The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-08-22

have universities, hospitals and chari-
itlgs. And while some Of the shrewd-
er leaders In such circles had been
somewhat alarmed by the heavy Inn
posts on big fortunes proposed In the
Roosevelt tax message of June. they
had not taken any public stand. In
fact, If they bothered to write to their
senators and representatives during
the last days Of June or early In July,
1t escaped general notice.
Then the President made his position
clear on corporation gifts to charities,
which brought the people interested up
standing, and resulted In an immedi-
ate barage of protests being received
on Capitol Hill.
Started Them Thinking
This got them to thinking about the
whole tax program. and its possible
effect not only on the things In which
they were interested but. In many
cases, on their Jobs.
Church leaders began to realize that
X the heavier Income taxes on big In
comes, and heavy imposts on inherit
tances proposed by the President. we're
imposed-there might be serious fall
Ing of In their donations and requests,
as the first place the rich would start
to cut would be on their charities,
when 1t came to readjusting their ex-
penses to conform to the new taxes.
Very prominent churchmen OF four
OF the largest denominations In this
country have already moved into ac-
ton. writing their senators and mem
bers OF the house at length about what
the new taxes would do to their
churches. In many instances these let
ters were the second to be received
by the same legislators from the same
writer's within month.
First came the protests about the
Presidents desire to eliminate the ex-
emption for corporation gifts to
charities. Then, within three or four
weeks, came the second letters pro-
testing about the higher taxes on the
big incomes and inheritances.
One very important figure In church
circles In this country wrote his sena-
tor that he believed the whole system
Of financing his church. and for that
matter all other churches In this coun-
try, would have to be changed II the
policy OF sharing the wealth Is car
ried out.
incidentally. few OF these protest
sliding scale corporation taxes. point
Ing out that the same curtailment of
gifts to church and charities would
follow reduction OF corporate dividends
as would follow higher income and In
heritance taxes.
Indications are that Ii the tax bill
fight Is long drawn out In the senate,
this church and charities influence may
become one OF the potent elements In
the final votes on amendments.
Cut Relief Costs
Real pressure to cut the relief costs
Of federal government has been under
way since May, and effects are begin
ming to show. This is not being ac-
complished, as some seem to think, by
any surveys the federal men are max
Ing. On the contrary 1t is being ac-
complished exclusively--so fairly
state and local agencies O.
But 1t Is being done because OF fed
eral pressure. Very few people realize
what car the four billIon-doilar re-
lief bill made OF Harry Hopkins--al-
ways allowing for the fact that presi-
dent Roosevelt can tell him what to
do. But he has the power to say to
any state. "Cut your relief rolls by
so many by the first OF the MONTH or
next month you get no federal money
whatever"
When congress was passing the re-
lief bill, giving the President four
billion dollars to prevent suffering
and spend our way out OF the de-
preston, the senators and represent
atives were much concerned about
how part of the money should be APP
portioned as between the states. They
laid down the old, exacting formula
arrived at In days of good roads aid
appropriations. They applied this not
only to such money as should be
spent for roads, but also to the money
to be spent for eliminating grade cross
ings.
1t simply did not occur to them that
1t might be pious idea to decide how
the relief money should be distributed
The idea was If people were hungry
they would be. fed That Is still the
Idea, Of course, but the national legis-
lators never thought of the possibilities
OF Harry Hopkins saying to their
state governments that II they did
not proceed according to his ideas,
he would cut Off their federal aid.
All this really goes back to Presi-
dent Roosevelt's ideas In January.
when he was explaining his 1885 bud
get tfor year beginning July /, 1885,
and talking about the four-blllion-dol-
lar appropriation he was then asking
At that time the idea Of the White
House was that everybody who could
work would be given work, and every
hody who cnuId NOT w0rk unnJd ho