Show Please Help Your Old Uncle But Gifts to U S. S Cannot Have Strings Attached By Frederick C. C Othman WASHINGTON If If you want t to make a gift to your Uncle Samuel you may do so but youre you're got to 4 trust him not notto to waste it Try to lo send Uncle some s 0 me money to lo buy buya a battleship or even a piano for a soldiers' soldiers x canteen a and n d hell he'll send it t back with wilh a apolite apolite pol polite i t e note Mr Othman saying it is against the law for him to accept any presents with strings attached This pains Mr l Moneybags l Secretary Secretary Secre Secretary tary of Treasury John Snyder He wants a l law w permitting i Uncle to receive with thanks anything you kindly citizens care to lo donate and for whatever whatever whatever what what- ever purpose So Congress has before it such a bill senate No 1230 authorizing gifts to the Government for specific pur pur- poses It undoubtedly will become become become be be- come law This is because there are so many people clamoring now for forthe forthe forthe the right to make specific bequests bequests bequests be be- quests to lo their Government If they arent aren't permitted to lo do so according to lo Senator John L. L McClellan D. D Ark they'll probably get sore And when a taxpayer wants to give Uncle something extra the gentleman from Arkansas figures it is well to keep him himin himin himin in good humor During the last war there was e erne emergency m e r g e c n c 3 y legislation which let the generous ones make such gifts and t tie e totals arc are surprising Of their own free will and without any thought of repayment repayment repayment repay repay- ment they sent Uncle checks small change and money orders orders orders or or- ders ranging in values from to They sent him to build extra flying flying flying fly fly- ing machines earmarked earmarked ear car marked for battleships for guns and bullets for entertainment of troops for medicine medicine medi medi- medicine cine and for what the treasury called vehicles No Sedans Mostly l the generous ones meant ambulances t tho though h o u ugh g h some said their money was to tobe tobe be spent for tanks Not one included included included in in- a any n y donations for sedans for the military brass In one war year alone they also shipped Uncle package of large bundles of oC books decks of playing cards phonograph phonograph graph records and one spinet piano They gave the Government 2000 dogs 2000 bathrobes 2118 pairs of oC slippers and numerous other items like movie projectors projectors pro- pro game kits kils and reels of movie film One thoughtful soul presented Uncle a used wheel chair in first-class first con con- con con- on- on Old Rules A Again ain When the shooting ended the old rules about unconditional unconditional unconditional gifts went into effect again and the shower for Uncle turned into a drizzle Who'd give him money to build an atom bomb when maybe hed he'd use it to redecorate the private dining room of oC a cabinet officer officer officer So during the year ending April 25 Snyder had to report that the people had given their Government only in cash to use as it sees fit That's the story The total amount of gifts probably wont won't mean much in these days of oC multibillion dollar budgets but butas butas butas as Senator McClellan says every little bit helps And furthermore furthermore furthermore fur fur- it makes the donors feel happy This proves that i if iE is better betterto to give than to lo receive and as soon as Uncle decides he can accept it I have a gift for him too one package of red tape |