davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
legislative ACTION ON OIL
TERMED TRAGIC" BY OLSEN

at is tragic that this year our
legislature placed a ceiling on the
rentals for school oil leases at $1.00
per acre-at the same time that Texas
increased its floor from $1.00 to $500
per acre." Attorney General Arnold
H. Olsen told a Richland County
Farmers Union picnic audience at Sid
ney last Saturday.
Further, said the Attorney General,
sit is a shame that Montana's school
lands have ceiling of 1919 per cent
royalty when Texas increased its floor
to 1875 per cent"
Continuing, Olsen told his audience
that Montana has only scraped the
surface of its oil development" He
predicted that there are hundreds of
millions of dollars to be realized from
the States school lands. However,
the system of leasing must be very
greatly changed.
I'VE must follow the example of
the experienced oil states and real
ize increased income" the state
official emphasized "To do this
the limitations on annual rental of
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05

$1.0O per acre per year must be
eliminated. Also the price ceiling
of 127s per cent royalty must be
destroyed. We should follow the
example of the great oil states of
California, Texas and Louisiana
where $1.00 per acre rental and
121a per cent royalty are the small
est prices acceptable instead of the
largest, as in Montana.
''The new discoveries of oil are
simply promise of what the future
holds. 1t is shame on the manage
ment of school lands that when oil
has as a fact been proven to be pres
ent that we continue under a lease
system that imposes price ceilings.
We must hope and pray that the
courts see the wisdom of destroying
these price ceilings which have been
unconstitutionally imposed on the
states administrative offices, and
which, if upheld, will forever bar the
State from fully participating in its
share of the profits to be realized"
Olsen concluded.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
BY JACK T. JENNINGS
For Coop News Service

WASHINGTON, D. C.zFrom the
latest lobby reports, you'd gather
that the small staff of the National
Rural Electric Cooperative Associa-
ton had outspent the powerful and
expansive National Association of
Electric Companies to effect legisla-
ton. at amt necessarily So" as the
song goes.
There's a gimmick. The lobby
registration law has been rendered
almost useless for lobby spending
report purposes by Supreme
Court decision. The big lobby
spenders are just not making COM
Plete reports.
Thus NRECA, which was not even
in the top 20 last year, jumped to
top place for the last quarter, ac-
cording to official records. This does
not mean that NRECA is the top
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
MINE-MILL SIGNS
new CONTRACT With
PKELPS-DODGE'

DENVER-A breakthrough in the
31-day old non-ferrous metals in
dustry strike was announced Monday
by the international Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers.
A 1917 cent settlement has been
reached with the Phelps-Dodge Com
pany in negotiations at Douglas,
Arizona, which lasted till 6 O'clock
in the morning. The package is ex-
pected to furnish pattern for the
industry.
The settlement will be submitted
to the membership of Phelps-Dodge
locals for ratification at meetings
Tuesday and Wednesday evening. 1t
will also be submitted to the 22-mem-
Der National Wage Policy Committee
of the union.
The settlement calls for wage in
creases ranging from II " cents to
17H cents. The wage feature was
calculated at about 1917 cents in
value.
1t also calls for substantial i'm
provements in the company-wide
health and welfare plan, for which
the company will contribute an added
2 cents an hour.
The health-welfare plan improve
ments provide for virtually complete
coverage for employees dependents
at company hospitals, including free
room and board, free medical care
and free surgery. 1t also provides for
a "major medical benefit" of up to
rs per cent of $4,000 to cover costs
in cases of disaster" illness.
The health program calls for COW
erage in the event dependent or
employee must have specialist care
outside the Phelps-Dodge hospitals.
The program is to be operated by a
ONT committee representing both
he union and management.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
THE SELFISH GRAB FOR PUBLIC POWER

