davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
In One City

To the highway commission and any
other official body in Indiana which is per-
hitting the exploitation and peonizing OF Ia
Dor on public works, the example OF the city
of Duluth is commended.
That city, as has all others in the great
northwest, has its problem Of unemploy-
ment. It's workers are joble5s. The lumber
camps are idle. The paper mills are not
running, except on part time.
To solve this problem Duluth applied
that remedy advocated by the Governors
who met with President Hoover; Of build
ing public works of various kinds, not nee
essarily needed at present, but in order to
accomplish the double purpose of employing
men and of obtaining permanent public i'm
provements.
But Duluth, which has government IN
which there is not only an understanding OF
the problems of labor but sympathy with
the worker, prevented the thing which is
happening in Indiana. Because of SYM
pathy with the real purpose of enlarged pub
lie work in times of depression, there was
written into every public contract a pro-
vision for a forty-eight-hour maximum
working week and 50-cent-an-hour mini
mum wage.
Consequently, the people of that city are
not scandalized by the spectacle of contrac-
tors growing rich at the expense of men who
must accept starvation wages or starvation
itself
The people of that city do not look upon
the monstrous phenomenon of payments of
the peoples money to those reduced to sad
state of peonage.
The people were protected because pub
lie officials not only gave lip service to new
public policy, but had in their hearts some
real understanding of social obligations.
The contractors are not getting rich at
the expense of the workers. They are reap
ing only regular profits. They are not the
newest Simon Legres of industry, and the
worker who finds his job gone is paid liv
ing wage and treated as a respected member
of the community instead of being rapidly
driven to bread lines and poverty.
1t is the difference of attitude, of course.
In Indiana some one should have thought in
advance for the highway commission and
the others who pirate of sacredness of con-
tracts-and know nothing of the sacredness
of human values.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Awaiting Happy Ending

ITALY has just signed treaty in
L. which she agrees to extend rs
per cent credit for all purchases
made by Soviet Russia; European
automobile manufacturers, are try
ing to formulate plan by which
they can arbitrarily limit the sale
of American cars; Canada has just
elected a hard boiled, Conservative
government, and red armies are
likely to take over control of China,
but why should we worry?~
Things may be a little tough for
some folks, but what does that
amount to, as long as we can find
change enough to patch a tire or
buy another gallon of gas?
What if the corn crop has shriv-
eled by half a billion bushel, or the
milk supply has gone down by Is or
20 per cent?
What if three or four million men
are out of work, while as many more
women and children face actual
want?
Haven't the movies taught us to
believe in the happy ending without
any effort on our part to bring it
about?
Aren't highbrows constantly tell
ing us to be liberal and mind our
own business even if we haven't
any?
Doesn't the past prove that we
can always depend on some genius
to get us out of jam?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
ElmerIs Dream

ID 1GHT now Elmer's getting ready
INTO put his newest continuance on
the market. A bunch of powerful
bankers from up Allentown way are
going to finance it.
He calls it cro-golg. Loosely speak
ing it's combination of croquet and
golf. You hit a large wooden ball
with croquet mallet, but instead of
knocking it through wickets you
sink it in holes, as on putting
greens.
The idea came to Elmer one night
in dream. It was the strangest
thing. You never would have
guessed that anything unusual was
going to happen.
1t was just a plain, common, ordi-
nary night and yet Elmer hadn't
been in bed more than an hour or so
well, it didn't seem any longer
than an hour or SO anyhow, though
you never can tell about these
things.
Sometimes you can go to bed and
it won't seem like you've been sleep
ing more'n ten minutes when it's
time to get up.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
SCIENCE
The Key to Many Secrets of
the Universe Is Found in
the Dark Lines in the
Spectrum of the Sun.
BY DAVID DIETZ.
TWO professors at the University
Il of Heidelberg in Germany gave

