davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
TODAY'S SOCIETY

ONE of the minor calamities of the year.
- little noticed by a needless world, seems
to have been the dropping of Elliott Roosevelt,
son of the President from the rolls of the
Boston Social Register.
There was a time when this would have
been Nt of a sensation. generation ago.
or more, society spelled itself with capital S,
and the DEGREES of the inner circle were mat
tiers of Importance. One of the stock tales in
American folklore had to do with the newly
rich man whose wife and daughters worked
themselves to a fragile trying to get into
society"
But American society has changed, along
with the rest of the nation Nobody cares any
more who's in and who isn't; and the change
has not come so much from shifting economic
conditions as from the frivolity of the self
elected upper class which has sought to exer-
else social leadership.
Society,"" in any land. is supposed to have
responsibilities as well as privileges 1t is sup
posed to represent the best that its country
can display in the manner of gracious and Gull
tured living to provide leadership in state
craft, in the arts, in letters to set the tone for
the rest of the populace
But these are just the points at which our
upper class has failed us.
Cultured and gracious living? Well, Amer
lean society in recent years has furnished us
with some of the sorriest lawsuits any man
could care to read about. After going close to
the limit with the Stillman and Rhinelander
divorce cases, it handed us a Vanderbilt
squabble over custody of small child.
1t was so lacking in penetration that
Mike Romanof could impose on it; it went
for any kind of foreign title down to and in
Guiding the Mdivanis.
1t made grand opera a social register toy,
found itself unable to finance it and finally had
to call on the general public for help. 1t put
on f1ossy yacht race with the British, and so
staged it that its aftermath was remarkably
like that of a raw-decision prize fight.
For such reasons as these, the word society"
is not as impressive as it used to be- The So
cial historian OF the future will find one of the
most interesting points about the present era
the fact that it had an upper class which
failed to perform any of the upper class ira
ditional functions.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
THURSDAY. DECEMBER s. 1894
A WARNING

A WARNING was issued today by the
n United States Government. 1t told the
world that the threatened termination Of the
naval treaty would lead to suspicion, compe-
tition and insecurity. Those were the words
used by Ambassador Norman H. Davis, chief
Of the American delegation at the London
naval meeting.
He would not have spoken without orders
from President Roosevelt. He would not have
spoken without the incentive of apprehen-
sion, the fear Of dangers ahead
Since the Washington limitation treaty OF
1922. the naval forces Of the Pacific have been
in balance Great Britain. the United States
and Japan signed the treaty because each
gained thereby security in its own waters.
That joint security was bought and paid
for by the United States. We strapped ships
which would have made ours the mightiest
aggressive navy in the world. We signed away
our right to fortify Far Eastern bases. We gave
up all that and agreed to equality in security
for other nations less rich and less strong
than America because our policy was peace.
We coveted no foreign soil. We neither en-
Wed nor feared our naval neighbors We were
content to sacrifice the superiority of our
might for a cooperative peace with those
weaker than ourselves.
For that we deserve no credit. 1t was just.
It was wise. And we have profited along with
Great Britain and Japan. and along with the
world
But now Japan announces that soon she
will give two years notice to end that treaty of
balance and security. The London conversa-
lions have failed to dissuade her. Our offer of
a substantial all-around reduction of navies
within the framework of the treaty has been
rejected by Japan.
We can not believe that Japan sees the
hazards ahead 1t is easier to build navies
than to pay for them. 1t is easier to start an
armament race than to win or stop it. 1t is
easier to destroy the Pacific balance than to
restore it. 1t is easier to loose suspicion than
to tur nit back again into goodwill
Americas warning to Japan does not come
from one who fears the attack of another. We
know that Japan can not desire war with us.
We know that she wants peace with us as we
want peace with her.
But we also know that the road of de-
nounced treaties and larger ornaments is the
old road of danger. Those dangers are too big
for Japan or any one nation to control-per-
haps too big for the world to control So it was
In the past. And so it may be again If the
world turns back to the old road.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
are their relaxation. is to neglect the proper
elements Of building q future generation Of
real men and women.
UNDERSTANDING JAPAN

