davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1954-05-14
The
Jewish
Quiz
Box
QUESTION: What does the


period called "Sefirah" signify?
ANSWER: The period of days
and weeks which come between
the first day of the Passover holt
day and the first day of the Sha-
vuot holiday are called the days
of "Sefirah." The word "Sefirah"
means "count" or counting"
These days are given this title
because beginning with the Sec
ond night of Passover the sue
ceeding days are counted as a
ritual in the synagogue every
evening at the appearance of the
stars.
This goes on until after the
49th day has been counted. Then
the 50th day is the first day of
Shavuoth. Instructions for carry
ing out this count are given in the
Bible Neviticus 23:10, IS and
Deuteronomy 16:9). These are
actually the days between the
barley harvest on the Passover
season and the wheat harvest of
the Shavuoth season. They repre-
sent the anxiety with which the
Israelites who were freed from
Egypt on the Passover looked
forward to the day when the word
of CD would be revealed to them
on Mount Sinai which is COM
memorated by the Shavuoth Holi-
day. The counting ceremony ties
the two events together thus in
! dicating the necessity of freedom
as prerequisite for the respect
! for diety and the respect for diety
as a necessary requirement to in
sure the useful application of
freedom.
|
QUESTION: Why is the count.
ing done in the evening?
ANSWER: The Jewish day be-
I gins with sunset, and is definitely
said to have arrived at the ap-
pearance of the stars. It is there
fore required that the counting be
done in the evening-at the be-
ginning of the "day." The Talmud
derives this from the Biblical in
sistence that the weeks that are
counted be whole" ones. Thus
the count is begun in the evening
so that the whole day" be con-
sidered as counted.
80 80
QUESTION: Why is IL that no
marriages or entertainment are
allowed during this period?.
ANSWER: It was during this
period that $4,000 disciples of
Rabbi Akiba were slaughtered
when Bar Kochba's revolt against
the Roman legion failed. In addi-
ton, other tragedies befell our
people during this period. These
days are thus considered as days
of mourning in. Jewish life and
with the exception of certain spe-
cial days in between, no marri-
ages or festivities are allowed.
Some connect this idea with the
anxiety that used to exist in the
land of Israel during this period
which was in between harvests
and all were concerned, if not
occupied with, the strenuous ac-
tivity and anticipation of the sue
cess or failure of the harvest.
The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1954-05-14
Between You and Me-.
TIE DIPLOMATIC FRONT
Copyright, 1884, Jewish TeleNUaD
Agency. Incl
~ BORIS SINCLAIR

It is no mere coincidence that Britain's note
to Jordan to engage in direct talks with Israel
under United Nations supervision was de-
livered to the Amman Government during
the week the U. S. State Department
roade- INDUCED in all kinds of public TAD
vice" to Israel . /. Both moves seem to be the
result of the recent meeting in London be-
Evening star., 1954-11-28
chris-croft Cruiser

Every luxury feature reproduced
in miniature in this ready-ro-
assemble scale model. You'll be
proud TO display. this sleek
cruiser. 9M" long.
Evening star., 1954-11-28
&c.,
pr Boots

PT Boots
Realistic in the smallest detail.
Your assembly time will reward
you with this authentic scale
model TO decorate a boys room
-. 9A" long.
Evening star., 1954-12-26
Annapolis Society to Continue
Hurbor Tour in SIS Program

house. the first major tour ct
1855. win be held April 1916.
George Schaun. executive secre-
tary Of the society said.
The first event Of the new
year will be q continuation Of q
winter lecture series. Milton L.
Grigg, architect for the reStora-
ton Of Monticello. the home of
Thomas jefferson at Charlottes-
vile, Va, will be the speaker for
January 20 and viii illustrate q
lecture of the restoration pro-
cess with colored picture slides.
The lecture Is scheduled in the
st. Johns College gymnasium.
Other talks In the winter se-
ries will include lectures on
preparation Of old Maryland
dishes by Henry Powell Hopkins
on February Is and one on an
tique collecting by Alice Win
chester, editor Of Antiques Mag
azine, on March %.
Evening star., 1954-12-26
By chorIes [. Adoms

