Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-21
TO MAKE THE RICH
PAY COST OF WAR
Senator La Toilette Advocates
Higher Tax on Profits
and Incomes.
MINORITY REPORT ON BILL

Conscription of wealth to pay for the
war was urged in the Senate today by
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin, in
presenting the minority plans of the
finance committee foG higher rates in
the war tax bill on war profits and in
comes. He suggested increasing the
81. .oO6. 900. 900 bill to more than $3.500.-
100000 by such increases, with elimi-
nation of consumption taxes. He also
urged that less bonds and more taxes
be authorized.
Senator La Toilette delivered his
speech in his usual vigorous style,
stalking the center aisle. pounding
nearby desks until their ink wells rat
tied, waving his hands and running
them through his hair. Several times
he pointed out senators conversing to-
gether and asked them to stop. stating
it caused him annoyance His address
was made to a considerable number of
senator's remaining in the chamber and
he was seldom interrupted.
The Wisconsin senator declared gov
ernments were demanding war, while
their peoples were asking for peace. and
contended that SIS per cent OF men
drafted are protesting. Large bond is
sues desired by wealthy interests, he
contended, initiate prices and increase
the present high cost of living, which.
he asserted, already imposes % TO loo
per cent war burden upon the masses
The liberty loan. he said was made pos.
sible by an Iron hand witnin q kio
glove" and persistent advertising
methods.
Discusses Pending Bill.
THE n.pdipp hill Mr. la Toilette states
provides by taxes but II per cent of this
wears war expenses. while Great Brit
ain imposes Is per cent. Next years
war expenditures. he predicted. may
reach $50, 900. 900. 900 or $4,000. 900. 900.
and he urged that huge war pronts
and incomes of wealthy persons. by
higher surtaxeS. be mace 10 pear tne
burden of the war.
Urging a larger proportion OF taxes,
the Wisconsin senator said:
TT is part Of the history of all
great wars that wealth has demanded
imum of loans, while the poorer classes
have desired the maximum of taxation
and the minimum OF loans, ana tnis
difference is accentuated now since war
forced by taxation to contribute some
portion of the revenues which war
makes it necessary to raise.
Wealth has never yet sacrificed it
self on the altar Of patriotism IN any
shown itself eager to take advantage
<ffe>mDfortunee9.rls rlsteaasssya s3awa9ol
brings to the messes Of stheripeopaat
have had and it is certainly true of the
1fsseRt war. j -
Regarded as Small Comfort
.,,"1t may Bs argued that the poor
equally with the rich viii have the op-
portunity to, purchase war bonds. It
Is small comfort to have the opportuni-
ty to purchase bonds, If you have little
or no money to invest in bonds. The
late liberty loan is a good example
of bonds sold to the poor. or those
of limited means. All the machinery
tion to sell these bonds to the small
investor.
I'VE all know that these bonds We're
a poor investment to the man OF small
means in comparison with the advan-
tages which the owners of large in
comes could secure from investing mil
lions of their taxable incomes in these
non-taxable bonds. The government
investment paying from to per
cent and more to persons with large in
comes. who will escape the income
tax on every dollar thus invested: while
to the wage Garner and the man with
salary so small as not to be reached
by the income tax. who pinched and
saved and sacrificed in order to pur-
chase them. they return but meager
3Is per cent. The result is that these
bonds will soon find their war wholly
into the hands of the wealthy But this
is not all. Paying for a war mainly
by selling bonds inevitably forces in
fiation. Imitation raises prices. greatly
increasing the cost of living to the
masses.
What Congress Should Do.
We are counseled by the highest