SAM OWN *J4K* WASHINGTON - A Tew dayt ago it waa revealed by the Nixon Administration that the Federal Government had incurred a deficit of $23.2 billion for the fiscal year just ended. Those who keep up with the Federal budget will remember that eighteen months ago when the President presented his spending blueprint to Congress, he predicted that it would be in balance and even yield a modest SI.3 billion surplus. That surplus has long since gone down the drain and massive new Treasury borrowing have been necessary to pay the Government's expenses for fiscal 1971. What is worse, there is virtually unanimous agreement that things are not getting any better. Chairman Paul McCracken of the President's Council of Economic Advisers admitted on July 8th, when he was before the Joint Economic Committee of the Congress, that the deficit for the current fiscal year will be greater and perhaps $30 billion. This adds up to a projected two ? year deficit of about SS3 biLlion with immense consequences to every American. Those who work find that their dollar buys less each month and those who retired on fixed incomes are suffering even more because their earnings are pegged to a less inflated economy. Governmental spending is related to the deteriorating purchasing power of the dollar and the fact that prices are rising faster than they have in a generation. While it is exceedingly difficult to comprehend the complexities of Federal spending and borrowing, it requires no degree in economics to ascertain that the consumer is now paying more each month when he goes to the store. The seriousness of the situation requires that fiscal responsibility be restored to the Federal Government, end one way to do thii would be to adopt an amendment to the Conititution to compel such action. On July 12th, I cospontored S.J. Ret 129, a measure which proposes to amend the Constitution by requiring the submission of balanced federal budgets by the President and action by the Congress to provide sufficient revenues to meet expenditures. Admittedly, it ought not to be necessary to enact an Amendment to the Constitution to require the President and the Congress to act in a fiscally responsible manner, but unfortunately it has become a political way of life in Washington to accede to highly organized pressure groups who seek money from the public treasury. Regrettably, the people, too, have come to accept big spending by their Government so long as they do not have to pay for it all in a given fiscal year. After leveling off briefly in the late 1940's and 50's, the national debt has now risen to approximately $400 billion, and interest on that debt is costing the taxpayers about $22 billion a year. The fact is, however, that we can now expect that debt to rise to $500 billion within the span of a few years unless something is done to restore fiscal sanity to the government. This economic condition is having a marked effect upon our ability to compete in the world market in the sale of our goods. For the first time since 1893, our trade balances with other nations is running at an over - all deficit. The Fannin Amendment, which 1 have co - sponsored, if it becomes a part of the Constitution, would simply require the Federal Government to balance its budget over a two - year period in the absence of some extraordinary emergency. It should be adopted. Harvest Ideas Changing On N.C. Tobacco Farms Flu?-cured tobacco harvesting Is In full swing In North Carolina, from the foothills to the coast. In addition to being the busiest season for grow ers, this Is also the period of greatest expense. Some growers are trimming harvest expense by trading In some old practices for new onee. Often, the new methods re present a sharp departure from the old way of doing things and are slow to be adopted. Take the Idea of pull ing tobacco before It's ripe or yellow for example. More and more growers are getting away from the old Idea that the leaves have to yellow or ripen before they can be har vested and cured properly. "We have found that we actually shouldn't let tobacco get too ripe," said Ben Klttrell, extension tobacco specialist at North Carolina State University. "Letting It get too ripe will reduce both yield and quality. "We have found that It Is preferable to pull the tobacco a little on the green or unripe side. Mature tobacco will oure, even 11 It Is a little green, 11 you extend the yellowing time In the barn." This change in concept la allowing grower* to re duce the number of harvest trips through the lleld and saving them time and money In rounding up and employing harvest crews. "We have found that It Is possible to reduce the number of primings to as lew as three,"Klttrell commented. "But many growers still harvest seven or eight times." In harvesting three times, Klttrell explained that slightly less than a third ol the leaves are pulled on the llrst prim ing, about a third on the second and a little more than a third on the final priming. The specialist suggest ed that growers might want to consider reducing prim ings by Just one or two rather than making the big cut to three In one season. "We believe primings can be reduced in many cases and still come out with about the same yield and price," said Klttrell. (JAM WITH C'LAMM?MIhh Coleen Hofroann. riaujfhtcr iif h retired major llvinit in Columbia. Mk