a N Interpretation of Japan. largely through
4 intimate sketches Of its contemporary
leaders, is provided in Challenge: Behind the
Face of Japan" by Upton Close.
Mr.. Close presents stimulating picture of
Nippon today. together with an adequate
background against which to measure the
aggressive island empires amazing progress
in recent years.
Challenge" leaves little doubt that ma
terially Nippon is the most progressive ma
ton in the world today. Particularly inter-
esting on this point is a detailed explanation
of various inventions by japanese in the last
few years. inventions which deny the legend
that the japanese are copyists, not originators
For Japan the future may be bright and
for that reason unhappy for the Western
world. But the author indicates clearly that
"the menace of Japan" exists largely through
lack of understanding on the part of the
Western world of the problems and philosophy
that are Japan's
This book should add substantially to any
readers knowledge of Nippon and to that
understanding which is so necessary for
peace.
Mr. Close predicts war between Japan and
the United States. SO do many others. And
who knows?
1t may be said on the basis of the au-
thor's presentation of the japanese, that if
the trainers of the japanese exclusion act of
1924 had known as much about japan and
the japanese as does Mr.. Close, this unfortu-
nate legislation probably would never have
heen pasSed ard We would he substantially
further from talk of war than we are today
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
PROPER METHODS

CHIEF MIKE MORRISSEY in his an
~ nouncement that overtime parkers, dur
ing the Christmas shopping season, will not
be subjected to persecution, has taken a step
in the right direction.
When Chief MorrisSey started his drive on
double and overtime parkers ten days ago.
The indianapolis Times lauded him. And now
this newspaper is as quick to laud his good
judgment in permitting the autoists of this
city to take the time necessary to prepare for
the holidays.
No doubt Chief Morrissey will not stand
by if anyone attempts to take undue ad-
advantage of this temporary relaxation. The
Times expects Chief MorriSSey to step into
any instances of this sort and iron them out
Immediately.
Also. it is not to be understood that the
police department will close its eyes to
fragrant double parking violations.
Double parking on any street is dangerous.
1t not only involves the chance that property
may be damaged. but that loss of life may
result
The shoppers, during this season. have the
right to expect leniency. But the consistent
law violator has no right to expect leniency
now or any other time.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
THE STRETCH-OUT

Drank P. DOUGLASS. recent appointee
to the Textile Labor Relations Board.
predicts early doom of the stretch-out system
in the silk. wool and cotton mills.
We trust he is right.
Those who have watched the many eva
sions in meeting this problem will be skep-
teal. Textiles were the first of the big Amer
lean industries to codify under NRA While
the textile code made industrial history, much
of its progress was nullified by mill owners
workers task.
When the textile workers struck last Labor
Day, one of their chief complaints was this
Stretch-out evil And when the Winant
Board reported, it provided a plan to care
for this problem before Jan. l. Three Work
Assignment Boards-one each for silk, wool
and cotton-were to evolve a method for
controlling work loads in the country's five
thousand mills and meanwhile to handle
stretch-out complaints.
These boards have just been named. The
general impartial chairman of the three-ply
assignment board, william A. Mitchell. Is an
Agricultural Adjustment Administrator ex-
pert in cotton with considerable experience
in labor mediation.
Until the textile industry. cooperating
with the Government and labor, stops the
sweating of workers under the stretch-otIt it
can hope for no permanent peace.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
THE FUTURE GENERATION

