davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
PennY-Wise. Pound. F ooligh

The federal power commission, after years of beg
ging for sufficient personnel to enable to carry out
the work which it created seems about to get
q measure of help from congress.
The appropriation bill being considered allows
the commission an increase of $4,000 to hire chief
counsel, an attorney, valuation engineer and few
auditors Presumably this was all the budget bureau
would approve. s
When the commission was created in 1920 congress
intended that it should hasten the development of
latent water power resources. Equally important
protection of the public interest through perpetual
retention by the government of power sites, and regu
lation of rates in certain instances NE%
Leases were to be granted for fifty years, and at
the eno that time the government could recover the
property through payment of amounts actually and
legitimately invested. \
There has been much water power development but
the public interest has been neglected.
The commission obviously must keep account of
expenditures in development if the government is to
have fair basis for possb eexercis of its recovery
right or If it is properly to exercise its control
rates This not been able to do because of its
inadequate staff
The commission is four or five years behind in its
work Ithas been able to audit and settle the claims
of only asmall fraction, of the cases pending,
The total of claims lin projects already under
license Eventually will be billion dollars 1t is
exaggeraton to say that literally hundreds of millions
of public property is involved, to say nothing of the
danger establishing fantastic bases for rate naking,
which would operate as. tax on consumers for all
time to come.
1t is penny-wise and pound-foolsl for the budget
bureauor congress--to quihbe over expenditure of
few thousand dollars in such situation. The in
crease under consideration will help but it is INSULT
Gent to- enable the commission to~nring its work
quickly mp to date and to function intended.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
Not Guilty

GCORNING codes and subter-
~ fuges I can answer with single
word-No. I mean the well-dressed
slightly StoutiSh, handsome stranger
was not I. Come to think of 1t, my
correspondent says nowhere in her
note that he was handsome. I have
merely added that to make it more
difficult.
Possibly the whole matter should
be allowed to drop with simple
denial. After all Mr.. H. of the
Scripps- Howard chain of news
papers, has said several times that
he liked the column better when it
dealt with serious subjects and did
not strain to achieve trivial and
humorous effects. But the point
raised by r. v. T. is serious to me.
Of course censors in various parts
OF the land are making fools of
themselves. And naturally there is
still prohibition to complain of. But
surely this is not subject demand
ing haste. One can write about the
evils of prohibition ten days from
now. Or ten years. On the other
hand can't afford to wait while
doubles walk about the two scot
free and get mistaken for the writer
of this column.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
The Real Problem

The citizens of the state, in all probability, will
have an opportunity pass the question of whether
they wish to raise part of the cost Of government by
income tax
Thelegslature, largely through the pressure OF the
farmers Of the state seem likely to approve such an
amendment to the constitution
Against the proposal are the so-ca1led business in
teress Of the state who not believe that such tax
is desirable.
Whatever any one may think on the subject of in
come taxes there can be no argument against per-
hitting the people of the state pass directly upon
the problem.
If we have any faith in the theory that the people
of this state are capable of managing their own affairs
and do1iot need either guardian or dictator then
no public question is too great for them to solve
Appropriation to this should be made at
the polls when the amendment is brought forward for
ratification and not in a legislature which merely
passes along to the people proposal which has the
support of a very large portion of the citizens.
It would be fine if there could be direct action on
many other measures which pending and about
which there is controversy.
Whether the income tax is way to get more money
from the people, costly and inefficient way, or fine
method of distributing burdens in accordance with the
protection received is argument for the voters not
for the legislature
that the problem is not much to the manner in
which taxes to be collected, long laws are
generalin application to the way iwfic1 they are
spent.
The Farmers complain that they are -oVerburdened
and rapidly becoming. bankrupt through heavy i'm
posts They may be right So men in cities, who
are staggering under heavy costs So workers. who
pay those same taxes in the form of rents high costs
Of living high rates utilities and other necessities
of life each one of which indirectly carries part
of the tax burden
The real problem is to whether it not possible
to spend less and still get ell the necessities of govern
nent .51r1
The proposal to raise another five six millions of
dollars a year for highways is a case in point.
This expense, whether collected by higher gaso-
line tax or raise in license fees, is much direct
tax as would be tax incomes.
The real problem lis not of method In raising
taxes but in the totaI-cost of government and the
problem Of getting it at cost.
Plug the leaks and there will not be so much cutlery.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
N. q.
TRACY
SAYS:
"There Is Not Only Too
Much Politics but Too
Much Argument IN ON.
System of Justice"
SAYS:

