The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-31
Notable Speech By
 Senator Underwood

! nOSHNe2S SW4 &@BUNA&U QOOVQl | e ENATOR UNDERWOOD de- Ig livered notable speech in the
 Senate yesterday, expressing disap- proval of the war tax revenue bill pre- pared by the Senate finance commit- tee. There is no man in either branch of Congress better fitted to discuss in fair and impartial way a matter that is of vital importance to the busi- ness interests of America and the people of this country who must bear the burdens of the war, each accord ing to his ability and his means. A recognized authority on the taxa ton system of the United States, Senator Underwood's declaration that the bill as framed is unjust" "dis- criminatory" and "bewildering" and his plea for the adoption of the Bank head amendment, made deep im- pression on his colleagues and called the attention of the country to glar- ing inconsistencies in measure which is apparently designed to exempt those who are best able to bear the burdens of war, yet are unwilling to devote tithe of their vast wealth to the patriotic cause in which every American citizen is enlisted. In de- nouncing the money slackers" he struck responsive chord. The men who go to the front and offer their lives in the trenches give more than the millionaire, though he might give his all in dollars and cents. Similarly, the tax paid by man of moderate in- come means more to him than ten times the amount that could be ex- acted from the rich man.
 As Senator Underwood expressed it, "The man who finds his country in the throes of this great calamity, en- gagged in this great undertaking, who hesitates to respond with his dollars, the man who wants special privileges and special exemptions from Con- gross at this time in order that the burden of carrying on this war and sustaining his government shall fall on others is entitled to no place in this republic except one that should bring on his head the condemnation and contempt of the American peo- ple."
 The wealth of this nation is better able to bear large share of war taxation than ever before. Large cor porations showing an immense profit should be made to pay accordingly, but on the other hand there should be no attempt made to exact more than a just proportion, since it is the pur- pose of all economic legislation to con- serve and stimulate business, not to destroy it.
 The plain American citizen is find ing living conditions increasingly diff ficult, while huge corporations are still piling up wealth at fabulous rate. As MT. Underwood says, there should be no twilight zones," no in- tricacies put in the bill expressly to befuddle the American people and so adroitly conceived that "Philadel- phia lawyer" would be unable to fathom their true meaning.
 Senator Underwood has taken up the cudgel in defense of the Ameri- can people as opposed to the big tax dodgers. The man who is not satis- fled with profit of 8 per cent on his property, as proposed in the Bank head amendment, when the nation is at war and is preparing to shed it's blood on European battlefields, sets selfish greed before patriotism. Umiom of Two
 Great Peoples
 ENTHUSIASM in England is now A running high over the pros- poets of mighty triumph of the al- lies over German autocracy. Ever since the United States entered the war the British have been eager to show their gratitude for Americas action, especially in this country's substantial aid in food supplies and money loans.
 The Stars and Stripes wave almost
 as often in England as does the Union Jack And hardly day passes that the London newspapers do not