Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1938-01-06

directly on mis- business. They are
important for the reason that he
told me the other night that if it
were not for all of these taxes, he
could re-employ several men whom
he had to discharge when the bust
ness was at its lowest. He can not
hire them now, however, because
the margin of profit available to him
is small. He has to accomplish as
much with six men as he used to
with eight or nine or ten in order
to make a living out of the bust
ness for himself and his family.
Swarty recounted the details of
his own business to me about the
time that the great Westinghouse
corporation of Pittsburgh made pub
lie its tax story. In substance and
in brief, Westinghouse pointed out
that its tax obligations had in
creased from around two million
dollars eight years ago to something
over sixteen million dollars in fed
eral payments in the last year. In
the years 1885, 1895 and 1887, the
taxes paid by Westinghouse were
held to have been sufficient to have
maintained about $500 additional
workers on the payroll.
/ know that someone will retort
that q great corporation like West
inghouse ought to pay big taxes.
There can be no doubling the truth
Of that assertion. But there IL q
much graver condition shown by
exposition of the tax affairs of the
big business Of Westinghouse and
Swarty's little business.
The only difference between the
problems of the two is that Swarty,
being a ''little fellow" is not
slapped and cuffed and called crook
ed by the demagogues. Swarty's
government is doing to him, how
ever, exactly what is being done to
Westinghouse by the same authority.
Thus, believe it is fair to con-
clude that these two cases illustrate
beyond possible refutation how gov
eminent has become topheavy, how
its machinery has grown to a point
almost beyond comprehension.
These two cases, among tens and
tens Of thousands, show what the
ship of state is costing. Indeed, I
feel more and more that If. we
have ship of state, it is leaking
so badly that half of the taxes col
lected flow into the ocean of inef-
fectiveness and economic waste.
The condition obtains from the
smallest unit Of township admins
tration to the doors Of congress and
the White House in Washington.
We are into a new session of con-
gress this week, the regular annual
session. The extra
congress session that met
Is Back November Is amid
great deal Of
ballyhoo as to what II would ac-
complish has gone into history. It
left record of which no one can be
proud. But that's gone by and the
new session is starting with a fine
field waiting for cultivation-except
that ABS members Of the house and
some S0-odd senators face primaries
and elections. That fact alone pro-
vides the answer to many things
you will see unfolded in the next
four or five or six months. The boys
will play politics aplenty.
But before we 60 into that, let
us examine the little game of poll
tics which President Roosevelt has
initiated. ! think it cannot be gain
said that the President has tossed a
very hot potato into the lap of con-
gress. Some time ago, it will be
recalled, the President said with
emphasis that the budget must be
balanced this year-that spending
of government money must not ex-
coed the income as it has done now