davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
The Public Loses Again

Once more the United States supreme court has
rendered decision justifyng higher rates demanded
by public utility companies. And as might have been
expected, Justices BrandeS Stone and Holmes once
more dissent
In the Baltimore 10-cent car fare case Monday,
the court laid down the law that cit is manifest that
just compensation for a utility 4. =. &. is more than
current interest mere investment"
The court went on to decide, in effect, that re-
CARELESS of possible imitation of valuation for rate
making purposes the financial return must take care
not only Of expenses, interest, depreciation and
reasonable dividends" but must provide an addi-
tional profit surplus"
From that astounding generalization. the court
Sets forth an Interpretation of the antconfscation
doctrine which should water the mouths of all the
utility companies in the country:
'In the light of the recent decisions Of this court
and other federal decisions, 1t is not certain that
rates securing return of 7la per cent or even per
cent the value of the property would not be neces-
sary TO avoid confScation"
To support this bit of economics by law an earlier
opinion Of the court cited, declaring a utility
entitled to a return equal to that generally being
made at the same time and in the same general part
Of the country on an investment in other business
undertakings which ere attended by corresponding
risks and uncertainties.
When and where in the United States was the
rate of return on such relatively safe investments
generally ~ or 8 per cent?
Finally, the majority decision encouraged that
fsvore device for utility rate increases the claim
that valuation should not rest actual investment,
but higher imaginary and usually irrelevant repro
ducton cost 1T is the settled rule of this court that
the rate base is the present value"
Justice BrandeiS in his dissenting opinion. met
the company argument that the rate to which it
objected would yield only GIG per cent on flair
value" Very well. said he. that is enough. That is
not confscatory. That is compensatory rate
526 per cent.
General business practice was cited by Brandeis
in arguing for lower depreciation allowance based
on the fact Of original cost rather than the fiction
Of present value" In concurring with Holmes in
BrandeiS' dissenting opinion, Stone added strong
words Of his own on this issue
The majority decision will add nothing to the
confidence Of the people in the courts wisdom on
matters Of economics It undoubtedly will stimulate
utility corporations to attempt further raids en- the
public under court protection.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
Edward Box

A hungry immigrant boy stood gazing at the
bread and pies in Brooklyn bakers window. Look
pretty good, don't they?' asked the baker, who had
come out to admire his wares "They would if your
windows clean" replied the boy whose mind
worked faster than his hunger
So he created his first job at so cents a week
washing windows And thus began the Anericaniza-
ton of Edward Box, which the editor and philan-
thropist recounted with pride in his prize winning
biography years later
Mr. Box died Thursday He died, as he wished
near the birds for which he had provided national
sanctuary and his great carlton of sxty-one bells.
He famous for many things for nstinctively
he caught and held the public imagination by what
he did and how he did it. But perhaps he will not
be remembered best for his rise from hungry i'm
migrant to wealthy American, for his achieve
ment as a magazine editor in winning nationwide
following Others have done the same
His fellow Americans remember him, rather as
the highly successful business and professional man
who had the courage and vision to quit at the height
of his in middle age to devote the rest of his
life to what he called play" BY play he meant
finding greater joy in service to others.
With that freedom from business cares he planned
and achieved the 100000 American peace award one
of the most successful projects in peace publicity and
popular education ever attempted. His comment on
launching that project perhaps revealed the secret of
his characteran unusual synhesis of the realist and
the ideaSt:
Il do not look for miracle, but I look for q be-
ginning Before the world have peace, it must
think in terms of peace"
When he to write the story of life, he set
down as his ideal the message with which his Dutch
grandmother sent her children out into the world:
Make you the world bit beautiful and
better because you have been in It,"
Edward Box succeeded.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
REASON By Ff IASBIs

