The Hermiston herald., June 24, 1937, Image 2

Thursday, June 24, 1937
T H E H E R M IS T O N H E R A L D , H E R M IS T O N , OREGON
NEWS NOTES OF
THE NORTHWEST
Finger-Waved Hereford Cops the Blue Ribbon
A Brief Summary of Events
of S pecial Interest to
Oregon, Washington and
Idaho Communities.
Washington.—As it becomes more
painfully apparent that there is no
basis upon which
Seek N ew
to expect present
T a x Source» returns of federal
taxation to pro­
duce sufficient funds to maintain the
administration’s rate of spending,
the President and the Treasury are
peeping into every corner for new
sources of money. They have al­
ready recommended to congress
that the present nuisance taxes be
re-enacted to bring in some five
hundred million a year and they are
casting their eyes elsewhere for
other tax receipts.
In addition, and as a part of the
general pinch that the Treasury now
feels, Mr. Roosevelt has asked con­
gress to revise certain provisions of
income tax law to close up loop­
holes and prevent escape from taxa­
tion. The President’s message to
congress on this point was quite bit­
ter and, many observers thought,
rather unfair but, nevertheless, he
told congress that It was up to the
legislative branch to see that there
was no tax avoidance.
The President’s message dealt
with an alleged moral phase of tax
avoidance and that part of his mes­
sage has provoked much criticism
of the Chief Executive’s attitude.
He sought in his statement to the
congress to make it appear that
many wealthy persons had avoided
taxes and that, by so doing, they
had sinned.
Now, the President’s view is en­
titled to consideration and his
charge that there is tax avoidance
is correct. Indeed, I believe no one
can successfully dispute the charge
that there is tax avoidance of a
wholesale character in the United
States. But when the matter is
placed in the category of a moral
issue, it must be examined in a
different light. The President did
not talk about tax evasion in his
message; he talked about tax avoid­
ance. Tax evasion is illegal and
immoral. Tax avoidance is purely
and simply the arrangement by an
individual so that he pays the low­
est tax he can and still complies
with the law.
I am inclined to side with those
In congress who have criticized the
President on the attitude he as­
sumed. As long as congress tells
an individual, through the language
of a law, that he must pay so much
tax and prescribes the conditions, if
that individual complies with that
direction of congress, he does not
commit a crime when he pays only
that much tax.
* I am constrained to support my
view in this instance with the lan­
guage of the late Mr. Justice Oliver
Wendell Holmes who, as a member
of the Supreme court of the United
States, gained probably as much
respect as any man who ever sat
on the highest bench. Mr. Justice
Holmes said in a decision of the
court 21 years ago and now strange­
ly apropos the following words:
“We do not speak of evasion, be­
cause, when the law draws a line,
a case is on one side of it or on the
other, and if on the safe side it is
none the worse legally that a per­
son has availed himself to the full
of what the law permits. When an
act is condemned as an evasion,
what is meant is that it is on the
wrong side of the line indicated by
the policy, if not by the mere letter,
of the law.”
Again and again, courts have held
that a citizen may employ “any le­
gal means” available to him to di­
minish the tax which he must pay.
It would seem then that Mr. Roose­
velt’s message used rather ill cho­
sen and ill advised language when,
in dealing with questions of tax
avoidance, he sought to make it ap­
pear that it was wrong for a citizen
to try to save his own money.
• • •
It has been rather interesting to
note the type of outbursts, editorial
and verbal, that
Message
has come as a re-
Causes Stir
suit of Mr. Roose­
velt’s t a x mes­
sage. These outbursts have contin­
ued partly because the President
asked congress to make an investi­
gation of tax avoidance where some
very large taxpayers are involved.
Of course, congress is going to do
that because it will give congress,
or at least certain individual mem­
bers, an opportunity for publicity.
And they do not overlook opportu­
nities for publicity.
Since the discussion of tax ques­
tions has continued on the basis of
the projected investigation, it has
given plenty of writers an opportu­
nity to express their opinion in de­
tail. Many of these critics have be­
come quite personal in their assault
upon Mr. Rdosevelt and their biting
observations are doing him no good
politically at all. In fact, I have
heard «ome rumblings beneath the
surface to the effect that his tax
message has hurt him as much po­
litically as his proposal to add six
new Justices of his own choosing
to the Supreme court of the United
States.
