The Evening Independent from Massillon, Ohio • Page 4

The Evening Independent Editorials- 4 MASS1LLON, OHIO, Tuesday, March '25, 1958 TllC World Today Here I Am, In The Middle Again Disgusting! A modern-di'ess version of the persecution and crucifixion of Jesus Christ was televised in 'Great Britain Sunday. According to an Associated Press story, Christ was depicted in blue jeans and sweat shirt. The role of the Savior was played, by an anonymous actor. The story said Christ was beaten up by interrogators wearing derbies and trench coats and looking like movie detectives. The soldiers who carried out the crucifixion wore British army battle dress.

And here comes the real shocker spectacle of Pontius Pilate 'whipping out a lighter and lighting cigaret as he signs Christ's death -warrant. The play, according to the Asso- x-iated Press, was written by Father Bishop, principal of the Anglican College of the Resurrection Mirfield, England. We wonder just what objective' the good father had in mind when he whipped up a play in which the principals wore raiment not likely to be associated with Jesus Christ or even those who perse- cuted and crucified him. Even reading the story about the play fills one with disgust. The play certainly can not considered as furthering Christianity or the principles of Christian No wonder the world is in its doldrums if we have reached- 'Jrthe 'point where we must rob of the dignity, devotion and we should have 'for our by clothing him in jeans and a sweat shirt.

but over the past decade has increased his sales faster than have the corporate chains, although it was 1 necessary to affiliate with other small businessmen to remain competitive. This is one area of small business in which trie owners themselves are attempting to solve their problems. Business With the itatut of the economy creating an intense by government and private the small business may again become an im- Tportant yardstick in measuring the vtrue state of the economy. Small businesses, and their fi- 'naneial or numerical increases or de- often portray the most im- Kmediate results of economic ups and Howns. Because even a slight change in a profit or loss statement for a jjmalTbusiness can mean the differ- between bankruptcy or pros- a keen analysis of the small position from time to 'time ii usually a good indicator of business Such an analysis for the year has been completed by various grocer De- the fact that this is an activity which corporate chaini have na.de great inroads in total sales World War II, the independent jjrocer still accounts for the largest Percentage of sales.

Progressive Grocer, a trade publication, estimates that at present chains average 38 per cent sf total retail grocery sales in the United States, with the remainder going to independents and voluntary cooperative members. Voluntary in retail groups seem to have the salvation of the independents in the grocery business, however. Only 18 per cent of the total business is going to the locally owned and Unaffiliated neighborhood grocery stores. The remainder of the independent sales are accounted for by various types of cooperatives and independent stores banded together into voluntary chains for purchasing purposes. All factors considered, ihc small erocer is not only holding his own The Evening Independent Established 1863 Published daily, except Sunday, by Ear) Jones Enterprises.

Inc. FRED BECKER Editor JOHN E. ROWE Publisher and General Manager FREDERICK C. OTHMAN Poor Old Milt WASHINGTON Let us pity today Milt Dean Hill, the heart-sad press agent. He had a story to tell and nobody would believe him, except possibly Poor old Mill.

He beats the drums and thumps the tub for National Airlines, which went into the television business in a while back and has been in the soup with congress ever since. Milt's troubles began with his boss. Alexander G. Hardy, vice president of National, coming home from an extended business trip last year and finding a fistful of slips indicating that Milt had made phone calls all over the Sand. Hardy demanded to know, in so many words, who, what, and why? THE TELEPHONE, Milt explained to the incredulous members of the house investigating subcommittee, is the principal weapon (his word) of the press agent.

He'd phoned so many people, telling them about the comforts of traveling on National flying machines, that he couldn't remember any of 'em. So he sat down and made up sn explanation for each one, which he handed to his vice president, who was on one of his periodic economy drives. Hardy apparently got over his peeve quickly; his. secretary filed away all of Milt's notes without his even seeing 'em. THEY DIDN'T COME put of the files, Milt insisted, until committee investigators found 'em.

They were interested particularly in a phone call costing $2.40 which he'd made to Cleveland attorney Charles Steadman, a long-time traveler via National Airlines. On this chit Milt scribbled his explanation; he said that Steadman was close to the chairman of the FCC and knew all about the issuance of TV Channel 10 in Miami. That, said our unhappy press agent, wasn't exactly true. He just wrote it down because he had to think of something. This was a mistake and he sorry he did it, but at the time it seemed like a good idea to get.

the boss off his neck. Milt said Hardy seemed on occasion to enjoy lighting on his collar. "I'VE HEARD THE terms 'fantastic' and 'amazing' used in connection with these proceedings, Mr. Hill, but my vocabulary has no word to describe such a. story as vours," said Chairman Oren Harris (D-Ark).

