The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-06
Button Who's Cot the Button7
These Days S' gzo 8.i E. soxolsxY

hoAtlHntul OiliidlH AdH HH VI
their annual income anytime they
choose because il is fixed by Con
gress and is out OF the taxpayers
money On the whole, low earn
ing crowd, the government en-
ployes. with the exception OF the
postmen who have been robbed, get
just about what they deserve. They
usually are folks who. avoiding en-
terprise and initiative, go where
security raises its lazy head.
prefer the high spirited American
who seeks fame and fortune in an
I independent business which he cre-
ates and owns such grocery
/ store or a newspaper route or some
thing that represents and Ven
/ ture, hard work and independence.
Government officials know exact
I ly what they get. That is their
I security. They never can get more
or less without sCheming for It, and
they would know all ABOUT that
long in advance by .inter-oficc
grapevine. But the enterplising.
constructive citizen cannot al
ways figure his income in advance.
How can doctor know how many
of his patients will he sick enough
How can a lawyer tell What bust
ness will come to him. How can
grocer and butcher know what
income will he left 10 him after the
OPA gets through with him? How
can the mortician know how many
corpses will come his way? How
can a novelist know whether his
stun will be bought and whether
il will so like Gone With the
Wind" or flop like most books?
But the Treasury says TO all
good citizens that on April Is
they are 10 estimate their earnings
for the coming year. That demand
s so funny that it Just make. liars
out OF a lot OF ordinarily honest
Americans II is like the OPA an
nouncement that beef points are
lower-not by much-on the same
day that they gyp the public OF
four points month by putting in
new system. It is like saying 10
a retailer. tell your customer that
you can't sell butter because you
cant afford to at OPA ceilings and
hope that he will remain your Gus
toner long. That wisdom turns
most grocers into black mark eteers.
1t is like that wonderful fairy tale
about releasing food from ware
houses because more space is
needed for new stuff-and YOU so
find the released food, 1t never
showed up whore | live not on
the points ! have.
hate to lie hate 10 sign my
name to anything don't know
anything about. Yet on April Is.
| shall have to tell Mr. Moreenthau
how much money expect to earn
in 1914. ! hired an accountant to
figure il out from past perform
ances but he wants data and how
can a retailer OF newspaper and
magazine articles. speeches and
lectures. and sporadic advice 10
those who need 1t know what his
earnings will he-4t Just can't he
done with any degree or accuracy
hut shall try to do my best
with my fingers crossed.
wonder why Mr.. Morgenthau
wants this estimate He has the
1913 figures as we'll as those OF
1912. And his statisticians ought
10 he able to estimate. from past
performances as well as from the
proba bic national income to he pro-
duced. much OF 1914 by the circula
ton OF public moneys through war
contracts. His guess would have
TO he based upon The war continu-
ing for the whole OF 1874, but so
would everybody elses. Vast
changes in gross and net earnings
will occur the moment the war is
over. In fact. plenty Of changes
in earnings may take place after
election day when lots OF govern
ment employees may find i smart ~
resign quickly. SO who can esti-
mate about what
Il suggest that-the guessing con-
test schedul ID for April Is he can
celled. II has already been post
poned a month from March -. |
suggest il II cant he cancelled. it
might he post joined until Deem
her 81 when all good men and
true know the worst and the best
for the particular year in question.
on that date. II is usually possible
TO tell the truth without any need
for guessing. estimating. approYi-
mating at uncertainties and inn
ponderables. This is constructive
advice. Mr.. Morgenthau.