The Syracuse Journal, Volume 28, Number 28, Syracuse, Kosciusko County, 7 November 1935 — Page 2

2

BRISBANE] THIS WEEK Bay of Fundy Power Religion Aida Mussolini Cheap Eggs for Soldiers Government Railroads? Governor Brann of Maine is n/TwlllIng to share expenses, and President Rooaerelt may drop the Passamaquoddy power project. That would be a national misfortune. While spending billions so freely. It would seem worth while to spend thirty-six little millions to harness the gigantic tide power in I the Bay of Fundy. Development of that project would i supply the whole state of Maine with . power and .Industrial prosperity, and j pay for itself. I To allow the vast power of one of | the highest tides on earth to continue i going to waste would be as foolish as. It would be to cease using the power of Niagara. In Milan, Cardinal Schuster, cele- • brat Ing mass for those that died In the Fascist march on Rome, indorses earnestly Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia. praising “the valiant army which. In Intrepid obedience to the command of their fatherland at the price of their blood, open the doors of Ethiopia to the Catholic faith and the civilisation of Rome.*’ ° Also, according; to Associated Press, the cardinal praised Fascism as “promising the national morality wished by the Osthollc church." Italian soldiers In Ethiopia, much surprised, can buy as ’many fresh eggs as they want at ridiculously low prices. Ethiopians will not eat eggs—their religion forbids them to devour “that which might have life In the future." but they are willing to sell the eggs to the Italian soldiers and let them Imperil their immortal souls by “devouring future life" If they choose. Ethiopian tribesmen have no scruples about eating the chicken, oneejt Is hatched, which shows that religious scruples take interesting forma What about the .“future" life" that the hen might have produced? Railway labor unions plan a Washington lobby, to promote government purchase and operation of railroads. Owners of some railroads would gladly share the expense of that lobby, if they could sell their railroads at a fair price. Running a railroad In competition with automobiles, motor busses and trucks is like running a .hotel in competition with night clubs and other former speakeasies. K Russia is a successful spy hunter, having convicted on the average one every six hours, according to “Collier's." If, In Russia, you are convicted of spying,- no second conviction la ever necessary or possible. These lUOWMJ stiies. to earn thfclr «ra»y. moat keep IhTrenaßMal sueyMnn tttye. and that helps to keep war alive. Rejoicing In the fact that “the 13 years of the Fascist regime have not passed In vain, and the world of plutocratic and conservative egotisms Is obliged to take note of this," Mussolini denounces League of Nations sanction* aimed at him as "a preposterous crime destined to Increase disorder and distress In every country:" - « Pan-American Air Lines asks air I travelers: “Shall we serve cocktails ! to pasaangarsF The answer should be emphatically “no," First, the average cocktail is I unfit for any stomach.;except perhaps that of a > carrion eating hyena; second. It has been proved more than once that alcohol and flying do not mix well, ' The President Inspected “fortifications" of the« Panama canal; returning from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Unfortunately there are no fortifications on the Panama canal. The canal defends on its locks and they, open to attack from the air, could easily be destroyed. No engineer will deny that. The way to have a “fortified” canal te to build one at sea level. In these spending days that might be done now. through Nicaragua. Uncle Sam would have something to Show tor his money more substantial ■ than groups of weary gentlemen “racing leaves." There is encouragement in the fact that “regular Jobs." not the artificial made-to-order kind, are increasing. Three hundred and fifty thousand men were hired in September, and payrolls for September are $12,000,000 a week above August. Warner Brothers* successful production of “A Midsummer Night's Dream," under the direction of Max Reinhardt, proves courage and sound Judgment The picture Is a financial as well as an artistic success, greater by far than any recent Shakespearean stage production with living actors. Mr. Button, of Cosmopolitan Marseille, asks various highbrows and brows of middling height to answer: “Will world peace ever be possible F The answer Is “Yes." but paid spies ■ay postpone the happy .lay. Among other parasites, the world now supports ItMWt) spies—men and women. Forty thousand have been caught and convicted tn Europe during the past 15 years. U. 3. Right. Cuba Under the treaty recently ratified, the United Staten maintains intact all Mb rights to its naval base and coaling station nt Guantanamo Bay. Cuba. With the exception of thia foothold by the United States. Cuba is a fully sovereign state. ■ ■ ~ Trees" «*I Pl«*t. of Ethiopia Trees and plant* of Ethiopia include the due palm, mimosa, wild olive, timinfhp anrl Natal yellow pine, the myrrh and other gum trees.

