The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-30
TAXATION IS OF
 CHIEF INTEREST
Rank And File Far From Satis. fled With Present Order, i.
 Declares Forbes
By 3. Q. FORBES


 M By 3. Q. FORBES
 What is on your mind? What are the public thinking about?.I >.
 Writers are sometimes asked how they presume to know what public opinion is on various subjects. Well in my own case, receive, estimate some 15,000 letters year, mostly from people I do not know, but who simply are moved to write by something they read. Incidentally, spend from twen- ty to thirty hours every week reading newspapers and periodicals, and still more hours reading all kinds of pam phlets, circulars, brochures, reports books, etc, all with the idea of keep ing posted on what is being done and what is being thought.
 Taxation is uppermost in the public's mind today.
 Next comes the bonus.
 Wage earners are worried a good deal over excessively high rents.
 Interest in the presidential campaign Is far from boiling over.
 Agricultural problems still exercise serious attention over a widespread The outlook for wages and employ ment is good deal in the mind of workers as we'll as business men.
 Europe affairs are followed more closely by financiers and eastern busi-
  of the people, especially those in the west.
 Of course the /stock market and its fluctuations areffollowed closely by an increasingly large number of people every year. Those who are interested Prohibition Is talked about lot, but the indications are that it is subsiding considerably as topic for discussion or writing.
 The showing up of crooked promoters and brokers and the like is followed with relish.
 How to use savings advantageously Is problem on which questions con- tinuously pour in.
 Another matter on which advice is constantly asked is how to go about landing a better job.
 The men whose doings and sayings appear to excite the .keenest interest are Henry Ford, President Coolidge John D. Rockefeller, Edison, Schwah and the activities of the Mayo broth CTS of Rochester, Minn., and the lead ing scientists attached to the Rocke- feller medical institute.
 have before me the batch of letters delivered by the latest mail. Perhaps a peep at some of them may prove in teresting. - -"An investor, payer of, income sur. tax, manufacturing executive and also an ex-service man and a member of the American Legion," in Kahka- kee, Ill.,, points out that the American Legion figures that the bonus will cost only $s0,000000 a year for the first mates the treasury surplus at about $S13 3,000, ,000. He asks: Why not pay the bonus and reduce the surplus by Sso 900 900 and still save the tax payers $243 3,000. .000?" If there are any req sons why this cannot and should not be done, then those reasons should be placed before the people in simple and straightforward statements that would be convincing to the average man."
 A New York reader, referring to a recent column on the advantages of owning home, wants a column de- voted to "ReasonA why life insurance, especially in every mans life, is a ne- cessity and should come first and fore most in the provisions that should be made by every man for his loved ones." A .'yardmaster for the last thirty five years" describes recent state ment that the efficiency of railway workers has improved as >the cheesiest print I have ever >seen." He declares we are falling back whole lot on rail- road men,. what you call real men, There "are only few good men left in all the great railroad terminals"
 He says further: eff I had money I would show the railway workers how to run a railroad and how to run 1t like Henry Ford. Why he pays a brakeman $9 day for eight hours."
 A letter carrier who gives his name and address wishes to call attention to xuh ie hxy the Letter. Carriers of America for an increase in salary. "Should you look into this, give the result of your iri- vestigations to the public in straight from the shoulder manner. We want the world to know what we want and why.' An Australian writes:- "You might be interested to know that in Australia at the public office of the Registrar General, any person who pays shill- ing can inspect the names and ad- dresses and the amount of stock of the company registered in the state. This proviso is made compulsory by law"
 Another reader complains because no reference has been made in this col umn to "the case of the National Con- duit and Cable company. Now that the stockholders protective committee will attempt to bring to light the evident mismanagemeht of the company, will you not add your voice to the demand Scr an accounting by those concerned? ?' Let not employers imagine for a mo- ment that the great mass of the rank and file are satisfied with the present order of things, No one could read the letters that come froll sll parts of the world without having it burned into him how urgent and essential it is for the hayes" to bestir themselves to do everything possible to improve the lot of the have nots."
 Copyright, 1s*., by Bs c. Forbes.)