The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-01
Stop the Rackets


The time to stop racketeering in any city
is before terrorism and blackmail get a foot
hold and public officials become too timid to
give battle.
Announcement that the Indiana and Cir
Gle theaters plan to close their doors to the
public because Of attacks with noxious and
insufferable gases should be the signal for
al aroused public sentiment that would pre-
vent any such warfare upon any legitimate
enterprise.
If the theaters, welcoming large groups
of people, can be made unavailable for semi
public use, no other enterprise, store or fac
tory, even a church, can be sure of safety.
That the incident followed closely upon
a disagreement with one labor union makes
1t even more necessary that the miscreants
be caught and punished. Organized labor
has a particular interest in seeing that this
is done.
Organized labor does not depend upon
sabotage to win its detectives of fair wages
and decent working conditions. The justice
of its cause always has been powerful
enough to win victories.
Organized labor has won public conf
dence by the fact that its membership has
not resorted to criminal tactics, but has kept
contracts and established a reputation for
fair dealing and honesty.
If any misguided member Of organized
labor or more misguided friend is connected
with the outrage at the theaters, the MEM
bers Of all organized labor should be the first
to take up the search for the stench-spread-
ers and bring them to the courts for punish
ment.
The theaters play an important part in
the life of the community, especially in times
of industrial stress. The need of recreation
becomes greater. The need of amusement
amounts to a necessity where, in a pleas
anter period, it may be considered a luxury.
These particular theaters represent a
tremendous investment. They were built by
local citizens. They are a civic asset and
have enhanced most materially the reputa-
ton Of indianapolis as an alert, progressive
and up-to-date center.
They make this city a more pleasant place
In which to live. The present situation does
not take on any aspect Of a war between en-
ployers and union. The theaters have en-
ployed large numbers Of musicians, opera
tors and stage hands at a wage envied by
members of other crafts and with a guaran-
tee of employment that is more than envied.
The members of these unions will suffer
proportionately more than the owners or the
operators of the theater. To them it means
the loss of a steady and unusual income.
In other cities, the use of these stink
bombs has been the signal of the arrival of
the racketeer, the organized and professional
blackmailer, who levies his tribute upon
legitimate business and makes life difficult
for all workers, both organized and unor-
ganized.
Undoubtedly, it will be discovered that
the attack on these theaters has such a
source and, if they be permitted to win in
this case, they will go on, as they went in
Chicago, to the laundry, the cleaners, the
restaurants, the trucks, the taxicabs.
Organized vandalism must not gain a
foothold. These theaters must not be forced
to close by such tactics. Public opinion,
properly organized, is strong enough to bring
into action forces that can capture those
behind the attack.
1t is u%nthinkable that a city of the size
of indianapolis can be placed at the mercy
of one or two or a dozen men.
Something more than the safety of these
theaters is involved. The security of every
citizen and every business is in the picture.