davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
TAXPAYERS ORGANIZATIONS

Up to a recent time, the taxpayers
Of the land were a too silent and
largely unorganized force. They sat
around in their homes and meeting
places and growled about the taxes,
but too little was done in the way
of effective protest Many legisla-
tors felt that appropriations were ex-
cessiYe. and they became known as
the watchdogs of the public treasury
and headed of many excessive de-
mands. They often had to contend
against a tide too strong for them.
Meanwhile the growls and groans
from the taxpayers have become
louder, and become a swelling chorus
in many places. Taxpayers associa-
tons have been organized in many
states, perhaps in nearly all of
them. They have many branches in
their respective cities and towns.
and appropriations are getting a
closer scrutiny.
Today the people demand social
security. work relief, better housing,
aid for the farmers, etc. These SER
vices are probably all necessary, but
if money is spent too generously. the
taxes will become such a burden as
to obstruct industrial recovery. and
keep people out of work.
Practically every group is we'll or
ganized to obtain the things it feels
it ought to have. The farmers are
we'll organized, the manufacturers
are we'll organized, and so on. The
taxpayers up to a recent date seemed
to think they could get recognition
just by aimless kicking.
If they expect to keep taxes with
in reason, they have to have strong
which shall have
money enough at their disposal so
they can oppose every extravagant
A part of their work
should be to show the vast mass of
taxpayers who get no tax bill and
pay no income tax, that they pay
never day for the cost of government
the higher cost of services
and merchandise.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
No Driver Applications Out Yet

Speaking of the Motor Vehicle Bill
is there any one that has nerve
enough 10 stand up and defend that
administration IT, Is now the middle
of February. the time for the appli-
cations for drivers licenses. Yet all
this time, no notices have been sent
out, no notices, no anything" I'm
der Republican administration, Geo.
Williams had the mout in January
mails and at the best all of the dri-
yer applications were in the mails
early in February. Today, when this
is being written. in the middle of
February, Zack Wells hasn't any in
the mails. Once again-are we going
to get cut applications a couple of
days before the end of the month
forces us to have new ones. Well. it
will be all right with this crowd be-
cause if Zack doesn't get them out
in time, his Democratic brothers will
just tell the State police that an ex-
emption has been granted and new
driver licenses will not be required
until the middle of March.
If you call that efficiency. then we
don't know what the word means.
Democratic efficiency?
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
STRICTLY POLITICAL

in a western state and at a hotel
became friendly with a large con-
tractor who asked what State we
came from. When we told him Del
aware, he answered, Boy, that sure
is a tough State for we contractors,
everything has to be just so, every
bit of building must be done right,
and if we try to skimp ON this or
that, we have immediate trouble" ="
Then he thought minute and said,
Still It is better than this State.
Here we have TO kick in big bunch
of money TO the big boys and think
we are through, but we are just
starting. Every little mayor, every
constable, every justice of the peace
wants his kick and they nearly
about $50 us to DEATH" i asked him
how he could do ii and make money
and he told me, II was a cinch, that
he just added that much more to the
price of his road and after all II was
the taxpayers that paid not only for
the road but for the money Il cost
him in graft handed out TO their
public officials. heard this with
pride for he quickly told me that
Delaware was one State where the
contractor bid his real cost and did
not have to be worried to death all
during the contract wondering
which CRATER would mick" him and
for how much.
1t is time the Highway Depart
ment got back under the manage.
ment which set that enviable rec
ord.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
LOOKING FORWARD
By FRANKLIN MAILMAN
Publicity Director, Republican
National Committee

