ustxtxb_obs_1955_11_16_50_00004-00000_000.pdf

A-,MANIC.WEEK , . AUSTIN Pre-election politics is erratic, like oratory itself, beet-faced crescendos between, the long low mumbledrones. Last .week was a manic one for our public : men, and things talked -df wee dry.to juicy, wry to grim. Governor Shivers told the national convention of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in San Antonio that “we cannot block federal interference and ignore the problems which invited it.” : For example, he said, he opposes any program for improving the schools based “solely or in major part” upon federal assistance, but “if we believe in the things we say we believe ,in, this action will be local action, and it will be state action.” In Austin, Shivers said the state could build superhighways for onethird to one-tenth of the amount it will cost for a motorist to ride a toll highway. A toll road user pays fees equal to 10 cents to 25 cents a gallon gasoline tax, he said. \(In Texas, the But, said Shivers: “People seem willing to pay a toll, however, when they would raise billy cain about taxes.” Therefore, lie said, toll roads may be the answer to the need. R OBERT CALVERT; the State Comptroller, who does not make many speeches, told the County Judges and Commissioners’ Association convention in Austin \(which Shivers was don’t appreciate our oilmen enough in Texas. “To little credit has been given to the oilman,” he said. “In Texas today we have ‘the finest relationship between industry and government that ocists anywhere in the world.” Senator Price Daniel told the judges and commissioners that he expects Congress to pass a ten-year highway aid program of $25 to $30 billion withlout saddling any one industry with the .tax burden. “Those who advocate turning tax money back to the states instead of federal aid system simply are in the In about a month and a half, the materialistic expectations of your otherwise undemanding friends will place upon you the Christmas call. Granted, toys will be most appropriate for some ages, furs and perfumes for some situations, books for some friends. You may also have some friends, people you respect and like to talk to, people who are aware of the Texas they live in, who would like to get The Texas Ob server. This Christmas. giving can be a grotesque thing ; it can get all out of hand. One-.Christmas we recall, we decided yk send out Christmas cards to everybody we ever knew, Beet-faced Crescendos At Austin and the Coast .minority,” he said. \(Shivers resents the two-cent gasoline user’s . tax . the U.S. ,Government gets and . wants it E.H. Thornton, Jr., chairman of the Texas Highway Commission, told. the ‘gentlemen that public apathy in Dallas is “almost unbelievable” because they refused to adopt an increase in the license tax for autoinobiles to finance right-of-way purchase. Senator Wardlow Lane of Center said he didn’t like the state buying right-of-way for local areas. “The further your money gets from home, the more of it gets lost on . the trip,” he said. John Ben’ Shepperd, the Attorney General, had a similar idea. “Every step away from the courthouse is a step backward,” he said. \(None of the county of fiicals was heard to discounty affairs are outmoded and need a major. revision. S HEPPERD WENT out to Port Arthur and told them they could have a Duval County for the Housing Aid AUSTIN Dallas Republican Congressman Bruce Alger called the government’s public housing program a part of the “march toward socialism” in a speech before the National Association of Real Estate Boards in . -New York City last week. “If the Federal Government should provide housing, why not food, -clothing, and other necessities for us all ?” Alger said. “We want no part of socialism.’ We want opportunity and freedom instead.” He said the cost of public housing is “fantastic.” “The $10,000 unit \(the neighborhood of $25,000,” he said. and it was like running for office. We hesitate, therefore, to ask you to select 35 of your friends for Observer subscriptions. If, however, yo11 can think of one or two, we would be grateful, and we believe they would. We -will notify your friend that youare sending him the Observer for a year in a specially printed notice a week before Christmas ; the first issue will be that of December 28, in which the Qbserver will review the year 1955 in Texas and attempt to preview the year 1956. Merry Christmas ! May gifts be irrelevant to the love of your friends! `Socialism’ “It would be cheaper to give the’ property to the tenant initially.” “Do you think members of the lowincome group get housing?” he asked. “In Detroit, a tenant earning $4,500 yearly can live in public housing. In Wilmington, Del. the figure is $4,800, and in Dayton, Del., $5,000. Is this the low-income group?” The a 11 a s Housting Author ity had reported in 1954 \(in the municipal authority’s , pamphlet for prospective tenants, “Better homes, are two persons in your family, your income must be less than $52 .per week. If … 3 or 4 persons in your family : less than $57 per week. If … five persons . in your family … less than $63 per week.” In San Antonio, Scott Schmalhorst, research and statistics director for the S. A. Housing Authority, states that rents average $24 a month . in public housing there and that they are computed at one-fifth to one-sixth of the annual income of the tenants, irrespective of family size. FORT WORTH The Texas Farm Bureau Federation, largestorganization of farmers in Texas, adopted a resolution in convention here