The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1962-12-20
A MINUTE
WITH MI
(lnistluos GIGlipqs

Again we come TO that time oil
the year 50 popular with the
youngsters and parents, alike
Popular with the kids because oi
The expectancy Of gifts they viii
receive and popular with the par
entS because il is a relatively
simple task to get the youngsters
cooperation in the many little
household chores even without
asking them!
There is the Christmas tree
the turkey. the fancy cookies
bright lights. tinsel. and o.
course the mysterious and beauti
fully wrapped packages. There
are the stories Of Christmas, the
age-old Christmas carols. and. q
certain something in the air thsi
just cannot be explained Yes, il
brings out the best in us-smiles
generosity and love for OuI
neighbor. Too bad it doesn't las,
355 days.
Top officials OF the government
are now planning TO perform the
neatrst trick since HOudini de
veloped his amazing illusions-tc
tax less and al the same time
spend more.
This scheme. let Il be noted,
comes at a time when We are run
ming a fiscal year deficit Of close
20 So billion, and when the federal
governments increases in tax rev
enues are substantially below its
increases in expenditures.
The pending jumps in spend
ing will. II Congress should be
50 foolish as 10 authorize them
be largely a-d perhsrs wh0lely
in welfare state projects. Then.
in all probability. the weary old
cycle would start again. There
would be a wave Of initiation, q
further cheapening Of the dollar
which is now worth less than
half Of what il was before World
War II. new wage demands sup
ported by strikes in the major
industries. and increased living
costs Of every kind. The Soviets
who hope this country will col
lapse from internal economic
disturbance, could hardly ask
for more.
The Wall Street Journal OBJ
serves: PLAINLY enough, the
President and his advisers be
Iieve in expanding the scope and
cost of Government But what
ever else this course may entail
Il cannot be the way 10 healthy
economic expansion II newt
ably means further intrusions
into tie conduct of business
moving more of private decision
making into the offices of Gov
eminent. reducing the possibili
ties Of profit, savings and invest
ment. In practice II also means
heavy Federal spending, oppreS
sive taxes and deficits.
The federal excise tax on rail
road. bus and ship tickets re
Gently passed into limbo. And
the tax on air tickets was re
duced from the former 10 pei
cent 20 S per cent.
This tax, let IL be remembered
was imposed during World Wal
II not only TO raise revenue, bui
20 discourage nonessential pas
seager movements during tina
emergency period. But il stayet
on for 10 years after that wal
ended.
Thus a long overdue reform
has finally come into being. But
more remains 10 be done World
War II emergency" taxes still
remain on a long list OF items
sold at retail These include
many kirds Of leather goods
jewelry. certain types of cloth
inR. 80 on and so on. There car
be no doubt that these taxes re
dure consumer buying IN thi'
sphere. and thus are q detrimen'
10 the economy in general TheN
reduce the volume OF retail busi
ness which has so strong an In
nue1ce on the national well-5e
ing.
Congress repealed and reduc
ed the transportation taxes II
the well justified hope that con
sumner spending in this fieit
will be stimulated and iransoor
tation companies will be aided
Precisely the same principles
apply. ard with equal force q
TIRE remaining World War taxes
Their repeal should be an earl,
order Of business for the Con
gress that convenes on the sec
ond day Of January.