Secretary of Commerce Harry L.
Hopkins inaugurated new tech
nique of self-defense and self -justifi-
cation when he appeared before a
Senate Committee in connection with
his nomination to the Cabinet. This
technique was To disavOw and de-
plore that part of his record as W.
p. A. administrator which made his
promotion to the Cabinet obnoxious
TO so many people.
MIR. Hopkins did not originate this
technique. The japanese for some
years now have practiced il in inter
national affairs. They sink an Amer
ican warship or bomb defenseless
town and when upbraided for their
action humbly assert: Excuse,
please" II is a part of the ancient
trick based on the adage that the
hand is quicker than the eye"
"Excuse, PleaSe"-HOpkins
When members of the Senate
pointed out to Mr.. Hopkins that nau-
seating political odOrs were coming
out of the w. p. A, Mr.. Hopkins
allowed there was something to that.
If he had certain things to do over
again, he said, he would not do them.
Thus he CLOSED over the fact that at
the time these things were done he
defended them and primarily was re-
aponsible for them. MIR. Hopkins got
away with it.
Now comes Thomas r. Amlie, of
Wisconsin, before a Senate Commit
tee to justify himself for appointment
to the importan, Interstate Com
merce Commission. Mr.. Amlie has
been too radical even for the LaFol-
lettes of Wisconsin. Certainly he is
too radical for the Democrats of Wis
consin. When the latter struck out
at Mr.. Amlie's appointment it ap-
peared he might not be confirmed by
the Senate.
So Mr.. Amlie took a leaf ont of
the Hopkins book of experience He
decided ID disavow anything in his
past life which mtghi discredit him.
The Wisconsin legislature by formal
resolution charged Mr.. Amlie had
'aligned himself with the Communist
movement in this country"
Says He Opposed Communism
81 want to state that | am not a
Communist. and have never been a
Communist" Mr.. Amlie told the Sem
ate Committee. "On the contrary, /
have strongly opposed the COmmun-
list aims and program"
Before this writer is copy of the
Communist supported periodical
Soviet Russia Today" On page II
appears this heading: Call to a Ma
:ional Convention of the Friends of
the Soviet Union" Under that head
ing is a lengthy statement explain
ing why workers. farmers, intellec-
tuals, professionals" should support
the program of the Communist re-
gime in Russia. concluding with a
call to "help make this first National
a mass Congress for the |
defense of the U. s. S. R."
Among those listed as endorsing !
this statement are Thomas r. Amlie; |
Earl Browder, leader Of the Commun-
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
PUMP PRIMINe FAILURES

The temporary and emergency ma
ture of pump printing has been prov
en- in these past years a failure, al
though the President still advocates
Government spending as a means Of
stimulating and promoting recovery
The spending program is like a slim
ulant; more and more is required to
produce less and less. Stimulation OF
consumption-goods spending does
not lead to boost in capital-goods
spending. Experience and reason
have shown us in the past that the
Presidents spending theories are not
sensible. The only way that our ma
tional income will be increased is,
not by spending, but by putting our
national Governments financial
house in order and removing obsta-
cles in the way of private enterprise.
This. and only this. will help recov-
cry,
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
Milford, Friday, February II, 1899
FOR wASHINGTON's BIRTHDAY

People sometimes wonder whether
George Washington was really so
great a man as history has said. They
see him venerated as the father of
his country and honored almost to
the point of worship, and they ask
whether he has not been idealized
somewhat beyond the point of real
ity
AS one reads the history of the
Revolutionary war, it does seem al
most miracle that our feeble little
country was able to stand up against
the worlds most powerful nation.
The British army wasetiie best in
the world. it won it's victories in
many lands by the excellence of its
training and discipline and the thor
cughness with which it did. its work.
Its soldiers had plenty of money and
supplies back of them, and it was a
wonder that such nation of con-
querors could have had TO yield to a
little irregular army, in which so
many men fought only when they
felt they could be spared from home,
when they were so POORLY clothed
ard fed and armed and equipped.
The British officers no doubt
thought they had an easy kind of pic
nic when they started out to put
down such an irregular force. They
failed to reckon on the genius of the
great commander who had this mar
vellous power of winning the loyal
devotion of his men.
If it had not been for George
Washington. one gets the idea that
the American Revolution would
soon have gone to pieces. 1t is
doubtful if any man but him in the
colonies at that time could have held
together a fighting force and won
that prolonged war. II we value our
independence as nation, if we tfeel
that the ideas which that army was
fighting for have given us great and
precious blessings, we should not
cease to do honor to George Wash
ington. and his fame is likely to
grow brighter rather than less.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
REcIPRocAL TAXATION