TWO professors at the University
4 of Heidelberg in Germany gave
the world the key to secrets of the
universe.
BY reading the meaning of the
dark lines in the spectrum of the
sun, they accelerated the progress
Of science and so FASTENED the
march of our civilization which to-
day rests in large part upon foun-
dation of scientific achievement.
Joseph Fraunhofer, famous in
strument maker of Munich, had
shown in. 1914 that when sunlight
was passed through a prism and the
resulting rainbow or spectrum ex-
amined with a little telescope, the
magnified spectrum was seen to be
crossed with hundreds of black lines
of varying thickness and intenSi-
ties.
He found these same black lines
in the spectrum of moonlight and
the light of the planets, light which
of course is reflected sunlight.
Many astronomers and physicists
Immediately took up the study of
spectra and examined not only the
spectra of the heavenly objects. but
the spectra of flames, electric arcs,
and other sources of light.
But for almost half a century the
mystery of the dark lines in the
spectrum of the sun continued to
elude the grasp of those studying it.
Then in 1859, the two Heidelberg
professors solved the mystery. Their
names were Kirchoff and Bunsen.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
One Way Out

When all allowances are made for uncontrolanie
factors in the present serious unemployment Situa-
ton the fact remains that much unemployment Is
dine to the deliberate anti-abor policies of many COM
panies.
Those policies vctimize not only the workers i'm
ediately concerned but also injure other employers
who are trying to keep up the employment and wage
levels
Moreover those policies reduce the general purchaS-
ing power of the country, and SO prolong the evil
circle of economic depression from which the entire
nation is suffering.
This fact has been known for long time, but
government officials have hesitated to point an accuS-
ing finger at the offending industries.
Now Secretary of Labor Davis has spoken out
frankly and courageousy. His statement deserves the
widest study by industrial leaders, and by all others
interested in ending the business depression.
In this interview the Scripps- Howard news
papers, Secretary Davis said:
There are entirely too many 12-hour day and I
day week industries still to be found in this country
"As an illustration of what reasonable hours OF
work per day and days per week would dofor single
locality let us take the iron and steel industry in the
Birmingham (Ala) district.
1.-THE pay rolls of sixteen iron and steel plants show
that only about % per cent of employees are on an
s-hour day. nearly ~ per cent on 10-hour day, u
per cent on 12-hour day. As per cent 6-day week,
80 per cent alternate one 6-day week with two 7-day
weeks while % per cent have straight I-day week.
and most of these have the 12-hour day.
"a straight 8-hour day even with 6-day week
would considerably more than double the employment
and if that district with industry would on an
8-hour day and 5-day week it could regularly employ
three men where it now employs one
That is but one illustration of what single in
dustry could do without any radical upheava in Gus
tomary hours of labor"
Davis added that the United States Steel Corpora
ton and the Republic Steel Corporation had decreased
working hours in the Birmingham district but that
certain other companies had failed to do so.
It happens that the short-SightedneSS of the wage
cut policy by some steel companies has also just been
emphasized by j. A. Farrell president of United States
Steel.
An article in the current Printers Ink, listing
twelve industrial leaders who oppose wage cuts as
tending to increase economic depression quotes Far
rell as follows:
st heard a steel say the other day, in fact
more than one recently, that wages should ONE down.
said oh no, wages in the steel inoust are not
coming down. you can make up your mind that fact.
If you are going out to sell your goods and elim-
nate your profits expect to get it out of the men
in the mills you greatly are mistaken"
Unless employers in various parts of the country
who are guilty of unjustied wage cuts working hour
increases and wholesale 1ay-os be persuaded by
public opinion to adopt the more intelligent policy
urged by such experts as Davis and Farrell, hard
times are opt to grow worse instead of better.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Prisons Without Walls

