anaheim-gazette 1929-04-11

THE ANAHEIM GAZETTE ESTABLISHED 1870 HENRY KUCHEL, Editor and Proprietor. ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY SUBSCRIPTION PER YEAR.....$1.50 SIX MONTHS.....1.00 Entered at the Anaheim, California Postoffice as second-class matter. ANTI-TARIFF PROPAGANDA Foreign propaganda is well organized in the United States, as is evidenced by the pressure now being brought about through publicity from foreign sources against an increase in the American protective tariff. We read of the retaliation that is sure to be visited against American exports in case our tariff is increased, although Europe has already in existence an intricate system of obstacles against the entry of American products, extending in the case of motion pictures even to progressive embargoes. The truth is that most of these nations have already in effect as much restraint of import trade with America as the market will stand. It has been demonstrated that as tariffs are increased upon many American products, the resultant prosperity creates an ability to buy special products, especially luxuries, abroad, and the volume of reciprocal trade is increased rather than decreased. Sir George Paish has recently given forth a lugubrious lamentation to the effect that the world is going to be involved in general disaster in case there are increases in tariffs—his reference clearly being to the proposed increase of tariff rates in the United States. Just how this debacle is going to result from the maintenance of the American protective system, Sir George does not make clear. However, of one thing we may be certain, that what Sir George Paish is most concerned in is the most profitable possible market for British-made goods. The philanthropy of a British economist of statesman never extends across the Atlantic. The truth is that the stability of world finance and industry depends on no small extent upon the continuance of prosperous conditions in the United States. We have a great deal of unemploy Sir George Paish has recently given forth a lugubrious lamentation to the effect that the world is going to be involved in general disaster in case there are increases in tariffs—his reference clearly being to the proposed increase of tariff rates in the United States. Just how this debacle is going to result from the maintenance of the American protective system, Sir George does not make clear. However, of one thing we may be certain, that what Sir George Paish is most concerned in is the most profitable possible market for British-made goods. The philanthropy of a British economist never extends across the Atlantic. The truth is that the stability of world finance and industry depends to no small extent upon the continuance of prosperous conditions in the United States. We have a great deal of unemployment in this country because of excessive importations of goods made abroad under conditions of employment and standards of living far lower than those existing in the United States. The cement, glass, pottery, cutlery and textile industries have been especially hard hit. In case where wage scales in the United States are double, treble or quadruple those prevailing in competing countries, no unreasonable or dangerous restraint of trade is involved in handicapping the foreign product to an extent somewhere approximating these differences in labor costs. Indeed, failure to do this produces unfair competition. The error of European economists and industrialists is in their insistence upon the outworn theory that chepness of production brought about by maintaining low wages and low standard of life is a true basis of prosperity. We have learned and are putting into practice a different theory in the United States, and it would produce calamity indeed here and throughout the world if by our failure to maintain this standard of wages and living the absorptive power of the American market should be impaired or destroyed. Just at this time all this foreign propaganda against the protective policy, especially by those who are the special guardians of the financial and commercial interests of foreign lands, should be taken with a liberal pinch of salt. If the lawmakers of America look after the industrial welfare of the people of the United States, they may confidently leave the job of looking after the prosperity of other countries to the government of these countries with full assurance that the job will be well attended to. And when these foreign economists and statesmen begin to try to take a hand in the control of legislation here their efforts may be fairly looked upon with some suspicion as to the real character of their intentions. INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS The recent sinking of the rum-running British vessel "I'm Alone" by the United States Coast Guard craft in the Gulf of Mexico, the statement by Secretary Mellon that the sinking is justifiable and the report that protests will be lodged by the British and Canadian governments, brings up the interesting thought of what might happen if the United States becomes member of the League World Court in case we were confronted with similar cases. Certainly most Americans will agree that the United States is justified in protecting itself so far as possible against rum-running boats and ships carrying drugs when these try to land their cargoes in the United States. If American bootleggers and rum-runners are to be apprehended whenever possible, certainly there is no excuse for dealing less gently with the foreign variety. But this brings the interesting question as to how such incidents becoming international in importance would