SEEN and HEARD
around the
NATIONAL CAPITAL!
By Carter Field
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT j
Washington.—Federal taxes are
Mw running at the rate of $8,000,
000.000 a year, with assurance they
will be Increased, some at this ses
sion of congress, more to follow.
State and local taxes are running
at the rate of about $0,000,000,000
a year. So that the present tax bur
den of .the United States Is about
$17,000,000,000 a year, with a cer
tainty that It will be larger before
it is smaller 1
The figures, not the prophecy,
have been compiled by experts of
the Department of Commerce. They
have not been pm tn the form of a
finished report ns yet, but the gist
of them lias been passed along to
the Treusury department officials
and administration leaders on Cap
itol Hill now working on the pres
ent tax problem.
The startling fact Is that this
makes the average tax for every
man. woman and child in the Unlb
ed states $114 a year. Hut this
counts people on relief, dependents
whose relatives nre too proud to
let them go on relief, and a num
ber of other classes which pay far
below their average of taxes.
Even the folks on relief pay
some taxes, of course, as for in
stance. the federal tax of six cents
a package on clguretten, perhaps a
little liquor tax now and then, or
even occasionally the ten cents a
pack on playing cards.
But when It Is considered that 20,
000,000 people, roughly, nre on re
lief, and that most of them con
tribute very little In the way of
taxes, the average of $114 per per
son should he marked up consider
ably—far more than the very heavy
taxes paid by the rich would pull
down the average paid by the mid
dle class folks.
There Is no scientific way of com
puting this, but probably the aver
age paid by eaclt member of the
self-supporting fnmlly is not far
from $200 a year. Which meariR
that father contributes an average
of something like $.'>00 to $1,000 In
taxes, whether he knows It or not,
of which his Income tax is a very
small fraction Indeed unless fa
ther’s Income goes well up In the
surtaxes. In which case, of course,
he will he paying a good deal more.
What Smith Hit At
That la the sort of tiling Al Smith
was hitting at In his Liberty league
speech, when he said that It was
no use thinking of paying this hill
for governmental expenditures by
taxing the rich, because the rich
simply did not have that much.
Interest rates play an Important
part In this “redistribution of
wealth" program, which Is going on
as surely as though the administra
tion at Washington, and for that
matter the administrations In the
48 state capitals, the thousands of
city halls, and the thousands of
counties throughout the land, were
all committed to the Huey Long
share the wealth plan.
The middle class home owner
who bus a mortgage, recently
placed or renewed, Is saving a little
on Interest. The government has
been fairly successful In reducing
Interest rules. But he Is getting 2
per cent or less. Instead of 4 per
cent, on his savings hank account,
and the dividends that reduce his
life Insurance premium or buy ad
ditional Insurance are smaller. The
Insurance companies cannot obtain
the return on their money that they
did before the slash In Interest
rates.
Meanwhile, Just as prosperity
seems to be returning, the prospect
of the folks just above this level
for bigger Income from dividends
on their Invested savings—or Inher
itances — is Jeopardized by pros
pects that the next big step 'In
taxes—not the one now In content
plation for this year—will probably
take another chunk of corporation
earnings. Most New Dealers want
the present 15 per cent slice the
government takes of corporation
net earnings boosted to 25 per cent.
Labor Takes Stand
A suggestion that John L. Lewis,
president of the United Mine Work
ers, replace Vice President Garner
as President Roosevelt’s running
mate this fall is of course absurd,
but under the suggestion Is one of
the most significant developments
In the history of organized labor In
the United States. The endorse
ment of the Roosevelt administra
tion, lock, stock and barrel, by the
United Mine Workers, and their ar
raignment of the American Liberty
league as a group of labor oppres
•ors, is far more significant than
is generally realized.
For It is not Just the mine work
ers—it Is the new movement In or
ganized labor. When the uttack
on the Liberty league was made
every man voting for it was think
ing of the Du Fonts and John Rus
kob In terms of General Motors. It
is these big Industries, now organ
ized, which open such shining doors
of hope for higldy Increased union
dues, and power.
So that, as political observers
view the situation here. It is the
New Deal in labor that Is backing
up the Roosevelt New Deal. Of the
two objectives of the labor leaders
In sympathy with Lewis and against
the policies of William Green, pres
ident of the American Federation
of Labor, one seems sure of at
tainment, the other very much be
clouded.
The actual labor objective, the
substitution of vertical unions—
unions embracing all the employees
of one Industry—seems fairly well
assured by the trend of events. It
Is no secret that the heads of at
least one of the very large compa
nies at present non-unionized Is per
fectly willing to have a union of Its
workers—providing It Is one union.