TINE holidays over the family reunions have
dissolved the Christmas trees are in the alley the
kids have gone back to school, the indigestion is dis
appearing the days being put into their places
again, the bank accounts are convalescing and-as
usual Santa Claus gets all the credit.
This has been a great week for fur in the United
States, President Hoover giving Princess Marie Jose
If Belgium ten Alaskan seal skins and Wares an
nouncement that ne will run for the senate against
Grundy, making the fur fly in Pennsylvania.
AS it stands now, are for Ware We were against
him when he our late Pennsylvania aversion, but
that proud place mas been taken by the immortal
Grundy
NNE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND rabbits were
~ ishipped to market by one Missouri firm during
December which would to indicate that the
rabbits foot does bring whole lot of luck to the
rabbit.
Alexander Zaimis, former premier of Greece and
her president, bears great resemblance to Vice
President Charles Curtis, except that Alex is very
grim. while Charley displays the worries
The Greek looks exactly Curtis must have looked
when he read that article which Mencken wrote about
him in Mercury.
This book. "July 14th" which reveals the serpen-
line wndings of European intrigue and he serpentine
poison thereof, makes an American thank the Lord
that He put the Atlantic ocean exactly where it Is
1t also has tendency to dilute ones enthusiasm
for membership in = world court dominated by the
same huckleberTies-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10

vived It financed her N her darkest hours and gave
her administrator. But for the league Hungary
might have gone bankrupt and crashed. But for the
league there is telling what would have happened
to the 100000 refugees from Asa Minor.
From repatriation of prisoners and war liquidation,
the league turned to constructive works of peace. 1t
supervises mandates and looks after the interests of
millions Of minority peoples living under foreign flags
1t has fought epidemics, as in Poland and Greece.
1t has settled serious international disputes like
that over the Aland islands the Polish Lithuanian
quarrel the Upper siesian Danzig, Javorina, Memel
Mosu and the Bulgarian Greek conflicts. How far the
Cireek-Italan near-war would have gone, after the
Italian ship fired on Corfu but for the leagues good
offices, man say
In co-ordinating international sociological eco
nomic health and intellectual activities it has been
invaluable.
What has the league ever done to justify tself2"
American rreconciables ask What wars has it ever
prevented"
The league would be distinctly worth while if it
did nothing than afford a common meeting
ground where leading statesmen could gather in a
natural manner every year and talk to one another
face to face.
1t was at league assembly. at Geneva, that the
Frenchman, BRAND, and the German Stresseman, met
and did more to remove the standing menace of
all the Germans had been able to do in many years
President Hoover is Lot blind to the value of such
personal contacts aid to international friend
ship and understanding. Witness his 15OOO-mile
journey to Central and South America for that pur-
pose and his recent invitation to Prime Minister Mac
Donald of Great Britain
Only now is the league beginning to function
little like it intended to function It has fifty
four members. 1t is erecting beautiful group of
buildings to house 1t. 1t has some seven hundred
permanent Secretariat members and ample funds, its
1880 budget amounting to $5,435,O0O.
Strange to say the most sacred spot of all spots in
the leagues section OF Geneva is a simple plaque on
a simple wall in memory of Woodrow Wilson, former
President of the United States founder of the or
ganzation for which he gave his life.
Yet the United States now is the only first-class
world power which is not in this great humanitarian
institution. And the irony of it. unfortunately not
lost on the rest of the world
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
Not Sold on Idea

Mis- is because we are not really
L sold on the idea of naval re-
duction, but only have come to q
point where we are willing to trade
The immediate object of the per
Torrance is to find out what the
other fellow will do.
AS a matter of common sense, we
are undertaking to reduce navieS
on exactly the same principle that
we have built them, swapping bat
tleship for battleship, cruiser for
cruiser and ton for ton.
When we get through, we may
save some money by way OF taxa
ton, but we shall be about where
we were, as far as war is concerned.
These disarmament conferences
mean nothing by way of prevent
ing war, except as they influence
people to think more and more OF
a different method of settling inter.
national disputes.
People fought just as fearlessly
and just as foolishly before modern
navies came into existence as they
did afterward.
Armaments have contributed lit :
tie, save to facilitate the business
of taking life and destroying prop
erty.
Disarmament would contribute lit
tie, save to make that business more
difficult.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
Most ReaSsuring

