Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1936-03-19
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National Topics Interpreted "a EIHM@3
by William Bruckart TTTTHnUTM
National D C.

that was the implication in the Presi-
dents message.
Likewise, the President limited that a
part of the taxes was due to congress
sional action in passing the bonus,
which he vetoed and congress made
operative over that veto. Again, I
hear it questioned that congress is act
ually to blame. 1t is being said with
great frequency that had Mr.. Roose-
welt made the fight against payment Of
the bonus this year that he did
year ago, it is almost uncomfortable
that congress would have passed it
over his veto.
1t is being said in this connection
that if Mr.. Roosevelt really had de-
sired to kill the cash payment of the
bonus, his stalwart leaders in the house
and senate could hardly have afforded
to refuse his request to vote against
it. Instead of that situation, the rec
ord shows that such recognized spokeS-
men as Senator Robinson of Arkansas,
the Democratic leader in the senate,
Senator Harrison of Mississippi, Sena-
tor Byrnes of South Carolina and Sen
ator Radcliffe of Maryland, personal
friend, all voted to pass the bonus
over the Presidents veto. / may not
be thoroughly acquainted with the
maneuvers of politicians but cannot
believe these men would have turned
their backs on the President in the
bonus fight unless they entertained a
feeling that he did not seriously OBJ
ject.
So it SINNERS down that the men
voted the President
oSPdyeTS almost limitless pow
the Gort er and limitless funds
to deal with an
emergency are now compelled, if
they intend ever to be statesmen, to
stick by, vote the taxes and take it on
the chin if that is to be the reaction
from the voters. After all, it is mere
ly the taxpayers who are the goats and
as usual the taxpayers have not
great voice in their own defense. AS
to the Presidents tax proposals them
selves, congress is asked to levy an
unprecedented type of tax on undis-
tributed corporation profits. New
processing taxes to replace those out
lawed by the Supreme court, being de-
signed to be constitutional, are pro-
posed and tax which the President
described as a "windfall'' tax to re-
cover considerable part of the old
processing taxes returned to taxpayers
was suggested. He asked also that
levies be laid on dividends which are
now exempt from normal tax on indi-
vidual incomes.
The "windfall" tax is designed TO
offset the action of the Supreme court
which ordered the return of the proc
essing taxes as having been illegally
collected. In other words, the admin
istration is attempting to get by one
method what the Supreme court said
it could not get in the manner it en-
ployed.
The tax on undistributed profits of
corporations is the center of all KINDS
of controversy already. Opponents of
this levy maintain that If the govern
ment forces corporations to pay taxes
on reserve funds they have laid aside
for the proverbial rainy day, such as
we have experienced for the last six
years, none of them can stand the gaff
OF another depression. Mr.. Roosevelt
contended that his tax proposal in this
direction, which would take away an
proximately one-third Cf such reserves.
was designed only to prevent the piling
up of cash by corporations instead of
distribution of those funds to stock
holders.
There will be much hauling and
filling, many charges and counter
charges, much maneuvering and manip-
ulation as congress mulls over the new
tax bill. 1t will pass some kind of new
taxes and citizens will begin early
next year to take out of their pockets
money to pay off the deficits of the
reform and recovery program.
Some IS years ago, the government
organized mail service to inland points
~, without railroad IA
otoT Noute cilities, calling this
Mail Service new service the Star
route. This service
mas been continuously in operation in
scores of communities and it is con-
tinuing to operate exactly on the same
basis as it did three-quarters of a cen
fury ago. So, this is a plea in behalf
OF those who carry the mail on the
Star routes and for better service for
Star route patrons.
There is bill in congress now which
proposes to provide better service for
those carriers and for patrons of those
routes. When one recalls that the
boosted phrase Of the Post Office do
partment-"the mails must go through,
had its origin with the Star ronte
carriers, 1t seems that the time is long
since gone by to consider Justice for
these faithful servants. 1t seems. fur
Their, that IL there are real forgotten
men" in this country, they truly are
the carriers on the Star routes and the
patrons of those routes. Even in the
face of all of the hullabaloo that Sen.
ator Black, Alabama Democrat is mol,