The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-06-11
HOW SHALL WE :
PAY FOR The WAR?
4 Constructlve Criticism on tho
House Revenue Bill.
LOANS BETTER THAN TAXES

Five Reasons Why Excessive Taxes al
ths Outset of War Are Disadvantage
ous-creat Britain Example Worthy
Of Emulation-How the Taxes Should
30 Appovtionsd.
BY EDWIN r. A. sELiGMAN,
Mcvickar Professor OF Political Econ
omy. Columbia University.
On May %, 1917, the House Of Rep.
resentatives passed an act ito provide
revenue to defray war expenses and
for other purposes" In the original
bill as presented by the Committee OF
Ways and Means. the additional reve-
nue. to be derived was estimated at ST.
61O,42O,OO0 The amendment to the in.
come tax, which was tackled on to the
bill during the discussion in the House,
was expected to yield another $4,000
600 or $50O00.000.
In discussing the House bill, two
problems arise:
/. How much should be raised by
taxation?
II. In what manner should this sum
20 raised? ~
I. How Much Should Be Raised by
Taxation?
How was the figure Of 81, 800, O00, 900
arrived at? The answer is simple. When
the Secretary of the Treasury came to
estimate the additional war expenses
for the year 1918. he calculated that
they would amount to some $4,000
100000. Of which $4,000, 100000 was to
be allotted to the allies. and $780,
100000 was to be utilized for the do
nestle purposes. Thinking that 1t
would be "a fair proposition to divide
this latter sum between loans and
taxes, he concluded that the amount
to be raised by taxes was $1,S00OO0..
600.
There are two extreme theories, each
Of which may be dismissed with scant
courtesy. The one is that all war ex.
pendItures should be betrayed by loans,
and the other is that all war expendi-
tpfes should be betrayed by taxes.
Each, theory is untenable.
1t is indeed true that the burdens of
the war should be. borne by the pres.
ent rather than the future generation;
but this does not mean that they should
be borne by this years taxation.
Meeting all war expenses by taxation
makes the taxpayers in one or two.
years bear the burden Of benefits that
ought to be distributed at least over a
decade within the same generation.
In the second place. when expendi-
tures approach the gigantic sums of
prcsentfday warfare, the tax-only pol
ley would require more than the total
surplus Of social income. Were this
absolutely necessary, the ensuing hav
&C In the economic life of the commas
ty would have to be endured. BG.
where the disasters are so great and
at the same time so unnecessary, the
tax-only policy may be declared i'm
practicable.
Secretary Mrssdoo had the right in.
stinct and highly commendable cour-
age in deciding that a. substantial por-
tion, at least, Of the revenues should
he derived from taxation. But when
he hit upon the plan Of $3.50 per cent,
that is, of raising one-half Of all do
mestic war expenditures by taxes. the
question arises whether he did not 90
TOO far.
The relative proportion of loans to
taxes is after all n purely business
proposition Not to rely to a large ex-
tent on loans at the outset Of war is
mistake. & NE
Disadvantages Of Excessive Taxes.
The disadvantages of excessive taxes
at the outset OF the war are as follows:
!. Excessive taxes on consumption
Will cause popular resentment
z. Excessive taxes on industry will
disarange business. damp enthusiasm
and restrict the spirit of enterprise at
the very time when the opposite is
needed.
3. Excessive taxes on incomes will de-
plete the surplus available for invest
meDts and interfere with the placing of
the enormous loans which will be neces
sary in any event.
T. Excessive taxes on wealth will
cause a serious diminution Of the In
comes which are at present largely
drawn upon for the support of educa-
tional and philanthropic enterprises.
Moreover. these sources of support
would be dried up precisely ut the time
when the need would be greatest.
5. Excessive taxation at the outset Of
the war will reduce the elasticity avail
able for the increasing demands that
ere soon to come.
Great Britain's Policy.
Take Great Britain as an example.
During the first year of the war she
Increased taxes only slightly. in order
to- keep industries going ut top notch. |
During the second year she raised by
new taxes only per cent. of her war
expenditures. During the third year
she levied by additional taxes (over |
and above the pre-war leveD only |
slightly more than II per cent. of her
war expenses.
II we should attempt to do as much |
In the first year OF the war as Great |
Britain did in the third year 1t would
suffice to rnise by taxation $3.50. OOO,- |
900. II. in order to be absolutely on