Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-11

first thing to do is to get the facts.
Many Of the problems confronting us
are in violent dispute chiefly because
there is disagreement as to existing
conditions. It is all too common a
failing to make the facts suit theories,
rather than make theories adjust them
selves to facts. This belief is the in
spiration of the appointment by Presi-
dent Hoover of certain fact finding
commissions. notably the Law Enforce
ment Commission. AS a result of the
findings of this commission certain
legislation already has been enacted as
a result The duty of enforcing the
prohibition law has been transferred
from the Treasury Department to the
Department of Justice, where 1t natu-
rally belongs. In districts with con-
gested calendars additional Federal
judges have been provided. Trial
without jury in certain prohibition
cases has been authorized. Various
agencies for preventing the smuggling
of liquor, narcotics, aliens and mer-
chandise over the border will be con-
solidated for the sake of increased eff
cheney, under a bill proposed by the
administration. The construction of
two additional Federal prisons to re-
lieve overcrowding and of additional
jails for minor offenders has been pro-
vided for. The Presidents Child We'll
fare Commission is making extensive
studies in a field of special interest
to the mothers of the land.
Tax Reduction.
With all the expansion of national
activities Federal tax reduction has been
effected. Under the tax reduction act
of 1929 American taxpayers. chiefly the
smaller ones, have been relieved of
burden of $l60,000,000 annually. This
is the fifth tax reduction by the party
now in power. in the aggregate reliev-
ing the taxpayers of the country of a
burden of 986,000,O00. More and
more in our income tax legiSla-
ton we have relieved those of
small or moderate incomes of taxation.
I read the other day the statement of
a well known American author who has
developed an acute disgust for American
institutions and a corresponding admira-
ton for the institutions of countries in
which ne does not choose to live, in
which he declared that America was
IAN oligarchy of the rich 1t seems
strange that in a Nation so governed
we have more and more relieved the
smaller income tax payer until no one
without comfortable income pays any
income tax whatsoever, and have pro-
vided for graduated SurtaxeS which re-
quire the rich to pay an increasing per-
centage of taxes as their incomes in
crease. 1t seems strange that in a
country dominated by an oligarchy of
wealth we regulate through public
bodies the earning returns of great
transportation companies and public
utilities while permitting the indivi-
dual and smaller enterprise to secure
whatever rate of return upon their in
yeStmentS possible To them
Merchant Marine.
Under the policies of the present
national administration we are realizing
a dream of many of us which long
seemed impossible of realization in the
creation of a merchant marine COR
responding in size to our coast line
and commerce. America has a domestic
coast line equal in length to that of
Europe from Archangel to the Black
Sea, and yet for years we saw our
marine diminish until the
sight of the American flag in for
eign port was a strange and unfamiliar
one. During the World War the lack
of a merchant marine cost the people
of America, especially our farmers,
many times more than the sums pro-
posed m previous years as Subventions
to create ocean-going commercial fleets.
ent administration have been increased
by five and half million dollars, max
ing possible the construction of 40 great
vessels which will ply the, oceans under
the American flag. contributors to ma
tional prosperity in time of peace, to
national defense in case of war.
Within the past few days the enact
ment OF a rivers and harbors bill carry
ing extended appropriations marks the
beginning of the realization of the
Hoover policy of developing internal
waterways, experimenting our existing
transportation development in railways,
electric lines and highways. These ap-
look forward to a great
inland waterways system which will
make ocean ports of our
Great Lakes cities and furnish cheap
to our interior States.
This is the beginning of a permanent
policy requiring years for its complete
execution, but which will have the most
profound effect upon the development
of our interior States Together with
the tariff, this great project carries on
the American system" of Henry Clay
and Abraham Lincoln, both of whom
stressed public projects of internal de-
velopment as proper accompaniment
to the doctrine of protection.
Other Measures.
can but briefly mention other meas
ures Of public importance which are the