davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Gift Tax Is Proposed
To Levy on Estates

To the Editor Of The Star:
The writer has been much interested
iE the many attempts of Congress to
balance the budget and also in the
varied expressions, pro and con, by stu
dents OF the subject.
While struggling to reach this goal,
it appears that some very important
points of interest and sources of reve-
nue have been overlooked.
! have reference chiefly to property,
both real and personal, becoming much
enhanced in value and passing on to
others, either through gift or by be-
quest, without equitable taxation.
For illustration, let us suppose that
A, B and c each invest 100000 in like
securities which increase in value to
100000.
A makes a gift of his to his son, B
sells his, while C retains his. Death
calls all three of them
A has paid no tax, neither income,
gift nor estate tax, though the son must
pay the income tax when he oispose5
CT the securities. B has paid the in
cCme tax and the executor Of his estate
pays the esta.e ta.: on $500 900. has
paid no tax and the executor of his
e-tate must pay the estate tax on $780,
0C0
Three almost parallel cases are be-
io.a us, each having had property in
crecs.ng in value from 100000 to
%200,0OJ, the propervy il each cas-
changing hands the fir-t case paying
only the income ta:;, the second paying
both the income and the estate ta.,
hiie the third pays only the estate
tax.
It appears A should be required to
pay some sort OF gift tax in lieu Of the
,5oate tan and that the executor of C's
{ tcte should use the same basis in ar
IlyiEg at the taxable profit as c wouli
have had to use had he sold the securi-
ties, as in the case of B. Then eacn
would have been assessed similar taxes
on similar enhancement-that is, each
case would be required to pay the in
ccme tax on the proceeds in excess Of
100000, B and C would pay the estate
tax and A would pay gift tax in lieu
Thereof.
1 hope these few lines may reach
some Oh the struggling forces in order
that the present unequal taxation
might be corrected in the Forthcoming
revenue act of 1882.
D. M ROUTSON.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Cancellation of Bonus
Asked by Veteran
To the Editor of The s.ar:

To the EdItCr OF TIE 5.aF:
Ex-Yresident Coclidge, in a recent
magazine article, states that if the
people " no hurried to Washington re-
Gently ID oppose the sales tax had been
vocal when the appropriation measures
responsible were pass ng over his veto
several years ago, there would have
been no battle of the budget. He
plainly refers to the veterans bonus
legis aticn. and his statement is borne
out by the figures he quoted and by the
figL.ei presented by David Lawrence
in your columns.
I have a proposal to make which. if
adequately publiciZed and adopted,
would save these United States $40 o.
000.001 One billion of dollars is a lot
Of money. but hear mel Belonging to
the unorganized half OF the World War
veterans, l claim the same rights to
publicity for my legion OF American
veterans as have been exercised by the
more vocal American Legion veterans.
Say to Speaker Garner, Chairman
CriSp and to all the other member5
OF CJrgress for me-for uS-thiS: That
half of us never wanted the bonus:
that we are not vultureS, to fe2d on
the countryS life; that we joined and
served as patriots and diSclaim all
connection with the American Legion
or anv other leg-pIlli1G We ,erans' group.
and that we want Congress to cancel
further bcnus payments and save the
lFst half of that two billions.
Veteran organizations began to ap-
pear in the American fact in MAY or
June. 1917. before any American forces
en- any front had encountered the
enemy or even sighted the enemy.
Most of us never did sight the enemy.
though We had the best intentions in
the world. Tut the gouging idea was
present with manv Of the men almost
from the start. They organized. incor-
porated and proceeded to prey on the
Nations svmpathies in a way which
has been shameful to contemplate.
We were men enough 10 go when
wanted We had nerve enough TO see
It through. And most Of us have sense
and pride enough 10 say, We're quits,
we're square. call 1t a day. fini Ia
guerre." Cancel the unpaid half OF
the bonus now, and We give you back
81 000 900 600
VIII you carry nv message to Con-
Press for me or must I parade with 1t
G~vri PENNSYLVANIA avenue with a
n1li~e escort to the news reel forum en-
the east front ot the CaptCl?
RICHARD L. FELDMAN.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