remember how Herbert Hoover OPP
posed the public development OF
Muscle Shoals in Alabama-which in
time lowered into the great iva
and vetoed in 1881 a bill passed by
Congress for that purpose, as had
President Calvin Coolidge before him
in that countinghouse era of the
1920s.
The memory goes back still further
to an early assignment of young re-
porter who was covering the hearings
before the House Military Affairs
Committee in 1922 on various bills
authorizing the sale of the first World
War Wilson Dam at Muscle Shoals
and its nitrate plants to private in
dustries, the bidders including Henry
Ford.
But farseeing senator, George w.
Norris of Nebraska, saw possibilities
of its development in the public in
terest for electric power and cheap
fertilizer for farmers. Though his,
bills for that purpose were vetoed by
the two presidents, he prevented pas
sage of bills to hand over the govern
ment dam and plants-paid for by
the taxpayers-to private interests at
bargain prices.
When Franklin D. Roosevelt sue
ceeded Herbert Hoover in the White
House he espoused broadening of
the Norris Muscle Shoals venture into
the IVA embracing the whole Ten
nessee river system.
NORRIS'S DREAM COMES TRUE
The way was prepared for sound,
public development of our
liver systems in the public interest by |
The \six-year investigation by the
Federal Trade Commission, author
zed by the Senate in the Hoover Ad-
That showed how the utilities had
allied US. Revealed was the exploita-
ion of the inonopolies they controlled
the initiation of book values to in
rease the rate base and rates; the
'iling up of one holding company
pom another to milk out profits; the
renzied speculation in utility stocks.
All of that was corrected by various
eform statutes, including the Public
Utility Holding Company Act and the
securities and Exchange Act, among
theirs. The result was a sterilization
f the business of the utilities from
hitch they and the public benefited.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
HIGHLY FINANCED CAMPAIGN

Ihelr business expanded greatly,
hand-in-hand with public development
of great river projects.
Now this balance of functions is
threatened again. Utility interests
are seeking to upset it, to try to stop
necessary public development and
hog it all for themselves in uneconom-
ic and piecemeal development for
profits that will go only to them, in
stead of benefits for all the real
stockholders of our national re-
sources, the people.
To accomplish that, highly fl
nanced campaign is now reaching out
in all directions.
1t would be good time to take
look at this campaign as the Federal
Trade Commission looked at it a
quarter of century ago.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
Continued from Page One)
NOT-SO-CREEPING SOCIALISM


'eThe biggest bonanza that ever
came down the government pike" is
the way House committee described
the fast tax write-off program in
1851. Senator Warren Magnuson ID
Wash.) said two years ago that fast
tax write-offs had "socialized the
risk" that businessmen normally run
when they expand plant capacity.
Underlying the whole program is,
of course, the assumption that the
federal government has no way to
get the ships, tanks, guns, bombs, and
planes that it's defense effort re-
quires, except to bride private bust
nessmen to do the job. No one has
seriously suggested that the ship
yards, aircraft plants, and ammuni-
ton factories should be nationalized.
Some signs indicate that the fast
tax write-off program hasn't sue
ceeded In what it set out to do-to
expand munitions capacity whatever
its cost to the rest of the nations
taxpayers.
~ SA0AhPtSy MOD
ert H. Mollohan (D-W. Va.) point
ed out July / that the nations
railroads have 81, 900 fewer boxcars
than they had when the Korean
war broke out, despite generous
fast tax write-offs on 81, 900 cars
they've bought in the meantime.
They simply retired $4,000 cars
during the same period.
Congressional committees have re-
peatedly criticized defense agencies
for excessive generosity in handing
out fast tax write-offs. The law re-
serves these tax plums for plants
necessary in the interest of national
defense" But many production faciIi-
ties-a power plant, for example
turn out goods and services for peace
full, as well as defense, purposes. With
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
POWERFUL LOBBIES NOW HIDING
SPENDING REPORTS

| spender. It means that NRECA is
still reporting according to the orig
inai intent of the law.
The National Association of Elec-
trio Companies is still probably the
top spender, though it dropped to
fourth place in current listings. 1t
merely changed its method of report
ing. For the first quarter of 1866,
NAEC said it spent $29, $40 compared
to $127,746 for the like period last
year. For several years it topped the
list with about 100000. The second
top, of about S235,000 was spent by
the Association of American Rail
roads.
Since the Supreme Court de-
cision on the National Association
of Manufacturers test case last
year, the high-powered Hobbies :
have chosen to report only expenses
involved in directly" influencing
legislation though the court speci-
fled directly or Indirectly" Lob
bies apparently felt there was no
way of measuring their indirect in
fluence, though they are spending
money for it.
According to the authoritative, i'm
partial Congressional Quarterly, the
of the lobby law has
been challenged several times since
it was enacted in 1916. The Supreme
Court in 1854 decision defined lob
Dying as direct contact with Con- :
gress. Officials of several corpora
ions, basing their arguments on the
COURTS decision, told CO that they
we're reporting a smaller proportion
# their total spending in 1855 than
hey did in 1854.
The decrease in reported spending
vas reflected in the reports of indi-
71dual organizations. The top 10
penders in the first 3 months of
955 listed expenditures totalling
$4,000. The top 10 in 1954's first
uarter had reported spending $685.
Co.,
NEAC, top spender for years, was
ne only organization to appear in
ne top 10 for the first quarter of
9th 1854 and 1866.
Organizations appearing in the
954 list, but not on the 1866 list,
lclude National Milk Producers Fed
ration, Association of American
ailroads, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence
General Electric Com
any, Employers Labor Relations In
'rmation Committee, National Eco
omic Council, Inc, the Nationwide
ommittee of Industry and the Amer
an Federation of Labor.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05

