davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Behind the Wickersham

The only surprising thing about the senate vote
questing the wickersham committee to submit it's pro-
hibon data is that this obvious action not taken
sooner. 1t is high time the country shown that
testimony which proved SO conclusively the failure
Of prohibition 1t must be interesting if the summary
given in the body of the wickersham report is fair
sample.
Congress, which is expected to pass more enforce
ment laws, certainly has right to study the data
upon which the commission made its contradictory
recommendations At the time. it would be use
full TO know why those tricky Conclusions were put
out by the commission and by the President, making
it appear that the commission favored prohibition
when in fact of the eleven commissioners urged
modification or repeal.
That trick served the purpose of confusing the
public mind regarding the Wckersham report, and
thus Cancelled much of the value which such an anti
prohibition report otherwise would have had.
Publication Of the testimony and expert survey
Of evidence gathered by the Wickersham commission
is desirable therefore, not only for the legislative
guidance of congress- but for the information of citi-
zens whose votes ultimately will repeal prohibition.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Workers Hold the Sack in Bad Times

on his own account. The phrase
every man his own capitalist" de-
scribes the notion.
n
TIME fact is that this simply has
l. not worked. And further fact
is that it is doubtful if it ever will.
Throughout the whole course of
human history it has been obServ-
able that even the most competent
artisans. artists and soldiers, as well
as lawyers, doctors and statesmen
all very useful citizens-have been,
like "Joe City," in the language Of
the Chinaman, who for the first
time observed the sidewalk activi-
ties of the Salvation Army, "Allee
time bloke."
1t is apparently a very particu-
lar genius in mankind, as well as
throughout the animal kingdom,
that prompts the saving against a
rainy day'-the building up of
what an able business man or bank
err would call an adequate re-
serve" and undertake as matter
Of course.
This is no reflection on the social
usefulness of the nonsavers. My
own observation extends chiefly to
persons who work for newspapers;
and have been aware for a long
time that it is just those individ-
uals without whose services newspa-
pers could not go to press who have
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Alfonso on the Run

King Alfonso Of Spain is on the run. That may
mean much or nothing. He has been pursued by
the republicans before, and always escaped
Twice he escaped through the ruse of dictator
ship The relationships made matters worse. But
the king didn't mind that so long as they held up
his wobby throne. Perhaps he will trick the re-
publicans again.
In the end however, they are apt to get him.
ruling house resting such cruelty, oppression.
and ineficiency can not last forever.
But the fall of the monarchy alone would not
bring about the reforms SO long overdue in Spain.
Any reform of value will have to curb the power Of
the military -landchurch alliance, of which the king
is merely symbol
If Spain is to remain a medieval realm, exploited
by the army, the landed gentry and church poten-
tates the abdcation of the king or the writing Of
some paper constitution of civil rights would be an
unimportant gesture.
Any political revolution, peaceful or otherwise,
will fail ito lberate the Spanish people unless they
are wise enough and strong enough to force basic
economic changes at the same time
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18


Those Democratic managers who sold their party
into the bondage of Republican high tariff not
going to get away with it if Cordell Hull stop
them.
In the house the Tennesseean remained loyal to the
Democratic competitive tariff principle when many
of his party were ured by Wall street leaders to out
Republican the high proectonsits Now that he is
ing into the senate he will them more trouble
than ever.
Hulls tariff statement this week is warning to
the leadership which has called party council i'm
mediatey after congress adourns He is not going to
let them soft-pedal this issue
He knows that the Hoover high tariff, which has
helped to kill our foreign trade and -proong depres
sion was enacted with Democratic votes He knows
that the battle for tariff revision has to be with
in his own party before it be won in congress.
With Senator-Elect Hull in this figk. will be Sem
ator-Eect Costgan of Colorado, former member of
the tariff commission.
If they can reconvert enough Democrats to the
necessity of tariff reform, the progressive Republicans
can be depended upon to help them bring down ex-
cessive industrial rates in the next congress.
We wish them luck.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
CAPITAL Gains

:" A s to the effect on building gen.
4 n orally, it is a matter of COM
mon observation that the quality of
speculative building in the national
capital has made tremendous i'm
provement within the last half dec
ade," the statement of the institute
continues.
Where organized opposition to
the council existed at its beginning,
we now find cooperation between
architects and builders.
1.-THE findings of the council are
published regularly. The commended
awards are featured by any builder
who receives them, and the public
generally has come to have conf
dence in and respect for the work
of the council.
"The architects as a whole have
exerted their organized influence for
better city plans, park improve
mentS and the like; but after all,
they have not put their full force
into effect in their own special field,
where it can have most weight.
Regardless Of any plan of park
system, it is the individual buildings
OF a city which make 1t or mar it.
If these buildings can be dealt with
one at a time as erected, the quality
CT a city can be UNNECESSARILY i'm
proved.
1.-THE establishment Of the Wash
ington architects advisory council
has demonstrated its value to the
profession and to the public"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
He Can't Win