OF the world in going to stack arms on
any considerable scale until America
leads it to the trough and makes it
drink
While on the subject Of disarma-
ment, Kurt Sell Washington cor
respondent of the German official news
agency, Wolff Telegraph Bureau, per-
petrates an up-to-the-mi pun in
the American Language. If Gibson's
scheme for abolishing long range ar
tillery," says Sell is adopted at
Geneva. some countries are sure to put
up roar against short shelling."
Not long ago one of the best sellers
in America was novel entitled Years
Of Grace" A Washington book store.
which was evidently caught with an
unSold stock, recently filled a window
with couple Of hundred copies of the
volume. Two men were overheard
chinning while looking at the display.
What's Years OF Grace about Won
der?" quoth one Of them. "Oh,
suppose calculated the othe", ''it s
just some more Coolidge propaganda. "
Nowadays, instead of keeping their
ears to the ground, statesmen and poll
ticians keep them close to the radio
Brcadcasting has no greater devotee
than President Hoover On a certain
Saturday night not long ago Jouett
Shouse, executive director OF the Demo-
cratic National Committee, lambasted
the administration hip and thigh on the
economy issue. Mr.. Hoover happened TO
be listening in. He didn't like it. AS
the tale goes. he got the Republican
National Committee on the telephone
pronto and gave orders that Sh3use'S
fire was to be returned, with interest, at
the earliest possible moment The re-
suit was that the research staff at
G.. o. p. headquarters put in a busy
Sunday doping out re,aiIaiOry material
1t went on the air about SO hours later
through Representative Will Wood, Re
publican, Of Indiana. There was some
sugge ;tion in Mr.. Woods rejoinder thai
Mr. Shouse had dallied With the truth.
II depression is giving the average
business man headaches, they're trifies
light as air compared to the insomnia
which hard times are causing the man.
agementS of the two big political par
ties. It'll surprise both Republicans
and Democrats il each of them fries
as much fat as 81 100000 out of cam
paign contributors this year. That's
about third or quarter as much as
they've spent apiece in past presidential
contests. In 1928 each party invested
81 900 900 In radio alone. or thereabouts.
A professional political gold-d'gger saws
that If butter and egg men who used
to be good for a $4,000 check part
with $500 this year, everybody Will be
happy.
(CopyrIeht 1922
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Widely Ranging Speed Estimates

Evidence of the difficulty OF deter
mining the speed al which yehi. les are
driven through the streets was afforded
by the testimony given yesterday at
the inquest into the deaths Of the
passengers On bus which was struck
by another recently at the corner of
Rhode Island avenue and Seventeenth
street. Their estimates ranged from
eight to fOrty-five miles an hour. the
lowest rate being thct claimed by the
driver Of the co'liding vehicle, who
was held for grand jury action II is
a commonplace in al such cases that
the versions of speed vary widely. Few
people can make an accurate observs-
ton Of this factor In an accident
There is no definite stfndard BY which
computation can be made. In the
case OF collision the period Of actual
observation is brit Only few sec
onds intervene between the first sign
/ OF danger and the crash The atten-
tion OF passengers on q bus Is not
directed to the speed of the vehicle
in which they are riding unless u
chances TO be proceeding either very
| slowly or at en- extraordinary pac~
Pedestrians. int mt upon their oUn
course acro~s intersections. are not
observant Of the rates at which vehhles
are travelling unloss they arr them
selves mcnaccd oy them. And In any
case very few people are competent 70
judge rates Of speed With sny d~grse
OF accuracy, Under twenty mIl-s an
hour a vehicle is rated as SLOW" Be
tween twenty and thirty miles II Is
regarded as average. Only when IL
goes at above thirty. or perhaps forty.
Is 1t remarked az making what Is now
termed fast" pace. The range Ia a
wide one. and much depends upon the
temperament OF the observer.
Fortunately in the cas- In point tn.
issue did not turn upon the rates at
Evening star., 1932-04-13
European Smoke Screens.