.
NEW YORK, Dec. 25.-Fol-
lowing the Soviet line of puf-
suing q softer foreign policy and
concentrating on building up
Russia internally for the benefit
Of the consumer. the Soviet
press currently is running de-
scriptions Of some Of the major
projects the government Is un-
dertaking.
In one such project. for in
stance, Icy waters tumbling from
the lofty Central Asian noun
tain ranges that form the roof
Of the world" will make part of
the q. s. s. RS hottest desert a
lush garden spot If an ambitious
irrigation scheme now under way
In the Turkmen Soviet Socialist
Republic proves successful.
Construction brigades battling
shifting sands and temperatures
that frequently exceed los de-
grees in the shade are building
250-mile canal from the ANU
Darya River to the oasis Of Mari,
main settlement in the Murghab
River valley and one of the old
est cities Of interior Asia. The
canal Is being cut through the
vast. barren Kara Kun Desert,
which covers much of Turkmenia
and extends from the northern
border of Afghanistan to the
Caspian Sea.
The struggle against aridity
In this area just north of the
Iranian and Afghanistan from
tiers has gone on for thousands
Of years. Much of the region is
overlain by loess ~ windborne
dust which is the basis for ex-
tremely fertile soil. But with
rainfall far from adequate for
agriculture, cultivation depends
on irrigation from mountain
streams fed by snow.
Rivers Support Life.
Each river in Turkmenia. has
its local settlements-the only
life in the midst of unreclaimed
desert. Principal crops are fine,
long-staple cotton and fruit such
Evening star., 1954-12-26
By ihs Assoeidisd Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md, Dec. 25.--
Historic Annapolis announced
today its 1855 program will
again include twice-weekly sigh
seeing tours by boat Of AM
napolis Harbor and the nearby
Chesapeake Bay region.
The tours were started by the
society this year.
The i1on-profit organization,
formed to promote Annapolis
historical attractions, also plans
an expansion Of the out-of doors
art show 1t held this year and
periodic tours Of old Annapolis
homes and other sites.
The fourth Annapolis open
Evening star., 1954-12-26
Soviet Desert Canal Project
To Transform Barren Wastes

as grapes. melons and apricots
which build up an exceptionally
high sugar content under the
blazing sun.
The ANU Darya-by far the
largest river In Turkmenia--
flows northwestward from the
Pamir Mountains to. the land
locked Aral Sea. Turkmenia's
other important streams, the
Murghab and Tedjen, also origi-
nate in the southern mountains,
but they lack enough water to
cross the desert. They wither
and lose themselves in the sandy
wastes.
First section Of the Kara Kun
canal, which will be deep and
wide enough to handle small
vessels, taps the ANU Darya Just
north Of the Afghanistan FROM
tier and goes directly west to
Mari. It is scheduled for COM
pletion In 1853.
To Stretch 600 Miles.
A second section Of the canal
will connect Mari on the Mur-
CHAD River with oases on the
Tedjen River farther to the west.
Later the Russians plan to push
the waterway beyond the Turko-
menian capital of Ashkhabad,
bringing its total length to more
than 900 miles. Ultimately the
project may be extended to the
Caspian Sea.
Work on the first segment Of
the canal-largest in Central
Asia-is proceeding from both
ends. ANU Darya water has al
ready reachedsthe 68-mile mark
and is filing q huge natural de-
preston, forming a storage lake
with a capacity Of u billion cubic
feet.
The Russian press reports that
many women" and volunteers"
from Turkomenia's Communist
youth organization are particle
pating in the project.
Some Of the skilled manpower
and heavy machinery used in
building the Volga- Don Canal
Evening star., 1954-12-26

have now been shifted to this
desert site.
The first section Of the Kara
Kun Canal will irrigate about
250.000 acres Of land to be plant
ed with long-staple cotton. It will
also supply water to several mil
lion acres Of grazing land and
to settlements that will be built
near the canal. Irrigated area
in the Murghab Valley alone will
be more than doubled.
Evening star., 1954-12-26
Rice Outlook Brighter

Rice crop estimates are larger
than last season in all five prin-
cipal European countries Of pro-
duction-Italy, Spain, Portugal.
Greece and France.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05
THE MONTANA ELECTION

