davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
CYRUS H. K. CURTIS

CYRUS H K. CURTIS will rest secure in
~ journalistic history and in national his
tory, and his fame will lie mostly in his Satur
day Evening Post which he bought for $1,000
and built into what became most widely read
popular magazine.
In this his name will be linked with Ben
jamin Franklins, for the Post had been built
upon Franklin's Gazette.
Cyrus Curtis gave the people what they
wanted, and they wanted, in the heyday of
the Saturday Evening Post, stories of the clean
variety that all the family could read without
a blush, yet well written, written by the best of
the current American writer's.
And his life-it is another saga of the clean
living. Woodworking American rising from
capital of three cents invested in newspapers
as child and turned into a fortune which
ultimately placed him among the five largest
payers Of income tax in America.
What was the driving force behind this
native of Maine? First, his physical vigor,
which brought him to the age of SO. His orig
inal poverty. Next his diminutive SIZE
There was challenge. It is recorded that
when he first started selling papers he fed the
razzing Of the veteran newsboys and found a
newsboys' paradise in an outlying neighbor-
hood where papers were little vended.
But it was wisdom and not cowardice that
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
NO POLITICS IN SCIENCE

DOL1T1CAL appointments should plav no
part in the conduct of the scientific
bureaus of the federal government.
When President Roosevelt nominated Dr
Lyman j. Briggs to the dictatorship of the
National Bureau of Standards, repeating a
hoover nomination unconf1rmed by the lame
duck senate, he heartened the intellectual
world.
Whether DR.. Briggs is Republican or
Democrat Is unknown and unasked at the
White House. DR.. Briggs job is science. not
politics.
In the famous patronage handbook" which
Ested the non-civil service jobs in the govern
ment, the following were listed as potential
piumS: Surgeon general of the public health
service commissioner and deputy commits
Sloner OF fisheries, commissioner of patents
director of bureau of mines director of coast
and geodetic survey, chief of the weather
bureau, director of geological survey.
Great confidence will be created bv pres,-
dent Roosevelt if steps are taken to continue
IN Office the efficient non-political incurnbents
ana then insure adequate scientific and intel
lectual qualifications of future bureau heads
oy placing them under civil service.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10

I even went so far as to say that
If the new Governor succeeded in
carrying out this new plan success
fully in the interest of more efficient
government, it ought to Lead him
directly to the White House, but that
if he did not arise to the occasion,
and instead turned his power to par
tiSan interests, that it eventually
would wreck the whole scheme.
While I admit that I am not
close enough to the scene to know
all Of the immediate circumstances,
yet I can not comprehend OF an edu-
Gated man, capable of occupying a
responsible administrative position
in state university adopting pure
ly political tactics in the administra-
ton of the educational and welfare
institutions of the state.
1t is as plain as day that the only
result that can be expected Will
mean an overthrow of the party and
then the other party coming into
power will be ready to take their
revenge and, as a result, the best
interests of the people as whole.
regardless of party, will suffer.
After thirty-fve years of steady
progress in the development of a
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
IM.E.TracySays:

II Effective control of industry calls for the
- end OF stock watering, dummy directors. and
Sham service contracts, as we'll as wildcat COM
petition ' VIII
Business has suffered far more from financial
Juggling and manipulation at the ton thar from
prlce-cutting at the bottom
Inc pubic Is compelled to play against a
stacked oeck because of our highly technical and
thoroughly legalized system of ethics
ABOUT everything has been prescribed. ex-
cept common honesty and fair play
Driven by craze to get capital for this or
Cnat purpose, we have permitted promoters in
vestment statesmen, holding companies and
moneyed interest to get away with about everv-
thing short of arson.
Worse than all else, we have told ourselves
mat such attitude was progressive and en-
lightened.
Big business not only has been condoned
put cheered, for doing things which the Or
binary man would not do to his neighbor.
WHEN you get right down to brass tacks.
w a square deal between a billion-dolar
concern and the investing or consuming public
is no different from one between a corner gro
Gerry and its customers
Dummies on board of directors imply the
same kind of welching or negligence as dunn
mics on church of club committee, except that
the former involve more risk
Giving Bill Smith a secret rakeoff on stock
IN exchange for the use of his name is the same
rotten practice, whether applied to a power
trust or neighborhood hall
The crooked thinking of big financial oper-
ators is more definitely responsible for racketeer-
ing than any other single phase of our social
and economic life.
The prepoSterous service contracts by which
holding companies have MIXED subsidiaries
furnished the blueprints and specifications for
about every form of racket.
AM one of those stubborn souls who do not
Il believe that there is any substitute for COM
mon honesty and common sense.
Any method which can't stand the daylight
is unsound. Any transaction built on the theory
that some people must be kept in the dark as
to what others doing is basically rotten
The best kind of citizen and the solidest
kind of enterprise is one that can look the whole
world in the face
Secret business is made of the same stuff as
secret diplomacy. We have had and still are
having too much of both.
This idea that you can build a sound So
ciety or a sound economic structure by per-
hitting individuals or groups of individuals to
take advantage of other peoples Ignorance or
inability just doesn't work.
The great weakness of this country, espe-
cially from an industrial and financial stand
point, goes back to things that are done in the
dark, to locked doors and half truthful state
ments to lack of Open straightforward records
to curious brand of highbrow double crossing
which could not survive the DAYLIGHT long
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
THE SUICIDE PROBLEM

DR. FREDERICK L. HOFFMAN, world
famous statistician, gives some inter-
esting figures regarding suicide, in the cur
rent issue of The Spectator. He is care
full however when it comes to drawing hard
and fast conclusions.
AS every one expected, suicide showed an
increase last year, but strangely enough the
rate>in Chicago fell off. Why this should be
SO is a mystery. According to all reports
Chicago has suffered quite as much from de-
preston as any great American city, if not
more. What peculiar influence persuaded
Chicagoans to take a more hopeful view of
life?
BY the same token, what peculiar infu-
ence causes people on the Pacific coast to
destroy themselves in greater numbers than
the people of any other section?
For years Pacific coast states have led the
nation in suicide, just as southern states have
led the nation in murder.
One can not help wondering how much of
a part CUSTOM fad, and prejudice play in
determining the record
OF the $4,000 who took their own lives in
this country in 1882, how many actually were
driven to 1t by want?
No doubt the condition of ones stomach
has a profound bearing on ones attitude to-
ward life, but so have pride, disappointment,
hate, and, above all else, the tendency to
initiate
lot of people have Jumped from high
windows or turned on the gas for purely child
ish reasons. What is even more puzzling, a
lot of people have done likewise for reasons
too obscure to be discovered
Suicide is essentially an individual affair
The person contemplating it has no one to
consider but himself or herself, and as gen.
eral proposition, consults no one. Case after
case comes to closest relatives and friends as
a complete surprise On the other hand,
many who intimate the possibility of suicide
or even threaten to commit it, fail to carry
out their plans.
The secretve nature of self obstruction
makes it very hard not only to explain the
cause, but to provide remedy.
DR.. Hoffman suggests "a consulting office"
to give advice to would-be suicides in every
large city. That might help but most would
De SulclueS keep Inelr thoughts 10 themselves.
One of their characteristics is stubborn re-
fusal to seek or take advice.
They are primarily selfish and aloof, espe-
cially with regard to their intimate emotions
People who talk about their troubles frankly
and intelligeuty seldom commit suicide; first
because trouble usually shrinks when exposed
to daylight; second, because thoughts of self
destruction are not compatible with candor
and open mindedness.
The best remedy for the suicidal and other
anti-social completes seems to be to teach
children to avoid the pernicious habit of being
secretive, particularly about their difficulties
and dsappointments.
Living alone with ones thoughts is not
only dangerous habit but one that can be
cultivated. Young people should be trained to
avoid it.
Mental health, whether from an individual
or social standpoint, rests largely on normal
exchange of ideas.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
Why All This?