ing and drilling well, whether it's
a dry hole or producer.
Senator John ]. Williams {R-
Del.) pointed out two years ago
that many oil men with incomes of
ST million to SIS million year paid
virtually no taxes because of the
% depletion allowance.
He and Senator George ID. Aiken
(R-Vt1 wanted to cut the allowance
from 271z9o to 15qo. They said this
would add $3.50 million to u. S.
revenues. Senator Paul Douglas Cd
Ill., wanted the allowances figured
on a graduated scale, with bigger
exemptions for the small firms.
Said Douglas, whenever it's pro-
posed to reduce the depletion allow
ance, the big boys trot out the poor,
operator as modern
widow and orphan to justify the
Texas oil multi-millionaires' raiding
the U. S. Treasury.
Both the Williams-Aiken and Doug
las amendments lost without roll call
votes
Here's list of the firms pre-tax
and after-tax profits for 1854, ac-
,ording to FORTUNE:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05

pZ,OOO IlI1I1iO1l.
These oil firms paid corporate
income taxes at rate of 29Io~of
pre-tax profits. Other firms paid
52%o.
Why the difference? Why didn't
the u S. Treasury collect another
500 million from these Is firms
last year?
Largely, the answer lies in pecu-
liar advantage that oil firms have
under the nations tax laws-the So
called 2745q depletion allowance on
their oil wells.
Like so many tax privileges, this
gimmick was born of war. When the
u. S. entered World War /, it needed
oil. 1t seemed that the only way to
build up oil reserves was to offer oil
men big profits to go out and drill
for oil. So the nation hit on the deple-
tion allowance scheme.
This permits an oil producer to
deduct 271s9o of the gross income of
each oil well each year it continues
to flow. It's kind of excess deprecia-
ton. For, all along, the oil producer
is also entitled to deduct from his
taxable income the full costs Of find
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
By THOMAS L. STOKES,
In st. Louis POST-DISPATCH
w A CHTMGTONT

1
One way of looking at this battle
between private and public develop
ment of our great river systems is as
a battle between two types of minds
One is the countinghouse, stockbroker
mind which never raises its eyes be-
yond its ledgers and the ticket tape.
1t sees a power site as a means of
a profit for a utility company that
holds the monopoly IAN item on an
account sheet, and not as unit in a
possible bigger and broader develop
ment of whole river system which,
instead, would benefit everybody in
the region and the whole economy.
The other type of mind is that which
can see that big, broad canvas, as
did for example, Theodore Roosevelt
half a century ago.
He saw likewise that only the fed
eral government can develop a whole
river system, including it's tributaries,
in an integrated way to get the most
out of it for the most people in the
way of hydro-electric power, irriga-
tlou, udFlSdClOI anu IlOOQ COuIIOI.
BETTER LIVING PAYS OFF
Theodore Roosevelt never lived to
see his dream come true; but some Of
the rest of us have come to see a be- |
ginning of it. We are thrilled when |
we visit the great dams here and there
which the people have built for them
selves.
All of that not only enriches human
living but actually pays out many
lines in income tax returns to our
FEDERAL treasury.
One wonders what Theodore Roose-
7elt would say could he come back to-
lay and see the countinghouse mind
nee dominant again, plotting against
ny further realization of the dream
which still is only partly fulfilled.
me wonders, for instance, what Theo- /,
ore Roosevelt would say to Herbert
Ioover.
HOOVER ON MUSCLE SHOALS
To one who has seen much of the
tory develop, it is not hard to under /
tand why the cold, countinghouse
lind has been directed at our water
esources program by the Hoover c
{
We who were around here then can y
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
TREASURY SET TO RE-EXAMINE-

