The Fort Peck press., 1936-01-23
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
ISSUE IN CAMPAIGN
Questions Aspirants for Con-
gress Should Be Asked
to Answer.

VAlA hhhA tOLCA6 Gull dC6i a. OH
polls In November, according to word
that Is fltering into the National cap
ital.
There are throughout the country
several dozen Of these experiments,
the greatest Of which, Of course, IL
the Tennessee Valley Authority. That
agency, wholly government owned and
operated, is developing and dlstrib-
uting electric power OF a gigantic
scale. It Is rapidly driving out all
private enterprise having to do with
or built up around the power bust
ness.
Further than that the IVA lately an
nOunced the organization OF a subsl-
died corporation which will sell cleo,
trio household equipment to whomso-
eve will buy. Sales of washing ma
chimes, irons, vacuum cleaners, and
other such equipment are being made
on the instailment plan, much to the
chagrin OF local dealers handling such
merchandise.
Vast Sums Expended.
The federal government Is backing
a hundred million dollars or more In
bonds of the IVA and 1t is paying the
governing board and its personnel.
The dams in tho Tennessee river were
built at government expense.
Public Works Administration funds
are being expended in a score or more
localities In the construction Of dams
and hydro-eleetrie plants. Public
Works officials In Washington repeat
eddy have called attention to the vast
supply Of electric power to be deves-
oped from these government plants
and all Of it will be sold In direct com
petition with the products OF private
industry.
In addition to the utility phases Ia
which Public Works Administration
money has been spent-money ber-
rowed by the federal government
funds are being used In the building
OF whole towns, such as Reedsville,
West Virginia, and In numerous other
experiments OF q government owner
ship character. Msst Of these OBJ
viously, are In competition with some
or several lines Of private industry.
and they are being carried on with
funds provided from the federal treas-
ury.
Definite Statements Sought.
with all Of these circumstances COD
fronting them, according to the word
reaching Washington, an increasing
number of voters are reported 80 b.
asking the candidates In their areaS
how they stand. Some OF the0 cand}-
dates. who are SEEKING reelection.
have let 1t be known at their Of
nces here that they do not e how
they can avoid definite statements very
much longer as to whether they are
for or against government ownership.
Two questions are reported to be
agitating the voters who nave become
In the fight against govern
ment ownership. One Of them is
whether, under government ownership,
there can be operation without that
particular function becoming a polit-
ical Football. The other question con-
Germs taxes. The voters are said to be
lnqu!rIng what the total cost will be If
government continues to acquire
or construct government owned anG
operated economic units. The informa-
ton liz that people are becoming con-
-erned ever the mounting tax burdens
of federal and state and local govern
ments and have fears as to the ~
Fear Revenue Losa.
Several members Of congress lately
have received letters from officials
h their respective states indicating
alarm over the reduction la revenue
of local governments II the federal
government continues to expand fs
ownership Of what has heretofore
private business. The state au-
.horities, as we'll al the county and
uunicipal officials, foresee sharp cur
tailment In the receipts upon which
they depend for payment of their run
ling expenses and the necessary I'M
)royements, such as highways and the
ike. In one instance, the state off,
.lal asked point blank what would
laopen to the state or local treas
Irios IL the federal government took
,yer the railroads. lie added q par
igraph to the effect that IL the expan-
sion Of government ownership coa-
.inues there will be nothing left for
IS to tax except farm lands now be-
ng blown away by hot Winds"
Among the groups who are muster
ng strength In opposition to govern
nent ownership of the railroads, the
word Is being sent out to every one
Who will listen that the railroads are
approximately $2S0,000,m In
axes to the federal, state and county
..reasuries. They are pointing out hat
his revenue will be lost II the gov
decides to buy the railroads
md operate them under public own
In some Instances, It has been
shown, that the taxes paid by the rail
.oads in a local community amount to
Is much as forty per cent OF h n
ire revenue received by that local
governments treasury. If. In addition.
here should be a publicly owned pow.
r plant or street railway or storage
rehOuSe taken off Of the local tax