davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23
Mayor May Peg
Tax at 40 Level
By New SIashes
Increase in Revenue
Expected to Offset
Jump in al Budget

Although Detroit's tax budget
that portion of the city's operating
cost raised by direct taxation
may be increased during the fiscal
year 1941-42 by as much as
100000. the city's tax rate-the
yardstick by which every property
owner measures his tax burden
may not go up at all.
That possibility presented itself
Saturday in figures gathered from
the budget bureau. the board of
assessors and department Of build
ings and safety engineering show
ing that increased valuations re-
sulting from new buildings, al
terations and additions may COM
pletely offset any reasonable in
crease in the tax budget.
The budget bureau Friday re-
leased figures showing that Mayor
Jeffries. during the first two weeks
of his budget review. has sliced
nearly S7,200,0O0 off the S7S.249,-
600 requested by municipal depart
ments for 1912. 1t also was in
dlcated that the mayor may slice
another Sl.S00.000 off before he
completes his review March !.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23
Uniform Rates

He also declared that rates
should be made uniform, so that
municipalities of comparable size
should have similar rate schedules
His statement to Chairman
O'Hara follows:
"The Dec. 81, 1910, earning
and expense statement of the
Michigan Bell Telephone Com
pany shows that IL reached a
new all-time peak during 1910
In the nu m Der of stations
served; total telephone revenues
Increased 1912 per cent, total
telephone earnings increases 10
per cent and net profit increased
14.9 per cent over the previous
IL months.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23
More for Tax Rolls

Moreover, as Cobo points out.
more than $4,000 600 in real estate
valuations will have returned 10
the tax rolls this year as a result
of the scavenger sale last year and
nearly twice that sum in Valua-
tons will return as a result of the
sale beginning Monday
That will mean another $4,000
900 or Sl2.000.0O0 added TO the
Ss6 0O0. 900 in new building bring
ing the total increased valuations
TO more than SOC 600 900
Allowing for a possible Offset
ting "shrinkage' in valuations
amounting to $1,000. 900. bringing
total new valuations down TO
500, 900 900, more than 81. 100000
in additional taxes could be levied
without boosting the present tax
rate OF S2S.079 per thousand.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23


front of his home. He's friend of Mr.. Knudsens of
many years standing and like the heads Of all of Amer
ica's big industries has made available Mr. Knudsens
OPM all of the facilities of his company the nation
Mr.. Wilson explains that he's taking it easy during his
convaescence, but actually he engages in business
ferences in the hospital dictates works by telephone:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23
Another Half Million

With the deficit figure reduced
from IS 800. 900 70 Sc. 600, 900. Mayor
Jeffries. 10 bring the budget down
10 the SO 700, 600 level. would
merely have To find another
$500. 600 which could be eliminated.
Although the tax budget viii be
higher. taxpayers may take heart
In figures issued by Joseph p.
Wolf. commissioner Of buildings.
They show that permits for new
buildings. additions and alterations
between March /. 1870 and Febru-
airy Il this year totaled $751;
S12 $50.
Another 81 900 900 or Sc. 900 600
Wolff said Will swell this total 10
SIS. 900. 600 or Ss6. 100000 before
March Is. in time 10 be included
on the assessment rolls for 1912.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23
Plan Under Way
To Slash Phone
Rates in State
Public Service Chief
Says Profits Boosted
IS Pct. in Last Year
Times star Correspondent

LANSING, Feb. 22.-Assertine
that profits of the Michigan Bell
Telephone Company have in
creased almost Is per cent in the
last year. Public Service Commits
sioner Ivan E. Hull toda- started
proceedings toward lower tele-
phone rates.
In a memorandum to John J.
O'Hara, chairman Of the commits
sion, Hull declared the company's
reports indicate that a "substan-
tial rate revision" is warranted.
Commissioner Hull said that
Detroit. which is supporting many
prohtless rural exchanges, may be
paying more than its share.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-23

Made ~ solid hard maple and fin
Ished In Msple, NaN-hirch or Two
tone. Also In Pink. Blue or White
finishes. Full sire 30x54" Crib with
guaranteed sagiess Springs and
Chifforobe to match. Both for $40 so.
The Nome nugget., 1941-01-27
YOU CAN EAT AT HOME

