—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 4,1969
4
From Where We Stand ...
Greetings!
One of the first things that greeted
every farmer with the dawn of the new year
this week, was an increase in social security
taxes. Social security payment deductions
from self-employed persons such as farm
ers will rise to 6.9 per cent of earnings up
to $7,800. This means that any farmer with
earnings of $7,800 will pay $538.20 in 1969
for social security taxes alone.
Of course, city people aren’t exempt
from the tax. Payment deductions from
wage and salary checks will rise to 4.8 per
cent and the employer must pay an equal
amount. Thus, the total tax take in the name
of “social security” will reach nearly 10
per of taxable payrolls. Nearly 10 percent of
every dollar up to maximum taxable earn
ings will go to the federal government to
pay for social security and medicare as
much as $748.80 per employee. And more in
creases in this tax are coming in years
a&ead. By 1987, it will amount to 5.9 per cent
for both employee and employer.
A little pamphlet issued by the Associat
ed Industries of Alabama, entitled “An
other Chunk Out of Your Check,” explains
why social security costs are increasing so
rapidly. There are two main reasons. One,
a great number of people are now getting
benefits which come to more than the taxes
they and their employers have paid into so
cial security. Two, Congress has changed
the law many times to (a) add more groups
to thd program, (b) make it easier to get
benefits, (c) increase the benefits, and (d)
add medicare. Each change costs both em
ployees, employers, and self-employed per
sons like farmers more money.
So, you might as well keep in mind that
among those who were first to greet you
Wednesday, was the tax collector.
Laugh A Little
If you have a sense of humor, you will
probably be able to cope with life’s prob
lems better than one who is too serious.
And if the group of people with whom you
work contains one or more persons who are
witty, you all will be able to work better.
For example, it has been discovered
that in small groups, the presence of one or
two persons capable of coming up with witty
expressions now and then, greatly enhances
the ability of the group to solve its prob
lems.
This bit of research-finding could have
some practical value for farmers, their
families and hired men.
The routine of everyday living and the
problems this living produces, could many
times be eased by telling an amusing story
or incident. We believe a good laugh is one
of the best medicines yet devised for chas-
Farm News This Week
Poultrymen Offer Sites
For New Diagnostic Lab. Page 1
Freeman Announces 1969
Voluntary Grain Program Page 1
Chairmen Continue To Be
Named To F & H Fund Drive Page 1
Lancaster Co. Tobacco Show
Set January 9 Page 1
LANCASTER FARMING
Lancaster County’s Cwn Farm Weekly
P. 0. Box 266 - Lititz, Pa 17543
Office: 22 E. Main St, Lititz, Pa 17543
Phone - Lancaster 394-3047 or Lititz 626-2191
Everett R Newswanger, Editor
Robert G. Campbell, Advertising Director
Subscription price. ?2 per year in Lancaster
County, $3 elsewhere
Established November 4,1955
Published every Saturday by Lancaster
Farming, Lititz, Pa
Second Class Postage paid at Lititz, Pa.
17543
Member of Newspaper Farm Editors Assn.
ing “the blues”. If your sense of humor has
been suffering lately, now is a good time
to begin cultivating a few good, hearty belly
laughs, v
At least that’s the way it looks from
where we stand.
Environmental Problem
Number One
All that has been done so far and all
that is envisioned so far for insuring the fu
ture of a good life are wholly irrelevant to
grim reality. That is the studied opinion of
Mr. Robert Lee, businessman, observer
philosopher and executive of a major tim
ber corporation.
Mr. Lee believes the number one en
vironmental problem is people. He even
goes so far as to contemplate the hydrogen
bomb as the savior of civilization rather
than a destroyer. “Hundreds of millions of
people,” he observes, “may have to be eva
porated in order that some other hundreds
of millions may live. All cannot live.” The
very extremity of such a possible solution to
our environmental problems suggest that
Mr. Lee is trying to shock people into an
awareness of realities, hoping they may
then do something about it.
One reality is that in the next 15 years
world materials requirements could equal
all material used throughout history to date.
Another is that scientists are now question
ing whether the earth’s oxygen supply will
be able to continue to support our present
population, or whether it too will be used up
by man and all of his manufacturing activi
ties. Oxygen comes from green plants, and
they still remain the only natural source of
oxygen. Mr. Lee points out that with our
population of 200 million, we must dispose of
one million cubic yards of garbage each day
enough to fill Mammoth Cave in Ken
tucky in just one month.
Mr. Lee suggests an arrangement of
world councils with wide powers to deal
with the food and population problem and
recalls the words of historian Arnold Toyne
bee, “What is the true end of Man? It is to
populate the earth with the maximum num
ber of human beings or is it to enable hu
man beings to lead the best kind of life that
the spiritual limitations of human nature al
lows?”
Across The Fence Row
Patience will accomplish most any
thing, it is said. In fact, you can even carry
water in a sieve if you wait till it freezes.
He who holds his temper usually holds
his job and friends.
The world is so full of so many things
it’s hard to keep up payments on ’em all.
One of the dreariest days of adolescence
is that time when Sonny or Dotter realizes
that, in another 20 years, he (she) will be
as ignorant as Mom and Pop now.
A rumor is like linoleum cement
easy to spread, but almost impossible to
clean up.
