davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
TUESDAY. FEB 20. 1885,.
THE RECORD MAIL FLIGHT

WTE are glad Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
" broke the transcontinental mail trans
port record in his spectacular flight yesterday.
Not only because the war ace is a great flier.
but because something like this was needed to
symbolic the bravery. fidelity and efficiency Of
those who have flown the commercial mail
lines.
The air mail scandals, which have necessi-
tated cancellation of the private contracts,
touch those company promoters and others
who have chiefly money motive in aviation.
But none Of that furnishes in any way
indeed it merely emphasizes by contrast-the
successful operation Of the lines by the pilots.
mechanics. radio men, and engineers, whose
service to aviation and to the country has
been exceedingly great. The country under
stands and appreciates that service.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
THE HOUSE ABDICATES

MYTH, doubtless, the best intentions in
w the world, the Democratic leaders of the
house Of representatives are discrediting the
administration in the eyes of the country.
When word goes out that the house has been
reduced to the point Of impotence where its
membership no longer is permitted even to
propose amendments TO a tax BILL then it is
inevitable that a feeling Of resentment should
spread.
For the house was given primary control
over public money solely because it was, in the
beginning the one branch of the federal gov
eminent close to the people and responsive
to their wishes. Centuries Of struggle had
established the tradition that the popular
branch of a government should hold the purse
strings
Today the Democratic leadership of the
house has completed long process of attri-
ton by which this vital function has been
surrendered The beginning came. of course.
when the house allowed its membership to
increase to the point where free and unlim-
tied debate became a physical impoSslbility.
To function at all the overcrowded house had
for no reason that seems evident, boss RUE has
been extended to a point far beyond anything
called for in the interest of simple efficiency.
There is no indication that this was done
at the request of President Roosevelt The tax
bill under consideration was not proposed by
HIM. although the bill as finally drawn was
approved by the treasury. A gagged house of
representatives is decidedly a discredit t. the
President whose policies it undertakes to ex-
pound.
In the senate. which is today far more rep
resentative of the public than is the house, the
tax bill will be debated and amended. Yet
the house can be so manipulated by its bosses
that the senate may be forced TO choose be-
tween abandoning its amendments or defeat
ing the tax bill altogether. This is not rep
resentative government. 1t is not even intelli-
gent autocracy.
Some have suggested that the public
actually might be more faithfully served if the
house of representatives were abolished alto
gether and this only truly representative body
were left to function unhampered.
Whether or not this conclusion is sound
and it probably is not-resentment toward the
house will grow if it does not reassert its pow
ers as a deliberative body.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
ON LAND AND SEA

ME long fight started by the elder La Fol-
lette to apply the simple rules Of labor
justice to workers of the sea can be won under
NRA. unless the greed of ship owners again
interenes.
Since last August representatives Of a half
million seaman and dock workers have been
urging master shipping code providing for
a national maritime board, or some similar de-
vice, under which the workers and owners
could meet on equal footing. This the ship
owners have refused. There is proposed a sys-
TEN of national and regional labor boards in
which, without recognizing unions. the owners
also are opposing the workers demands for
forty-four-hour week in port, labor repre-
sentation on the code authorities and the
right Of union representatives to board ships
to talk with the men.
All these rights are being granted to land
workers. General Johnson is urging thirty
two-hour week for al American labor. Some
codes permit workers spokesman on the code
authority The right to organize unions is
orthodox to the whole new deal philosophy
and law.
The Black committee hearings have re-
vealed the wealth Of government generosity
to American ship owners. We learn that these
have collected $4,000 900 in ocean mail SUBJ
sides since 1928, borrowed at 81 per cent and
less over s144,OOOOOO, bought government yes
sells for 100000 that cost the taxpayers
$500, OO0 little justice if not generosity
on the ship owners part would not be asking
too much.
1t is time to abolish this double labor
standard as between the toilers of the land
and the sea.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
A Woman's Viewpoint
By MRS. WALTER FERGUSON -

TEE case Of Children VS.. Dogs
Il has been decided in a New
York village. Surprisingly enough,
the dogs lost.
-Four pets, whose owners ap-
peared in court to plead their
cause, were sentenced to death
for having set upon and chewed
off the arm Of a small girl. The
verdict is interesting, if only be-
cause it shows what a tyrannous
hold the dog has upon the twen-
tieth century thought.
"a great responsibility" said the
judge, rests upon one who has
to decide in place Of a jury.
have great sympathy for dogs and
their owners. I know the value
of a good dog. But this is a
serious case. Something must be
done to guard against such things
in the future"
A subtle apology, you see, an
apology one seldom finds ex-
pressed by judges to relatives Of
human criminals.
TINE case Of Children VS.. Dogs,
i in its wider aspects, goes on
all the time in this country. The
love Of an individual for his dog
Is a commendahle emotion and one
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
CITIZENS FIRST

