Milford chronicle., 1958-10-17
NEEDLESS EPIDEMIC

NEEDLESS EPIDEMIC
A poliomyelitis epidemic is tragedy un-
der any circumstances. Such an outbreak of
this crippling disease is all the sadder when
1t occurs IN a y. s. city more than two years Ear
after introduction of the Salk vaccine. The
tragedy of Detroit's polio crisis is heighten-
ed by the fact that it need not have happen
ed
Though the Salk vaccine is not an abso-
lutte guarantee against polio, it has massive
ly reduced the incidence OF the disease in this
country. Evidence of its effectiveness has
been given wide publicity Yet millions of
Americans in the most susceptible age range
have received no shots at all. Many others
have had one shot but then failed to complete
the series needed for full protection.
No shortage of vaccine is responsible. So
much vaccine is on the shelves that manu-
facturers have cut back production. Nor lis
it entirely question of expense though this
may have deferred some families that were
nevertheless unwilling to accept free inocu-
lations.
The main factor seems to have been in
difference, perhaps stimulated by misguid-
ed feeling that polio was no longer much of
threat. Whatever the reasons here is
classic example of great medical discovery
whose benefits are not fully realized because
the public will not make use of it. -
Detroits grim experience, in this autumn
of public failure to accept tested medical ad-
vances. Any community where many have
not yet received Salk inoculations might be
the next victim. This. is one situation in
(which preventive action can be taken by the
individuals who collectively make up the
community
THE VICE PRESIDENTS TAX PROGRAM
Vice President Nixon has Joined the long
list of auth 5risies who believe that a thorough
overhaul ct our tax system is needed.
Mr.. Nixon would repeal the excise taxes,
save for the traditional ones on liquor and
tobacco, and replace them with a general
manufacturers excise of 1-1/2 per cent. He
would reduce the personal income rates in the
top brackets, on the grounds that present
rates are almost confiscatory !. and pre-
vent risk taking and encourage tax-avoid-
ance devices" He would reduce the corporate
income rate, and believes that this act, by
stimulating business activity, would lead
to more, rather than less revenue" And In
order to encourage industrial investment and
expansion, he would adopt 'more-hberal
treatment of depreciation for business tax
alton purposes"
Any tax program is bound to draw dis
sent, and the Vice Presidents is no exception.
Principles of taxation provide plenty of room
for honest controversy. But the kind of think
ing that lies back of Mr.. Nixon's proposals
can hardly be opposed. Our tax system has
grown like TopSy. Taxes have been raised
and lowered in almost helter-skelter fa-
shion, as the exigencies of the moment SEEM
ed to dictate with little regard to the system
as whole. The result is an oppressive hodge
podge that is the enemy of economic growth.
A sound tax system must do more than
produce money for government. 1t must en-
courage industrial activity and jobs neces-
Sary to the development of the nation.
SS@&~@
BEWARE, ROORBACKS!
With campaigns now in the homestretch
watch out for roorbacks This is an old
name for an even older political practice, that
of making sensational charges in the last
days of campaign, when not enough time
is left to refute the accunsation.
The term goes back to 1874, when Whig
newspapers backing Henry Clay for presi-
dent against James K. Polk printed supposed
extracts from a book entitled Travels in the
Western and Southern states," by Baron Won
RoOrback. Both book and baron were imagi-
nary. The author professed to have seen
slaves in the Deep South branded a.. K. p"
The inference. utterly false, was that Polk
had sold his old family retainers to the cotton
growers. 1t is gratifying to note that the
first roorback failed.
The most famous roorback NAV have
pSeH TIE MOTeV leICeT, puUllSAcu ldIS III IHS
Garfield Hancock presidential race in 1880.
This was letter said to have been written
hv Garfield favoring cheap Chinese labor.
Tt NAV have carried California for Hancock.
Garfield was, however, elected
Roorbacks are akin to the whispering
campaigns which have been stain on some
presidential election. notable example was
in 1928, when charoes which no one wished
to sponsor were made against Al Smith. Vot-
ers should be suspicious of such utterances as
they are of roorbacks -.