New Britain herald., 1917-02-24
GERMAN WAR TAX
 INCREASED 20 Pc. But Count Yon Roedern Sees
 Silver Lining to Cloud SOCIALIST HITS U-B0ATS

Deputy Ledebour Compares Erightful-
 ness to Britain's Plan of Starvation
 Urges Friends of Peace to Keep
 America Out.
 London, Feb. "A, $40 a. n.-War taxation in Germany has been in- creased twenty per cent. in the budget persented to the Reichstag yesterday by Count Won Roedern, finance min ister, according to an Amsterdam de- spatch to Reuters. In announcing the new war credit of 15,00O, 100000 marks, Count Won Roedern explained that the increase in taxation was nec- essary because the budget provides no new money while the safety law" enacted last year, called for an in- crease of fifty to sixty per cent. in the legal reserve.
 Dealing with the proposed new coal tax, the finance minister said that the question of taking over the coal mines by the state had been rejected as inn possible He added that Germany could safely rely on its own coal pro- duction and that the commodity could be taxed all the easier because, m spite of war conditions, the price was lower than in foreign countries, aver aging fifteen to sixteen marks. He maintained that an average taxation of two and one-half marks on coal and eighty pfennigs on Ignite was not too high. In addition to the coal tax there will be levy of ten to sixteen per cent on railroad tickets and sev- en per cent. on all freights.
 October Credit Nearly Depleted.
 Count Von Roedern said the war credit voted last October was nearly exhausted and continued
 "As in all the belligerent countries, so also here, the war expense in the last few months has created a certain tension but it certainly is not greater with us than with our enemies. l nave no reason to suppose that the propor- +ion of two to one which I estimated in October as existing between the eX- nenditure of the Entente and the Gen. tral Powers has changed. The war exnenditures of the world include 3oO,- 900 100000 marks and not more than :, oO OOO.OOO,OOO Is our share. The cost in the next few months will not relax, and therefore I ask 8 war credit or 15OOO.OOO,OOO marks. Next month we must issue another war loan ana this budget picture is certainly ser1ous' but our economic life gives us no rea~ son to look to the future less confi- dent1v than hitherto. Against the de- monds of our enemies for reparat1on we shall be able to put the word ln- demnity.
 Future Not Dark.
 CT have confidence in our economic f,,ture and in the unbroken hnanc1al strength of our people and l am coh yinced. in view of our rapid tecnnlcai deyelopment during the war ana the firm determination of all producihS centers, that everything that the war has destroyed will be rebuilt Our strength is not founded on paper as our enemies suppose, put on the olieA- hausted resources of our people ana the fact that we did not fall Into tAe slavery of debt to foreigners as our enemies largely had to do. Our nhah- cial strength is proved by the increase of deposits in savings and other banks and by the reports of four hundred companies, which show not only in creasing profits but wide reserves.
 The finance minister concluded his speech by drawing a hopeful picture of all classes working together for reconstruction after the war.
 Must Consider Peace Negotiations
 Count Won Roedern was followed by the socialist deputy, Frederick Ebert, who reiterated the determina- tion of the German social democracy to hold on until peace was made, which would secure the vital interests of the German people.
 We wage this war for the defense of the country, said Herr Ebert, but we also express our readiness for peace and expect the government to adhere unsWervingly to its note of December 12, in which it expressed it's willingness to end hostllities. We look to the government to be always prepared for negotiations which have the object of guaranteeing the nations interests and peace which will be last ing On these considerations we sup port the war credits"
 Calls Peace Offer Insinccrc,
 Deputy George Ledebour leader of the Socialist minority, in refusing to follow the administration, said:
 "We cannot, by voting these credits, take the responsibility for the war aims of the government. The insin- cerity of the peace offer minimizes it's value. The rights of nations to enjoy independence is violated in manner in which Germany and Austria-Hun gary created a new Polish state From the beginning we opposed unrestrict- ed submarine warfare, and we demand it's cessa ton. (Herr Ledebour was in terrupted at this point by loud laugh ter) It corresponds as little to the laws of humanity as the British plan of starvation We ask the Socialists ia, IN,,to Ia ASrla ha