The Fort Peck press., 1936-01-09
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
ISSUE IN CANPhIGN
Questions Aspirants for Con-
gre5s Should BE Asked
to Answer.

"'"o VI puuIIc ownership and opera
uon appear to be developing an issu,
with which voters can deal at tn,
polls IN November, according to wore
ehat Is fltering into the National cap
ital.
There are throughout the country
several dozen of these experiments,
the greatest of which, of course, is
the Tennessee Valley Authority. That
agency, wholly government owned and
operated, Is developing and distrib-
utlng electric power on a gigantic
scale. 1t Is rapidly driving out all
private enterprise having to do with
or built up around the power bust
ness.
further than thar the IVA lately an
hounced the organization of a subsi-
Hized corporation which will sell cleo,
tric household equipment to whomso.
ever Will buy. Sales of washing ma
chines, irons, vacuum cleaners. and
other such equipment are being made
on the installment plan, much to the
chagrin of local dealers handling such
merchandise.
Vast Sums Expended.
The federal government is backing
q hundred million dollars or more in
n Of the iva and it Is paying the
governing board and it's personnel.
me dams In the Tennessee river were
built at government expense.
Iublic Works Administration funds
are being expended in a score or more
In the construction Of dams
ana hydro-electric plants. Public
Works officials in Washington repeat
have called attention to the vast
of electric power to be devel-
ped from these government plants
IND all OF 1t will be sold in direct com
with the products of private
industry.
In addition to the utility phases In
Public Works Administration
money has been spent-money Dor
by the federal government
lnds are being used In the building
+ whole towns, such as R%eedsville,
Test Virginia, and in numerous other
of o government owner
zip character. Most of these ob-
are in competition with some
: several lines Of private industry,
they are being carried on with
lnds provided from the federal treas :
y. {
Definite Statements Sought.
With all Of these circumstances con. |
onting them, according to the word q
Washington, an increasing
Imber of voters are reported to be
king the candidates In their areas o
W they stand. Some of these candl- q
ties. who are seeking reelection, n
We let 1t be known at their OF r.
es here that they do not see how b.
~ can avoid definite statements very
lch longer as to whether they are
or against government ownership.
questions are reported to be ="
tating the voters who have become q
In the fight against govern a
ut ownership. One of them is V
under government ownership, u
re can be operation without that
ticl!ar function becoming a polit-
football. The other question con tr
rs taxes. The voters are said to be be
what the total cost will be if in
government continues to acquire at
construct government owned and ju
rated economic units. The informa gr
is that people are becoming con.
ned over the mounting tax burdens
'eGcral and state and local govern
It's and have fears as to the fu- Mo
!. the
Eaar Revenue Loss. pie
overall members of congress lately ces
e received letters from officials
respective states Indicating 8
over the reduction in reyenue Oh.
ocal governments If the federal snC
continues to expand its
arship Of what has heretofore
private business. The state au-
tiles. as we'll as the county and tlol
officials, foresee sharp cur. she
lent in the receipts upon which IN
depend for payment of their run. L y
expenses and the necessary i'm -
aments, such as highways and the
In II instance, the state Off
asked point blank what would A
Ell to the state or local treas
If the federal government took no0
the railroads. lie added a par ma
)h to the effect that if the expan- a Of
of government ownership con- g
s there will be nothing left for io'
tax except farm lands now be- StOr
away by hot Winds" -
ong the groups who are muster
in opposition to govern
ownership of the railroads, the A 4;
is being sent out to every one
viii listen that the railroads are go Ii
2 approximately $3.50, 100000 In Ave
to the federal, state and county ~-
iries. They are pointing out that
will be lost if the gov A
mt decides to buy the railroads L
perate them under public own stree
some Instances, it has been az,
, that the taxes paid by the rail ="
in a local community amount to Live.
oh as forty per cent of the en-. So r
eYcnue received by that local
ment's treasury. If, in addition
Il M la - -,i,IsA1, hI1