News Review of Current Events the World Over President Raps Tugwell for Budget Prediction—-WPA Job Program Moves Rapidly—Farmers Indorse Corn« Hog Control for 1936. By EDWARD W. PICKARD © Western Newspaper Vaio*.

REXFORD a TUGWELL, undersecretary of agriculture and once considered head man of the "brain trust," made a speech at Los Angeles the

other day that called forth a sharp rebuke from President Roosevelt. Addressing a Democratic gathering. Tugwell asserted that the administration could satisfy every humanitarian demand and still balance the budget In 1988, Mr. Roosevelt, in a press conference, scolded the newspa-

R. G. Tugwsll

per* for printing what he called “crazy I stories" and went on to declare that Tugwell's assertion was almost as unfounded a* the predictions thrown out > by many political observers that the budget probably would never be balanced again. Tugwell’s statement wasn't quite as “wild" as the news-! paper stories, be remarked, because Tugwell knew a little more about the < budget than the newspaper men. j The President said be and his ad- I risers were about to make a study of j the financial situation, and that until ! the budget is finally drafted about the : first of the year not even he know.s I what, shape it will take. Every effort, he said, would be made to hold the regular government departments down to the figures of this fiscal year, but he would make no predictions as to emergency expenditures. JOBS for 3.5Q0.000 needy persons by November 13, and an end of the dole by December 1. That was the | forecast made by the New Dealers in | Washington, and it appeared probable j of accomplishment Officials said I states will receive no direct relief al- I lot merits from the government for De- I cember and that the November grants | will be greatly reduced. The employ- , meat program is a month behind I schedule, but is now being carried for- | ward rapidly. Every state director of the I’WA has been given a Job goal | by Administrator Harry 1. Hopkins and was told by that gentletißin: ■ "The responsibility for carrying out | these objectives, through provldiq> wort on Approved projects, rests squarely on you." As November opened these state administrators had $1,018,947,649 to spend. And every d&y Comptroller Gen* erM, McCarl was putting more to their cr-! ' -u Um. fcdaral treasury. Qt th® tentatively WPA project values by Preshiem I Roosevelt. McCarl had passed $2,450,293.51 M. Os the $1.080207.831 definitely allocated for WPA by the president. McCarl had countersigned treasury warrants for all but $41,260,132. NEW DEALERS have scored a major victory, and are correspondingly elated. By a majority of something like 10 to 1, the corn-hog produe-

h’ f. . Chester C. o **‘?

era have voted" for a continuance of the crop adjustment through another year. Incomplete return* from the referendum showed that the program was favored by a majority In every one of the 33 states from which votes, were received. “It Is only natural that we should be pleaseil with the ap-

parent approval of adjustment riven | oy corn and hog farmers.** said Chee* I ter C. Davis, AAA administrator, as he watched the returns come la at I Washington. “If the final results bear out present Indications another voluntary contract will be offered for both ‘ corn and hogs." In a formal statement Davis emphaslsed earlier assurances that the AAA would seek a 25 to 30 per cent increase tn hog production next year, saying the “need for increasing the present pork supply of the nation. . . will be kept in mind In plans for the next adjustment contract.** , Secretary of Agriculture Wai Hee I I gave out a statement commending the I ! farmers for their decision. “The referendum means.** said Mr. Wallace. | “that corn-bog farmers of the country will be doing their best to Increase hog production next year In such a : way as will qpt bring about .excessive overproduction tn subsequent years. They realize their triple duty: To the consumer, to the cause of soil conservation. and to the maintenance of a fair income for themselves.“ Before the results of the voting were known President Roosevelt announced tentative plans for making the AAA over. from an emmgancy to a permanent agency. Observers In Washington concluded that Mr. Roosevelt intends to make the AAA a major campaign Issue next year and to rely for re-election largely on the voters In those western states that have received the largest cash paymenu in the carrying out of the crop adjustment program—taking it for granted that he will carry the solid South. Z**ONTINUINU the administration’s V 3 policy of “enabling farmers to market their crop in a more orderly fashion." Secretary of Agriculture Wallace announced a corn loan of 43 cents a bushel on the 1935 crop, avaltable from December 1 until next July L The Commodity Credit corporation had already approved this and asked a commitment from the R. F. Q to provide the necessary funds. Wallace estimated that about 1150.000,000 would be advanced to corn growers under this program. Borrowers must sign the AAA corn-bog con trol contracts. The loans will be made on corn which. If shelled. would grade