As matter of fact, MT. V. P. you can see that the duties and obligations of your new job have changed lot in recent years. Right up until Coolidge held it. it was by fixed tradition the post of the Governments official "din- er-out."
 MT. Coolidge didn't take much to dining out and tried to abolish the tradition. Since he wasn't ex- actly a lion in the dining salons. he got enough cooperation from Washington hostesses to crack the custom, and Garner, some times referred to as the Cactus Coolidge" was able to shatter it completely. You can probably get by without even dining out on the maids night out.
 Althoug your job officially is pf1Vty nlucn one of waiting around in case something hap pens to the President and of ore siding over the Senate over which you have no real author ity, you really can make a whole lot of it if you want to.
 When you are inaugurated, an hour or so before the President. you can even make your inaugur ation speech a biting harangue to the Senate if you want to.
 Hell n Maria" Dawes did just that and although it almost knocked some of the Senators right out of their seats. they took it Charley" Dawes got a lot more space in the history books than usually is accorded Vice Presidents.
The Nome nugget., 1941-01-27
capital letters.
MAY BE ASSISTANT PRESIDENT"

Whats more, if there is any truth in the talk going around Washington that President Roose Velt plans to make a sort of "as- sistant President" you don't need 10 worry about Senator's, the President and the public making the Thottlebottom of the third term.
 The unofficial title of assist ant President is nothing new. It IS true that for 40 years after Adams no Vice President ever sat in the Cabinet, but long before President Wilson's absence in Paris brought Thomas R. Mar sha l into the Cabinet, Vice Presi dents had had the resp ct of their chief executives and worked closely with them.
 The newspapers of President McKinley's day first applied the title of Assistant President" to George A. Hobart, McKinley's first-term V. P, who died in of fee; but President Harding was the first executive to use the phrase officially. He announced before his inauguration that he intended to create the office of Assistant President" and bring MT. Coolidge into the Cabinet.
 Since then Vice Presidents Cur tis, Dawes and Garnsr have sat in the Cabinet often enough to keep the precedent alive and make their post something more than that of mere chair-warmer on the Senate dais.
The Nome nugget., 1941-01-27
Vice President Has One to Four
 Chance Of Becoming Mir. Big
By JACK STINNETT

WASHINGTON, Jan. - (Sec- ond installment of tWo-part letter to Vice President Henry Agard Wallace. setting forth some facts about his new job as V. P. and President-to-be of the Senate):
 In spite of al I said in the first part of this Liter, MT. Vice Pres. dent of the United States, don't think that your job is so punk as some of the musical comedy writers have made it ap pear.
 One of your predecessors once wrote an article entitled "The Vice President = Fifth Wheel of the Government" And even if that funny fellow, John Nance Garner, did paraphrase it to read The spare tirs of the govern ment,' there's lot of evidence that the spare tires has on oc- casion served pretty well.
 The record shows that nine of the 32 men who have held your jobs have become Presidents, in cluding a few gentlem you may have heard of bgfore: John Adams Thomas Jefferson, Theo- dore Roosevelt and Calvin Cool idge. That means a V.P. has more than a one-to-four chance of be- coming MT. Big himself and at least one chance in eight of go- .ng down in the history books in
The Nome nugget., 1941-01-27

United States immigration bars
 so that foreign refugees could en
 ter Alaska only. IL is a bill which no Alaskan from Delegate Di- mond to the littlest Eskimo at Point Barrow, wants enacted. MT. Ickes knows this. His deVoting the entire section on Alaska in his annual report, brief as that section is, to plug for this rid iculous piece of legislation is proof again that the Seer tary of the Interior has no love for Alas kans and no respect for their op- inious. His report is a deliberate B 99 at all of Us.
The Nome nugget., 1941-01-27
BEAUTY QUEEN SEASON IN ALASKA

