The Key West Citizen Newspaper, March 15, 1954, Page 4

' Page 4 THE KEY WEST CITIZEN The Key West Citizen Published daily (except Sunday) from The Citizen Building, corner of Greene and Ann Streets. Only Daily Newspaper in Key West and Monroe County L. P. ARTMAN, Editor and Publisher Monday, March 15,°1954 a 1921 - 1954 NORMAN D. ARTMAN ... . Business Manager Entered at Key West, Florida, as Second Class Matter TELEPHONES 2.5661 and 2-5662 ——_.____ Member of The Associated Press—The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it this paper, and also the local news pub- or not otherwise credited in lished here. Member Associate Dailies of Florida Subscription (by carrier), 25¢ per week; year, $12.00; by mail, $15.60 ADVERTISING RATES MADE KNOWN ON APPLICATION The Citizen is an open forum and invites discussion of public issues but it will not publish and subjects of local or general interest, anonymous communications, IMPROVEMENTS FOR KEY WEST ADVOCATED BY THE CITIZEN More Hoteis and Apartments, . Beach and Bathing Pavilion. . Airports—Land and Sea. Consolidation of County and City Governments. Community Auditorium. POSTAL RATE INCREASES The House Post Office and Civil Service Committee recently reported out a bill which would impose rate increases on mailers of letters and other first-class ma- terial, and also increases of mailers of second-class mat- ter, such as newspapers and magazines. One result of the proposed increases would be to make first-class letters four cents instead of three cents. The object of the postal increases is to eliminate or re- duce, a postal deficit which has been costing the nation about $400,000,000 a year. The bill approved by the House Committee would bring in an estimated $240,555,000 annual increase in postal rates. Because, however, this is an election year, there is considerable doubt on Capitol Hill whether or not the Committee-approved bill will get a majority vote.in the House or, indeed, whether it will be passed by either. As unpleasant as is the prospect of increased rates, especially for books, newspapers and first-class letters, it seems that the Post Office Department cannot go on running a deficit of $400,000,000 a year. If defense costs were not so high, it might be that the deficit could be absorbed in the annual budget without too much trouble, but as long as the defense program is prevent- ing a balanced budget and as long as the nation owes a debt which is costing the taxpayer over $6,000,000,- 000 in interest alone every year, it is certainly advisable to make every effort to cut down such huge deficits as the Post Office deficit. Therefore — in spite of the unpopularity of the pro- posal — we support it as about the only thing to be done in a bad situation. Overworked phrases: “A wizard in his field.” Improving thie ‘individual remains the cardinal pur- pose of life. 3 A sit-down ‘strike just makes it official so far as tome workers are concerned, Some consexfatives would oppose creation, if they had a chance; itZaltered existing chaos, This is the time of the year when every subscriber should see that his label bears a date in advance. . While we niay be heading into rough times, it is well to remember the economists have been forecasting a recession every year for the last three years now, hav- ing been wrong twice, and may not have the answer this time. AITIERE UOIURBOIN| [OIN} MIOINISITIEIR MMB IUISITIS) } ACROSS 32, Powerful fy OHO a. Cancel 36. Hesitate IPILIolT| ISIEIRIE|SMMRIEIGIEINITIS| 5Ciy in 40. Incline HIAINIG| 41. Copy Lehi Dear Neighbor: Congressional investigations or Congressional inquisitions? This is the problem faciug the United States Congress today. Anyone who has followed the news of the past couple of years or who has absorbed the significance of the events of recent days—knows the reasons that have created this problem. The power of the Congress to investigate represents one of the basic liberties of the American People, because it constitutes one of the great guardians against the development of abuses on-the part of legislative, executive, adminis- trative, and judicial officials and departments within our form of government. It also makes possi- ble for the elected representatives of the people to conduct an in- vestigation into any problem or evil which may endanger the citi- i ALL zenry and for which a legislative remedy may be needed. Abuse of the Congressionai in- vestigative powers has prompted the question of whether Congres- sional investigations will be used |as a method of safeguarding and preserving the liberties and free- dom of the American people—or if they are to be utilized for po- litical motives by a certain few and thereby transformed into Con- gressional inquisitions. At the very time that we should be a united America in fighting Communism, we find those using Communism as a wedge to make us a divided America. Consider for a moment that as a result of some