Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE NEWBERRY SUN. NEWBERRY. S. C. Internal Revenue Is Eternal P roblem ♦- Income Tax Spectre Haunts Next Session of Congress By BAUKHAGE News Analyst and Commentator. WASHINGTON.—It is a cloudy fall day, and the last tat tered brown leaves are fluttering nervously on otherwise-bare branches, wondering whether it is better to make the plunge now or wait for more favorable breezes. About the same thing is going on in an old colonial mansion on Con-, necticut avenue v/here, beneath those high ceilings and once-aristocratic surroundings, Republican national committee typewriters are clicking, mimeographing machines are whirring and sweet telephone bells Wangle out of tune. <$>— Party leaders, like the uncertain (eaves are wondering whether the twice-vetoed tax bill, carefully re- apholstered and furnished with what they hope in non-bounceable equipment, will bring in the votes this time. Down the block and across the street in an office-building where the plaster on the walls is hardly dry, sit their op posites, members of the Democrat ic national com mittee, in their brand-new quar ters. They are hopefully p r e - dieting that any “effort to make this tax reduc tion bill a law when the world is trembling on the edge of dis aster, will boom- Baukhage erang. Democrats say that if a tax re duction bill should pass, is vetoed and the veto overridden, what it does for the folks with over $5,000 Income a year will be balanced off by what it doesn’t do for the folks below that income bracket. You remember the original bill, (H.R. 1,) the first bill into the house hopper January 3, 1947. At that time Democrats labelled it the 10-20-30 bill, claimed it would save the man With two dependents and $2,500 a year income only 59 cents a week, while it would save the man with a $100,000 yearly in come $250 a week. But that tax reduction bill and a later one substantially the same were squashed by presidential veto and congress upheld the veto. But now the possibility of something new (and very attractive) has been added—A community property tax provision for every taxpayer. Briefly this means that a husband and wife may divide their income into two equal parts, computing the tax on each of those parts, and mul- tipl/ing by two. This naturally cuts the total amount of tax to be paid. Under present tax schedules, for ex ample, the tax on two joint incomes of $50,000 each comes to less than the tax on a $100,000-net income be cause of the steepiy-graduated sur tax rates. GOP Confident Of Rill’s Passage Thirteen states — Oregon, Wash ington, California, New Mexico. Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Texas, Ok lahoma, Louisiana, Nebraska, Mich igan and Pennsylvania — already have community property tax pro visions. So has Hawaii. The pro vision, if inserted in a federal tax bill, would put citizens of the other 35 states on the same basis. The money savings under the community property tax clause would not benefit those married cou ples whose combined net income is less than $3,000 because the rates don’t change up to that point That is why opponents say this commu nity property tax proposal, too, is aimed at saving money for the big ger taxpayers and doesn’t help out the little fellows (although the tax advisor to the ways and means com mittee tells me that neither would any benefits accrue under this pro vision to the married couple whose combined income is $5,127,000 a year). But the Republicans feel sure that this proposal would carry a tax-reducing bill through. They claim many Democrats living in states contiguous to the com munity - property tax states would support it. Here’s the way Democrats view the situation: They know that the last tax bill might have been passed over the veto; some say it certainly could have been passed, bad it included the community property tax provi sion. They are not flippant about the Republicans’ ability to muster the necessary two-thirds vote this time to override a veto. But Democrats nourish this hope: That if tax debate is insisted upon before the question of lower prices and European aid (including the long-range Marshall plan as well as emergency aid) is settled, the public will say Republicans are fiddling with politics while Europe burns and will repudiate those Republic ans at the polls. Even if a tax bill should surmount tha veto-hurdle. Democrats still hope it will boomerang on the fa miliar argument, mentioned earlier. that it gives uncommonly little to the common man and is balm of gilead for the high brackets. Republicans counter with tbe assertion that tax relief is a cry ing need. They feel Americans will not be too angry if their financial load is lightened at the expense of