New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-28
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: You are at present running weekly
.erie, Of articles on current British topics
In your paper, and are giving great promi-
rence to the thoughts and impressions OF
G. w. Smalley. | wonder If you will accord
me a little space in which to discuss what
is written by him? Whence does Mr.. ofnai
lev gather his misinformation!
In The Tribune to-day there IS an article
he him. headed, "The Slackers," which Is
virulent attack on the labor unions OF 1rea'
Britain. To take his points as they arse
let me first mention the taxation under the
row Rudget. Without discussing as to
whether the government is right or wrong IN
the imposition Of the taxes, let US see the
results Of such application.
Mr.. Smalley first speaks Of the income tax
Now, a great proportion Of the big incomes
In England comes from the land. or Is IN
berited. The holders do not do, and have
never done, a stroke Of work personally to
increase the values OF their holdings. tax
Of 40 per cent. therefore, is taken from them
only incidentally. 1t really comes from the
community, who have built up the values AT
the present time the real estate owners are
getting back this taxation in the form OF IN
creased rentals, and many woman whose
husband is away fighting has been turned
out on the street through inability to pay
the increased assessment.
War profits, according to Mr.. Smalley, are
to be taxed so per cent They are on all
profits exceeding f100 per annum. Now, this
NAV. to the maker of war goods, seem an
excessive tax, but is it? II was pointed out
in the House Of Commons that such tax
would bring in an amount around f4O,O0o,ooo
a wear, still leaving a like sum to be DIVIDED
between the munition makers. 1t seems TO me
that this sum would al ow of really COM
Portable living. On the other hand, work
er is asked to give his whole time, and not
n ncr cent. but 100 per cent, Of his life,
and for what? For something like so cents
a day, including all allowances to his fami-
ly. The purchasing power of this 81 cents
Is on the down grade, and the poor people
feel the loss Of cent or two day ut is
the difference between enough and lnsui-
ficiency) more than the friends OF Mr.: SINAI.
ley-whoever he is-would feel the loss OF
pound day.
Mr.. Smalley also says that the taxes on
beer. whiskey and tobacco do not anect the
retail prices of these goods Since the war
started, however, the price OF glass OF peer
has gone up from three cents to seven cents
the price Of cheap whiskey from four cents
TO ten, and the price Of tobacco has gone up
varvinely from is per cent to 100 per cent
All thi, takes pennies alike from the poor
and rich, but who feel 1t most! The poor are
told that they should not consume any Of
those commodities, but why should they have
to live like dogs when the rich people refuse
to do so? Mr. Smalley claims that wages
have been increased but | challenge him to
prove that statement True, in one or two
cases wages have gone up, as with the Welsh
miners, but such increases had to be fought
for. In the case of the railways there was a
voluntary increase, but on top of this there
were issued subscription lists. to which the
workmen had to contribute. knowing that II
they refused to do so they would be dis
charged on some trumped-up excuse.
As for patriotism, that Mr.. Smalley makes
so much of, what has the workingman to be
patriotic about? Suppose the Germans did
win. Could he be worse off than he Is at
present? A few years ago there was COM
mission sent to Germany to inquire into the
comparative conditions Of the working class
es. The commits sion found that the Ger
mans were getting more comfort out OF life
than the English. Have conditions changed
since then to such an extent? A worker
in England gets sufficient to keep body and
soul together. Would he get less under for
eign domination! II he did he would only die,
and to many millions death could only come
as q relief.
Let Mr.. Smalley 90 through the Black
Country, and see men, women and children
working together in q cellar for fifteen and
sixteen hours . day for . sum total Of 81