Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-12
EVENTS OF WEEK

EVENTS OF A WEEK
War is a thing foreign to the experience Of most
Americans now living. The survivors Of those who par
ticipated in the civil war are advanced in years. Others
who can remember 1t were but children when 1t occur
red. The Spanish war was a basatelle. The vast major
iy Of our people have been reared in a condition OF pro-
found peace, and have been accustomed to regard war
as a horrible disaster which might affect other nations,
but not ours And, in spite OF army bills and tax bills
and other incidents of preparation, it is still difficult for
many of our people to realize that this nation is actual
ly one of the major parties to the greatest war aver wased
by humanity, that our own men will soon be actively
engaged in it. and that all our people will presently be
paying their money to provide means whereby our SOL
diers and sailors may be maintained in their attacks on
the enemy, on land or on sea, wherever he may be found.
Fatalism is supposed to be a characteristic Of the east
en races. The British are credited with & disposition
to let things take their course. trusting to luck that they
will be able to "muddle through" Whether our mental
attitude partakes of oriental fstalism or British atolidIty,
we have not yet quite realized that we are at WAY.
e
Those who have to do with the affairs of our gov
eminent have reason to realize more clearly than many
OF our people do that war is an accomplished fact, for
almost their entire time is now occupied with the so,u-
ton Of problems and the performance of duties relating
to the war. We have seen during the week the sub
stantdal agreement by the two houses of congress on a
war revenue bill providing for the raising Of 81, 0,0o0.-
900. which, with the s~1,5oo.ooo,o 900 needed for ordinary
expenses brings this years federal taxation up to S.
00,o0o,oo a tax of s3s for every inhabitant OF tho
United States The features of this bill have been de-
scribed in some detail In the weeks dispatches. Pro
visions are made for special taxes on almost every i'm
asinable article or activity, with large increases in the
revenue taxes already levied on incomes and inheitances,
On corporations, and on a number of other things.
Many protests have been fled against the proposed
taxes. Some Of these protests are undoubtedly without
merit. and represent merely an unreasoning reluctance
to pay taxes In other cases the operation of the pro-
visions appears likely to accomplish the actual deatruc-
ton of legitimate business. In such cases it is expected
that notifications will be made. Where there are such
cases no good purpose can be served by retaining the
rates provided for, as. aside from the inequity of confs-
eating property by taxation, the industry which is taxed
out of existence ceases Immediately to be a further pro-
Queer of revenue for the government or anybody else.
.
Another bill which is approaching its final stages.
and which may have been passed before these lines are
printed, Is the army bill providing for the new American
army to be raised by selective CONSUMPTION. Several diff
ferences between the two houses have been ironed out
An agreement has been reached on the age limits within
which men may be called into service. The senate fixed
these limits at 81 to q years. The house made it 81
to 40. The compromise fxes the ages at 81 to 81. The
volunteer feature, which provided for the recruiting of
a volunteer army for Immediate service abroad, has been
eliminated. This is the feature under which Colonel
Roosevelt proposed to head a division for service in
France.
Like most of the army measures. this Is being treat
ed as an emergency measure, and it will take effect i'm
medtately upon its signature by the president. Already
the war department had prepared much of the machin-
cry in anticipation of the passage Of the bill. Registra-
ton of all men Of proper age viii be required. and pen
alties are provided for failure to register, and also for
registration officials who contribute in any way to the
failure Of persons to register. Among the persons ex-
empt from army service are those engaged in special
trades or occupations under the employ Of the govern
ment, those engaged privately in occupations which the
president may declare to be necessary to the maintenance
of the army, and those physically unfit or having others
dependent on them.
f. .
Treasury and other officials have been working at
high speed to arrange for the Liberty Loan of $4,000
100000 which is to be placed with the American people
at once. This loan is being handled through the banks
of the country, the banks acting merely as distributors.
and receiving no compensation for their services. Only
a small portion Of the loan will be taken by the banks
themselves, as the federal reserve board believes that
the banks will be more serviceable both to the govern
ment and to the general public II the greater part of
their funds are invested in securities Of a more liquid
character than these longtime bonds. The bonds, when
issued. and the certificates which will be issued imme-
diately, to be replaced by the more formal bonds as soon
as the latter can be prepared, will bear 3,1-2 per cent
interest, and will be exchangeable at the option Of tho
holder for any bonds which may be issued during their
life which bear a higher rate Of interest. The eject OF
this provision is that those who subscribe now will draw
3 1-2 per cent on their investment right from the start,
but. II the government nnds it necessary later to advance
the interest rate, they will benefit at once by that ad-
vance. This places the early investor and the later ono
on the same basis II interest rates advance.
Recruiting for the navy and for the medical corpo
have preceded apace. The middle west has surprised
ths rest Of the country with the number Of its naval en-
Siisfnnsnts, and squads Of men are going forward every
dry from practically al, the little towns in tho country.
national Guard enlistrnents have also been stimulated.
ma companies are rapidly being filled In anticipation
ell q any moment
rhs sUnitsd staAss will sand 1900 men to France
sasssoon - thsy can DO prepared for foreign services. and
gas soon ~ transportation for tthsnas IL available. Thts
VII bes Il voiuntssr 10y OF expert railroad men. ensa-
snesr ma pthers,. who will be assigned to duty IN con-
Ss1TWctinE ma rspsiring railroad lnes In France. chisAy
&bShind thse aAyanesd positions. insordsr that the
" .ss1srtassenG nnay y naads 4 . sdasisnt g, pes-