davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
THE METHODISTS SPEAK

4 TIMELY warning is issued by the Metho-
n dist Federation for Social Service against
proposed measures to suppress radicals.
Speaking for the federation. DR.. Harry F.
Ward said:
If American citizens let these laws pass,
they will wake up and find they have lost all
the freedom guaranteed them by the Consti-
tuition If the Communists are denied their
constitutional rights, we shall soon see the
order Of events that was followed in Europe.
First the Communists are represSed, then the
Socialists, then the labor unions, then the
others.
If this legislation is passed big business
Will have the legal machinery to put out Of
business any organization that opposes capt.
talism or war or that conducts a strike. 1t will
not be necessary TO subsidize Fascist storm
troops. They will kill democracy in the name
Of democracy. and they viii trample upon
every sacred principle of Christianity"
To appreciate the logic OF DR.. Wards state
ment. Americans have only to recall the tyr
amy Of the federal spy system under Atty.
Gems. Palmer and Daugherty.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
FEWER DEATHS UNDER STRESS

ONE of the oldest things about the de-
~ preston is the fact that the death rate
has been falling. When people are going
hungry and are unable to pay for medical
care, you would expect more of them to die;
on the contrary, in such representative state
as New York, the death rate has dropped from
l2.4 for each 1000 inhabitants in 1929 to Ill
in 1884.
The chief explanation, according to D. j.
v. de Porte of the New York State Health
Department, is fairly simple 1t is, he says,
'the fact that state and Federal governments
have assumed ever greater responsibility for
maintaining of life among the millions of
unemployed and their families"
A sharp commentary on American society,
when you stop to think Of 1.-THE fact that
so many people get better attention when
they are broke than they do when they are
self-supporting.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
OUR DIRIGIBLES'

NUMEROUS as the talents of the American
IN people undoubtedly are, it is beginning
to look as though the knack of building and
plotting huge dirigibles successfully is a talent
which they lack.
The MaconS plunge into the Pacific diff
fers from our earlier airship tragedies princi-
pally in that it was not accompanied by large
loss of life. In other respects it is disnayingly
similar to them.
A line squall destroyed the Shenandoah.
Wind and weather sent the Akron down into
the Atlantic. Just what wrecked the Macon
is not yet clear. but the probable cause seems
to have been the big ships collapse in a kind
of weather which both airplanes and surface
ships combat without much difficulty.
In addition, of course there may have been
some structural fault which has not been made
public.
All this, to a public which was originally
stirred to great enthusiasm by these cleaning
silver airships, is exceedingly disturbing.
And as the naval and congressional COM
mittees get to work to find out the cause of
this latest disaster, it would be good if they
could find out definitely whether the fault in
this string of accidents lies with ourselves
or is something inherent in all big airships.
So far, the weight of the evidence seems
to lay most of the blame on the dirigibles.
These ships are big, graceful, marvels of
design and construction-and, apparently, a
little too frail. 1t may be that it simply is not
possible to put into these light and airy crea-
tions sufficient sturdiness to Withstand the
e+~ Of
In other words it may be that we now have
enough evidence to justify the conclusion that
the dirigible is not and can not be made
practical.
Before we leap to this conclusion, however
we need to do a little more digging. For on
the other side of the Atlantic the Germans
have shown an amazing ability to handle these
airships without disaster. The tragedies that
mark dirigible history over here are not dupli-
Gated in Germany.
And that leads Us to our second considera-
ton: Is the fault with ourselves? Are We
just shade less capable in the matters Of
design and building than the Germans? Is
our method of training airship crews de-
fective?
Is there some skill which the Germans have
and which we lack. the possession Of which
makes the dirigible a safe and dependable
craft?
We should not answer these questions off,
hand. The most thorough kind of investiga-
ton is needed-not merely to show why the
Macon went down, but to show why all our
airships go down; to show whether the airship
experiment is worth continuing or not.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
ADD THIS TO TEST OF
DEPRESSION CURES