"It's the truth," blurted Milt. The committeemen then spent nearly three hours trying to break down itory. but he at least was consistent. He taid he made up lie to tell the boss; otherwise he'd have had to pay that S2.4Q bill, himself. He went on to say that he used to be a newspaperman here with the Associated Press, and he'd had some experience making expense accounts sound logical.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER the gentlemen denounced Milt, and that was when I saw something new: a press agent blushing. It developed then that Milt worked a while for the Republican national committee, where he knew Major General Wilton Persons, the White House liaison officer with congress. After Milt got his job with National-, he figured (as a press agent should) that it could do no harm if he got his big boss, President George Baker, invited to one of President Eisenhower's stag dinners. So Milt dropped General Persons a note, suggesting such an invite would be appreciated and pointing out that President Baker was a friend of Eisenhower's brother-in-law, Colonel George Gordon Moore. Some months later Baker did eat with the president, and this just goes to show, I suppose, how varied a press agent's work can become.

As for the 52.40, if Milt only had paid it in the first place, he wouldn't have been the star witness that nobody (except maybe me) believed. Meir.oti tr.i AH.W..CIO c-rm rn. Atr.tnctn New.i fublur.crt AiKvution Ail- vtrtiiini. Audit 01 Ctrcu.iiioc Ohio AMOCUUOB ftir tot OM or of ncwi crfditea lo it or it ura wn new. Rtr.in.

Shir.r.on fc tac with officw in or CW- rJfo. Detroit AtUru, SI i-fluii City Ar.ct:r» San SurwcripUoo 30 Kr-tk 07 carrier: Bj (ntu IB i (Mr upon cOtn rr.it!<w 11 aw. UuctUra OMO urdu tfit tel of Uirek it LETTERS TO THE EDITOR From Our Readers To the Editor of The Evening Independent: In regard to your editorial of Saturday. March 22nd. concerning U.

S. em- ployes' pay, I would like to know who in the employ of the U. S. government gets S5.845 per year salary? I am a letter carrier at the local post office and I am at the lop of my annual pay raises and my salary is S4.410 a year. The best I can look forward to at the present pay rate is S4.710 per year after three longevity raises.

I have to put in 23 years to get the full benefit of the salary at this figure. Out of my present salary, I pay 6'2 per cent for retirement. The employe pays the full 6 per government nothing! This is almost three times the amount paid in by those under Social Security. And. don't forget, the employer pays in to Social Security also! Government retirement benefits do not equal three times Social Security benefits! If the U.

S. Chamber of Commerce can get my salary up to 55,845 per year. 1 would be very thankful. I think if more people knew about our pay status they would know thst we have every right to a pay raise. Prvor Massillon.

March 22 WASHINGTON (AP) Ever get the feeling governments talk too much? Ever since Soviet Premier Bulganin wrote President Eisenhower last December, proposing a summit meeting, the United States and the Soviet Union have been doing the double job of talking about the summit and making propaganda for themselves. The trouble is: they get so involved with their fancy diplomatic footwork and their hair-splitting that the people of the world can't keep it clear in their heads. The result is the people give up trying to figure who sounds better or who'i ahead. HERE'S A PICTURE of what's been going on since December: Bulganin wrote four letters to Eisenhower; Eisenhower replied with three and is probably preparing another; Eisenhower and Secretary of State Dulles have talked about the summit at their news conferences; Bulganin and Communist party boss Khrushchev have talked about it in the Soviet Union; the Soviets have sent this country an aide-memoire, which is fancy for a note; this country has sent the Soviets an aide-memoire; and Monday the Soviets fired back with another note. Thousands and thousands of words have been written or said.

MEANWHILE, since all this involves propaganda beamed at the whole world, each country hopes it's getting the better of it. This writer often wonders just how much the man in the street, here or anywhere, can possibly remember who said what, or even what's been said, by this time. I have a complete file on the letters, the news conferences, the speeches, the aides-memoire. But every time a new one comes along I have to root in the files on what happened before to be sure I'm not missing a new point. THIS GOT TO BE such a dizzy chore that I made a kind of chart, briefly listing the points made by Eisenhower, the points made by Bulganin, what each proposed and each rejected, not to mention what Dulles and Khrushchev and the aides-memoire said.