BY Hopeful Hattie.
VOUR paper always seem ready
- to represent the common
herd, which We all appreciate, so
why don't you go right ahead and
print the truth and facts about
the beer racket, the real inside
which Dame Rumor spreads all
over the state. What becomes of
the money the brewers must put
up with each importer who
handles his beer. Why do not
several of the leading brands come
into the state? How much of a
split goes into the organization"
fund?
Where did the Governor get his
new siXteen-cylinder Marmon and
by what right does he have a
sergeant of the state police
chauffeur his women folks on
shopping tours? cat Ayres' Thurs
day morning. BY what special
right does said chauffeur violate
traffic rules while dressed in full
uniform, gun and all, while he so
haughtily drives Car No. l with
one lone woman (maybe more) in
the back seat. Of course I drive
my own Ford mot No. u, but
why can't I ignore the traffic rules
and why do have to pay taxes to
pay the state police to haul the
Governors family on private
shopping tours? 1t sort a rifles the
old spirit of equality and fairness.
The higher they rise, the farther
they fall, sometimes, but let's have
the facts.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
:: The Message Center

Times reddars are inrited to empress
their rietcs in these columns. Make your
letters short, so all can hare a chance.
Limit them to $50 1oords or less.J
BY Harlow Lindley,
Curator of History, Ohio state Museum.
Dear Governor McNutt-I have
hesitated somewhat about writing
this letter but since I am native
of Indiana and have spent all my
life except the last five years in the
state and still have property inter-
ests there, L feel perfectly free in
writing to you.
During the last thirty years of my
life in Indiana was engaged active
ly in various phases of library work
as we'll as college work. I was
graduated from college the year the
state library of Indiana was taken
out of politics and put upon a pro-
fessional basis; for the period from
1907 until 1923 I held part-time
position on the staff of the Indiana
state library as director of the de-
pdrJuenG Oh history.
When the Indiana historical COM
mission was created in 1915 by Gov
ernor RalSton, I was made its Sec
rotary and served in this capacity
until 1929, when I accepted for a
year the dictatorship of the COM
mission now known as the Indiana
historical bureau.
During these years of official con-
nection with these two educational
interests of the state of Indiana I
occupied position so that I know
there was not a particle of political
influence brought to bear upon the
work.
I do know that at times some
effort was made to make certain in
roads upon the work of the state
library, but it was without enough
influence to accomplish anything.
AS result of this sort of adj
ministrative policy the Indiana
state library, with it's crowded
quarters and limited appropriations,
has grown to be recognized as one
"a VAAO AiOoO PO4Coo1Olldl anu
efficient among the state library
organizations in the United States.
Very naturally I was interested in
following the legislation Of the last
general assembly, and I found a
number of my Ohio friends were in
terested in the experiment.
I told them that we all probably
realized that the general organiza-
ton of our state governments in
the United States, and more par
ticularly our county and township
governments, was quite antiquated
and needed thorough business-Iike
reorganization, and that I would
look to Indiana with a great deal of
interest, feeling that if the plan
there adopted was handled efficient
ly and successfully, it would mean
much to the future of efficient gov
eminent.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
It Seems
to Me
by HEYWOOD BROUN-

NEW YORK, June lO-I saw q
L ' money changer in the neigh
borhood of the temple late vester-
day afternoon, and it did not seem
to me that he was on his wav TO
catch an outbound train. On the
contrary, he was headed I'D the
steps, cool as a cucumber. u
wonder if the old place has
changed" he remarked as We
passed.
In all probability he Will not find
much alienation inside. There is
some scaffolding still up around the
main entrance, but the sign Bust
ness as usual is displayed prom
inently.
Reform has slackened. Within a
month there has been a perceptible
slowing up. 1t may be that the
new deal was no more than a round
OF roodleS and that we are all 90
ing back to the old game.
Stocks Soar to New Highs"
Market Boils in Record Session "
Pivotal Issues Up Ten Points
Front page prosperity is with lis
once again. Mr. Morgan is going to
pay an income tax almost any wear
now
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
WAR ON RACKETEERS

