The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-02
WAR TAX RADICALS
LOSE FIRST TEST.
SENATE VOTES DOWN SENATOR
JOIINSON'S PROPOSAL FOR 40
PER CENT ASSFSSMENT.
LAFOLLETTE SPEAKS
Government Goes 10 Extreme In Over
turning Precedent and Drafting Young
Blood for War. hut IIalts nj Tax On
Rich Prontccrs. lie Declares.

Washington. Srpt l-Thr senate
was much interested In a vote today
In the first test Of strength between
war tax advocates and radicals, the rad.
icals were defeated when the senate
voted down the maximum levy Of Sen
ntor Hiram Johnson Tor SO per cent of
war profits. by vote Of 81 TO H.
Senator'S voting for the high taxes
were. Ashurst, BorUh, Brady Gore,
Gronna. Hollis, llustin, johnson Of Cali.
fornin. johnson OF South Dakota, Jones
of Washington Kenyon Kirby l@For
lettc. McNnrN Norris, Thvmpson VAR
damnn.
senator johnson l. lnsistcnt
Washington. sept In support
Of HIS amendment senator John.
son recalled how. after two months
of consideration. the finance committee
reported hill which II defended vigors
ously as one taxing 20 the very limit
of snfcty. war profits and incomes of
the country. and then after II had come
under attack presented substitute 70
add a half billion lie rccitcd this with
his argument to Justify still greater
taxes on swollen war profits.
1--WE are not concerned with normal
profits. normal business, normal pro
ductiNity aud industry" he said, hut
we would take the very largest possible
part ~ war profits
our fundamental difference is that
we would reach cut the strong arm OF
the government and take war profits
with the same vigor and virlity that
you reached cut and throw the youth
NJ the land into the melting pot ot
war"
Scuator Lodge Replies.
senator Lodge In reply Co senator
Johnson. said.
~ think it is wise Co tax small bust
ness Go moderate extent and that Il
In wise Co take sixty percent of the
profits of the business interests I want
to keep business active and productive
n We don't we win impcril our credit
and ruin our sources ~ revenue"
lafollcttc Urges Higher Tax
lmmcdietcly after defeat ~ the John
son amendment. which mustered less
than the 20 votes expected hy leaders
~ the radical tax group. senator Ia.
Toilette began his speech ON hts amend.
mcnt tor q maximum of 20 per cont
graded down TO AS per cent
Declaring that industry has made
"inorilnatc and unhcariof profits trom
the war" senator IaFollcttc said.
"tt would be a rcprnach 20 our pres.
cut civilization Il We failed TO prevent
~ Gar as We have the power one class
of citizens. comparatively small from
becoming enormously rich out ~ this
war while the other amt much Arger
class was Impoverished hy the war
we cannot iu this or any other rev
vpuc hiU which We may devise. even
approximately cluausc tbc financial
burdens OF this war but NC can az
lcaSt rcfusc to ,ct our approval upon "a
scheme which would deliberately ucc
crnirc apd lcgalec tbc suosscst pos
sIWc injustice n thc distribution of
those buricns
Grrat Power 20 President
We claim Co. ha,c rwttej nN thC
military experience ot vtbcr nations boz
tb.s wan We c,rs,r.ptri mon. over
turned our traditions art as b,'cvc
Violated our constitution We invested
thv executive With tnc MOST syaivhug
arJ arbitrary power ever exercised by
potcrDtC or ru'cr >Huct gNurct EoN-
crumvrt was established amons mon
We have dome au ttls whether VIsc
N or uuVlsr'N because of tht plea chat
thJ uccc>s.tic, oi war demanded .t t
is only whom Ne cowC to abe rr'posl
t.on that somc ot trc surplus wealth ot
tbo countr, shah bc vusstcJ from those
who control b. that haJ s osl,ct
NJuc 30 is that experience is 90 b,
,.srvsauict that thv just demands ot
tht pcorlc to bc relieved a u,tlc fr'm
thc rupicus of thIs war are to De
Ercrcj ANA a financial po'icy adopted
vhyh can VDN hriug disaster Go our
tOrlc, Boz thc Hcld and dl~coutcrt 90
cur pcoplJ at homC
hoChrc, F~cal rolic, Un~ound
Senator lafVlltttt denounced the
whole hscS, po'icS as uDsouuj ana un.
scientific in thc proportions ~ taxes
ans bonds althougb thc nation. -rot
satisfied with sttcmp,ug Co u.aucc thc
bankrupt anics cf Gu'at britain is BOW
uujcrtakng to finance Gvoat Britain
rcrsrt