MORE and more the Importance Of the
1V1 coming generation is being stressed. The
present generation is being told that their
successors will bear the brunt of another war,
New Deal debts and the monetary and physi-
cal setbacks of the depression.
Many of the children of today seem as
happy as before. True some of them are fac
ing hardshps that many of us didn't dream
existed Others, are, due to the great relief
system set up in this nation in the last few
years. living better than they would have if
they had to depend entirely on the activities
of their parents.
The indianapolis Times is repeating its
annual Clothe-A-Child campaign. In the
years that this community effort has been
staged. thousands of children-sorely in need
Of clothing-have been the recipients of en-
tirely new outfits on Christmas morning
The Clothe-A-Child campaign is a most
worthy cause. Not because it is presented by
The Times but because it is in the great in
terest Of humanity this campaign should
have the support of every resident of Indian
apolis and Marion county.
The Times has not stopped with this prof.
ect A few days ago Santa Clause parade
was staged. Every child in the city who could
be there lined the streets of the downtown
area to see the parade. That parade gave
them pleasure.
Within 4S hours after that The Times,
cooperating with the Palace theater. brought
$50 orphans from Indianapolis orphan homes
to the theater for mornings entertainment.
~. ~ foIo oil
To neglect any means of providing them.
nrst, with the necessities of life and. second
", the entertainments and pleasures which
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
CITY FIRE FIGHTERS
LAUDED FOR BRAVERY.
By Jimmy Cafouros.

BY Jimmy Cafouros.
1t may be that I am wrong. do
not know the exact statistics. Yet
it seems to me that not so long ago
when I crawled on the floor, and
played soldier with some colored
tiles and shooter" I used to hear
the fire sirens and bells continuous
ly. No day passed but what I did
not run to the window to see the
snorting fire trucks go rushing by.
Somehow, things seem bit diff
ferent nowadays Fires seem to be
outstanding by their rareneSs. APP
parently, such drives as fire pre-
vention and accident prevention are
cleaning their harvest. But may
be wrong.
Well, today I saw a fire. And it
was a beauty, too. There was such
an abundance of smoke that I had
one deuce of a time spotting the
fire. Fortunately, I arrived about
the same time as the fire fighters.
And, of course I saw the whole oper-
alton. The fire truck hardly had
pulled up when the firemen had
abandoned ship and were toting
long hose up the alley to the fire. I
looked down the street and the
same hose they we're carrying was
connected up to hydrant about a
full city block away.
The speed, the dexterity, and the
time efficiency Of the fire lads sur
prised me. Well, I ran back to the
fire. They all seemed to know where
to go. where to find what they want
ed, which wiaGow to break, which
door to unhinge and all the other
tricks of the trade.
Seeing this was like seeing we'll
drilled miniature army. They dis
played initiative and originality but
at the same obedience seemed to be
their chief characteristic. And
speaking of courage. I was shown
plenty of samples.
It takes a courageous man-and
he must be tricky toto stick his
head into a window out OF which
smoke Is pouring thick and fast. II
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
"PAID-MERRY CHRISTMAS"

YESTERDAY in the little city of Marshall
l. ILL.,, householders received their regular
monthly electric light bills with surprise and
pleasure, according to the United Press
Stamped across the bill was this unusual no.
tation: "Paid-Merry Christmas!" Officials ex-
planned that the electric plant had earned so
much in the year that they had decided to give
the customers Christmas dividend"
Perhaps it should be explained that
Marshall owns and operates its own municipal
power and light plant.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
LIVING ON HALF
is NEW SETUP.

BY H. v. Allison.
Seeing the crowd on the down.
town streets Nov. 80 makes one be-
lieve it is time to discard the old
slogan depression, and say we are
well on the road to good times. The
New Deal has not had time enough
to remove all the evils that got us
on the rocks. A great deal of the
trouble now existing is nothing to
the New Deal but a home affair.
A woman stated in the Message
Center that her family required $40
a week to live the way they desired
and now they have to get by on
S525 week. The chances are the
time is past for easy money. but it
is time to practice economy. Will
Rogers says he found we can get by
on one-half of what we think we
can. 1t is good time to try the
plan.
The New Deal has been a boon
to many worthy families in the
cities and rural districts. The ca
lamity bowler fails to see where we
are today and where We were two
years ago. There is much to be done
yet. The liquor question is a per-
picking problem, with wives and
mothers working to support the
family and the husbands using their
wages for weekend DRINKS. This
surpasses the old saloons days
by far. The saloonkeepers had
list of names Of the drunkards and
it made it hard for him to get
drink when he was sober.
The New Deal has the free think
ing people back Of it, and will have
clear track for the donkey in the
next race.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
County Residents Need Aid

