The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-08-30
DRAFTING IOWA CASH.

Inc SCCOuu llDclty ivan lSouC III
be made within a short time, possibly
in September, and Iowans will have
an opportunity to contribute toward
it's success in the good old Way-by
voluntary purchase OF the bonds:
There will be no special session OF
the general assembly in the time in
tervening, and there will be no legls-
lation under which the state as
whole will buy it's quota and assess
its citizens therefor on taxation
basis.
1t sounds good to speak of the con
scription of cash. The alllteratlve
roll in itself is sweet. And the very
aura of the phrase batheS uellclously
the imagination Of the fellow who
hasn't much money and who natural
ly envies the man who has. But
there are some real defects in the
proposition. And there are some ad-
vantages on the side OF the voluntary
system. And, beyond all these, there
stands the fact that except perhaps
in Germany the CONSUMPTION or
wealth to float bond issues has not
been necessary, and that it is least OF
all necessary here. The war has
shown conspicuously that while the
drafting OF men is imperative, the
drafting OF the peoples savings TO-
finance the war is not The credit OF
nations has stood up better than the
enthusiasm of their people to dab
BILE with bayonets.
CONSUMPTION Of Iowa money to
buy the states liberty bond quota
carries with it the idea OF appor-
tioning to each citizen an interest in
the bond issue. OF course, in order
even to look fair, each citizen would
have to be assessed for the bond is
sue according to his apparent ability
dc, in
ton to the value of the property on
which he pages taxes. A correspond
ing share OF the bond issue then
would be placed to his credit, and
the interest would accrue to him. He
would be taxed for the cause only in
the sense that he would be compelled
to make a direct investment.
But it is not true that every clu-
zen of Iowa can fairly be compelled
to buy bonds according to the value
of his property, or on any other con-
ceivable basis. Some Iowa citizens
who own property can not afford to
buy bonds at all. This class is not
numerous probably, but common
sense tells that it does exist. There
are others who can afford to buy and
ought to be made to buy far beyond
the proportion of their wealth as in
dicated by the mere figures showing
public opinion may be far from a per-
feet instrument to pry the cash out
of these fellows, but a proportional
law provision would not be much bet
ter. The central fact is that. con-
scriptiOn of money ought to be Sc
lective as we'll as the consumption OF
men. 1t would be interesting to hear
somebody explain, Just how, under
the Iowa proposal, this could be &C
nlichc6
No doubt everybody would take a
great deal of satisfaction out of COM
pelling some financial slackers to dis
gorge even part Of what they ought
to contribute for bonds. But many
other people of the state would have
to pay a pretty high price for the
satisfaction. AS last resort money
should be drafted wherever it can be
found. That would be better than
losing the war, regardless of Unequal
tiles and injustices it might entail. In
that case the popular slogan OF the
voluntary subscription campaigns:
"Give Until 1t Hurts, would have
become superfluous and ironical.
And all the JOY of announcing a vol
untary oversubscription would have
been lost.
Considered even practically, there
is some benefit in the campaigns and
in the personal sacrifices voluntarily
made for the purchase of bonds. Both
are stimulating and educational. And
as to the proposal for Iowa conscrip-
ton, it is to be suspected that, while
earnestly approved by some thinking
men, it has received not little of it's
backing from those who would be
glad to see an extra session of the
general assembly, regardless of the
excuse that might be made for it
Sioux City Journal.