be handled by the World Court. It is to be remembered that the other nations of the world do not have prohibition laws and are not in sympathy with our attempts to make America a bone-dry nation. Certainly most Americans will agree that the United States is justified in protecting itself so far as possible against rum-running boats and ships carrying drugs when these try to land their cargoes in the United States. If American bootleggers and rum-runners are to be apprehended whenever possible, certainly there is no excuse for dealing less gently with the foreign variety. But this brings the interesting question as to how such incidents becoming international in importance would be handled by the World Court. It is to be remembered that the other nations of the world do not have prohibition laws and are not in sympathy with our attempts to make America a bone-dry nation. This lack of sympathy is not due to any regard for our own "liberals" but is due rather to the fact that these nations formerly imported a lot of liquor into the United States. It becomes apparent therefore that in case the World Court were called on to decide any question regarding our right to deal with rum runners and drug vendors on the high seas, the court in its sympathy at least would be overwhelmingly against us. It would not be a case of Great Britain having one vote or six votes of her own against us it would be a case of Uncle Sam against the world. There are other questions on which we stand alone, among them the question of immigration which is bound to become more acute if America continues to prosper and Europe continues to remain depressed. Here is another case where the sentiment of not one nation but of practically all of the other nations would be against us. The question of tariffs is another. Of course it will be argued that even if we enter the court and the cards are some time stacked against us we can always withdraw. This is true but in case were to make a gesture toward withdrawing the outcry of "quitter" and "failing to do your duty to the world" which would go up not only in Europe but in our own internationalist quarters, would be loud enough to be heard on the planet Mars. Fortunately, however, the senate when the World Court resolution was adopted, very wisely included reservations which it was believed would safeguard the United States. When the resolution comes up for reconsideration the senate will have the opportunity of passing on it again and there is no reason to believe that the senate will not examine the question in a sane manner with the best interests of the nation at heart. It is said that a bill will be urged in congress to restrict the lending of money for the purchase of securities on the New York Stock Exchange. The average American will fail to see where it is any worse to lend money to buy securities of American industrial concerns than to send $2.000.000.000 to Europe each year to lend for the building up of Eurone's industries. Certainly the American securities look like a safer bet from here. ANAHEIM GAZETTE All Over the Map By Aiber I. Reid LA-DEES 'AN GENT' MEN - THA BAT-FREES FER TA DAY ER SO AN SO AN ET CETRA SAY: DO NOT LET ANY OF YER BULLETS HAVE OVER HERE OR ILL KICK THE PANTS OFFEH YOU THE U.S.A. INHERITANCE TAX INHERITANCE TAX Almost unanimously the state assembly has passed a bill reducing inheritance taxes. Only two votes were recorded against it. Estates worth more than $500,000 will be taxed ten per cent instead of twelve per cent, and the exemption for widows is raised from $24,000 to $50,000. Practically all exemptions from inheritance tax have been raised in amount. There was also a determined effort to make further reductions. This bill should become a law there would be an estimated reduction in inheritance taxes of $1,500,000 annually. The argument of the sponsors of the measure was that the present tax on inheritances kept wealthy people from maintaining a legal residence in California, and that it was burdensome and unpopular. Taxes are always unpopular and burdensome. Nobody is particularly anxious to pay taxes. It has always been the aim of government to raise revenue from sources which will result in the least protest and at the same time are easiest of collection. The inheritance tax fulfills both of these conditions. The burden of the tax must be judged by the amount left after paying the tax and not by the amount of the tax itself. Furthermore, inheritance often, if not always, comes as a chance income and many times unexpectedly. The burden of payment of a percentage of the state is scarcely felt at all. Compared with the burden of the general property tax it is negligible. A widow inherits from her husband. She now pays $72,000 as a tax to the state. Under the new measure she would pay $60,000. Instead of having left $528,000 she would have $540,000. Why should our legislators be so solicitous to make this reduction when such a fortune remains? How much of a burden is for this woman to pay the $12,000? But the bill goes farther and reduces the tax on the share going to distant relatives and strangers by increasing the exemption. Is there really any good reason for this? Are people really depriving themselves of California residence because they will property to a stranger to the blood there will be only a $600 exemption from the tax? If they are not citizens of California they are residents, and the state loses little if anything. The man on the street who pays taxes o this home, which he is also paying for on the installment plan and all that on a meagre income, is wondering why all this sudden solicitude for those who inherit great