Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-27
WORKERS. DAY IN ENGLAND
Rides to Factory in Taxi and Buys
Iayishly, While the Rich
Pay Taxes.
QUITE A CHANGE FOR BRITAIN

Correspondence OF the Associated Pressl
LONDON. Nov. s-How completely the
war has baffled the foresight OF economi,
experts Is shown by the remarkable wave
OF surface prosperity which the masses
Of Great Britain are experiencing. Only a
little more than year ago political eeono-
mista were dicussing = lously the nced
for organizing puellc works on a great
scale for the tens OF thousands who
would be thrown out of employment.
Now financiers like Sir George Paish.
editor OF the Economist, and Edwin Mon
tagu the financial secretary OF the treas
ury. are sounding strong warnings against
the extravasant living OF the nation as a
whole. money is being squandered on all
Sides" decsred Sir George Paish in re-
cent speech. and the newspapers are TAX
ing up the same cry.
Money Used LavishIy.
The conditions which the war has de-
veloped, have settled the problem of pub
lie works on lines which apparently were
not foreseen. The enormous increase Of
the British army to 100000 men, and the
demand for workers in the public and
priv Iate munitions works, has absorbed
all the available manhood OF the country
procurable on a basis Of voluntary SER
vice, and given a great surplus OF en-
ployment to the United States. Money is
being discharged freely, and even lavishly
and extravagantly to contractors and to
workingmen, and for the support Of the
families of soldiers. according to tho
economists, and it is being spent by the
people at large with equal lavishness
and extravaganza.
by all classes. In the enormous redls-
tribution OF wealth the general drift
would appear to be from the hands OF
the rich and the middle classes into the
pockets of the workingmen and the fam
ilies OF soldiers. While the workers fur
nish a majority of the men under arms.
tho people with large estates and those
with savings and middle class incomes
believe that they furnish. through tax
alton and war loans, the bulk of the
money which is carrying on the war, and
which finds its way down through the
government and contractors to the small
merchants and workmen.
some Are saving.
This results in the enforcement of un-
usual economy upon the wealthy and the
middle classes, Except those concerned
in war work. who are many, and encour-
ages unusually free spending In the
stratum usually most economical While
the Covent Garden opera has been sus-
pended during the war time the theaters
OF the masses. and the picture shows are
prospering. Tho hotels and restaurants
supported by the wealthy pass their divi-
dends; the popular resorts are doing
good business. Tailors and fashionable
dressmakers claim to be suffering great
depression, but the wives and daughters
OF workingmen are dressed better than
ever before in their lives. Wine mer-
chants are putting up their shutters, but
the public houses. where beer and gin are
consumed are crowded.
More Pianos Sold.
Mr. Montagu complained OF great
spending on luxuries. and cited the fact
that tho sale of pianos has increased.
He cal upon every citizen TO be pre-
pared to put at least one half his cur
rent income at the disposal of the state.
The wealthy classes of England would
not agree that the luxury and extrava-
gance charge Is practice6 by them. No
observer could fail to credit them with
accepting the enormous war taxes i'm
posed upon incomes with a remarkable
patriotism and resignation.
Speaking for the other eide of the case.
Sir Alfred Mond. a wealthy nanufac-
turer. told the House of Commons that
men from the agricultural districts who
formerly earned "a week are getting
Sl5 and $50 from the government, and
men are being paid s. day for putting |
up huts for the soldiers. Amman Bryce, !
brother OF the former ambassador to |
America. testified that boys who for
merly worked for 50 week are being |
paid by the government more than SO for !
carrying the bags OF government carpen-
ters.
Workers Use TaxIs.
A writer in the Daily Mail says: 81 met |
a man who without any previous ex-
perience as a craftsman. was earning |
from &c TO IS a week $50 to $4O) making !
shell cases In a certain government mu-
nitions factory. 1 am told that worltmen |
in Birmingham now drive up their daily /
task in taxicabs. and that in that fortu- !
nate city the shops are doing trade in |
expensive luxuries such as has never |
been known before"
WastefuI Contracts.
EKtravagant payments TO contractors. !
and TO buyers and experts who have been |
taken into government employ, is COM
plant against the government levied by |
many business men. Corruption is not |
charged, but high and wasteful disburse- !
ments due to ignorance OF business af- |
fairs on the part OF officials and the |
necessity for making hurried contracts. |
The country would not suffer so much !
from these conditions II il was self con- |
tanned like Germany and money merely |
flowed In a circle from the government |
into the hands OF the people back to the /
government In taxes and loanes. But !
Britain Is importing enormous qusnti- |
ties OF goods for the use OF the people. |
beside war supplies. AID the exports do .
not balance the imports by many mil 1