The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-01-08
ONE PERSON IN 70
IN ENGLAND IS
A PAUPER
AMAZING FIGURES or POVERTY
BROUGHT OUT BY PAYMENT OF
OLD AGE PENSIONS - NEW
TAXES NECESSARY

LONDON. Jan. Five hundred
Thousand men and women over 40
wears of age yesterday drew five silver
shillings as their first weeks payment
under the new old-age pension law
throughout England. Ireland ana
Wales. This means S550,0O0. repre-
senting IL tons OF silver, paid out
The new law lifts 100000 British sub
jects above the permanent hunger line,
Il will cost England 10000 year,
which must come out OF some new
scheme of taxation not yet devised.
simultaneously with yesterdays dis
play of the enormous number OF aged
people needing this pitiable weekly
pension came the official report of the
moor law administrators. This report
disclosed these astonishing facts about
British pauperism:
OF every IA persons in London
one is pauper.
OF every 20 persons in all Eng
land and Wales one is pauper.
The total number OF paupers
throughout the country is 1909
436.
England has standing army
III 900. "a Duuptirs WIN npAN 'Hf''
million auxiliaries on the verge
of permanent pauperism
England faced the new year with a
permanent economic problem that now
seems unsolvable. Americans ought to
rejoice that no period OF depression.
10 matter how prolonged. can produce
such an appalling condition as this.
The chancellor OF the exchequer Ia
hard up. England, which is already
havily taxed. must find additional
means for raising the national rev.
enue.
The chancellor OF the exchequer
cheerfully announced recently that he
vas hopeful OF finding new henroosts
| 70 rob" Now Englands financial sit
uation il such that the new year has
found the chancellor confronted with
distressing decreases In the national
revenues. The chancellor Is COMPEL.
/ ed to find at least 100000, 900 OF new
revenue TO pay the deficit confronting
| him in the new appropriation bill
sion OF parliament.
| England. unlike America, pays its
national bills In advance.
England's wealthy classes, who are
already writing against the income.
| inheritance and other taxes aimed at
them. assert that they are paying too
much, but the radical chancellor grins
and intimates that he will put further
screws to them. The annual conven-
| ito nof the Labor party, which repre-
sents millions OF union workmen,
meets soon, and Its program OF re-
forms presented to the public today
will make England's plutrocratic and
comfortable classes groan.
England's union workmen through
their convention. will present the FOL
lowing platform:
Taxation should be in proportion "a
ability to pay. No taxation should he
imposed which encroaches on an in
dividuals means necessary to satisfy
his physical and primary needs Tax
alton should aim al securing for com
munal benefit all unearned Increment
of wealth. therefore taxation should be
levied on unearned incomes and should
aim deliberately at preventing the re
tention OF great fortunes in private
hands"
Leaders OF the labor convention will
insist upon a drastic reform OF the
present system OF national taxation in
order 70 assure that taxes he derived
from those best able 10 pay them. and
who receive most benefit and protec
ton from the state. The convention
! will unanimously express it's deter
mination 10 resist all proposals TO In
crease the taxation OF the masses.