MOT least significant of recent develop
ments is the fact that the Crusaders,
originally organized to fight prohibition, now
have converted themselves into an organiza-
ton to make war on racketeers.
Because of the intimate hook-up between
the prohibition law and the racketeer any
group which works for the repeal of prohi-
bition must give some attention to the
racketeer problem.
There is no question that the racketeer
has done a great deal to swing public senti-
ment against prohibition. Justly or other
wise the eighteenth amendment has been
blamed for his existence.
But we should be making a tremendous
mistake if we took it for granted that all we
need to do to abolish him is to abolish the
eighteenth amendment
That would help, of course. The boot
leg liquor racket was first of the large-scale
rackets, and from the very start it was the
most lucrative But no one who reads the
daily newspapers and sees ever-recurring
headlines about the milk racketeers" the
dry cleaning racketeers." the labor rack
eteers." the gambling syndicates" and so on.
can be so naive as to suppose that the booze
racket stands alone.
During the decade that began in 1920.
the words organized crime" took on a very
real and definite meaning. Before that, big
cities had had scattered groups of criminals
operating independently, and they had had
more or less loose groups of hoodums who
worked in gangs; but there never had been
any genuine Capitalization of any carefully
planned organization.
The powerful and cohesive underworld
gangs that curse our cities today are creations
of the last dozen years.
In part these groups owed their birth to
prohibition-but only in part. They are even
more indebted to the fact that through many
years we had let venality, favoritism, and
self-nterest rule our city politics.
The ward leaders, the corrupt alderman.
the crooked political boss-these men presided
at the racketeer's birth, and they continue to
shelter the racketeer today.
That is why the Crusaders action is so
encouraging. Repeating prohibition will only
be first step in the war on rackets.
To pretend that it viii do the whole Job
would be to delude ourselves in tragic and
expensive manner.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10

TRAINING from parenthood,
l. says a social service worker, is
the greatest task now before
America.
1t would be futile, and perhaps
foolish, to deny the statement. But
if we are asked to accept the belief
that such training involves only a
few formulas and a comprehension
Of the rules Of psychology then we
can not agree.
The first step in decent parent
hood is to set up decent social sys-
TEN in which our children may live.
A sound economic plan, an equitable
distribution of goods. security from
the ever present threat of starvation
and humiliation in war-this is the
primary consideration.
Only in this way can the individual
apply himself to the responsibility
of parenthood. The man who strug-
giles all his life to earn a few crusts
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10

! professional atmosphere and a pro-
| fessional staff in the state library
am much grieved to learn of the
course you are pursuing, and I feel
that have right to protest against
such a policy, for 1 believe that it
will not only be destructive 20 the
best interests of the state of In
diana, but that eventually it will be
destructive to your own personal in
terests.
I have been associated with pref
ty nearly every phase of library &C.
tivity in the state OF Indiana, hay
ing served for thirty years as IL
brarian Of Earlham college while in
charge Of the department of history
there, and for a number of years !
was president of the Richmond city
public library board and served two
different times as president Of the
Indiana Library Association, in addi-
ton to my part-time connection
with the Indiana state library men,
toned above, so that I feel that ]
have right to know something of
the library background in the state.
1 naturally am proud of my ma
tive state and follow her progress
with interest. I know that she is
being watched closely by people in
other states at the present time
and had hoped that you would give
the state such a broad positive,
efficient administration above per-
sonal, partisan, political motives
that you would reflect credit not
only upon the state, but upon your
self.
hope you will accept this in the
spirit in which it is written.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
Good Times, Ltd.