No. 3 or better. The grade requirement last year called for was No. 4. The loan rate then was 55 cents a bushel. Significantly, Wallace called attention to new requirements that cribs I in which corn Is stored for loans must ‘ be capable of permitting proper stor- I age for two successive years. This requirement, Wallace said, "might or | might not be" the beginning of the bal- ’ anced granary plan, which would pro- | vide for storage of crops on farms dur- - ing good crop years, possibly under ! government loans, to insure a sufficient ! supply in ‘lean" years. DREADER MUSSOLINI defies the | * League of Nations and Its sanctions. In a speech at the inauguration of the I new university in Rome he said: j “In the face of an economic siege! toward which all civilized people of the world should feel supreme shame, in the face of an experiment which they wanted to test, for the first time. 1 against the Italian people/ let it be said: “We will oppose it with our most j Implacable resistance, with our most I firm decision and with’ our most su- I preme contempt." However, it was announced in Geneva that the duce was willing to I negotiate for peace with Ethiopia, and | there was a possibility the league would delay for 15 days the application ! of further penalties. King Victor Emmanuel issued a de- I cree putting the entire Italian merchant marine on a war basis. Prime Minister Baldwin's reply to ' Mussolini's defiance was a blunt as- i section that Great Britain was pre- , ! pared to resort to force, if necessary, j ito carry out the sanctions. Said he: i “We mean nothing to the league if we : F are not prepared in the end. and after I grave and careful trial, to take action i to enforce its judgments.” The British government made new i ! protests to Italy against Italian press j ! attacks on Britain and anti-British ' : propaganda tn Egypt, and three more 1 ! destroyers were sent from Gibraltar to Malta. WHILE the League of Nations was going forward with Its plans for ! the imposition of sanctions against Italy. Rs officials asked the United States

government to comment on this i»»‘licF, for the this couftyry i ered ritai to the - program. fl®er®«tt'y of State Hull replied promptly but with extreme caution. avoiding comment' on the action taken by the league powers and Inferentlaily declining to cooperate In the sanctions.

| The answer, whose tenor was dictated by President Roosevelt, was sent ro Minister Hugh Wilson at Berne. It only set forth the moves made by the ' United States under the neutrality act ' and restated our government’s hope ; j for world peace. In press conferences 1 Mr. Hull stressed the fact that this i country will continue to move Inde- . > pendently to keep free and untangled ' i as President Roosevelt has promised. League of Nations officials on read- ; Ing the reply said It was “encouraging” ’ and all that could be expected. They looked upon It as Important moral sup- | port of league efforts to end the warfare In Africa. I A MERICAN citizens are not respect- ■ j ** Ing the embargo on shipments to ' I Italy and Ethiopia to an extent that satisfies the administration. Therefore the President issued this statement: “In dealing with the conflict be- | tween Ethiopia and Italy 1 have car- . rled Into effect the will and intent of I • the neutrality resolution recently enacted by congress. Wo have prohlb- I ited all shipments of arms, ammunition. and implements of war to the ; belligerent governments. By my pub- - , He statement of October 5, which was [ > emphasized by the secretary of state : on October 10. we have warned American citizens against transactions of any character with either of the belligerent nations except at their own risk. “This government Is determined not to become involved in the controversy and Is anxious for the restoration and maintenance of peace. “However, in the course of war. tempting trade opportunities may be offered to our people to supply materials which would prolong the war. I do not believe that the American people will wish for abnormally increased profits that temporarily might be secured by greatly extending our trade in such materials; nor would they wish the struggles on the battlefield to be prolonged because of profits accruing to a comparatively small number of American citizens. “Accordingly, the American government Is keeping informed as to all shipments consigned for export to both belligerents." Secretary of State Hull Issued another statement calling upon American citizens to dralst from trading with either Italy or Ethiopia. Such trade, he declared, wan conducted “at the expense of human Uvea and human misery." EARTHQUAKE tremors that were felt in many localities all the way from Spokane and Calgary to New York and Boston were severest in Helena, where at least two persons were killed and many Injured. Numerous buildings weakened by the former temblors in the "Montana capital were thrown down and the property looses were considerable*