By T. NJ. G.
There have been so many schemes
and plans to end the depression
that one more won't nurt. How is
this for an idea?
Take the money that Mr.. Roose-
welt is about to spend for relief and
place it in suitable, centrally located
government institutions such as the
postofflce or Federal bank, then
make it possible for responsible
heads of families, who are unem-
ployed or who are earning less than
$500 a year to borrow it on a
long term note with low rate Of
interest, as follows: The borrower
would present list of all his debts,
together with the names and adj
dresses of his creditors. Also a list
of the things of which he is most
in need, like clothes, furniture,
medical attention, house repairs
and groceries.
Instead of giving him the money
to pay his debts -Ie government
would send checks to all his credit
ors, thus positively canceling this
debt. Loan him enough money to
purchase the commodities he needs
and force him, under strict regu-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16

THIS country rarely has heard as scanning
Il an arraignment as Harold Ickes' criticism
on the petroleum industry.
= challenge" he writes in the Saturday
Evening Post, ANY other present day industry
in the United States 70 show greater waste,
inefaciency and rnismanagement than seems
to be inherent in the oil industry, whether OF
its own making or because Of inadequate
laws"
Ours is coming TO be largely an oil ciyiliza-
ton. It helps to run the Army and Navy,
trains. autos, planes and factories. 1t lights
and heats homes. cleans clothes, kills de-
structive insects Without cheap and plentiful
oil we would become an inferior nation. Yet
the man who should know says that at the
present rate Of consumption Eve have but 10
to IS years Of known cheap oil supphesF
Saw that new discoveries may double that
period to 30 years, and still it is an alarming
situation.
The picture he paints Of waste in the oil
fields is sickening. The daily waste OF OIL
and cas- would give warmth and light TO all
the 45OOOOO relief families. In the Texas
Panhandle alone 365 billion cubic feet OF gas
enough energy to supply the Army ana
Navy for seven years-hisses away annually
into the air. In the Oklahoma City area 30
per cent Of the 43O billion cubic feet OF gas
Is annually wasted.
Since Jan. l, 1888, we have consumed two
and a half times as much oil as has been
discovered in new fields and have drawn on
our reserves at the rate of 100000 barrels
day.
Nothing short of drastic Federal leglsla-
ton can halt this prodigality and destruction
State regulation has failed. State treaties
will not suffice. If the oil industry is wise it
Will support adequate Federal legislation 10
save its own vanishing wealth
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
CRITICS ARE BLUSHING

XxTHEN a genius sets out to have little
w Joke, the joke is apt to be so profound
that no one but its perpetrator even knows
about it.
Consider the joke OF Fritz Kreisler, famous
violinist.
For 30 years Mr.. Kreisler has been playing
compositions supposed to have been written by
various old-time masters in the world OF
music.
His programs credited them to such COM
posers as Vivaldi, Couperin and others and
gave Mr.. Kreisler credit merely for arranging
them.
Learned critics occasionally remarked that
Mr.. Kreisler, in editing these pieces, did not
follow the original as well as he might have;
others complimented him for interpreting the
true spirit of the composer.
But now it develops that Mr.. Kreisler wrote
them all himself For 80 years he has had
Joke on the critics-and no one would have
known it if he had not, at last, admitted it
himself.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
DARK SKIES

ExPLRTS working for the Federal Emer-
IL gency Relief Administration sat down not
long a.yo TO try to find out Just who this for
gotten man We have been hearing so much
about really is.
Examining their records. they came to the
surface at last with the following description:
He is between IS and IS years Of age He
makes up about q per cent Of the employ
able" relief population; but there's a catch in
the use Of that adjective, because his chances
OF re-entering private industry are almost nil,
IS being accounted sere and yellow old age
in employment Offices these days.
The forgotten man, further. has little hope
Of cashing in under any unemployment insur-
arce scheme and unless he is getting very
close 10 65 no old-age pensions viii do him
much good.
II the Administrations s4SOO. 100000 work
relief scheme goes through. it may mean a
JOB for him. but the job VIII be only ter
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16

