The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-01-25
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JAMES PaEsvou


The new Federal budget,
which stocks an eleventh con-
secutive deficit upon the ten
preceding, has a number of
jokers hidden in the pile of fig
ureS.
1t is this fact, which should be
interesting if not startling: Out
of 16 government departments
and independent civil agencies,
the President cut expenditures
for 10 and asked increases for
three.
The three increases were the
Department of Labor, the Post
Office and the Maritime Com
mission. The latter is a new
agency, just getting well under
way at the task of building up
the American merchant marine.
The Post Office increase was re-
uuested simply because better
business is expected next year,
and when business improves the
post office department carries
more mail and piles up a bigger
deficit.
Secretary Perkins may be in
Door standing with the A. F. OF
l.. and C.I.O., but apparently
she stands all right at the White
House. For in a year when most
other departments will have to
get along with less money, the
President asks Congress to give
her S21, $4,000, Or Sl,7l4,OOO
more.
On the subject of labor, Mrs.
Gilmore Herrick, regional direc-
tor for the National Labor Re
lations Board at New York, gave
a slant on what these folks real
ly think when she testified in
washington before the special
House Committee which is in
vestigating the Board and the
Wagner Act.
Mrs. Herrick was reminded
that since the beginning OF An
glo-SaXon history, certain rules
have been built up in courts as
to how and what kind of evil
dence can be presented. These
rules, of course, were developer
to protect people who are hailed
into court to answer charges
made against them.
But when the Wagner ACT
was passed, it specifically said
that in National Labor Relations
Board cases the rules of evil
dence prevailing in the courts OF
law and equity would not con-
troll its activities. And the Board
has gone merrily on its way,
listening to rumor, gossip, hear
saw. or almost anything it chose.
The catch is this: Mrs. Her
rick didn't seem to mind the
fact that the Labor Board does
not have to observe the rules OF
evidence. But she said that If
she were being tried in a court,
she would want the rules OF
evidence applied in her case.
In other words, Mrs. Herrlck
apparently thinks it's all right
to forget rules in some cases
and use them in others.
Speaking of trials, a lot OF
Washington planners are Sug-
costing that the Federal govern
ment should just try" price
fixing once. They say that 1t
will prove successful.
But their memories are short.
And they apparently don't know,
or don't care anything about,
what the forefathers of this
nation did. Maybe they want to
build a new kind of nation. any
how, they have forgotten the
unfortunate experiences with
price control under the departed
and unlamanted NRA. And they
forget this salient fact from
history:
On November %, TIT, the
Continental Congress suggested
to the State legislatures the ap-
pointment of Commissioners to
adopt regulation of prices"
But on June 4, 1778. the CONT
mental Congress adopted anoth,,
er resolution which declared
that price control not only was
Intellectual" but "productive OF
very evil consequences to the
great detriment of the public
service and grievous oppression
to individuals"
The Continental Congress
then recommended that all
states repeal or suspend every
law having to do with price con-
troll.
It took the founding fathers
less than seven months to find
out the error of their ways. And
they had the courage to admit
they had been wrong.
A baby, or even a pup, knows
enough not to stick its hand or
nose into fire a second time.
But some Washington planners
apparently think that the eco
nomic system, which was oper,,
ating in 1778 and got scorched
by its price fixing experience, is
nouy covered with asbestos or