Evening star., 1936-10-31

ana eXTdVagAnCe Ii the ndnulln8
Of relief funds In this State.
Relief Funds Spent
To Maintain Political Machine.
In this type of expenditure there
are two issues involved. There is
the spending Of public moneys
voted by the people for the relief
Of their less fortunate fellow citi.
zens, for purposes which have
nothing to do with relief, you know
what these purposes are. Relief
funds are being spent to maintain
political machine in power. w.
P. A. workers are being intimidated
and coerced. In many cases ap-
proval Of party leaders Is neces.
sary to get relief work. And work.
ers on relief are told that they
must vote for the Administration
in power or lose their jobs. This
kind Of practice violates the first
principle of civic decency. When
Government itself follows this poll
Icy how can we teach the duties
Of good citizenship to our children?
The second issue involved in this
misuse of public money Is the plain
dollars and cents side. Let me
show you how foolish and vicious
waste in Government affects the
citizen. am going to talk not In
billions, but in terms of nickels,
dimes and dollar bills-in terms of
the pay envelopes and the house,
hold budget.
ernment in this country-Federal,
State and local-amounted on an
- average to about $500 a family.
Twenty-Five years ago the cost Of
all these governments amounted to
only about $40 family. In all
this spending the Federal Govern
ment Is the chief offender. The
Government in Washington spends
the equivalent of about SITS per
family a year. Think Of this in
terms of your household budget.
Hidden Taxes Conceal
Money Used by Government.
This s275 year is not taken in
direct taxes. Most of us never see
a tax bill for the expenses of the
Federal Government. We are bor-
rowing half this money and we are
paying through hidden taxes
taxes concealed in the cost OF the
things We buy.
For example. during the life Of
the AAA, every time a housewife
bought a loaf of bread she con-
tributed y cent to the Federal
Government through the processing
tax alone. Every gallon Of gasoline
carries a concealed tax for the
Federal Government amounting to
l cent. And every package Of ciga-
retteS carries q tax amounting TO
6 cents.
1t is through these thousands Of
little taxeS-1 cent here, a half
cent there-that most Of us pay
our Government bill. These taxes
have increased the cost of living
by raising prices. And the dam
gerous thing about them is that
they 60 on increasing without our
being aware that the Government
is eating into what we have to
spend.
Let me mention just one more
point about this waste and ex-
travagance as it affects the home.
Even with all the hidden taxes we
are paying, the Federal Govern
ment is unable to pay its bills out
of income. Today, out OF every
dollar it spends it has to borrow
so cents. This money will have
to be paid back in the future
paid back by deductions from the
household budgets.
Spending More Than
Income Leads to Imitation.
We cannot continue forever this
policy Of spending more than We
take in. 1t leads inevitably to in
fiation-to impossibly high prices
for the necessities Of life-to the
destruction of our savings.
Another question is much in the
thoughts of us all at this time
especially of all wives and mothers.
That Is the question of peace. The
world is restless. Disturbing news
comes to us almost every day. But
I do not believe war in Europe is
inevitable. I am sure the terrible
memories of the last war are still
SO vivid that no people wants to
break the peace.
At the same time, we must all
recognize the dangers. If other
nations should become involved in
war while I am President, ! pledge
you that will do everything in my
power to keep America out. And
believe that in the light Of our ex-
perience in the last war, We can
avoid the pitfalls. We can keep out.
We can keep out If we are pre-
pared to defend ourselves; if we
observe strict and impartial neu-
trality, if we are willing to forego
short-run profits; If we keep our
heads.
This last is the most important
Of all. For in the end the issue of
peace or war for America must rest
with the American people. If the
issue Is clearly presented to them
I know what their answer will be. I
know what the answer will be from
the men and women who make our
homes. 1t will be peace.
West Made Up Of Home Folks
Who Are Proud of Their Qualities.
In the West we are home folks
and we are proud Of being home
folks. The men who run for public