The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 6

i NATIONAL WHIRLIGIG RAY BROOKLYN EAGLE, SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 1942 Plan for Express Highway Through Heights Is Shocking ture similar to the West Side Highway. Only a brief study 6f the map is needed to show the destruction that would be wrought by driving such an express highway through the heart ol one of the finest sections of the borough which has largely withstood the changes of recent years. Iu addition to many fine apartment houses that would be affected, the general route under consideration would cut atross Monroe Place and Pierrepont Street in a way that would probably involve the demolition of at least part of the brand-new Appellate Division Court House, one of the most imposing public buildings in the borough. This doesn't make sense.

We have confidence that Borough President Cashmore, the members of the City Planning Commission and Park Commissioner Moses all of whom have an official responsibility in linking the two routes involved-will throw the weight of their influence against any move that might despoil the Heights. Brooklynitrs wrrp shocked to learn that serious consideration was beins Siven to a proposal to cut an express highway through the heart of the Heights. It was at first hard to believe that any responsible official who really knows this community would give any Ihought to such a plan, but the Eagle learned that surveyors and engineers ere actually in the field studying the situation. There is an important traffic problem involved that is crying for solution: The construction of a link between the widened Hicks Street, connecting with the Belt Parkway and the Hamilton Avenue Tunnel, and the widened Tillary Street, connecting with the Tark Avenue express route leading on across the borough to the Meeker Avenue Bridge over Newtown Creek and into Queens. More logical scheme would be to swing around by way of Furman Street along the river on an elevated struc Air-Minded Navy Every now and then wp read that the United States Navy has suddenly seen the light, has become air-minded, and ha.s given air officers a rank commensurate with the importance of aviation in modern war.

But when the words are cleared away from the thought in the latest announcement, well, we begin to wonder. In the latest instance, Rear Admiral John H. Towers, chief of the navy bureau of aeronautics, ha.s been made a vice admiral, and assigned to command the Pacific Fleet air force. "Admiral Towers is the first combat pilot to achieve so high a rank. So far so good, but who is appointed to replace him as chief of the bureau of aeronautics? An airman? Not at all.

It is Rear Admiral John S. McCain, who whatever his qualifications as a seaman, did not learn to fly till he was 51 years old. far too old to qualify as a combat pilot. A man 58 years old. who only learned to fly seven years ago, who.se whole life has been devoted to ships before that, becomes the naval air service's representative in the navy high command.

More Baby Carriages Now we are threatened with a shortage of baby carriages unless the War Production Board increases manufacturers' quotas. Here is a situation that reeds action. "Sharing rides" is all very well for oldsters in automobiles but there seem to be impossible difficulties in making a ride-sharing plan work for Junior or Little Sister. Worst of it is that baby carriages don't seem to be handed down from one child to another, even from one AT THE CONFUSION CROSSROADS I a i 4 TUCKER'S jg) LETTER Li FROM WASHINGTON A confidential breakdown and analysis of selective service figures reveal why fathers with families must go to war unless President Roosevelt and Congress get behind the army' demand for calling up youngsters in the age group of 18 and 19. The original number of registrants between 20 and 45 years was 27.000,000, which seemed an Impressive total before Peart Harbor, Singapore and Sevastopol.

But 17,000,000 had dependents 7,000,000 with wives alone, COO with spouses and children, about 1,000,000 with mothers, aunts, uncles, etc. Their elimination left only 10,000,000 as a basic reservoir of eligibles. But from that balance there must be deducted almost 4,000,000 including those rejected for disability (almost 40 percent under the old physical standards) and legal exemptees such as members of legislatures, judicial officials and personnel essential to the operation of Slate and municipal units of government. So the ultimate source of military manpower boils down to about 6.000,000, of which morn than half are now In one of the services. Had It.

not been for the men under 20 and over 45 who enlisted voluntarily, that slender 6,000.000 would now be exhausted by draft drawings. Thus, in order to obtain an army of an air force of 1.500.000 and a navy of 1,500.0000 (those are current official estimates of our victorious needs the benedicts or the boys must be enrolled as fighters. Which group it shall be depends on the White House and Congress. With election only six weeks away, both are balking and refusing to meet this problem. The experts' private estimates of industry's need for workers likewise disclose the reason why at least 10.000.000 women, including mothers, may have to quit housework for the assembly belt.