SYRACUSE JOURNAL

Keeping Up o Science Service—WXV service. Evolution, Diet Causing Man to Lose His Teeth Started With Cavemen; Future Outlook Gloomy NORFOLK. VA.—A gloomy future for the teeth of mankind—a future in which we shall have to pamper our mouths increasingly —is foreseen by Dr. William SeideHof the United States Marine hospital here. Doctor Seidel bases his forecast on existing knowledge of the causes of various -dental Ills. Evolution and diet are causing man to lose his teeth. In Doctor Seidel's opinion. Since evolution is an Irreversible process, the human oral cavity appears destined to be forever afflicted with caries, pyorrhea and misplaced teeth, he says. Long-Time Loss. Loss of teeth through evolution has beengoing on for centuries. Doctor Seidel points out. The great length of time Is indicated by the fact that we have already completely lost 16 permanent i teeth, having now only 32, while the usual number for mammals is 48. Individually one can lose a good many teeth at one seance with an exotlontis', but the evolutionary process is slow : and It has required many centuries ta .produce such a change in our dentition. This evolutionary change dates at least from the age of the caveman, according to Doctor Seidel, and accom- ! panying it there has been a gradual degeneracy of the whole masticatory , apparatus. The teeth themselves, he | says, are not anatomically degenerate, i with the exception of the third molars, which are often rudimentary; and as ! some persons do nor have third molars, the evolution in dental economy may still be in progress. I . Decay Commonest Fault. Dental carles, or decay, is the most universal and common disease of mankind and this condition, as well as that of the malformed mandibles is due to , the fact that the masticatory organs of modern man have become unfitted i properly to perform their functions, ac- ■ cording to Doctor SeldeLr Not only i are the gums and teeth themselves in- [ sufficient but the mandible and maxilla. ■ together with their alveolar bone and sockets, are also deficient. The mere fact of the high Incidence ; of earles proves the inadaptability of j the teeth to modern diet—an inadaptability that is hygienic In chabadter i rather than mechanical or physiologj leak Modern foods do not keep the teeth clean; and nature surely in tended that they should be kept clean j through natural processes rather than by modern artificial means which are found so necessary today. . Martin Announces Plan J to Build 100,000-Pound Oceanic Air Transport BALTIMORE.—DetaiIed plans for a trans-Atlantic DieseLpow- , ered airliner with an over-all weight of 100,000 pounds were announced by Glenn L. Martin, airplane I manufacturer, here. The proposed air giant would make .the erasing of 3,600 miles non-stop from New York to London in but little I more than a day. One way passage, at ! the start, might be as low as $415 and drop to $263 when nine or more trips were made a week. “In justice to the flying boat I wish to correct the impression that the long range flying boat is not ready to carry tonnage in over-ocean transport serv- . Ice." declares Mr. Martin. Pointing out that over-ocean transport flying boats are already carrying as much as 2S.<k | O pounds of useful load. Mr. Martin continues: "No addition to present knowkslge or technique is needed to build an ocean transport airplane to carry a useful load of 52.000 pounds." “It is my view that boats can be built in the next few years that would be independent of foreign governments' control of Bermuda, the Azores and the Atlantic islands. The nonstop route per ton mile would be more expensive than stopping in the Azores and Bermuda, but the time saved, which would be a whole business day. would be Important. “A day Is saved by flying non-stop because of the time that It takes to refuel; docking and landing the cargoes at Bermuda and the Asores would lose considerable time." Rural TB Rises From Work, School Contacts MILWAUKEE. WIS. —ln rural areas more new cases of tuberculosis develop from contacts with tuberculous -persons in schools, factories or other work placet than from contacts within the home and family, it appear* from a report by Jean Downes to the American Public Health association. Miss Downes, working under the Milbank Memorial fund. Investigated the spread of tuberculosis tn Cattaraugus county. New York. She found that in this region for every case resulting from a family contact there were two in the community as a result of con- . tact outside the family. "Tuberculosis In that rural area has been acquired chiefly through contact in the small centers of life, the family, the factories and other, work centers, and the ochools," Mias Downes reported. OA ■ ■

