The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-07-25

hatch out until the President sent his
tax message to congress. 1t was dis
cusslon Of the amounts the various
levies would raise, on top Of all the
fuss about processing taxes making the
cost Of bread and bacon and shirts and
underwear and what not higher, that
started folks talking out loud. 1t was
was old John Taxpayer, In the middle
walks OF life. who would have to foot
the bill for all these New Deal expert
ments.
More About Taxes
You are going to hear a great deal
more about taxes, now that critics OF
the New Deal have realized what Is
happening. Plenty of oil will be poured
on the smoulderlng fires. Attention
Will be called to many taxes which
most folks pay without realizing they
are taxes. For example, the federal
levy of SIX cents pack on cigarettes.
And one cent of each three for let
ter Is pure tax, levied for tax pur-
poses. Attention will be directed to
how much OF the cost OF pound Of
ham or bacon Is tax; that the cost OF
everything is boosted by the fact that
the producers and merchants have to
pay such high taxes.
Meanwhile Senator Borah Is won-
derful bridge between the conservative
and progressive Republican wings. He
happens to be opposed to most of the
New Deal ideas. and no one has hit out
more strongly on what the Republicans
had been hoping would be the Issue
preserving the Constitution.
But talk about Borah serves Il very
important nurpose-it sidetracks spec
ulation about Herbert Hoover And
talk about Hoover is regarded by most
Republicans as the high water mark
of defeatism.
You don't re-employ the chauffeur
who wrecked your car" as one of them
put It.
II the Republicans could be gotten
enthusiastic about some one else, and
give full vent to their opposition to
Roosevelt, some other candidate,
against whom there might not be much
serious Opposition might easily be
nomnated-and elected. Some one
preferably who would not arouse AMI
mostly against himself.
Truth About Roosevelt
All sorts of weird stories are drift
Ing back to Washington about presi-
dent Roosevelt. Most OF them relate
to his alleged reactions to certain re-
cent events. Particularly the SUI
preme courts MIRA decision, and the
tax message. An interesting point Is
that apparently all the stories have as
their chief basis the way the President
Is alleged to have acted at press con-
ferences
The truth Is nothing like as spectac-
ular as the stories. but 1t Is rather In
terestlng. Being as the stories seem to
center on the way Mr.. Roosevelt acted
at two press conferences perhaps
brief summary OF those two particular
occasions would be worth while
In the first, and most discussed,
though actually less interesting one,
the President met the newspaper men
on Wednesday morning, following the
decision by the high court OF the MIRA
case on the previous Monday. Thus,
he had nearly 48 hours In which to
make up his mind what TO say to the
newspapers Of the country.
Many stories have been printed,
mostly by columnists who were not
present, and got their information sec
ond-hand ut best, though obviously
more out of their own mental concep-
lions Of how the President should
have felt, that the President was Wis.
IDLY angered, that he was approaching
the hysterical. etc.
The truth Is that the President very
carefully sent up a trial balloon. and
planted the seeds OF some excellent
propaganda looking toward A constI.
tutional amendment which would give
congress the power to. determine hours
OF labor and minimum wages In intra-
state commerce.
He very obviously took the same
pleasure from his talk with the report
ers that crack cablnetmaker takes In
ttnu fbn 9y,tr
or that a lawyer t.kes when he thinks
OF just the right touch to give diff
cult case, or golfer when he success
fully calculates the precise roll to sink
a 20-foot putt.
Did a Good Job
The other. and more interesting.
press conference was shortly after his
tax message. This was far different,