Even then, each new installment means rooting back into the files and revising the chart. So I wonder just how much that man in the street, who has no reason to keep a file, can possibly remember or, by this time, want to remember. MONDAY NIGHT the latest Soviet note was handed to the American ambassador in Moscow and the Moscow radio promptly began broadcasting a summary of its contents. This was in reply to the American note of March 6, which turned down the kind of preparations suggested by the Soviets for a summit meeting and asked if the Soviets really wanted a worthwhile meeting or just a spectacle. Monday night, after 18 days of thinking it over, the Soviets complained this country was trying to mess things up.

That's what it said, in brief. That was one more note for the files and a bunch of new words that get lost in heads. SAM DAW SON Tax Dilemma NEW YORK (AP) The burden of high taxes on particularly the extent that tax considerations enter into amost every business decision is accused of having helped slow down the boom. Some charge that high taxes will prolong' the recession and hamper the subsequent uphill push. Others charge that, be times good or bad, taxes are so high as to hamstring the expansion that would create more jobs.

But most of those who complain also dread the inflation that could follow growing federal deficits if tax collections drop. BUSINESS CRITICIZES all the chief forms of federal taxation: personal income taxes for cutting purchasing power and hampering formation of investment funds; excise taxes for hiking prices, and corporation income taxes for a long list of business woes. State and local taxes on property, income and sales add a further burden, more onerous when business slows down. The federal income tax for corporate incomes above is 52 per cent. This tax yielded the treasury more than billion dollars in the 1957 fiscal year, or about half the take from personal income taxes, but twice what the corporation tax brought in 10 years ago.

BUSINESSMEN STUDY the tax impact carefully before any major decision. Risks lose much of their allure when half of any possible earnings must go for taxes. High rates take a heavy toll of the profit is the keystone of American business economy. The 52-per-cent tax has been accused of encouraging bad corporate practices. For one, management figures that the real cost of many things is just 48 cents on the dollar.

This has made for waste and carelessness about many items of ex- pensr such as entertainment. The high personal income tax also has been behind many corporate salary practices. Much of the current flurry over expense-account laxity comes from the desire of firms to give executives supposedly tax-free expense accounts rather than a raise which would boost them into a higher tax bracket. BUT THERE'S AT LEAST one silver lining. Others besides the U.

S. Treasury have benefited from the 52-per-cent tax rate on business and the sliding scale on individuals. Charily is deductible and so are gifts to educational institutions. Many business executives arc moro generous with gifts that cost only 48 cents on the dollar. An estimated 10 per cent of the ns- tional income in the United States is spent annually for the purchase and operation of automobiles.

Inert no winter, spring, summer or wesson in Indonesia. That country a wet aeaion and dry one. Bible Thought For Today Speak unto the Children of Israel that they go forward. Exodus 14:15. The Old and New Testaments are full of injunctions to attempt the impossible.

They did cross the Red Seji thanks to a strong wind that pushed back the waters Ions; enough for Israel's escape. Nothing u. impossible ii the motto of the Christian World. DAVID LAWRENCE Has Recession Reached 'Bottom? 5 WASHINGTON Has the "bottom" of the recession just been reached? The U. S.

Department of Labor Reports that the number of workers laid off and applying for unemployment benefits dropped to that the volume of new claims was lower in the week March 10 to March 15 than for any week since last December. This would seem to indicate a leveling off. The total number drawing unemployment benefits for more than a week's time declined by 7,600. Thirty different states reported fewer claims for the week ending March 15. Twenty-eight states had reported a de- cline in applications for the week ending March 8.

THE LARGEST DECLINES were in New York with 9,300, Michigan with 8,200, Wisconsin with 8,100 and Minnesota with 3.300. The increases included Indiana with 3.600, Texas with 3.200 and Illinois 2,300. Temporary layoffs in various industries accounted for many of the requests for unemployment insurance. These declines on the whole are not large, and they are offset to some extent by increases in other states. But the over- all picture begins to look ns if there is a certain steadiness about the unemployment chart.

Recessions do not turn abruptly into booms, and it is possible for a spot check here and there to still reveal some increases in unemployment. Thus the Associated Press sampled 12 areas and found that unemployment had increased by about 150,000 from the middle of February to the middle of March. If, however, the figures remain at about the same level for another few it will confirm the growing belief that the "bottom" was actually reached during the week of March 10 to March 15. IT WOULD BE UNWISE for governmental policy to be based on the figures available thus far. President Eisenhower and his advisers 'nave been saying all along that a better idea of what has been happening would be available when all March figures are at hand, and this will not be until the middle of April.

