VOLUME24 NUMBER 9
IAND n dENGINEERING ustrial Chemistry
SEPTEMBER 1932
J
HARRISONE. HOWE,EDITOR
The Editor's Point of View
C
RISES. The well-known and overgrown depression has brought us at least one benefit. It has served to obtain an interested hearing that is fast becoming intelligent for those proclaiming the menace of increasing taxation. Tax figures have grown to astronomical proportions, so that we shall omit the tedium of statistics. Suffice it to say that their sheer weight seems a t last to have awakened every one to the trend of the taxation curve. There is a resolve to take a firm and more direct hand in turning the curve downward, and having turned it down to keep it there. As a result, organizations in se\ era1 states have obtained a substantial decrease in county and even state taxation. The newly formed National Economy League is attracting the attention of millions to its program for reducing permanently the expense of county, state, and national expenditures. Even those who have shared the fallacy that some pay no taxes and that government credit is inexhaustible will become tax-conscious before present levies and those likely to be enacted at the next session of Congress are revised downward. No inconsiderable opposition to economy in all forms of government may be expected from the astounding percentage of our total population which depends for its income upon money raised through taxation. When one remembers how many individuals are supported by taxes in every community, township, county, and state organization (not to mention those in the public service under federal auspices) and adds to that their dependents, the total number undoubtedly approximates 25 per cent of our population. There is seldom any serious effort to reduce this overhead through a consolidation of organizations, such as might be done by combining the governments of several townships or even counties, since such a moVe treads on voters, and friendly voters are essential to those who must take the lead in any such economy. A large factor in increasing taxes has beell a desire to ha\e many things and to promote many activities which, in their total, cost a sum far in excess of income. BorroNing to the legal limit has followed, and now states must be helped by use of the nation's credit.
Some cities propose to have the farmer come to their aid by way of loans made to them from state treasuries. It is not to be wondered that days of real public economy are immediately ahead. Bureaus that have overexpanded, assuming that any service they could contrive was wanted by the public, must cut down to essentials. h more discriminating choice must be made between projects to be evaluated in terms of immediate need and dependable return. In such circumstances crises may arise. We may face a crisis in the matter of health. No well-managed public health enterprise should be deprived of the support, the personnel, or the facilities which make it potent and successful. Much of the beneficial work in matters of health results from longtime experimentation, to interrupt which might not only lose all that has been invested in it but very greatly delay its completion. This would mean withholding benefits from the public and decreasing that greatest of all assets, good health among the vast majority of our people. Another crisis may waylay us in the matter of education. Too much money may have been lavished on school buildings and similar structures. No doubt many courses can be eliminated without detriment, and simpler equipment would answer oftentimes if only the teaching were somewhat better. But education is one of those processes that cannot be arrested with safety. It cannot wait. Putting off until tomorrow what should be done today may easily prove fatal in educating the youth of our land. We often think that our whole scheme of education has failed, but, on the other hand, who shall say that the restraint which has characterized the lmerican people during the last three years may not in some large measure be due to the level of education which has been attained? Research may face a crisis unless wisdom is displayed in segregating pressing projects from those which are judged capable of waiting. But fundamental work must go on; otherwise our storehouse of knowledge will be found depleted when the stores are most needed. The wisest are unable to predict with certainty which research projects will yield results of the most immedi-
968
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 24, No. 9
the day. Executives in business and our leaders generally have a solemn duty to perform this year in helping to make available to others an unprejudiced and true evaluation of men as well as of issues. There is need for careful thinking when it comes t o the matter of tariff protection, a question on which the two great political parties are no longer so far apart, since admittedly the tariff becomes day by day more of a local issue. There is likely to be renewed pressure to change the American attitude on protective duties. This will come from representatives of foreign manufacturers who quite natur'ally look with envious eyes upon our consuming market, from our own manufacturers who are attracted by the glamor of foreign trade and who would lower tariff here in return for concessions elsewhere, from the press which enjoys the advertising of department stores interested in import, and from international bankers. Our home market consumes 90 per cent of our goods, and yet there are those who would risk that market in an effort to gain, say, * * one per cent in the total of our exports. We are prone to forget that raw materials, essential articles, and things not manufactured in sufficient quantity a t NE result of the depression which we dread will home are admitted free of duty and that the flexible be the necessity of putting up with another provisions of our tariff law were intended to help take crop of the nouueau riche, which will result from tariff out of politics. It is worthy of note that out of investments in the many bargains of the day. some six thousand items mentioned in the tariff, there have been only one hundred and twenty-four applica* * tions, including duplicate applications, for a change under the flexible provision. Of these, forty-seven were dismissed, nine withdrawn, and forty-three reUR PLAIN DUTY. The heavy artillery of ports, some involving more than one rate of duty, sent political orators has already begun its bomto the President with recommendations. The result bardment, and before long efforts will be has been twelve increases in tariff whereas in nineteen made through speeches, press, radio, mails, and cases the t a r 8 has been decreased. movies to influence voters in their choice of candidates The chemical industry in particular is liable to be for public office. It is not in the province of INDUSTRIAL attacked largely because there is still too little inAND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRYto discuss politics, telligent interest in its finished products which, as but perhaps we may call attention to one or two of such, seldom reach the consuming public. In many the things which seem to us to fall into the classification cases foreign competitive groups have been aided by of public duty. loans of American money, and the international Scientists are not usually given to much interest in bankers continually bring pressure to bear in the hope affairs political; yet they owe a debt to the state which that the American market may be open to these debtors they should endeavor to discharge. It is particularly and profits resulting from trade here used for repayimportant that those men chosen through the next ment of loans. Admittedly tariffs may be greatly election shall be those capable of considering public overdone. Economists tell us that this is one of the questions from a national and even an international world ailments. Our tariff is neither for retaliation point of view rather than from a purely personal or local viewpoint. We have a11 paid too little attention nor for bargaining, but is intended to equalize costs a t to the training and the ability of those who represent home and abroad. Without it, it would be difficult to us in government. The politician is undoubtedly maintain a satisfactory standard of living and enable subject t o more conflicting forces than any other in- our high-priced efficient labor to be sold in the form of dividual and must be strong if he is t o think his action finished products. The voter should take the trouble through and do what is really best. Far too often the to inform himself in these matters before reaching a man in office is little more than the cat's-paw of the decision. In these questions and in many others, scientific unscrupulous who remain behind the scenes. The voter needs to be discriminating in giving his support men, while pursuing their chosen work, have as citit o those capable of deciding the difficult questions of zens a plain duty to discharge. ate value, but that is a risk which may have to be run, and in nearly every laboratory some agreement can be reached as to the work which deserves the greatest emphasis. National defense may also encounter a severe crisis under present circumstances. We are all appalled a t the huge sums spent annually on account of past and possible future wars. But we have faith that, if this delicate and difficult problem can be attacked without selfishness, wonders in economy can be achieved without in any degree weakening necessary national defense. In the times for economy ahead of us some expensive highways, some attractive public buildings, and many desirable improvements will doubtless have to be postponed in favor of things more vital to public welfare. We shall have to learn how to choose with great discrimination between essentials and nonessentials. Economy merely means true wisdom in making choices.
0
0
