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Show Page Two FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1960 THE SALT LAKE TIMES (Seliind ike Jeculfined Nothing, not even presidential politicking, seems to have fired the imagination and aroused the vigor of Congress as much as the annual Battle of the Budget. This year, for the first time, even Communist China and the Soviet Union are acting like two more new states in the Union by openly and actively participat-ing in this hitherto purely U.S. drama. It all began, of course, when President Eisenhower introduced his massive $79,800,000,000.00 budget into the Democratic con-trolled election year Congress, which immediately eyed the President's tempting $4,200,000,-00-0 surplus. Neither Democrats nor Repub-licans have forgotten that this is a presidential congressional year that the Eisenhower era is com-ing to an end nor that the elec- - . into its own destruction." But the current Communist line is that the President's $40,900,000,-00- 0 request for defense, or $45,-568,000,0- 00 for overall national security, is threatening the "Spirit of Camp David" and the "Peaceful Co-existen- or even "threatens to revive world ten-sions" or might "sabotage the coming Summit talks," "jeopar-dize the Geneva A-te- st confer-ence" or "wreck hopes for world disarmament." All of this and more is the current Moscow Peiping line. Communism is obviously show-ing that it is feeling the pinch and burden of the arms race and seeking to slow down the U.S. defense effort, is even radio broadcasting appeals to Congress to follow Khrushchev's recent one-thir- d across the board cut back in Soviet armed manpower with defense cuts of our own. What comes as a surprise is that many U. S. Senators and. Congressmen in both parties are speaking quietly of doing that. None speak directly of im-pairing U.S. defenses or of doing as Moscow and Peiuing urge, of course. Of course, there is a strong sentiment among Demo-crats in. particular in Congress for raising, rather than lowering the President's $45,568,000,000 overall defense budget so that more funds can be spent on the space missiles projects. There is some hope that all or part of this might come from the President's hoped for $4,200,-000,00- 0 surplus. But there is more "quiet talk" in both parties that the President's $4,175,000,-00- 0 foreign aid program might be the only real area in which Congressional economies may be effected. Many of the President's own Republicans are prepared to tions oeginning a new era in American politics may be affect-ed most by the record of the second session of the 86th Con-gress. More of the spotlight than ever is also shining on Congress be-cause, for the first time, more Senators than ever before are seeking the Presidency and it is also likely that the next Presi-dent will come from the Senate, presided over by Vice President Nixon. But regardless of politics, or in spite of it, Congress always rises to the challenge of a President's budget presents since it draws the line between the Legislative and Executive. Since the Budget is a congressional responsibility it provides the House and Senate with their one real chance to as-sert themselves and "humble" the Presidency. In any event no one has to be attempt to make deep slashes in foreign aid, while Democrats see it as the best target for some election year budget cutting. And others urge that as much as half the foreign aid requested be spent on U. S. missiles instead. But right or wrong, and by-passing all the arguments for or against foreign aid, or mutual security as it is more properly called, is the fact that any size-able cuts in overseas aid would be exactly what the Communists have requested. For just as the military budget of an overall $45,568,000,000 is over half the whole $79,800,000,-00- 0 budget, more than half of what we call "foreign aid" is ac-tually for foreign aid and arms assistance or related expenses. The President can be expected to resist any deep aid cuts. But already Congress seems deter-mined to call on our Allies to spend more on their own de-fense than even the President believes they will. reminded that the annual Battle of the Budget has been joined again as the President's massive tome is examined, re-exami-and placed under the congres-sional microscope amid a chorus of criticism. For it is an oddity that few lawmakers, whatever the party, ever accept a presidential budget without some critical comment at best, or scathing denunciation from the opposition. To do so, would admit that perhaps the country could do without its congressional scrutiny, which under our system of checks and balances is unthinkable. Besides congressmen also have to work. Some of the criticism is easily recognized, while some is not. Democrats are, for the most part charging that the President has failed to ask nearly enough fund to meet the national and inter-national needs of the times. But there is also the subtler opposition cf those who, while even asserting their support of the President, say they believe he has actually invited deeper cuts in his own budget by ap-pealing for "even greater fiscal integrity." Most surprising of all has been the seeming interest the Com-munist world has shown, for the first time this year, in the U.S. Battle of the Budget. With unprecedented regularity Radio Moscow and Peiping prop-agandists have joined the ranks of the economizers to demand that the U.S. "should spend less, not more, on military expendi-tures" in particular, which may come as no surprise, since World Communism hardly- - wants the U. S. to remain militarily strong. There was a time when it was believed that Communist sought ' to force the U. S. to "spend itself Public Hearing Set For Feb. 2 in S. L Senator Frank E. Moss of Utah will conduct a public hearing in Salt Lake City February 2 on a new Senate bill to amend the law governing the acquisition of federal lands for state park pur-poses. Testimony will be taken for the Public Lands subcommittee of the Senate Committee on In-sular Affairs. Senator Moss is a member of the committee and the subcommittee. He said, "Last session a bill was passed that increased the number of acres of federal lands that may be transferred to the states from 640 to 12,800 acres per year. This new quota will be in effect for only three years, however, after which it drops to 6,400 acres per year. "Utah's first experience with the new law shows that it takes the Department of the Interior some time to process and con-sider the state applications, and that it is necessary to clearly define the method of determin- - ing quotas. "This bill, jointly sponsored by Senator Bennett and myself pro-vides that the quota for any year shall be determined by the date of the state's application, not by the date processing is completed or actual transfer is made. "Congress is working toward an early adjournment, and, if this bill is to be passed this ses-sion we will have to keep it moving. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to hold the public hearing this soon. I will press for early favorable action by the Interior Committee." Persons interested in testifying at the February 2 hearing should inform either the Salt Lake or Washington office of Sen. Moss as soon as possible. Location of the meeting will be announced later. Utah Builders Set New Record in Home Construction December 31, 9159, brought to a close the greatest residential construction year in Utah's his-tory, according to figures re-leased by the Bureau of Eco-nomic and Business Research oi the University of Utah. More than 8,000 new homes, valued at $96.8 million, were started during the year. By con-trast, Salt Lake County's resi-dential building fell nine per cent from the 1958 total, as a total of 3,800 new homes were started during the year at a total valuation of $46.6 million. This decline was primarily the result of the situation which existed in Salt Lake County a year ago. In December, 1958, Salt Lake County officials announced an increase in building permit rates and the adoption of a new uni-form building code to take ef-fect January 1, 1959. In antici-pation of this change many Salt Lake builders secured building permits during December, 1958, which would otherwise have been purchased in January 1959. Thus the number of new dwell-ing units authorized for con-struction during December a year ago jumped to the phenom-enal December figure of 852, pushing the yearly total to a rec-ord level. The University bureau figures further show that non-residenti- al building construction fell 13 per cent on the state level to $52.9 million, while Salt Lake County saw a decline of 29.5 per cent to $22.5 million in this category, several new non-resident- ial proj-ects were undertaken in the county during the year, which brought this category to its final figure. They included the Salt Lake airport valued at $3.5 mil-lion and a plant at Bacchus for $1.6 million. Total permit authorized con-struction (that is, construction other than public works and util-ities) for Salt Lake County fell 12 per cent from 1958. By con-trast, the state's permit author-ized construction rose slightly, 1.9 per cent. Total valuation for this construction in the county was $80.0 million. Local construction figures are supplied to the University Bu-reau by municipal officials in the Salt Lake County area and are gathered in cooperation with the F. W. Dodge Corn, of New York. MORE K-AAO-RE 1 J lHhere Bit's A Aft V U o i CONSTIPATED? Medical reports show how folks over 35 can establish regularity After 35, irregularity often be- - j comes a problem. What you need is something that aids nature and helps establish regularity. Such an aid to regularity is the daily use of serutan. Here's medical evidence: A group of men and women took serutan daily under medical supervision. In case after case serutan, taken daily, helped establish regularity. So, for real relief from constipation after 35, try serutan, powder or granular. gERUTAM. All the Time THE NEW mm i 1230 On Every Radio I mimhmm Mams Director Lists Rules For Tax Payments Taxpayers having incomes up to $10,000 may again use the simple card Form 1040A in fil-ing their 1959 Federal income tax returns, Roland V. Wise, Director of Internal Revenue for the Salt Lake City District, said this week. Husband and wife may file a joint return on Form 1040A if their combined income is under $10,000, he added. Form 1040A, he said, applies to taxpayers whose income con-sists of wages reported on Form W--2, and not more than $200 in dividends, interest and wages not subject to withholding. Mr. Wise added: "In using Form 1040 A, tax-payers must take the standard 10 per cent deductions allowed for contributions, interest pay-ments, medical expenses and the 12c a mile, you still may use Form 1040A, provided your ex-- penses equal or exceed the sum of reimbursement and you do not wish to claim a deduction ' for such excess." Taxpayers who have recently received in the mails a "pre-punched" card Form 1040A for this year's return were requested by Mr. Wise to use this card. i When the taxpayer files his re-tu- rn using the pre-punch- ed card Internal Revenue can use the re- - like. As in past years, taxpayers with income under $5,000 may figure their own tax on have Internal Revenue do it for them. Mr. Wise said taxpayers can not use Form 104 OA if thej'-clai- 1) "head of household" or "surviving spouse" status; 2 "dividends received credit or retirement income credit"; 3) "sick pay", 4) "estimated tax payment credit"; or 5) "if either the taxpayer or his wide itemizes deductions on page 2 of a sepa- rate return on Form 1040 or Form 1040W." "If you incur expenses for your employer and he reimburses you for the actual amount ex-pended, or if he allows you sub-sistence or mileage for travel of not more than $15 a day and turn to locate mechanically an-other card in which the taxpay-er's name and address have al-ready been punched. If the taxpayer fails to use the pre-punch- ed card and makes his return on another blank, IRS must spend additional time and money in the job of hand punch-ing the name and address again. It is costly and time consuming ' and it has been done each for year several million taxpayers who have lost, destroyed or mu-tilated the pre-punch- ed cards sent them. Please help reduce this burden of duplication by using the pre-punch- ed 1040A ' card if one was sent to you. With some girls, the end justi-fies the jeans. |