There is a natural caution here about rushing in to grant tax reductions on a large scale or to set in motion any partial suspension of tax receipts. Democratic leaders and the administration have a sort of truce in effect so that neither side will take the initiative but will await a bipartisan conference at a time yet to be fixed. On the surface this looks as if there is a good deal of high-mindedness and is a good deal of high-mindness and states- statesmanship surrounding the issue. But the fact is it is rather an example "of shrewdness and political prudence on each side. For, since the federal treasury is going to experience a heavy deficit, neither party wants to take the political responsibility for plunging the government into a 10- to 15-biliion-dollar red.

figure. ONCE THE EISENHOWER administration gives the signal for tax reduction, the Democrats will offer their own plans, but they want the executive branch to publicly it is ready for tax reduction. For this wouid be giving sanction to a budget deficit of large size. Just what kind of tax revision is in prospect cannot be forecast now. except that the nation may expect a political makeshift.

Such plans as those just advanced by the Committee on Economic Development in New York last week would not have a ghost of a chance. A majority of the members of congress would never vote for a nine-month suspension of taxes. To grant a 20 per cent reduction and then take it away in less than a year is politically absurd. What seems more likely is that the administration will come out in favor of a constructive plan for tax revision which looks toward lower taxes not for the emergency period, but as a part of a long- range attempt to stabilize the value of the dollar. There is much merit in the plan because, once the boom returns, tax receipts will grow, and, if there is a continuing deficit, the pressure for cutting expenses will then be resumed.

This would be a healthy development. SOME OF THE Democratic politicians, on the other hand, will urge big decreases for the low-income groups. They cinnol get such proposals adopted without conceding some reductions in the higher brackets and in corporation taxes. The final bill will be a compromise between the two points of view in congress radicals and the both parties. On the whole, however, the national economy seems to be weathering the storm without the need for the enactment of fanciful programs and unsound tax measures.

(Copyright, 1938, New York Herald Tribune Inc.) GEORGE DIXOK Washington Scene WASHINGTON The senate finance committee is considering a bill to increase the pensions of Spanish-American War veterans and their widows. This committee. chairmanncd by a southern Democratic gentleman named Harry F. Byrd. is also considering an amendment to do the same for veterans and widows of the Civil War.

The amendment, however, would apply only to veterans and their relicts of the winning side. Although nearly a hundred years have gone by, the Confederates never have been able to get any pension money out of Uncle Sam. Senator Russell B. Long, of Louisiana, who also is somewhat southern, contends it is high lime to end this discrimination. Senator Long is about to offer an amendment to put veterans of the War Between the States and their widows on the pension lists.

He advanced what seems to be a cogent argument. "WE HAVE GIVEN billions for the relief of Europeans who fought us in two wars," he said. "Why shouldn't we do the same for Confederates who have been our allies in three wars?" I asked Senator Long if he would mind clarifying this a little. He said that southerners had fought side by side with northerners in the Spanish-American and two World Wars and that it was time the southerners were recognized as allies. No veteran of the Grand Army of the Republic remains alive today, but two Confederates continue to cling to existence.

However, there arc 4,000 widows of the GAR and "about" 1,500 of the Confederate Army. The number of Confederate ladies has to be guessed at, because thev arc not on the government pension rolls. I ASKED SENATOR LONG if he had any idea why there were so many more northern than southern widows. He vouchsafcd-a Dixiecratic grin and said: "My notion is that a lot of young women grabbed up old GAR veteran? because of their pensions. But the Confederate veterans offer no such temptation.

A young was inclined to be dubious about achieving security if she snatched one from our The Louisianian said the government probably wouldn't be committing itself 10 any long-range expenditure if it extended pensions to the two Confederate veterans, because they arc 111 and 113 years old respectively. They arc John Sailing, of Slant, down in Senator Ryrd's Virginia, who will be 112 on May 15: Walter Williams, who moved recently from Franklin. Texas, lo Houston. NONE OF T5IE approximately 1.500 Confederate widows arc theirs, however. Nevertheless Senator Long thinks these southern ladies arc as entitled to con- sodoration as tlicir northern "We have been paying taxes for a long time lo support I northern widows." he said.

