Show WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS ANALYSIS' Supreme Court Decision Hectares Declares i Home Rule Rent Controls Contros Valid VaId Five Million Receiving Public Aid When opinions opinIon are ore expressed In these hee columns they are rc those o or NOTE NOTES Newspaper Unions Union new news analyst and ond not necessarily of ns this n newspaper RENT CURBS Home Rule Okayed The home rule rent control law which allows states and cities to decontrol their own areas areas- areas areas- was upheld by the US U.S. supreme court courtin in almost record time The courts court's ruling came in less than a week heard after oral arguments were THE LAW w was s enacted last summer sum mer by congress and is due to expire June 30 1950 It had lost in its first federal court test when a US U.S. district judge declared it unconstitutional unconstitutional un un- un constitutional because it delegated powers of congress to the states and local governing bodies Tighe Wood and the justice department department de de- de passed by-passed intermediate courts and appealed the finding directly directly directly di di- to the high court While there had been no general statements to the effect there was wasa a widespread impression that man many states and local areas had withheld decontrol action because of the pending suit IN ONE INSTANCE a Kentucky y county area had restored rent curbs after lifting lilting them had resulted re reo in what was termed Unreasonable unreasonable unreasonable un unreasonable un- un reasonable rent increases However short private building had fallen of its goals there was no argument that the housing shortage had eased cased somewhat and it appeared that congress might find it relatively easy to abandon all rent curbs when the present home rule act expires But in view of what had happened happened hap hap- in some isolated areas in rental charges congress might leave the way open for restoration of controls wherever landlords landlords' displayed displayed dis dis- dis played a tendency to gouge tenants ten ten- ants PUBLIC AID Cost Enormous In a country as powerful and prosperous as the United States States it seemed an ironical paradox but the record showed it to be true true true- more than five million Americans were receiving public assistance of some form or other and at a acost acost acost cost of two billion dollars a year to the taxpayers JOHN L L. L THURSTON acting security administrator cited those figures at the opening of a day 10 con congressional inquiry into the problems of the nations nation's low low- income families Thurston explained ex explained ex- ex that the federal government government govern govern- ment provides about half of the two billion dollar doltar annual outlay for public aid with the other half coming from state and local community community com com- funds Thurston himself saw the contradiction contradiction con can in the situation as he indicated when he said This seems to some people an astonishing phenomenon consider consider- considering ing the fact that we have had full futI or practically full employment for forthe forthe forthe the past seven or eight years HE SOUGHT to clarify clarity the situation situation situa situa- tion however er when he added It is not at all astonishing however in relation to the large number of families with no earner or a low-income low earner and in view of inadequacies of our social insurance program Then Thurston used the occasion to get in a few licks for President Truman's Fair Deal program contending that its enactment would help provide better living for low income families WAR VETS More Benefits Slated for delivery after January January January Jan Jan- uary 1 were Increases in benefits for disabled US U.S. war veterans dependents and widows The veterans veterans vet vet- erans administration reported that checks of some two million cents were about to be increased THE LARGEST GROUPS to receive re re- receive increases the VA said included Included In in- Included nearly two million veterans veterans veterans veter veter- ans with service connected disabilities disabilities dis dis- dis abilities from 10 to per cent This group includes World War I 1 and II veterans disabled in service service ser ser- vice and other veterans disabled in pt peacetime service since July 15 15 1903 The Theold old rates of payment range rang e from 1380 to a month fo for forwar forwar r war service and from 1104 to for peacetime service THE NEW RATES are 87 pe per percent percent r cent higher higher respectively respectively 15 t to a and 12 to About widows receiving g compensation because of the ser vice-connected vice death of a veteran vetera n and who have one or more chil dren also will get increases ECONOMY Over a Barrel More than national leaders talking of the need of economy in operation n of the federal government government government govern govern- ment may have felt themselves more over the barrel than around it when they met for a cracker barrel discussion of the problem It was a real cracker barrel bearing the legend citizens committee committee com com- for the Hoover report set setup setup setup up amid the handsome appointments appointments appointments appoint appoint- ments of Washington's Shoreham hotel DELEGATES HEARD Herbert Hoover chairman of the committee commit commit- tee appointed to study means of s streamlining t r rea e a m lining the government praise the accomplishments of his commission and of the committee now seeking to get the commissions commissions commission's commissions commission's commis commis- sion's proposals adopted After pointing out that federal expenditure of more than 43 bilion billion bil- bil lion ion dollars and a deficit of more than five billion have been announced announced an an- for tor the current fiscal year he declared I believe it may be much greater great great- er in the next fiscal year We maybe may maye maybe be e turning two loose loosen in n the land Their terrifying names are higher ta tales tales' es' es s' s and inGa inflation tion HOOVER P POINTED OUT that six months have passed since the commission he headed finished its reports on congress and on economics economics economics eco eco- and improvements in the executive