Milford chronicle., 1959-03-13
BOARDING THE TRAWLER

States has suspected foul play IN the recent
breaking of so many transatlantic cables.
Moreover, it implies that the United States
suspects the Soviet Unions ships for the
mischief, if there has been any.
The State and Defense Departments an
nounced Immediately after the boarding that
the American action was taken under an
agreement signed in 1884, and which was
apparently reaffirmed by the Soviet Union
in 1926. There has been no recent case in
which the concurrent force of these old
agreements has been tested And, tradition
ally, one nation resents the boarding of its
ships by another
1t must be assumed, unless it is announ-
ced otherwise, that the boarding of the Rus
sian trawler had the official stamp of ap-
proval from the Pentagon, and then the
White House. 1t would be assuming far
more than the ordinary to conclude that Lieu
tenant Commander Ernest J. Korte took it
upon himself to board Soviet vessel
1t is gratifying that there was no un-
friendly behavior on the part of the Russians,
and that the incident went off-on the scene
without resistance. 1t should be remem-
bered, in this connection, that the United
States considers the waters around New
foundland as vital to its security, and the
Russians, what with their jealously-guar
ed frontiers and their tendency to inspect
ships vehicles approaching Russian-domi-
mated territory should not find it too hard
to understand Americas vital concern with
the transatlantic cables.
Nonetheless, it is always a serious mat
ter when warship forcibly boards a ship
of sovereign power, and it is bad public
relations, if nothing else. The incident and
the attending excitement attached to it, is
vivid evidence of the state of jitters between
this country and the Soviet Union
Such an incident could have occurred
twenty years ago and it would probably
have caused only ripple of excitement.
The Russians, no doubt, will make full prop
aganda use of the incident, especially among
neutrals, especially since the trawler seems
to have been given clean bill of health. 1t
is not improbable that the trawler was in
tentionally acting in suspicious manner,
seeking to goad U. S. patrol ships into just
this kind OF move.
%S@%~<
STOP THE MERRY -GO-ROUND
Most adults clothe the merry-go-round
with nostalgia memories of carefree child
hood Perhaps they're fooling themselves.
We may all still be riding one.
Current proposals from Washington call
for new boost in the federal gasoline tax,
to 412 cents gallon, to make up an ex-
pected deficit" next year in trust funds for
the highway program. This tax was raised
to its present Scent a gallon rate in 1856 to
finance most of the same program, or so we
were told. Before that there was hike in
1861 to help underwrite the Korean War,
and one in 1910 for World War II. Original
lly the levy was enacted as temporary
budget-balancing device in the thirties.
Round and round we spin, at such fear
full and wonderful rate that, blurry-eyed we
might lose sight of landmarks. One of these
is the rocky crag of common sense
If the federal government is going to tax
the mOtorist to raise money which the state
in turn-to qualify for federal road funds
has to match by taxing the same motorist
where do we truly stand? Perhaps on the
threshold of extinction of the motorist, al
fatal blow to an automotive civilization.
Fortunately, in this case, the argument
for a federal gasoline tax increase falls fiat
on its long bureaucratic nose 1t just hap
pens that the federal gasoline tax and other
special automotive taxes are bringing ir
about $1.5 billion more year than Wash
ington is spending on the road program. Sc
much for the deficit" in highway trust
funds.
Moreover, the present federal gasoline
tax, added to steadily climbing state motor
fuel taxes, already amounts to a staggering
Al per cent sales tax on a commodity most of
US use every day.
Unless we call halt to this process, how.
ever, the merry-go-round may become the
OHAy IOIIn VI u LoPOI IdIlOII IHdIIy null
ming a car will be too costly, and those who
can keep one operating may cut lonely fig
ure on the deserted Autobahns.
F<%@@S%
WATCH LF-PHYSICALLY
About the only time that the average citi-
zen pays any attention to his, or her, physi
calIy well-being is when illness or accident
puts them in bed
This is, unfortunately, the truth in re
gard to most persons 1t is a reflection upo1
the intelligence that men and women are
supposed to have.
The neglect of the body is only compar-
able to our negligence in regard to menta
powers. Every Individual has abundant op
portunity to improve Intellectually, but few
of us bother ourselves to do so.
When it comes to the realm of spiritua
improvement, the average individual goe.