The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-04-11
American Business Men Ready to
Make Sacrifices With
out Stint.
TAXES HERE AND ABROAD.
American Taxation the Most Demo-
cratic In the World.
BY OTTO n. KAHN.

'Noc ohh phcAhtcr hhth hhh Nfths Ahaht
to gain by preserving the conditions
which existed during the two and a
half years prior to April, 1917. under
which many Of them made very large
profits by furnishing supplies, provi'
slons and financial aid to the allied
nations. Taxes were light, and this
country was rapidly becoming the
great economic reservoir of the world.
Nothing is palmer than that any sane
business man In this country must have
foreseen that, II America entered the
war, these profits would be immensely
reduced and some Of them cut of en-
tirely, because our government would
step in and take charge; that It would
cut prices right and left, as, In fact. 1t
has done; that enormous burdens OF
taxation would have to be imposed. the
bulk of which would naturally be borne
by the well-to-do; in short, that the un-
precedented golden flow into the cof-
fers Of business was bound to stop with
our joining the war, or, at any rate. to
be much diminished.
But 1t is said the big financiers Of
New York were afraid that the money
loaned by them to the allied nations
might be lost II these nations were de-
feated, and therefore they unanswered
to get America into the war In order to
save their Investments
Proof That the Charge 10 Absurd.
A moments reflection will show the
utter absurdity of that charge. Let us
assume, for arguments sake, that the
allies had been defeated. Let US make
the wildly improbable assumption that
they had defaulted for the time being
upon these foreign debts, the greater
part Of which, by the way, is secured
by the deposits of collateral in the
shape of American railroad bonds and
stocks and Of bonds of neutral coun-
tries, aggregating more than sufficient
In value to cover these debts. Let us
assume that the entire amount of al
lied bonds placed in America had been
held by rich men In New York and the
east instead of being distributed. as 1t
is, throughout the country
Is 1t not perfectly manifest that q
single years American war taxation and
reduction Of profits would take out Of
the pockets Of such assumed holders a
vastly greater sum than any possible
loss they could have suffered by de
fault on their allied bonds, not to men
ton the heavy taxation which is bound
to follow the war for years TO come
and the shrinkage Of fortunes through
the decline Of all American securities
In consequence of our entrance into the
war?
Not only Is the "rich mans war" an
absurd myth; the charge is a hateful
calumny.
Business men, great or small. are nc
different from other Americans, and
we reject the thought that any Ameri.
can, rich or poor, would be capable OF
the hideous and dastardly plot to
bring upon his country the SORROWS
and sufferings of war In order to en-.
rich himself. Business men are bound
to be exceedingly heavy financial losers
through Americas entrance into the
war. Every element of self-interest
should have caused them TO use theiI
utmost efforts to preserve Americas
neutrality, from which they drew so
much profit during the two and half
years before April, 1917. Every con
sideration of personal advantage com
handed men of affairs to stand with
and support the agitation Of the 'peace-
at-any-price" party They spurned
such ignoble reasoning; they rejected
that affiliation; they stood for war
when It was no longer possible. with
safety and honor, 10 maintain peace
because they are patriotic citizens
first and business men afterwards.