction or party in this country plainly is.—Willlam O, Douglas, Supreme Court Justice,

SIDE GLANCES

an R ge oy Toll. u:

The exiled officials, who meet regularly here, urged the State Department to grant the Czech Communists no concessions for the release of Mr. Oatis. (This was done in the case of Robert Vogeler, imprisoned by Communist Hungary.) Rather than make concessions, the refugees suggested, the United States should put the ‘screws on the Communists, They suggested strong economic pressure and, if all else fails, breaking off diplomatic relations with Czechoslovaliia. <2

THEY pointed out that imports and exports to and from Czechoslovakia must cross two Allied-occupied countries — Western Germany and Austria. They advocated shutting off this traffic, at least temporarily. They said this would be “a very effective weapon.” They also recommended a general economic

If We Had Some Ham—

checked by effective means of force” their

cawf lus,

COSTLY WATER

\

by all free countries of Russia and all boven oh This, they said, could not be organized in time to help Mr. Oatis, but it would act to “disorganize considerably” the arming of the Soviet bloc. The presentation to the State Department was phrased in polite, diplomatic language. A spokesman for the refugees explained that they did not wish to be in a position of “telling” the State Department; they were merely ‘“‘suggest-

ing.” > 2

BUT the free Czechs, free Hungarians and others who write the communication were sufficiently stirred by the Oatis case to spend two weeks putting their plea in writing. The letter was sent to the State Department by the Council of Free Czechoslovakia and similar groups representing Hungary, Romania, Po-

By Talburt

AAVE SOME HAM AND EGGS.

IF WE HAD SOME

a

Ta nur

By Frederick C. Othman

How Far Can Taxes Go, Anyhow?

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8—Vaudevilllans used to make cracks about how Uncle Samuel some day would tax the water we drink. Haw. H& does. And in a peculiarly low-down and sneaky way. The federal government during the last year slapped a tax of $1 a gallon on nearly a million gallons of the purest tap water coming into the U.S. A. This water just happened to be mixed with whisky, and while this may please the drys, the principle remains. John 8. Graham, the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, himself, sald we were taxing this water.- He said it wasn't right and that he hoped Congress would pass a law, So there was the House Ways and Means Committee considering a scheme to simplify the weird conglomeration of rules that keeps our customs collectors wrapped ‘in red tape. Under this bill the water in the whisky would

£0 untaxed. This would save drinkers of Seotch;

for instance, the 30 cents tax (with profits added) on the water in each bottle. As Mr. Graham explained the situation, we tax 100-proof whisky on a proof-gallomr basis. That's fair enough. But when a Scotchman waters down his whisky to 86 proof (as all of them do) his shipments consist of 14 per cent water, But the duty now is on a ‘wine-gallion basis, which ihcludes the water. Taxing water struck some of the Congressmen as a good idea, but I really believe they are spoofing. Mostly they agreed it was not fair. So I got to talking to Harry Lourie, the

by Galbraith WEST POINT .

Why Kick a Cadet and Coddle a General?

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8—The punishment being meted out to

the 90 cadets who broke the code of honor at West Foint is much more drastic than that given most generals who get in trouble, The generals, with one exception in recent years, have been getting off much more lightly. Either nothing is done to them or they're permitted to rétire on pensions or they're transferred to some other post. Latest in the growing list of generals who've been involved in scandals is Brig. Gen. David J. Crawford. As head of the Detroit Tank Arsenal, Gen. Crawford admitted accepting personal I1avors irom coms panies with whom he was negotiating contracts and using government material for his own purpose, , ” o ~

a public reprimand by Secretary of the Army Frank-Pace

quarters in Germany at no loss in rank or pay. Gen. Crawford is to repay the Army for

$8... oot a kn mT 2 8 a. on. Lg . : ~ the materials he: used Jor "Because he city of Pars celebrated the sae dite tary 1. 48 pin hia Myo, 4 9 dca vig D0 years ole.