One approach Tuesdays baloting in
Montana without mixed emotions.
Certainly gratifying that the voters of Montana
should reeec Senator Jim Murray the face of of the
vlificatiOn
margin of victory accorded him. less than grateful for
the splendid representation he has them the halls of
Congress the last twenty years.
Likewise, the voters extremely wise in retaining
Congressman Meca and Associate r. " Bottomy
positions of Cong Metcaf first
preme court justice, and has
be of the abest members of national lega
tive body AS for Justice Bottomy he has been pillar of
wisdom justice the high BENCH dedicated to
the principle that human rights supreme in the dealings
of
gress District fills this writer with deep
greet four legislative sessions have watched the gentle
man from Pondera fight reentlesy people
greatly the thOroughnesS of
legislative proposal after legislative proposal We know little
opponent Orvn Flare except that
admission he inexperienced the govern
and that he personabe For the sake
the Second District is be hoped he gains but
got couple years Then there's another
election and the political climate may be such in heavily Re
PUBLICAN Montana that his slight margin of less than
1900 easily be turned into deficit at the hands of
such Senator Anderson 1t would appear that it's
squarely the young fellow from Big Timber to do
Sonaby good the "a months ahead
the successful aspirants for Public Service
this editor has spoken his opinion both times
previously The utility mOnopolies doubt happy, but
here's who find glee
ing pay higher and higher telephone Appar
emily however, majority of don't particularly
give da-..~-- this
To Mrs Human congratulations for having
the first State Treasurer Montana his
tory.
On the legislative level heartenng
ecreed that the 1855 house be organized by the
liberal of the two major parties Maybe next session decent
highway financing BILL occupationa disease and
similar legislative proposals will able
out of committee with "do pass recommendations We shall
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05
SPECIAL MEASURES CARRY
OVFRWHFI MINGIY
Severance Taxation I'm Montana

the home folks, and worked for con-
stitution and laws, including revenue
measures favorable to themselves.
The other side was composed of
representatives of large investors from
the outside and others who identified
their own welfare with the success
of the large investors who were ac-
cused of looking upon Montana as
just another colony for exploitation.
This conflict between the groups
which saw general welfare as an indi-
rect result of encouraging capital in
vestment and the other group striv-
ing to achieve the same result directly
by legislation benefitting the whole
people ragged at the convention. The
former won by having the constitu-
ton provide for a special way of as
sessing mines and mining claims. Ar
ticle XII, Section 3, provides that
mines and mining claims after pur-
chase thereof from the, y. S. shall be
taxed at the price paid therefor (from
$3.50 to $40 per acre. and on the
net proceeds.
From the very beginning, this con-
stitutional provision continued to be
political issue. Many leaders con-
tended that it was unfair, that the
mine-owners were enjoying a priv
lege, that they were not paying their
just share of taxes
Since no way could be agreed on for
more adequately assessing mines, the
people set out to remedy the situation
by way of Initiative 20 (1924).
This initiative provided for the
Metals Mines tax, the first and most
productive of the past taxes listed as
severance.
While this tax is, as already stated,
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05

Natural Gas Gas Goo Of 1e per sl16S64 80
Total collections in metals mines S11749o7
Percentage of all taxes 325e5
The figure given by Tax Systems is - 2764eo
The differential may be that at the
time Tax Systems was published, the
yield of vermiculite taxes were not
available, and the net gas tax listed
as a Public Utility Tax.
1t is thus clear that the role played
by the severance tax in Montana is
not at all impressive In fact, there is
no apparent reason why this medium
of revenue could not be made much
more productive. Is there, for example,
any good reason why the first fifty
thousand tons of coal mined each year
should be exempt from the tax, or
that the tax should not be raised?
Many resources which other states
tax, are exempt in our state We have
no tax on the forest products which
is major industry. Our IL million
dollar revenue from the severance
taxes amounting to around 3% of all
revenue ueIlVeu IrOm lakes seems
small when compared to some other
states. Louisiana, for example, in 1851
raised 2O.8%e Of all tax revenue
$57, 1897, 104-with severance taxes:
Texas 31.1 GO with a yield of $780,
1926, 047; Minnesota 9.343 % and
total yield of 100000.
If our severance taxes operated on
the basis of 31.1% as they do in
Texas, we should realize some ten
million dollars instead of $1.1 mil
lion as of now. w
additional Chapters in Subsequent
Issues).
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05
By J. NJ. PETERSON, Poison,
Tax Consultant, Joint Tax Committee,
MSFL, Farmers Union & Mine Mill
Seventh In A Series)

