Dale News, Volume 6, Number 19, Dale, Spencer County, 2 July 1943 — Page 3

LOOKING AHEAD BY GEORGE S. BENSON President, Harding College Searcy, Arkansas

last count, 203 of these had been obliged to do-over their government contracts; too many, but less than 1/4 of 1% of the 85,000. Progressing at this rate they will get through some time before the middle of the next millennium unless, as I suggested in December, they build up an enormous bureaucracy. Not Worth Doing Careful study of this renegotiation work proves the law worthless as a revenue measure. Take the War Department as an example: Its auditors have refigured contracts totaling 8.6 billion dollars and claim to have recovered for Uncle Sam 300 million dollars. This looks big on the deceiving face of it, but actually 80% to 90% of this revenue would have come in quite automatically through the excess profits tax that was working satisfactorily when the federal “Renig Law” was passed. Net recovery therefore has been 60 million dollars or 7/10 of 1% of the amounts involved.

GEM THEATRE HUNTINGBURG, IND.

Bureaucratic Blight Early in December 1942 this column offered a pointed protest to a federal law calling for the renegotiation of war contracts. What I wrote at that time aroused a deal of criticism. My article was frankly a forecast, saying what was likely to result from trying to enforce the Renegotiation Law. I am no prophet. I only wish I had been able to foresee the worst. The law is a year old now and a Senate committee has learned and told part of the sad story.

FRI., SAT., JULY 2-3

“NORTHWEST RANGERS” with William Lundigan, James Craig.

Plus “JACARE” with Frank Buck James Danneldson.

News”. Show Friday 7:30 p. m Saturday 6-8:30 p. m.

SUN., MON., JULY 4-5

ALL SET for a good full day’s work when a nagging headache sneaks up on you. You suffer and so does your work. Ready for an evening of relaxation and enjoyment—a pesky headache interferes with your fun, last, enjoyment or relaxation.

“ANDY HARDY'S DOUBLE LIFE” with Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Esther Williams. “Comedy” and “News”. Sunday Continuous Shows 3 p. m.—5:05 p. m.—7:10 p. m. Monday 7:30 p. m.

Discussing the needlessly rapid growth of government bureaus, I wrote: “The law governing the renegotiation of war contracts will (by itself) create four boards, many branch offices and possibly 200,000 jobs for auditors, investigators, etc.” In this same connection I mentioned that an estimated 100,000 married men had been needed to fill the November draft quota; i.e., every man of draft age who took a soft government job exposed one more husband and father, to military service. Figures Disputed After the article was published, an administration man whom I admire, a man of unquestioned competence and patriotism, assured me with emphasis that only a small fraction of the 200,000 jobs I had suggested would actually be created by the Renegotiation Law. I do not know how many men finally were assigned to this job of fighting windmills but the pace set during the first ten months indicates that between 300 and 400 years will be required for its completion. This is true if the report of the Senate committee headed by Harry S. Truman of Missouri can be trusted, and I think it can.

The worst feature of the illconceived affair is that manufacturers have to turn their attentions from production of military essentials and let our fighting men wait while they palaver with government auditors. One manufacturer of fiveinch gun mounts for steamships said recently, addressing the American Legion convention, “We shut down our plants two weeks to take a fiscal inventory essential to a formal audit. The historic display prepared for the Price Adjustment Board blacked out our drafting room for more than ten days.”

Anti-Pain Pills usually relieve not only Headache, but Simple Neuralgia, Muscular Pains and Functional Monthly Pains. ’Do you use Dr. Ides Anti-Pain Pills? If not why not? You can get Dr. Miles Anti-Pain Pills at your drug store in the regular package for only a penny apiece and in the economy package even cheaper. Why not get a package today? Your druggist has them. Read directions and use only as directed. Tour money back if you are not satisfied.

TUES., WED., JULY 6-7

“DR. GILLESPIE’S NEW ASSISTANT” with Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson, Susan Peters.

—Also— “Chapter 6 King of the Mounties” and “News”.

Show 7:30 p. m

THURS., JULY 8 “STRICTLY IN THE GROOVE with Leon Errol, Mary Healey.

A Tragic Ending

He went on: “The time wasted by management in renegotiating has resulted in a loss of at least 100 fiveinch Merchant mounts which Secretary Knox says are the finest antiaircraft weapon in the world. These 100 gun mounts which were not produced because of renegotiation would have adequately protected 100 Merchant Ships from enemy airplanes and submarines. And, I guess, that at least forty more of these cargo ships would have reached Murmansk instead of being sunk if they had been protected by these five-inch guns.”

—Plus---“ALIBI” with Margaret Lock wood, Hugh Sinclair. Show 7:00 p. m.

Mrs. Wallace Wellmeyer has returned from a two month’s visit in San Antonio, Texas, where her husband Pfc. Wellmeyer was stationed. He is now on manuevers in Louisianna.

Miss Mabel Oskins returned to her home in Akron, Ohio after a visit with her sister Mrs. Carl Rhodes and Mr. Rhodes.

Hearing that an unnecessary government bureau (composed of fewer men than was first feared) is hopelessly swamped with details, would be too small a matter to worry anybody, except for the fact that the very existence of the law hinders the war effort. It keeps contractors in a quandary that slows down production of military necessities; postpones victory.

Mr. and Mrs. Leo Heichelbech enjoyed a vacation ’ trip through the South, the first of the week.

Mrs. John Heichelbech and daughter Miss Dorothy and Mrs. Lowell Hollan were in Indianapolis from Friday until Tuesday visiting Mrs. Marguerita Richardson and a friend of Mrs. Hollan.

A loss of 40 merchant ships which the speaker said cost at least one billion dollars with their cargoes, would certainly dwarf the contemporary effort of bullet-proof bureaucrats to glean 60 million dollars the tedious way from builders of war materials. A small increase in the corporation tax rate would have raised the money without putting a monkey-wrench in the works.

C. W. WEDEKING & CO. STORE will be open until noon, July 5, but will close in the afternoon.

Kieth Richardson of Boonville visited Bobby Smith recently.

The Actual Figures The Renegotiation Law authorizes and directs the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Maritime Commission, whenever in his opinion excessive profits have been realized, or are likely to be realized, from any war contract, to recover such excess profits and revise the contract price. Ignoring what, to one who is not a lawyer, looks like an unconstitutional assignment of judicial authority to executive officers, the law made some 85,000 separate contractors subject to its provisions. At

Marcus Brooner, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. I. Brooner and his wife were in Dale from Friday to Saturday morning visiting. Marcus has recently graduated from the U. S. Naval Mechanical School at Dearborn, Michigan. His grade made him eligible and the government assigned him to another school of mechanics at the same place. His school started this week.

Mrs. Andy Epple is returning to her home in Greeley, Colorado this week end after a visit with her mother Mrs. A. E. Haskins and other relatives. Mrs. Haskins is much improved in health.

And now there are 840,000 men of draft age on the government payroll in civilian clothes, the Costello Congressional Committee has revealed.

Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Harris visited the former’s father, who is in an Evansville hospital, Sunday. Mr. Harris is recovering nicely from a recent major operation.

Mrs. Lester Springstun and baby spent the past week with relatives in Indianapolis.

Billy Lee Heichelbech spent the first of the week with relatives in Rockport.

Clinton Huppert, who is in the U. S. Army, is here on a furlough with his wife and parents.

BUY WAR STAMPS & BONDS