long-time representative here of the liquor importers. For 17 years, he said, he'd been trying to prove that we really oughtn't to tax water, no matter how its mixed. Now, he's getting someplace, he ‘hopes. He said that last year we taxed 560,000 gallons of water in the whisky imported from Scotland. Add to that whisky from Canada and brandy from France, all with H20 added, and the taxable water per year runs close to a million ‘gallons; I had an obvious idea. Why not. import Scotch whisky at high proof, pay the normal tax and add tax-free water here? Mr. Lourie was aghast. He said those Scotchmen were especially ‘proud of their water. They claim it made better whisky than the tasteless, distilled stuff we use here. He said also that when they diluted their potent potables to 86 proof, they allowed the water and the whisky to marry (his word) in the barrel for a year or =o before they shipped

it. This added to the flavor, he said.

Wasteful Shipping.

IT STILL seemed to me that shipping hundreds of thousands of gallons. of water across the Atlantic was wasteful, even if you forgot

he tax. Maybe s0, sald Mr. Lourie, but only one importer today brings in his Scotch at full proof, waters it here, and puts it in bottles. This saves him a great deal of money, but his Scotch is not among the top sellers, There must be a reason, Mr. Lourie said. The way he figured it, the water tax amounts to 20 cents per rifth bottle of Scotch. But the wholesaler makes a profit on that; so does the retailer. Remove the tax on the water and the price of imported whisky would drop about 30 cents a Jug. So I guess those vaudevillians had better forget water. Maybe they can think of .jokes involving taxes on air. I don’t believe that is taxed yet, but, after today, I can't be sure.

. By Earl Richert

slavia. (Yugoslavia, IA headnd by a Com. munist dictator, Tito, no longer is behind the Iron Curtain.) “Under the Communist rule,” the letter said, “it is far easier in the countries behind the Iron Curtain to be arrested for espionage (the charge against Mr. Oatis) than for murder.” Under Communist laws, it continued, “the foreign correspondent becomes a full-fledged criminal the moment he enters the country.” If the United States and othey Western powers don't get tough, in incidents like the Oatis affair, the refugees said, “the exists that Communist tactics will attain their objective.” cS

IF THE Western Powers fear that forceful action by them might provoke a chain of events leading to all-out war, the refugees have this answer: “If the Soviet Union is determined to aggress, then it will not open its attack in re. sponse to reprisals, but will do so at a time and in a place which it will consider the most advantageous. “If the Soviet Union is not prepared for war, reprisals against the Communist use of force which is the more likely alfjernative . . . then . + » Will but make more difficult the continuation of present Soviet strategy.”

am tases nanInIEnY mn Huan H Forum | 00si er orum: : "lI do not agree with a word that you say, i : but | will defend to the death your right 3 : to say it."—Voltaire. : HHS a ‘Traffic Plan’

MR. EDITOR:

As a passenger car driver of some 30 years experience I would like to express my views on present day traffic and its problems, compared with driving in the days gone by. In the ’20s, cars were fewer in number and life in general was at a much slower pace, as were the car speeds. These slower speeds were due to mechanical capabilities as well as road conditions.

However, at the present time, with country driving speeds averaging around 75 miles per hour, and city driving speeds up to 30 miles per hour, with very frequent starts and stops, we find ourselves confronted with a deplorable acecident rate. This in my opinion is due to the different abilities of present day drivers, to intelligently control and thus survive in present day high speed cars,

I would like to present a plan for stopping a

» great deal of the present day slaughter and

maiming on the public highways of both drivers as well as pedestrians. Why nota Jano of every man his rethers heen: o hn

oH

: TED ow Pe oe ¥ " «7 55 Yr HN

ee 9B = -

SET UP a State Agency 6f Accident Prevention, if one does not already exist, and at the time a driver secures his yearly plates or driver's license, furnish also a clip and a pad of forms to be attached to the car dash-board. The state agency would set up a card system for every driver and wait for reports as- to each driver's record.

