davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
OVER-RATED MENACE

EULLY 100000 Communists and active SYM
pathizers with Communism are working
now to overthrow the American government
and the American social and economic system,
according to a warning issued by E. R. West,
president of the United States Junior Chamber
of Commerce.
Since it took only about 10000 such revolu-
tionists to accomplish the overthrow of the
Kerensky government in 1918, Mr.. West feels
that this represents pretty alarming menace
to American institutions.
1t is little hard to share his fear, for two
reasons. First, it is pretty clear that this esti-
mate of Communist strength is greatly exag-
gerated. Second, the 10000 Reds who upset
Kerensky had a different medium in which to
operate than American revoutionists have.
They lived in society which had proved its
own bankruptcy beyond dispute, and the over
whelming majority of Russians we're so des-
perate that they preferred to try the widest
experiment rather than remain as they were.
That isn't even remotely true in America to-
day; until it is, the Communist menace" can't
be very alarming.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
NO WHEAT PACT

EAILURE to reach an agreement at the
l. Budapest conference does not mean that
cooperation among the wheat producing
countries is no longer possible. A solution may
come out of next years conferences.
1t is not our fault that the i93334 export
and acreage agreement went on the rocks. But
it should be said that a drought and a short
crop made our compliance easy, while a
bumper crop practically compelled Argentina
to increase her exports.
Thanks to a flexible and intelligently adj
ministered farm program, the United States
will be able next year to agree to any reason
able compact And if no international agree
ment is reached, we can speedily adjust our
production plans to CO pete for our share in
the world markets.
With the American wLeat price pegged
above the world price, 1t may be necessary to
prepare for the possible wheat war by arrang-
ing for an export bounty in some form While
we hope this will not be necessary, it is an
alternative to be considered by Congress this
winter.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
THE INDIANAPOLIS TINES

that this prodigy, like most others Of his kind,
will have fairly thin kind of childhood.
One of the incest things about being child
is the fact that you don't know very much and
can't understand very much. You move in an
incomprehensive world, in which the strangest
things happen for no reason that you can dis
cover; but it is a world of wonder, even if it
occasionally is bit terrifying, and since you
have no particular mental responsibility you
can devote yourself to the Joy of simply being
alive in a way that is never afterward quite
possible.
Children, in other words, is an enchanted
sort of time. There are great many things
to learn and a great many things to under
stand; and the contemplation of them brings
the dreaming of dreams and the seeing of
visions, so that the world takes on light that
it will never hold again.
Now youngster who has almost an Elm
steinian intellect at the age of is going. to
miss all of that. Ahead of his time, he is
going to be pumped up against the perplex-
tiles and riddles Of adult life, which range all
the way from worry over the political situation
to solemn contemplation of those profound
mysteries which can never be solved this side
of the grave.
When life does that to child, it cheats
him. This lad may go on to do great things
when he is grown; meanwhile, he is apt to be
robbed of his normal childhood.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
MISSING YOUTHS JOYS

IF We can believe all We are told, we seem to
have new infant prodigy in our midst
that 7-year-old New York lad who has been
found by psychologists to be boy in a million
because of his exceptional brain development
This child has an intelligence quotient of
1e6-a bare nine points below the mark set by
the great Einstein himself He can discuss
astronomy intelligently. his father hesitates to
talk politics with him because the youngster
usually gets so far ahead of him, and he uses
four-bit words in the most casual conversation.
Nature apparently has performed another
Of her freakish stunts here; and while it is fas-
cinating to speculate on the things that such
a precocious child might accomplish, if he
could be shown how to make the best use of
his powers. ones chief emotion on reading the
story is a feeling of pity for the youngster
For no matter what the possession of such
an abnormaIly developed brain may augur for
the future. the on4 immediate probability is
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
GUILTY

A FEDERAL COURT jury in Pennsylvania
yesterday found Fred C. Perkins guilty
of 10 violations of wage provisions of the NRA
code for the storage battery industry
Mr.. Perkins admitted that he paid the
employees in his small plant only 20 to 25 cents
an hour. The code minimum is 40 cents Mr..
Perkins said he could not pay higher wages
and remain in business.
The Supreme Court eventually will decide
whether Mr.. Perkins right to stay in the bat
terry business is superior to the code rights of
his business competitors and of labor In
larger sense. it is a test of the Governments
power to enforce a protective minimum wage
in the national interest.
This question is fundamental In all parts
of the country are manufacturers, large and
small, who operate on a subsistence wage
basis. Many can not survive if they pay high
er wages. Others can pay higher wages, but
will not All subsistence-wage plants are
alike in one respect: they take business away
from the living-wage plants form of COM
petition which undermines wages and Jobs
and profits in all units of their respective in
dustries.
Because cut-throat competition threatened
to wreck the industrial system industries
under NRA drew up new rules, one of which
put a bottom on wages. When the Supreme
Court comes to decide. We do not doubt that
it will find this Constitutional.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
FOR PENAL PROGRESS