Europe, provided that emergency relief is voted and perhaps a Marshall plan ac cepted in principle but consid erably shaved down as to the total actually authorized. You may have read the report “Taxes and the Budget: a Program for Prosperity In a Free Economy,” a document issued by the non-parti san, non-profit Committee for Eco nomic Development. This group em ploys a large staff of experts who study governmental problems and report on them at frequent inter vals. There is much in this latest report to give aid and comfort to the tax- reduction school, but it also contains the warning that “it is not neces sary or desirable to make final de cisions about 1948 tax policies at this time. It will be necessary early next year. At that time, it will be possible to get a clearer picture of the expenditure outlook ahead and of the degree of inflationary pres sure which then exists.” But the question of “inflation ary pressure” and bow to ease it is already a highly political one. Both parties realize that they have to grab the reins if they are going to get credit for guiding the country out of a boom-bust cycle. Bi-Partisanship Apple Cart Tipped When President Truman revealed the fact that he intended to use the emergency session of congress con vening November 17, not merely to consider aid to Europe, but also to ponder a program for lowered prices, it “upset the apple cart,” as one Republican said to me. An agreement had been reached to give priority to aid to Europe. Senator Taft, boss of the Republican policy committee, imme diately made the reassuring state- ment that he felt the question of emergency aid and possible prelimi nary legislation on the Marshall plan could and would be satisfactorily taken care of by December 19. He didn’t say what else, if anything, he had in mind for the boys on the hill to handle. But he did assure them they would be home well before the Christmas holidays. Then came the Truman announce ment that efforts to check inflation would be considered on a par with the aid-to-Europe plan. He said the two were closely interwoven be cause if the dollar continued to shrink, the purchases of supplies couldn’t be stretched to meet the need. After that Taft lost little time in tossing eny implied bi-partisan pro gram for the congressional session to the winds. If Truman was to in clude consideration of a domestic economy program, all bets were off. "All of the policies of the pres ent administration,” said Senator Taft, were so bad he couldn't “go along with them.” And so the bi-partisan apple cart was upset. What is going to happen is de cidedly hazy at this writing. Taft ACCIDENTAL PICTURE OF PORPOISE . . . Porpoises, frisky school boys of the sea, are forever playing their version of leap frog. Here are eight of them (count ’em) caught in a playful mood by tbe camera off the coast of Southport, N. C. NEWS REVIEW Big 4 Harmony Remote; Grain Men Ask Hearing BIG FOUR: Pessimism With the imminence of the most vital international occurrence of re cent months—the Big Four foreign ministers meeting in London \>n No vember 25 — the mood surrounding the coming conference was predom inantly one of pessimism. That there was much justification for such pessimism, no one doubted. When the chief representatives of the U. S., Great Britain, France and Russia come together they will tackle the tough, deadlocked prob lems of writing peace treaties for Germany and Austria. Deputy foreign ministers, in Lon don to dispense with preliminaries before Marshall, Molotov, Bevin and Bidault put their heads together, said the powers were as badly split as ever on major issues. If the conference fails, as it is very likely to do, the U. S. will have to face the question of whether or not it wants to conclude a separate peace with that portion of Germany outside the Russian-occupied zone. Such a treaty, not involving the So viets, probably would precipitate a final split between this nation and Russia. Nevertheless, sentiment has been rising in the U. S. favoring such an action if the Soviets refuse to co operate in straightening out the problems of Germany. James F. Byrnes, former secretary of state, advocated that course, as have other responsible officials. The corollary to that proposition is that the U. S. then must follow through by keeping itself strong militarily and economically, prov ing to the rest of the world that it has embarked on a definite policy course and that that course is the right one. INVITATION: Grain Battle Three of the nation’s major grain exchanges, smarting under Presi dent Truman’s accusation that their "speculation” is responsible for pre vailing high prices of cereals, have carried the attack into the enemy camp by requesting a special con gressional investigation