Pity the poor farmer!
First Chairman Legge of the farm board tells him
to reduce acreage.
Along comes drought and damages the crop. The
net result is the same-less production
There is prospect of another drought-or con-
tnuation of the present one in wheat-growng areas
And the effect Of it. according to Legge. would be
worse on agriculture than the effect of surplus of
one Of the principal grains Legge wrote letter to
Governor Shafer of North Dakota, discussing pros
poets
Shafer pointed out that wheat had sold in Liver
pool the day he wrote Legge at so cents the lowest
price since 1893 and at IS cents in Chicago which
means the North Dakota farmer realized about 40
cents
Legge thinks it entirely possible that there will
be shortage Of wheat next year But apparently the
farmer isn't going to benefit.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Might Help Trade

. GTRIPPED of technicalities, the
~ scheme amounts to this: The
United States, or a group of ma
tons, including the United States,
would purchase so much silver over
a given length of time, conveying
it to China and taking Chinese
notes or bonds as security.
Under such arrangement. the
producers would be selling their
silver to absolutely solvent govern
ments for cash, while those govern
ments would be looking to a badly
demoralized China for payment, and
the taxpayers of those governments
would be expected to get their re-
turns through increased trade.
1t might work out to the adj
vantage Of every one concerned, if
it only could be put into operation,
but the hardest part of the problem
is how to- start.
AS things stand, England has a
Stranglehold on the Chinese silver
market, which she is supplying
from mines in China, and before
the United States, or any other
government can get a look-in, it
will be necessary to persuade
England to give up her monopoly.
That is something England
seldom does, and she would be par
ticularly reluctant in this case, on
account of the trouble in India.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Two Good Laws

Passage of registration bill by the lower
house revives faith in political parties In
other years party platforms have been for
gotten as soon as the election passed and
offices obtained.
This measure was pledged by the Demo
cratic party in its platform. 1t is designed
to protect the ballot from fraud. 1t is fost-
cred by the League of Women Voters.
That any one would object to a measure
which is so badly needed and so essential to
any pretense of self-government is beyond
explanation. Yet there was objection.
Certainly neither this measure nor the
one to provide separate state and national
ballots can be defeated by Republican
senate.
That body can not afford to place it's party
in the position of attempting to throttle the
will of the people, even though in the past it
has been very callous of public opinion or pub
lie rights.
The separation of the ballots will go far
to produce better grade of state officials. In
the past Governors have been more often
chosen because they were the tail to presi-
Dental kites than for their own qualifications.
The result in the past few years has been un-
pleasant.
1t may be cited that the present state adj
ministration owes it's power to hatred of Al
Smith and not to public appeal. Next election
the advantage will probably be on the Dem
ocratic side. 1t would be unfortunate if a
Democratic swing produced a same similar
disaster.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18

to borrow money every time there
is. an illness, or new baby, in the
family.
There can be no question that
what the mass of men miss in this
democratic industrial civilization Of
ours are the elements of financial
and social stability that were the
saving grace of an outworn system.
1T is the promise of such security
Il that, in a normally prosperous
country like the United States,
constitutes the chief appeal OF
projects like Bolshevism and Fas-
cism.
Any one would be fool to under
rate the strength of this appeal
Capitalists, politicians and journal
lists alike, each with their own Spe-
cial stake in our system, can not
afford to under-rate it, or fail to
examine into every possible means
to provide such security-and con-
tinuity or family life-under Our
system.
every man his own capitalist" is
an exploded doctrine, at least for
our times.
Social responsibility for every
capitalist has got to take its place,
unless the masses are to take things
into their own hands, along with
the demagogues, and some sort OF
super state-M ussolini or Stain
makes no difference-elininate pri-
vate capitalists, journalists and
statesmen altogether.
NEXT: Why does sour progress
runs into a blind alley?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Shorter Hours

The textile industry, notorious for its low wages
both in New England and in the south, and for its
employment of women and children at long hours
apparently is beginning to see the light.
The industry is making progress in balancing pro-
duction with consumption. 1t is making efforts to
stabilize employment.
These things we learn from George Sloan, presi-
dent of the Cotton Textile institute of New York.
He told President Hoover:
"Seventy-five per cent of the cotton mills in the
United states, including rs per cent of the night
runners, have announced their Endorsement of the
policy to eliminate night employment of women and
minors"
The textile industry is sick and has been for
long time. Apparently the owners getting to-
gether in an effort to pun themselves out of the
slough And it is good to see that improvement of
working conditions is part of the program.
Child labor should, of course, be abolished.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Attitude ALL Wrong