favoring a two percent consumers’ sales tax for eduactional purposes on the theory that taxes on farmers for education are now too burdensome. The federation also adopted’ a resolution favoring retention of only two percent of the state’s allotted cotton acreage as a. state reserve, and they approved the principle of government purchase programs of meat in times of low prices but expressed a wish that the Government would buy from producers instead of processors. The 1,500 delegates heard Sen. -farmer Secretary of Agriculture, say. it is foolish to expect the flexible price support policy to work as long as , large surpluses continue; Sen. Albert Gore supports if farniers will produce aquality product under production-controls; and re-elected president J. Walter Hammond in favor of the “soil The Texas Observer , Page 4 Nov. 16, 1955 Knowland in Texas Addresses G. 0. P. Dinner FORT , WORTH. Senator William ‘Knowland, ‘one of . the dozen or so hopefuls for the 1956 GOP presidential nomination, lighted in Texas for two days last Week and got on record’ on two ism. sues. of interest -to Texas oil and gas men. He told -reporters_ he is in favor. of the 27.5 percent oil depletion allow-. ance on gross receipts and_ legislation against the taxation of natural gas at the wellhead. In a $25-a-plate Republican fundraising dinner at Hotel Texas, he laid down with some specificity his conception of Republican ideals. Among them: State and local control of education; a balanced budget and a gradual reduction of the national debt ; the twoparty system ; strict checks and balances between branches of government; civil supremacy over the Military establishment; Iteatment of social ,security ttust fu4IS on the same basi,s that the government .expects of priVate insurance companies ; encouragenient of the free :enterprise system ; and “peace with honor” rather ‘ than “appeasement” that would turn. small nations into Russian satellites. He ‘ recognizes the ‘:right of labor to strike,. he said, but it should be invoked only if a majority of the bargaining units of a plant or industry, by secret ballot, decides to “stop work, with all its impact on the worker, his family, all other employees, the industry, and the community.” He said the Eisenhower Adminis -tration had brought about these ac. complishments : A record high of 65 million employed ; reduction of the Truman by more than $10 billion; a $7.5 bil ion cut in’ taxes; ‘end of the . Korean war ; less government competition with private business; more businessmen in government ; eliinitia ‘tion of Truman’s “red ‘herring” attitude toward subversive probes ; and increases of 19 percent in construe -Eon,’ eight percent in personal income, four ‘ ;percent infactoty produCtion, and . two ‘percent in employment. He granted some farm, mining, and industrial .areas “have. riot been up to’ the rational averages,” but he opposed rigid, percent farm priCe supports. He ‘:.said he is for .r Eisenhower in 1956_4nd -that any’ othe . GOP mididacies : would be premature. bank” approach of payrnents to farmers for nonproducing lands as a solution to farm problems. T.M.A. Favors T-H r -. GALVESTON Delegates to the annual convention of the Texas Manufactdrers Associa tion last week resolved to urge the protection of the American patent sysnual wage. ploring the refusal of tli,e Texas Su–‘ tem, oppose price fixing by govern: IIment, and oppose the guaranteed an They also adopted a resolution de, preme Court to rule at once on a Texas case involving the constitutionality of the Texas “right-to-work” law. The board of T.M.A. adopted policies opposed to weakening of the TaftHartley labor relations act and “usurpation of state authority” by federal grants in aid, especially in industrial safety enforcement. They .decided to W4rk for bills strengthening the protection of the “individual employee” and the public and for the right of states to regulate labor :controversies and , to protect what they call the “right to work.” Name Address City I enclose $4. Please bill me, City A CHRISTMAS DECISION A Christmas Gift . The Texas Observer for One Year for: State \(For other Observer gifts, please attach a note to this blank. asking. He said vier,iptioli . Were lia -s stopped; but said the people of Port Arthur’ “should look out for excessive tax rates, unequal taxes, low services t and financial cover-ups. , “Whenever you think tbat a little_ compromise .of principle won’t hurt, you’re asking for it,” said the Attorney General. Even a small amount of graft should be nailed, he said. Olin Culberson, the Railroad Commis.siorier,’ went to Beam-mint to talk to the Rotary Club. Federal Government once again came in for a flaying. ing. To6 many Americans think it should assume more authority over the individual, he said; Jefferson and Franklin had a high regard for the individual and “a cold and realistic attitude toward the dubious blessings of central gOvernment.” He said these two fathers of our country knew “government is a selfish interest” and “treated it as such.” Jimmy Phillips, the man with his picture. in the magazines, told the American Legion in McKinney that Texans should still be proud of Texas, in spite of the magazine articles about the Texas scandals. “It is unfortunate that such national publicity must be devoted to the bad things instead of to the good things,” he said: “The lifeblood of such publicity is sensationalism.” Phillips said our state employees are honest, of ficient, hard-working, and faithful. FARM BUREAU FOR SALES TAX