by the joint committee on the economic report. The request was made by the Chi cago board of trade, Kansas City board of trade and the Minneapolis grain exchange in a letter to Sen. Robert Taft (Rep., O.) and Rep. Jesse P. Wolcott (Rep., Mich.), co- chairmen of the committee. Taft re sponded immediately with a prom ise of further hearings. Countering Mr. Truman’s repeat ed charges that gambling and specu lation by grain exchanges have boosted food prices higher, the ex change officials contended that the real cause of the rise in grain prices is the administration’s “extraordi nary and ever increasing purchases of grain and flour for export.” Ad ministration “bungling and lack of planning” also were cited by the grain officials. Wherever the truth may lie—and it probably is somewhere midway between the government and grain exchange viewpoints — it should be recognized that a force akin to a minor economic law is operating in this particular controversy: Normal government reaction, whenever grain prices shoot above what is considered a safe level, is to lay the blame on the grain ex changes, charging them with ma nipulating prices through specula tion. That has occurred often enough in U. S. history to bear out the theory. Grain dealers, of course, invariably blame the situation on over-exporting. From that standpoint, at least, an investigation at this time should shed some new light on the long standing controversy. It might even provide some real information on why prices are so high. HEADLINERS IN WASHINGTON . . . Sen. Owen Brewster (Rep., Me.), above, of the senate war investigating committee, smiled gently, called first successful tests of Howard Hughes’ 25 million dollar flying boat "gratifying.” IN SARASOTA, FLA. . . . The Her ald-Tribune, polling beardless males to discover how many strokes are needed for the morning shave, com piled this statistic: From 38 strokes for a fuzz bearder to 175 for a wire hair. IN TACOMA , . . Edgar H. Eisen hower, the general’s brother, laughed heartily, said he was only joking when he remarked that he would form an “Against Eisenhower for President Club” with himself as president. RED CZECHS: Go Communist Add Czechoslovakia to the list of Communist - dominated nations in Eastern Europe. A man named Element Gottwald. Communist premier of Czechoslo vakia, has emerged as a new strong man, possessing complete authority from the national cabinet to rebuild the government of semi-autonomous Slovakia. Rebuilding the government of the semi-autonomous nation will mean simply that Gottwald and his Com munists will change Czechoslovakia from a nation whose people had at least a part measure of self-govern ment to a nation under totalitarian rule. Although the Slovak Democrats, predominantly conservative, are the majority party in the country, the Communists were able to place Gott wald, a former blacksmith, in com plete power. Thus Czechoslovakia has shifted from a position as a Soviet satellite with some will of its own to a lower position as a Russian dominated state with literally no self-determi nation. It has become another unit in the string of Soviet buffer states to the south and west. INSTALLMENT BUYING Curbs Off, Prices May Go Up Government controls on the fa vored American practice of install ment buying went off November 1, and from now on the purchase of that radio or refrigerator is strictly a matter between you and the deal er unless congress decides to step in again at the special session. One result of the removal of In stallment buying curbs is very like ly to be an increase in the already badly swollen prices of consumer goods. Under the law, now out of effect, a down payment of one-third of the purchase price was required of anyone buying on the installment plan. Now, however, the rule book has been thrown away, and retail ers doubtlessly will reduce the amount of the initial payment. Attracted by the lure of “easy terms,” hard-pressed householders now may see their way clear to buying needed items that they felt they could not afford before. With the down payment and installment terms relaxed, demand for goods is sure to rise; but it is certainly far from sure that the supply of such goods will increase accord ingly. Thus, if the old law of supply and demand follows its natural bent. prices will rise too, or the day of falling prices will be postponed. Installment credit, economists say, is a volatile factor in our econ omy and can be a considerable force operating to help bring about a de pression. • When goods are available on easy credit terms, consumers are tempt ed to buy to the limit They over pledge their incomes. This accentu ates the boom and eventually a sat uration point is reached. The ex cessive credit has to be