MO one can go about this country
IN to any great extent without
realizing what has welded it into
homogeneous mass, or that the same
causes are producing a similar eff
feet throughout the civilized world.
We keep telling each other that
the big job ahead is adjusting our
selves to the new economic order,
but we are not doing it, or making
much effort to do it, especially in
international affairs.
We still proceed on the theory
that this government can stand off
in the corner, regardless of the i'm
mense amount of commerce its citi-
zens have developed, still assume
that we can elude political respon-
sibilities, no matter how intimate
or complicated our commercial en-
tanglements become.
Not only that, but we imagine we
can run the show, without playing
a full part, that all we need do is
snap our finger and the rest of the
world will fall all over itself to obey
our wishes.
No trick to straighten out the sill
yer situation, according to those
Arizona solons. Just let President
Hoover and the senate stabilize
it," though we only produce about
one fourth of the worlds output and
must kick John Bull off his perch
to get anywhere.
Sympathize with the people of
India in their struggle for indie
pendence and prosperity, of course,
but not to such extent as would pre-
vent us from taking away most of
their silver market if we could gain
something by it.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
SCIENCE
Architects TO Attack Ugliness
IN Buildings Before 1t
naaaaa tho Rluon,.i,at .Sfnne
BY DAVID DIETZ.

Architects TO Attack Ugllness
in Buildings Before It
Passes the Blueprint Stage.
DETERMINED that the advance
IL of science and engineering
should result in q corresponding in
crease in beauty, the American In
stitute of Architects is launching
campaign to reduce ugly buildings
to a minimum.
On the basis that the proper place
to attack uglines is in the blue
prints and not in the finished struc-
ture. the institute plans TO cam
paign for the formation throughout
the country of architects advisory
councils to pass upon the quality OF
buildings before construction begins.
The institute is taking Washing
ton as its shining example, for that
system now exists in the nations
capital.
Homes, offices, shops and institu-
tions viii take on new dignity, well
ordered neighbors no longer will
be threatened by single eye sores,
and endless rows of mediocrity will
cease to disf1gure entire sections.
once a nationwide vigil exists" it
is declared in statement issued by
the institute from its national
headquarters at The Octagon.
THE successful operation for
eight years of an architects adj
visory council established in the
national capital by the Washington
chapter of the institute has demon
strated the advantages of such
service to the public and to the
profession" it continues.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
y Il n NNT nv, FREDERICK
ANAZA AAOE LANDS

eTNFE other day two men up in northern Indiana
i shot at each other after automobile collision.
We've wondered for some time how long it would be
until our rugged would take up arms in defense
OF their lives and Lizzies.
Up until now the 1anlb-like demeanor of gentle
men under the greatest provocation from wild drv-
ers has presented study in psychology.
Men who would fight at the drop of the hat over
the most frivolous things have been translated into
doves Of highway department
TTNHEY have been crawling out of the wreckage
Il OF their beloved buggies, exchanging cards with
offenders, wishing them g happy new year and let
ting it go at that.
We have wondered what made them so gentle,
whether 1t association with tle carburetor the
transmission or the fan, but we've concluded it's the
fan.
But now that the bcmbardment has started as we
have so long anticipated, we hope it will be conduct
ed with discrimination
We are enthusiastically for it as against drunken
drivers In fact, we think legislatures should put
a bounty on the pets of this breed
They used to pay for the pelts of mad dogs and
drunken driver is only mad dog on wheels.
THE news that five fraternites have been raided
Il at the University of Michigan and quantities of
liquor seized brings up again the old issue of the
relationship of fraternities to modern education
We never belonged to fraternity: we never had
the necessary capital to get past the gentleman who
collected initiation fees. But saw something of
their operations back in the placid past and what
We led to conclude that they sustained about
the same relationship to education that General
Smedley Butler sustains to Mussolnis tranquility
sNa
CINCE those days the fraternities have grown by
~ leaps and bounds and in many colleges and uni
versitieS they run the whole business.
They're great places for fellows to get acquainted
and to learn things-not in the curriculum.
But it puts young fellow up against it, for he's
given the air by most of the boys he doesn't belong
And the fraternity is here to STAY no matter what
the net result may be, just like come other things
We should like to wave farewell to. but can not.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18

family, his home, and all his mort
cages. But as yet he is not inter-
nationally minded. He will still
cheer for isolation and the Fare
well Address.
This, will grant you, Is an i'm
terpolation. 1 talked to no Kansas
farmers on the. tain and nobody
quoted George Washington. The
only friendly person was a light
weight fighter from the coast re-
turning from a Chicago bout.
/ like to try and speculate upon
the occupations Of people I meet in
trains, but this time it was hardly
difficult. The youngsters left ear
was an unmistakable mark of his
calling.
"Goldie isn't exactly what you'd
call boxer" his manager explained
to me. you see he's always ready
to trade punch and he kind of uses
that ear to block with"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
~ ZE1SSSn
ls1TE9eT
|ANNlVGR$A&Y|
VOLTA'S BIRTH
February Is