7 ME prison labor report of special NRA
committee opens the way for solution of
a difficult and controversial problem.
The committee-Judge Joseph N. Ulman of
Baltimore, w. Jet Lauck and Frank Tannen-
baum-urges plan that would conserve the
benefits of prison labor without menacing or
destroying industries that employ free work.
ers.
The plan is for the Relief Administration
to buy up priSon-made garments at a declining
volume over two years, for distribution to the
destitute. This would remove from market
competition food of cotton garments, espe-
cially some p million work shirts now poured
annually into free markets from prison mills
Then, for permanent reorganization of the
factories in state prisons, it is urged that the
Public Works Administration set aside $50 O0O,-
900 to transform these institutions into manu-
factories of diversified products that the state
governments can consume without putting any
of them on the open market An added ad-
vantage would be adequate vocational training
for prisoners.
Here is the best answer We have seen to
both the emergency and continuing prob
lens of prison labor. America can not afford
to support 100000 prisoners in idleness. Neither
can it permit prison labor to compete with that
Of free men.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
ORGANIZED POLICE FORCES
SOLUTION TO CRIME WAVE

BY L. n.
The plan for a centralized police
force that is being advocated in In
diana was urged for Massachusetts,
a year or so ago. AS I recall, the
opposition of the local forces was so
great that the plan failed. The only
reason for its failure was that the
local police were afraid to be shorn
of their power, and Of other ad-
vantageS that are held by the police
in that state. Sometimes it is very
profitable to be a policeman.
If the people are to be protected
fully from the forces Of organized
crime, there should be no expense
too large. With centralized police
force, a criminal Immediately would
be caught in statewide net in
stead of being pursued by inefficient
and badly co-ordinated local men
With the greatly needed teletype
machines and increase of radio cars,
the State Police could act as one
unit, and give to the towns more
protection than any local force
could give. The greatest deterrent
to criminals is not the number of
policemen on hand in a town, but
the probability of their being traced
and punished.
If the American Colonies had a
national army at the start of the
Revolution instead of small bands Of
unorganized men, historians agree
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
Il Il e
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR
ALL" is PLEA
BY A Times Reader.

BY A Times Reader.
In my opinion, the unemploy-
ment insurance or other relief pro-
grams won't prevent starvation until
the right program is adopted.
We were made to share the fruits
of earth. The laborer and farmer
are our benefactors with God, by
cooperating with God and making
possible the fruits. But the world
treats them poorly.
The wealth of any nation should
be distributed to all in the right
way. This can't be done unless we
all realize the situation and fight
for the Chambers of Commerce to
change their philosophy. And for
rights Of representation in Congress,
with human rights above property
rights.
The capitalists and the manufac-
turers have caused the suffering and
put the poor on the level of beasts.
1t is high time for the laborer to be
given what he has been denied. We
must make possible a more abund-
ant life for all We demand that
humans fight for humans rights.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
HOLDS RELIEF COST
CURTAHS AID
By w. G. T.

BY w. G. T.
Please accept this letter to voice
little sentiment or perhaps a
grudge, whatever the term may be.
I read a recent letter by Leo Smith,
on which I wish to comment. I
presume he holds down some posi-
ton with the township trustee.
May I also recall a recent state
ment Of the Governor about ram
ming it down our throats," which
undoubtedly has been done, and we.
the unfortunate, made to like it,
in respect TO our relief situation.
which greatly needs reform, as the
overhead is more than the actual
relief.
According to information, why
should any one seeking relief be
downtrodden by investigators de-
handing and requesting automobile
licenses and also insurance policies
so as to receive the meager relief
offered by our technically known
Governors Unemployment Relief
Commission.
Why should any one be subsect cd
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
Believes insult Fairly Tried

been influenced by the legend that
was built up around him, we might
have seen him sentenced.
Shortly after he was acquitted,
a young man in Indianapolis was
sentenced to 10 to 25 years for the
theft of $25.
If there is ever a time when all
men should stand equal, it is be-
fore court. And the only way to
give them all the same opportun-
ity is for them to have lawyers as
nearly equal as can be found. The
best lawyers should not be re-
served for the wealthy men, and
the worst ones for the poor. I
think that lawyers should be paid
by. the state, and appointed to a
case without any choice of the de-
fendant. In such a manner, all
trials would have the same impair
TALLY. And there is something
vastly absurd in man having to
pay money to prove that he is
innocent of an accusation. Let
the guilty pay the expense Of
trials, but let the innocent go free
of expense.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
POORHOUSES MAY GO

