The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-04
WASTE OUR BLOOD

CONTINUED rom P2ge One)
posed to do. Their patriotism is of a
high order and they are willing to
have what they've made out of the
war conscripted."
johnson Hard at 1t Today.
Swollen taxes will como to haunt
the small merchant. trade5man, farm
er and manufacturer, if the govern
ment does not conscript wealth to pay
war bills, Senator johnson warned,
as he resumed his labors tc levy more
taxes on the war profits of great in
dustries than are provided in the fl
nance committee bill. His coat and
collar off and sleeves rolled up, the
big Californian was found at his office
answering correspondence. From
all parts of the country have come
letters and kilograms, sympathizing
with his fight to have blood profits
pay for the war. But mary are anx-
ious lest his plan result in business
depression. So Johnson took time off
today to explain just what his fight
means to the average citizen and aver
age business man of the country.
1.-TWO hostile and utterly irreconcil-
able PHILOSOPHERS of war taxation are
fighting for supremacy in the United
States senate" Johnson began. "One
view voiced and led by Senator Pen
rose, Pennsylvania, in conjunction
with Senators Smoot Lodge, simmons
and others, representing apparently
an overwhelming majority, insists
upon a minimum of taxation on war
profits; while the minority group of
senators like Borah, Hollis, Kenyon
and McNary insists on the maximum
of taxation of war profits.
Briefly the plan of the minority,
which was rejected by the senate in
the vote upon my amendment, is to
average the profits of a business for
three years before the war, to deduct
this full pre-war profit from profits
made during the war and tax by 70
or 80 per cent the remainder. For
instance, if in three years preceding
the war a corporation made profits
respectively of $4,000, 100000 and
$125,000, the average peace profit
would be 100000 If. during the
war, the same concern made a profit
of 100000 a year, from this war
profit would be deducted the 100000
average peace profits and the tax
would be levied upon the 100000 ex-
cess war profits.
The Two Plans.
The group led by Penrose would
take of war profits 81 per- cent. The
| group led by Borah and Hollis would
take 70 to 80 per cent. We who favor
high taxes of war profits insist the
expenses of war should be paid by
those who profit by war; that the
| burden of taxation lies least heavily
]
when taxation can be laid upon enOr-
nous sums coined out of our misfor-
| tune and our nations perilS; that
when the supreme maximum sacrifice
is required of humanity at least some
sacrifice should be required of the
rifice; that we should not be lavish OF
| our blood and tender of our dollars.
THE answer made by Senator Pen
rose and his followers is that by such
| ness and prevent productivity and
| preclude theordinary flux of industry.
This we deny. England takes now so
per cent of war profits and the finan-
cia1 experts of England say business
was never better nor profits greater.
England took SO per cent of her
war profits the first year and we gave
our business concerns 100 per cent;
| England took 60 per cent of her war
profits the second year and we gave
our people 100 per cent; England
took 80 per cent the third year and
we, tremblingly and timidly, will take
l31 per cent and give to those who
made literally billions out of war
travail and crises, practically 70 per
cent of this years war gains
Small Men Must Pay.
Every dollar we refuse to take to-
profits which gave the pacifists
ground for calling this a corporation
war, must be paid ultimately by the
small merchant and small property
owner and the average citizen. Today
we have a financial reservoir upon
which to draw reservoir of war
profits which the people have created
by their patriotic outpouring of mon
ey to finance democracy's fight.
THE moment war ceases that mo-
ment that reservoir dries. OF course
those making these profits cry wait
wait, wait
They mean that we shall wait IN
til they have safely pocketed theil
war profits, until the war has ended
with unheard of liabilities and debts
upon US all.
Then the full bill must be paid BY
the SIN all merchant and the aYera eE