Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1951-03-27
Charges Truman
Pours Money In
Many Rat Holes


WASHINGTON, (AP) - VIII
liam NJ. Jeffers, World War II
boss of the federal rubber pro-
gram. says president Truman is
pouring the taxpayers money
down a hundred rat holes" and
has lost the peoples confidence,
Any thinking man knows We
cannot look to the President for
constructive leadership" Jeffers
declared in a letter to Vice Presi-
dent Barkley
"He is still operating on the
old principle of tax and tax,
spend and spend, elect and electp
that policy was bad enough be-
fore this country was debt-ridden,
but this country now is in a SER
ious financial condition.
"On top of that, the people
have lost confidence in the Presi-
dent, which is not going to help.
Jeffers, retired President of
the Union Pacific Railroad, wrote
Barkley to urge the senate do
something to get better princi-
pies in American government
than taxing, spending and elect
ing" Barkley is the Senate's pre-
siding officer.
The Vice Presidents office said
Jeffers' letter had been received
but Barkley had not seen it yet.
1t was dated March 16 and was
mailed from Jeffers' home in
Pasadena, Calf. Copies to each
member of the senate.
March 16 was the day after
the deadline for millions of
Americans to shuck out billions
OF dollars in income taxes to
Uncle Sam.
"A couple of years ago I re-
tired, after working for 55 years
and, of course, expected to en-
JOY some comfort in retirement, "
Jeffers told Barkley.
However, / find that about
half of my pension is going for
taxes and, mind you, this is just
for fedaral taxes and does not in
clude the numerous other taxes
/ am required to pay.
80, instead of enjoying my re-
tirement, l am confronted with a
battle on my hands to get enough
together to even make living"
IF these taxes were necessary
for the welfare of this country,
/ wouldn't begrudge cent of it,
but when l see my hard-earned
money land make no mistake
about it, / earned it the hard
way,) and that of millions Of good
Americans being thrown down a
hundred rat holes then / rebel.
It's time to stop!"
Jeffers said the welfare of the
country must be put ahead of
politics" and added that Barkley
and the senate ARE confronted
with a decision in that regard
right now" Then he said:
'"The 1850 annual expenditures
were around $40 billion Now the
President proposes to spend al
most S92 billion in 1851 and al
most S100 billion in 1852. Do
you honestly think taxes can
carry this load? Where is the tax
money coming from?
why should the President
worry about his personal taxes
when the rest of us taxpayers pay
his living expenses, entertainment
expenses, maintain his home and
grounds, provide him with a fleet
of automobiles and chauffeur for
himself and his family, staff a
private yacht and an airplane for
his numerous vacation trips?
Don't you think the time has
arrived for you fellows who are
elected by the taxpayers to take
this matter in hand and really do
something about it for the bene-
fit of the country as whole and
for your own constituents ?"
Jeffers told Barkley you
won't have any trouble finding
plenty of men who are able and
willing, when the showdown
comes, to forget politics and get
this country back on a level keel" !"