ONE of the unlocked for by-products Of the
" CwA program seems to be new eager
ness for American citizenship on the part Of
residents who were born abroad.
Records in typical American industrial
city recently show that the demand for nat
uralization papers is many times greater now
than it is normally. During the first two
weeks in February, for instance, there were
more than 800 applications for first papers;
the ordinary monthly average has been
around fifty.
The reason for this, OF course. IS that men
holding jobs under the CWA have been
threatened with loss Of their work if they re-
main aliens. Hence the sudden rush to get
under Uncle Sans wing.
American citizenship has certain very solid
advantages, and the war on the depression
seems to be making them more obvious than
ever before.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
NOISE THAT IS UNHEARD

NNE of the things the ordinary citizen usu-
~ ally finds hard to understand is the habit
some weI-meaning folk have Of holding dem
onstrations before the embassies or consulates
Of foreign powers.
The other day. for example, a stable
throng of New Workers clustered in the street
before the Austrian consulate in New York
to protest against the Austrian governments
use Of violence in its struggle with the So
cialists.
Now this may be among the worthiest Of
worthy causes-but what earthly good does a
demonstration of this kind do?
Could such thing, conceivably, have any
effect on the decisions Of the harassed gov
eminent at Vienna? Could it help the be-
leaguered Socialists behind their barricades
in far-of Austria?
Such demonstrations are common in all
countries. But the fact that they happen
often doesn't make them any easier to under
stand.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
STINIES WAR PICTURES
PRAISED AS SERVICE
By DIR. Walter E. HemnhilI.

By DIR. Walter E. HemphilI.
From the bottom of my heart I
wish to thank you, as many thou
sands of your readers will in their
hearts, if not by pen, for the war
pictures you display in your paper.
If the picture of the dead, young
boy (babe in the woods does not
tear the heart out Of person,
nothing possibly can do it, But I'M
fortunately these pictures will not
affect people, improperly named
statesmen, who are behind all of
these wars.
No language properly can describe
ones feelings of contempt for these
sinister influences that organize
these wars.
First, its intrigue followed by a
countrywide deluge Of war propa-
ganda to get our poor, feeble minds
confused as to what is the real issue.
Any and all things are used to get
us war-minded. Then comes the
great speeches, air parades, bands
playing. bond drives, hysteria, more
parades and on and on until We are
in the thing up to our necks and
there is nothing to do but join up
and try to make the best Of the
mess and all for no apparent reason
than some half-witted duke. or
great society leader had been killed
(even that being a part of the in
trigue).
Most Of Us came back, but no
money or other consideration can
replace the young lad shown dead
in the picture Sbabe In the woods.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
I achol1y disapprove of 1Chat yom sag and will
defend to the death your right to sag it-Voltaire

! sit around idle until election time,
then go to the polls, vote and then
''hope we might have a good man
this time"
Now. to the point. Merely dis
charging a crooked CWA official or
employe is nothing short Of an in
vitation to graft and corruption.
Their cases should be investigated
fully, and if found guilty of crook
ednesS in any form, they should be
punished to the limit, regardless of
person or prestige, just as they
would any other criminal, for those
who are guilty are criminals, ac-
cording to the code of honest uni
versal society. We employed have
suffered enough.
AS Lincoln said, "a government Of
the people, by the people and for
the people"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
GREAT LEADERS. FOLLOWERS

CELEBRATION of Washingtons birthday
~ this year likely is to result in some rather
far-fetched attempts to figure out just how
the father of his country would react to the
new deal. if he could come back to earth and
draw a hand in it.
Such attempts are far-fetched because
those who make them have nothing to 60 on.
The world of today is as unlike the world
that Washington knew as the world of the
Caesars.
We can say. if We like. that Washington
would feel thus and so about railroad mergers,
crop reduction plans stock exchange regu-
1ation, and Tennessee valley projectS-but if
We do. We shall be talking through our hats.
because all those things were completely out
side the range Of his experience.
It might be more useful if We stopped fig
uring out how Washington would react to
modern problems and began to wonder how
we ourselves would react to Washington.
Any national leader can be great only to
the extent that the people he leads give him
their support-their courage, their endurance,
their loyalty WaShlngton's greatness consist
ed largely in the fact that he was able to find
those qualities in abundance in the diSorgan-
lied and bewildered colonies Of his day
Had he been unable to Go so, independence
never would have been won-and he himself
probably would have wound up on a gallows
on London's Tower Hill
Suppose. then. that he did come back to
lead us today-would he find US the kind of
people great leader can use2
Would We be too wrapped up in the scram-
bic for personal gain TO listen to him9 Would
We be too busy with our pleasant diversions
our sports and our recreations. our baseball
and our movies and our weekend automobile
trips-to bother with a man who sought to
command all our loyalty and faith and stead
fastness?
Would We. in short, be the kind of men
Washington commanded in the ola days-or
would he look US over. and shake his head.
and sigh for the ragged. profane veterans of
Valley Forge?
Those questions really are worth asking.
Usually We observe washingtons birthday by
comparing him with our present-day leaders.
xawculd be lot more to the point II We used
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
RELIGION URGED AS d.
AID TO PEOPLE
Rv OrviIIe Pifcnck