QUT the trouble lies in the fact
- that rich mans boom hardly
Will suffice to relieve the victims of
a poor mans panic. The rise of
stocks and bonds has very little to
Go with any upward turn in the
employment curve.
Shareholders may do extremely
we'll even in periods when millions
are out of work. Congress is fond
of denouncing Wall Street in
speeches from the floor, and vet it
takes far too much for granted on
no other basis than the rise in quo
tationS.
Already there is a disposition to
agree that the worst is over. If anv
dove has come fluttering back with
an olive leaf we have a right to
Whatever cheer this bit of greenery
may bring us. But the great trouble
is that the lessons of the flood are
forgotten so quickly.
Arthur Hopkins once produced a
play called THE Deluge,' in which
an assorted group of individuals was
0RPNt al a A1OOoG ny blle IlSlIR wa
tiers of the Mississippi. With death
staring them in the face, each mem
Der of the community began to have
a closer understanding of his asso-
clates and deeper sympathy. But
the waters receded, and so did the
little group which had seen a vision
of Utopia
So it seems to be with the gov
eminent of the United States and
with its inhabitants. When the
banks were on the verge of ruin.
almost any sort of radical legisla-
ton might have been obtained. but
the very institutions which we're
picked up out of the gutter have
turned high and mighty overnight
and now are arching their eyebrows
and talking about paternalism and
government interference. After q
short burst of candor, the Morgan
inquiry has gone back into the Sc
cret silenceS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10

ton for the good parent. Personal
integrity, no matter what the COPY
books say, has hard shedding in any
social order where it gets you no.
where except in Jail ind brings you
nothing but starvation. To be moral
IL an Immoral community is fine.
but you'll find it's difficult to raise
good children there.
For this reason, the conscientious
parent always will work to leave his
son better world, as well as a big
ger business. Indeed, 1t often seems
that if we cured the social evils, ad-
justed economic wrongs, and re-
lieved international injustice, par
enthood would be rather an easy
job.
Most of our problems in this field
are caused by the outer circum-
stance and not by the inner being.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
Many Things Change

THREE months ago congress was
Il frightened sufficiently to cut
out the pension graft. Now that
there is a glimmer upon the hor-
lion, congress wants to put it back
again. The most discouraging thing
is the conduct of the Farmer-Labor
ties and other so-called radicals in
the house and senate.
For the tenth or twelfth time in
as many years it is shown again
that the vision of these men does
not extend beyond the price of
wheat. At 70 cents a bushel. every
man jack of them has slowed down
to walk, and by the time wheat
touches dollar they all have be-
come Rotarian Republicans.
1t is true that President Roosevelt
supplied the original motive power
Tor certain measures which actually
had in them some element of fun
oamental change. In spite of the
Slackening of the program, I still
think that Franklin D. Roosevelt is
the one best bet in the present adj
ministration.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

actuated the swift movement Of his heels.
Wisdom later led him to Boston and to his
phenomenal success in Philadelphia
AS for his effect upon the progress Of the
nation, that lay largely in the dissemination of
entertaining reading matter. He was conser-
vative. His magazines did not tinker with
outlaw ideas.
A final note: He loved music and was able
to improvise by ear with excellent effect upon
pipe organs many Of which he contributed to
towns and cities from Philadelphia to Maine.
His philanthropies were enormous
He was typical American of vast reach.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-10
So They Say

Unfair competition in credits is
just as vicious as unfair competition
in trade. Industries should not sell
terms, but merchandiSe.-Hen H.
Hermann, executive manager Of Ma
tional Association of Credit Men.
Training lions and tigers is no
more cruel than the process through
which dogs and ponies are taught
their tricks-Clyde Beatty, animal
trainer.
Many people were a long time
realizing that what happened last
fall was not an election, but a revo-
luton accomplished in a particu-
larly American Way-Professo Rex
ford G. Tugwell, member of Presi-
dent RooSevelt's brain trust"
The nationality of the man nv
daughter marries is immaterial, pro-
vlded he is good husband and
makes her happy.-Franklin L. Hut
ton, millionaire father of Barbara
Hutton, bride-to-be of Prince Alexis
Midvani