liquidated out of current income on the down swing, and so the depression, if one is already in the making, is given a further impetus. SCRIPTURE: I John 1—3; John 21:15- 22. DEVOTIONAL READING: I Corin thians 13. Dr. Newton The Way of Love Lesson for November 23, 1947 CUNDAY’S lesson is based on the ^ writings of John, I John 1—3, and John 21:15-22. The devotional read ing is First Corinthians 13. Travelling on a plane at night a lit tle while ago, I talked at length with a group of business men. The conversation turned at last to the Bible. I asked the group for their favorite passages in the Bible. They named several passages, but the majority said they loved most the writings of John. I think their answer emphasizes this truth. John tells us about God and his love. That is the message of this lesson. * • • The Happy Way of Life T OVE is the happy way of life. It is the only happy way of life. Children are happy to the de gree that they are loved. Find me a home where children are truly loved, and I will have no difficulty in identifying that as a happy home. Little children yearn for love, and they respond in love. That is one reason why they like dogs. Dogs love little children, unless they are the wrong sort of dogs. And little children love dogs. If a dog can bring happiness to a little child by loving to the limit of its brute nature, how much more can parents, mjrle In the image of God, bring happiness to little children by loving them. • » • Love Begets Love J OHN declares, “This command ment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also,” I John 4:21. We cannot hate people if we see them through eyes of love. The Bible somewhere speaks of the eyes of the heart, and it is of such eyes that I am now think ing. A friend of mine complained that some strangers had bought the house next door to his. They had a strange name, they talked strange ly, they looked strange. He was tempted to sell his beautiful home and move to another community. He frowned when I smiled at him. I asked him if he would do what I proposed as a solution to his difficulty. He hesitated. I suggest ed that he cut an armful of dahlias from his garderi and take them to the strange neighbors. He did. He discovered that the strange neigh bor was an expert horticulturist. To day they are great friends. They love one another. Follow After Love H ERE you will need to read I John 2:7-11. We need not pass resolutions about better relations within nations and between nations unless we are willing to follow after love in the everyday relationships of life. Just across the fence, just across the hedge, just across the desk, just across th« ball, just across the way, narrow or wide it may be, Is a human being who yearns for Ipve. It is generally safe to assume that the people you see every day are lonely people. You may not understand why, but they are lonely. What can you do to help them in their loneliness? That is where the water begins to hit the wheel in ap plying this lesson to everyday life. In the pioneer days of our coun try, people were more neighborly, because they were aware of great danger—danger from Indians, dan ger from wild beasts, danger from the wilderness about them. This sense of danger drew them together. Today, with our walled apartments, we have lost some sense of inter dependence. That is why we are so lonely. Follow the better self within you. Penetrate these bar riers. Follow after love. And you will be happier as you make your neighbor happy. The Way of Love T HE way of love is the way of Christ. “A new commandment I give unto you," said Jesus, “That ye love one another as I have loved you.” Not until we reach the point that we can look at life through the eyes of love—the eyes of the heart —can we know the joy which comes when we follow the way of love. It may sound very simple. That is the reason why it Is so vital. It is the one way up and out for our frightened world. The way of love is the way God wants us to go today and tomorrow. • • • (Copyright by tbe International Council oi Religious Education on behalf of 40 Protestant denominations. Released by WSU Features.) A VOICE FROM THE COUNTRY Agricultural Revolution Dooms Old-Fashioned General Farm (Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles on cur rent problems by Louis Bromfield. One of America’s leading writers, Bromfield is author of “The Green Bay Tree,” tbe Pulitzer prize-winning “Earl Autumn,” “The Rains Came,” “Pleasant Valley” and numerous other books.) By LOUIS BROMFIELD Released by WNU Features. Lately there has arisen in the mind of the writer doubts concerning two patterns of American life in which all of us have taken great pride in the past. These are unwelcome doubts but observation and study of the patterns in relation to the highly integrated industrialized world in which we live make them unavoidable. They are: I That tbe old-fashioned pio- • neer pattern of self-suffi cient general farm is doomed. 