The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-08-24

WHICH the DeldWdrG senators ana
Messrs. Penrose, Lodge and Sim
mons have been most active-the du
Points will have ap rofit for 1915
Of more than Sal, 100000, or more
than 71a times their ordinary tax
able profits for the years 1911, 1912
or 1918.
What can not be done with that
S41,OOO,000 in the political rotten
boroughs of the middle Atlantic
states? What can not be done with
even a small part of it in over
drawing the unorganized workers,
in getting legislatures to Great a
state constabulary, to build armories
near the big industrial plants, to in
duce corporation lackeys to control
the bench and bar and to dominate
the school system, the pulpit and
press wherever the shadow of this
boarded gold shall lie?
Only Specimen Cases
Tese cases are merely few among
the IS industrial corporations cited
in the report. Figures are given
in the same way as to the profits of
so railroads. Thus the Michigan
Central had profits of $5,505,222 last
year as compared with $2,196,285 in
the pre-war years, and it's total pro-
posed taxes are $1,2O6,943, leaving
taX-free profits of nearly $4,300,000.
The Wabash profits rose from $778,-
1888 to $3,627,151, of which $685.
900 will be clear of tax.
La Folletee, Thomas and Gore pro-
pose that $2,300,000, of this loot
Of the American profiteers be taken
away from them by a flat tax of 80
per cent on war profits such as is
levied by the British government.
They still do not ask for CONSUMPTION
of all profits above a maintenance
rate.
Masses Can't Pay Bill
Tens of billions of dollars are now
estimated to be the cost of this
war on the part of the United States
within the next year. Congress is
faced with the necessity to borrow
this money or to take it from the
profiteers of the country. The
masses of the people, whose average
wage earning income, according to
this report, is only $500 a year can
not pay the bill. They will be bled
white by these profiteers, long be-
fore the government tax gatherer can
reach them. Private capitalism,
running amuck, is faced with the
need of making the government still
further its slave drought the bond
ing process or of giving up part of
this profiteering loot.
President Wilson warns the nation
that business must not expect to
make money out of this war.
viii They Get Away?
In view of the demonstrated prof
it's of the corporations and the high
cost of necessaries due directly to
this extortion it would seem that
the president would refuse to let
them get away with their booty. He
has said that chose who do not re-
spond to the spirit of those who
have gone to give their lives for
us on bloody fields far away, may
safely be left to be dealt with by
opinion and the law-for the law
must, of course, command these
things"
But there is no sign in Washington
that President Wilson intends to
make the Rosenwalds, nor the
Meekers, nor the du Points nor the
du Points nor the Schwabs, give up
their lott There is no sign that
he realizes the threat to the rising
industrial democracy Of America that
rests in the possession of these co.
lossal piles of gold by these profit
teers, There is no sign that he
| sees, what every workers sees, that
this gold is bullets and bayonets
against the working class.