The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-24
WILSON KEEPS
HANDS OFF
President Is Not Inclined to
Oppose Radical Leg
islation
GREAT INCOMES TO
BE CONSCRIPTED
The House Is Likely to Fol
low the Lead of the
Senate

Washington, ID. c., Aug. 24.-Ir>efna.
tions from trustworthy sources that
President Wilson will keep "hand' off
tie revenue legislation are accepted at
the capitol as plain indication that thn
administration fsvors some increases in
the surplus income and war profits taxes
The Lenroot amendment, already ADOPT
ed by the House, increasing the income
taxes over those recommended by the
committee on ways and means, has been
approved by the Senate, which also has
accepted, without even division, the
amendment of Senator Gerry OF Rhode
Island, which would take half the in.
comes of persons receiving more tDsn
81 100000 year. Senator Gerry's
comes, like his own, while the Lenroot
taxes apply more generally.
The Senate is now preparing to vote
on the LaFoIette plan of taxation,
which would exempt only 20 per cent. of
war profits from taxation, and sentiment
in favor of it is growing stronger every
hour. In fact, the whole debate on the
LaFollette side is being conducted APP |
parently upon the theory that the Unit |
ed States is not engaged in war and
that any kind of political experiment |
that will satisfy majority of the vot-
ers at home, who are not rich people, is
sound finance. If President Wilson is
content to let these radical amendments
prevail, without raising hand in sup
port of the Senate committee, con-
trolled by his party, it may be taken as
a foregone conclusion that the House,
which is more radical than the Senate,
less skillful and intelligent, will
snap up the heavy tax provisions gladly
as the easiest method of advancing sd
journment.
The administration apparently is COM
hitting itself without much reservation
to the rsdicalisms which are so rapidly
the character of our fiscal leg
Some of the soft coal men are
said to be coming to Washington to pro. !
test against the rates fixed by the presi-
dent on their products, and it is under
stood among government officials that
they might as well remain at home. !
Prices for anthracite coal will be fixed
soon, and coal administrator will be
appointed, perhaps to-day, to insure that
he next step in government control of (
'rices will be the appointment of cop d
Ger administrator. Steel prices would h
,e fixed in the same manner, were it | f
lot that the federal trade commission h
las discovered that the costs of produc- h
ion vary so widely that no uniform S
Gale of prices can be established with t
ut too great danger of curtailing pro- n
uction. In the field of coal, some mines
nay be closed as result of the price N
king, but it is calculated that the h
osses from this source will not be suffi. il
lent to affect the supply materially. A
The policy of fixing prices would APP Il
ear to imply an intention to exert 81
terner control over labor also, although B
is noteworthy that wherever the gov Il
has interviewed in dispute, as o,
! the shipyards strike, wages have been u
lcreased 81
Legislation for the elimination of the ii
w. w. as a disturbing factor in the la te
or field has been proposed in Congress OF
nd must be given consideration as soon m
; the revenue bill is out of the way to
! striking address to the Senate yes be
'rday, Senator Myers of Montana de. til
nded John d. Ryan, president of the bt
naeonda Copper company, against the if
rue and unjust" charges that he. or st
$ company is responsible for the strikes
the mining regions and showed that ca
e American Federation of Labor and fla
e Mine Workers union have no sym op
thy with the methods or the demands tn
the !. w. w. The principle involved tn
the revenue bill is exceedingly inn tn
rtant to the conduct of the war, for i'm
e proposed bond issues face good sh
any embarrsssments already, owing mi
mistakes already made, and may be ha
riously endangered by too drastic tax ed
yislation. ar,