ON Feb. 10, 1745, Allessandro
" Volta, an italian physicist
famed for inventing the voltaic bat
terry, was born at Como.
Educated in the public schools of
his native town, Volta showed a
marked taste for literary effort and
physics. When he was but 26 he
gained considerable popularity for
his discussion of the phenomena Of
fractional electricity.
Following his appointment as pro-
fessor of physics in the Royal school
at Como, Volta applied himself to
chemistry, one of his important dis
coveries in this science being the or
ganic nature of marsh gas.
He studied atmospheric electricity
and devised many experiments: such
as igniting gases by the electric
spark in closed vessels.
In 1900, a year after he became
professor of physics at the Univer-
sity of Pavia, chair he occupied
for twenty-five years, Volta made
his important discovery of the vol
taic battery.
The volt, the unit of electric pres
sure, was named for him.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Peoples Voice

Editor TimeS-I see that the gov
eminent borrowed money at IL per
cent interest to retire Liberty bonds.
Why should a public utility be
guaranteed 8 per cent when the in
vestment is just as safe?
In Europe no utility is allowed
over 4 per cent, SO why not apply
that here? Show me any business
man who would not jump at the
chance to have a guarantee of 4 per
cent with no limit to salaries and
a constantly growing business. Let
the cost of the necessities come
down with the salaries Of the con-
sumers. If the legislature is In the
power Of the lobby, let the tax
payers association circulate the
petitions and get the question on
the next election ballots Shall we
limit the utilities to 4 per cent?"
Let the people have a voice in the
rates they have to pay and they
would use more of the utilities
products. This would let more peo-
pie use these products and give the
utilities larger income.
: ]. G. COLLINS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
Out of Isolation
TTOW the world is shriveling.

HOW the world is shriveling.
Il l. Sometimes it seems as though
there were nothing complete on this
side OF any horizon.
An evening paper in Tucson, a
resolution by the Arizona house of
representatives, and the first thing
you know you're up against Down.
ing street and Gandhi.
At the same time, you hear Tue
son people talking about the reso-
luton passed by the New York as
sembly calling for a federal consti-
tutional convention to consider the
eighteenth amendment, OF the
squabble over Russian manganese,
or the Sparks bill, just reported ia
vorably by the house judiciary COM
mittee at Washington, to exclude
aliens 1rom the population count on
which representation in congress is
based.
Through science, through inven-
ton, through machinery, travel and
exchange, we have willed ourselves
out of isolation. Whether or not we
like it, we have got to live up to it.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-18
What They Preach

If it is reasonable to assume that high public
officials try to practice what they preach, the country
has a right to expect that the administration will
change its policies regarding diplomatic recognition
and decentralization of government.
At least President Hoover and Secretary of State
Stirnson rather strenuously on record to that
effect
In his Lincon's day address, the President chose
as his chief theme the evils of centralized govern
ment in matters where local sentiment should prevail
There is grave danger he asserted in the tendency
of the federal government to usup the rghtfu func-
tons Of state and local government With that GEN
eralization the public is in complete agreement IN
deed, it long has been of the most popular sub
jects of political orators
But obviously the public is less interested in this
theoretic proposition than in It's concrete app-
cation. If the administration is to apply this prin-
cpe, it will have to reverse its policies on the tariff
and the farm board.
And prohibition.
How does Hoover square his principle of local
autonomy with his policy of a national police force
to carry on the prohibition experiment? The grow
ing movement for prohibition repeal springs directly
from the principle that the federal government has
no right to interfere with the state and local
autonomy involved, no right to subject wet states
to dominion by dry states.
The increasing demand for prohibition repeal is
recognition of those very dangers of federal gov
eminent interference which Hoover processes to fear
dangers best proved by the failure of prohibition
enforcement.
Similarly, Stinson has been speaking on the need
Of returning to traditional Jeffersonian foreign
policy Of basing diplomatic recognition on the ex-
istence of a foreign government, rather than upon
our moral approval of that government
This, Of course, is precisely what the advocates
of Russian recognition have been saying to the state
department for thirteen years If moral approval
were required, we hardly could recognize any of the
score of governmental relationships certainly not
Italy and Venezuela.
But we do recognize those governments on the
sound basis of international law and morality that
it Is the right Of every sovereign nation to determine
its own form of governmen-that is not our business
Hoover and Stimson should apply their high prin-
cples to the test cases of prohibition repeal and
Russian recognition