Perhaps the most obstructive, stereotype which
United States is the conviction that safe segregation
Of convcts depends upon building prisons after the
model of fortresses and then surrounding them with
massive walls.
The western penitentiary Of Pennsylvania originally
was erected in such way as 10 make it a stronger
fertilization than any fort built by the French, Brit
ish or Americans in western Pennsylvania
Even today the relatively enlightened board OF
the eastern peientiary of Pennsylvania proposes to
waste more than a niulion dollars in constructing
a wall about the new pe>stentiary New York plans
to spend million and a nalf on wall These will
be more impressive than we're the Notifications of
Liege or Namur on the Belgian boundary.
one reason why We make such slight progress in
extending the number Of prison farms is the fact
that We can not afford to build the expensive walls
which are deemed necessary to surround rural
prison Sites
Not only do we believe that We must have
fortress with walls; We equally convinced that
We must have vast garrison Of heavily armed guards.
The new prison system in Russia constitutes an
effective demonstration Of the fallacy Of this whole
body Of belief. Russia has many penal farms and
settlements completely devoid OF the usual enbattled
aspect Of walls and ramparts In one prison Of
more than 500 convicts there are only four guards
on duty.
with this system in operation. Russia IS far
sver efforts at Jail delivery and far fewer riointhan
IS IN the United states with walls, machn guns
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Too Hot to Bother

NUR forefathers went on the
~ theory that if a man made
better mouse traps, the world would
beat a path to his door. But we
have a better one.
Why wait for the world, or sweat
over mouse traps?
Why not just hang up a sign,
mount a fagpole, or go over Niagara
Falls in barrel, and let the suck
ers spend their money.
Why bother about the problem
of Russian trade or a possible milk
shortage, especially when it's so
hot?
Besides, what do we pay presi-
dents of big corporations for, if not
to look after such details?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
IMkaLOOIlI1 OIAG44O4NDs
127 w. Georgia street.

Editor Following is a let
ter sent to John E. Shearer and
C. o. Sutton:
From recent dispatches in local
papers we understand that the
Marion county commissioners are
intending to complete the purchase
Of the two churches on the World
war memorial plaza site. We want
to express our appreciation to you
for this decision and assure you that
you have the whole hearted support
not only Of the American Legion,
but of practically all the taxpayers
of the county in this move.
AS you may know, there is a
movement on foot to make 1888 a
year long to be remembered in In
dianapolis by the opening and ded-
ication Of this memorial. Among
other events. it is planned to have
the national convention of the
American Legion.
To do all these things, however,
it is secondary TO make any plans
long in advance of 1888 Nothing
can be done until every one Is as
sured Of the removal Of the
churches and the completion Of the
main building. You must realize
that It win be at least two yeas
from the time the churches are at
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Band

THIRST of all, Kirchof and Bun
Il sen demonstrated that when the
light from a solid source, as for ex-
ample that from a glowing piece of
iron, was examined with spectre
scope, as the combination of prism
and little telescopes was named, the
resulting spectrum was a continuous
band of colorS.
They also showed that similar
band, known as a continuous spec
trum, was obtained when the source
of light was glowing liquid, for
example, molten iron, or a glowing
gas under very high pressure.
They next showed that when the
source of light was a vapor at low
pressure, as for example the vapor
formed by putting little sodium
into a gas flame, the resulting spec
trum was a series of isolated bright
lines. This type of spectrum is
known as the bright line spectrum.
They showed further that each
chemical element had a distinctive
bright line spectrum which always
served as a positive means of iden-
tifying it. Here was tool of i'm
mense value to the chemist.
Amounts of a chemical element too
small to be identified by ordinary
chemical means, could be tr-ced in
stantly with the spectroscope.
Kirchof and Bunsen predicted
that the spectroscope would be used
to discover chemical elements then
still unknown and in subsequent
years this prediction came true.
And finally, the two professors re-
vealed the riddle of the dark lines
in the spectrum of the sun.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Solution
THEY showed that when the light

THEY showed that when the light
Il from solid source was allowed
to pass through gas before reach
ing the spectroscope, the result was
a spectrum like that of the sun,
continuous band Of colorS crossed by
dark lines.
They showed further that the
dark lines which resulted corre-
sponded exactly to the bright lines
which would have resulted had gas
which was used as the intervening
medium been used instead as the
source of the light.
In other words, each chemical ele-
ment absorbed out of a spectrum
the lines which it was capable itself
Of originating.
Here then was the secret of the
suns spectra. The continuous band
of colors was caused by the light
which comprised the suns atmos-
phere.
1t was now possible to identify
the gases in the outer region of the
sun. All that it was necessary to
do was to check the dark lines of
the suns spectrum with bright line
spectra formed in the chemical lab
oratory In this way, the chemical
elements in the sun could be iden-
titled.
The study of the suns spectrum
has gone on from that day to this.
For subsequent study has proved
that not only do the spectrum lines
reveal the chemical elements pres
ent but that they reveal much in
formation as to temperature, pres
sure, electrical conditions, and mag
netic conditions.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
DF a COM FREDERICK
NL1 AOO1N lands

