Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-05
KICKING AGAINST
THE WAR TAXES
Congress Besieged by Business
Men Who Want "the Other
Fellow" to Pay the
War Cost
Special Correspondence Evening Ledger

|
"A people and It is going TO sting. The
poor are going to feel It because though
| II may not reach them directly IT will be
| carried in the increased cost of commod.
| ties put on by those who do pay It. The
rich are going to feel It whenever their
| wealth and profits can be traced It is to
| be a war tax--not a measy little one hun
dred million war tax such as Congress fell
into the habit OF passing before the United
| States entered the war, but an 500 million
tax made necessary TO meet the expenses
| of a real war And this stupendous tax
| bill Is to be but "the first crack out Of
| the box" The country is to be put on
war footing. The President and those CO.
| operating with him have decreed It and the
| people must prepare to pay the bill. When
| we entered upon this war with Germany
| It meant business 1t meant more to the
| individual American than the average citi-
zen now going peaceably about his daily
| vocation ever dreamed Of
People Slow to Understand
It is gradually dawning upon the rank
| and file, however that there is something
more in declaration Of war than the wav-
| ing of flags and the passing OF patriotic
| resolutions. All that is easy. Conscrip-
| ton of men for military service and the
| levyng of taxes to support them is another
matter. Congress knew that the Presidents
declaration meant the conscription of men
and the raising of money. 1t went about
its work deliberately, knowing full well
that the burdens would be heavy II was
! no pleasant task to provide for the draft
| of ones fellow men for military service,
but Congress was bound to support the
President and 1t did so. In due course the
men for military service will be forthcom.
ing About one in every five of the eligible
class will be taken. The duty of making
the draft is expected to fall upon civilians
In county units to be selected by the Presi-
dent. and it is suggested that the sheriff
will be one of them 1t is not unlikely
that a military man may on some
of the selecting boards That discretion is
left TO the President, although it is believed
the scarcity of military officers in the active
service may not permit of their use, Retired
officers who still drawing pay may be
called in for this service. But when con-
mated TO do the selecting. it will touch
"the high spots" as well as "the low spots"
and the men who are called will go. This
is one of the indispensable conditions" that
war presents.
Money and Men Both Requisitioned
But IL men are to be called out to fight,
and that is settled. men and women will
also be called upon to pay. 1t is astound-
ing enough that this great country should
undergo so sudden and startling trans
formation, but war upsets the equilibrium
of any country and it has upset that OF
the United States, and will continue to do
so for long time to come. No man in
Washington now can tell what the end will
be or when. The Administration has
already entered into friendly relations with
foreign nations that must extend over a
period Of years The sending of American
troops to Europe to aid the nations there
in conflict with Germany will mean the
sending of more troops, and still more. Con-
gress in levying taxes is anticipating all
that so that little can be said at present
about the extent the termination of
Americas participation in the war. The
gress and that body is doing its best TO get
the started right. 1t is not falling in
with every suggestion made by the foreign
| commissioners, whose zeal for the allied ma
| tions at war is understood. but is striving
| to give aid as recommended by the Presi-
| dent, with some consic ration for the Amer
| lean people upon whom the burden Is being
| laid.
The Peoples Tax Bill
The tax bill which Congress is getting
| ready for the people is independent of the
| SO, 900. 900, 900 loan which has already been
authorized as an aid to the Allies. A tax
| bill is better understood than a conscription
bill. even II the latter does deal with flesh
| and blood. and this particular tax bill. being
| larger and heavier than any before
| considered by a Congress, has aroused a
widespread protest. Congress has accus-
| toned itself to the plain of business men
| who ARE going to be ruined" by tariff
bill 1t knows that story WELL but never
| before has 1t learned so suddenly and by
| heart a song the equal of the song of pa
| triotism that balks at taxes In letter and
| telegram 1t runs the same We are patriotIc
and support the President, but" 1t is
useless to read beyond the but" The
| but" Is the line of demarcation between
| the declaration of patriotism and the put
| ting-up" point. That 10 the line which
Congress with its stern sense of duty must
| disregard in it's tax bill. 1T may hurt your
| large business interests and it may affect
| your incomes" says Congress, but, on the
| other hand, conscrption is a draft upon life
| as we'll as property, and Congress must do
| it's duty equitably and impartialy,"
Confscation Another Harsh Word
During the discussion of the tax bill the
| word "confscation" has frequently been
used. 1t has been applied to proposed taxes
| on business. and it has been directed to in
| comes exceeding certain amount. Certain
| business interests have indicated that rates
some of which have been published without
| warrant of accuracy, would be confscatory
| Almost every stockholder in the chewing
gum companies has taken up the cudgels
against further taxation. Appeals for the
| preservation of the chewing gum industry
have come from hundred cities. They are
| SO heartrending as to be almost humorous
but there Is a great deal of money invested
In the chewing gum business, and it has
been heavily taxed even as liquor and to-
bacco have been taxed, and will be again
Automobile manufacturers have put In slmi
lar pleas. But these are incidents to a grea
| money raising scheme. Congress must ge
| the money to pay the war bills. 1t is inevi
| table and the cry of "confiscation" arise.