President Roosevelt is anxious to
establish the principal of reciprocal
taxation, whereby 100000 Federal,
State and local government employ
ees shall be submitted to both Fed
eral and State income tax. This bill,
submitted by the Ways and Means
Committee passed by the House last
Thursday. Under its terms the Fed
eral Government will collect taxes
from 100000 State and local en-
ployees; whereas, the State Govern
ments will collect a tax from only
1,2OO, 900 Federal employees, if they
fall within the income tax law. Al
though the Federal Government ex-
poets to secure only about $16,0OO.-
900 in taxes annually from this
source, yet President Roosevelt is
anxious that this legislation become
law for the purpose of establishing
principal.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
SNOW-BOUND

Why would a recent report OF the
U. S. Bureau of Public Roads turn
ones thoughts to Whittier's snow
Bound" that lovely winter idyl
written more than a century ago?
so days went on; a week had pass
ed
"Since the great world was heard
from last"
Because of the obvious contrast,
of course. The winter isolation OF
Whittier's day continued to hold
periodic sway in rustic America un-
til only quite recent years. But now
il is no more. True, remote sec
ton still may become marooned by
a very heavy snowfall or a severe
bIizzard-for day or two. But tel
ephone and radio even then offer the
means to prevent entire isolation
from the rest of the world. What
farm household now would contem-
plate ever being snow-bound for a
week waiting until ..
''At last the foundering carrier
bore
1.-THE village paper to our door,"
The telephone and radio do insure
communication but it was the auto
mobile that made possible a physi-
cal year-'round contact with the out
side world. The combination of We
hicles capable of safe winter travel
and carefully organized programs OF
snow removal has brought us a
steady flow of normal traffic as well
as regular transportation of food
supplies, delivery of mail and oper-
alton of school busses.
Commenting on the progress made
in keeping highways open, which be-
came a necessity when the automo-
bile was taken out of the luxury
class, the United States Bureau of
Public Roads pointed out that "a
blocked road may even become a
menace 10 life and property in case
of sickness and fire, when speed is
essential if q doctors automobile or
a fire truck is to reach the trouble
in time. Snow removal and treat
ment of ice-coated roads during the
winter season have thus become i'm
portant economic safety factors in
road transportation"
The Bureau noted that In the win
ter ending in 1888 maintenance for
ces spent $18,000,000 to free $1,000
miles of main highways from ice and
snow. But state gasoline tax reve-
nues are increased sufficiently by
winter motoring to more than coun-
teract highway maintenance costs
during the season. Even in Maine
people are taking it for granted that
roads are going to be kept open,
snow or no snow, according to Lu-
cius D. Barrows, chief engineer OF
the Maine State Highway Commits
sion T his official recently reported
that gasoline tax revenue in his
state during the winter months of
the last eleven years amounted to
SO, 100000 more than the total cost
of snow removal for the same per-
iod.
No longer can eve ma hardy New
Englander share the glee, except in
"Reminiscences, that was Whittier's
when he sang:
wide swung again our ice-locked |
door.
"And all the world was ours once
more!"
The automobile and the snow plow
reduce "snow-bound"to a mere po-
etic title.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17

reciprocal taxation of Government
salaries after December 81, 1888, and
prohibition of retroactive taxation of
State salaries, was introduced by
Chairman Doughton of the House
Ways and Means Committee; Sena-
tor Capper Of Kansas wants an
amendment to the Constitution ex1
Guiding aliens from the count in ap-
portioning State membership in the
House OF Representatives A COM
plete report on our relations with
Mexico in connection with the ex-
preparation of our oil properties, to
be made by the State Department,
was asked by Representative Ken
nedy Of New York, in a resolution;
Senator Thomas of Utah wants the
Civilian Conservation Corps made
permanent.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
WAGNER LABOR RELATIONS ACT

There was movement in the
House this week to hold up the $3.-
$4,000 appropriation for the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board until
the Act has been amended, but the
proposal was overwhelmingly re-
jected. Representative Taber of New
York contended that this was the
only way to be assured that the Act
would be amended. However, Demo-
cratic leaders assured that revision
of the Act is now in process.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
THE POWER OF PERSUASION

People win success by the power
of persuasion. People get elected to
office because they know how to
persuade the voters that their ideas
are good and right. Statesmen sell
goods because they can talk per-
suasively. .....
So the business has to talk per-
suasively to the people before it can
expect to dispose Of its goods. If it
could afford to send statesmen all
over its territory TO- fafK about its
goods, it would sell lot of stun.
That is usually too costly. News
paper advertising gives business the
chance to carry on this work OF
persuasion at small qcost.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
Mofor Vehicle Change