Americans who discern in recurring
news from the other side of the At
lantic disconcerting evidence that Eu-
rope seems a house incurably divided
against itself should realize that there
Is an emergency reason for current dis
agreement and recrimination. The year
1882 is campaign year in Germany
and France. Politics is politics and
politicians are politicians the world
over, and the continent of Europe is
no exception to the rule All of which
means that statesmen in both Ger
many and France are going through
verbal motions which are not always
what they appear to be.
There is fair degree of assurance
that the Bruening government and the
Tardieu government are mutually bent
upon removing some of the gunpowder
from the Franco-German situation. In
the case of France, her, Aocumulating
economic troubles are a powerful in
centive to reconciliation with the east
ern neighbor. But to maintain himself
in the premiership. with reliable ma
jority in the Chamber of Deputies, is
Andre Tardieu's immediate necessity
and most pressing preoccupation-an
entente with the Germans can wait.
Just as twisting the British lions tail
used to be vote-getting device in the
United States, so French nationalism
finds electoral virtue in plucking at the
posterior feathers of the Teutonic
eagle. M. Tardieu's curt observation
at Geneva yesterday, while discussing
the American disarmament proposal,
that certain nations ought to bear in
mind that the conference is League Of
Nations affair, shows that taking peck
at the American eagle must be good
French politics just now, too.
The Germans must also play this
game. The Hindenburg- Bruening ad-
ministration, which has just smashed
the Hitlerites in the presidential elec-
ton, have another war with the "Nazis"
to fight and win on April "a, when a
Prussian Diet is to be elected. This Is
not the moment for doing anything to
strengthen Hitler's hands, as German
concessions to French viewpoints in re-
spect of Danubian confederation, dis
armament or reparations automatically
would do. So stiff -neckedness is the
order of the day in Germany, as we'll as
France.
The French elections for the Cham
Der will come to an end on May 8
BY that time the politicians in both
Germany and France will know where
they are "at." Their hands will be far
freer. They can resume consideration
of the Danubian confederation on its
merits and not on the basis of how it
would affect the vote in Germany or
France, II the plan to save Central
Europe from bankruptcy were adopted
now-as there is urgent reason to do.
The spokesmen of both countries can
comport themselves at Geneva and at
Lausanne in June as statesmen and
not as politicians.
Their necessities, If not their intelli-
gence, it is reassuring to feel, will sooner
or later drive the political arbiters of
Europe into decisions that are indis-
pensable to its self-preservstion. Mean
time. let it be remembered that pre-
vailing cantankerousness is not as des-
perate as it looks, and that it has its
principal explanation in events soon to
pass.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Proposed Retirements
For Economy Protested
To the Editor Of The star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
A Congressman who opposes Govern
ment pay cuts says he may introduce a
'retrenchment bill" instead. One item
is-retire Immediately all employees
who have reached retirement age. This
would mean an average slash Of more
than so per cent OF those retired, in
stead OF from to 20 per cent as pro-
posed for employees in general.
Many of those who would be retirpd
hold positions which require better
equipment than most employees possess
In one department an employe aged
10, whose work required special knowl-
edge, was stronger than the average
young man. He was retired at 77ia
when his health began to fail
Another case, less exceptional: The
Treasury Department examined this
man for promotion. Marks were on a
basis Of 100. Half was on ONCE work
and half on other subjects. The ONCE
examination was on the national bank
ing laws, book OF about 200 pages
He passed 100 on that and 1924 for
the whole examination. Transferred to
another department, this employees
work was rated in the application for
on the official form. The required re-
port of sick leave for the preceding
five years was none" The examininS
surgeon said, II think you are yery
healthy"
Many Of these employees could not be
easily replaced. Hardship to thou
sands would be involved. In view of
this, it seems doubtful whether Repre-
SentatiVes opposed to cuts would desire
this much more drastic reduction, at
saving of only fraction of l per cent
of the sum to be raised.
One way of calculating from figures
given in the press in this connection
indicates that average pay of the 3 .44O
employees who would be affected is
little over $4,000; therefore my state
ment that the cut to 81 200 (retire-
ment pay) would exceed so per cent is
we'll within bounds.
At time when rumors Of financial
trouble Of some of our leading business
houses are current any decrease of pur-
chasing power Of any considerable ele-
ment is disadvantageous to the whole
city.
Real savings could be made in other
ways. War debts payments could be
reduced $500,00000 a year. We did
not initiate war with Germany, but de-
clared, after that power committed
hagrant acts of war against us for two
years, that war existed by the acts
Of GERMANY correct statement of in
ternational law. We bore the hardships
OF the war, and the rising generation
should pay its share of the costs.
PAUL w. EATON.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Encouraging Respect
OF Flag l. Praised
20 the Editor Of The Star.