See Chance for Victory
Henry Ford, General Motors and
Chrysler may be forced to accept
such a union. The Lewis crowd be
lieves Its chances of victory here,
and In the steel Industry and the
electric Industry, will be much
greatpr under Roosevelt than under
anyone the Republicans might nom
inate.
Rut some very astute labor lead
ers, who for obvious reasons are
not putting out their necks at the
present moment, think the mixture
of politics with the fight for ver
tical unions Is highly unfortunate.
They believe that the whole cause
of union labor may suffer a serious
setback due to the stampede to the
Rbosevclt hand wngon by the United
Mine Workers—a stampede which
of course will Include all other un
ions sympathetic with the Lewis
goal.
For, ns can be demonstrated by
any search of the records, organized
labor has a very poor batting aver
age In political campaigns In this
country. The record Is so poor, even
In strong Industrial sections, that
It Is perfectly obvious the Individual
members of unions, when they enter
the polling booths, vote Just as they
please Individually and seldom If
ever nceord first place among the
motives actuating them to the rec
ommendations of their leaders.
To hear politicians speak In pub
lic, one would never think they sus
pected tills, but actually they know
It perfectly well. Actually If there
Is a politician In Washington who
really thinks that the chances for
re-election of President Roosevelt
have been affected by the United
Mine Workers’ endorsement, he Is
pretty well hidden. Privately all
agree that the endorsement and the
pep talks bound to follow will throw
a few votes, perhnps even a consid
erable number of votes, to Roose
velt. Rut they also think that an
equal number will he nlienated.
More About Taxes
What tuxes will be levied at this
session of congress—or more accu
rately—what tnxes will be levied be
fore election, depends upon whether
President Roosevelt definitely de
cides to accept the Liberty league
challenge, give up all hope of the
“stockholder vote," nnd put all the
burden on corporation profits.
Conviction among his advisers is
that the President will seek to raise,
at this session, about $700,000,000.
That Is approximately the amount
needed to innke up for the loss of
the processing taxes and to pay In
terest on the sinking fund for amor
tization of the soldier bonus. (In
this connection It makes ulmost no
difference to the Treasury depart
ment whether It pays interest on the
bonus taken by the soldiers, nnd
eventually pays them off, or whether
(he soldiers cash their bonds, In
which case the treasury borrows
the money at about the same rate
of Interest the bonds carry.)
Up until the last few days most
of his advisers were convinced that
the President would Insist on this
money’s being raised by excise
taxes. These would be very similar
to the processing taxes just out
lawed by the Supreme court, but
spread over a wider base so as to
get the $150,000,000 to $200,000,000
additional needed, nnd adjusted so
ns to avoid some of the particular
hardships nnd difficulties of the
processing taxes.
Very Little Loss
Which, they point out, is very lit
tle loss nt all, because, as Illus
trated by the Liberty league, u con
siderable percentage of this type of
voters Is against the re-election of
Roosevelt anyhow. Therefore, they
argue, why not turn from the
"haves" and go all the way In try
ing to get the votes of the "have
nots," especially as the "have nots"
have more votes?
Advocates of this course have an
other string to their bow. They point
out that every one who studies the j
government’s financial standing at
ull knows that the tax plan to he
IHished through at this session Is not
seeking to balance the budget, hut
merely to make up for two losses—
the processing taxes and the addi
tional cost of the soldier bonus.
8> that, they contend, the stock
holders of the country, who mlgh
be calculated to resent another boos
In the corporation Income levy, ar
fearful that If Roosevelt Is re-elect?'
he will do that anyhow, utter elei
tlon. Hence they would he Incline'
to vote against Roosevelt to pre
vent that from happening.
Copyright . —YVNU t+rvlmm
I Our First Leader
George Washington never
occupied the White House.
Ills executive mansions were
temporary, and shifted from New
York to Philadelphia while the
White House was still a dream, ob
serves a writer In the New York
Times. Only his name, plus that
dream, which was his, went to the
city on the I’otomac.
But In the stress of the forma
tive years he was remembered with
widespread festivities at his first
birthday after his Inauguration. In
deed, the anniversary had been
hailed even earlier, slnco the first
President was a national hero long
before he grasped the reins of gov
ernment.
Ragged soldiers had piped him a
pathetic birthday tune at Valley
Forge on the bit- _
ter February day
that closed his
forty-sixth year.