Montana people, it seems, are not
inclined to work up great enthusiasm
for severance taxes. They have never
made full use Of them for the specific
purposes for which the resource tax
was devised-as a special source Of
revenue and more especially as a
mechanism whereby the people can
guard and preserve for themselves
and posterity their heritage of natural
resources.
This is rather strange, for this kind
of tax is regarded as especially we'll
adapted for state like ours. Montana
is rich in metalliferous ores, in gas,
in oil and forests. The value of its
grazing lands, coal deposits and water
for irrigation and power staggers the
imagination.
This immensely of resources and
that it sometimes appeared endless
may be a partial explanation for our
failure to use taxation as an instru-
ment for preserving and guarding
this, our heritage.
The story of our revenue laws sug-
gests another clue. AS early as the
year 1889, at the constitutional
convention, a certain loss of commu-
nifty was in full evidence. This loss
of the feeling of oneness was brought
about by a bitter strife which had
developed between two factions One
group composed Of ranchers, home
owners, workers and small business
oy,i1x
the interests, as they saw them, of
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05
AFL BUILDING TRADES HAS NO JURISDICTION
AGREEMENT with RAIL UNION
Maintenance of Way Official In Error, Says Helena
Construction Trades Council Secretary

Helena Trades & Labor Assembly,
placing the Great Northern Railway
on the unfair" list. VOICE, Oct. ~
In celebrating on his contention
that no such agreement exists be-
tween the Building & Construction
Trades Department and Maintenance
of Way, Ballard quoted from letter
received by him from Richard J.
Gray, president of the construction
department, and dated June "a, 1854.
Relative to the alleged agreement,
Gray told Ballard:
Joint committees representing the
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way
Employees and the Executive Council
of the Building & Construction Trades
Department met on several occasions
and drafted a tentative agreement
with the distinct understanding that
any agreement reached would have
to be ratified by the Executive Coun-
ell of the Department and by the
next convention of the Department
and also by the Executive Board and
convention of the Brotherhood of
Maintenance of Way Employees.
when the tentative agreement
was presented to the Executive Coun-
Gil of the Department, Gray con-
tinued, "there were several objec-
tions and as result this agreement
was never ratified by the Depart
ment and therefore has no force and
effect so far as the Building & Con-
'truction Trades Department is con-
;erned."
"The officers of the Brotherhood
If Maintenance of Way Employees
lave been advised to this effect on
everal occasions" Gray concluded,
n his reply to Ballard.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05
COP FALLS SHORT
I'm About
Continued from Page One)


by Montana people Tuesday when
they reelected him to a second term
on the high bench by the largest ma
jority accorded any candidate for
state or federal office. Prediction
"guesstimates" had placed this fight
on the non-partisan judicial ticket
between Judge Bottomly and Silver
Bow District Judge John McClernan
as "toss-up" with only slight odds
in favor of the incumbent Justice.
Judge McClernan ran way ahead in
his home town of Butte, and showed
strength in several other counties.
However, Cascade and Lewis & Clark
counties accorded Judge Bottomly
whopping eight-thousand-vote edge
which more than offset the Butte
margin for McClernan, and in most of
the rest of the counties Bottomly was
on the long end of the vote tally.
United Press totals in this race
are: Bottomly, 96,559 in 1904 of
the states 1,094 precincts; McCler-
nan, 77,433.
THREE STATE OFFICES FILLED
On the state level, Democrats won
the two spots on the Railroad & Pub
lie Service Commission, while the
State Treasurer's post continued in
hands.
Austin Middleton won reelection
to another six-year term on the COM
mission by defeating George A. Davis,
Helena, by almost thirteen thou
sand votes. Paul Smith, after an alb
sence of two years from the commits
sion, will be back on the job January !
|, by virtue of his having defeated |
interim commissioner Frank Hazel
baker for the four year unexpired |
5erm of ex-Comm. Jack Henry.
Mrs. Edna Human received voter
to continue in the office
% which she was appointed last year
when State Treasurer Charles Sheri-
Ian died, by defeating one-time Rail
Dad & Public Service Commissioner
Iorace Casey by ten thousand votes.
UP totals for these three offices,
rom 1904 of 1904 precincts show:
109,831; Davis 96,976;
smith 93,491; Hazelbaker 1892;
iinman 111,787; Casey 1O1, 48O.
PECIAL MEASURES CARRY
overwhelmingly 5
The three referenda and one con- s
5itutional amendment carried by t
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05