To the EditCr of The Star:
Please accept my congratulations on
your timely editorial, Respect for the
Flag"
The many "isms" in this country are
makngs us so distrait that We are ac-
quiring a patriotic paralysis.
/ sometimes wonder what foreign
visitors think of our apparent national
indifference. when We fail to even make
a respectful gesture.
Furthermore, the aliens We nation
alize certai inly need our example or
they viii believe us lacking in loyalty
and fesl they have right to disregard
their allegiance.
A woman may feel she can ask for
an American baptism when she has
only a cosmic idea of nationalism," If
we do not even offer proper respect TO
our flag.
College youths stand and remove
their hats to the song Of their alma
mater We should carry that senti-
ment on through hse, honoring the
Evening star., 1932-04-13

VIII n the two busses were being driven.
T1 question was a much simpler one,
thai Of whether the signal lights at
the crossing permitted the advance of
the colliding bus beyond the stopping
line. On that point there was little
difference in the testimony. The
weight of the evidence clearly indi-
Gated that the bus which was hit and
in which the victims were riding was
crossing In the last phase Of the per-
missive signal. II that was the case 1t
matters not at all whether the colliding
vehicle was going at eight or ten or
twenty or forty-five miles an hour. In
that event 1t should not have been pro-
ceeding at all. That was the finding OF
the jury.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Defeat the Pay Cut.

The issue has been drawn and the
fight over cutting Government salaries
will be brought into the open this week
through the special rule, reported yes
terday by the House Rules Committee,
making in order an amendment to the
legislative appropriation bill cutting
Government salaries eleven per cent,
with an exemption" Of 81 900.
1t has been impossible to suppress,
by parliamentary maneuvers, this Gov
ernment pay cut proposal and it is we'll
that the matter can be brought up and
decided on its merits.
The first battle will come when the
House votes on the rule reported from
the Rules Committee, and will proba-
bly, be followed in order, provided the
House supports the rule, by efforts to
defeat the amendment itself, efforts to
amend the amendment and efforts to
substitute for the amendment such pro-
posals as that suggested by the White
House, which conveys authority to the
heads of departments and establish
ments to furlough employees without
pay.
Yesterdays debate in the House in
dicated the stubborn opposition that
any move to reduce salaries of the Gov
ernment personnel will encounter when
it reaches the floor. And that opposi-
tion is founded on firmer ground than
any blind proposal to save money for
balancing the budget by reducing not
only the salaries Of the relatively small
number of wage earners employed by
the Federal Government, but by indi-
rection the salaries of millions of work.
ers throughout the Nation who will, like
wise, suffer through this move. 1t Is to
be hoped that majority of the House
will not only defeat the unjust and un-
scientific proposal to reduce all salaries
above 81 900 by IL per cent, but by the
decisiveness of that defeat relegate
further discussion of Government pay
cutting in order that serious and worth
while attention may be given to more
effective and less harmful methods of
economizing.
The pending appropriation bills, dis
pensing with the services Of many en-
ployes through elimination of work,
will, of course, add to unemployment
and further reduce purchasing power
Wise eliminations of work, of duplica-
ton and of anything savoring of ex-
travagance in any form is necessary.
The Government, as well as everybody
else, must tighten its belt and face the
realities Of an unprecedented situation.
But cutting the salaries Of those upon
whom the Government depends for the
daily transaction of its business, and
applying the cut without regard to the
inherent injustice of an ungraded re-
duction, is another matter entirely.
The eleven per cent slash plan should
be defeated because it represents, in
itself, an injudicious, impractical and
illogical method of reducing salaries.
And the principle of salary reduction
IN any form should be defeated because
it represents futile and harmful ex-
pedient, the chief effect Of which will
be to force living standards to a new
low level and TO infiict additional hard
ships upon those already overburdened
by their own, and by those who depend
upon them
Evening star., 1932-04-13