CLEVELAND, O., Jan. 49,
~ Prosecutor bares names in
vice quiz" reads headline in the
Cleveland Press, not the names of
those charged with anything, as one
might suspect, but Of those from
whom local clergyman says he
obtained information.
Figuratively speaking, a Mr.. Wal
lace, Mr.. F'oote and a. Miss Sill
have been "put on the spot" for
Cleveland's underworld. With that
accomplished, they will be paraded
before the grand jury to tell what
they know, which is all right, ex-
cept that, no matter how interest
ing or enlightening the grand jury
may find it, the underworld already
has discounted it.
The case seems worth mention
ing, because it typifies a general
attitude. In most of our large cities
the administration appears far
more interested in protecting itself
than in protecting the public.
If some one rises to remark that
conditions are bad, whether pub
licIy or privately, the first thought
is to discredit that some one, to
prove that he knows far less than
he claims, to expose his source OF
information and throw up such a
smoke screen as blinds every one
to the original issue. g @
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
More Dry Funds Not Needed

Secretary Mellon offers convincing arguments
against the appropriation of additional S25OOOOOO
for the bureau of prohibition. as proposed in the
senate. 14e4 s. ta& 4Asss
other bureaus and departments are concerned in
enforcement Mellon points out He believes that part
of any Increase voted wen might to the department
of justice for relief of court congestion for enlarge
ment of the coast guard and customs border patrol,
which have been unable to cope with smuggling.
In short. he wants any increased funds used where
they win do the most good and he questions whether
uddenydumping s25eoooOO in the lap of the bureau
of prohibition will accomplish what congress intends
He proposes "a thorough survey of the entire
field" before appropriations increased.
Mellon might have added that the additional funds
probably would have increased the force of prohibit
ton agents from 1000 perhaps $4,000 and that the
wisdom of this open to question. Almost all per-
sons who have been connected with prohibition en-
forceme said that state and local cooperation
is essential.
Creation of vastly larger organization sof federal
agents would lead IN the direction of federal policing
and awae from the policy OF having the federal gov
eminent devote Itself TO diversions and major viola
tons This should ue the federal governments job
not the detection OF pint transactions and the sup
pressioIof speakeaSies These matters for local
police.
The treasury already is taking steps to ascertain
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
200-Pound Look

7 HAVE never made any assertion
Il that I was a person commanding
in appearance. Still, I used to have
a feeling that was at least unusual.
1t was not my hope that anybody
would ever say, There goes TT
SEEMS TO ME- but merely that he
might remark Who is that per-
son?'"
AS a rule I am mistaken for a
policeman in very plain clothes.
Many have taken one look at my
feet and assumed that nothing but
much pounding of the pavement
could account for it. 1 have even
seen proprietors of speakeasies
thrust bottles under tables as soon
as they saw me approach with velvet
tread.
And if I may digreSs for a moment
I was told by a detective just the
other day that the literature Of
crime has vastly neglected the i'm
portant part which feet play in the
catching of criminals.
Each man, he said, wears the
leather upon the sole of his boot at
some different place and if / am to
believe his tall tales many a pick
pocket has been arrested simply be-
cause some sharp-eyed cop has
recognized his feet milling about in
the middle of a crowd.
But this sort of identification can
be made only by experts. What I
need is some distinguishing mark to
be instantly recognized by any
passerby. I can't endure the thought
that haggard men however natty are
being pointed out as me.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
Politics and Justice

