The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1939-05-18

lars, which does not include the
non-military bill that will carry 200
million or more; the State, Justice
and Commerce appropriation bill
that will carry at least 125 million
dollars, nor the request for one
billion 723 million dollars for relief.
I am told that the administration
will probably ask for 100 million
dollars for flood control. AS I fig
ure it, this will create deficit of
3 billion $50 million dollars in
1910.
Where is it all going to end?
Where are we going to get the
money to- pay these enormous ex-
penditures? OF course, we will not
have to pay the bill. We will sim
ply saddle it onto the next five or
six generations.
I was in hopes, as a result of the
election last fall, that Congress
would take back into its own hands
its constitutional functions, but 1t
appears was too hopeful.
More Reorganization
With two exceptions I am for
Mr.. Roosevelt's Reorganization
Plan, which calls for the abolition
of the National Bituminous Coal
Commission, the old War Finance
Corporation, the office of the Di-
rector General of Railroads. and
the Uonification Board. The Ma
tional Bituminous Coal Commits
sion has been a smelly mess from
its inception. The War Finance
Corporation should have been abo-
lished Is years ago because it has
had nothing to do in that time. The
Director General of Railroads is
! about as necessary as would be a
polecat at an ice cream festival.
We need not look for any material
economies being effected, but the
changes made by Mr.. Roosevelt
will greatly increase efficiency and
that is something we can stand in
large doses.
Says Europe Normal
James Roosevelt, the Presidents
eldest son, returned from Europe
the other day. He is quoted by the
press as saying that the continent
seems fairly normal and not in
danger Of war" Every returning
traveller says the same thing. which
confirms the general suspicion that
it Is only the international bankers
who want war. Certainly, neither
agriculture nor business want war.
The U. S. Chamber Of Commerce
went on record unanimously for
continued peace. The rift between
| German and Poland will undcubt-
eddy be ironed out without any
material change In boundary lines.
War Referendum
On Friday last it was my privi-
lege to appear before the Senate
committee that is considering S. }.
Res. "a, and urge it's favorable con-
sideration. 1t proposes an amend
ment to the constitution of the
United States for a referendum
on war. This resolution is some
what similar to the Ludlow resc-
luton and I sincerely hope it will
be favorably acted upon. Like the
Ludlow resolution it provides that
except in case of attack by armed
forces, actual CIR immediately
threatened, upon the United States
or its Territorial possessions, or by
any non-American nation against
any country in the western hemis-
phere, the people have the sole
power by national referendum to
declare war or to engage in war.
fare overseas"
Had we had such a constitutional
provision back in 1917 America
would have stayed out of the World
war.
While before the Committee /
had the great pleasure of meeting
Major Gneral William c. Rivers,
U. S. Army retired. General Rivers
is as ardently opposed to war as l
am. AS a young lieutenant he
fought in some Of the late Indian
wars in the Northwest, the Span
ish-American war and saw some
service on the Mexican border. In
the World war he commanded a
combat division in France. Based
upon his experience with war
General Rivers says that war is
no good and rarely settles any
thing" 1t is significant that those
who saw active service in France
are most violently opposed to war
They know what it means. Let
America lead the way to universal
peace through popular referendums
on war.
Proposed Changes
One day last week DR.. Townsend,
through Representative Brewster
of Maine, presented some drastic
changes to H. IR. 2. In brief, the
proposed amendments would sub
stitute a gross income tax, model
ed after the Hawaiian statute, in
place of the transaction tax that
he has long advocated. The rate on
producers, manufacturers. and Job