BY Orville Pitcock.
7 am Times reader, also a CWA
worker. I haven't lost a minutes
time since began working. I am
glad to have the job, have five in
family, and lived three years off the
trustee. I sure appreciate the cour-
tesy and I think they did some
wonderful work, if some people don't
think so.
I read one letter in The Times
the other night. The man says:
Real business is what the nation
needs" 1t might need it, but there
comes something first. I know that
God doesn't want the world to be
like it is now, but He said, through
His prophets, these kind of times
would be, so we can expect them
to be.
1t seems when I read and hear
people talk Of what the world needs,
they don't even realize there is
any God. and they are just trying to
figure it all out themselves. If
poor people would start laying up
treasures in heaven, while the rich
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
FOOD, NOT ARGUMENT,
is NEED OF NATION

BY Walter r. Brewer.
notice in today's Message Center,
Emanuel Buckner challenges the
public to prove that he is wrong in
his assertion that "the recovery laws
are unconstitutional" He says. mo
one has yet accepted his challenge"
Well, I expect people don't care
what he thinks so long as humanity
knows the NRA is part of what the
country needs. Is it question of
whether you have to prove to one
person in a thousand whether a
thing that is lifting our country out
Of the depths is constitutional or
not9
You know, Mr.. Buckner, I don't
suppose President Roosevelt has ever
lost any sleep over the question Of
whether you thought the recovery
laws were unconstitutional. In the
first place, our Constitution was
made for the needs of our country.
If it was not constitutional to pass
the recovery act, then change the
Constitution to meet the needs.
When people are going hungry
and are cold. do you stop and ask
if it's constitutional to feed them?
I'll agree there always has been too
much Of this pro and con business,
while they starved to death. we
thank heaven that we now have a.
President who doesn't bubble over
this stuff, but does what needs doing
as he should do as our President.
If he keeps coming out of the old
rut as he has been doing, and keeps
the peoples needs near to his heart,
we really are going to have a
country fit to live in.
There are still some who say the
majority are not fit to rule, but it
seems that any way, it is their right.
So, let's say, all together, "On with
the national recovery act" and not
be too egotistical. We all know it
sure does burn up the G. o. P.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

By Utility User.
I think the people of this city
have been subjected to the injus-
tice of political men enough with
out the city taking over the Indi-
anopolis Water Company and
making another enterprise for the
politicians to fight over.
There is gross inef1ciency in all
enterprises that are controlled by
politics, since people are placed in
the positions because their poll
tics are favorable regardless of
their actual qualifications for the
positions.
Another point is that the
majority Of people will agree that
their water bills are the smallest
utility bills they are forced to pay.
If these federated clubs have
nothing else to do, let them put
their efforts into getting the larger
utility bills reduced, for instances
the telephone and light.
Perhaps these clubs do not real
ize that the indianapolis Water
Company is not paying large SAL
aries, but very moderate ones.
Perhaps they also do not realize
that the political jobs in this state,
county and city are the biggest
paying jobs in existence. If the
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
PROBE PATRIOTEERS

THE senate should move quickly on the
Vanderberg and Nye resolutions.
The former, by the senator from Michigan.
would set up a defense commission to investi-
gate ways of stopping profteering on arms
and munitions in peace as we'll as war. The
latter, by the senator from North Dakota,
provides for an investigation of the so-called
munitions trust.
With almost daily charges of pro1teering
on sales of aircraft and other material to the
government, with congress being asked to
spend immense sur1s to build up the navy
to treaty strength, 18th the armament lobby
lists reported busy again in the Capitol, the
senate and the country should have the facts
They can be developed by the passage Of
these two resolutions. And the sooner the
better.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
HE'S FOR SPEEDY
AND SURE JUSTICE

