Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-11
80 MEMBERS TAKEN
INTO CONFIDENCE ON
PRESIDENTS PLANS
Administration Leaders Sum-
moned 10 White House
Agree on Ship Building and
Purchase Plan


states has arranged TO make loan of
sT5.OOO. 900 to Belgian. which will be ex-
pended by the Belgian relief commits
sion.
The loan will he advanced at the rate
of I2.5OO. 900 a month. of which 81
OOO. 600 will be available for relief in
Belgium and S5.OOO.OOO for relief ia
northern France
BY making the loan the United States
will take the burden OF the relief in
Belgium and France from the shoulders
taerGriBt--
OF Great Britain and France and con-
duct it from this country so far as
possible
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The billion
dollars Uncle Sam will spend at once
for ships TO combat the submarine men
ace will go for purchase of second hand
vessels and construction of new ones.
This was decided on today at a two
hours conference between the president
an dthirty members of both house OF
congress and officials Of the government
ship board.
The congress delegation represented
all factions of both parties. All were
agreed. after what the president told
ships quickly and in enormous tonnage.
The plan tentatively decided on is to
attach the appropriation. or $500, 200, 00)
of It. on the urgency deficiency bill, max.
ing that sum available at once. The re-
mainder will be provided when wanted
later. President Wilson was told by
leaders of both parties.
The shipping board is understood to-
have made complete survey of all
ships for sale in the United States. If
owners of these ships show any hest
fancy in selling to the government
should the government want the ships.
means will be found to bring such own
ers TO terms. The means may be through
the bill now pending. which would give
the president power to commander all
shipping.
To insure prompt and efficient hand
ling of all supplies in carrying cut the
government shipbuilding program, the
shipping board today created the office
of director of traffic of the board and
the emergency fleet corporation.
Major General George W. Goethals,
general manager of the corporation. and
William Denman. chairman of the board.
announced the appointment of David l..
Ewing. of st. Louis. TO the new Office.
Mr. Ewing formerly was assistant
general freight agent OF the st. Louis
and san Francisco railroad. He will
take up his duties in washington i'm.
mediately.
AGE LIMIT 81 TO 81.
House and senate conferees on the Sc
Iectiye service army bill are rapidly ad-
iustiug their differences, II was learned
aftera long session today. and report
on the measure may be expected by to-
morrow.
As the measure will be agreed upon.
according to best information avail
able. the Roosevelt division amendment
will be eliminated: the age for service
will he fixed at from twenty-one to
tbirty-one years and the army prohibit
ton amendment will remain. but modi-
fled so as to attach a penalty only to
the sale OF liquor to men in uniform.
AS the measure stood originally the
penalty would apply TO selling, fur
nishing or giving away" liquor to a
soldier I'm uniform.
Senator Chamberlain declared later
there still was a possibility that the
cOuferees would be able to iron out
all their differences.
I'VE will meet again this afternoon,
and II we don't agree on the measure
If we can't get together by the end Of
up" Senator Chamberlain said.
The house ways and means committee
today reported out the $500. OOO, 600
revenue bill II Immediately was intro
duced by Chairman Kitchin and will 20
before the house probably tomorrow.
TAX ON TEA AND COFFEE.
The committee today added a new
provision for a one cent a pound tax on
all coffee, two cents a pound on all tea,
which is in the United States tomorrow.
excepting that held by individuals for
their own use or to that held by retail
ers.
The rich man must pay heavily. but
the burden is proportionately distrib-
uted all down the line by the NAM
moth war revenue bill. The measure
is not sufficient to carry out the presi-
dents idea of a pay as you GO war
but IL will meet the two-billion-dollar
short term certificates of Indebtedness
in less than eighteen months.
The new tax will take one-third OF
incomes of half a million dollars and
runs up to where it takes practically
half of incomes over two million dol
lars.
Incomes. inheritances and excess
profits constitute the framework of the
bill. The rich man is hit hard whether
his wealth be in incomes from invest
ments. estates left by his ancestors or
profits above per cent on the capital
invested i'm business.
ALL ARE AFFECTED.
The bill, however, goes from the big
things to little things, affecting prac-
tically every man, woman and child in
America The levy strikes everything
from pills, cosmetics and chewing gum
to yachts, automobiles and stock certifi-
Gates.
There is a tax on railroad and Pull
man tickets, on freight bills. on trans
portatisn of oil by pipe line and steam
ship tickets. a per cent tax is lev
led on local telephone calls, with
graduated tax on long distance mes
sages.
The rates on incomes. inheritances
and excess profits are lin addition to"
existing rates.
As the ways and means committee
met today to finish the revenue bill il
was stated on good authority the COM
mittee added to the bill l cent a pound
tax on coffee and cents a pound on
tea.