In our daily driving, how many times have we seen a driver endanger himself and passengers, as well as other drivers by foolhardy, thoughtless driving, excessive speed, smart-aleck stunts, drunken driving, lack of signals, lack of courtesy, double parking, lack of lights, and a host of other faults. The answer is, of course, many times, and usually with no officer near to see and report the incident.

Under this plan, the other drivers would be the objecting party simply by noting the license number of the offending car on the form provided, and forwarding it to the State Agency.

The answer is simple, a year's suspension of both plates and driver's license for all drivers classified as fooinardy and incapable of safe driving.’ ; —W. A, R., City.

‘Time for Action’ MR. EDITOR:

The members of women’s clubs and many other - organizations are aware of the rising number of rape cases in our city and state and are concerned over the need for action.

There are many more than those which come to the press and it is terrifying that our children, girls and women are not safe on the streets or in the homes.

This Communistic plan to destroy America through this sex teaching stuff and the articles in magazines and newspapers are responsible for a lot of this crime, ‘It poisons the mind.

With a-law making the first offense (rape) punishable with an operation at once, and 10 years at hard labor in prison, this can be stopped ang safely restored.

This great army of American women can bring this about if they will work together and certainly it is a time for action. —G. M. P., Greenwood.

IN YOUR HEART

IT'S funny how some special tune . . . keeps lingering in your heart... it's funny how when things go wrong . .. its tender strains impart . to sort of drive your cares away . .. and ary most every tear . . . it works like magic overy time . . . that tune of yesteryear . . . just how and when it captured you ... and hid in memory . . . is something that just you alore . And no one else can ses . .. the melody of yesteryear . . . brings to your heart I know . .. the loves and laughter that you knew , . . in the long, the long ago.

—By Ben Burroughs. :

Estonia and Yugo.

HIS punishment consisted of

and a transfer to Army head-

Gen. Crawford

. . latest on list

the high siandaida iequired of an Army offiger.” ! Of the two generals involved in the B5-percenter scandals two years ago, one, Maj. Gen. Herman Feldman, Chief of the Army Quartermaster Corps,

still in. the same job and hd testifying before Congress . about the billions néeded for

defense.

Senate hearings brought out =

that Gen. Feldman had done

several favors for “5 per-

center” James V. Hunt, in-

re

- more than $700 a month.

moo Gt ne Fins :

posed Quartermaster expenditure program for fiscal 1048. The then Army Secretary, Gordon Gray, suspended Gen. Feldman for a time, publicly reprimanded him but afterward ordered him back to duty. Mr. Gray said he found Gen. Feldman. had committed ‘“errors of judgment which, if repeated, would damage his usefulness as Quartermaster General” Mr. Gray pointed to the General's 42 years of service in the Army and said he was convinced there would be “no repetition of this lapse of judgment.” With that, Gen. Feldman went back to work.

Ld ~ ” THE OTHER General in the “5 percenter” scandals, Maj. Gen. Alden H. Waitt, Chief of the Chemical Warfare Service, was treated a little more roughly. Mr. Gray found it would not be in the best interests of the service to let: Gen. Waitt continue in his duties and he accepted the General's ‘requests for retirement—on a pension which an Army gpokesman said amounts

to be

Maj. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers who was caught in all sorts of skulduggery by a Senate ine vestigation in 1947. Meyers, second ranking Air Force procurement officer during World War II, was stripped of his medals and retirement pay and dismissed from the Air Force by President Truman. Meyers’ dismissal from the Air Force came only after his conviction by a federal jury. And his retirement pay was cancelled only the day before the grand jury began considering the case. - - » THE TWO generals at the White House, Maj. Gen. Harry/ H. Vaughan, the President's

senior military aide and Maj.

,Gen. Wallace Graham ths ' President's personal physician,

have both survived. their involvement in scandals. : Gen. Vaughan accepted deep freezes from a perfume im-

- porter and tried to help out

friends in the molasses and race - track businesses. Gen. Graham was found to be play-

2 the Sian METH! “eved