Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-11
congress
Wary Of New
7 ak Program
Morqenthau' 5 Proposal
Handled Like Bombs
BY PAUL MALLON

N ANlll4NAI lt4N, NdItn I -
w Congress * handling the
Morccnthau tax program As an
lnCendlarN bomb. II is advanc-
ing slowly with black glasses
and oVerCoat on backwards,
looking for SandboX.
ON their private pads. ways
and means committeeman have
discovered the total tax on
some corporations would run
from 65 10 so per cent. One
senator figures that if General
Motors earned $4,000, il
would he lucky 10 have half Of
il ,Sl20.OO0,0OOl for dividends.
which would mean a sharp cut
IN earnings distribution.
Most Of the taXmaklnC lcCiS-
lainrs think income
proposed are far too high 10
maintain popular enthusiasm.
Nor do they like the substitute
ideas Of a sales tax or a with
holding tax any better.
This overall dissent is 100
widespread 10 warrant prcdic-
tons on the final form of the
bill yet.
hROOPING Of tho stock mar
~ ket, in the face Of this tax
threat, again raises a fine Ques-
ton Of government publicity en-
phaSlS and public morale. In the
last war, decline Of the stock
market would have been con-
Sidered a bad sign. Public con-
fidonce was supposed TO follow
the market.
Not so now. Most adminiStra-
ton authorities dlSCredit the
stock market As an influence on
public opinion on the ground
that stocks are narrowly held.
That may be. but the govern
ment is also relying on sheer
patriotism. unstimulatcd by any
direct sonal interest, to
sponsor enthusiasm for the war
effort in many OF her ways
(crOwdng of little business,
prices. rationing sugar, tires,
labors plioriticSl.
Abandoning the old profit
motive for stimulating OF the ut
most national productive energy
and enthusiasm. the question
arises whether an adequate SUBJ
stitute has been provided 10 fur
niSh The same full spur. Is
personal incentive be n g
hlunted? Is the maximum drlv-
ing force Of the nation being
maintained ,
No one here seems worried.
They expect to get the produc-
ton Job done better than
planned. Yet the cumulative ef-
fectS on the public mind Of the
peculiar new hope-killing ways
IN which the Owe I'm m n I,
through necessity. is going about
The purely non-milltary aspects
Of this war, may he subject for
investigation by Mr.. MacLeish.
WRATH is rising in The war
w department al delay IN get
ting new air field : started,
weeks and months after the de-
ciSion 10 build them has been
announced. Temperature around
Air corps headquarters here is so
h Ugh that the staff has been
warned, upon threat OF court
martial, not 10 talk.
All types Of red tape. result
ing from conflicting authority
between the air corps and en-
ClnccrS. is responsible in some
instances. Projects involved:
Rapid City. Pueblo, klamath
Falls. Richmond CNaO. Topeka,
Lompoc Maria lCalD. Green
willie IS. c., HattieSburg Miss,
Fort Worth. Spokane.
Congress appropriatcS money
for the fields and then the army
decides the exact site. This
decision is generally announced
through Scna tors and repre-
ScntatjvcS. IN order that They
may Get publicity back home
But politics about the choice
Of local land sometimes becomes
involved Then the air corps
and engineers arc supposed 20
inspect the site and agree on IN
StallatlonS. hut agreement has
not been easy.
II has been four months since
the Grconvllle project was an
nounCCd. three months since
LompOC Maria. two since Pueblo.
Rapid City and Richmond yet
work has not started.
In another case. the army
planned 2 field AT Ncro Beach.
Fla bat Tho navy claimed this
was too near one of It's fields.
and forced the army 10 move y
miles south to r.. Pierce.
Distributed hy kine Fesures syrd INC.
Reproduction n Whole or n part
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