Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-08-01
HERE'S WHAT WE WANT!
Democratic Congressional Candidate
Has Modern Views on National
and State Issues.

emf that there might be no Democratic:
nominee for Congress from the Second
congressional District of West Virgin
ia Sen. John L. Hatfield, Hon. Thomas
F Hodges, Hon. P. J. Crogan and Hon.
I v Gibson were interviewed IN re-
GARD TO making the race, but all felt
imnelled to decline. Finally, when IT
became absolutely necessary thar
candidate be announced at once II was
upon the suggestion OF Senator hat
field. and others, that | take the nomi-
nation. that the spirit OF Democracy
and LOYALTY to our government. inhu.
enced me to such an extent that could
not decline.
AS lifelong West Virginian, grad.
nate from her State University and
since then an untiring worker in her
courts and in the development OF her
resources. it is only natural that !
should be fully alive to her needs, her
interests and especially her possibIll-
ties. And for the past twenty. years,
even though engaged in other lines OF
work. a great deal of my energy, time
and money have been given TO the
cause of true democracy.
Never having been before the public
in the capacity of a congressional can
didate, it is only fair that should stare
definitely my attitude toward some OF
the important interests as well as my
ideas concerning our great nationai
issues.
Labor Capital Taxation.
NV years of experience in the coal
industry, which is, even in Its COM
parative infancy of today, next to agrl-
culture, the chief employer OF labor
and creator of capital in this district,
lead me TO believe that the action OF the
government in supervising the settle
ment of industrial disputes and the pro-
motion of efficiency is but forerunner
of the day when labor and capital Will
cooperate in way that is undreamea
of today. And, firm in that belief, |
hope to hasten the advent OF the day,
for even the coal is Of vital and ire
mendous Importance to us, as nation
at war, we can only guess what II Will
mean to us when the even greater
problems of the future loom up.
Then too, whenever the future is dis
cussed there is always the shadow OF
the taxes that must pay for the war.
For sometime | have been engaged IN
war revenue work and the experience
that have had in connection with the
Income and Excess Profits Taxes leads
| me to believe that the bulk of our taxes
should be raised by strictlyproportioned
and fair tax upon incomes and decimal
tax upon luxuries and if need be upon
semi-necessties. Then, too, since the
so-called "unearned increment" that
farmers are accused of getting is but a
false cry, why not reduce the direct
taxes on land and real estate, which
usually yield the smallest returns of
any form Of capital or accumulated
surplus, and tax them upon the income
yielded?
Government Developed Industries.
Since our now undeveloped natural
resources offer such marvellous oppor-
tunities to labor and capital, why not
have the government open the gate in
West Virginia as it is doing in the
South, by converting the great water
power, that is now being wasted, into
cheap electricity that would throw out
inducements so strong that the mills
of the north could not refrain from
rushing forth to meet here in this zone
of power the raw material of the south,
that may be better worked up in West
Virginia because of climatic conditions.
Let us send our coal where it is most
needed, and with the money realized
from its sale, let us use our "white
coal'-our wonderful water power
let us build other great industries.
The progress of country depends
entirely upon the power of that coun-
try to produce, and the power to pro-
duce depends upon its natural resources
such as this district has, yet its labor
and capital may be entire strangers to
such resources, and allow them to re-
main dormant and therefore practically
worthless. The countless acres of
undeveloped fruit lands, the hidden
millions of tons of coal, and marvellous
quantities of other minerals sufficient
to produce seventy-five per cent or
more of the chemicals and by.products
that are so necessary to modern life
asleep because of the inadequate trans
portation, lack of capital, and discrim-
nation and ownership manipulation.
Let the government continue to con-
troll the ailroads and finally own them
and such other public utilities as are
necessary, and let it also be develop
er of new industries where needed, if
private capital can not or will not do
the pioneer work.
Win the War First.
Important as are the foregoing sub
jects to the people Of the Second dis
trict, they are all together secondary
to the biggest job on earth" that our
nation is now engaged in, and that is
winning the. war. We must subordin-
ate all minor issues and interests, We
must solidly back our President and
our millions of fighting men, we must
support our allies to the end and beyond
we must do our utmost without stint
or limit-to the very limit of our
strength and endurance, we must do
these things for we must-we will
win this war. Let me help you do it.
ROBERT E. L. ALLEN,
Candidate for Conorecc