Evening star., 1915-11-18
No Plans for a Campaign to
Defeat Members of
Congress.
DECLARE Mr.. HEMINGWAY
is NOT THEIR SPOKESMAN
Assert Threat" in Letter to Senator
Salisbury Is Not Well
Founded.

Emphatic denia1s that the single
takers of the District or the entire
country would enter upon campaign
to defeat at the polls all members of
Congress who should oppose the es-
District of Columbia, were made today
by the Tax Reform Association of the
District and by a. B. Johnson, a mem
ber of the Manhattan Single Tax Club
of New York. Their statements were
made in regard to a letter sent Senator
salisbury of Delaware by C. B. Hem
ingway of 902 18th street northwest,
threatening an attack. upon members
of Congress who did not support the
single tax for the District and declar-
ing that the single-taxers throughout
the country intended to carry out such
campaign.
At meeting of the Tax Reform AS
sociation of the District last night, of
which H. Martin Williams is president,
a resolution was adopted which pro-
claimed the disapproval of the threat
After quoting from Mr.. Hemingway's
letter, the resolution stated:
His Authority Denied.
"AIr. Hemingway had no authority to
speak for this association, nor for the
single takers of the District and the
single takers throughout the country at
large. He is not member of this as
sociation, nor. SO far as we have any
knowledge, of any single-tax organiza-
tion. Therefore, the Tax Reform Asso-
citation of the District of Columbia does
not approve of the implied threat con-
tanned in Mr.. Hemingway's letter, and
disclaims any responsibility for the
statements contained in his letter to
Senator Salisbury"
Mr.. Johnson Is a member of the Man
haitian Single Tax Club of New York,
organized by Henry George, ST., the
largest organization Of the kind In the
city. and having a large number of
Prominent single takers affiliated with it
Mr.. Johnson. who has been for years
a lecturer on the subject of the single
tax and also acting as a tax expert. and
working in number of cities and state
campaigns -under what is generally
known as the Fels fund. the national
fund contributed by the late Mr. Fels
of Philadelphia annually. and which
has national Office at Cincinnati Ohio.
said today: - ~
"I desire to refute the statements
made by Mr.. Hemingway with refer
ence to the single takers OF the United
u,
wise banded together upon any national
issue at the nations capital That 1
stated positively in rebuttal yesterday
at the hearing before the fiscal rela-
tions committee that there would be no
battle coming from the single takers
against the citizens. committee with
reference to the ha1f-and-h half question
or the single tax and that I stated
frankly to the committee, as Senator
salisbury has intimated in his reply to
a 10
not possible.
Oppose Party Organization.
Most of US appeared as individuals
because of the fact that the great ma
jority of the single takers in this
country are opposed to organizing a
party, while on the other hand we have
at times banded together in cities and
states for the purpose of bringing
about a beginning of the single tax as
a means of taxation.
"On the other hand. the question has
been discussed many times by single
takers all over the United States as to
the advisibility Of making it national
issue. 1t has never found favor and
has always been turned down. 1t is
true. however, that we have had many
senators and representatives in Con-
gress and that we have at the present
time many officials in the federal gov
ernment and in various cities of the
United States holding positions of
trust. and also under local govern
| ments. but none of these gentlemen nor
! the rank and file have ever decided
| upon such an issue as has been stated
| by Mr.. Hemingway trust that the
gentlemen who favor the haif-and-hai
| at the hearing will not be misled by
any such statement that Mr.. Heming-
way may make. / wish to reiterate
what I said at the hearing that there
! will be no battle unless we are forced
] to IT. meaning. of course, II the citizens
! committee compelled us in defense Of
| the single tax to appear before Con-
; gress and urge the defeat of the half
| and-half plan.
Such a Campaign Useless.
I'VE have sufficient common sense to
| realize thoroughly that under the pres
ent conditions prevailing here and as
| long as they shall remain with the fed
eral government in practical control OF
this territory it would be useless to
try such a campaign because we would
have to fight Congress itself. If, how
ever. Congress should see At, as stat
ed to the committee. to ..bolish the
present half-ald-half plan and adopt a
new means of taxation. then we would
| go before it and suggest that 1t try out
| the single-tax plan.
IN conclusion let me say that we
! thoroughly appreciate the situation
| here We realize that the members OF
| the citizens committee. composed as 4,
is of business men and men who have
| lived here for many years. naturally
do not like to have the present sys-
| tenn disturhed. as IL means a fnanciaI
loss to them, and. to be fair to
| them. l do not know OF any one that
| would come out In the open and dare
\ to do anything that would iu1ure
them We claim the right as citizens
of the United States to ask that our
plan be tried, but we have no right ia
| try to. or to intimate in any way that
1t Is our purpose to, wreck the business
| institutions in the District OF Colum :
bia. We have always played fair and,
as i stated before the committee
we can afford to wait: we know that
we must wait, and that IL the single
tax is to come it Will come grad
uaily."
UNRESTRICTED USE OF GAS
BY FRENCH IS ADVOCATED
PARIS. November 1s.-rhe senate
army committee. presided over by
Georges Ciemenceau. has adoptsd res
olution urging the unrestricted use Of