Local Weather Forecast
(From the U. S. Weather Bureau at the
Harrisburg State Airport)
The five-day forecast for the period
Saturday through next Wednesday calls for
temperatures to average much below nor
mal with daytime highs in the mid 30’s and
overnight lows in the mid 20’s. Seasonal
temperature Saturday. Much colder Sunday
and not much change thereafter. Normal
high-low for the period is 39-24.
Precipitation may total one-half inch
water equivalent with snow Saturday or
late Saturday night continuing into Sun
day Snow again at mid week.
ONE BAY
Letioa for January 5,1969
leehfrwnj Senator*: Marie 11-20
DtvafMMl Attains: GeltHtru 4.4 %
What a difference a day
makes!
Twenty-four little hours.
Twenty-four "little hours" are
all that are needed sometime* to
change a person’s life, alter a
nation’s destiny, or redirect the
course of the
world’s history.
The popular
song of a num
ber of years
ago, quoted
above, is right:
one day can
make a tremen
dous difference!
I myself can
remember the
day seventeen years ago when I
responded to a call to the Chris
tian ministry. What a difference
that day has made for my life.
Those twenty-four "little hours*
were a significant '.turning-point
in my life. And sdlt is fqr many
of us. We ean remember vliddly
the day of.days #hen*our lives
• vere changed in some
way. V " r
Important day*
Historians are fond of choos
ing days that changed the world:
the day the Spanish Armada was
defeated, the day Napoleon lost
his army at Waterloo, the day'
of Hckett’s charge at Gettysburg,'
the day the Weight Brothers flew
the first airplane at Kitty Hawk,
the day. the first’Atomic
bomb was"exploded r. . I he list
seems endless. “ ' //
In the life of a young carpenter
of Nazareth in Galilee there came
a day that was to drastically alter
both the course of his life and the
historyi of the world. >lt was on
this day that Jesus found his life’s
mission; One day sqa what a
change it made!
- like an Icebtr* v
Yet, important as that, oneway
may be, we must not aSSbmelfaat
such an experience stands alone!
Jesus’s baptism, like most relig
ious experiences, may be com
pared to an iceberg: what we can
For Full Market Reports
Read LANCASTER FARMING
To Keep Accurate Records
Modern, farming is a business
that requires accurate records
and we urge all producers to
give special attention to this
part of their management at
the beginning of the new year.
Good records are not only need
ed for income reporting re
quirements but for evaluating
and planning the future. Sever
al farm records systems are
available through our Extension
Service.
To Control Parasites
Most barns and feedlots are
full of livestock at this time of
the year The efficiency of these
animals largely depends upon
their health and the freedom
from both internal and external
parasites. Stomach worms on
the inside and body lice on the
see above tbe surface Is only »
small portion"of the total btdlc'of;
the iceberg, most of which lie*;
hidden beneath the surface. Wet
can imagine that Jesus’ discovery,
of his mission came as the climaii
to a long period of earnest
searching and prayerful inquiry.
So to ask, When did the call
first come?, would be like asking
for the precise point at which we
move from adolescence into nwU
turity. The process Is long and
often subtle. We are hardly aware
of all the influences that stay
upon us. Surely the call of JestM
must have begun while he.'waf I
yet a child. The Incident of Jesus*
experience in the temple at the'
age of twelve, of which Luke telle
us, is an indication flirt: he,
already had some sense of call.
But Mark goes back even h*>
yond this: "The beginning of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son’
of God. As it is written in Isaiah
the prophet. . . (Mark 1:1,2) S ;
begins, says Mark, back with the
dreams of the prophets of Israel,
Throughout his young years,,
Jesus had become Increasingly]
familiar with their writings,I
Though long dead and gone
from the scene, these men spoke i
to his heart and mind concerning'
his own mission in life.
Voices from present I
Not only did Jesus And hi|]
call to mission in voices from]
the past, but also in voices of this'
present. Quite often God’s caul
comes to us through the influencft
of people around us. There wetjt
probably a number of peopw
through whom God spoke to thOs
young man, but' probably thf
most striking of these was Job#
the Baptist. His message of God#
coming kingdom stirred Jesujs
deeply and in pondering
message, his own mission catrifc
into focus. Ji,
The call of God comes to men
In many different ways and our
responses to that call ace m
varied as human nature itsem
Both -voices from the past anjl
voices from the present may chal
lenge us. It may happen suddenly
one day, or it may be a gradual
experience. The important thing
is that when that day comes sod
God says, "Here, this is what "I
have in mind for you,” that
may be ready to receive aniL«i
spond to our marching order*
*“■ "5
vWiW «n AutlmM by lh« OMtf«* \
«( Otnthan E4uc«tt«n, N«h«od Council if Dp I
Church** «f Cbnftt in 4|« U. S. A. R*J*«i*4 Ip J
Community tatfStrvK*.) - 1
NOW IS
THE TIME...
By Max Smith
Lancaster County Agent
outside may need controlled
Producers are urged to elimi
nate these pests for greater net
returns. I
To Learn From
Fartn Show Events |-
No doubt there are dozens-of
reasons why so many people Lat
tend State Farm Show each
year. In addition to seeing new
machinery and eating hot dogs,
farmers should attend to learn
more about their particular line
of agriculture. There are many
exhibits and educational meet
ings covering most all phased of
Pennsylvania agriculture. Local
farmers are urged to select the
one in their field of production
and learn of the latest recom
mendations. Farm Show Pro
grams are available at our Ex
tension Office.