TT becomes increasingly apparent that President
i Hoover made mistake when he appointed Mich
olas Roosevelt of New York vices governor of the
Philippines reads that the Filipinos assem-
bed and cast into the RooSevelts writings and
Elections on their character.
We would not dream of insisting that foreign
nation should accept an American ambassador it did
not want and we should not insist that a helpless
people should accept ofcal who has aroused their
hostility.
We should be the last to do such thing since our
ancestors hurled many bitter protests against Eng
land because she appointed royal governors obnox-
ious to the coloniStS.
A ND it is all unnecessary there being million
L n other Americans capable of holding down this
ornamental niche in public life.
1t is particularly regrettabe since relations
with the Philippines are very delicate just now,
result of the ant-Filipno riots in California.
Roosevelt has only recess appointment and he
up for confirmation at the next session OF the
senate when the country will be treated to another
battle between the senators and the executive and
1t is highly probable that Roosevelt will be rejected
Dispatches from Washington announce that Mr..
Hoover has decided to assume militant leadership
but The of the endeavor will depend entirely
on the righteousness thereof.
If the equities be equally divided between the Pres
ident and the senate the former will win with the
people, for he is an individual and the senate is an
institution.
DUT it would seem to a man up tree that the
ID executive has made an unfortunate selection of
the next issue on which he will go to the mat with
the senator's for the proposition of fair play, always
controlling with the people is against the appoint
ment of Roosevelt.
It's horse Of another color in the case of the APP
pointment of Theodore Roosevelt governor Of Porto
Rico for there ali the sentiment was favorable to
the appontee his father having been extremely popu-
lar with the Porto Rcans and since he has assumed
office the young man has strengthened this popularity
by wise and sympathetic demeanor.
knowing that the matter viii come up before the
next session of the senate the Flpinos good poll
ticians may be trusted to keep up a rumpus until
next winter.
AL IN all. it is unfortunate.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Times Readers Voice ViezoS

tually purchased until the churches
reasonably may be expected TO
move.
We hope you gentlemen will real
ize the necessity for immediate &C
ton and complete this purchase at
once. In order to clarity the situa-
ton may we inquire just when you
are going to complete this pur-
chase? This matter is of vital i'm
portance, gentlemen, and we trust
you will see the necessity of not
only advising us of your intentions
to act at once, but acting at once.
DAVID H. JENNINGS.
Chairman. Seventh district Amer
lean Legion plaza committee.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
BY JOE WILLIAMS

A WEEK END in the Pocono
N mountains where New Jersey
and Pennsylvania browse in the
sunlight and blink 1anguidly at each
other across the crystal waters of
the Delaware.
You're pretty sure to meet up with
Elmer, the innkeeper. Most every
body in the mountains knows Ell
mer. He's the sort of cross be-
tween r. G.. Shaw and Tom Edison.
There isn't much that Elmer does
not know about things and there
isn't much that he can't do. Elmer'll
sit out on the Sprawling wood porch
Of the inn with you and talk poll
tics and science and music and
even sports, if you insist, until the
COWS come home.
Personally Elmer thinks the cour1-
try is all right when you get right
down to the, bottom of things and
what good is it a-going to do just
to sit back and bellyache about
things anyhow? You don't think
that's a-going to make 'em any diff
ferent, do you? Well, if you do
you're pretty much mistaken, that's
all.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Poor Tom Thumb

or course, fellows just plumb
" crazy if he pays attention to
everything he dreams, because nine
times out of ten, yes, you can make
it SO times out of 100, they don't
mean solitary thing.
But every once in a while dream
will come to fellow that is more
than dreanl-it'S a message, and
then'S the time to act.
This is the way Elmer feels about
dreams, and so when the mysteries
Of cro-golf were unfolded before
him in his sleep. he went right to
work and built a course on lawn
in front of the inn.
Later on, Elmer went down to
Washington and had the idea pat
ented and now nobody can build a
course unless Elmer says it's all
right.
A day or so ago a fellow from the
city was in to see Elmer and offered
him $4,000 or some such sum for
the patent, but Elmer wouldn't sell.
"One of these days the news
papers VIII be 9riting me Up as the
man who drove tke Tom Thumb
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Stew in Own Juice

