The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-19

Wares Wet Victory
Table Tipping
Halt Prophecy PeddIers
Houdini the BattIer
BY NJ. Il, Tracy

act meets with public approval and
ought to be strengthened if any
thing.
Ware went out to get the Repub-
ican nomination for United States
Senator on a platform with only
one plank in it.
He stood for modification of the
Volstead act, first, last and all the
time.
lie was not only wet by his own
admission but by the shrieked as
sertions Of his two opponents, Pep.
per and Pinchot.
They not only said he was wet,
but they said his wetness was the
only thing he had to recommend
him, and Secretary Mellon said 50,
too.
They said he could not think, or
talk anything but light wines and
beer.
They said that Pepper was a
great student and that Coolidge
needs him.
Speaking for himself, Pinchot said
he was for Coolidge all right, but
pinned his faith on the fact that he
was the drest man in America, if
not I'm the world.
The issue had been so definitely
stated by all parties that no one
could mistake it.
Ware, just wet leads the field.
Pepper. supported by the national
Administration and a faithful ser
want Of the old guard, comes in sec
ond
Pinchot, who stood with Congress
and the Anti Saloon League for
still more arid Nation, comes out
at the little end Of the horn.
The conclusion is inescapable.
Pennsylvania Republicans have
turned their backs on Coolidge and
gone on record for modification of
the Volstead act.
Who has not seen the table tip, or
felt It?
Who, with tremulous hands on the
board, has not watched old Ouija
work?
Who has not been dumfuddled by
the slate writer's mind readers and
spirit producers Of stage land?
who, in some moment of grief or
perplexlty, has not sought the be-
dlzened den Of a fortune teller, clair
voyant or trance medium and paid
$3 to be bunked?
The blood Of our wild, fearridden
progenitors cries out for mystery,
for supernatural and. most Of all, for
some miracle-producing power that
viii wipe away the tears or straight
en- things out when we are in
trouble.
Clever and unscrupulous people
have taken advantage of this in
herited weakness, this congenial
credulity since the dawn Of time.
Voodoo with doctor medicine
man, astrologer and modern mounte
bank-they are all Of the same stripe
and they have all prayed on the emo
tions on a distraught world since the
first mother wept at the grave Of her
first born.
Were. the Apostle Paul to come
back he could declare with justice,
as he did to the men Of Athens,
near 1000 years ago, Il perceive in
all things that yet are to supersti-
tous."
+. i. q. .
Most States have passed laws to
check the peddlers Of prophecy, and
communication with the dead.
The police Of most cities have pow.
or to drive out, or regulate these
hucksters Of manufactured bunk
that get rich on sorrow and frazzled
nerves
Congress, however, has been too
busy thus far with postoffices pen
sions public improvements and what
not, to provide the nations capital
with such protection.
But having been sobered by the
cool economies Of Calvin and having
provided itself with all the pork
those cool economies will permit, it
bestlrs itself at last.
SO we come to the Bloom bill, and
the first hearing on it, which was
held yesterday
- - !.
Harry Houdini was there, of
course. ready to expose or, duplicate
tricks, as occasion might demand.
The mediums, clairvoyants and
their sponsors were there too, ready
TO heckle him and one OF them. at
least, ready to fight.
People who saw the Hopi Indians
do their snake dance on the Capitol
grounds four days ago say it was
tame by comparison.
Houdini Is going to be called
liar and a publicity hound before
the fracas Is over and the constitu-
tional rights Of a religious sect will
be dragged In as part of the by
play
Putting aside the constitutional
question I wish to say merely this:
I have known Harry Houdini for
twenty-five years. have admired
him much for his marvellous feats
but | have admired more because
he didn't make use of them to be-
come the prince Of fakirs, as he
might easily have done. If he is get
ting any publicity or making any
money by this exposure Of the most
tragic fraud Of modern times, it is