The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, August 17, 1950, Image 8
THE CLINTON CHRONICLE
Thursday, August 17, 1950
Pape Four
COMMENTS ON
MEN AND THINGS
By Spectator
wheels—'-with rubber tires, and with
other numerous accessories and gad
gets.
I think well of our Commission
and the Director of that service. They
have worked hard to administer
Within a week I read this news j ; ,avc lu a
item in -The State’ of Columbia:! a *' thal I s a “ r . an S <! ml ’ tt “ rc 01 h '‘?-
• Truman fights Social Security law j day-dreaming and utterfool-
amendment”. That was the heading, I‘S”/ 55 ;, an , d n0 of,, ' ,als '7 more
In the news story I read this: j t0 .“7' a “ P a ”« s t , han
-President Truman summoned ! d0 «f'' raala ‘h*! South Carolina
.Pcmocratic eonjrese.onai leaders to; f, * ", u , d ’ omm.ss.on,
the ^thite House today to urge fP*. • i
moval of what he considers an oD- 1 11 you w® 0 * know how really |
jectionable provision in the new So-, vicious is ^ he Federal authority,
rial Security bill. The assignment sometimes ’ 1 reca11 that a bur eaucrat j
appeared to be a tough one ; from Washington once remarksd to
The senate and house have been at * be C° mi mssion “If you reject more
odds for months over terms of the * ban tw0 percent of the applications
intricate legislation which would ex-; y° u are out bne ’• wba t ar e
pand Social Security coverage, in-1 some those applications? I shall
crease the benefits paid retired old- never forget a case I represented be-
sters and their survivors. A confer-!^ ore * be Commission some years ago.
ence committee gave its final approv- 1 ^ n ) an repeatedly cautioned about
al only yesterday to a compromise, bls drinking, was one day so drunx
version which the two houses had 1 on * be Company truck that he was
been expected to accept without fur- wabb lmg down the highway, a men
ace to all traffic and an enormous!
risk to his employer. He was dis-1
missed by his employer* but was al- 1
ther changes. House Democratic
Leader. McCormack of Massachus
etts. present at the White House con-
lerence, reported that Mr. Tru
lowed by the Commission five dol
man's main objective is to an amend- * ars a ' vec ^ ^ or eleven weeks, even
rr.ent sponsored by Senator Know-> a ^ er the penalties had been de- (
land (R.-Calif). The Knowland ducted. I think the mere statement,
amendment would sharply restrict! 0 ^ case * s sufficient,
the authority of the secretary of la-J You have seen what the Welfare
bor to hold back unemployment com-; service is doing, under the compul-
pensation funds from states which, sion of "Federal Aid”. If you are not
fail to conform with set federal stan-' informed, sit outside your Welfare
dards of administration,’’
i office someday.
If you have thought over Mr. Tru- 1 •
man's attitude you have another ar- EASTERN’ STAR TO MEET
gument for States rights; or a cog-i j ame s B. Parrott Chapter No. 9.
ent point against the constantly grow- 0 rder of the Eastern Star, will hold
ng Federal invasion of our local, j ts re g U i ar monthly meeting Friday
r; ? bts - ^ 'evening at 8 o’clock in the Masonic
\cu probably know that the L n- members are urged to at- :
employment tax is a Federal t ax .jtend, as several important matters!
though collected by the State. It is j w ju b e brought up and discussed.
not called a ‘Tax'’ but a “contri-| —. J
bution,” which is the same sweet-
smel.mg rose. or. as we might say
"it is a horse of the same color; for
whether a tax or a contribution it is
a compulsory levy and you must pay
it.
This is the sort of law that direct
ly slaps a State in the face. Instead
of playing along the smart policy
makers of Washington every Con
gressman should have voted against
tr. Go ;q the root of it—and what’
do you find? A Federal tax of three
per cent on payrolls, all charged ’
against the employer. Being charg
ed entirely against the employer,
however, is not my point: regardless
of who pays it, what Constitutional
right had the Federal Government
to tax virtually every mercantile and
industrial establishment in order to
set up a fund against unemploy
ment? It has its uses, I well know,
but it has its abuses, as I well know.
But good or bad why should the
Federal government say to the States
"We have imposed this tax of three
per cent on payrolls and you may
collect it and send us the money. We
will allow you to draw against a
fund of 3-10 of one per cent for costs!
cr administration and the 2 7-10 per
cent we will hold as a trust for your
unemployed workers? The State has
to beg with hat in hand even for the
3-10 of one percent, though our ■
Commission begged so well last year
that it was allowed an automooile!
ler the Commission, although the
Commissioners do all their commis-1
r.oning in Columbia.
