6 Heppner Gazette Times, August 12, 1943
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Washington, D. C, Aug 12 Rumor
has it that Alvin J. Wirtz, recently
appointed by Secretary of the In
terior Harold Ickes as a consultant
on power matters, will put in con
siderable time in the northwest.
Wirtz, who was an under-secretary
of the interior in 1940-41, is a pro
tegee of "Honest" Harold, who
placed him in charge of the Bonne
ville power administration during
that time. Mr. Ickes believes Wirtz
knows as much as anyone about
the electric power situation in
Washington and Oregon- Among
other things, the consultant will
make a further report on the con
templated Umatilla rapids project,
which has been in the blueprint
stage for years. Another look-see
will also be made of Grand Coulee
by Mr. Wirtz.
The story goes that Secretary
Ickes is not too well pleased with,
the progress made in the northwest
by the public power advocates, who
have been defeated time after time
in their attempts to take over the
private utilities. The voters in most
all such elections have said No.
Another source of information says
that ex-Congressman Walter Pierce
who during his 10 years as an east
ern Oregon representative, packed
the torch for public power, will
join the Bonneville staff. Pierce,
who is an experienced campaigner
along such lines, aslo has a wide
acquaintance in the northwest and
it is understood his talents will be
used in that direction..
To the degree that agricultural
conditions may be judged by a sur
vey of conditions in 35 counties in
various parts of the United States,
just completed by the department
of agriculture, the American farm
er is far more prosperous than the
attitude of farm lobbyists and farm
bloc 'congressmen would indicate.
According to this survey, northwest
farmers are buying better food,
better clothing and banking more
savings than they did in the boom
days of world war No. 1, and this
situation is said to exist nationally.
Figures released by the federal farm
loan bank show current payments
have been met t-nd considerable
amounts of money have been de
posited for future payments. One
reason advanced for larger savings
entering farmer savings accounts is
that farmers have been unable to
buy new machinery and in other
ways have been forced by circum
stances to limit their spending.
It should be understood, of course,
that conditions in 35 counties do
not necessarily present a true picture
of the nation-wide agricultural sit
uation, but officials in the depart
ment of agriculture assert that with
a national farm income this year
greater than the 1942 record of
$18,(528,000 there can be no ques
tion but that, in a broad way, agri
culture is prospering.
The old story about the city slick
er taking the farmer is working in
jreverse these days, according to
high officials in the department of
agriculture- Farm land prices have
gone sky high and many farmers
are unloading at unheard of prices.
It is feared a price collapse will re
sult after the war, unless steps are
taken to curb the boom, such as
happened after world war No. 1.
After the last war flocks of insur
ance companies, mortgage loan as
sociations, private investors and
others were left holding the sack on
farm loans from coast to coast,
which resulted in serious losses and
wrecked many financial institutions.
A repetition of such a happening
is the thing the department of agri
culture wants to avoid. It is said
legislation in some form will be
asked by the deartment by which
farm land prices can be controlled.
Secretary of the Treasury Mon
genthau still insists a steeper in-
come tax is the proper answer to
his prayer for $12 billion more revenue-
Tax experts, on the other
hand, say any such increase in
taxes will fall squarely on the
middle income groups, the white
collared worker, whose salary has
not increased anything like others
but whose living costs have. All
tax men agree corporations and
others in the higher income brack
ets are now paying the limit, which
is from 4 0 to 90 percent on their
incomes- Many members of the
house ways and means committee
have remained here all during the
recess, wrestling with the new tax
bill which they hope to have ready
for the house hopper, come Sept.
1... However, several key men on
the committee are of the opinion by
far the larger amount of Morgen
thau's additional $12 billion will
have to come from some other
E&urce than income taxes. They ar
gue the only out, so to speak, is a
piles tax which would raise the ad
ditional amount of money needed.
These same congressmen are frank
to say they doubt very much if the
house will accept any bill which
has for its purpose heavier income
taxes, at least until all other expe
dients for additional revenue have
been exhausted.
UP FROM PORTLAND
Mrs. Everett Harshner returned
from Portland Sunday accompanied
by Vera McDaniel who is in the
personnel department of one of
the ship yards. Miss McDaniel is
visiting her parents. Mr- and Mrs.
Letter Robinson at Hardman.
SPENT WEEK IN PORTLAND
Lowell Ashbaugh returned to
Heppner Thursday after spending
a week in Portland.
PORTLAND VISITORS
Albert Rea and Harley Matteson
E Portland visitor? a f.v. days
the past week.
VISITING IN PORTLAND
Mr. -.nd Mrs. Clair Ashbaugh are
among Heppner people visiting in
Portland. They drove to the city
Sunday execting to spend most of
tht. week there. They were joined
by their daughter, Mrs. Boyd Red
ding, at Hood River, who drove to
the city with them.
VISITING HERE
Mr. and Mrs. William Blake have
been spending a few days in Hepp
ner with relatives, the Earl Blake
and David Wilson families, coming
from San Jose, Calif., where "Bill"
recently completed a course with
the army signal corps. He is expect
ing call to regular service soon.
GOES TO SEA
Friends have received word that
Clyde Pettyjohn recently com
pleted his training course at Orange
Tex., naval training station and is
seeing service on the high seas-
lime to In
Your Hay!
You can not afford to lose your
hay for the sake of a few dollars.
Come in and talk it- over with us.
F. W. TURNER
Real Estate and Insurance
Phone 152
Heppner, Oregon
It's a Beautiful Summer
But It Won't Last
Forever .....
Yes, it is a beautiful summer eiiee
warm days, pleasant evcraisigs, coo!
nights hut it won't fact much long
er. A touch of- mil is due before long
Giul thai z?imn& m that the house
end otIcr hmdhi$s should ho put in
cood rcnair.
We can't offer you materials for
general building but we can pro
vide you with the necessities for
making repairs
ROLL ROOFING OF ALL KINDS
CEDAR SHINGLES
PATCHING MATERIALS
SHINGLE NAILS ROOFING
GALVINIZED ROOF NAILS
Estimate your needs right now and
place your order. Better be safe than
sorry.
Tum-a-Lum Lumber Co.
Hppntr, Oregon
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