Probably the worst of these criti­
cisms appeared in the Washington
Evening Star, a newspaper that sel­
dom takes a bitter stand on any
question.
i The Evening Star called attention
to regulations of the bureau of in­
SALEM, Ore.—The Salem Hunters
ternal revenue which prescribed and Anglers club has adopted a reso­
that a person must count as income lution requesting the state game com­
anything taken in payment of serv­ mission to put in force a closed sea­
ices, whether that thing be money son on silver squirrels.
or some other thing of value. It j TWIN FALLS, Ida.—Following the
cited the fact that the President oc­
cupies the White House without pay­ sale of a 15-acre tract, 50 families,
ment of rent and that he has avail- ! comprising about 400 persons, must
able a large s‘aff of servants who abandon their homes in “Shanty­
man that institution; that he is pro­ town," in Rock Creek canyon, south
vided with automobiles and yachts j of Twin Falls.
and various other services and cir­
WALLA WALLA, Wash.—The es­
cumstances without cost. Editorial- 1 tate of Dr. Howard R. Keylor, pi­
ly, the newspaper then goes on:
oneer physician and theater owner,
“Has the President of the United who died this spring, has been valued
States, unwittingly, failed to include at $330,000, of which personal prop­
in his income tax the value to him of erty totaled $277,330.
the residence provided by the gov­
Ore.—The federal bureau
ernment which pays him his sal­ of SALEM,
public roads is expected to call for
ary? Under these regulations it
would appear that even the auto­ bids within the next month for sur­
mobiles and the yachts provided by facing and bridge construction that
the government should be con­ will complete the last link in the
sidered in making out an income tax North Santiam highway.
PULLMAN, Wash.—Life member­
return. There is no publication of
income taxes and therefore the pub­ ships in the Alumni Association of
lic is not informed as to whether the Washington State college have reach­
high officials of the government who ed 1000 with the registration of Ed­
are provided with residences, as ward Watson of Pullman, member of
some are, or with automobiles, as this year’s graduating class.
many of them are, take these things
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.—Assur­
into consideration in reporting their ance
has been given the Lane and
income taxes. It would scarcely be
an argument to say that residence Klamath county courts by the state
provided for a public official is not highway commission and the federal
part of his pay. Cabinet officers, bureau of public roads that the Wil­
for example, are not provided with lamette highway will bo completed
residences by the government. They by 1939.
PASCO, Wash.—Mormon cricket
must provide residences them­
selves, at considerable cost. It is hordes are advancing into hitherto
obvious, therefore, that a residence unoccupied territory in Franklin
given a government official is part county. Deep ditches are dug in front
of his pay.”
of the cricket army, into which they
• • •
fall. They are then sprayed with
When the President proposed the poison powder.
tax investigation, he said that he be-
HARRINGTON, Wash,—More than
lieved there were 10,000
sheep have been shipped via
Pick on
a good many mil-
Great Northern from Harrington
Big Ones
lions of dollars the
t h a t could be in the last three weeks. They are
forced into the federal treasury as sent to summer range, some to Mon­
a result of such inquiry. His ac­ tana and some to the Marcus district
tion followed sweeping orders issued in Washington.
LEWISTON, Ida.—Cassius M. Day,
to internal revenue agents and au­
ditors to review every income tax one of Northern Idaho's best known
return with the utmost care. The pioneers, died at Lewiston at the age
agents and auditors, of course, will of 84 years. He came to Idaho in
go over the returns filed by the en­ 1873 and was the sole survivor of an
tire list of income tax payers, little Indian massacre at Cottonwood in
as well as big, but the congressional 1877, when 17 whites were killed.
investigation will be devoted only to
ASTORIA, Ore.—Plans f o r en­
some of the men called by Mr. largement of the 4-H club fair this
Roosevelt, “ economic royalists.” It fall to include a number of county
is obvious that congress cannot go
into all returns so congress will pick fair features are under consideration
on the big ones because those men by the Clatsop county fair board. The
will have names out of which good fair will be considerably larger than
headlines in newspapers can be for a number of years, but will not
be a regular county fair.
written.
>«'»
The Treasury had a different idea
BOISE, Ida.—The United States
about the investigation which con­ department of agriculture has begun
gress undertook at the President’s coidemnatlon proceedings in federal
request. The Treasury’s plan con­ court to obtain title to 79 acres of
templated a number of secret hear­ Canyon county land sought as an ad­
ings, star chamber sessions, and I ministrative site for the 20,000-acre
believe everyone knows what can Deer Flat migratory bird and wild
be had in a star chamber session
with bureaucrats operating with all life refuge.
EUGENE, Ore.—A rusty razor, be­
of the powers they possess in our
lieved to have been lost by General
government.
Word of the Treasury’s ideas did U. S. Grant on his trip through Ore­
not please congressional leaders gon, has been added to the pioneer
and they very quickly put their foot collection at Eugene. It was found
down on the scheme. Of course, near that portion of the Siuslaw
members of the house and senate through which Grant passed en route
figured they would not share in the to the Northwest Indian wars.
political benefits unless they did the
PALOUSE, Wash.—A free health
investigating. I hear much com- ! clinic for babies and children of pre­
ment to the effect, however, that school age was scheduled for Tues­
an investigation in the manner con­ day, June 22, by a Spokane child
gress had decided to make it is [ specialist in the high school, the
much preferable to the star cham­ Round Table club, sponsors an­
ber pioceedings which the Treasury , nounced. Sixty children were to be
proposed.