huge majorities. For Referenda Sc,
the presidential preferential primary,
voters signified approval by a two
to one margin. The constitutional
amendment concerning the pardons
board carried by a similar ratio.
For Referenda 81 & So, to provide
funds for badly needed Improvements
and additions at Warm Springs and
Boulder, the Montana voting public
showed that when adequately in
formed, they are overwhelmingly for
better facilities and treatment of the
mentally i'll and the mentally-retard-
ed. The four-year campaign by the
Governors Committee on Mental
Health to secure funds for the long
overdue improvements at the two in
situations paid off with each measure
securing approval by better than five
to one tallies.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05

listed as a severance tax and has been
held by our highest court to be an
occupational license taX-upon the
business of producing metals, it was
apparently not intended as a sever
ance tax, nor does it bear its ear
marks. 1t was more tax in lieu of
more equitable land assessments.
The rate provided for is:
The first 100000 of gross value 81.
The next S150,000 of gross value
"a of l per cent.
The next $15O,OOO of gross value
~ of l per cent.
The next 100000 of gross value
~ of l per cent.
All over 100000 of gross value l %.
For the year 1851 the yield was, per
the report of the State Board of
Equalization, $489,243. Since the total
tax yield of all taxes for that year was
about $38, 582,000, the percentage
that this tax was of all taxes amounted
to 1869.
The other Montana severance taxes
are listed in the following table made
up from information derived from
several sources. (195D. The list of
severance taxes are those listed by
Tax Systems, the rates are those speci-
fled by law, the yield from Tax Sys-
TENS and the percentages our own
based on total tax collection of $685.
$4,000.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05

There is no agreement existing
between the Building & Construction
Trades Department of the AFL and
the Brotherhood of Maintenance of
Way Employees" contends Everett
Ballard, secretary of the Helena
Building & Construction Trades Coun-
ell
Billiards. remarks came in reply
to statement in last weeks VOICE
by A. C. Anderson, BMWE general
chairman for the Great Northern.
Anderson asserted at that time
that IAN agreement entered into
between the Building & Construction
Trades Department, AFL, and the
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way
Employees (also AFL) on May 81,
1913, provides that all work on line
of railroad coming within the Main
tenance of Way and Structures De-
partment and performed by Main
tenance of Way forces shall be recog-
nized as coming under the jurisdic-
ton of the Brotherhood of Mantle
nance of Way Employees. Further that
employees performing such work will
not be interferred with by any of
the organizations affiliated with the
Building & Construction Trades De-
partment."
(Anderson's statement concerning
the jurisdictional rights of the two
AFL union groups followed recent
action taken by the Helena Plumbers
Union No. 266, and concurred in by
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-11-05

Tax Rate Yield q5
Coal Mine Tax sc per ton $109,2SO 1928
Oil Producers 90 gross val
ia of % per$407,79O 1.206
barrel
Cement and &c per barrel 1854 .148
Carbon Black 1/S of 1c per
h. Carbon Blk.
Micaceous Miner sc per ton s 1906 O48
ais Tax (vermcu-
lite moconite,
etc.
Evening star., 1954-11-12
Jury Holds Waiter
In Woman S Death

A coroner's jury today held a
Washington waiter for grand
jury action after finding him re-
sponsible in the death Of a &c.
year-old woman, whose body was
found early Wednesday on the
floor Of a U street hotel room.
Coroner A. Magruder MacDon-
aid had reported the dead wom-
an, Miss Betty Jean Owen of
Knoxville, Tenn, died of a cere-
bral ,hemorrhage and shock. He
said she had suffered multiple
blows to the head"
Held for the grand jury was
William Johnson. A, colored,
who police said. was sharing a
room with Miss Owen at the
Dunbar Hotel, Fifteenth and u
streets NV.
Police quoted johnson as say
ing he slapped the woman dur
ing an argument which grew out
OF q drinking bout. johnson,
who was charged with homicide,
was held on $4,000 bond after
an arraignment in Municipal
Court. The case was continued
until November II.