YOU can get notion of what a Federal
- old-age pension law might accomplish by
looking at the program drawn up by Ohio au
thorities, who are administering a new state
old-age pension law.
Just now they are classifying all occupants
Of poorhouses, to see how many of them are
eligible for such pensions Before long, thou
sands of these pitiful old paupers will be out
of the poorhouses, living self-respecting lives
in their own communities. Eventually, the au-
thorities believe, the poorhouses can be largely
abolished.
Such program has two great advantages
1t is infinitely kinder to the aged themselves
and it is cheaper for the community as
whole To embody the old-age pension plan
in Federal law would be to take vast step
forward.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
SHRINKING COTTON

ID EMOVAL of all Bankhead Act restric-
N tons on cotton growers producing two
bales or less. promised by President Roosevelt,
Will simplify administration of the cotton pro-
gram. It probably will not affect materially
the troublesome surplus
BY vigorous acreage curtailment and high
loans the Administration has arrested tempo
rarily the paralyzing effect of the cotton cur
plus. But our cotton industry which normally
markets more than half of its crop abroad
must soon either recapture vanishing foreign
markets or shrink to half its normal size
Foreign markets can not be recaptured so
long as our cotton prices are kept artificially
above the world level Some form of export
bounty to help American cotton compete in
foreign markets has been suggested. But a
bounty. alone. probably would not suffice. since
other cotton producing countries could play
the same game.
Normally our best cotton customers are such
countries as Great Britain. Germany. France,
Italy and Japan. which are now turning to
other sources or to substitutes. They could
buy more of our cotton if they could sell US
their goods. But this exchange is hampered
by our tariffs.
This brings us back to the need of speed
ing up trade treaty negotiations. It is not
simple nor an easy solution. but it is the only
alternative to finding other crops or other
means of livelihood for millions of cotton
farmers.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08

BY a Reader.
Although I was as disappointed
as any one at the acquittal of
Samuel insult, I think that his
trial was as fair as it could be.
Naturally, a wealthy man can pay
a publicity agent to build up
legend about him and lawyer to
ease him out of Jail. He has adj
vantageS in court that are denied
to poor. But he is tried in ac-
cordance with laws that are laid
down for every one, and if it can
not be proved that he broke those
laws, he goes free.
Although it set a precedent to
acquit insult, it is better that he
go free on the slightest shred of
innocence than go to Jail on the
slightest one of guilt. We can not
blame the judge or the jury. What
we can blame in all such trials is
legal system that permits I'M
equal power to the rich and to
The poor defendants.
If insult had a lawyer selected
by the court the way so many poor
men have, if the jury had not
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08

and will continue to do so until the
capital debt structure will fall Of
its own weight from the force of
diminishing returns. Recovery lies
in the direction of increasing con-
sumers' demand through giving
more for the money, and cutting
down of distribution costs.
Capitalism's salvation lies in a
realization that consumers rule the
market value of all goods and
capital.
The pretty bubbles represented by
stock certificates, bonds, mortgages
and bank credits, are made of soft
soap floating in the air. They will
sink to meet the consumers APP
praisal of them, through steady de-
cline of consumption, the sooner
the better. The consumer will re-
value capital and debt structures.
We are on our way out of dream
land.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
STREET CAR EXTENSION
ASKED ON EAST SIDE
By H. S. OsgOOd.

BY H. S. Osgood.
Your valuable paper formerly
maintained an important feature
that might have been and probably
was overworked at times. 1t was
known as Mr.. FiXit.
Nevertheless Mr.. FiXit should be
invoked when public convenience
and municipal welfare are involved.
The extension of certain lines of
indianapolis Railways service is not
meeting the demand of the city's
growth, although the bus system
at an advanced passenger rate is
supposed to offset the trolley, not
withstanding the known advantage
Of the rail system.
1t would be very desirable for
citizens in that portion of Irvington
north of Pleasant Run between E.
Washington and E. Tenth-stS if the
street car company would change
its terminal on its E. Michigan-st
line from the present end of the
line of E. Mich1gan-st and N. Emer-
son-av to Pleasant Run-blvd and N
Arlington-av, IL or IA squares
farther east.
Such an extension would stimu-
late the building Of homes on all
the intervening streets and would
attract hundreds of families de-
string suburban homes in the newer
portions Of this city, especially in
an area SO attractive as to invite
permanent residence for thousands
of people DESTROYS of locations en-
tirely separate from any possible
contact with manufacturing inter
ests, smoke nuisance of inferior
residential conditions.
Your valuable paper should en-
courage this improvement at an
early date as a real move in the
right direction to encourage better
times.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08

payments and do not do so should be dealt
with strictly on a business basis.
The $50 900 home owners fortunate enough
to have HoLC loans are the debtors of
benehcent government, which refinanced
their obligations on long-term basis and at
very low rate of interest-terms gladly ac-
copied by the mortgagors.
Chairman Fahey properly has served fore
closure notice on deliberate defaulters. He
could not do otherwise, in fairness to the 10
per cent Of borrowers who are keeping faith
and to the taxpayers who have guaranteed
both the principal and interest Of Hole bonds
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
SATURDAY. DECEMBER q. 1894.
THE EUROPEAN CRISIS