Even the most skeptical will doubt the
statement of Senator Arthur Robinson that
the Il, r held at his home was a purely
social event. the gathering of close and init
mate friends, the intercourse Of those who
have the same leals, ideas, friendships and
hold common thoughts about life.
There was no significance at all IN the
fact that the guests were former Governor
Ed Jackson and George B. Coffin, sometime
political master.
For one who made famous the almost
forgotten epigram that Birds of a feather
flock together" it would have been surpris-
ing if the guest list had been different.
More reassuring is the statement Of the
senator that none Ct his guests is longer
in politics.
That should have great interest, espe-
cially for the guests themselves, who may
not have suspected that such is the truth.
Indeed the rumors among those who talk
and think of things political has been that
Jackson dreams of return from Elba. He
has forgotten his geography. Take the word
of Senator Robinson, it is St. Helena in which
Jackson resides politically.
AS for Mr.. Coffin, no one suspected that
one battle to him meant war. True, this
modern Napoleon might have believed that
he was marching back from Moscow. He
has seen his soldiers fall, his generals cap
tured, his commissary restricted to such ra
tions as drop from the county funds.
His good friend Arthur, who, many day
and oft, followed his fortunes, breaks the
news, none too gently, that Coffin's day is
over and that for him there is no place in
politics.
Away with thoughts that at such gath
ering of friends there was any dreaming of
the day that is gone, of plans for future
conquests, of bold coup d'etat, or subtle
diplomacy that would again bring back the
halcyon era of dominance with power and
greater honOrs.
How could there be? Jackson and Coffin
are no longer in politics. If you doubt, you
have the evidence of their genial host the
junior senator from Indiana.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
For Profit

"CKYSCRAPERS are not built for
~ beauty, but for profit. They
are a product of capitalist anarch-
ism In well-ordered society there
would be no need for them.
Take the garment trade, New
York's chief industry. There is not
a single valid reason why it should
be located in New York, except that
the buyers come here, which is a
commercial reason and not an in
duStrial one.
so with other trades, many Of
them parasitic, like advertising,
salesmanship, etc.-they will vanish
in a cooperative society, and New
York will diminish in size.
From a community standpoint,
skyscrapers are inefficient and
wasteful. Ask any engineer. And
ask Lewis Mumford, for instance,
whether they really feed any of the
basic human needs for dignity, Sc
curity, or beauty.
THE answer is no. Personally,
I am beginning to feel that all this
skyscraper worship is the newest
manifestation of the social lie upon
which our wage slave society is
founded.
"It is hard to defend the capital
istic madhouse called New York, so
the intellectuals, in their fight from
social problems, find an easy way
out by praising the skyscrapers.
"Neros theory again-all is justi-
fed by beauty, even the burning Of
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
DAILY HEALTH SERVICE

of studies that there is nothing
about the body Of the person who is
drug addict that differentiates him
in any serious way from the normal
person, except so far as concerns
his craving for the drug and the
effects of the drug itself on his
actions.
Most addicts are emaciated, and
this seems to me due to the I'M
hygienic meJnod of living. associat-
ed with carelessneSs and lack of re-
sponsibility when person is under
the effects of morphine or opium.
The studies show that a NOR
phine addict is not characterized by
physical deterioration or impair
ment of physical fitness, aside from
drug addiction.
When the drug abruptly Is with
drawn, changes that take place in
the physiologic mechanisms or
functions of the body are very
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10