There are many more important
matters dependent upon the passage
of the Highway Bill. There is the
Motor Vehicle Bill. What about that
change that is to be so important to
the citizens of Delaware. The High
way Bill must be passed first before
the Motor Vehicle Bill is passed for
what is the use of putting the Motor
Vehicle Bill under the control of
commission that is just as ineffl-
cient and wasteful as its present
management.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
EDEN COMES TO TOWN

Breezy Anthony Eden was a per-
feet fit in the worlds leading liberal
Capital City. He is as handsome as
Professor Tugwell, as snappy as Joe
Kennedy; as dexterous as Jimmie
Roosevelt in the Christmas season.
Eden evidently is not "out" with
the British government, as II isn't
e test of patriotism to stand on your
own, instead of wearing political
collar in England. AS the exponent
Of viewpoint of British opinion
Eden made a fine. favorable and fasz
cinating impression upon the big
wige Of Washington--and what is
more important: with the newspaper
correspondents.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
FROM CONGRESSMAN
GEORGE S. WILLIAMS
VISITORS

The Delaware Congressional Of
flee was honored by visits of a num-
ber of constituents during the past
week, including DR.. Walter Hullihen
and Charles f. Grubb of Newark; /;
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles w. Bush of
Wilmington, w. r. Smith of Laurel;
l.. A. Drexler Of Camden. Mrs. Cor
nelius Van Ess of Claymont and FIR
nest A. Simon of Seaford.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
RIVERS AND HAReoRs
COMMITTEE DINNER

Congressman Williams attended a
dinner at the Occidental Hotel last
Thursday evening, given by Con-
gressman Boykin for the members of
the Rivers and Harbors Committee,
of which Mr.. Williams is a member.
The menu included fish from the
Gulf, wild deer and wild turkey
from the genial hosts plantation in
Alabam3.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
THINGS ONE REMEMBERS
BY r. M. Hofer

Items in the daily news which Of
ten fail TO make the headlines, have
the most vital bearing on the daily
lives of most of us.
For instance "a six-line dispatch
from Berlin states that to relieve
the shortage of physicians caused
by Nazi ban on Jewish doctors,
drastic reduction in time required
for medical education has been
granted. Will this help a person
with a ruptured appendix?
o.
The assessor of Josephine county,
Oregon, announces that public util-
tiles will pay 36.4 per cent Of the
tax monies collected by that county
in 1889. Under public ownership,
such utilities would be tax exempt
and Josephine county citizens could
add sc per cent to their tax bill,
plus the additional expense of finan-
cling such utilities. What a blessing
that would be!
Answering questions before the
Senate Judiciary Committee, which
later favored his nomination to the
United States Supreme Court by a
unanimous vote, Felix Frankfurter
said: "It doesn't matter whether the
Constitution is invoked for ends l
like or ends l don't like, so long as
those who invoke it keep within the
framework of the Constitution.
There must be freedom Of speech,
freedom of the press, freedom Of as
sembly and freedom to worship as
your conscience dictates. Civil lib
critics for those we like and those
we don't like, or even detest." And
that is stating the fundamentals OF
American democracy in just about
it's shortest form.
There is now much agitation for
taxation of salaries of state and fed
eral officials and employees on the
same basis as the income of the pri-
vate citizens who earn the money
TO pay their salaries. It's difficult to
understand how a member of Con-
gress, or a state legislator, or pub
lie employee can ask for or justify
such an exemption.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17

"THE OLD HOME amt what it
usea to be" says the nice old song.
The old home town won't be what it
used to be If people don't take hold
to give it the improvements that
similar communities are getting.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
SPAIN