Congressional investigations religion has been pitted against religion; the F. B. I. has been brought into politics for the first time since its inception; doubt has | been cast on the loyalty of the This Rock By Bill Gibb Ever since Franklin D. Roose- velt’s day, statisticians have been crying that too many people are employed by the Federal govern- ment. Well, if they keep up all of these probes and investigations about Communism, that gripe won’t hold true much longer. The way things are today, a fellow who values his reputation is wary about accepting Civil Service em- ployment. There’s no telling when someone will come along and ac- cuse him of subversive activities. Whether it is true or not doesn’t make much difference—reputation and years of loyal service are sure to be washed down the drain- pipe by gossipmongers. People are becoming so jittery that just a routine character in-j vestigation by the FBI is likely to | H {OIRIA] ISIEILIEINIE ME STAIL | T/E|O} 9. Of the sun 0.Callforth 43, Rational 2. High 44. Some HIRIEMMSIERIEINIE! CROCE DEMS ATER {ag Bird's beak *, Expression ATONEMINIE RINE: SI5| '95.Musical” ~—gr’Contuered | SOIRITISMNEIRIEMBRIUIE| japnote 48. Exist [PIRIETSIS MOVIE RS YIE(T) 7. Chafe 49. Light touch 19. Severity 50. Possessive Solution of Yesterday's Puzzle 21. Acknow!- pronoun edge 52. Copper applause coin: abbr. 22. Seize | 53. Musical suddenly shake 24.Atpresent — §5. Feminine 25. Mature name 26. Landed 57. Awry property 58. Son of Seth 28. Required DOWN 80. For 1, Accomplish 31. Concerning prey aa | EZ 2. Former times: poet, . Den 4. Kind of fur 5. Fame 6. At any time ‘7. Head: slang 8. Correct; collog. 9. Goads 11. Abscond 12. Press 16. Impressed with mag- nificence 18. Cudgel 20. Leave 21, Invite 23. Musical stick 25. Bobbins 27. Large weight 29. Epoch 32. Part of alog 33. Dogma 34. Beam of light 35. Blay for stakes 36. Cat 37. Make leather 38. Eldest son ofCain 39. Hire 42. Jumbled type 45. Auction 46. English school 49. Burrow 51. Standing room only: abbr. $4. Sun god 56. Like set tongues wagging that “‘so-and- | so is a Communist.” It might not be a bad idea for the government to slack up on publicity being giv- en these matters. POW Court Martials Another source of irritation to the public concerns the court martials being given returned American prisoners of war for statements they made while un- dergoing torture by the Reds, This, of course, is a purely military proceeding. Most of us are bound to feel sympathy for these éx-POW's and it would be best if we remember that our military leaders are also} human enough to feel such senti- | ments. I seriously doubt if these | court martials are aimed at pun- | isment. Instead, such a proceed- | ing appears to be the best method | of clearing the defendant’s reputa- tion. Regardless of all the ballyhoo we hear about unfair court mar- tials, if I were given the choice between a civil or military trial for some crime, I would choose the military. That is, if I were wil- ling to accept my just punishment. Civil courts are too easily led astray by silvery tongued law- yers. A group of military men are more apt to stick to known facts. Of course, there have been and there always will be miscar- Tiages of justice under both sys- tems. Aqueduct Commissioners Awhile back, the County spent quite a few thousand dollars aac ing an election for new Aqueduct Commissioners. So what’s happen- ed? When are they going to coro- nate the guys or do whatever they do to newly elected officials? You answer the question because to date, I’ve received no information except a polite “No Comment” with regard to this matter. The thing that irritates me the most about such elections is that the candidates are sugary-swee before you go to the polls and afterwards, they don’t even know you. I’m not speaking just of the special election for Aqueduct Com- missioners but all the various of- | fices in general. Usually we think of politics -in | terms of the principal offices such | as State Representatve, Sheriff, City or County Commissioners, ete. That’s where we make our mistake. Consider how many men it takes to fill various Political jobs in the School Board, the Util- ity Board, the Housing Authority, the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District, the City Planning Com- mission and many more. Consider these. Although many of the jobs are not actually elective, no one would be foolish enough to deny that politics plays an important part in the selection of personnel to fill them. Thus you are able to see how important it is that you judge wisely—and selfishly—when you vote. Yup! The thing we’re leading up | to is: Have you registered yet? This column doesn’t want to select your favorite candidate for you but it does want to make sure that you’re able to vote for him. If you haven't registered, go down to Sam Pinder’s office in the Courthouse today. KW Safety Council The Key West Safety