The Washington herald., 1918-05-11

| to be proposed and of course, enact
ed before the end of the present ses-
sion is no surprise.
The people who have been keeping
hands on the doings of Congress and
of the nation have felt all along IL
the time came for mammoth army
proposals to be made there would be
nothing to do but to accompany
| them by mammoth taxation propo-
sails.
The mamoth army proposals have
been made and now it is up to US
to raise the money. Numerous ways
for doing 1t have been suggested
crudely so far as yet-but they will be
gradually worked out as Congress
and representatives of our fiscal
branch center their attention OF the
problem.
One thing is devoutly to be hoped
that Congress will profit by Its
practice in moulding the last war
revenue bill and will give attention
to practical methods as well as theo-
retical in the shaping OF the measure
to-be.
II theories are to be worked into
the measure with little stability to
back them up it will be a harsh thing
for the nation. though we suppose
there would be no ostensible outbreak
against the measure. But II very
practical and sound theories are work.
ed into the bill 1t will please the ma
ton exceedingly and there will be
many to commend the course.
The additional tax burden means
that added seriousness is TO be given
to the war throughout the nation.
II 80 d. IN,
creasing naturally and carrying with
1t the added tax burdens on those
who remain at home means that our
teamwork is getting under headway
with all vigor. This will be bene-
fetal in two directions. 1t will in
crease the belief of the people at home
that they are helping in the mammoth
undertaking and II will put the men
more on guard who are supervising
the expenditures of our resources.
There will be more efficiency in the
things we do and more care will
be taken to see that every dollar does
its work just as every soldier does.
The future means the centraliza-
tion of effort and the increase and
perfecting of our teamwork And
this. We hope and believe in turn, will
mean the disintegration and defeat of
our enemy.
Two very interesting items are
noted in our morning press
First. Mr.. Gompers asks the re-
moval of Arthur Wager as governor
of Porto Rico.
gress has given a vote of conf
dence to President Tinoco.
Our possessions, almost small
enough to be forgotten and
our neighbors hardly any larger,
are having their days of turmoil
and struggle.
There is peace to be found no.
| where, apparently, and who indeed
would want to find it when the
present generation has such a splen-
did opportunity to work for the fu-
ture salvation of the nation and
| of the race itself.
1t Is well that it all comes to-
gether-with great countries and
with small ones. 1t is we'll that the
world has given itself over to the
problem of cleaning up in large
ways. 1t is bit disturbing while
the process is on-and perhaps,
indeed, we Will not be over 1t for
some time to come-but the day
will come when the world will re-
veal the benefits. and what a de-
iightful place it will be to live in
then.
Little things these, perhaps, but
in harmony with the big things. so
let them go. Let US attend to all
the work at once and do it gladly
and industriousIy.
A surprisingly few assailants are
to be found in many States where
we have noted reports. on the ur-
gent request Of Secretary McAdoo
that State tax authorities deal len
iently with the railroads this year.
The habit has been in many
States to make the railroads the
legitimate prey for taxation. The
system has been an abominable one
from its incipiency. The carriers
were not desirous Of evading their
duties in this respect. but they were
hopeful that q uniform taxation
system would be evolved in every
State In such way that all in
tersts paid according to their abil-
ity and each class proportionate to
its worth and exactly the same as
all other units of the same class.
The State authorities, to be frank
! have desired the same system. But
due to the carelessness and disin.
clination Of lawmakers to study tht
4 question, and to misinterpret ths
motives OF those who proposed re,