fortunes. The loss from inheritance taxes must be made up from other sources. Where will we find a source of revenue which is more just and less burdensome than the inheritance of large incomes? There is one other consideration. Almost all taxes are shifted from those who pay in the first instance back to the consumer who cannot shift it to anyone further and hence is compelled to bear the burden. With the inheritance tax it is not so. The heir or devisee cannot shift the burden but must bear it. Thus to this extent the burden stays where it is put and the intent of the people is carried out. Perhaps the votes in the assembly are influenced by the few who expect to inherit large fortunes, while most of us do not will be indifferent as it affects us only indirectly. AMERICAN CAPITAL The announced purchase by the General Motors Corporation of the Opel interests of Germany, one of the largest automobile companies in Europe, and the reported negotiations for the Citroen interests in Paris, indicate the dominating character of American industry in the world. Our surplus capital has not only gone abroad to help foreign industries, but is now rapidly coming to control foreign industry. In the case of the General Motors Corporation we are witnessing the gradual absorption by American capital of the automobile business of the world. We cannot see much hope for lesser companies in competition with such a great octopus. There will, of course, always be other companies seeking automobiles, because there is always room for specialties in every industry; but as in the case of the United Steel Corporation the bulk of the automobile building will probably be done by one company. There are other steel companies than the United States Steel Corporation, but they do only a fraction of the steel business, and that is confined to specialties which—the larger corporation does not care to undertake. The encouraging thing about this internationalization of capital and industry is that it will make war between nations more impossible. The close integration of business is a mighty force in cementing international unity. Nations will hesitate to go to war when it carries with it the destruction of the whole industrial and economic fabric which holds the world together. TWO-THIRDS VOTE Sponsors of the Newport harbor-bond proposal have gracefully abandoned their demand for decision of the bond question by a majority vote and will abide by the established custom of a two-thirds majority. This should go a long way toward silencing the objections of citizens in other parts of the county, who properly insisted that so long as no emergency and no menace to human life and health are involved there was no justification in departing from the two-thirds rule. The merits of the bond issue in general, of course, are not involved in this matter as size of the majority by which the question should be determined. Full discussion of the subject no doubt will be supplied by the proponents and opponents during the coming weeks. The Newport folks have at least made some progress in deeming the harbor project from the flood century measure. THE POOR MAN'S COW The goat may never entirely supplant the cow as a source of milk, but it might well be used more widely by a which want a small quantity of milk and do not have room enough or cannot afford to keep a cow, say U.S. Department of Agriculture. The milk-goat industry in this country is handicapped by a comparatively small portion of superior milk goats and is only in its infancy, but in Europe, where the goat is often called "poor man's cow," it feels likeishing branch of the livestock industry. We do not know just how the new Jones law is going to work, but we are willing to bet that the boottlegers don't put Senator Jones' picture on their imitation Scotch labels. But the bill goes farther and reduces the tax on the share going to distant relatives and strangers by increasing the exemption. Is there really any good reason for this? Are people really depriving themselves of California residence because it they will property to a stranger to the blood there will be only a $500 exemption from the tax? If they are not citizens KISS MOTHER GOOD NIGHT AND GO TO BED LIKE A FOOD BOY FIREDDIE. YES MAM. MY HEAVENS! WHO BROKE MY FANCY FLOWER POT!!? POP BUSTED IT MOM! I SAW HIM FALL OVER IT WHEN HE WENT OUT TONIGHT!! EAU-TI-FUL FLOWER POT! WAIT UNTIL THAT CLUMSY DUCK COMES HOME! ILL WRING HIS NECK FOR HIM! JUST WAIT!! MOM, MAY I STAY UP TILL THE COMES HOME? Amiga Cracken TRA LA SPRING IS HERE AND AIN'T SO SPRING IS THE BAD DURING TIME FOR LOVE! We do not know just how the new Jones law is going to work, but we are willing to bet that the bootleggers don't put Senator Jones' picture on their imitation Scotch labels. OBSERVATIONS CAUSING CACHINNATION When some of the new paper nimrods roundabout attempt to relate early history of this city and the citizens, it causes old-timers to raise their eyebrows or something like that; and it's like a fellow going away freely to hear the news. A LEAK FROM HISTORY Interesting figures compiled by a police officer in a city up state, reveal the following: During a period of three months a million and a quarter dollars worth of liquor had been confiscated, 2,240 bootleggers had been arrested and 270 autos had been impounded. And the good work goes merrily on. FOOLIN' THE FLAPPERS When a lady, whose name is familiar in evangelistic circles, appeared in a court to defend herself in a lawsuit, she was attired in apparel so becoming that the society reporter went into high gear about it and wrote a piece in the paper about the cute costume. There was a large outpouring