Council still exists, folks, and Bill Gale, president of the organization, needs your help. You’ve been reading about the number of traffic ac- cidents in Key West—well, there are also too many home, school, and industrial accidents. Call Gale at the Southern Bell T. and T Company if you have a safety Project in mind or want to work on NORMAL PROPORTION eS A LETTER FROM BILL LANTAFF teaching profession and Federal employees; and suspicion has been placed on the State Department, Central Intelligence Agency and the Army of the United States. | This is but a portion of the wreckage of the campaign of ter- ror, which even went so far as to label the members of one of Amer- jica’s two great political parties as possible traitors, It prompted the j irresponsible use of numbers and gross misrepresentation of words in an effort to discredit certain Americans. The past few days it victimized an American hero, the Secretary of the Army, and final- ly drew the President into the controversy to get headlines. President Eisenhower feels an accused individual should be per- mitted to know the charges against him; he should be permitted to confront his accuser; and he should have the right to answer the charges in a manner which would fully safeguard his civil rights and liberties. Congress is giving thought to adoption of a code of ethics for Congressional Committees to insure that inves. tigations will be conducted in the American way—which is fair Play jand justice. The President and Congress can |provide the solution for cleaning up the “investigation-mess” in Washington. Sincerely yours, BILL LANTAF™ GM Will Replace Defective Tanks DETROIT ( — General Motors Corp. says in answer to Teports that hundreds of GI-built tanks have broken down that it will “stand behind the products it de- livers to the United States govern. ment.”” GM blamed an “engineering tail” for defects in tank transmis- sions manufactured by its Allison division. Col. Jean E. Engler, comman- der of the Army’s tank-automotive center at Detroit, had said a faulty screw in transmission assemblies forced emergency’ overhaul of hundreds of tattks, ST Political Announcements FIRST PRIMARY ELECTION MAY 4, 1954 CELA cee eer enero For State Senator Re-Elect JAMES A. FRANKLIN 24TH DISTRICT + For State Senator 24th District | MILTON A. PARROTT Help Monroe County Elect A Senator For Member School Board RE-ELECT J. CARLYLE ROBERTS 3RD DISTRICT For Member School Board ELECT KELLER WATSON 3RD DISTRICT For Member School Board Re-Elect EDNEY PARKER 5TH DISTRICT one, de- | about Africa I said there was no I'S DEATH, MY DARL By Amelia Reynolds Long AP g Fits # H x y pai i : F “But who, ma'am?” the sheriff demanded. We all held our breath, waiting for the answer. But no answer came. Aunt Delphine cowered back in her chair, staring up at ae with a look of speechless ar. Either the sheriff recognized the] futility of pressing the matter further just then, or he had sud- denly_ remembered something bree He turned k to the rest us, “Wait a minute,” he said. “I died?” thought this place was su ed to have been locked up, mothe in” don’t sleep in the house,” Lewis Haye answered. “My room garconniéres,” how’d you get in?” Brennon came out and : 3 g Fi EEE 8 oe hor unt Delphine spoke again. same in through the wall,” ‘tedly. “The ify iJ E me —-" the sheriff began, seemed to me that Lee ought your | be the person to take charge ABOARD THE MAURETANIA AT SEA (#—My idea of a pleasure cruise is pretty much like that of most married men—it’s the jour- ney between the dinner table and the nearest couch. And you make it on foot. Wives have a different idea of a pleasure cruise. They think you have to dress up and leave the house. They think a ship is in- volved. . For 14 years I satisfied my wife’s yearning for an ocean cruise by taking her on an annual vaca- tion voyage o the State Islad ferry. A round trip cost us a dime apiece. “Smell that bracing sea air!” I'd exclaim, coughing in the har- bor smoke. “See the Statue of Liberty? Look at that Manhattan skyline! You can’t beat travel, can you? But it sure does make you appreciate home. Let’s go home.” Whenever Frances murmured she would like a longer voyage, I told her there was nothing beyond Staten Island but mountainous waves, dangerous sea monsters, hidden reefs—and perilous winter hotel prices. I told her Europe was a myth, Asia a legend. When she inquired point in sailing there as Tarzan had moved on to Hollywood, leaving the place absolutely de- serted, except for a few literary lions who chased zebras by day and read the collected works of Ernest Hemingway by moonlight. As Frances, like most wives, never knows when to believe her husband, I got along pretty well— or thought I did. But this year, when I remarked it was about time to change a quarter and make the long voyage to Staten Island, I ran into rebellion. “Don’t be silly, Rover,” said Frances. “‘We are going to take an 18-day