With spring just around the cor ner and winter festivals in many Alaskan towns approaching, each of the live towns becomes inter- ested in the election of its queen for 1941
 Anchorage already is conduct ing a contest 10 choose a queen for is annual Fur Rendezvous. Nome has selected a queen each year and may be expected to soon get busy in the matter again. Juneau, Matanuska. Ne mana, Seward and other towns have joined in the movement each year.
 And the queens from each town have gone to Fairbanks to enter the all-Alaska contest for the honor of Miss Alaska Fair banks is now voting on condidat- es for Miss Fairbanks. The University of Alaska will name its queen.
 The Miss Alaska contest has become an institution there and is looked to by all Alaska as properly belonging at Fairbanks. The prestige and publicity it lends to Fairbanks and the Terri tory is much worth while.
 Miss Alaska become vested with a glamour that has a rare charm to people all ofer America, doubtless inspiring many to visit this land of unusual.
 We hope that Nome will get busy and some sporting interest in this most popular event. We have some very promising mat erial among our younger debu- tantes.
The Nome nugget., 1941-01-27
ICKES ANNUAL REPORT ON ALASKA
(Juneau Empire)

s cretary Ickes devotes exactly IF words to Alaska in his an nual report for 194O, copies of which have just been received in Juneau.
 The report has sections on the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Mines, Bonneville Power Ad- ministration, Bureau of Biolog ical Survey, Bureau of Fisheries, Geological Survey. National Park Service, Office of Indian Affairs, Division of Territories and Island Possessions, Hawaii, the Equator ial Islands, the Philippine Is lands, Puerto Rico the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administra- ton, Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Co.,, General Land Office. Grazing Service, Director of Forests, Division of Investigation, Petroleum Conservation Division, Bituminous Coal Division, Office of the Solicitor, Personnel and Management, all the multifold and varied activities of the larg- est and fastest growing Depart ment of the Federal Government. h fact, 1t is quite a report.
 But only IF words to relate what this great Department did in Alaska in 1940 Here they are:
 Activities throughout the Div ision have expanded considerably due to the vast defense programs which have been inaugurated in some of the areas. For Alaska, where Army and Navy air bases are being rushed to completion at various strategic points, the De- partment of Interior is support ing bill (S-357O which would make possible accelerated devel- NOpment and colonization of this sparsely settled Territory. The plan, in effect, would provide a q .ense' in the form of an active pe0Jlation to furnish nacdad sup pi 5 and services to the regular tr0a9s which vii be stationed the. Il is generally coaczdsd t19t new activities and industries mcst be developed in Alaska if the Tsuaory's economy is to be b5. up anj m2ia,aiaej"
 Y 55lsz5 10 say, S-3577 is the r waich wou d 'et down the
Evening star., 1941-06-15

chanically minded. He Is a good man
at doing what he Is told, but when
things do not work out that way he Is
at loss If he is told to bomb certain
target and meets British fighters which
break up his formation, he will drop his
bombs at random and scoot for home in
stead of trying to win through to his
target on his own initiative. The
fighter pilots are a little better, but they
do not do much thinking for themselves.
British pilots have a superiority on
several counts. In the first place. every
one of them is deeply imbued with the
justice of his cause. He knows he is
fighting for freedom from slavery. He
is defending Britain, too.
In the second place. he has better
aircraft. a better engine, and more and
better guns.
In the third place. he has psyco-
logical advantage. If he is forced to
land, If he has to take to his para
chute, he knows he will be back in the
fight tomorrow. All the Germans can
hope for is to spend the rest of the war
in prison camp.
The Royal Air Force and its allies
from the dominions and elsewhere have
turned back the German air force with
numerical inferiority of something like
one to five. If there is ever complete
parity. the boys are confident the swas-
tika will be swept from the skies.
Since the big blitz I have just de-
cribed. we have developed faster and
better aircraft, of which I am not at
liberty to tell you. We have improved
our weapons, too, and our fighting
tactics.
When the Germans first came over in
quantity they came in formation of
about nine abreast. each succeeding
layer little higher than the one before.
We attacked the first layer and threw
the whole lot into confusion
Later he changed his tactics a lit
tie, and We changed ours. attack
ing from the beam or the quarter as the
occasion demanded
Then he started piling on armor
plate, which reduced our scores and gave
us more trouble all around. The logical
result was that we are devising heavier
armament to pierce Jerry's heavier
armor plate, and at the same time we
are using armor plate to protect our
selves.
Evening star., 1941-06-15