THERE would be war in Europe today but
l. for the League of Nations the Czecho
slovakian foreign minister sold the league yes
terday. DR.. Benes may or may not exagger-
ate the power of the league in the Hungarian
Yugoslsv dispute. But most observers think
that Europe is still too close to war for COM
fort.
Much will depend upon the skill and cour-
age of Great Britain and France today at
Geneva when they try to quiet the disputants.
If only Hungary and Yugoslavia we're involved,
the task would be easier. But rallying to
Yugoslavia's support. in addition to her Little
Entente allies, Czechoslovakia and Rumania,
is the Balkan bloc of Bulgaria Greece and
Turkey
While Italy supports Hungary and France
supports Yugoslavia. Germany waits in the
background And there is the rub. France
might take frmer peace tone with Yugo-
slavia If Hitler were not trying to grab of
Yugoslavia alliance.
The issues, as usual are intricate with
right and wrong on both sides Both Hun
gary and Yugoslavia are ruled by dictator
ships, which have dealt ruthlessy with minor
tiles. The Croats, who obtained freedom from
Hungary in the war, have since been mis-
treated by their brother Serbs, who failed to
grant them the promised equality in the new
YugoslaYa kingdom. Whether or not they
assassinated King Alexander, Croatian ter
orists have lived freely and plotted in Hun
gary. Yugoslavia while bringing charges
against Hungary before the league, is driving
thousands of innocent Hungarians from their
homes in the Hungarian territory which Yugo-
. savia gained from the World War.
More important than the surface issues is
the deeper struggle for balance of power in
Europe between the HAYES and the have-nots.
Because of this every serious dispute between
two small nations becomes a real threat of
general European war.
Tragic though this situation is, there is
nothing the United States can do about it.
If We NEEDLE We shall get our fingers burned
and maybe worse.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
PRESENTS PICTURE OF
ECONMIC STATE
By a Times Reader.

6y a lines Reader.
The national medicine show has
sold the country such packages as
tariffs, gold revaluation, beer barrel
employment, subsidy taxes on farm
products, Government loans to boil
ster bad investments and petrified
debt, public work financing based on
hand labor instead of machine, re-
building of forests devastated by
private initiative, price fixing above
the consumers buying power, reduc-
ton Of production far below the
needs Of normal consumption
level, public borrowing to pay inter-
est on public debt, abolition Of re-
straint on price-hXing agreements,
rising cost of distribution Of goods,
and feeding empty stomachs or
confidence ballyhoo.
All this was done to detract from
the work Of the confidence men who
built up a constantly rising overhead
on distribution, which has con-
tracted producer-consumers buying
power TO disastrously low levels.
MAKEUP in distribution has risen
from SO per cent in 1850, to "a per
cent in 1880 and NRA has added TO
this, so we have now a constantly
rising relief line.
We are buying with a l6-cent
dollar as consumers, while distribu-
ton takes "a cents of the dollar Of
production. These costs of distribu-
ton are based on credit consump-
ton; uncollectable export balances,
excess capital goods, mountain
ranges Of skyscrapers, staggering
mortgage debt. bonds both public
and private, inflated capitalization
and obsolete equipment on which
earnings are demanded
he atm fo4 3o1age hook
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08
ANOTHER SHUTTLE IN
NEW DEAL DESIRED

BY Times Reader.
I beg the privilege of little space
in your excellent paper to speak a
little of my mind.
Why is it that some persons on
relief work get all the breaks?
know some who get four and five
days work week and also get sup
plies, food, blankets, mattresses and
clothing, with only four, five and six
in families, while there are quite a
number of six, seven and eight who
don't get any Of those extras. Why
is it?
1t seems this New Deal is a raw
deal for some. Come on, you fellows
at the head of this relief admins
tration, shuttle the cards again and
give a chance to cut them and turn
this raw deal into a square deal, re-
CARELESS Of race, creed, color OF
politics.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-08

that the war would have been over
IN less than year. The Federal
Government has done mora to track
down criminals in the last year than
ever was done before. Organization
is the only means by which we can
end the war against crime.
1t is time to cease pickering about
the rights of the municipalities and
even of the states, and to act to-
gether for a common cause. No one
would object to surrendering a few
OF his rights in order to protect his
home against theft. No one should
protest against giving the state the
right to protect him more ably than
his village can.