Milford chronicle., 1959-05-01

BUDGET VIEWS SHIFT

VIEWS OHIF
In the 1860 presidential campaign pre-
liminaries a few months back, the Republi-
cans were calling the Democrats the spend
ers and the COP was being damned for put
ting balanced budget ahead of national
security and jobs. The picture is changing
even though Senator Humphrey continued
in the old pattern the other day in West
Coast speech when he charged that the 'tir.
ed old men, in the administration lacked the
vision to give green light to the economy.
But other Democratic leaders, including
Senate Leader Lyndon Johnson, have shifted
the political winds and concluded that bal
anced budget would be nice after all, better
than big spending. And despite Humphreys
gloomy appraisal, the economy is outstrip-
ping all predictions, with the result that a
balanced budget is no longer dismissed by
administration critics as dream stuff.
The Democrats don't intend to balance
the budget on the Presidents terms. They
are not likely to approve increased postal
rates and gas taxes. But johnson is conf
dent of an economy record by the Democratic
Congress.
Should the budget be balanced, should
government revenue exceed the II billion
dollars forecast in January, as Treasury Sec
retary Anderson thinks, both parties can
claim credit-and undoubtedly WILL
N$@@%
RED, BUT FESTIVE
Two Russian women touring the United
States, one scientist and engineer and the
other a lawyer, are performing in way to
make Nikita Khrushchey proud. In Mime
apolis the other day they were affable, gra
cious and duly impressed with things Amer
lean. But, true to the party line, they said
smugly that Russia didn't have to wrestle
with many of the problems that beset capi-
taliStic countries because these problems
didn't exist in their homeland.
They said for instance, that Russia had
no need for juvenile courts because juvenile
delinquency was rare. This airy statement,
however, came upon the heels of a story by
William L. Ryan, Associated Press foreign
news analyst, that peoples squads" were
popping up in Russia ito crack down on ris-
ing restiveness in the younger generation"
and that drinking and hooliganism were
rife.
We're inclined to give more credence to
the Ryan report than to the word of the Rus
sion ladies. The Russian youth may differ
some from his American counterpart, even
in his capacity for getting into trouble. But
probably not much
WHAT IS THE MATTER?
What is the matter with this country?
Hardly any two persons in this nation
would agree on the answer to this question
This is not surprising, because the expla-
nation or present problems does not lie In
any particular indictment. There are many
causes.
In fact, there is probably no one who
knows the complete answer. Efforts to un-
derstand our economic machinery are hin
dered by various factors, including self-in-
terest.
About the best thing that the average in
dividual can do, if questions like this pre-
sent themselves to his mind, is to forget
about the nation for the moment and ask:
whats the matter with me?"
If the inquiry is pursued relentlessly, anC
with diligence, there is bound to be some re-
suit.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
The recent hue and cry about nepotism
in Congress will not get anywhere until pub
lie indignation reaches sustained pitch, says
an economist. And this will not happen, he
Believes, because nepotism is more widespread
in business than in the federal government.
This view may be sound insofar as it pre-
diets the course of popular sentiment. Those
accustomed to seeing wives, brothers and
nephews on the payroll in private industry
may not be able to work up any lasting in
dignation because of similar practices in gov
eminent.
There is an essential difference between
the two things, however. When wives, bro
theirs, aunts and sons draw pay for little
work in private industry, that is essentially
private business. The business executive who
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