Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

Current EventsProf. William H. Russell, Ph.D.BUSINESS AS USUALOur national government has not experienced the breakdown which some persons had feared from the illness ofPresident Eisenhower. Meetings of the Cabinet and the National Security Council have gone on as usual with VicePresident Nixon presiding. The President has not had todelegate any of his powers, for most of the Administrationofficials are following policies already set, and Nixon cancoordinate their work. This fortunate situation results fromPresident Eisenhower's reorganization of the Cabinet andfrom the increased responsibilities he has given the VicePresident. If no unexpected crisis arises, the governmentmay operate satisfactorily without the President for severalweeks, until he can return to Washington. The result ismuch better than in 1919-1920, when President WoodrowWilson became an invalid and his administration driftedwithout leadership.FUEHRER'S ENDThe mystery surrounding Adolf Hitler's death may atlast be solved. Among the German "warcriminals"recentlyreleased by the Soviet Union was Heinz Linge, Hitler's personal valet. Linge says that Hitler shot himself in his underground bomb shelter, and that his mistress then took poison.Linge carried Hitler's body into the garden above the bunkerand helped burn it with gasoline. Hitler's chief personalpilot also has been released and testifies to the Fuehrer'sdeath. The Russians obtained this evidence soon after thewar, but never revealed it to the Western world. This testimony should end the legends that Hitler has survived inhiding, and enable the German courts to declare him legally dead.BAD BUSINESShed a tear for the poor liquor dealers. The InternalRevenue Service is drafting legislation to increase their occupational taxes. The federal tax for wholesalers would beraised from $200 to $255, and for retail dealers from $50 to$54. Taxes on beer dealers, which are lower, would also beincreased. The distillers also are worried about their hugesurplus stocks. They now have in bond 280 million gallons ofwhisky which is four years old or more. When this poisonbecomes eight years old, it will be taxed at $10.50 a gallonand must be sold, regardless of market conditions. Theliquor interests want to have this law changed, but cannotagree on an alternative. They also complain that moonshiningis on the increase. It is estimated that one-fourth of thewhisky consumed last year was illegally distilled, paying notaxes. The penalties for tax evasion are still light, oftenamounting only to a small fine.WEAPONS FOR EGYPTWestern diplomats are worried by the decision ofEgypt's Premier, Gamal Nasser, to buy arms from Communist Czechoslovakia. Nassar has been determined to buildup Egypt's army, which is only half as large as Israel's. Heespecially lacks planes and heavy armored equipment. Heclaimed that he was unable to buy from the British, French,or American governments without political commitments.Czechoslovakia offered the arms on a purely commercial242basis, in exchange for Egyptian grain and cotton. Czechoslovakia's Skoda arms works, which will fill the Egyptian orders, is controlled by the Soviet army. We were reluctantto sell Egypt weapons for fear of starting a Near Easternarmament race, but we may have given the Russians afoothold instead. Russia also has offered to arm SaudiArabia, and Israel is of course greatly alarmed.ICE BOOMDespite the replacement of the oldtime icebox by electric refrigeration, America's ice industry is flourishing. Thebusiness amounted to about $325 million last year, comparedwith $227 million twenty years ago. About 5,000 ice-makingplants are in operation. More than 8,000 vending machines,produced by seven different concerns, are being used to sellpackaged ice. Portable ice chests are increasingly popularfor picnics and traveling, and more and more ice is beingused in the processingOur 126,000and shipment of perishable foods.railroad refrigerator cars take about onefourthof the country's total ice production. This furnishes agood example of an old business surviving by adapting itself to modern conditions.POLITICS AT ATHENSGreece has a new premier, following the death of Alexander Papagos at the age of 71. As a general, Papagos threwback the Italian invasion of Greece in 1940, and in 1949crushed the Communist guerrillas. In 1952 he became Premier ashead of the Greek Rally, a right-wing party of pro- Westernsympathies. The promised social and economic reforms havebeen slow in coming, however, and the Greek Rally has beentorn by factionalism. To add to the internal problems, thegovernment's demands for control of Cyprus have strainedher relations with two strong allies, Great Britain andTurkey. As the new premier, King Paul chose a member ofthe Papagos cabinet, Constantin Karmalis. If confirmed bya Parliamentary vote of confidence, he will head a fivemancommittee which will control the Greek Rally party.THE AMERICAN WAYTwo out of three American households now have television! This makes a total of about 33 million sets. In ruralareas, 46 per cent of the homes have TV, while in metropolitan areas almost 80 per cent own sets. After ten yearsof amazing growth, the demand may soon begin to level offas the saturation point is reached.American tourists will spend $1.5 billion abroad thisyear, the Commerce Department estimates. This is $200million more than last year's peak.362,310 spectators paid $2,337,575 to see the BrooklynDodgers beat the New York Yankees in the World Series. Itwas the richest series in history, and the first World Seriesvictoryfor the Dodgers in eight tries.EWING-HUGHESCarol Jane, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dean Ewing ofQuinter, became the bride of Kenneth Hughes, son of Mr.and Mrs. Eugene Hughes of Wakeeney, Saturday morning,September 10, 1955 at the Reformed Presbyterian Church inQuinter, with Rev. Paul Faris officiating.COVENANTER WITNESS