By Times Reader.
AS time for the Legislature to
meet draws near, rural people be-
gin to wonder if they will have to
give up their Township Trustee
and township boundary lines.
Often you can hear group dis
cuSsing this question. Much has
been said and done to remove the
trustees, but because they are so
close to the people and know their
needs so well, it has been impos-
sible to shake them.
Stop moment and reason with
yourself and see how it would
work to give these trustees and
their advisory boards the work
of the County Commissioners and
Council and the attendance Of
f1cer.
The trustee is quite familiar
with duties of the above named
offices. Take old age pension and
poor relief. He is closer to the
applicants than the commissioner
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
INDUSTRIALISTS CAN NOT
CUT EARNINGS TO ZERO

BY H. C. A.
In his criticism of my letter re-
garding Father Coughlin's plans
S. E. M. presents a series of ques-
tons worthy of a lengthy debate,
but I will have to be brief.
do know the plans of the Ma
tional Union for Social Justice and
I do know history. My knowledge
of the Roman Catholic Church, how
ever, is limited to what light history,
books, newspapers and conversations
with Catholics throw upon the
subject.
Most churches are opposed tradi-
tionally to all progress not only in
tie form of government, but also
in science. The church has much
to learn from the history of the
great Dinosaurs whose bones now
are exhibited in museums. That
animal was extinguished because it
could not adapt itself to changes.
The church will go the same way if
it continues its reactionary policies.
The teachings of Christ, however,
will not only live on, but grow and
gain Importance with each reform,
until they find their ultimate ex-
preston in the establishment Of The
Socialist state.
Father Coughlin evidently is
aware of the critical situation in
which the church finds itself He
seems to realize that the people,
under the leadership of Jesus are
beginning to march away from the
church, and that something must be
done about it.
Now, FaScism could not be in
compatible with the tenets of the
Catholic Church because the Pope
and his italian clergy are on the
best terms with Mussolini, champion
of Fascism.
I do not mean to say, that Father
Coughlin consciously works towards
the Fascist state. but his movement
will end up in FasciSm whether he
likes it or not. Anybody with some
knowledge of human nature should
realize that it can not be expected
of the industrialists that they VOL
UNFAIRLY pay labor as much as pos
sible, and charge as little as posi-
BILE for the products of labor, thus
reducing their own profits to the
vanishing point. But there is only a
small step TO making that thing
compulsory, which means Fascisn.
But it happens TO be so. that even
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
SELFISH PROMOTERS SHOULD
BE HALTED BY FARMERS

SELFISH PROMOTERS SHOULD
BE HALTED BY FARMERS
BY Mike Rhye, Delphi.
When the farmers problems be-
come difficult the professional or
ganizers recognize that a new field
is open for their endeavors and they
go forth selling membership in their
new organization which they give
an appealing name The induce
mentS are promises of laws that are
both unreasonable and unconStitu-
tional.
An example of this is the Frazier
Lemke bill which would have can
celed SO per cent of all the farm
mortgage indebtedness. This bill, if
enacted and signed by the PreSi-
dent, would have been useless and
would have become no law because
OF its conStitutionality, which was
conceded by all prominent jurists.
The Frazer Lemke bill enacted
providing moratorium of all mort
gage contracts and substituting
moratorium favorable to the mort
gage has been declared unconstitu-
tional, but those bills serve the pur-
pose of the farmer organization pro-
motors and extracted many thou
sands of dollars from the already
over-burdened farmers pockets.
The farmers should have a sane
and reasonable legislative program,
but it should not be handled by
selfish nocturnal crack-pot pro-
moterS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

