Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1916-01-28
WAR INCREASES TAXES
OF IHE NEUTRALS

After the war ends the nations
now engaged in slaughtering each
other will be hopelessly bankrupt.
Even IL no country is called upon to
pay any indemnity the war debt will
be so huge that it is doubtful If it
ever can be paid, because when peace
is restored other debts must be in
curred to rehabilitate and to main
tain the usual standing armies and
navies.
But the countries at war are not
the only ones suffering. The United
States is going to engage in a cams
paign of preparedness, and this means
that IL will require many millions of
additional dollars to foot the bills.
That is one OF the reasons for neu-
trails making efforts to bring the
strife to a close.
While European nations will stag
ger under debts which they may nev-
er pay, we in the United States will
find that we viii have to pay dearly
for Europe's horrible crimes. Taxes
viii be higher and the working class
es will find IL very hard to force in;
crease in wages enough to meet the
bill.
The men at the bottom must pay
all the taxes. Those at the top may
hold the tax receipts, but they do not
pay the taxes. The under stratum
pays it all. 1t is levied at the top,
and is passed on downward to the
lowest, and when not taken out of the
worker in high rents it is exacted in
lower wages. Workingmen, there
fore, should be the strongest peace
advocates. True, the mechanics may
earn good wages making war muni-
tions, but when peace comes. and the
munition industry is dead. the wage
Garner will feel the pinch.
1t is surely case where the inno-
cent suffer for the guilty. Even
though we escape war, we must be
burdened with taxes because. of it.
The above is from the Women's
National Weekly. and illustrates how
a good argument may be put up for
the opposition % preparedness. II
is true that a good argument can be
put forward either way on this mo-
menous question now confronting the
country. But 1t is difficult to get
rid of the truth of the saying, '.As
long as there is a sword for offense
there must be one for defense" as
has been said by the able editor OF
the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Truly, there may prove to be no
need of this great preparedness which
we are contemplating. But, just as
truly, one must acknowledge that
such preparation and readiness 10
parry the sword of the intruder. is
the one thing likely to guarantee IA
us that feeling of safety and COM
plaisance which the peace advocates
now profess to have. In any event,
it will be an T-told-you-so" matter
in the future. If by preparing, we
avert war, the peace propagondists
will say. See; there was no necessity
for this great burden we have as
sumed." And If we do not prepare,
the preparedness advocates will say,
"Wrat did l tell your"
And there you are.
We know not what the future has
in store for us; but it would seem a
good policy to guard against any dan
ger. however improbable. even If we
have to go without stuffed olives for
luncheon, or beefsteak for dinner.
AS to the price of foodstuffs going
any higher, such condition would
perhaps bring about troubles of our
own. Extortion from the poor, that
worked no hardship on the higher-up
or more fortunate classes. IL put upon
the people in the extreme measure
would soon bring about its own rem
edy. The national government would
be forced to take hand at internal
affairs, to the end that 1t might in
sure its own integritys--