Fellow-Vlrgln
lans had trod a
birthday meas
ure at Richmond
In 1781. Mary
land and New
York had toast
ed him when he
w a s forty-nine
and already In
sight of success
for his arms and
for his country.
Frenchmen who
had served by
his side seized
the opportunity
of rejoicing convivlally over the
anniversary of his hirth in 1784,
when the hostilities and the British
evacution were both in tlie past.
Young men who had been privileged
to visit him in his famous campaign
tent organized birthday honors tit
for n hero; and In that first Feb
ruary of the new era, the celebra
tions first began to resemble real
occasions.
In Alexandria, Va., the town near
est to the General’s stately mansion,
the blrtlinight ball was Inaugurated
an annual affair. In Philadelphia
patriots celebrated "with that hilar
ity and manly decorum ever attend
ant on the sons of freedom." In
New York there met “a select club
of Whigs,” and drank to Washing
ton, and hailed him with song and
sonnet and declamation.
The date thus far widely honored
was February 11. Washington was
born on February 11, 1782, accord
ing to the British calendar usages
then officially in vogue. Nineteen
years later Britain adopted the
Georgian in place of the Julian cal
endar. But the ancient dates often
stuck, and It Is not until 1700 that
we find Washington's birthday—his
first ns President—being celebrated
on the twenty-second of February
Instead of the eleventh by the Tam
many society of New York.
Tammany In 17!K» was patriotic,
anti-aristocratic, charitable and am
bitious. As yet it did not differen
tiate between President Washing
ton, Its adopted ’Great Grand Sa
chem." and the second of those char
acteristics. In this, the initial year
vnvernmenr under the new Con
stltutlon, New York strove to hon
or the Chief Executive and also to
persuade the congress that had
come to reside In Its midst that
New York city was the logical
choice for a permanent capital.
Washington himself was busy In
New York on that February 22. He
was moving from the Franklin
house, at the corner of Cherry and
Pearl streets, to the McComb man
sion on Broadway, near the newly
rebuilt Trinity church. His diary
for the day reveals him as an ac
tive superintendent of the disposnl
of his furniture.
In 1791, the Society of the Cin
cinnati held its lirst Washington’s
birthday celebration in New York,
having followed Tammany’s ex
ample by resolving to mark the date
each year. The President and the
congress (and also the capital of
the United States), had meanwhile
removed temporarily to Philadel
phia. But even New York’s disap
pointment did not prevent Tam
many from vying with the exclusive
organization of Revolutionary offi
cers to do honor to the day.
Alas, the good feeling did not en
dure. By 1796, after John Jay had
come back from England with his
hated treaty, Tammany was fiercely
for revolutionary France; Jefferson
was Its god; George Washington
was actually being dubbed, In pub
lic, a pro-English aristocrat; and
those who celebrated his birthday
were coldly accused of being
(umorig other things) bootlickers,
Idolaters, Royalists and sycophants.
The country wide birthday honors
Of that year, though even more lav
ish and vociferous than usual, pre
sented for the first time the ogre
of party, grinning at the feast.
By 1797, however, the Jay treaty
was being regarded much more tol
erantly, and cer
tain French pro
ceedings were
being looked at
a little askance.
Those who re
fused to salute
Washington on
February 22. to
honor a glorious
record for Its
own sake, and to
trend a measure
at the evening's ,
gala assemblies. ;
now formed a
rather consplcu- .
o\is minority.
George Wash
lngton became a I
private citizen
in that year, and
was with his Alexandria neighbors
at their blrthnlght ball of Febru
ary 22, 17118—an onlooker, though,
in his younger days lie had excelled
in the minuet.
There was to be only one more
birthday for a living Washington to
adorn. He spent that one at home
at Mount Vernon, presiding over a
particularly Joyous occasion. His
adopted daughter, his pet. Nelly
Custls, was being married to his fa
vorite nephew, Maj. Lawrence Lewis.
The radiance went out of Mount
Vernon in December of 179$) and
the birthday festivities the country
over were turned into mourning pro
cessions when 1800 brought the an
niversary around once more. This
February 22 was a universal re
quiem. The armlets and headbands
with Washington’s picture were
black where once the/ had been
gayly liued.
Throughout the country business
was suspended for 24 hours. The
ater*, taverns, public halls, school
rooms and college auditoriums, vil
lage greens and parks as well as
churches were given over to exer
cises, meetings and processions ex
Dressive of the deeoest grief.