NEICHAEL GOLD, the editor and
4v1 playwright, is after me about
skyscrapers and their utility and
beauty.
"Skyscrapers are beautiful" writes
Gold, when seen against a blue
sky from a ferryboat. They are
ugly as the devil when you have to
slave in them under the electric
lights, eight hours day of rush,
worry, hammering, anemia.
ASK those who work in them.
Ask them if they enjoy the conges-
ton skyscrapers mean-the horrible
subway massacre that goes on twice
a day for millions of New York
workers.
"It's all in the point of view. Your
viewpoint is that of the outsider.
You live and do your typewriting
around Times Square.
"You can afford to be esthetic
about subways and skyscrapers.
But the little clerks and stenos
haven't the time to be esthetic. If
they stopped to admire this Amer
lean art the boss would fire them
for loafing.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
Drug Effect Still Partly Mystery

slight and do not explain the APP
parent seriousness of the symptoms
associated with withdrawal
Such symptoms include yawning,
restlessnesS, sweating, hot flashes
and chillS, extreme disturbances of
digestion, irritability, weakness, loss
of weight, ana occasionally even
prostration and death.
The giving of the drug after these
withdrawal symptoms have COM
menced seems to make the addict
feel better, but is not accompanied
by a return to normal so far as
concerns the functions of the body
generally.
Apparently it is not yet known
just how opium and its derivatives
work these far-reaching changes in
the human body and mind.
One of the most important steps
will be continued research to find
out the basis for the withdrawal
symptoms.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
ENJOYABLE Work
TNTILLIAM MORRIS and the
w bright dreamerS of an earlier

XNTILLIAM MORRIS and the
w bright dreamers of an earlier
day invariably saw Utopia as a
semi-rustic country, where people
sang and frolicked as they labored
at the task of making artistic hand
heWn chairs. In these plans, saliva
ton was to come through making
work much more enjoyable
But the development of the ma
chine has impaired that vision. My
ideal is not like that at ALL 1t
seems to me that Utopians will
simplify things a great deal by adj
mitting that certain kinds of neces-
sary labor never will be particularly
enjoyable
Unfortunately, 1t Is difficult to
conceive a community which man
ages to exist without any work at
all.
But the next best thing is dis
tinctIy possible. We may learn to
plan and cooperate in such way
as to cut toll down to an insight
ficant minimum.
Copyright. 1880. by The Times)
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
A Decade of the League

Ten years ago, on Jan. 10. 1920. born the
League Of Nations.
Weak and wobbly without funds without a home
and without many friends because it had been wished
of on q rather cold arc skeptical Europe, it func-
toned at first with extreme tinidity Having clear
cut notion Of what it all about. it hardly knew
what TO say or do and afraid TO say it do It,
even if it did know.
Today every nation in the world is member of it,
except the United States, Russia, Mexico, Brazil and
two or three smaller countries I. has the respect of all
of the earth greatest civilizations look to it for
security savior, and its accomplishments have
been splendid.
But for the league Austria never could have sur
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
HAYWOOD
BROUN

Utopians will plan. The New York
of century hence may be not one
city, but number of self-contained
units.
The job and the home can be
housed in the same structure. Home
will be a penthouse on some one
Of the many setback roofs of giant
tower. Downstairs will be the job
in office or in factory.
Instead of having to bother with
bus, subway, or even airplane, the
worker will step out of his front
door into an elevator and be at his
place of business after swift de-
scent necessitating not more than
two or three minutes. In thou
sands of other buildings, other
workers will be doing the same
thing.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
~. 49,
H7doAH NJ Is 1TIt1e|7
| ANNIVERSARY
8A SS2S1:;:=!::E:;::J
STAMP ACT PASSED
January 10

On Jan. 10, 1765, the British par
lament passed the much-hated
stamp act.
The act, signed by George III,
provided "for granting and supply
ing certain stamp duties, and other
duties, in the British colonies and
plantations in America, toward fur
Their defraying the expense Of de-
Tending, protecting and securing the
same"
The stamp act prescribed ID that
stamp paper be used for legal and
official documents, diplomas and
certificates; 20 that stamps be
placed on playing cards, dice, PAM
phIets, calendars, almanacs and
other articles, and 90 that jury trial
be denied offenders at the discre-
ton of authorized prosecuting off,
GERS
When news of It's passage reached
America there arose an immediate
cry against taxation without rep
lesentation." Many stamp agents
were mobbed and the stamps de-
stroyed so that the act had been
virtually nullified before it was put
! into effect.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
LANGUAGE