and as to the attendance officers
duties he is again nearer the good
of the child. The council is only
an advisory board.
The people will vote when there
is an election of Township Trus-
tees, but when there is no town
ship election you can not get out
the vote. There are but three
commissioners and two can rule,
where if the job were turned over
to the trustees of the county ten
or twelve men would act on ques-
tons.
The trustees could have their
meetings at the county seat each
month same as the commissioners
and being from every township
they would be better informed of
the needs of their people than
any other group. We need to con-
Solidate, but to keep as close as
we can to the people of the coun-
ty, not take everything away from
them and centralize it in the
county seat.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

such drastic stop would not be
able to save capitalism in this
country. There no longer is room
for profits in the planning of our
economic future
The relationship between Fascism
and Socialism is the same as that
between fire and water. Yet, Father
Coughlin's criticism of the capital
istic system is identical with that of
Norman Thomas. But when it
comes to the remedy their ways
part. Father Coughlin wants re-
formed capitalism. You may as
well try to make wars more lady
like, than try to reform system
based upon legalized robbery.
Norman Thomas and his Social
lists want production fol use only,
eliminating profits in any form. The
latter plan will work, the former
will not.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
READERS LETTERS DRAW
FIRE OF CRITICISM
Bv a Reader.

BY a Reader.
Concerning Jimmy Cafouros' let
tiers in the Message Center it has
come to my attention that quite
frequently Jimmy breaks into this
column with letters concerning some
mighty fine topics.
The manner in which he presents
his ideas is quite unique. AS I see
it his manner is to say as little as
possible about the subject in dis
cusSion and to meander across the
face of his essay with a great many
meaningless words. This eccentric
way in presenting material reminds
me of a stream trying to accomplish
the impossible of flowing up hill.
His endeavors produce as much.
My advice to Jimmy is to restrain
his flying pencil and along with
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

the commendable trait of staying
with the purpose in mind to also
brake" his eloquence to aid him in
gaining this ultimate end.
AS I understand The Times is
working mans" paper, and good
one, I ask permission to suggest that
you write work ng mans news in
working mans way.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

seems that they all took turns and
each stood it as long as he could
then gave way to another.
A banker is risking his life from
bandits now and then, steeplej jacks
play checkers and solitaire nova
days. But a firemans life is a life
of constant danger, and thrills, and
bruises and duckings.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
WIDOWS ALSO ARE IN
NEED OF EMPLO YMENT

By a Widow in Distress.
1 am widow with a child of Is
in high school. I am jobless and
have been for more than two years.
1t seems that men and women who
are married obtain work from the
Government They seem to think
that if you are a widow and only
have one child, you should be able
to live. But I, a widow, disagree.
The soldiers want bonus, the old
want pensions, and the widows
want work.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

Daily Thought

And who knoweth whether he
shall be wise man or fool? yet
shall he have rule over all my la
Tor wherein have labored, and
where in have showed myself wise
under the sun. This is also vanity.
-Ecclesiastes, 2:19. !.
MO abilities, however splendid,
~ can command success without
intense labor and persevering apph-
cation-A. T. Stewart.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06
Turning Away
BIZ HARRIETT SCOTT oLINICH

can not bear this death again.
I can not face this funeral.
l can not stand the mournful note
The blackbirds weep into their CALI
/ can not face the lonely nests
That dot the limbs Of naked trees:
| can not bear the noisy wind
That cuts blue patterns as 1t fiees-
/ can not bear the wincing sky.
I can not bear the shrek Of sound.
I can not bear the dying leaves
Falling IN spirals to the grouao-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

A Cambridge professor says he caught an
electric impulse from mans brain. But that's
nothing new. How often have you been
shocked By what came from other peoples
brains7
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

The government has sanctioned a scale of
minimum prices for bees. so you'll get stung
only when bad bee bites you.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-06

Legal censorship of films should
be abolished. 1t has done more to
encourage lascivious films than any
other agency under the sun.-Pather
James e. Kelly, Albany. Y.