The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-11-11

CHARITY USED
T0HELP HIMSELF
By BASIL NJ. MANLY.

Controller E. M. Travis, state Of
New York, has appealed to the courts
to make the Rockefeller foundation
pay an Inheritance tax on 1egacies left
to it. The foundation has refused to
pay a. tax on $425,51S left By Mrs.
John D. Rockefeller, claiming it is
exempt as a charitable institution.
The controller, in attempting to
convince the court that the founda-
ton should not be exempt as a bona
f1de charitable institution, has relied
In part on the evidence cited in my
articles, In these articles it was al
legged that the Rockefeller foundation
was created for the specific purpose
OF evading the federal income tax,
but. by reason Of it's being absolutely
under the control Of John D. Rookie
teller, and because its activities are
not solely philanthropic, it is not le-
gally exempt from taxation, and
should be made to pay the million
dollars in taxes which it has sue
ceeded in evading.
Secures New Evidence.
now have what I allege is indis-
putable evidence to the effect that
the funds Of the Rockefeller foun-
dation have been used for the direct
benefit of Rockefeller's commercial
interests. With this Controller Travis
may hope to win his fight to tax the
foundation, I believe.
This evidence alleges that the fund
Of 100000 appropriated by the foun-
dation in March 1915. for "relief of
the unemployed in Colorado" and
press-agented as one of the great
Rockefeller philanthropies, was ex-
pended largely for Improvement of
the property of the Colorado Fuel &
Iron Company-Rockefell private
property.
Animas county, all residents of more
than 20 years in that county-Johr
Wiley, John MacQuarrie and James T.
Davis-account for the expenditure of
every penny of the $4,000 spent in
that county.
Charity Spent Probably.
According to my evidence, every
penny of the $4,000 was spent either
on roads leading exclusively to Rookie
feller's coal mines or upon a stone
wall around BOOKSELLERS coal camp
at Berwind.
There are 1000 miles of roads in
the county. but I allege that every
dollar used TO: this purpose was spent
on less than 100 miles Of roads Lead
ing to the Rockefeller properties.
East of Trinidad is large agricul-
tural and ranching country, in great
need Of good roads; but not one cent
was spent in this direction, I have
ascertained.
On the contrary, my information
says $31, S25 of the fund was spent on
what Is known as the Stonewall road,
atong which are the coal camps of
Sopris, Frederick, Segundo, Primero
and Terico, and large timber claims
all owned by the Colorado Fuel &
Iron Company.
Build Camp Wall.
Furthermore, according to affidavit,
5000 was spent on the road up Ber-
wind canyon and in the camps of
Berwind and Tobasco. This road is
claimed as the private property Of the
c. F. & I. Co. During the strike it
was declared to be private road
and its use was denied the public.
But the limit in the use of this
"philanthropic" fund was reached in
the construction Of a stone wall
around the camp of the Rockefeller
mines at Berwind. Approximately
$4,000 is said to have been spent on
the wall from the fund and about
$4,000 more spent by the coal COM
pany, thus demonstrating what take
to be the direct interest Of the COM
pany in it's construction:
The fact Is, the 500, 100000 fund
of the Rocket Tier foundation is in
exactly the same position as tire rest
of Rockefeller's billion-dollar far
tune. Every dollar of it is under the
direct control of Rockefeller and his
personal staff" and is used either
for business or philanthropy, as suits
the within of the owner.