DUT while urging the use of
~ mathematics, Professor Fisher
also called attention to what con- q
stituted proper usage.
Mathematics merely transforr I
the raw material provided to it inUoT
finished products" he said.
ut can not create any new data.
Or, as Gibbs said of it, Mathema-
tics is only a language
ITO quote Professor Benjamin,
Pearse, Mathematics is not the dis
coTerer of laws, for it is not induc-
ton neither is it the Trainer OF
theories, for it is not hypothesis, but
it is judge over both. 1t deduces
from law all its consequences.
Some Of those who have decrieds
mathematics have imagined that
the mathematical economist under
took to sit in his study, and, with
mathematics as talisman, derive
some law Of economics.
THE fitting of formulas ard
curves to statistics has, of course
beer one Of the aims of statisticians
for many generations. In this way
we have derived our mortality tables,
the basis used by actuaries for CAL
culating life insurance premiums.
"Concurrently with this has de-
veloped a science of the mathema-
tics of mortality and of population,
extending at least back to the days
of William Farr, health officer Of
England half a century ago.
But recently, with the develop
ment of statistics in industry, this
art of curve fitting by mathematical =.
methods has grown very rapidly and
examples Of it will be found in many
current issues Of statistical jour
nails"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
Daily Thought

Blessed is he that waiteth.-
Hosea 1:I2.
True blessedness CONSISTENT in a
good life and a happy death.-Solon.
---------
What does dracula mean?
1t is from the Latin and means a
small dragon, serpent, hence a YAM
pire. 1t is the title of a famous
novel by Bran Stoker.
How is the name of the river on
which London is located pro-
nouDced?
1t is spelled Thames and pro-
nounced Tenn"
What country owns the Dead
sea?
1t lies within Palestine, which /,
under mandate to Great Britain.
Do we live on or in the earth?
We live on the earth.
What is the period of CESSATION in
a rat?
Four weeks.
Who was the President of the
United States in 1873?
Ulysses S. Grant.
How many daily newspapers are
published in the United States?
2,215.
Is Texas an agricultural state?
Two-thirds of the area of Texas Is
devoted to agriculture.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
NJ. E. Tracy
Three Men Probably Could
Sit Dorm and DrGU Up as
Satisfactory q Plan of
NdUGl Reduction as Can the
London Conference.
SAYS:

TINE American delegation to the
l. naval reduction conference
leaves for London, accompanied by
more than 100 secretaries, technical
advisers, clerks and newspaper men.
Equally large delegations will rep
resent England, France, Germany,
Italy and Japan.
| Though thirty-flve or forty Of
fetal representatives will do the
talking, ten or a dozen times as
many people will be located pack
stage to give them advice.
Still further back stage will be
the five respective governments,
without whose consent nothing OF
Importance can be done.
The chances are that three men
Of average intelligence could sit
down by themselves and draw up
Just as satisfactory a plan of naval
reduction as this conference will
formulate, but that would be too
simple and sincere a method.
Having developed navieS through
long and arduous process OF
technical improvement, we can not
think of reducing them by any
other method.
The idea merely of reducing has
few supporters.
What the conventional world
visualizes as necessary is to dimin-
ish the caliber of certain classes OF
guns by so much, the length of Ger
tain types Of ships by so much, and
so on, ad infinitum.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-10
Cause Congestion

NNICHAEL GOLD has enlarged
1V1 the issue somewhat, for in the
beginning I merely took exception
to his theory that in Utopia there
would be no skyscrapers.
Now, he tells me that under our
present organization they are re-
sponsible for subway congestion.
That is perfectly true, but in my
vision of the new world I see the
skyscraper as the solution of the
transportation problems which baf-
f1e all the big cities of the world.
1t has been pointed out that many
of the latest tall buildings of New
York are large enough to house the
population of a minor city.
It is around this conception that