Tall Tales
86
As Told to:
FRANK E. HAGAN and
ELMO SCOTT WATSON
A Splitting Tale
BEN SUTTON of Colorado Springs,
Colo., has an Uncle Jim who
never splits an armload of kindling
for his wife but that he thinks of
the time over on the Western Slope
when he was working for a man,
splitting logs. One morning he had
an Immense tree half-way split open
when 26 Ute Indians surrounded
him and their chief, old Holey Moc
casin, told him he’d have to go
back to camp with them.
Uncle Jim knew darned well they
Intended to burn him at the stake,
but he said “All right. I’ll go. But
ttrst I’ve got to get this log split.
Now, if you want me to go very
soon, you’ve just got to turn In and
help me.
The chief agreed to help, so Uncle
Jim put 13 of the Utes on one side
of the log and 13 on the other.
“Now, all of you get a deep holt
and pull," he said. “Take both
hands and I’ll drive the wedges In
while you hold the split open.’’
The redskins did just as he di
rected and began pulling as hard
as they could while Uncle Jim be
gan tapping at the wedges. But In
stead of driving them in, he began
loosening them.
Suddenly he knocked the wedges
out—one, two, three! . . . just like
that. The log snapped shut like a
steel trap and there were the Utes
with their hands caught in It. So
Uncle Jim took his maul and went
up one side of the log and down the
other, tapping the Indians on the
head as he went. Then he left
’em. He didn’t know whether he
Just gave them a bad headache or
killed them, because he never saw
those Utes again.
Little Drops of Water
Robert h. moulton, author
and marketing authority, once
lived among the ridge runners of
Tennessee. He likes to recall the
hazards of those early days when
a man had to go out and get his
meat before breakfast if he expect
ed to eat at all.
“Once I was hunting squirrels
in the Cumberland mountains,” lie
recalls. “I was using pappy’s old
muzzle-loading rifle and was mak
ing every shot count. Had a nice
bng of squirrels and started home
when 1 discovered all my bullets
were gone.
“At that unfortunate moment a
huge bear appeared on the trail.and
began to chase me. So disturbed
was 1 that beads of perspiration
rolled off my forehead.
“Luckily for me. the weather
turned cold very suddenly as I
headed into the cove. The beads
froze and by quick work I was able
to catch one of them, ram it into
the muzzle of my gun and fire it into
the head of the hear.
"It probably would not have been
a fatal injury to the bear, but I
had no more than fired when the
weather turned suddenly warm
again. The bear, I am happy to re
port, immediately died with water
on the brain!”
A Story Full of Interest
UP AROUND Spooner, YVis-, It
is natural, of course, that spoon
Ashing should be popular not only
with the natives, but with the
26,444 visitors who Inhabit the re
gion every summer. At least, that
is the assertion of Fred Record, of
Barrington, 111.
“One of my friends fished a lake
in the Spooner region fifteen years
ago, but with Indifferent success,"
says Record. “The man used a
spoon, but for some reason the lure
of its whir failed to attract the
fish.
“My friend was quitting in dis
gust and leaned over the side of
his boat. A $10* gold piece—for in
those days the possession of gold
was no misdemeanor—fell from his
pocket, spun in the water and was
seized and swallowed by a fish,
which darted away.
“Five years ngo. that friend and
I returned to the same lake. Again
my companion’s luck was poor. But
Just at sundown he landed an enor
mous pickerel which we took to
camp for our dinner. Y’ou can imag
ine the delight of my friend on
cleaning the fish, to discover a $10
gold piece in its belly.
"The treasure was slightly tar
nished, it Is true. But to offset this,
my friend also removed three $2
bills from the fish. The $6. we fig
ured out later, represented 6 per
cent interest on the gold piece for
ten years. It pleased us to learn
that the amount was exactly cor
rect.”
© Western Newspaper Union.
Headquarters of Czechoslovakia
The Hradcany at Prague has been
continuously inhabited since Paleo
lithic times. Historical records
indicate a large settlement on the
Vltava river protected by two cas
tles since the Tenth century. This
fortiiled palace of the ancient kimts
of Bohemia is the headquarters of
the Czechoslovak government and
residence of the president. In the
center of the palace area stands the
I cathedral of St. Vitus, founded In
| 930 by the salnt-klng Veneeslas.
CROCHET AS PRETTY
AS IT IS PRACTICAL
PATTERN lilt
Lovely, lacy richness lies In this
choice peacock filet crochet chal:
hack set that anyone can make—both
easily and inexpensively—of durable
string. The peacock, that most gor
geous of all birds, will add a decora
tive note to your home as well as
protect your furniture. You’ll find
the large filet meslt goes very quick
ly. And you can also use the design
for scarf ends.
