The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-03-24

That the amount of money paid
out by the United States govern
ment in the form of pensions to war
veterans is entirely disproportlonate
to the amount merited by the pen
sioners was the assertion made by
c. William A. Neditz, professor of
sociology at the George Washington
University, before a meeting of the
Washington Chapter Of the Amerl-
can Bankers Institute last night.
TOO MUCH MONEY.
Il believe" said Prof Vedtz. that too
much money is being given TO men who
do not deserve pensions. and that as
consequence the government is being de
prived of vast sums. the use of which
would be of inestimable value if spent
in other ways.
While the idea of the heroic old SOL
der who has fought and suffered for his
country appeals strongly to the people.
that sentimental feeling is often used as
vehicle to procure pensions for persons
who have no right to them.
But If this sort of thing is continued
indefinitely the government will have
heavier burden than it can bear before
the end is reached. 1t is the prevailing
idea that as the old soldiers of the coun-
try are rapidly dying off. the pensions
must accordingly be rapidly diminishing.
on the contrary, figures show the exact
opposite
I'm 1854. 5000 600 was appropriated with
which to pay pensions to war veterans
The amount appropriated last year was
$l6l, 600 OCc, and the Sulloway bill contem-
plates a further increase of $4,000 900
above the present amount
How much better would this great
surplus and the enormous waste that is
being made through the Pension Bureau
be employed If turned into pension fund
for government clerks. where there are
hundreds of persons who really merit pen
siOns.
No Right to Money.
II do not claim there is private graft in
the Pension Bureau, except the graft of
the pension attorneys, perhaps; but the
fault lies in the fact that there are hum
dreds of old men who are receiving money
to which they have no right.
"Of course, the pensions are things
which people do not like to talk about.
1t is not considered polite. Nobody
wants to assume the responsibility of
taking money from old men. l do not
believe there is a single member of Con-
gress who has the courage to introduce
a bill abolishing or leSsening pensions.
1t is a matter of sentiment with them,
but at the same time the great waste is
going on. The subject is scarcely pop
ular. for the idea of the heroic old SOL
der has gained such a hold on the minds
of the people that il seems to be planted
there for all time. Iswould not be polite
for a public man to advocate the reduc
ton of pensions and it would not be
polite for a private man to do So
In speaking of the post-oftice deficit,
Prof. NeditZ said:
"A deficit in the PoSt-office Department
healthy condition. 1t shows
that taxation is not being made burden
on the taxpayers, but that the burden
falls heaviest on those who can best af-
ford to pay the tax.
One of the fundamental maxims of
Adam Smith, the author of the Wealth OF
is that the burden of taxation
should be placed on those who are best
able to bear it. For the post-office to
show a surplus would indicate that a high
tax was being imposed upon the common
people, and that they were being charged
an exorbitant rate for the carrying of
their mail The revenues collected from !
the great corporations in the way of
taxes imposed on liquors. tobacco. and
other articles places the burden of tax
alton on those who can bear it the easiest |
A Surplus in Europe.
In no country of Europe does the post |
office department show a surplus
The latter part of Prof. Veditz's talk
was devoted entirely to taxation. its
theory. and practice.
II believe that two of the most equita- !
BILE forms of taxation known are the in |
come tax and the inheritance tax These |
will in all probability be the most popular !
forms of taxation of the future
HaIdane Made n Peer.
hA ;rb.