When a helpful husband says he i:
doing nothing it is high time for his
wife to investigate. BY acting promptly
she may save some object that is near
and dear to her. Five minutes delay
may mean the sacrifice of the del
phinlums, which he naturally assumed
were weeds because they look so healthy.
A wife's brief conversation with a next
door neighbor or response to a telephone
call may allow jealous, helpful hus-
band enough leeway to give half the
privet hedge crew haircut.
Helpful husbands, as a rule, must be
handled with tact. They are hurt if
they are taken to task for something
they have done when they have merely
been trying to be helpful. Wives should
restrain the impulse to exclaim, "Oh,
look what you have done!" For then
Evening star., 1941-06-15
By Joseph S. Edgerfon.

aviation industry had been on custom
basis'-each airplane being virtually
handmade. Orders for military and
commercial airplanes generally were on
an extremely limited basis, with few
units OF any one model being produced
before forward strides in design made
necessary its abandonment
This condition of small unit orders.
Mr.. Miller said, resulted in neglect of
the very cornerstone of the mass pro-
duction theory-that in the interests of
efficiency and economy, operations be
broken down into a series of simple
repetltive tasks which could be per-
formed readily by men with little train
ing.
The old system of production, because
OF the limited number of men produc-
ton budgets would support, tended to
develop skilled aircraft mechanics over
a period Of years. These men actually
built airplanes by hand from the fuselage
framework stage to completion. 1t was
not uncommon for the design and office
staff to pitch in on shop operations if
the need arose, Mr.. Miller explained
Another major deterrent to develop
ment OF mass production methods was
the number of frequent changes in de-
sign during the course of contract
These changes not only disrupted as
sembly operations, but made necessary
the retooling of machines to make re-
vised parts.
The development of quantity produc-
ton methods has, paradoxically, done
much to minimize changes in design
during . contract" it was pointed out.
Under the old system, involving the
laborious and lengthy construction of
prototype, extended flight and service
tests and then slow construction of the
production airplanes, design theories had
chance to outstrip production, with
resultant changes just as manufactur-
ing was getting under way.
Under mass production methods and
with streamlined engineering that re-
duces development time from 27 to 10
Evening star., 1941-06-15
Planes Begin Mass Production

Installation Of the first powered over
head-conveyer type mechanical final
assembly line in the history of the avia-
ton industry has increased production of
military airplanes nearly 400 per cent
In the California plant of Vultee Aircraft,
and marks another long step toward
achievement of true mass production
methods in aircraft manufacture.
More than mile of overhead convex
ers have been installed, making possible
so per cent reduction in final assembly
time alone and a 80 per cent reduction
in required floor space, according to re-
ports received by defense officials here
To make possible the maintenance of
the mechanical assembly line, however,
rescheduling of production in every part
of the plant became necessary so that
every part used in the airplane might
flow to its appointed assembly station
on strict schedule basis This process
also resulted in saving of time in all
phases of construction.
"The problem of gearing parts pro-
duction to final assembly and the split
second timing of operations, especially
in view of changes in specifications dur
ing the course of a contract, has hereto
fore led industrial engineers to the con-
clusion that powered assembly lines
could not readily be adapted to the air.
craft industry" 1t was explained by
Richard w. Miller, president of Vultee.
Benef1tting from the largest order. on
the basis Of number of units, ever placed
for any one type of airplane, however.
vultee has been able to undertake de-
velopment Of the new production system,
which is described as operating now "to
4 degree far beyond expectations only a
short time ago."
Development of the new production
system Is part Of plant expansion
program just completed which has re-
suited in a period of less than IL months
N an increase of floor space from $685.
BOO to 1,795,oO0 square feet, or $50 per
:ent.
Prior to Initiation of the air defense
pfoeran. production IN all plants Of the
Evening star., 1941-06-15

