The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-06-05
WHO WILL PA Y?
Bv Harvey Cornnick Egan, Gary, Ind.

lighting hard for the great mass or
people. but these men seem to be in
the minority just now. There is a big
argument on both sides. The members
of this Congress are going TO make
history as il never was made before in
this country. Some are going to repre-
sent their constituency and the great
mass of American people while others
are going to dig their political graves
forever. There is <reat wealth in this
country as the following statistics show.
but it is not in the hands of the great
mass OF people.
Forty-two industrial corporations in
the United States show net profits in
1916 for an aggregate of s729.9SS.235.
These corporations cleared a net profit
last year of nearly three-quarters of
billion dollars. The list does not in
clude the railroads or mining interests,
which would add great deal more
If only 80 per cent of this wealth
was conscripted there would be no
trouble in getting the first billion dol
lars. II is up TO us TO urge our con-
gressmen and senators TO see that this
wealth is conscripted. England has
found way to do it in her country
and there is no reason why we shouldn't
be able to do il in our country. We
claim to be a democracy. Let us be a
democracy in fact and deed as we'll as
talk.
Let the people who can afford ii pay
the bill. Don't tax our necessities and
the few pleasures of life we have. The
great mass of people in me United
States are facing great difficulties now
to make both ends meet. Many people
will be facing starvation by winter
time. How in the name of decency
can those people be asked to carry the
burdens that rightfully belong to
others
Tax the big incomes and conscript
the excessive profits and reduce the high
cost of living or else raise the wages
by law so people can live decently. A
united. contented people are neces-
sary to the winning of the war as an
efficient military power. When a people
have to go cold and hungry they cannot
be united. nor contented, nor efficient.
nor even patriotic And that condition
is staring US in the face and should be
taken into consideration in framing our
revenue bill.
II we are fighting TO democratize the
world as our present administration
tells us-and we dare not say il is not
true even if we don't believe it-let us
watch out that we don't take Russia s
old place in the autocratic world In
spite of our protestations. we are fast
drifting towards the rocks on which
democracy has been broken UP before
according TO worlds history. Ever since
the inception of our governments gov
. eminent for the people. by the people
ii has been the aim Of Europe to smash
it. Today we are drifting fa~ away
from the sage advice and admonitions
of the great men who gave up all r-.--
was dear to them to make this coun-
| try free from European entang lements
and from the men of only generation
ago who staked their all to keep il a
| free country.
Talk doesn't cost anything Many
! people arc doing lot of it nowadays
Today presents the opportunity for
| some of those people to back up their
| talk with their fortunes VIII they do
! it? 1t did not hurt the conscience of
some to urge the voting away of men s
| lives viii il hurt their conscience to
| vote away their fortunes? Many OF
| the men who lobbied for the conscrip-
tion of lives are now lobbying against
the conscription OF their money. The
| former did not affect them. but the lat
! ter does. Let us see that they don't
get away with it,
Use your intelligence and thinking
! powers before it is too late. Urge this
/ Congress to do the right thing. Watch
| them carefully. and if they don't, then
| see that when the next Congress is
elected that men who will do right by
\ the people at large are sent to Wash
| ington. We are fast arriving at n one
man government, but we won't reach
/ the destination if we do our own think
| ing and act accordingly. Don't let some
one else do your thinking for you
| When you do you forfeit the right &c
be free