The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-05-25
THE WAR AS VIEWED FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF A PACIFIST

and the wisdom of solidarity. To
thwart this, the capitalists made the
workingmen of different nations fight
each other, just as the owners of
bulldogs, make the bulldogs to fight
each other. Yes, it is sport for them.
But what about the poor dogs So
with war, the capitalists can laugh
and increase his wealth. but what
about the poor people who are do
ing the fighting and paying the
bills?
England has no love for the Unit
ed States. At least she has never
shown it when we were in trouble.
take history for that.
But what are the condition now.
compared to those of a few years
ago?
| wonder if the people realize that
the royalty and nobility of Europe
own more of our own country, than
one-haf of our own people. Thou
sands and thousands of square miles
OF land in this country, are owned
by European capitalists and the no.
bllity where in many cases vassal-
age Is practiced. Imagine an Amer.
lcan citizen a vassel in his own coun.
try to foreign master. A great
part of the capital stock of the
most OF our corporations is owned
by European nobility. The same with
our mines, oil fields and largest
factories. But the worst disgrace
Is that we have permitted these hv-
Bird corporations to defraud us of
millions of acres of land valuable
mines, water power rights and
valuable oil fields One of the
railroad magnates who died not SO
long ago, and whom the public press
lauds as a god, induced Congress to
give nm an AGRA of land equal to
That OF two great states, which went
to a railroad company-in name his.
but which belongs for the greater
part to European capitalists. In
other words the nobility of Europe
used him to get Congress to give
them or rather their corporation
millions and millions of our virgin
soil, so they could build their rail
roads and at the same time exploit
our people, all of which they have
most beautifully done.
Many Of our American gods are
mere tools Of fon eign capitalists, and
to set their hit are willing to sell
the birthright of their countrymen.
This is the class of men that today
are tc certain extent back of the
war propaganda here in the United
States.
But some will say, the President
and Congress are taxing the incomes
OF the rich. True, and since this is
being done, we all know that the
prices of every thing the people
have used have doubled in value. And
for every dollar that the govern
ment has taken from these finan-
cial men, the people have been COM
PEELED to give them at least ten dol
lars in return. Instead of these
men losing money by the income and
other taxes they have increased
their incomes, in many instances. a
hundred per cent. So you see after
all war is profitable thing-for the
big fellow. But what about the
poor people, now burdened by the
high cost Of living and taxation.
If Congress would pass law con
fiscating all incomes over $4,000
year, then that would be a different
matter. For then every time the
trust magnates and spectators
raised the price of articles, the gov
eminent would be reaping the bene-
fit of what was being extorted from
the people. By the income tax and
the graduated tax, the magnates and
spectators are enabled to make ten
collars ploflt where they before made
but one. So limit their incomes to
$4,000 per annum, and if they are
unable to live on that they had bet
ter starve, for that is almost twice
as much as an American workman
receives in a life time.
According to the report of the
United States Industrial Commits
sion, two per cent Of the people of
this country, the rich, owned sixty
five per cent OF its wealth. Sixty
five per cent Of our people, the
woringmen owned but five per cent,
the remainder being owned by the
middle class, who constitute about
thirty-three per cent of our people.
Since then there has been a most
rapid ABSORPTION of wealth by the