United States is pretty well advanced
on the question Of limiting ornaments.
although by no means naglectful OF ma
Wcnal defense" and feels that the
American policy lis so far advanced be-
yond that of any other Of the great
powers except Russia. which can never
get serious hearing, or Germany,
which is in chains for the time being,
that there Is virtually not q chance OF
any conference reaching up to the
American position" Emphasizing un-
certainty in the Far East, the Evening
Post suggests that "the British and
French governments are by no means
seriously committed to any course
which would actually hold Japan to ac-
count for the ruthless military policy
put into practice within the past few
months" and voices the hope that the
United States will not be left in an
isolated position sto face Japan in an
inpasse."
''The advent of Secretary Of State
will be stimulating. quite apart from
the ideas which Mr.. Stimson has to
contribute, in the opinion OF the
Springfield (MassD Republican, which
hopes that by speeding up the work Of
the conference and shaving its program
d-screetly results may be obtained more
quickly than had been looked for after
its discouragingly slow opening" The
Republican refers to reports that this
country lis to stress the limitation Of
offensive weapons, notably tanks, mo-
bile heavy guns and poison gas" and
concludes: I'm general the position of
our delegation, which the Secretary of
State will reinforce. is that the maxi
mum of disarmament that can be
agreed upon Is desirable but that at
worst the conference should not ad-
journ without an agreement that will
check the further expansion Of military
Establishments The decision Of Secre-
tary Stimson to go now may mean that
the limits to what can be done are now
understood and accepted and that
speedy winding up of the conference is
preferred to longer negotiations for
p:oblematic gains"
Much progress has been made to-
ward a better understanding Of the va
rious complex problems facing each
country" AYERS the Jersey City Journal,
observing that the hope Of the world is
for definite results. The Akron Beacon
Journal presents the pesslmistlc analysis
Of the situation; Meanwhile the world
is farther from the objective Of dis
armament than it was when the confer
ence began its session. France closed
the door to all hope of action in this
line when it laid down specifications
which other nations would not accept,
and which. even II accepted, would have
made no reduction of the existing cost
and strength of naVies and standing
armies. Japan's invasion of China was
another factor that made the confer
ence hopeless thing. since it not only
worked at cross purposes with the Lau-
same dream OF peace and accord. but
Scrapped the covenant OF the League OF
Nations. the BriandKellogg treaty and
several other pacts which it had signed
engaging the nations TO friendly arbi-
tration before resorting to war"
Evening star., 1932-04-13

country that makes it possible for the
college to exist.
So I thank you for calling attention
to the lack of respect and wish you
success in stressing the need for loyal
public expression.
COURTLAND NIXON,
Colonel, y. o. Army, Retired
Evening star., 1932-04-13

In addition to being harshly spoken
to by the general public, Congress may
have to go on working hard in a cam
paign. self-considering statesman
may be easily understood when he says
he would prefer to return to the dear
old home and 20 fishing.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

Those low enough in the underworld
to steal a child would find normal
associations among those who would
steal it from the captors in order to
collect the ransom. The situation is
one of such peril as to permit little be-
yond prayers for an infant in the hands
turers.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

Popular satire or the subject Of
reducing" is not expected to make
Uncle Sam any more cheerful concern
ing the task now before him.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

Whenever Hindenburg's years are
admiringly mentioned Hitler ventures
some kind of suggestion that he has
been in public life long enough.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Cheese Proves Luxury.

W, t''a DAYTON Daily News
T. traveller from Russia saws the peo-
~, there. instead of looking uoon
fh~e-e as a food. regard it as a luxury.
.I,;-t like any other perfume.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

Base ball again arrives at a time
when the American public needs some
thing about which it can get excited
without becoming actually angry.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

Kentucky miners are interested in
education to the extent of doing what
ever they can to persuade students not
to neglect the lectures at school.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

Senators are convinced that there is
much to be learned about the stock
market that is not told in the advice
printed by brokerage firms.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Gets Back at u. s.

From the Detroit News.
Our town crab expects to have the
Government pretty barT~ for the next
month. He filed out his ts income
tax statement with a pos office pen.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Everybodv's Doing 1t.

From the Glendale News-Press.
The man who wrote Alice In Won
derland" would have a lot more mate
rial today-now that everybody's In 1t.
Evening star., 1932-04-13

A budget question is introduced into
every home where receipts and expendi-
lures are expected TO be balanced with
scrupulous care.
Evening star., 1932-04-13
Peanuts Can Be Used.

From the San Antonio Express.
The Government has taken 100000
pounds Of peanuts as collateral for farm
loans. For . campaign year In partie-
ulas such security u sound