The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-09-29
WEALTHGAI
VICTORY IN The
REVENUE BILL
La Fo||ette's Magazine Explains
Provisions Of the War Tax
alton Measure.

MADISON, Wis, Sept. 27.-"The
people lost. Wealth ION. War pro-
fits and surplus incomes escaped with
light tax, while the mass of the
people must stagger on under the
taxes imposed by the war. particular
ly in the form Of the high prices for
the necessities Of life caused by the
war;
This is a statement from signed
editorial by Senator Robert NJ. La
Toilette in LaFollette's Magazine.
This congress adopted the policy
of conscripting millions of men to
carry on this war" continues Senator
L~Follette. 1T has refused to con-
script even modest amount OF the
surplus wealth of the country to pay
the expenses of this war;
Senator LaFollette's 5000 word edi-
torial is a detailed analysis of the
provisions Of the revenue bill and of
| the different amendments which were
offered for incorporation which would
have increased the amount of taxes
on war profits and lessened the
amount to be collected from the peo-
pie. He explains the provisions Of
| the minority report which was re-
jected by the senate, but points out
| that the opposition of the minority
succeeded in gaining some increases.
"As a. net result of the minority op-
position" continues the editorial, 1--WE
forced an addition of income taxes
amounting to $64,000,00O and an ad-
dition to the war profits tax amount
ing to c498.O00.00O. We were able
also to force an abandonment of the
tax on tea, coffee, cocoa and sugar.
amounting to $86,000,00O and of the
proposed increase on letter postage
amounting to $5O,000.000, and other
consumption taxes. reducing the con-
Stunning taxes so stricken out of the
bill $15s,500.O00. The net change was
to increase the taxes $403, 100000 over
the amount originally proposed in the
bill"
Small Tax on Wealth.
Senator LaFollette declares that the
income and war profits taxes of the
bill even with the increases forced
upon the majority are small as shown
by an interview with Lord Chief JUS
tice Reading of England.
Remember that England is a
country with mu~h less than half our
population" declares the senator's
editorial in its conclusion, land very
much less than one-third of our
wealth and yet she is raising 81, OOO,-
100000 in taxes on war profits and
individual incomes, against $1,767,-
100000 we propose to raise through
the same source under this bill.
Failing in all argument to sustain
their position, the majority mem bers
of the senate committee undertook
on the floor of the senate to charge
the senators who favored a reasonable
rate of taxation for war profits and
fat incomes with lack of Patriotism
and declared the course we were pur-
suing would make the war unpopular
with the people, This statement was
repeated many times in many forms
by majority members Of the commit
tee. Such a statement should be il
Illuminating even though not convinc-
ing. It siows th;t it is the wealth of
the country that is to be placated if
the war is to be continued If wealth
can not make all it's normal profits
and handsome war profits besides,
then wealth will not support the war,
and Of course the war will stop. The
plain people do not count. They can
be;-and they have been conscripted.
But war profits and surplus incomes
must be dealt with gently, if the war
is to be successfully prosecuted. This
is the reasoning of the majority of
the congress, who will write this bill
into law and who at the present time
are controlling the destinies of the
DeOple"