Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
THE WAR TAX.

The United States senate will max
many amendments in the war tax bi
which has gone to that body from tn
lower house, and public opinion
in favor of the change
that are proposed.
In attempting to compel the natioI
to bear the whole expense of the wal
the administra ton is adopting a cours
which many believe cannot be carrie
to successful completion. while man
more do not regard it as proper.
The Washington Post, in the cours
of an extended editorial on the subject
says:
1t is now evident to all men in
and out of congress that the taxa
ton plan proposed in the house of
representatives must be discarded.
; 1t is wrong in principle, inequit-
able. inadequate and would do
much to prevent the United States
from waging prompt and success
full war.
The senate committee win pre-
sent radical amendments to the
bill. The best amendment it could
make would be to strike out every
thing after the enaeting clause
and insert a plan OF taxation pro-
viding for the raising Of interest
and sinking fund to extend over
thirty years, to meet and ex-
tinguish the debt created by the
sale Of bonds.
Americans OF this generation
have been suddenly called upon to
preserve the full sovereignty and
independence-of the nation. They
received liberty from their fore
fathers and must hand it down to
their children by defeating the
power that is attacking it. To do
this they must give their blood as
we'll as their dollars to any extent
that may be necessary.
There Is no doubt that the pres
ent generation will pay the blood
tax willingly for the benefit of
poste-ity. There is no doubt OF
the ability to pay it.
But there is doubt that this gen.
Grafton can pay the money cost of
the war month by month and year
by year, out Of their current earn
ings. No nation in the history OF
the world has achieved such mir
acle The men who give their bod
les cannot give money at the same
time. The nation IS a whole loses
in productive power to the extent
that its producers are in the
trenches. 1t does its best to Offset
this loss by employing labor OF
women and children, bat all the
loss cannot be Offset II the man
power Is fully employed in the
field.
An attempt to make the nation
pay for war rs it goes means that
the productive power when it is
weakest must be taxed heaviest.
The result must be curtaiiment
of production, and this in turn
means weakness in prosecuting
the war. Instead of stimulating
production. so that the loss of man
power in industry may be OFFSET,
and so that the men at the front
may be furnished with an over
whelming supply Of material, the
pay as you go- policy bleeds the
nation industrially while its men
are bleeding at the front. This
double drain means ruin IL the en-
envy handles his forces expertly
and makes the future pay its share
of his burden.
When this generation expends
its blood and its share of money
to win the war, it has done all that
posterity should ask of it. The en-
suing thirty years should each be
charged with a proportion OF the
cost in money. The cost in blood
Is the contribution Of living pa
triots which the next generation
will not have to pay.
An annual tax of $500 900, 900
would take care of the interest and
mortization OF billions of bonds.
The people would buy these bonds
il they were not taxed so heavily
as to be unable to buy them. Why
is the liberty loan going so slowly,
if 1t is not because Of the fear Of
excessive taxation and the robber
tax imposed by uncontrolled food