HUMAN nature is not 100 per
Il u cent courageous or accurate.
No. one should realize this more
keenIy, or make allowance for it
more rapidly than policemen and
prosecutors. No one is in a better
position to understand the necessity
Of depending on voluntary informa-
ton, or using it, even if it includes
mistakes and of never adopting a
course that is calculated to dis
courage it.
What law enforcement calls for is
not a. system committed to the de-
struction of clews and tips, but one
that will run them down, even if
they are not SO good. There is not
only too much politics, but too
much argument in our system of
justice.
We still are trying to make it
function through the combative
method, through letting one per-
son attempt to prove that another
is wrong. Science has abandoned
that method, and so has industry.
When do you suppose Edison or
Ford would have landed if they had
spent their lives arguing?
We have learned how to solve
mechanical problems by dispassion-
ate, impersonal study. Some day we
may learn how to solve legal prob
lens in the same way.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
From the Gay Nineties

TINE suggestion that I wear a
Il small picture upon my lapel
will not do at all. Any photographs,
line cuts, or such like which have
ever been employed to illustrate this
column have naturally been chosen
from the best snapshots-taken TWEEN
ty years ago. Even though Mr.. H
prefers the more weighty sort Of
article he is not merciless enough
to demand that expose to the gen.
eral public countenance lined and
furrowed by years of grinding jour
nalism and deep thinking.
And since without remorse I am
prepared to use a picture which is
possibly trifing fiattering there is
no objection on my part to licensing
more and better doubles.
If John Barrymore or Ronald Col
man, for reasons best known to
themselves, should ever desire to
adopt Haywood Broun as an alias
and 60 out into the world disguised
as columnists I should not have the
slightest objection.
Indeed, if can ever find just the
right sort Of double it is my in
tention to retire wholly into privacy
and let him do the work of all pub
lie appearances. For that matter he
can write the column, too, if it would
amuse me. In the meantime am
not at all pleased to hear that
George or anybody else is going
about pointing out strangers and
giving them my name.
Copyright. 1929 for The Tines
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18

force behind the universe He insisted that mankind
must ignore the idea of Heaven and concentrate all
efforts on making this heart the happiest possible
place. sa11----4.e.
The opinion which half dozen of the most emf
nent scientists at the convention expressed in an
after-dinner conversation in which was privileged
to join might be summed up somewhat as follows:
There has been altogether too much talk about
conflict between science and religion 1t isn't help
ing the advance of science any. The best thing for
scientists to do is to stick to science.
"a great many people didn't want to believe that
the earth revolved around the sun when Copern1cus
and Calico and of the other early astronomers
insisted that it did But erentus lily, everybody has
come around to believe that the earth does revolve
around the go
"In the way, other facts of science can be
expected to spread.
MANY people with strong religious belief, never
theless hold many of the same beliefs which Barnes
outlined"
Many of the scientists felt tha5 the convention
was not the place for BarnesFto launch his attack
Several thousand papers were presented at the
convention which was attended by 5000 delegates.
- Practically all these papers dealt With new adj
vances in specialized fields Of scence-new advances
in astronomy, physics chemistry and SO on
The scientists felt that it was unfortunate if any
large group of people got the idea that the conven
ton was held chiefly to launch attack on conven-
tonal religions.
On the other hand it should be said that many
scientists have felt for long time that many of the
hings which Barnes enunciated were so.
For example. they agree with aim when he says
hat every effort should be made to make this earth
he best possible place In which to i've
In fact, they would point out that science is doing
exactly that The scientist who discovers cure for
dread disease, the scientist who discovers
Tor electricity, the scientist who makes discovery
about the human mind, has done just that
Most of them would agree that this earth should
not be considered training place for the world
70 come, but they would add that most liberals in
the churches of the world hold that idea also.
Most of them would agree that God is not the
snthropomorphlc God which ancient peoples poStu-
ated but they would probably add that they have
scientific way of knowing and that neither has
Barnes.
In fact. most scientists regard Barnes papers as
poor tactics They feel that he has antagonized
people to science who otherwise might look at it with
friendly eye.
They feel that the facts of science vii survive
and they feel that the highest type of religion
win find room for the facts of science.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
UNPARDONABLE SIN
= q a
RUTH'S FLIP FLOP
GREAT UNDERWEAR