Pattern 1119 comes to you with
detailed directions and charts for
making the set shown; an illustra
tion of it and of the stitches needed;
material requirements.
Send 15 cents in stamps or coins
(coins preferred) to The Sewing Cir
cle, Needlecraft Dept., 82 Eighth
Ave., New York, N. Y.
Vile Odor Danger Signal
Used in Canadian Mines
Flashing lights and clanging gongs
having proved futile, Canadian min
ers hereafter will be warned of dan
ger by the smell of a skunk. In case
of an alarm the engineer will break
bottles of ethyl mercaptan, a chemical
smelling like skunk, in air ducts
leading to the mine, and in a few
minutes the odor will be carried to
the farthest corners of the mine by
the ventilating system.
Miners are trained to run to cer
tain designated points when they rec
ognize the smell no one could fall to
recognize.—Pnthflnder Magazine.
And So the First Hunger
Strike Was a Decided Flop
Without the least cynical Intent,
we would point out to you the story
of one of the first hunger-strikers,
published In the Golden Book Mag
azine.
“The Widow of Ephesus,” relates
Petronius, was a lady of so high
repute for chastity that women
came from neighboring lands to see
and admire. When her husband
died, she followed him to his tomb,
determined to stay with him until
she, too, should die of hunger. But
it happened that a handsome young
soldier was stationed nearby t«
guard three robbers who had been
crucified, in order to prevent any
one removing their bodies and giv
ing them burial. He discovered th«
widow, and believing It a great pity
that anyone so beautiful should be
allowed to perish, finally persuaded
her to share his food. The soldier
was neither ill-looking nor wanting
in address, and says Petronius, “you
all know what temptations assail
poor human nature after a hearty
meal." We leave you to finish the
story for yourself.
Words of Wisdom
Instruct not your friend; let him
profit by your impersonal remarks.
H!
1
If you prefer nose drops, or |
throat spray, call for the I
NEW MENTHOLATUM LIQUID I
In handy bottle with dropper |
HOW TO “ALKALIZE" YOUR |
STOMACH ALMOST
INSTANTLY
Amazingly Fast Relief
Now From **Acid Indigestion**
Over-Indulgence, Nausea
and Upsets y
. _ 1
IF you want really quick relief
from an upset or painful
stomach condition—arising from
acidity following over-eating,
smoking, mixtures of foods or
stimulants — just try this:
Take—2 teaspoonfuls of Phil
lips’ Milk of Magnesia in a
full glass of water. OR — 2
Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia
Tablets, the exact equivalent
of the liquid form.
This acts almost immediately to
alkalize the excess acid in the
stomach. Neutralizes the acids
that cause headaches, nausea,
and indigestion pains. You feel
results at once.
Try it. AND — if you are a
frequent sufferer from “acid
stomach," use Phillips'' Milk of
Magnesia SO minutes after meals.
You’ll forget you have a stomach?
When you buy, see that any
box or bottle you accept is clear
ly marked “Genuine Phillips’
Milk of Magnesia."
SIGNS WHICH OFTEN
INDICATE “ACID STOMACH”
PAIN AFTER EATINE SLEEPLESSNESS
FEELINE OF WEAKNESS INDIGESTION
NAUSEA MOUTH ACIMTT
LOSS OF APPETITE SOUR STOMACH
FREQUENT HEADACHES
Hi* Peer*?
A man of wit would often be very
much at a loss without the company
of fools.—La Rochefoucauld.
Folly Confound*
It Is the folly of the world con
stantly which confounds Its wisdom
—Holmes.
"How do I feel....
Rotten! why do you ask?"I
“Because,
you are not yourtelf !**
rr is all so simple, too 1 That tired, run-down, exhausted feeling quite
often is due to lack of a sufficiency of those precious red-blood-cells.
Just build up these oxygen-carrying cells and the whole body takes on
new life... food is really turned into energy and strength... you can’t
help but feel and look better. S-S.S. Tonic restores deficient red-blood
cells... it also improves the appetite and digestion. It has been the
nation’s standby for over 100 years... and unless your case is excep
tional it should help you, too. Insist on S.S.S. Tonic in the blood-red
cellophane-wrapped package. The big 20-oz. size Is sufficient for two
weeks’ treatment... it’s more economical. © Th« S.S s. Co.
I «
1 ADVERTISED BARGAINS [
; /^UR readers should always remember that our
community merchants cannot afford to adver
tise a bargain unless it is a real bargain. They do
advertise bargains and such advertising means
money saving to the people of the community.