2 That our present compli- • cated, complex economic civilization cannot afford count less small enterprises save under very exceptional circum stances. Both doubts are certain to arouse protest and even abuse, but both deserve the consideration of every thoughtful citizen. The general farm, producing a little of everything, is an American pattern growing out of life upon isolated frontiers and no longer fits into a highly com plex national econ omy. A few acres of com or oats or wheat or hay can not support a corn picker, a combine or a hay bailer. Therefore the gen eral farmer is at once at a great dis advantage, in competing with the com farmer, the wheat farmer or the specialist grass farmer or the fruit farmer, all of whom are do ing efficient jobs along specialist lines with the high degree of mech anization which any specialist en terprise can support. Because the general farm cannot support a high degree of mechani- Bromfield "Because the general farm cannot support a high degree of mechaniza tion, the general farmer must work long hours, do things in an old- fashioned, slow and inefficient way." zation, the general farmer must work long hours, do things in an old-fashioned, slow and inefficient way. His gross income is almost certain to be only a fraction of that of the specialist in dairying, grass farming, com and hogs, fruit, potatoes or any other undertaking where a man is doing one or two things efficiently and well, instead of 10 or 15 things inefficiently, slow ly and painfully. I know of one specialist farm of 160 acres, raising apples, raspber ries and hybrid seed com which last year grossed $33,000. It is high ly mechanized. Alfalfa is grown not to feed cattle but to mulch orch ards and raspberries. The labor schedule is balanced the year round with no peaks and no slack periods. All attention is focused upon the three specialties and high produc tion yields per acre rather than gambling upon high prices to sur vive is the basis of all operations. The income is high and the hours short because the farmer is operat ing efficiently. The same acreage, operating as a general farm with a few chickens, a few cows, a few hogs, a few acres of wheat, oats, com or hay, could have produced a maximum gross in come, even in these times of high prices, of only about $6,000 or $7,000, with a net of not more than $3,000. The farmer would be at the mercy of a custom bailer, com picker, combine or haybailer, and would be forced to do things the hard, old-fashioned way and fre quently suffer losses because the machinery was not available when his crops were ready. Bad weather or sudden decline in prices can ruin him or reduce him to subsistence level. I suspect that in another gener ation the old-fashioned general farm will have become a curiosity except in poor agricultural areas where a few farms cling to the old ways. Anyone with an observant eye driving through agricultural country can see for himself the waning of the old pattern. The well painted barns and houses, the new automobiles, the landscaped grounds around the farm house, the good fences — all of these one sees on dairy farms, fruit farms or potato farms. The farms that appear to be falling apart are almost always practic ing agriculture in the old pioneer pattern. A good many of them are closing down each year or shift ing over to specialization in order to improve income and living stand ards or even to survive. It is all part of the vast agricul tural revolution now in progress and it is the result of pressures from our highly integrated, mechanized industrialized civilization. The farm is no longer a frontier outpost in the defense against Indian attack when it was necessary to produce nearly everything that was con sumed. In most productive areas of the U. S. today, a farmer is an integral part of our social, me chanical, economic structure using electricity, gasoline, ma chinery, prepared feeds and other things which bind him into the whole structure so that he must integrate himself and his farm into the structure in order to survive. The farmer of the future will not be a hunter-trapper-farmer, but a businessman, a scientist and a spe cialist. All of us will benefit by the change in terms of prices lowered through efficiency, in terms of health and in terms of taxes which no longer will be needed to subsi dize farms living by a pattern which has become obsolete and which, in the past, has cost us dearly in many ways. The passing of the general farm does hot mean the passing of the family-sized farm. It is not a ques tion of the amount of land but of how it is used and what the farm plan is. A specialized farm of 100 acres operated under an efficient plan produces 5 to 10 times as much income with much less labor 'The farmer of the future will not be a hunter-trapper-farmer, but a busi ness man, a scientist and a specialist,” than the same acreage operated under the old system of “egg money” for the wife. Sentimental ly, the passing is sad but I’m afraid it is inevitable. Black Flags Spar Army Safety Plan FORT LEWIS, WASH.