El KB Secretary Hull

— p Crystal Gazing Tests Hearing of Day-Dreamers Experiment on Normal People, Mental Cases A DARK ENED room. . . . An I insane patient gazing into a ! sky-blue illuminated crystal. . . . ( Earphones strapped to the patient’s head. . . . Stillness broken only by the monotonous hum of an electric fan. ... A scientist sitting in a distant booth silently operating a noiseless electric switch. The scene was not that of a spirit ; scanee. What was” going on was a I test of the effect day-dreaming has on the sense of hearing. The suggestion had been made that persons with certain mental diseases can be picked out from nor mat persons'i by the way they respond to this unusual situation. Normal persons as well as mental patients were tested. First each individual was given a test of suggest- j ibiiity and various other measures designed to reveal his type of person- ! ality. Then he was given a hearing test under ordinary conditions, sounds of varying loudness being conveyed to I him through the earphone. He was instructed to press a signal key like 9 telegraph each time he heard a sound. Told to Day-Dream. Next he was allowed to gaze into the crystal and was told to relax completely. day-dream and build air-castles—to let his mind wander wherever it would. He was not to listen particularly for the tones, but to think that If they came, his finger would press the key. What hapi>ens to your hearing under I these conditions? Well, about onethird of those tested showed no change at all. Another third pressed the key after fainter sounds than they had been able to hear under ordinary conditions. For the remaining third, the sound had to be louder in order to gain a response. ■ • . i The test was not successful In pick- . Ing out the mentally abnormal from i the normal, except that those with the mental disease, dementia praecox. j showed less change than others. This was attributed to the characteristic inability of these patients to adapt to , new conditions —perseveration, the psy- i chiatrist calls this quality, from ths same root as the familiar word per- | severance. Why Normal-Pereon* Differ. Why do normat persons differ In the i way the crystal- gazing affects their hearing? The explanation made by the ' investigating scientist is that some are i able to follow the directions; they re- I lax thoroughly, day-dream and get ' sleepy. They do not hear so well. Others were not able to do as Instructed; they were disturbed by the situation, and Instead of relaxing became more tense. They were alert anl heard better than usual. The third group were not affected ; by the situation at aIL Their bearing remained as always. | — Russian Braves Desert to Study 200 Extinct Craters of Southwest TUCSON, ARlZ.—Exploring one of the most extensive volcanic areas in North America, Dr. Nicolai Kerensky, Russian scientist, is now charting more than 200 extinct I craters along the Gulf of California. The region Is 300 miles southwest of here and lies partly tn the United States and partly In Mexico. “Besides mapping this virtually unknown country, I am going to study these eruptions as an example of the cooling of the earth's crust," he reported here before he left, “1 hope | also through excavation* and the study of the Hiatlt Qotam, a vanishing tribe ’ of Root Eaters, to trace the history of man, both past and present, in this sun-seared land.” Because the region Is uninhabited except for about twenty of the Hlatit ; (k>tam. who live on the roots of the blstatk. a parasite of the coldenla | shrub which will grow In the sand with { only two or three inches of water a year, the trip Is a dangerous one. Six Iversons have become lost and died there of thirst during the last five years. The tinajas. the water holes, are far apart and often dry. The heat is also excessive, the temperature averaging 110 degree® Fahrenheit. On a previous expedition three years ago Doctor Kerensky mapped the Amphitheater, a huge crater which measures a mile across and a fourth ! of a mile deep, and some eighteen other smaller cones. He also charted several lakes of lava and a “frozen" river which Is a half mile wide and eight miles long. He estimate® that when this land was In eruption, the earth tremors shook California. Utah. Arizona. New Mexico, western Texas and the west coast of Mexico. The area extends for 200 square miles. Women of Medieval Asia Were Buried With Horses MOSCOW.—Graves of Bronze age men—and also women—buried with one, two or even three i faithful steeds beside them, have been discovered In the Altai mountains. An expedition from the Moscow State Museum of History, exploring Seventh to Ninth century graves In i these mountain* of southern Siberia, i uncovered the burials in which horses t were so conspicuous The skeletons of one warrior was , found accompanied by three horses in full harness, a swrvaat. weapons, ornaments of gold and silver, and other t possessions. The archeologist* listed 224 antique articles from this ex , traordinary burial alone. One silver , jug bear® writing In Orkhon script, an ancient Turkish script of the Seventh and Eighth centuries.

THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 7. 1935.

fl e ' fl kslmOiWLr 0 lelJk dUV H llflH HM National Topics Interpreted /O] by William Bruckart National Press Building Washington, D. C. ■ — ■

Washington.—ln days not so far tn the distant past, an argument could

be developed in any community where there were more than a handful of

States’ Rights

Democrats If one took the position that the rights of the federal government were predominant over states’ rights. States' rights constituted an issue that never died politically until the New Deal arrived on the scene at Washington. Through Some two years or more now, we had heard very little about states’ rights. Yet, within the last few days, we have found that the states* rights issue was not dead. It was only sleeping, and It has come to life in a really big way. New Deal policies have been consistently policies of centralization of power in the hands of the federal government. New Dealers have enacted much legislation and have carried out many programs appear to be contrary to the views which used to be held by advocates of states’ rights. These things have been accomplished with almost no complaint from the Democratic side and with only a minimum of squawking from New Deal opposition from whence came complaints about regimentation and extension of government functions into the field of private enterprise in competition with the government's citizens. Lately, however, some thirty or thir-ty-five cities have awakened with a shock and have rendered oue New Deal program a severe jolt by that awakening. I refer to the plans for government construction of the socalled low . cost housing projects. These were and are Intended to provide apartments or small homes for families in the very low Income brackets and to provide work for labor in their construction. Eventually, it was hoped, the program would use up a good many hundred million dollars of work-relief funds. Some has already been spent; some projects have been completed, and these results coincided with the arrival of tax paying time !In certain localities. That was the [ erux. . t To show what has happened In those cities and areas wherein the low cost

housing projects have been planned or completed, let us take a particular

Atlanta Project

case, namely, the housing project In Atlanta. Georgia. It Is of no use to rite the facts in all of them, because the Atlanta case Is typical. Secretary Ickes and his Public Works administration had spent ap- ■ proximately three million dollars In the construction of the Atlanta housing layout. No sooner had this been accomplished, however, than the city of Atlanta awakened to the fact that it would get no taxes nor will the state of Georgia get taxes from this ‘ great investment. The project was ruled by Comptroller- General J. R. McCarl to be federally owned. As auch. it was not subject to state or municipal taxation. The city of At-, lanta and the state of Georgia had been deriving taxes from the real estate now owned by Uncle Sam. It was Atlanta's turn to move. It. announced through its properly constituted city authorities that if there were no taxes, then Atianta could not , furnish fire and police protection for the property nor could it supply water for the tenants nor would it permit children of those tenants to attend the Atlanta schools as free students. Atlanta contended that It bears the burden of these expenses and It was not ' going to add to that burden without reimbursement. , Secretary Ickes sought then to offset the Atlanta ultimatum by tendering funds, taxpayer's money, to the i city of Atlanta equal to the amount he thought the city would receive in taxes. Again. Mr. McCarl stepped in. I He said that since the property was owned by the federal government it , was not subject to taxes and therefore a payment to the city of Atlanta out of federal funds constituted a gratuity. In other words, it was an illegal proposition. - The comptroller general's ruling was so definite and positive that those who have been boosting , and boasting about low coat housing projects have been stunned. Frankly, they do not , know which way to turn. Thus far, they have not discovered a ray of light to lead them. The housing projects are held in abeyance. The housing project situation brings to the fore a condition which apparent-

ly had not been generally recognized. It relate®, of course, to the general subject