It begins to look as if the only member of the family who will be permitted to stay home will be the family cat or dog. The nation's potential labor force at present consists of 57,000,000 people. Of that total only 54.000,000 are now employed in factories producing military and civilian goods. If 8.000,000 or 10.000,000 additional males are required for the armed forces, their departure will leave far too few hands for turning out planes, tanks, ships, guns, etc. Their places must be taken by housewives and by youngsters now looking forward to a college education.

There is no other source of Industrial personnel. The women have responded magnificently so far. Manufactures, especially those engaged in fine precision operations, in letters to various agencies here have testified to their skill. But there are too few of them as yet. It will require inroads on the homes they have built, a sacrifice of all the values they hold dear, but those firesides and those treasures will vanish if they do not respond even more generously to the call for girls behind the lines.

That is the message which Washington will soon send out to American womanhood. Another of tho.se squabbles which hinder all-out war effort has exploded between the Maritime Commission and the Navy Department. Although both are "salt water men." Prank Knox and Rear Admiral Emory Land find it hard to keep out of each other's hair. De.spite the fact that the Commission canceled Andrew Jackson Higgins' contract for construction of several hundred cargo ships, it still exercises priority rights over the machinery it, had allocated to the New Orleans builder. The Land agency refuses to release it.s hold on this material for fear Mr.

Knnx will rush in and grab it, as he corralled the supply of duck for uniforms. The army now goes coatless under official edict because the navy has a corner on the stuff. The "Landsmen" have no yard at present where the Higgins tools ran be utilized. The navy contends it has. But the shipbuilding gadgets will remain unused in warehouses and on sidings unless President Roosevelt intervenes in the quarrel.

RAINY DAY Bt EDGAR A. Gl'EST That gentle, quiet sort of rain Which sometimes lasts the day Taps at my roof and window pane In such a friendly way. And tired and worn by constant mm And earth burned hard and brown, Tis good to see the rivers run The gutters of the town. 'Tis good to see the gardens small Turn blithe once more and gay As many a tiny waterfall Sweeps ugliness away. So, sensing all thing fair renewed In such a simple way, I thank the Lord in gratitude Who sends a rainy day.

BROOKLYN EAGLE (Trad lltrk Ei(lt Ret'tttredl (rounded bT bite Van Andcn In THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAOUI FRANK E. SCHROTH. Prcildcnt and FublUher W. T. CROWBIX.

Bccrttarr and Trramrer lada Bulidlnf, Johnaon and Adami StratU Brooklyn, htm York TELEPHONE MAIn 4-6200 Bubacrlptlon rata by mall for the Brooklyn Eait In lha UnlUd Btalpa, ona I'll, ill no mwrrd at the B'nnk'vn PoMoftica ai acon CIim Mall Matter .1 1 Werner in th Chiciso Sua HEFFERNAN says Ten-Quart Pails and Ten-Gallon Hats 'D" slands nut, at the upper left-hand corner of the Fire Department notice I found In my mail on my return from O.swegatchle. A civilian population, reduced to confusion by the Inconsistencies of light-headed officialdom and the multiplicity of Initial letters, may conjecture that In this instance, stands for. defense, but I could add three otherwise innocent characters of the alphabet in order to adequately express my feelings after attempting to comply with the requirements. For I find that, as a free American citizen, endeavoring to make every possible sacrifice for American victory, I have another new master. For failure to comply with rules and regulations, expressed in the printed document before me, or unexpressed in any document I know, I am likely to be fined S.iflO if they can find it or consigned to the hoo.se-gow for six months.

In the early part of this Summer. Councilman Stanley Isaacs on an emergency message from the Mayor introduced an ordinance compelling all of us to put stirrup pumps, hose, sand pails of a certain character and other Incendiary bomb fighting equipment in our homes. Public resentment exploded because the affair had a rackety smell. Mayor La-Guardia went on his privately conducted and publicly supported radio station and charged t.fth columnists with misrepresenting his part In the matter. No sand containers were necessary', said the Mayor; any container would do.