NTHATS the use of reading ed
w itorials as long as there are
comic strips, or wading through a
column of international news when
one can get so much more enjoy
ment out of a swim or a slapStick
comedy.
AS for the farmers plight, what
does it prove but the folly of not
moving to town?
AS for the condition of our big
industries, what brought it about
but overproduction?
AS for the rest of us, we shall be
broad-minded and let them stew in
their own Juice.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
courses out of business" says FL
mer, sort of joking-like, land it'll
be good thing"
And maybe it will.
lake tIle Guide

A MOTHER gentleman of no little
IA local renown you are pretty apt
to meet in the mountains is Jake,
the guide. Only Jake is something
more than a guide. He's a humor-
ist and philosopher.
Say, if you think Will Rogers is
funny, well you ought to hear Jake.
1t isn't so much what Jake says as
how he says it.
The funniest thing happened the
other day. AS everybody knows
there's deer in the mountains and
Jake says there's bear, but the
townspeople kind of think this is
just one of Jake's little jokes, be-
cause nobody ever comes back with
a bear, so it must be that old mister
bear is a slick article, Ell?
Well, anyhow, the other day Jake
is sitting out on his front porch
pulling away at his pipe and watch
ing the sun drop behind the hills,
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06

What king gave the Magma
Charta to Great Britain?
1t was wrung from King John by
his barons assembled in arms, and
was given by the kings hand, June
10, 1915 as confirmation of his own
act, on the little island of the
Thames, within the county of Buck
inghamshire, which is still called
Magma Charta island. The charter
was really a compact between the
king and his barons, and almost
exclusively for the benefit of the
latter, though confirming the an
cient liberties of Englishnen in some
few particulars.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06

and tanks. Many will answer, But that Is Russia!
The rejoinder is right at hand-Amerlcan autnor-
tiles are doing equally well in Delaware All that Is
required is the sense to break with silly ana ez-
pensive tradition
The fact that Dannemora and Auburn, N. Y, apd
CANYON CITY, Colo we're strong basteIike fortresses
amply supplied with armed guards shows how futile
it is to put our trust in walls, bars and bullets
An ounce Of insight and understanding is worth
more than ten tons Of stone and STEEL
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
M. E. Tracy
Haven't the Movies TsGght
Us to Believe in the Happy
Ending, Without Any Ell
fort on orr Part to Bring
1t Aoout2
SAYS

A COUPLE Of mFiicn playing
n miniature golf every day; city
ordinances to keep kids out Of trees;
two Germans offerings to bounce
across the Atlantic In a rubber ball;
Jack Evans getting s67 for occupy
ing a coffin for a week; FARO Agha,
alleged Turkish Methuselah. trying
to crash Edison's front door-who
says that times are hard, or ingenu-
ity has run out?
Whether crises produce great
men, they certainly give birth to Pc
culiar ideas.
Out of the World war, came raci-
fism, Communism, Fascisn1 and
Gandhism. Out of the depression
in this country comes a multitude
Of stunts, freaks and fakes, too nu-
merouS to mention.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-06
Farmers Need a Game

r EFT us not be discouraged by the
IL drought.
Three months ago, we had bread
lines in some of our cities. Now we
have miniature golf and every one
is happy.
Why not invent q game for the
farmers?
They should be able to live of
each other if the rest Of us can.
All the situation seems to demand
is a genius, not in the field Of agri-
culture or economics, but in that OF
amusement.
Give the boys a chance to play,
and they will soon forget the
parched corn, and skinny cattle.