Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1916-02-19
Shall Preparedness
Be Paid By Labor

1t is proposed to meet the cost of
preparedness" by taxes on sugar, on
gasoline, and by other direct taxes
which bear heavily upon labor. 1t is
also proposed to continue the present
indirect taxes on the things people
use, which yield $620,O00,000 a year.
1t is proposed to burden the worker
and farmer by taxes on the things
they consume, and spend the pro-
ceeds on armament, with colossal
profits to the armament ring, for an
army and navy to protect principally
the things that privilege owns.
First, Why tax labor when, accord
ing to the report of the Commission
ON Industrial Relations, from between
one-third and one-fourth of the male
workers Is years Of age. and over in
factories and mines earn less than
$40 per week, while from two-thirds
to three-fourths earn less than SIS
per week; when per cent. of the peo-
pie own GO per cent. of the wealth,
and 65 per cent. own only per cent.
of the wealth.
Why not compel 2 per cent. of the
people to pay 60 per cent. of the
taxes instead of making the great
mass of the people, who own 5 per
cent, pay 95 per cent. of the taxes.
Second, Why tax labor when war
munition stocks have increased in
value in one year by $866,000,000?
Third, Why tax incomes in America
but $80,000,0O0, when incomes in
Great Britain, even before the war,
paid $236,245,0OO? England con-
tains less than one-half our popula-
ton and wealth.
All told, England taxed wealth, in
comes, and inheritances to the extent
of 380,115,000, and collected As per
cent. of her total revenues from these
sources. Democratic America col
lected 9 per cent. of it's revenues
from wealth, incomes, and inheri-
tances.
Fourth, Why tax labor on its neces-
sites, on the things it needs to merely
live, when inheritances have not as
yet been taxed penny by the Federal
Government
Fifth, Great Britain taxes incomes
up to 33 per cent. for war purposes;
Germany levies taxes for imperial
purposes, for state purposes, and for
municipal purposes as we'll; the COM
bined rate running often to Is per
cent. or 20 per cent. Democratic
America taxes incomes from l per
cent. to per cent, the maximum up
to 100000 being but 4 per cent.
A tax to the wage Garner means
giving up clothes, food from his table,
possibly the doctor for his children.
A tax of $4,000 to man with an
income of 100000, or 100000 to a
man enjoying an income of 100000
means no sacrifice whatever.
Sixth, Why tax labor, when an adj
ditional tax of 1 per cent. on the gross
earnings of railroads, public-service
corporations, mines, and other public
utilities would yield $50,OOO,OOO. 1t
could be easily collected. 1t could not
escaped. In most instances it could
not be passed on to the consumer.
Seventh, Preparations for war
should call for equal sacrifices. De-
tense should not mean sacrifice for
the millions, and only profits for the
few. Preparations for war means
speculative values for the stock brok-
ers and spectators. 1t means that
the Bonded backs of labor will carry
the army and navy, which, if the
emergency arises, will be used
against labor at home and for the
protection of overseas investments
abroad.-From Speech of G. H. Tav-
enner of Illinois, in the House of Rep
resentatives, Wednesday, December
Is, 1915.