defense agencies stated largely by
businessmen, it's small wonder that
this phrase has been interpreted
loosely. Many tax-favored plants, the
WALL STREET JOURNAL said early
in 1853, "have only the remotest con-
nection with the war in Korea"
The fast tax write-off program has
been used to encourage businessmen
to build their plants away from target
cities and to get them to build new
plants in areas of chronic unemploy-
ment.
LET EVERYBODY GET INTO ACT
Two years ago, while chairman of
the Senate Banking Committee, Sen
ator Homer Capehart (R-Ind.) sug-
gested that the program be extended
to every firm, every person in the
land. Under his bill, barns, houses,
and roller skating Kinks would-like
refineries, machine shops, and steel
mills-be written off in five years.
Secretary Humphrey doesn't sug-
gest that fast tax write-offs be Caban-
doned. He would, however, limit them
to Every special cases"/involving ga
need for goods that would
be must in~wartime." In general, |
he said, fast tax write-offs are San
artificial stimulus of dangerous
type" and they discriminate against
industries that can't qualify for them.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
Washington Helena Appetite Knows No Bounds
Eighteen U.S.. Oil Giants Escape 500
Million In Federal Income Taxes

CHICAGO CNS)-U. S. oil companies don't pay their
share of federal income taxesnot if July FORTUNE
zine survey is any indication
largest oil firms realized profits
$4,000 million last The corporate income 81 60
profits Normally you'd their profits after
million. Instead the profits these giant firms
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05
Corporation Dividend Un

corporations issuing public reports
paid out 1862 million in dividends
in April, up II per cent from the
same month last year, the Commerce
Department reported.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-08-05

More than a billion dollars was
paid out by industry for compensa-
ton of work-connected injuries in
recent year, estimates a Twentieth
Century Fund report.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

Gust lane. Brookmont, Nd. and
Frank L. Titus. 1908 Oberon
street, Kensington, Md.
+ Il 4 4
Marine Pvt. Franklin A. Cram
blitt, son Of Mrs. Clara Cramblitt
|of 1867 North Carolina avenue
NE, is attending a special train
ing course with the LIST Infantry
Regiment at the Marine Corps
Base at Camp Lejeune, N. C. He
will be transferred to a perma-
nent duty station upon gradua-
ton.
Army Nurse Corps Maj. Har-
riet H. Werley, became the first
woman to be assigned to the
Army Medical Service Graduate
School. assuming the post as
staff officer with the recently
Established department Of atomic
casualties studies.
A native Of Virginville. Pa,
she has just completed four years
of duty in the Office Of the Sur
Igeon General Of the Army.
Maj. Werley is a member Of
the American Nurses Association
the National League Of Nursing
the District of Columbia Gradu-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

damentals and maneuvers for
formation flying, he will also re-
ceive instruction in combat,
night and cross-country flying.
After the course, Cadet Long
will begin gunnery training at
the Naval Auxiliary Air Station
at BARN Field, Foley, Ala.
\ + y \
Col. John F. Britton, who
served in the Offices of the Secre-
Ftaries Of the Air Force and De-
Tense here from 1913 through
1854, has assumed the post of
Deputy Wing Commander at
Thule Air Base, Greenland, the
United States Northeast Com
mand's northernmost defense
base.
A graduate Of the University
of Notre Dame, Col. Britton also
studied at the Harvard Law
School.
Arriving in Honolulu the day
after the attack on Pearl Harbor
lin 1941, Col. Britton served as a
heavy bomber pilot and squad
ron commander through the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

ers' College Of Columbia Univer-
sity Associations.
\ + Il +
Capt. Henry 3. Ficks, a gradu-
ate Of American University, has
been assigned to the Statistical
Services Directorate as a Stats
tical services officer at head
quarters, Eastern Air Defense
Force, Stewart Air Force Base,
in Newburgh, N. Y.
A veteran Of seven years serv-
ice, Capt. Ficks served as senior
controllre with the 602d Air
craft Control and Warning
Squadron in Germany for three
years before his present assign
ment.
Son Of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Ficks, 1701 Sixteenth street NV.
Capt. Ficks is married and has
one child.
y 4 + Il
Naval Aviation Cadet Lester
Long, jr., son of Mr.. and Mrs,
Lester Long Of 4021 Thirteenth
street NV. recently reported to
the Saufley Field Naval Auxiliary
Air Station in Pensacola, Fla.
for training in formation flying,
Besides being taught the fun
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

