The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-01-05

Washington, Jan. z.-AS Ille
new Congress gets down to busl-
ness and the legislative program
for the session begins to assume
form. members of both houses
find themselves wondering how
they are going to work out
compromise between the de-
mands for continued and in
creased spending of Federal
funds, on the one hand, and for
economy and retrenchment on
the the other hand.
There is no doubt that the tenn
per of the 10th Congress, on the
whole, is toward economy. Lead
ers and great part of the mem
bership of both parties would
like to cut expenditures. But the
pressure of well-organized lob
bies, added to what are generally
regarded as necessary extra eX-
penses, may easily prove to much
for the well-intentioned ones who
would like to see the Federal
government get out of the red by
keeping its costs within It's IN
come.
If the present feeling that 1t IS
necessary to balance the budget
continues, those most eXperlnced
is estimating future action OF
Congress look for a broad in
crease in taxes. The hope, OF
course, is that general business
will pick up so that the national
taxable income will be large
enough to provide all the money
necessary.
But unless there are definite in
dications of such an increase IN
the course of the next few
months, the tax bill which will
be enacted before the end of June
is likely to contain considerable
increases in the higher brackets
and probably an extension down.
ward of the income tax base to
include several million persons
who now pay no direct taxes to
the Federal treasury.
To Amend Social Security
Among the items which will
call for greater expenditures is
the plan for eamending the So
cial Security Act to make pay
ment of Old Age Benefits begin
in 1910 instead of 1912, and to
increase the benefits for those
now approaching the retirement
age of IS.
Some changs in this law seem
certain, as an answer to the de-
mands of the Townsend plan ad-
vocates and others seeking uni
versal Federal pensions for the
elderly. The project of submit
ting a Constitutional amendment
for old age pensions to the people
probably will not be carried
through, but it is fairly certain
that the whole Townsend Plan
and similar projects will have a
thorough airing at committee
hearings in debates on the floor
of both houses.
AS another measure of social
reform, the prospect is for lively
agitation in favor of some plan
of some providing medical care
for everybody, whether at gov
eminent expense or by a system
Of voluntary enforced individual
contributions. Sentiment on this
idea has not yet ''jelled'' in eth
er house to the point where the
likelihood of such action can be
estimated, but it is certain it will
be subject on which there will
be much discussion.
Farm Problem
One of the organized demands
which Congress will have to face
is that of the Farmers Union for
a continuation of the Agriculture
al Act of 1888, with an approprl-
alton of 800 million dollars. M.
w. Thatcher, legislative represen-
tative of the Farmers Union, has
served notice on Congress that
if this is not granted the result
will be a rebellion in the Middle
West which cannot be put down
without the use Of the Army.
Few take that threat too seri-
ously, but the farm relief prob
lem is still a perplexing one. Sec
rotary Wallace points to the re-
cent vote on the continuation that
the farmer likes his present pro-
gram, and he will be insistent
in his demand for its continual
ton.
The Work Relief problem is an
other difficult one. The general
feeling in Congress is that the
whole relief problem should be
turned back to the states, with
such Federal aid as may be re-
quired.
Tho VIZ D matter touches on