AND SURE JUSTICE
By Ray Jarrett.
This is in reply to B. A. Osborne's
article against lynching that APP
peared in the paper on Feb. issue.
Mr.. Osborne stated: Another
law dealing with anti-lynching is
before congress-" That, in my eSti-
nation, is just the reason we have
lynchings in our country today
too many laws. Do you.know that
for every law we have we send a
criminal to house of correction
or the electric chair?
There are two laws that the
criminal with the aid of good
"mouthpiece" can escape sentence.
I will admit that being part of
lynching isn't anything to brag
about, but the people of the United
States are tired of seeing their mon
ey used to convict criminals only to
see them freed again through nu-
merous loopholeS that our laws af-
ford.
Here's an example: I just fin
ished reading an article in The
Times tonight stating that out OF
thirty-one Marion county traffic
deaths last year there was only one
conviction. Think Of it. An auto
kills a pedestrian-the driver stands
a 4 to l chance of never being ap-
pretended. If he loses, statistics
show that he stands 33 to 1 chance
Of never serving a sentence. Why?
Because the laws afford him too
many ways of escaping punish
ment.
Arch Steinel pointed out in his
article that every auto fatality costs
the taxpayers of Marion county $40
minimum. If an arrest is made in
the case, another $40 is tackled on,
and if there's conviction, it brings
the total to $50. Now, just how
much of the taxpayers money does
it take to convict a criminal on a
rst-degree murder charge, or a
kidnapping charge?
For instance, the lynching that
took place in California some time
ago. If those criminals we're brought
to justice, the chances are they
would have gotten about a ten-year
sentence, if any. In about seven
seven years they would have been
eligible for parole on good beha-
vior. Free again!
The people realized that and de-
cided they wanted justice rendered
right for once. Well, they certainly
rendered it, and there will be more
and more Of this kind Of justice
meted out in the United States I'M
I'll the majority of legal hairs are
pulled and a sure-f1re "wig" in
stalled.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
MAKE CWA GRAFTERS
PAY, is DEMAND
By Oliver TownsIev.

By Oliver Townsley.
Being subscriber Of your pa
per and apppreciating its impartial
disposition. I would like to ex-
press through your Message Center
desire that I think not only is
mine alone, but that Of the majority
of our honest and law-abiding peo-
pie, both rich and poor.
This is in accordance with your
CWA graft comments. In the first
place, the idea, as I understand it,
is to give relief to poverty stricken
people rather than to create i'm
mediate circulation Of money.
Now, we all know that graft has
had no little part in the cause OF
money panics, or perhaps the de-
preston. What this country needs
is to enforce discipline upon the
people who represent us, as well as
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
Content
BY FLORENC

BY FLORENCE MARIE TAYLOR
I want to sit by the fire today
Give me a coy nook,
A log in which the fire flames play,
An easy chair and a book.
I'd like friend to call on me
Who asks not I be clever,
But who quite Understandings
Inspires my each endeavor.
I'd have bowl Of yellow flowers,
A soft, old, sweet refrain
What care if the sudden showers
Beat 'gainst my window paneP
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

man is laying up treasures on earth,
which would be the best?
One Of our former Presidents told
us that prosperity was just around
the corner. Has any one seen it
yet?
Now, the real business the ma
ton needs is Jesus. When we got
Him we can say we have found
the corner. We forgot God and
let the old devil lead us into this
shape, and he will keep us there
until we let God into our soul, and
He will supply us in every need,
and give us an everlasting life.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

the chance to compare ourselves with the men
Washington led. Are we as good men as
they were?
If we aren't. we'd better start to change.
For if the present hour. as everybody says,
calls for great leadership-it also calls for
great followers.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

We are all hoping that the boys
in the CCC will not be used as the
boys in 1917 and 1918 were used.
May God prevent it.
Mr. Editor, you have performed a
service that never will be equaled.
This outstanding service should gain
you the friendship of every God
loving person in the community.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
So They Say

I am opposed to revolutionary
changes without popular mandate
Ogden L. Mills, former secretary Of
the treasury.
America never will become a truly
musical country until the so-ealled
common people take it into their
hearts-Walter Damrosch.
Hitler is planning for war
Oswald Garrison Willard, editor Of
the Nation.
I have more trouble with animals
different in sex than with those OF
the same sex.-Clyde Beatty, animal
trainer.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

Americans are leaving Paris because Of the
drop in the exchange value of the dollar.
Others have left Vienna for different reasons.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

John D. Rockefeller ST.. at the age of a.
takes his annual trip to Florida In spite of
recent attack of grip. If he isn't careful he
won't live to be more than hundred or two
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

movie actress got a divorce because her
husband said she was awkward She must
have taken it often enough from her director.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20

The king of Sweden won't play tennis with
women who wear shorts. He wants to keep
his mind on the game.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
The Message Center

(TimeS readers are Mvited to cypress
their Uietos in these columns. Make your
letters short, so all can hare chance.
Limit them to $50 qOOrds or lesS)
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-20
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

Editors NOte-This is the first of two articles b
Harry Elmer Barnes, Ph. D. the grave crisis whic
faces the NRA with respect to collective bargainin
and union labor.