porary and It won't pay him any very princely
sum.
All in all. he is Flooding along under a
pretty dark sky, and there is little indication
that his sky is going to get much lighter.
And his existence under such circumstances
is one Of the most telling indictments
imaginable against our whole social system.
The man who has passed As ought to be
just entering the age in which he can enjoy
the fruits Of the society In which he lives.
The experience he has gained in his work
ought to make him valuable man in his job;
his years Of living ought to have ripened his
wisdom so that he could get more human
values out Of his life than ever before.
Instead, in all too many cases, passing on
into middle age is apt to take him over the
deadline beyond which there is no secure place
for him. We seem to have arranged things SO
that we have no use for him.
If he has a job, he must worry about losing
II: if he loses it, he is pitched into situation
from which it Is constantly becoming more
difficult for him to extricate himself by his
own exertions.
There is something both heartless and silly
about such a state of affairs. One Of the
prime features of any proper New Deal'
ought to be the discovery Of some workable
way to remedy it.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
By L. L. Hopkins.

By L. Il. Hopkins.
According to an article in The
Times of Feb. II Otto Deluse is
quoted as saying that the Town
send old-age revolving pension
plan is fantastic and utterly i'm
possible to administer. He gives
Mr.. Townsend and the thousands"
Che should have said millions) of
subscribers to the Townsend plan
credit for humanitarian motives
and acting IN good faith"
1t may be a coincidence, but it
sounds like a parrot repetition of
the objections which have been
raised by many others who knew
nothing about the plan and who,
after a thorough study, have given
it their hearty Endorsement and
support. I am going to hazard
guess that DR.. Deluse has not
studied the Townsend plan from
any authoritative source of infor-
nation and that if, and when he
does, he will do as thousands of
other intelligent persons who
thought of it just as he does (in-
GLIDING myself, if I may claim
intelligence), at first glance, after
thinking it out have Endorsed it.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
ANOTHER PLAN FOR
PENSIONING AGED

BY ]. A. Endicott.
AS there have been number OF
noted writer's giving their plans for
a pension for the old people, I
thought it would be in order for me
to suggest one, too.
I have in mind to start them off
with something worth while. Give
them enough so that they can pre-
pare to live. They must have a
home and it's furnishings. If you
allow them SIS or $25 month, it
will only appease the hunger and
keep them just one step ahead of
where they are.
The government should give those
60 years or older for the first six
months 5000 month, to be spent
in 80 days, and the next six months
$50 a month to be spent the same
as the other and maximum
amount of $50 month for the bal
ance of their lives.
I don't think there is any one
who will consider such a pension
as a gift or an act of charity-it is a
bona fide debt we owe them. They
are the ones who made the United
States what it is today-the richest
country in the world.
I was here when tree molaSses
and corn cakes we're a great feast
I was born June 9, 1856, and if ]
live to see my next birthday, June
10, 1885, I will be 70 years old. ]
remember very well some of. the
panics and depressions we had in
the past, but the depression of 1925
is far more destructive to all classes
than were all Of the panics Of the
past.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
CHEATING THE CHILDREN

An example Of the .misinformation being
N given various state legislators concerning
the Child Labor Amendment is the statement
Of Arthur F. Mullen to Nebraska's lower
house.
L think know something about how the
Roosevelt Administration stands on things
said Mr.. Mullen. And I say this IS not an
Administration measure"
The fact is that the President and Admin
istration are fighting for ratification. For in
stance:
In the child labor field the obvious
method Of maintaining the present gains Is
through ratification of the Child Labor
Amendment. I hope this may be achieved. -
President Roosevelt.
The move for ratification of the Child
Labor Amendment must go on."-Secretary Of
Labor Perkins.
7 favor the amendment without reserva-
ton. and strongly urge its ratification. Sec
retary of Interior Ickes.
I strongly favor the proposed Child Labor
Amendment now being submitted to the
states '2Secretary of Agriculture Wallace.
The Child Labor Amendment to the Con-
situation of the United States should receive
the support Of all liberal-minded persons in
terested in social and economic progress
Atty. Gen. Cummings
1t is almost incredible to me that there
should be any doubt concerning the ratifi-
cation of the Child Labor Amendment. -
Postmaster General Farley.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16