sunshine cruise to the West and South America.” Well, at first I tried to tell her the West Indies had been overrun by a herd of man-eating walruses, then I told her the natives still shrunk tourists’ heads in South America. No go. “Don’t give me that tired old guff, Rover,” she replied. “If a native wants to shrink your big; head, all I ask is that he start with your jaw.” ‘ “But we can’t afford a cruise,” “Oh yes we can,” she said. “They have a nice new man at the bank who says he is willing to lend money on character rather if you didn’t have character you | certainly didn’t have anything. Anyway, he lent us the money.” “T’m not getting mixed up in| any deals between you and a near- sighted baker. We're not going. Sorry. I have to put my foot down.” “Well, sorry right back. We are too geing. 1 have to put my foot down. What do you say to that?” “Queh!” I said. “Get off my foot” . i: “Why don’t you really want to go, Rover?” “It’s that I get seasick,” I con- fessed, finally. “Terribly, terribly seasick. Even in a bathtub. That’s why I’ve taken showers all these years.” Then Frances pulled her clincher —a magic new seasick remedy. She held up a bottle. Positively guaranteed. One pill to cure a dizzy blonde. Two pills and a man can’t see the waves in a wire- haired terrier. Three pills and even a seasick elephant will Swagger to the rail and spit in the ocean. “Okay,” I said. “When do we sail?” “Surprise,” said Frances. “To- morrow. Start packing. I’ve had the tickets for days.” So it was that my wife, our 8-months-old daughter, Tracy, and I moved seaward aboard this Liner, carrying 18 pieces of lug- gage, of which only 14 were full of diapers. ‘Are we going to visit the West Indies, or settle them?” I asked. “Why did you leave the sofa be- hind?” “Oh, quiet down, Rover,” Fran- ces called from the porthole. “Come to the window, I want to show you something.” I looked out and all I could see was the Statue of Liberty. “That’s what I meant,” said Frances. “Bon voyage, Staten Is- land, bon voyage.” “You know,” I said, looking out at the Statue of Liberty again “The way the sun hits the old girl right now it looks as if she were laugh- ing.” “I wonder why,” said Frances, smiling. PIE WAGON IS USED TO COVER RAIDERS SAN FRANCISCO —It was one of those “‘floating” dice games —known to the cops but harder to stop than the income tax col- lector. So, yesterday, Police Inspector Frank Ahern and his vice squad borrowed a pie delivery truck. They drove to the vacant lot where the dice were in action and piled out of the pie wagon before the| game’s lookouts could holider “such crust.” Seventeen men were arrested and $1,100 seized. He nodded, as though ea fitted smoothly into re. Before 1913 You Kept All Your Income By LEWIS GULICK WASHINGTON (—Oh, for the good old days when there waé ne income tax. Or at worst it was nothing much to sneeze at. The good old days are pre-1913, for that’s the year the Constitution acquired the 16tn Amendment: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on in- comes, from whatever source derived , . .” This Supreme law of the land is the grand<daddy of your agon- ized figuring today, if you haven’t filed already, to meet the mid- night deadine with the revenue collector. And you can be poiitically im- partial with your hard feelings. The amendment was officially pro- posed in 1909 by President Taft, Republican. It was first put into practice four years later by Presi- dent Wilson, Democrat. There were some temporary try- outs of nationwide income levies before that. During Civil War days Congress enacted several versions of an income tax. The toughest one pushed the top rate to 10 per cent. The Civil War tax was highly regarded from the revenue reve- nue standpoint, but (surprise) not by the citizenry. It went off the books soon after the war. Then, after much clamor about an imcome tax being fairer than other types, Congress tried again in 1894. The rate: 2 per cent. The experiment was short lived. |The Supreme Court struck down the law the following year as un- constitutional. That’s why the 16th Amendment was adopted. On March 1, 1914, the first dead- line under the permanent law, and for some years thereafter, the tax- Payer too much less of a beating than he does in this atomic and expensive age. His first bill was 1 per cent up to $20,000, 2 per cent for $20,000-$50,000, and so forth up’ to a 7 per cent peak on incomes of a half million dollars or more. He got a personal exemption of $3,000, or $4,000 if he was living with his spouse. Tax scales went up and down in later years, mostly up, especi- jally in wartime. | So the form you filled out for | today, covering 1953, puts the bottom rate at 22 per cent. For the $200,000 bracket and ‘up it’s 92 per cent. Exemptions are down to $600. Now, if it were the year 1912... INCOME TAX Qualified Consultants OPEN TONIGHT 6:00 P.M. Until Midnight Craig Bowen 514 Southard OPPOSITE BUS STATION