Every one had five fingers on each hand, the Mayor declared, and all one had to do was thumb a garden hose nozzle and, LETTERS TO THE EAGLE Ltter muit bear tignaturci and addrtict of writcrt but pen namei will ba ptrmitttd at tht discretion of the editor, who reserves the right to cut any letter down to meet requirements of spoce. Dodger Fan Attributes Slump To Squabbling With Umpires To the Editor oj the. Brooklyn Eagle: It does not seem possible for a team playing, on a general average, championship baseball, to slump as badly as the Brooklyn Dodgers have during the last few weeks. It is my humble opinion that it is more or less due to squabbling with the umpires by the manager, the coaches and the players. The umpires are paid officials and are selected for their ability, knowledge of the game, and keen insight, and it does not help the team along to squabble over decisions.

It is very rare that the decision of an umpire has been changed due to this type of approach. What the Dodgers should do is play baseball, fight for everything possible, but be reasonable about decisions and not try to win games on that ba.sis. We must take the bitter with the sweet and try to be good sports. I do not mean let everybody walk all over you, but there should be "give and take." If the Dodgers had followed this formula; their minds would have been on baseball, which was the job they were doing, and not the rulings of an umpire. I have been a Brooklyn Dodger rooter for over one-half a century and feel that I could collect some of my old baseball players and at.

the present time, give them a pretty good battle. Come on, Dodgers, bury the rowdy hatchet and play ball. The Yankees, who are at the top of the American League, play ball. How many times have they been called down, or their manager, for not accepting the decisions of umpires? THEODORE E. GOELLER.

Manhattan, Sept. IS. generation to another, the way they used to be, though whether that is because today's babies are harder on carriages or we are just less thrifty than we used to be is not apparent. Still, there must be some old baby carriages in attics. Why doesn't some enterprising agency set up a used-perambulator lot to insure transportation for the impending generation? St.

Peter's 75th Anniversary The pastor and people of St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church are now concluding arrangements for celebrating on Sunday, Oct. 4. the 75th anniversary of the founding of this fine old Brooklyn institution. On this occasion the Eagle is happy to join with others in extending heartiest congratulations to St.

Peter's and to Its pastor, the Rev. Dr. J. George F. Blaesi, who has led the church for 13 years and was the assistant pastor for 15 years prior to that.

Like his predecessors he has been an inspiring leader. The present beautiful church home on Bedford Ave. near De Kalb was dedicated under the historic pastorate of the Rev. Dr. John J.

Heischmann which lasted for nearly half a century. St. Peter's is one of the largest and strongest Lutheran congregations in the city and throughout its history has made many fine contributions to the advancement of the best interests of this community. On its diamond jubilee the people of Brooklyn have reason to be proud of the record of St. Peter's.

BUY WAR BONDS AND STAMPS pnrsioV'atlon. Tt had bopn A subject of ron-' rm fsv in half a down Npw York ram-pa Nfr. Poosrvel! first major proposal a. to tako I hp question out, of realm of political debate and artually Ret ar'ert on the pro.jf attempt to get. the work under has been blocked, not always by the same.

nb-'ars. There have been differences of enaniepniiK opinion, difficulties between the State and Federal Rovernments, and lapses of m'erest in Canada, as well as the perennial stntRKle between the economic and political ctoups in the United States favoring and op-)Ospd to the development. The project, have been completed pais ago. A year and a half ago, the President renewed hi.s efforts and an understand-in vas reached with the Canadians. If work had bppn benun llien.

the project would now be half completed. The electric, power is needed, or could lie i i-rrl to Kond arivanta.ee, and the seaway would be a definite av.pt, to war effort. If the project could be completed in a year and a half, It miKht be of great value, even the war can be won in two or three years. If the war goes beyond three years, we may rearct that corn; ruction of the project was not pressed in 1342 and 1943. It is loo bad that the St.

