Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-26
MANY PATRIOTS
DISLIKE TAXES
Members of Congress Bonn
barded by Comprehensive
Cry of "Wolfp

| business men from all parts OF the
- country are still bombarding Washing
ton with suggestions about the war tax
bill. II the flood OF kilograms and letters
received by members OF the conference COM
mlttee is to be accepted as truthfully
forecastlng the future. there may be break
ers ahead for many business concerns; but
the assertion that certain lines Of business
will be ruined" IL taxes are imposed as the
writer's fear has become SO stereotyped as
to sound like the cry Of "wolfH
Nearly all Of these complaints are in
the old familiar phraseology: I'VE are pa
| triotic and anxious TO do our part, but do
not want to be put out Of business" It is
not unusual for the average member Of
Congress to receive from 80 to 100 letters
and kilograms making this argument each
day Senators, who represent wider con-
| stituency than members of the House, and
| members Of the conference committee re-
ceive so many more Of them that It has
| become necessary in some instances to ac-
knowledge them on mimeographed forms.
So far as Congress is concerned the broad
answer to all correspondents complaining Of
the tax bill is simply this: THE war Is ON
and must be fought to a finish. Tho Presi-
dent needs the money and It is the duty OF
Congress 70 raise It for him. There Is no
alternative"
The attacks upon the tax bill are not
confined to any one state or TO any one
branch Of business. The farmer has been
aroused because Of the inclusion, as he be-
lieves, Of the farm paper in the higher
postal rates The reader of the religious
paper has also been urged to take up the I
battle for his publisher Colleges and phil |
anthropC institutions have been seeking the |
exemption from taxation of contributors to
their funds So far as such contributions are |
concerned. II is not solely a business mans |
grievance All classes seem TO have been |
stirred up to realization of the gravity OF |
the tax situation. That they have reason |
TO be Is shown by the fact that the amount |
to be raised by taxes to meet the expenses |
of war will with the passage of this BILL |
plus taxes already imposed, aggregate about |
$4,000, 0,0O0, 900
Passage Of the Bond Bill
The passage last week of the second |
emergency bond law carried with 1t none |
of the veXatious tax bill worries That bill |
put the Secretary of the Treasury I'm posi-. |
tion to borrow money rather than to raise |
1t by taxes. He will now be able TO lend |
to our allies, in addition TO $4,000, 100000 |
already. provided for an additional $4,000 |
100000, which, beginning with November |
next, will mean $50O,000000 in monthly |
payments until the end Of the fiscal year, |
June so. next.
Although the Secretary will have at his /
disposal more than $23000,000 for promo
tion purposes including advertising in the |
newspapers, if he decides upon that course,
It IS the Treasury Department opinion that
he will need every dollar of it TO put the
loan through. The Secretary feels that
there is wide territory yet to be tapped /
for the sale of bonds, and he has great
reliance upon the small investor who was
not reached in the $4,000 000,000 Liberty |
Loan campaign. Acting for the Admins
traton the Secretary has no recourse. The
loan must be sold and the requirements of
our allies must be met
Thus far we have been lending money to
Great Britain, which is our heaviest bor-
rover TO France, italy, Russia, Belgium
and Serbia. The smallest loan was made to
Serbia, and there was some question In
Congress about the propriety of making It,
As to most of these loans. Congress has
been informed that much of the money has
been or will be spent in the United States u
although 1t is believed there has been no
obligation to 50 spend IT, except in one In
stance. BY the first of November II is be-
leved all of the $4,000, 900 900 authorized
by the first loan bill will have been turned
over to foreign nations.
Then the new allotment of $4,000, 900 900
will come in for distribution. AS to this
new loan. there is no assurance that 1t may
go exclusively to the countries already bor-
rowing. A loan to China has been sug-
gested, and It is not improbable that Cuba,
which has turned over to the United States
certain seized German ships, may come in
for consideration. While it is contended
that the industries of the United States re-
ceive the benefit of much of the money thus
raised there is no doubt that much of 1t
is going into the construction of railroads
and bridges, as well as munitions, in for
elgn lands.
U. S. Well Up in Cooperation
In view of these loans and the eXpendi-
lures made by the United States for our
own account, it cannot be said with good
grace that Uncle Sam Is lacking in war
action or sympathy. When Congress ad- |
journs provision will have been made for [
the expenditure of American money and
credit to tho end of the fiscal year to an
aggregate exceeding S19 900 .000, 900. During
the debate on the bond bill 1t was pointed
out that although the United States had
yet fired a shot, and Great Britain had been
at war more than three years, the expendi- |
lures of Great Britain up to July 21 last
had been about $4,000, 100000. or only
81, 900 900 900 more than the United States
provided for in five months
At the same time It was shown from De-
partment of Commerce statistics that the
French war debt up TO April 80 was S17,-
700, 900 900, the Russian debt up to Janu-
airy l last about $4,000 900 900 and the
Italian debt up to January 1 more than
SO, ,0OO, ,000, 900 Each of the allied nations
has increased its expenditures since the
dates referred to but even so, no one is in
position to chide the United States for in
difference TO the Presidents war program
or for delay in meeting the financial re- |
quirements of this and other countries.
Expenditures made necessary by our par
tcipation in the war must be provided by
Congress through taxes or loans The
President and ais Secretary of the Treas
lry started out with the thought that Con-
gess would proceed to raise the revenuet
On a ffty-hfty basis, half taxes and half
Il tans, but that program Is destined to be
shattered. The loans have already far ex-
Gee ded the taxes, and unless the war closes
suddenly are likely TO so continue.
The tax bill now under consideration,
concerning which there is so much business
anxiety, provided originally for only
81 800, ,OOO, 900. 1t is now necessary tos
raise the total to $2.500, ,000, 900. II It Is
not soon enacted into law, even that amount
may have TO De increased. The efforts Of
the conferees nave been TO adjust the taxes