"This rankles." He added: "Wouldn't you think Uncle Sam could afford to make one ponrrous gesture after a hundred years?" VICTOR R1ESEL Inside Labor DAYTON Which it the red Jimmis Hoffa? Is he the suave diplomat at the "turn- mil" in urbane circles of Washington and New York or the warlord now racing through as many of his regencies as he can, letting his hair and intentions down at little-publicized local meetings as he pledges to. thousands of cheering lieutenants that a vast offensive soon will be launched against all comers? In the east, where Hoffa is awaiting trial in a New York federal court on April 8 on charges of illegal wire-tapping, his statements are as profound and polished as the graduates of playing fields of Eton. His slick publications state that the time has come "to put personal feelings aside and cooperate with all those who seek a better life." BUT OUT as you wander through some of the areas which have had his flying visits, you hear that Hofft and his aides are setting up million dollar war chests for new campaigns once he walks out of that federal court. Up in Toledo, for example, Hoffa's genial trouble-shooter, one of the hard- boiled egghead cabinet, has a hard-riding local of Teamsters. His name is Larry Steinberg.

Steinberg's culture is as broad as his back. He's the new type Teamster on whom Hoffa now leans more heavily in this mind-over-muscle era. About a month ago, Steinberg summoned some 500 of his local's stewards to "meet Jim Hoffa" in the ballroom of the Hole) Commodore Perry. They're still talking about the speech Hoffa made there. And if I weren't writing about the Teamster high command I'd say that Jimmie gave them one ol those damn-the-torpedoes, full-speed-ahead talks which shouldn't be lost to posterity.

"I QUESTION STRONGLY whether there are any lines of jurisdiction where- ever there are unorganized workers," shouted. "Are we going to stand by and let them give us mimeographed ordsrs as to how many we can organize? If we are to operate outside the AFL, I say there should be no limits as to where we organize. The first duty is to organize the workers and then we'll sit down and discuss the question of whether they are in the right union or not." And where did Brother Hoffa tell the boys he would organize? "The Teamsters will try to organize every place a truck pulls into or backs out of." THE ONLY OTHER wider' jurisdia tion is the one claimed by a labor chiel who said everything produced under elec trie lights was his. "The Teamsters have no desire foi a labor war," Hoffa asserted. "But those who are seeking to destroy us must expec' from us the same kind oj treatment thej have been giving no holds bar red." This was tough talk even from Hoffa who isn't known for his Biblical sallies But that was only part of his hostility.

At a larger gathering, at a banquet at end of the conference, Teamster secretary- treasurer, John English, roared that he "has a complete list of those who voted for and those who voted against" the Teamsters at the AFL-CIO convention where the union was ousted from the national federation. THAT LIST WILL be used, English warned. Apparently there will be ample opportunity for its use. Hoffa's people have a way of using regional organizations for experimental the Toledo local has a million-dollar mechanism which should be mighty handy in future strikes. This is the first such strike fund of its kind.

The million dollars will be raised out of special clues money to cover the local's 8,000 members. Once the fund hits the million mark, ''any member in volved in a strike or other labor dispute will receive an amount that will bring Iiit weekly income to $50 a week until his jol is restored." This means that any local membcj who loses a job not only on a picket lins but in a clash with other unions durinj some future battle, can count on at leas' a $50 weekly check, for years, if necessary Hoffa and his aides don't sound near as pacific out here as they do amid Washington's marble halls. From Our Files 89 YEARS AGO Active arrangements are being by the township and municipal parlies for the coming spring election. The usual quota of township and city officials will be chosen by the people on tlic first Monday in April and in addition lo officers elected by the city last year, a clerk, street commissioner and chief engineer for the fire department will elected. 56 YEARS AGO MLss Ida Gove of Cleveland, was weekend guest of her Mr.

and Mrs. G. H. Gove of Soulh Mill si. 25 YEARS AGO The Rev.

A. Raymond Kepler, cxeru live secretary of the United Church o' China, will speak at the morning of the Central Pre.sby.tcrian church. Sun day. 10 YEARS AGO With the deadline for operating res lauranis here without city health dcpar! nicni permits only four days away, aftct today, only 29 local have so- cured pcrtniu thus Words of Wise F.duca'iion nut JIKII facts theories or not to or them or make Ihom rhiuriiins. It is lo unsettle Ihrir their horizons.

infl.MJu- tuulUii them to think if hut to think ncverlhr MANUFACTURERS throvvaway diapers presented their problems the other day to the senate interstate and foreign commerce committee. To illustrate their arguments they set up an elaborate display their products in the committee room. Afterward, they made a formal gift of the display to the chairman. Senator Warren G. Mapmison.

of Washington. Senator Magnujwi now hss. a choice collection of tmrcfillable dispers. He it bachelor. Ancient lights of tho tvi riding their ghnMl- h' skies.

MK- Vrtll-', mi 1 Munich Hie There sre about 15 million in the United Stairs who fl vr v.ino dr- gree of impairment in thnr Rvil.im'* Ii m- tnorp than four aivl half the (mt 25.