of feminine people next day to size up the situation—they came to stop and look. But the lady had shifted scenes and was dressed differently—so much so that the 1929 courtroom debultantes who crashed the gate had a hard time locating the lady. It appears the civil action was just an incident. EQUILIBRIUM TOPSY-TURVEY The newspapers have been carrying an item wherein it was stated that a multi-millionaire had purchased a world-renowned painting for a cool million dollars; and the same paper now are painting for a cool million dollars; and the same papers now are lessly awaiting upon the tip-toe of expectancy for a thorough sifting of the facts in the case, so as to set the matter at rest for all time. SOUND OF THE SAW AND HAMMER A high authority on motion pictures says the talkies are wonderful; but the noises in nearby sets must be quieted before the venture can be made a sound investment. SAY, HAVEN'T WE MET BEFORE? A couple of years ago a man and woman married, and then SOUND OF THE SAW AND HAMMER A high authority on motion pictures says the talkies are wonderful; but the noises in nearby sets must be quieted before the venture can be made a sound investment. SAY, HAVEN'T WE MET BEFORE? A couple of years ago a man and woman married, and then to give a new slant to this wedded business, agreed for each to go their separate ways as fancy dictated. The other day they were reunited, were happy and each said they had explicit faith in each other. This may be O.K. for Oskaloosa, but local drug store cowboys allow that this would not do for those with short memories. TURNING OTHER CHEEK You may scrap your fighting boats, but after the scrapping you may have a scrap with the fellow who did not scrap his scrapping boats. COLORED GEMMAN IN KINDLING KITCHEN A wife secured a divorce from her husband when she testified (after they had been married three months) he kept nagging and wanted to know the amount of her life insurance. When the wife told him what she had signed for, he flew into a rage, saying after paying funeral expenses out of the allotted small amount there would be no money left for him. ICY RETORT When a hush-up wet accused a high-dry of not taking notice of the report that several states had repealed their enforcement ordinances, the latter countered by saying that he had "covered" that very point: whereupon the wet averred that if he had done so, for sure, it was articulated "gingerly." HCP, SKIP AND JUMP A traffic cop in an early city says anti-jaywalking ordinances are pure bumbling; when pedestrians get out of the way of the movie vehicles they don't need setting up exercises. LET'S TRY IT AGAIN, BUDDY "You know, they still make left-hand TURNS." SOUTHPAW SQUAWLS When the caption over the following hoity-toity convulsion was written—before it cooled off, it read as follows: "You know, they still make left-hand twins." The preoreader, evidently believing the undertakers are production enthusiasts, ran the heading of the spasm as it appears below: YOU KNOW THEY STILL MAKE LEFT-HAND (TWINS) It is reported that the undertakers held their annual state convention the other day and it was reported that there was a great deal of wholehearted merriment at the conclave, besides singing and dancing. WENT SKATING WHERE THE ICE WAS THIN The height of something inane, silly and pusillanimous was the act of eight young men up state who robbed apartment houses to get furniture and rugs to furnish a swell clubroom of theirs. They're in the jail-house now. YOU KNOW THEY STILL MAKE LEFT-HAND (TWINS) It is reported that the undertakers held their annual state convention the other day and it was reported that there was a great deal of wholehearted merriment at the conclave, besides singing and dancing. WENT SKATING WHERE THE ICE WAS THIN The height of something inane, silly and pusillanimous was the act of eight young men up state who robbed apartment houses to get furniture and rugs to furnish a swell clubroom of theirs. They're in the jail-house now. WHY WALK THROUGH FIRE, IF YOU CAN GO AROUND IT? Now that the sound pictures are going strong some people are thinking of putting the voice apparatus into their homes—as a novelty. That would be O. K. for some husbands, so long as they kept the iceman on the outside. HEY, MISTER, GOT A MATCH?—PUFF, PUFF, PUFF! A German scientist is credited with saying that tobacco smoke kills the flu germs; and a man who has looked this matter up says people who work in tobacco factories never catch a cold. THE SPARE TIRE When you try to get peace pact and a lot of battleships all at once, it surely looks superfluous, or something; but should the pact lull you to sleep, it would be a good thing, anyhow, to have the dogs of war ready in case somebody came prowling around. BEWARE OF THE BUNKO BOZO This item may be a little late in transit, but unsuspecting persons should be on their guard before buying land upon which they expect to get water from the Boulder dam. It is said unscrupulous boomers have already cleaned up on some people to the extent of a quarter of a million dollars. These slickers will sell you the dam itself, if you don't watch out. THAT'S WHY THEY PUT RUBBERS ON LEAD PENCILS There is an age-old custom, when a judge or a minister performs a marriage ceremony, that the one tieing the knot should kiss the bride. Now, listen; the other day when a lady received her final decree, her attorney planted a loveable and lingering kiss upon her cheek. WHEN YOU FAIL TO GO TO BED THE DAY YOU GET UP In a city up state a wife secured a divorce from her husband because she refused to cook hi ma breakfast when he came in at 3 A.M., and he threw an old shoe at her.