Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-09

effective. Americans are not inclined
individually to be independent thinkers.
1t Is very difficult to express an indi-
vidual opinion that Is opposed to the
group with which you are thrown"
Elections In America have become
sporting events, said Don C.. SeitZ,
former treasurer of the New York
World. Il have always felt" he con-
tinued, that the power of the United
States does not rest with the so-called
independent voter, but with the indif-
ferent voter. 1t is an amazing fact
that at the last election 81 per cent of
coming election these ST. per centers
may surprise us. but we do not know
which turn their opinion will take or
whether It, will take any"
Political Map Changing.
A new sectionalisnl Is changing the
political map. Prof Horton explained.
New York financiers who have made
loans to Europe want low tariff, while
the new industrial South wants high
tariff, and this Is resulting In strange
political line-ups
We haven't had a two-party system
In this coun ry for several years" he
said. THE farm bloc Is not part of
saAS @@AAC1A oVA1 ks1A W Va VA ttaN As1bab
lican party, but Is an agrarian party"
The State Department gives out less
information ON lis foreign policies than
any other state department In the
world. Prof Latane told the group dis
cussing Latin American affairs. He
said that he was refused a copy of the
proceedings Of the commission Of
iurists at Rio de Janeiro. which pre-
coded the Havana conference, and that
there we're only four copies In the
United States.
It is common misconception In the
United States to regard economically
backward Latin American countries as
also culturally backward, Prof Belaunde
of Lima, Peru. said. He pointed out
that although Nicaragua had made lit
tie economic progress 1t has produced
some of the outstanding figures of the
last century, including Reuben Dario.
who is generally considered the greatest
writer In the Spanish language of our
times.
Links Taxes and Crop Surplus.
The problems of farm taxation and of
crop surplus are closely connected, Eric
Englund OF the Department of Agricul-
ture said at the round table discussing
farm relief.
A necessary step. he said, Is to classify
farm land according to It's productive
ness and to study system Of land tax
alton. Millions of acres he said, have
gone out of agricultural use because oil
the low prices of farm products, yet the
States are planning to bring still more
land under the pillow.
Taxes on farm property have In
creased $50 per cent since 1914, Mr.
Engiund said the cost of schools. roads
and other necessities coming from the
tax on tangible property. of which. land
Is the chief item. The city property
owner has been able to shift his taxes
to rent payers and the purchasers OF
manufactured goods, but the farmer
cannot shift the increased assessment to
the purchasers of his crop because OF
the surplus and must pay the taxes en-
tirely from his own pocket.
Agricultural depression has been
world wide In the past few years, MIR
Englund said
Personal Tests Urged.
Although there is q Federal appro-
priation to the Department of AgricuI-
ture of SlS5. 100000 year, he said, little
Of this actually goes directly for the
benefit OF the farmer,
Need of personal tests in the employ
ment of more than 100000 civilian
employees In the public service with sal
aries amounting TO nearly SIS, 600, 600 DOC