a disgrace not only to our political
parties, but to our government itself.
Instead of being an instrument
for expressing the will Of the people,
the law has been perverted into an
evil continuance for sitting and
throttlirg the will of the electorate.
1t has given additional impetus to
the worst tyranny that ever afflicted
a free people-the tyranny of the
political bosses-the ruthless and
brutal domination of the political
machine often euphemistically
designated by its apologists as 'the
organization"
So easily does the primary lend
itself to the manipulation Of the
machine leaders, that it has come
to pass that no person irrespective
of his deserts or ability can hope
to be nominated, unless the bosses
underwrite his candidacy. And, as
a condition precedent to the support
of the bosses, it is required that the
primary aspirant pledge his allegi-
ance to them. And thus the vicious
circle is formed, out of which come
all the mischiefs and evils of bad
government.
The resentment of the voters in
both parties against these evils in
herent, or at least attendant on
primary elections, forced both
parties to pledge themselves SOL
EMMY to the repeal of the primary
law, in their last party platforms.
For either party to fail to live up
to this promise is a scandalouS
breach of a public obligation. If
platform promises made before the
election are to be boldly repudiated
after election, or construed in a
Pickwickian sense to the confusion
of the voters, then there is no such
thing as party responsibility.
Speaking as a party man, I can
think of no breach of faith so re-
prehensible and indefensible as that
of a great political party repudiat-
ing its platform covenants.
Still speaking as a party man, I
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
So They Say

The League (of Nation's) success
is greatly beneficial to our own in
terests, because trade thrives on
confidence.-Miss Sarah Wambaugh,
U S. adviser in Saar plebiscite.
I prefer to take risks.-Premier
Flandin of France.
We are not aiming at select and
limited understanding, but at peace
and well-being for all.-Sir John
Simon, British foreign secretary.
What I saw during my brief spell
of death has made me regret that
I ever came back.-John Puckering,
British gardener who was brought
back to life.
The old gold standard, worked
from London, is no test Of what the
new standard would be, worked
from several cepters.-Sr josiah
Stamp, British economist.
We are ready for any emergency;
we are always ready for an emery
ency-Atty. Gen. Homer Cummings.
Be born in a country where your
materials for your work lie.-Pearl
Buck, famous author, in advice to
authors.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16

lations, to produce receipts for all
his purchases, to show that the
money was spent wisely. By the
time that 40 per cent of the people
had paid their debts, the other go
per cent would be able to pay their
own way.
They talk about putting money
in circulation and starting the ball
rolling. If this plan won't do it,
what will? Not only will it do
that, but it will release us poor
devils from the heckling and pes
tering of a lot of modern shylCcks.
The total Indebtedness to the
government would not be personal,
but a family debt. The average
man, free from his small debts,
would be able to insure himself for
enough to pay this debt to the gov
eminent, bury him decently, and
have enough to keep his family
for a reasonable length of time
after he passed away, in case he
did so before his note came due.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
WORLD WAR VETERAN
REPLIES TO JUNIOR

By VIM. H. McClary.
I served in the army during the
World War and believe me can
give The Times readers a few facts
regarding the type Of man who
wrote Juniors letter.
He says he is 80 years old. or
course he means he has lived 80
years, but he hasn't gotten his
growth.
He says he is neither pacifist nor
radical. Of course he isn't-it takes
men of intelligence to be either one.
He says he was IA years old dur
ing the war. Praise the Lord he
wasn't old enough to be drafted;
I might have had him in my out
fit, and I know that all officers
in the next war will pray that he
is too old to be drafted.
This man really should be ig-
nored, but I thought it would be
a good idea to let him know what
real men think of his type.
Of course, he would yell about
his taxes. I wonder if he has paid
his last years poll tax?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
OBJECTS TO TAX AND
OLEO BILLS IN ASSEMBLY
By Ross James.

