Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-06-10

consciously, to resulting feeling OF
resentment that the proposal to con-
fiscate during the war all incomes
beyond a certain figure IN actively
promoted by leading pacifists n
proposal based upon ignorance of or
disregard for the laws of economies,
teachings of history and practical
considerations
1t any such scheme were to be
adopted. the consequences to the
country at large would be far more
serious than to the victims OF the
proposed confiscation.
Capital would go into hiding. II
might even take wing to other coun-
tries, for instance, TO the country at
our very door. Canada. where there
IL no federal income tax at all, and
hardly any state income tax.
II would certainly cease flowing
into constructive use and would in
stead confine itself largely to muni-
cipal, state and federal taX-exempt
securities. Enterprise would be Sc
riously hampered and in some re-
spects brought to standstill entirely.
Many thousands of workmen would
be thrown out of employment Many
businesses and shops would close.
There would ensue, as natural con-
sequence and without any conscious
determination, a nation wide strike OF
constructive activity and enterprise in
commerce and finance, because men
will not look upon 1t as square
deal" If they are to take all the risk
and responsibility, all the hard work
and ceaseless strain and care of busi-
ness effort. whilst the government
would nccdlcssly take from them an
unduly large share OF the fruit of their
labor, let alone all of ii except an ar
bitrsrily fixed sum.
| say "needlessly' because, were IL
really needed, business men would
willingly sacrifice their entire income
for the country's cause.
They would work for patriotism,
without any recompense whatever, just
as hard and harder than they do for
gain or for ambition, if the occasion
required IL.
But, of course, everyone knows that
nothing remotely approaching such
drastic taxation is required in this
country.
IL il absolutely right 10 proclaim
and To enforce by legislation that no
man. as far as il is possible to prevent
il, shall make money OUT OF \ WAR
in which his country Is engaged, but
there Is all the difference IN the world
between that just and mora, doctrine
ana between the unjust and immoral
doctrine that no man shall he per-
mittcd to have more than an arbi-
trarilv fixed income DURING war
If 100000 or any fixed sum is the
limit of what may be permissible in
come during war time, why not by and
by a lesser sum?
If the principle is once admitted,
whore will its application stop, even
in time of peace?
why is not the proposed plan. or
anything in the nature of that plan,
simply license for the unsuccessful to
despoil the successful?
History shows more than one in
stance where this road inevitably leads
to when once entered upon.
And who are our successful men?
The vast majority Of them are self
made men who started at the bottom
of the ladder.
1t is trite to say that inequality of
endowment and therefore inequality of
results in human beings as well as in
inanimate things, is a law of nature,
The capacity for creating, organizing,
leading, etc, in short, the possession