But ‘ even though the big-wigs of
Wasmngton should allow three cars
for the three Commissioners that
would only be the proper course, for
in this day and time every man, wom
an and child is supposed to move on
AMERI-CONGO
ANIMAL
EXHIBITION
HOLLYWOOD
MONKEYS
Will Exhibit Under
Big Tent
MONDAY
TUESDAY
August 21-22
SATTERFIELD
TAXI STAND
SPECIAL REDUCED
PRICES
Be Sure to See Lasca,
tiniest elephant in America
Open 1:00 p. m.
Until 11:00 p. m.
In All the World No Other
Show Like It
GOLD
THEATRE
JOANNA, S. C.
Morning Shows—10 A. M.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Matinee—3 P. M-
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Night Shows—6:30 and 8:30
Every Night
Admission 35c (29c plna 6c tax)
Children nnder 12—9c
Thurs.-Fri. Aug. 17-18
Wabash Avenue
(In Technicolor)
Betty Grable, Victor Mature
Saturday Aug. 19
The Big
Hangover
Van Johnson and Elizabeth
Taylor
Mon.-Tues. Aug. 21-22
The Caribou
Trail
(In Technicolor)
With Randolph Scott
Wednesday Aug. 23
Sword In the
Desert
With Dana Andrews
ALSO CASH NIGHT
*
NEXT—
Cheaper By the
Dozen
Why Increased
ties Are Necessary
In South Carolina
Increased telephone rates are necessary in South
Carolina because our rates today simply do not
meet the costs of providing good, dependable and
expanding telephone service. The fact is that our
costs of providing service have increased sub
stantially since the present rates were established
in 1948.
Wages and Other Operating Costs
Hare Risen Sharply
The Company’s wage costs in South Carolina
went up $641,800 annually asThe result of a general
wage increase in February 1949.
General wage increases that became effec
tive in South Carolina from 1939 through 1949
now are costing us $4,600,000 each year. How
ever, telephone rates increases authorized dur-
ing this period are failing to cover this one
item alone—failing by more than $1,500,000
annually.
In addition, wage costs are still going up as the
result of further adjustments in May 1950.
ages arc not the only cost item that has visen
since 1948. Depreciation expense went up in Janu
ary 1949. Pension costs went up in November 1949,
and Social Security tax rate went up in January
1950. ^
Facilities to Improve and Expand
Service Cost Large Sams
The host of facilities to do the tremendous tele
phone job that the public wants done in South
Carolina has increased sharply in the last few
yean. To illustrate—
Two years ago in South Carolina, Southern
Bell had $148 invested in the average tele
phone. But each telephone added during the
past two years has required an investment of
$287—or $139 more.
This increased investment includea the cost of
equipment to replace worn-out facilities as well as
equipment to improve and expand service.
These new facilities not only have brought great
ly expanded telephone service to South Carolina,
but also have made the service faster and better.
Since 1945, we have nearly doubled the number
of telephones in the average community in South
Carolina, thus increasing the value of your tele
phone by enabling you to call and be called by
more people. Adding these telephones — and
making the service faster and better—has cost $37,-
000,000 in new facilities since 1945—$20,800,000 of
it in the past two years.
Good Telephone Service Essential
to Progress la Soath Carolina
Despite remarkable telephone progress already
made, demands continue heavy throughout the
State. Meeting these needs for a constantly im
proving and expanding telephone service is highly
important to the continued progress and develop
ment of South Carolina. Southern Bell is eager to
meet the State’s full telephone service needs in the
cities and towns and farms areas as well.
6
However, this requires the installation of tre
mendous quantities of additional equipment cost-
ing a great deal of money. This money must be
raised in the form of new capital.
The funds to pay for new facilities do not
come from the money you and other sub
scribers pay in monthly telephone bills. These
monthly payments cover only uages, taxes,
maintenance and other day-to-day costs.
Capital for new facilities must come from
people who can be persuaded to invest their
money in the telephone business.
to Attract Needed Capital
Because of the many increased costs and the
constantly growing investments, earnings in South
Carolina under present rates are too low to per
suade people with savings to supply the additional
capital needed.
That is why it is essential to good telephone
service that earnings be improved by revising
our present inadequate rates.
South Carolina telephone rates have advanced
only about a third as much as the ovefrall cost of
living in general. Under new rates, telephone ser
vice will continue to improve and will still be one
of today’s biggest bargains.
f. 7K. TKi/tUn**
South Carolina Manager
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Phone 119, or visit 109 Gary Street
—