The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1958-04-17
The Highway Bill


Last week, | mentioned in this
column that quite often the pro-
cess of rewriting legislation in
conference committee of mem
bers of the House and Senate
results in inadequate considera-
ton and debate of important
measures. We had a glaring ex-
ample of that situation in the
conference report on the High
way Construction Bill last week.
Earlier in the session, the
House of Representatives passed
a highway construction bill
which was, more or less, a con-
tinuation and implementation of
the highway bill that was origin
ally passed several years ago.
There were no radical departures,
and, for that reason, the bill had
passed the House with very little
objection. Thereafter, the Senate
took the House measure and
made far reaching changes in it.
The House and Senate ap-
pointed conference managers who
met and, for the most part, agreed
to the version of the Senate. The
question of accepting the confer
ence report was matter of busi-
ness on last Thursday, the day
before the Easter recess. Pres
sure was apparent that a highway
bill be passed out before the re-
cess. But now, it was highway
bill that had many items which
the Public Works Committee of
the House had not considered, on
which the House had had no
hearings and no opportunity for
debate. 1t was take it or leave
it" proposition.
Many Of us joined in a motion
to send the bill back to the con-
ference committee for recon
sideration. This motion failed and
the highway bill as written by
the Senate was the result. Even
though all of the provisions
might have been approved by the
House after proper debate and
consideration, / feel that those
necessary safeguards should have
been provided.
National Parks
Many families are making
some plans for a vacation, and,
if last year is an indication of the
vacation expectations of the
American People, about one-third
of the population will make a
visit to some national park or
facility administered by the Ma
tional Park Service. There are
1870 such areas of which % are
national parks. Wise planning
would dictate that those inter
ested be thinking about sub
mitting an application for a re-
servation in the near future. The
Government Printing Office,
Washington Is, d. c., has two
publications giving information
about park attractions, accomoda-
tions, and where to write for
reservations. One of these pub
locations is "The National Park
System, Eastern United States"
and the other is "The National
Park System, Western United
States" The price Of each is
fifteen cents.
1be AuVtCc OI ExDeTtS
The study of government econ
omicS is fascinating subject and
is almost limitless in the diver
sity of PHILOSOPHERS which are
available. It would seem to most
Of US that the experts on this
subject would agree on those
great cardinal aspects and be con-
tent to quibble about the details.
This is not the case, unfortunate
lv. Last week, we witnessed two
of our best economic minds at
dismetricallv opposite positions
with regard to the matter Of
| taxation.
Arthur F. Burns. who was at
one time President Eisenhower
Chief Economic Advisor. advocat-
ed that drastic and prompt tax
| cut is necessary. He explains
that the tax cut provides a meas
| ure of economic relief to the tax
paver and would permit funds
which would ordinarily come to
WASHINGTON to be invested in all
sorts of items which will give
the sluggish economy a shot in
the arm. He points out, too, that
a tax cut, rather than spending
program, is the better solution
to more activity inasmuch as it
will create an atmosphere of gov
| ernmental economy Further
spending programs, he points
out, require additional agencies
TO conduct them, where tax cut
would cost nothing to administer
and would have very much the
same effect
While we were digesting the
Burns theories, Bernard Baruch
often referred to as an elder
statesman and advisor to Presi-
dents. points out that the answer
to Americas economic woes is
a tax increase. He takes the posi-.
ton that we must face the music
and cease anv predisposition tc
deficit spending.
I am not exactly student ot
Baruch and Pm not familiar with
his previous advice on this ques
ton, but if it has been the same
during the previous two admin
.istrations, his advice was Ger
tainlv not followed as anv glance
at the size of our public debt ane
the seven billion dollar interes
y