MARSHALL FOCH, military idol,
Iva is hailed in his illness as the
savior of France, but this is not
true; the savior of France was the
private soldier.
n
This robin which was seen in
Wisconsin the other day when the
thermometer was below zero could
write wonderful testimonial for
some underwear manufacturer.
Il =
One is not surprised to learn that
the American copper output for last
year exceeded that of the year be-
fore by 100000 tons, for it took
much more to line the stomachs of
the booze customers of the land.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18

Editor Times-Being an idle child
$50 years. and nothing better to do
than to attend to someone elSe's
business, I am constrained to write
you about traffic laws" and other
things pertaining.
My first thought is every other
north and south street going
through city traffic to be one-way
street; east and west cross streets
the same.
To avoid accidents, provide towers
and watch guards" high up in
them, with powerful field glasses
and stop watches, SO if g driver
should for example start north on
Meridian street running fifty miles
an hour or over the limit by the
first tower guard" the guard could
with his binoculars pick of his
license plate number.
Then he could telephone the next
guard above him to flash red and
green stop signal and send him in
to pay a fine. In addition to this,
if drivers run over the signal to
stop, drop a chain or obstruction
across the street and compel them
to stop and show cause.
l. think after few reckless drivers
went head-on into a strong chain
stretched against them it would
have most of them city" broke
Then, too, this tower system would
be a quick and sure way to throw
barriers around the city, which
would be of great service IN catching
bank robbers and bandits j. G.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
I I
SEEMS
TOME
BY HAYWOOD
BROUN

WILL you settle an argument
w for us please" writes r. V.
T. Were you or we're you not at
Martin Beck'S theater Jan. II at
the performance of the Wings Over
Europe?'
Il really do hope that you weren't.
George said that it was you, but if
it was, Haywood, am mighty dis
appointed in your looks. win admit
that the hat bore a faint resem-
blance to Emil, but I'm sure that 1t
was only a cousin. Tt didn't have
the Snappy, nonchalant, man-about-
town air that any hat of yours
should have with all its experience.
And then, too, you weren't making
Emil plop (assmuing that it was
yoW which is a point in my favor.
81 don't know what to do about
it. hope-for your own sake
that this person wasn't you. But If
he was not I'm no better off than
before. I might suggest that you
go round in public muttering 1T
SEEMS TO ME- or why not have
your picture taken and wear a small
replica Of it on your coat lapel?
"The rest is up to you. I've
warned you that it would be better
for you for this person not to have
been you. Why, Mr.. Broun, he
looked all of Al and although we'll
dressed, decidedly haggard. He was
a shaGe too stout and not in the
least like the dream, the oourtly
dream, your readers have of you.
You might answer in code. Yes
will mean NO and vice versa. Or
if you don't care to commit yourself
even to settle an argument you
might append note to your column
saying that you didn't get this
letter"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
[ aggard Law

THERE is no phase of life in
a which we are SO inefficient, so
backward, reactionary and hope
lessly bound by tradition as in the
administration of justice, and I be-
Aeve that dependence on argument,
rather than study and investigation,
offers a large part of the explana-
ton.
We put up with things from the
law that we would not tolerate in
corner grocery. We let it dawdle
along as it did in the oxcart age.
Let it waste tine and money for no
reason in the world, except that it
always has; let it deprive people of
their liberty, their right to be heard;
their opportunity to remain at
work, without any excuse, except its
own lazy, obsolete way of doing
things.
In other respects, we have learned
how to do things quicker and
better.
Only in the law have, we slowed
up, put on the brakes and settled
down to the idea that there is no
room for improvement.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
Soaring the Witness