branch and In the meantime the recommendations have lave had a magnificent support by the press and public All of which was true The rub seemed to be in in getting congress and the President to go all the way suggested by the Hoover commission commission com com- mission in effecting more government government govern govern- ment economy and efficiency LABORITES Ousted by For the second time within 11 days proponents of socialism inthe in inthe inthe the British commonwealth had been ousted by the voters Advocates Advocates Advocates cates of free enterprise threw out Australia's Labor government an action which paralleled the election elec elec- election election tion verdict In New Zealand WERE THESE IMPORTANT portents or did they signify noth noth- nothing ing If It one chose to place e the events alongside the current difficulties dif dif- experienced by the British British Brit Brit- ish Labor government and attempt at at- tempt to evaluate them correctly the answer would be that socialism social social- ism appeared to be on its way out In the British commonwealth On the other hand the foes of the free enterprise system everywhere every every- where would doggedly stand on Labors Labor's claimed progress over the years and attempt to take the stand that those voting out were doing so simply because they did not know what was best for them them- selves ROBERT GORDON MENZIES Australian Liberal leader who will now be restored to the prime min he held from 1939 to 1941 called the turn In an earlier comment com com- ment on the Australian situation The Socialists were brought to power in New Zealand Australia lia and Great Britain in that order The dramatic New Zealand result re re- suIt cult seems stems a happy omen that they will go out cut in the same order BUDGET How Much While President Truman sunned himself at Key West Fla posing for newsmen busying himself with affairs of ot state even though on vacation American taxpayers were particularly interested In the visit paid him by John Snyder secretary secretary sec sec- of the treasury THE REASON of course was the forthcoming budget message which the President was preparing preparing preparing ing to deliver to congress Until that time no US U.S. taxpayer would know just what the administration had in mind concerning taxes Everyone knew that the President President dent had publicly stated he would need some 12 billion dollars more morein morein morein in revenue if the budget were to tobe tobe tobe be balanced but everyone knew too that there were many senators and representatives who would not go along with any my such sal It could also be regarded as significant or not that there had been no recent declara declaration lion from the President concerning taxation or any need for tax increase WH WHETHER THER THAT MEANT the the I President was prepared to recede from his original tax proposals was purely a matter of speculation I but aut such a 1 course was probable inasmuch as some of the Presidents President's Presidents President's dents dent's cabinet members had been saying publicly that a reduction in taxes or holding them at the present present pres pres- ent federal level would be good for US U.S. business and the nations nation's economy econ 1 omy amy And as a rule cabinet members members' I dont don't comment on such controversial sial subjects until their remarks have been cleared previously with with I Ithe the he White House Henry Wallace didn't follow that procedure and andl now hes he's an cabinet ex-cabinet member INJUSTICE Charged to Census Twenty-three Twenty Republican con congressmen congressmen congressmen gressmen wouldn't be alone in ink ini their heir attack on that phase of the 1950 census which will require requires i t every fifth person over 14 years years' I of age to disclose all the facts facts' about his income The Republicans banded together together in n a blast of criticism at the cenus cenus cen cen- s sus us bureaus bureau's planned procedure in inan inan inan an action following attacks earlier by Representative Brown of Ohio and nd Hinshaw of California upon the bureaus bureau's 1950 questionnaire THAT CRITICISM charged that the Truman administration is perpetrating an outrageous discrimination dis- dis c crimination against small income people Brown had bad demanded of Philip M. M I. I Hauser acting director of the census that he cite legal authority author author- i ty ity for the income questions He charged that such Inquiries are unlawful In the meantime a spokesman for or the census bureau told newsmen newsmen newsmen news news- men that only a few of the citi citi- z ens zens asked the income question are re expected to object to it He explained that those who decline to o give the enumerator the information information information mation personally would be permitted permitted permitted per per- to mail it to the bureau in Washington The Republican critics' critics view was IF A PERSON earns more than all he has to do is say so without giving the amount and the census taker is b satisfied But for all people earning under the he questionnaire stands as written writ writ- ten ten en This Is a raw injustice As an added basis for its position tion ion the census bureau stated the figures about income will be confidential con- con confidential not even open open to tax collectors col col- lectors or the FBI That being the case what good goad will the figures do lo anyone and why does the census census census cen cen- sus bureau insist on having them Ax Man an 1 r y r r a Mayor elect A And Andrew n d r e w J J. J Bossy Gillis of Newburyport Newbury- Newbury port Mass 1 sharpened up the ax which he be said will wUl fallon fall fallon fallon on the necks of a lot of jobholders Jobholders Jobholders Job Job- holders after alter he takes over again at city hall He De landed back In office In a surprise victory BRITISH DOCTOR Change of Heart Dr E. E F F. F St. St John Lyburn had made no bones about how put out he was about England's socialized health program The first British doctor to announce publicly he would operate it ft he was also the first to announce he was going to quit it But the doctor changed his mind Hes He's returning to the program But he said there was a reason His patients asked him |