—Designed to keep army personnel “accident conscious,” a new safety program has been launched by Fort Lewis officials. Separate unit headquarters are issued white flags, to be flown from the roofs of headquarters buildings. In case of an accident resulting in hospitalization or death of unit per sonnel, the white flag is taken down and replaced with a black flag. Never Too Old ALBANY, N, Y. — Yon can teach an old dog new tricks, in sists State Sen. Thomas C. Des mond, chairman of a legislative group investigating problems of the aged. As proof, he offers evidence that one old-timer “over 65” listed himself as an “apprentice” on a question naire. Lord’s Acre Nets $30,000 for Needy BYRON, N. Y. — Residents of this farming community harvested a $30,000 crop on Lord’s Acre, with all proceeds destined to go for do mestic and foreign relief. An auction sale, offering mer chandise collected through co-oper ative community effort as well as the output from fields in the adja cent territory, attracted 7,000 buy ers to Lord’s Acre, a pleasant plot of land just inside the village lim its. The auction climaxed a project commenced a year ago when resi dents of the village decided to do something to relieve worldwide suf fering and to promote human under standing. Three charitable institutions. Na tional Catholic Welfare association, Protestant Restoration fund and United Jewish appeal, will share in the proceeds. Nine needy families in foreign countries will be aided. Chimps Learn Quickly To Distinguish Coins One of a series of tests given to two chimpanzees a few years ago by a Southern psychologist was to determine their ability to distin guish between coins. In each of their adjoining cages, he installed a slot machine dispensing water and another food, which operated only when the proper coin was in serted. After the chimps had quickly learned which coin worked which machine, the professor de prived one animal of water and the other of food for a day and then handed the thirsty one food coins and the hungry one wa ter coins. Instead of being frus trated by the situation, they im mediately exchanged coins with, each other through the bars of their cages. Christmas shopping needn’t be a’ tiring experience if you follow this suggestion. For friends who enjoy; the pleasure of cigarette or pipe| smoking—here are two great gift items that are sure to please. For the man or woman who prefers mild, mellow, rich-tasting ciga rettes, select a carton of Camels, a national favorite. And for the pipe-smoker, wisely choose a; pound tin of the largest-selling pipe' tobacco. Prince Albert. Bothi Camels and Prince Albert come in; gay gift packages. No other gift* wrapping is necessary. Camels and Prince Albert are “ready to; give.” At your dealer’s now!—Adv.l WHAT MAKES YOUR NOSB RUNT >ps m Answer: Congestion in nasal Just 2 drops of Penetro Nose each nostril reduce nasal coi check sniffles and sneezes. You breathe freer almost instantly. Economical. Buy PENETRO DROPS More than just a TONIC- it’s Powerful nourishment! Recommended by Many DOCTORS Scott’s Emulsion Is » great HIGH ENERGY FOOD TONIC for all mge§ 1 Helps tone up adult systems low in A&D x Vitamins. Helps children build sound teeth, strong bones. SC0TTS EMULSION High Energh tonic Grandma SPEARIN'... WHAT A DIFFERENCE 1C makes when we laugh with folks instead of at them. 15 mid Mn. E. J. Martin, Poland, IndA Jar* PERSNICKETY? Why shore I am. 'Specially when It comes to margarine. I always want top quality. That’s why I always pick the package that says “Table- Grade.” Nu-Maid Table-Grade Margarine’s made ’specially fer the table! And that’s fer me! J«r» THERE IS no real substitute for brains. But silence does pretty well.* Jr* IT JES STANDS TO REASON that what you use for seasonin’ vegetables should be sweet and fresh tastin’ by Itself. That’s why so many folks use Nu-Maid. will be paid upon publica tion to the first contributor of each accepted saying or idea for “Grandma Speakin’.’’ Address Nu-Maid Margarine, Cincinnati 2, Ohio. Table-Grade MARGARINE COLDS LIQUID MEDICINE IS BETTER jGct split-second relief of Cold Miseries with ! the largest selling Liquid Cold Preparation in the U. SJ LIQUID ODD co <£JZ. t Z, A I£L°"l