Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-19
Guffey Pays
That Back
Income Tax
81 600, Due for 20 YRS. n
But No Interest! -
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

THE 100000 who will be-
come income tax payers on
March l6. as we'll as the vet
Grams who have enjoyed this de-
light Of citizenship before, surely
will be pleased TO learn that
Senator Joe Guffey of Pennsyl-
Vania has finally picked up a
tab for little matter of $4,000
that rested on the deadlock at
the Bureau Of Internal Revenue
since many fighters in the pres
ent war were toddling little
boys.
Yes. friends, word comes from
Pittsburgh that that sterling
statesman finally remembered to
pay off. after many reminders
from certain less admirable ele-
ments Of the press, including
your correspondent. and from
ordinary taxpayers and political
opponents in his home town.
He stood il off for nigh onto
20 years, and by quirk of the
law or the regulations which the
common citizen might not UNDER
stand. this $4,000 had been out
laWed.
How this august senator and
great and allrulStiC New Dealer
could get q pass in the matter
Of the interest on his old debt IL
something else that had better
not be explained. lest other citi-
zens who fall in arrears demand
the same favor
INTEREST runs up fast al the
L rate Of s per cent. compound,
and the naked interest alone
would have been about 81 800 by
the time the senator remem-
bered 10 take his name down of
the board.
Your correspondent aCtuary
is a strict union man on a five
day week and isn't on hand at
this writing 10 compute the
compound interest
So. the interest. # Senator
Guffey had not been excused the
interest, would have been a tasty
contribution 10 the cost of the
guns and other gear Of war for
which the common man Is now
assessed an income tax on earn.
ings as little as $3.50 a year.
But the treasury never ex.
pected 10 get the 81 600. so let
US not be haSty
DURlNG all this time, the
~ senator always said when
reminded, that he would pay off
when ne could.
As senator. Of course. he has
received $4,000 a year salary,
plus the little picklngS. such as
mileage. which the members OF
the New York legislature call
their luluS. hut. somehow. he
never could lay up cent until
lately.
Ten thousand A year is around
5000 q week and you would have
thought that A good manager
would have been able 10 put
aside $4,000 IN three or four
years
Senator Gufev has always
lived rather Sumptuously but
during most of this time no was
technically A poor man with
nothing in his own name and
signed all his checks as Joseph
+. GufeN agent
THE senator often got cross
L when reminded If his debt
10 the people. denounCIng these.
reminders as destructive crlti-
clSm and once. IN greater
anger over some mention in
these dispatches. he called in
Mr.. Fred Perkins the Washing
ton correspondent " the Pitts
burgh Press, and warned him
that # this oyer happened again
he would make n speech on the
Senate floor against your cor
RESPONDENTS cherished employer.
That put your correspondent
on a spot. as he did not wish 10
bring down tho senator's per-
Sonal revenge on his cherished
employer IN tho CulSe Of official
business Of the United States
Senate.
But one day your correspond
ent decided that his cherished
employer would have 70 take il
AS human sacrifice 10 journal.
istic integrity and gave Senator
Guffey a good poke with the
needle and. sure enough. he
Spraddled all over our helpless
employer who had nothing 10 do
with tho needing.
The senator couldn't lntimi-
date us.
You didn't imagine q senator
would do that 10 take the heat
off a criticism Of himself, did.
you?
We'll YOU live and learn.
They get all kinds there. b,
IN the last campaign in Pitts
burGh. me opposition nan llt-
tie contribution boxes on the
street corners labeled: :,
"Guffey income tax coIlectIoni
Drop donations here" i,
And in the collectors office
citizens coming in 10 pay their
income taxes would say:
"AIl right, here's mine; now
go and get Guffey's."
These manifestations NAV