By Ross James.
In reading The Indianapolis Times
I see some of the proposed laws for
the state include an oleomargarine
tax. Why take the butter from a
poor mans child to help man who
can have real butter on his table?
A poor man can't afford creamery
butter or hardly any meat now.
Next is the proposed mining law.
Being a miner Of 10 years expert
enca in different mines of the state,
I see no laws that will help any Of
us. They will only hurt the mining
industry of the state. 1t is bad
enough now. It is The same old
story-the big mine operator trying
to run the small one out of business.
1 thought that it was unconstitu-
tional to pass class legislation. If
they can tax cleo for the farmers,
why cant they tax natural gas and
fuel oil SO people can't use them?
They will have to use coal and that
will help the miner.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
Real Pension Study Needed

I also have given quite a little
study to old-age pensions from in
formation received from Washing
ton and other sources including
insurance statistics and find most
Of them utterly inadequate and
apparently just salve to our
conscience instead of the kind of
annuity we would want for our
friends, our relatives and our
selves. The Golden Rule is the
ony ethical or Christian premise
on which to base "fair and rea-
Sonable" pension or annuity.
In conclusion I would like to
ask Mr.. Deluse what Gin present
purchasing power) he would con-
slider a flair and reasonable" pen
sion for those who have worked 40
to as years and built our country
up to what it is today and now
find themselves destitute and de-
MED a chance to work if it was
available because of their age.
And I also ask him to think of
the Townsend plan as a recovery
plan. The pension part of it is
merely incidental as he will dis
cover if he really studies the plan.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
Capital Capers
VXTASHINGTON'S corps of foreig
Wv d0rc (tO COW nothing Of 111iI1ol
by GEORGE ABEL

NTASHINGTON'S corps of foreign ambaSSa-
w doris (to say nothing of minor diplomats)
is shifting every day. New faces are bobbing up
so quickly above the conference tables and the
tea tables that it's hard to remember who's who
The newest arrival comes from France, the
latest envoy to be appointed to this country
Senior DR.. Francisco Castillo Najera, new am
baSSador of Mexico.
Najera is six feet tall, dark complexioned,
with black hair showing traces of white around
the ears. He is only 40 years DID, used to be
surgeon and still is fond of medicine He
speaks perfect French and knows some English
Clean-shaven, serious looking and intellectual
he appreciates good joke and is noted for his
story telling.
Americans who met Najera in Paris (where he
was miniSter), found him entertaining and hos
pitable. Literary men discovered he was not only
a good surgeon but an excellent poet. Besides
numerous medical themes, he has written on
literary subjects. One of his, best books was
"a Century of Belgian Poetry" which he pub
lished in 1881.
With the new ambassador comes his talented
wife, who is noted for her painting and tour
children. He holds liberal views on education
and is a recognized expert on South American
diplomatic problems. His distinguished diplo-
matte career is too well known to need recount
ing
VICE PRESIDENT JACK GARNER is ex-
' tremely fond of squirrel stew, and Mrs. Gar
ner has sent the Democratic Digest, official or
gan of the Women'S National Democratic Club
the recipe for that dish.
The story goes that few days ago some
one asked Garner what beverage should accom-
pany plate of squirrel stew.
Il always take branch water with it," replied
Jack, unless my host is serving something bet
ter"
OUTSIDE of the Chinese legation and colony
Yin Washington only a handful Of person:
speak Chinese. One of the experts in that
language is jolly. affable George Hanson, until
recently American consul general in Moscow.
The State Department ruling abolishing the
consulate general there temporarily put George
out of job. His nomination as charge d'affaire.
at Adds Ababa, Abyssinia, where war now
threatens, is expected to be postponed shortly.
Washington diplomatic parties have taken OF
an added FLIP of interest since Georges advent
At one dinner, George arrived in magnif
Gently embroidered mandarin coat laced with
gold dragons. He wears black ties at Afternoon
teas and white ties at midnight. He exudes gooc
nature.
George" remarked friend the other day
after laughing at one of Hanson's jokes, you ar
worth your weight in gold"
If that is true commented Georges hoStes
as she surveyed his plump figure, Mr.. Hanson
must be worth at least Sl0,000,000"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-16
PRIMARY SYSTEM CALLED
POLITICIANS TOOL

By Thomts d. MCGEE.
Whatever virtues and excellencies
may be imputed to the primary sys-
tenn by theorists and unsophisti-
Gates it is, alas, lamentably true
that the primary election law as
administered in these latter days is