Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1951-11-30
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Political Plums
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THE MORE you look into the in
come-tax situation, the more it
appears that some us. tax collec-
tors, especially those with political
pull, regard their jobs as indirect
pensions and spend more time on
private business than on Uncle
Sans.
Fortunately, there are thousands
of nonpolitical internal revenue
agents, but here is an illustration of
what has been happening at Nash
vile, Tenn. Investigation of Nash
ville's internal revenue office so far
has concerned three individuals:
l. Lipe Henslee, the suspended
collector. who, following an illness
a couple of years ago, fell a vic
tim of narcotics. The narcotics bu-
reau sent two agents to Tennessee
to see where Henslee was getting his
drugs, reported that nothing illicit
was involved though he is still TAX
ing narcotics and not spending suf-
ficient time at his office. This was
the reason for Henslee's suspension.
2. Also under investigation is
George WEIGH, Jr., assistant collec-
tor, who has been criticized for
spending too much time on the af-
fairs of the Washington Realty COM
pany rather than on collecting tax
es. The realty company owns three
large apartment houses in Nash
vile, and the company is controlled
by Welch's family.
Investigators who checked the
case reported that WEIGH is almost
stone deaf, difficult to talk to, with
the result that his superiors by
passed him, gave him little work to
do. Therefore, he devoted himself
to his family's realty firm.
8. Also under investigation is
Chief Field Deputy Ira Parker, Jr.,
whose family is connected with a
liquor distributing firm, the Nation
al Distributing company of Clinton,
Tenn. The company was organized
by Parker's nephew, Kenneth E.
Caldwell, and financed by note
for Sl25,000 at the Commerce Union
Bank of Nashville. Underwriting the
note are Ted Murray of the Nash
vile Baseball club and Joe Parker,
brother of the chief field deputy.
What investigators are interested
in is whether Ira Parker is or was
an owner of any part of the liquor
firm. They found an arrangement
in the underwriting deal whereby
Murray and Ira's brother Joe were
cut in on the profits until the $685.
600 loan was paid off, plus another
provision whereby the loan was
never to be entirely paid off, which
made his brother a virtual partner.
In August, Mrs. Roxie Parker, wife
OF the deputy collector, acquired a
rs per cent stock ownership in the
firm.
1t has been reported that
Deputy Collector Parker accom-
panied representatives Of the
firm on their visits, thus bring
ing Indirect pressure to increase
the company's business. Cald-
well denied this.
IRA was down here on a visit and
just happened to accompany me-"
he explained.
Washington internal revenue ex-
ecutives say they feel sorry for
Messrs. Henslee and WEIGH because
of their physical infirmities. How
ever, it's admitted that the govern
ment budget, already one Of the
biggest in history. should not be
overloaded by paying salaries to
those who cannot give full time to
their jobs.
British AdmiraIs
A secret State Department report
blames the British Admiralty for
the crisis in Iran. The British ad-
mirals controlled the Abadan re-
finery. but were too blind to grant
the 1ranians few small conces-
sions. For example. the admirals