I mentioned that the congression- ; examined. Mrs. T. M. Anderson and
al committee is dealing only with . Mrs. W. W. Bruner are the clinic
“big names.” The reason for this is ! registrars.
plain. It would do no good at all :
IUKE LICENSING ON
in a publicity way for the congres­
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Issu­
sional groups to call in some small ance of city bicycle licenses to boys
taxpayer who, by availing himself and girls started last week. No li­
of the privileges of the law, had | censes will be issued, according to
been able to reduce his total tax to ( Police Judge Otto Langslet, until
a comparatively few dollars. On the each bicycle has been inspected for
other hand, if a big business Yuan, brakes, lights, reflector or tail light.
an economic royalist, claims all of
In the last three weeks, several
the exemptions and deductions that
the law specifies and thereby cuts hundred boys and girls have com­
down his tax, he becomes the sub­ pleted written and driving tests, in
ject or the target for much bally­ accordance with the new city ordi«
hoo about tax avoidance. I do not nance.
see the difference.
• • •
SPAWNING STARTS
SOUTH BEND, Wash. — W’illapa
Since the President finds himself
in a deadlock with congress on his harbor’s oysters have started produc­
.
proposal to add ing their 1937 families. Practically
Piles W orn
six justices of his all oyster opening plants and can­
on Congress own choosing to neries closed last week when heavy
the Supreme court spawn suddenly appeared in the
of the United States, he has turned oysters.
to a new approach in dealing with
Oystermen have started prepara­
the legislative situation. He has tions now to put out cultch and catch
suddenly loaded congress down with the young oysters for seed, though
work. This is to be distinguished it Is not expected that the spawn will
from the course he has followed in be in the bay waters in any appreci­
his earlier years of his tenure when able amounts for two or three week»
he submitted only one legislative yet.
suggestion at a time.
Now, in addition to the court re­
BOISE, Ida. — Idaho has spen
organization proposal, there is be­
fore congress the far-reaching gov­ 176.482.213 on highways since the
ernmental reorganization plan, the program was started In 1913, accord­
billion dollar slum clearance and ing to J. H. Stemmer, state highway
house building, farm tenancy bill director. Of this total nearly 60 per
and a highly controversial piece of cent came from the federal govern­
legislation proposing to establish ment.
minimum wages and maximum
McMINNVILLE. Ore.—Dedication
hours for labor. These are, in addi­ of the new library building on the
tion, of course, to the tax revision Linfield college campus took place
proposition I have discussed above last Saturday. The library, built by
and the annual appropriation bills the city of McMinnville as a PWA
with the billion and a half relief
project, has been leased to the col­
fund measure.
lege for 99 years.
C W . t w r n N e w s p a p tr V nloo.
J
A yearling Hereford which scored in the recent fat stock show at Montgomery, Ala., after it had been
finger-waved by a “beautician” is pictured above. In the picture are Allen E. Grubbs (left), cattle breeder^.
A. E. Thrash, who gave the wave, Allen E. Grubb, Jr., and John Hill.
Want Dimples? Device Will Make Em
INDUSTRY’S ADVOCATE
f
It’s simple now to have those charming dimples. All you have to do
Is apply this dimpling machine shown being demonstrated by Miss
Evangeline Gilbert of Rochester, N. Y., on the face of Bobby Joyce of
Hollywood. The device was on exhibition at the National Inventors’ con­
gress held in New York recently.
HIGH SCHOOL GRAD
Mrs. Anna Steese Richardson,
playwright, author and associate ed­
itor ot Woman’s Home Companion,
who has just completed a 100,000-
mile trip throughout the United
States, talking to women’s group»
and conventions, explaining the con­
stant efforts of industrial and busi­
ness research experts to perfect
products for the American home
and American health. Says Mrs.
Richardson: “Anyone who reads the
advertisements in the newspapers
and magazines can see the romantic
story of what industrial research
and mass production have done to
make this country the best on earth
in which to live.”
Wins Coveted Architect’s Award
Edward P. Kearney, thirty-six
years old, father of two children, a
successful business man, and holder
Henry A. Jandl of Princeton university and Spokane, Wash., is pic­
of several town offices, who was
one of 16 seniors graduated from tured with some of his prize-winning works after he was awarded the
the Bellows Free academy of Fair- thirtieth Paris prize scholarship in architecture at the headquarters of
the Society of Beaux-Arts Architects in New York,
field, Vt., recently.
Big Ones Are Biting This Fishing Season
4
Two fine fish such as these are enough to account for a happy smile on any fisherman’s face. Lakes and
streams are yielding bigger catches than in recent years, sportsmen report, and fishermen find their angling
made easier when a little outboard motor eliminates the backbreaking effort of getting to the spot where the
big ones are biting.