Mai. Gen. George !. Back,
president of the Signal Corps
Review Board and former chief
signal officer Of the Army re-
tired recently after more than
50 years of service.
Gen. Back, who began his ca
reer as a second lieutenant in
1917, lives at 1927 Juniper street.
Falls Church. He attended Morn
ingside College in Sioux City,
Iowa, and also was graduated
from the Signal Corps Radio
School at the University Of
Maryland.
Former chief signal officer OF
the Mediterranean theater. Gen
Back also served as chief Of the
Army communications service
here.
He is the holder of numerous
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24
HERE AND ABROAD
News About Area Men
AndWomen in Services

citations, including the Distin-
guished Service Medal with Oak
Leaf Cluster. the Silver Star. the
Air Medal, the Legion OF Merit,
the Commentator Ribbon with
Metal Pendant, the Order OF the
British Empire, the Order Of the
Crown Of Italy and the Brazilian
War Medal.
y X + r
New Assignment
Five volunteers for the draft
from the Bethesda, Chevy Chase,
Cabin John and Potomac areas
of Montgomery County, were in
Quoted into the Army last week
and were sworn in at Induction
Station in Alexandria, Va. Then
they were sent to the Reception
Center at Fort Jackson, s. c.
They are: william H. Mitchell.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

Guadalcanal and Bougainville
campaigns in the Pacific.
Mrs. Britton, a native OF New
York; City, and their two sons.
will live in Arlington, during the
colonel's one-year tour Of duty
in the Arctic.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

ate Nurses Association and ri
Lambda Theta. Her alumnae
memberships are in Jefferson
Hospital School Of Nursing, Uni
versity of California, and Teach
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24

5000 Sonoma road, Bethesda;
David G. Crowell, 1904 Connec-
ticut avenue, Chevy Chase. Md;
Andrew q. Banczyk, 1924 Chevy
Chase drive, Chevy Chase. Md;
Benedict e. Shoemaker, 1920 Lo.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24
SALES BOOM AT NEARBY OCEAN BEACH
OCEAN SITES-r,

VAcATIoNERS AND HoME-SEEKERS!
TODAY acquisition Of ohore property mposiN for those Of
There left purchase that which occasionally purchased
from wealthy ous prices For the fomy Of DESTROYS
Of owning their otuse BY the the expectation OF realizing sub
profit their place turn
nothing sole within their With exception OCEAN BEACH
THAT EXCEPTION That's booming oeeun Beech the last
ond very best Of the greet Atomic beaches
Beech the worlds finest beaches IS miles Of beautiful velvet
white sond beach pg gently the blue Atomic The f boths
Beech acclaimed those who have enjoyed the worlds fomu beaches
Atlantic Cost unsurpassed anywhere Of all
coo bohing, this is the finest.
Many hundreds Of miles superswoy including the recently completed Us
million dollar New Jersey Turnpike the 50 million dollar Dowore River
Memorial Bridge and the Chesapeake Boy Bridge bring fobuous Ocean
within District Of Columbia
Mapund Nsa Pennsylvania powu New Jersey and greater New York
city
opportunities unlimited steady Oceo Beach values
eeoy parudhs hos oeody attracted thousands Of
oso purchasers chosen building sites this msmIon dollar
lifetime the beach deve
opmen on the Atlantic Ocean.
St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-06-10
ST Philips To
Worship Sunday
In New Home

st. Philips Episcopal church,
Aurora Az. and Mackubin, will
hold it's first services in its newly
constructed edifice on Sunday,
June IL. Rev. Denzil A. Carly.
rector win speak at 8 a, m. and
IL a. m. services. Centering his
theme on what Robinson Carusoe
did, Rev, Carly win speak on,
Looking Up and Around Us"
Although the new structure,
started months ago Is nearly
completed, there still remain some
finishing touches and the building
will be dedicated later. During the
building program. services were
held at the Halle Q. Brown Com
munity house,
A bishop Of the Diocese Of so.
Dakota win be the officiant at
Confirmation services TO be held
at the church at 3 p, m.