DO not pretend to know
Il whether the Rev. Charles Debow
gave the Cleveland authorities a hot
tip, whether vice in the neighbor-
hood of his church was as bad as
he said, or whether the inform
ants on whom he depended were
reliable, but it strikes me that the
way the authorities have handled
the matter has resulted in nothing
so distinctly as to spoil their oppor-
tunity for doing anything OF con-
structive and lasting value.
They seem to have been vastly
more concerned over the sources of
Mr.. Debow's information than over
the idea of acting on it before the
dive keepers and craps shooters had
time to put up the shutters. Who
tattled, appears to be what they
were most @pxious to find out.
It frightens witnesses, warns the
underworld and vindicates the au-
thorities. You can't beat it as a
method of proving everything is
"jake." Nothing has come to inter-
fere with law enforcement more
than the scared witness. Average
people are actually growing afraid
to tell what they know. They are
afraid not only Of the gangster and
his bullets, but of the way they are
likely to be manhandled by those
very officials whom they would like
to help
They are afraid of being made a
target for every lawbreaker, of the
humiliation that goes with the all
too frequent efforts to discredit
them, of the publicity this makes
inevitable.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
| SERVICE
Water Is Object of R1tn101:

ton of the United States is today
drinking water that has been disin-
fected with chlorine.
Furthermore, the method has been
adopted as the one of choice for
swimming pool disinfection, for the
disinfection of water mains, and for
the treatment of water used by
travellers.
Various methods are now being
studied with view to finding those
that are cheapest and most efficient,
and new types of chlorinators are
being developed, the most recent
type being an electrolytic device
which permits the utilization of
common salt for the development of
the chlorine and avoids the use of
tanks of pure chlorine gas.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
DAILY HEALTH SERVICE

people that chlorination of water
might produce changes in the kid
neys or ulcers of the stomach.
The actual facts of the matter are
that there is not the slightest evil
dence to support the contention that
the amount of chlorine in the water
after the chlorination process is suf-
ficient to be of the slightest harm
to any one.
On the other hand, the installa-
ton of chlorination spreads apace.
The first practical apparatus, as
pointed out by George G. Bunker,
was made in 1913. In 1926, four
billion gallons of chlorinated water
a day were being used in 5000
American communities.
About 70 per cent of the popula-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-18
Reason

TIME most striking political flip
IL flop is the case of Ruth Bryan
Owen, brilliant daughter Of the late
commoner, elected to congress from
Florida on a platform pledging high
tariff to the fruit industry, whereas
her father won his spurs kicking the
daylights out of the tariff idea.
But then Webster, Calhoun and
the rest of them reversed themselves
completely.
immigration makes stranger bed
fellows than politics.
Legion members of Chicago have
presented a flag to 300 German vet
Grams who have just become Ameri-
can citizens and will join the ILL
nois National Guard.
With Republicans and Demo rats
all favoring the tariff and almost
every statesman at Washington de-
handing higher duty for his hone
products, we may wind up with a
tariff wall SO high the result will be
exploitation, not protection.
1t is time for conservative Re-
publicans to watch their step.
1t knocks the wind out of Cupid
for $50 out of 600 Northwestern uni
versity goods to say they propose
to enter professions, but every nor
NAL father and mother want to see
their daughters make themselves
independent, to avoid fate worse
than death-marrying some fellow
just for a meal ticket.
The amount of influenza among
the members of European royalty
proves again that overwork will
undermine the system until there's
no resistance.
They are installing telephone
booths in England, large enough for
two, so policeman may phone for
the wagon and keep his hand on
the collar of his prey.
We should have such booths in
America, for they would be wonder
full to hold political rallies in, if
last falls audiences are an index
to the future.