AS the events in Spain are chang
ing so rapidly at the present time,
the Government hesitates to COM
ment on them. However, Secretary
of State COrdell Hull indicated that
for the present time the United
States will pursue a policy of strict
neutrality and will not formulate
any decision until the entire situa-
ton becomes clarified.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17

list Party in this country; James W.
Ford, the Negro Communist; Will
liam g. Foster. the notorious Com
munist agitatOr. and a number of
other American radicals and pseudo
radicals.
Peculiar Form Of Opposition!
Was Mr.. Amlie strongly opposed
(tOD the Communist aims and pro-
gram" when he signed this state
ment? Does one oppose "the Com
munist aims and program" by con-
sorting in friendly fashion with the
avowed leaders of Communism in
this country and by publicly express
ing sympathy for their objectives?
OF course, Mr.. Amlie's statement to
the Senate Committee was tommyrot.
Irrespective of what he says now, he
stands as one of small group of
pseudo intellectuals who have done
far more to advance the Communists
and their program than Stains
American followers have been able
to do for themselves.
The case against Mr.. Amlie's ap-
pointment to the Interstate Com
merce Commission, however, does not
rest primarily on his fiirtations with
Communism and Communists. The
point against him is that he has ad-
vocated the overthrow of the tradi-
tional American economic system.
His writings and speeches indicate
he is a sincere and ardent advocate
of abolishing the profit system and
turning the ownership of all means
of production, including the rail
roads, over TO the Federal govern
ment.
Just Hypothetical"
Again resorting to the Hopkins
technique, Mr.. Amlie by inference
denies he has advocated anything of
the sort. He undertakes to distin-
guish between "a hypothetical de-
scription and actual advocacy" Mr..
Amlie would have the Senate believe
that his past utterances which are
cited TO discredit him only consti-
tuted what he termed Hypothetical
description"
Well. let's seei In speech before
the Farmer Labor Political Fedora
ton Convention, reprinted in the
radical periodical, Common Sense"
Mr.. Amlie declared1 This brings me
TO the main point Of my analysis:
under the course that we must fol-
low capitalism cannot be saved" Is
that Hypothetical description" 1t
appears to us to be an expression Of
opinion from a man con-
yincei that capitalism. which is the
present American economic system,
should not be saved. At all events,
Mr.. Amlie in the next breath said this
whether capitalism could be kept
going for another period of years or
not, il is not worth saving" Is that
Hypothetical description"
Well, whatever it is, one thing ap-
pears abundantly clear: it would be
rank stupidity for those who believe
in the American system and wish it
to place a man with Mr..
Amlie's views in position where he
could have hand in further running
the railroads under private owner
ship.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
THINK OF PEACE

Far from being beneficial to the
healthy state of mind is the present
talk of alliances, armaments, ag-
gression and other war psychology.
The attempts to make US hate any
foreign nation are not patriotic. We
have no reason to have defense
line in the Yangtze or on the Rhine.
We should beware of war propagan-
da and think, instead, in terms OF
peace. Our first thought now, and
always, should be one of peace, not
of war.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
AMERICAN POLICY A SERIOUS
AFFAIR

The very moment that the United
States feels that its interests are in
volved in foreign affairs, and acts
accordingly, that moment the issue
will be decided just as it was in
1918. Dictators know this and
want nothing better than to split
England and France, and make their
victory felt before this country's
forces and resources could be invol-
we'd. For this reason Berlin and
Rome will feel pleased at the man.
ner the President Of the U. S. is
handling our foreign policy. He is,
without intending to, playing into
the hands of these dictators. It is
known that the President has SYM
pathy for the cause of the democra-
cies, but he has again cast a dis
heatrenlng shadow across the future
of this country by his defective
handling Of this situation.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17

HOW DO YOU think your home
town is going ahead, il you and
folks like you takeiaway the support
on which it depends, by buying so
many things away from home?
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17

AMONG THE MOST valuable as
sets of community are the folks
who spend their money at home.
Milford chronicle., 1939-02-17
No Graft In Republican Management

The Highway Department is one
of the most important divisions of
the State government. II hires and
controls the State police and let's
large contracts for the erection of
roads, bridges and overhead railroad
crossings-and inspects those build
ings during construction to see il
the proper materials are used and
the construction is performed ac-
cording TO specifications. There is
room for plenty of graft and plenty
of political pull" among these wOr-
kers and in all construction jobs.
Under the former Republican man
agement in which the Chief Engineer
was the sole boss" and who "hired
and fired" without dictation from
any one, there never has been the
first hint of a graft scandal, it was
divorced from politics and all fair
minded people must admit this fac:-
1t was with pride that the people Of
delaware have. pQted the big graft
scandals in other State Highway De-
partments while they rested content
knowing that nothing like this was
going on in Delaware. We were once