Enter Taxation

I of taxation but K baa a bearing upon I many policies now operative and • which, it la fair to say, hare been I described by President Roosevelt as experimental. Since they are experimental. it seems to me they ought to be examined from thia taxation phase. One can understand readily the base of the objection. There la hardly a city or town or even any other kind of taxing district In the United States where the tax rates are not at the very peak which the people can carry. That was shown most vividly a year ago when Congress thought it necessary to enact legislation permitting municipalities the privilege of declaring themselves virtually bankrupts and according them the right of compromising with their bondholders under a decree of a United States court. So, when we think of taking away taxable property in any city and making it non-taxable by conversion from private to federal government ownership, we see how It adds a further burden of taxes to the remaining privately owned property. That is the reason why many municipalities are fearful of government ownership of railroads,

for example, since the railroads are heavy taxpayers in every community they serve. Laying aside the question of merit or lack of merit in the proposition of government ownership of railroads, no municipality can afford to overlook the loss of tax receipts that would follow government acquisition of those carrier properties. They pay real estate taxes in the United States annually of more than three hundred million dollars. Os course it is dis- | tributed in thousands of places but whatever the amount may be in your community or any other, it represents a tax source which the local government can 111 afford to lose. It is the same, although to a lesser degree, with respect to the housing project. In this statement I mean only as to the local tax phase. It has, however, another very important tax angle. Property, or the income from property, everywhere is subjected to three tax assessments. First, the county or city in which the property is located takes a tax toll; second, the state gets a share, and thirdly, the federal government either by income Or some other tax gets Rs baud into the pocket of a property owner. In the case of the low cost housing project, It was necessary to calculate the rental rate on a base so low that It would be impossible tor the total receipts to pay off the government investment. This had to be done if the low cost housing was to be supplied at a rate the -poorer classes could pay. It is seen, therefore, that there was a deficit staring the project in the face. To meet this deficit certain federal funds were to be set aside regularly which, coupled with the receipts from the tenants, would serve to amortize the original cost. From the standpoint of liquidating the cost of the building, this is fine but it does not impress one as being so wholesome when It is shown that the government’s contribution comes out of the general fund of the Treasury which In turn comes out of the general taxpayers of the nation. And so it is with a'great many other of the experiments where such programs place government-owbed agencies or industries in competition with citizens. Take the Tennessee Valley hydro-electric project for another example. The federal government has placed more than $131,090,900 In that venture. The present Tennessee Valley- Corporation has taken over these properties at about one-third of this amount —a net loss to the government. But that is not all. The vast project that has been developed In the Tennessee valley and through the adjoining counties and cities is not subject to state taxation nor do the cities that are being served by Tennessee river electricity get any taxes from this source. It may, be sound in the theory but I am fearful that the inbred opposition to federal government en-croachment-on local affairs sooner or later will cause a new. explosion. It will come from the original feeding that states rights ought to be superior to federal rights except where states have delegated that authority to the federal government In the national Constitution. • Earlier In this discussion I mentioned the ruling by Comptroller Gen-

eral McCarl who acted. of course, as the head of the general accounting office.

Always the Coat

This agency was created with a very definite purpose In mind. Congress wanted some independent group or authority to watch all federal expenditures to make certain that they were made in accordance with law. A good many years ago when this Job was done by the comptroller of the treasury, it was not Infrequent that an adverse ruling by the comptroller put the comptroller in a tough spot. Once or twice when a comptrailer refused to change his ruling, there was a new comptroller appointed. Mr. McCarl Is not popular. Privately and publicly, he has been criticized, sometimes in language hardly printable. These complaints always have come from someone whose Idea of spending money was found by Mr. McCarl not to be in accordance with the taw. Always, he was the goat He has been the goat * much more under the New Deal than ever before. Every timeJbe kicks over a New Deal plan, the sponsors of that plan brand him as a Tory or a Reactionary or as being Just plain dumb. He has engaged In controversy with none of them. He baa contended that his decisions were rendered ta accordance with the taw which he was directed by congress to construe, But it is true of all humans. When a pet plan is destroyed, one tries to find somebody upon whom the blame can be pinned. The real answer to this situation is that President Roosevelt has insisted usually on having his New Deal bills drafted by men in the executive branches of the government. They have been sent to congress and congress has been told to pass them as they were written. Since most of the bills were drafted by men without legislative experience — some with too little experience of any kind—naturally they have been full of legal holes, holes through which one could drive a~ horse and buggy even though these are not horse and buggy days. © Wvswra N’ewvpapwr Union. Initials on Lincoln Pennioo The initiate V. D. B. on some Lincoln head pennies minted ta 1909 are those of Victor D. Brenner, the medalist and sculptor who designed the coin. But this part of the design was soon withdrawn by the Treasury department and consequently the artist’s Initials appear on only part of the Lincoln pennies bearing the date 1909. Many thousands of the Initialed cents were circulated, however.