Lawrence projert vas not completed long ago. But if its construction now requires materials and men needed rise where tinder a strat egy which calls for powerful offensive actions during the com-in; two vears. i's post poneme'it follows as matter of course. NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS IN WASHINGTON By 1 Wll ERNEST K. LINDLEY St.

Lawrence Seaway Plan lo, there was the spray to put out the incendiary bomb. But now I must get. me a hose that will reach any part of my dwelling. I've been able to purchase a coupling which enables me to get a sufficient range from which to douse the little cottage. But I cannot get an automobile with which to get sand from Coney Island or any nearby beach, and I cannot find a store in which I can buy sand or the kind of coveted containers specified.

Neither of my furnace shovels fits the bill, although the spec-Hied shovels called "long-handled" shovels, are about a foot longer than the handle of mine, and that much safer in fighting an incendiary. But I must get them, or 500 bucks that might be. as a matter of fact, now are, buying war bonds, rocs into the fine fund, and off I go to durance vile for six months. No civilian must make a mistake. Of course the Mayor, when every top job-holder in Washington is telling us that, unless we save rubber the war effort is on the fritz, can get several miles of fire hose that won't fit any fire nozzle in town, and the calaboose does not threaten His Honor.

And Leon Henderson, recently at White Face Inn on a mountain top, can tell us we must walk or be forever slaves, and then get an airplane to carry his friends to his own luxurious retreat. Precept and example can bang each other in the nose, but, Mr. Civilian, don't you consider the example and disregard the precept. And, Mr. Civilian, whose taxes pay Mr.

I-Guarriia and all these other Rentlemen directors of this new and inexplicable democracy, don't mind me. I'll probably be able to get long-handled shovels and covered 10-quart containers In time, but I do wish that consistency and sense would get Into the 10-gal-lon hats of some of our heroes of the home front don't you? That First Million from the 81 IjOu'b Pst-D'ptrM As the Chinese say, In announcing the total of Japanese bumped off in the five-year invasion, the first million is the hardest. pilot said: 'Who's been sitting IT'S m. -'-vi Collides With War Strategy "P-e rn' r. 'ha' S' T.n retire waav and xa'cr power r.f,:1 perhaps be dr ferrer) nrrord with 're war plans of T'nrrl Nation.

Tlc-c for on a creat ale a' tf.p ear I.e.-1 prai 'liable moment. The great of. io: many from 'he we h'-ri nev oar. if not Whet; rirrmanv )h? her: ancd up, the L'ni'rr! (an applv a Jtp.tr.. irtlirr small vich as 'hat bctrm in the Snlo-P n.av ronir a' hr Some of pirns' ornp of our naval ron-'!" i pit'dica'cd on a loiig f.

r' as a Iipc'p a L'a ill th1 1 rnr s'ratray. which to Mr.kr 'i- prolan to ftnkp )in of tvmr.ns tite jar a or thrpp par-, Ti.c I 1 i.jin in' rr-1 i-r Tnr P-r. i ti material now. And p. i fry, if', for tor at I'inl ''t''i u.

'o ivtrical H.i: p.r.vi the St. It' hm, a piiiip. i i.jHi iailv ios I' i nr. 'ni a' cat 14 veal''-. i Co: p' r.or of Np V' -r 'i'p drvrl- uppii under Colls for Combined Wor Effort To the Editor of the flrooAyu Eagle: We Americans can thank our God that we are fighting this war on foreign soil; and only by our combined effort over here are those hovs of ours going to end it over there.

OLD TIMER. Brooklyn, Sept. 13. Suggests Wardens Collect Scrap To the Edilor fi Brooklyn Eagle: Since the air raid wardens are organized, why not have them ro from house to house on their respective posts and see that all snap metal Is turned In for salvage? WALTER D. GRANT.

Brooklyn, Sept. Id. 25 YEARS AGO IN BROOKLYN September 19, 1917 John J. Bennett of 242 Ovington Ave. was polishing brass kettles today as a member of the kitchen police at Camp Upton.

J. H. Kracke. local Republican leader, ha.s sent nut 15,000 circulars urging the elec-tion of Lewis H. rounds as Borough President.

GRIN AND BEAR I By Lichty and then the MY.