months. however, actual production Is
far closer to the design period, with
greatly decreased possibilities of design
changes during manufacture. Then,
too, military customers have co-operated
10 mold changes to minimum, realizing
the need for speed in the execution
OF the national defense program"
The conveyer system of Vultee in
wolves a total of $3.50 feet of overhead
rail, the line being so designed that at
every assembly point there is q clean
floor completely free of machinery and
obstructions. The system provides COM
plete access for workmen to all parts
Of the plane at all times and make DOS
slble a high safety factor. The con-
veyer system, though confined prin-
cipally to the final assembly section,
extends feeder lines into various sub
assembly departments
One line extends into the tubular
fuselage section. Another taps the heart
OF the center-section department: a
third brings outer wings to assembly
station, and a fourth feeds complete
tail sections into the final line. During
the course of their journey, the major
sub-assemblies and small parts pass
through two paint rooms and are spray
painted while still on the conveyer
tracks.
The actual final assembly line in
wolves total of IS stations, at each of
which carefully planned series of
operations is performed by crew which
remains at the same station constantly.
Operations at these stations have been
so arranged that they are entirely COM
pleted in a given time period, at the
end Of which the plane has slowly moved
to a new station and a new crew for
further assembly.
"The progression OF materials from
stockrooms through fabricating and sub
assembly stages is thus geared to final
assembly requirements to assure a con-
slant flow system as a guarantee that
contract schedules for completed planss
will be met or bettered," vultee oficials
said.
Evening star., 1941-06-15

Russell said over the wireless: Bomb
ers above" They were twin-engined
fighters, about 80 of the Messerschmitt
11Os, in defensive circle above thu
bombers. We climbed and got the sun
at our backs before we attacked. Then
we formed in line astern, or follow the
leader, and dived down to attack.
We cut into the inside OF the circle.
only in the opposite direction, and had
a shot at each one as it passed The
three of us got in some good shooting.
I fired at the second or third in the
circle and he broke away and dived for
home with me after him His rear gunner
stopped firing and minute later his
lett engine caught fire. ran out Of am
munltlon, and another Hurricane came
in close. The 1l0 suddenly rolled over
and dived into the ground from 1000
feet. Russell and another chap got an
other Hun, and the others scurried for
home, closely pursued by Hurricanes and
Spltflres which had come up to help us.
Our biggest show was on September
~ ldSt. Tile udE lIlt Il. "A. r. OIncldllX
claimed 185 enemy aircraft destroyed.
though it was certain that scores of
others never reached home.
Our Canadian fighter squadron was
called out once in the early morning, but
there was nothing out of the ordinary
in that show. In the afternoon, about
2:30, they called out the entire wing.
That meant there was the Canadian
squadron. the Polish squadron and an
English squadron.
AS we approached the south end of
London we saw a huge formation of
bombers of to the left guarded by Ger
man fighters. British squadrons were
just attacking. We kept on climbing
because We knew this was not the bunch
We had been sent up to intercept.
Then we saw our quarry. There were
more than 100 bombers with fighters
above and behind and on either side.
Our Polish squadron went after the
fighters. The English and ourselves took
the bombers. AS we maneuvered for at
tack we saw another German wave of
viz ooAiiC oiLC, DuO OIllcI oIlGlSll
rons were coming up to engage them.
1000 Planes in Sky.
We came in close and went into bat
tie. 1t was terrific spectacle. There
were so many aircraft in the sky that
there was as much danger Of colliding
with another fellow as there was of
being shot down. There were more than
l 1000 aircraft in the sky just south of
London.
counted nine aircraft falling at one
time and there were parachutes every
where. The Canadian squadron bagged
IA enemy aircraft.
The battle broke up into doghghts
and we returned home singly. We all
felt that we had broken up Jerry's
whole show and that he would never
come back again in such numbers. He
never did.
At all times we were outnumbered-
yet we stopped them. I can tell you
from personal knowledge that the Brit
lsh count of victories was conservative,
to say the least.
The German pilot is good but our
boys are better. The German is me-
Evening star., 1941-06-15

path or laying drain through the CEN
ter of the lawn.
Helpful husbands would be a great
asset If only they could be persuaded
to direct their unbounded energy into
the proper channels and do less original
thinking. Unfortunately in most in
stances their minds are as active as their
bodies, and they tend to consider them
selves as full partners rather than as
day laborers.
Under the circumstances even the
most tactful wife may fail to accom-
plsh her end. In that case perhaps,
after all, it may be best to put aside
all pretences and amenities, recognize
the helpful husband for the destructive
force he is, attach ball and chain
to his leg and stand over him with a
shotgun.