davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-14

ence where the original tax section.
providing that state taxes and rail
road regulations shall not be inter
Tered with 20 far as they are con
sistent with federal control. was re-
inserted.
Basis of Compensation.
Other principal provisions Of the
bill, retained as the conferees ad-
justed them therein. are those for
c-ompensafing the railroads on the
basis Of their net income for the
three years ending June 80. 1917.
involving an estimated federal qua
antee OF about 1916. 600, 900 annual
ly. limiting federal operation TO q
months after the war; authorizing
the president 20 initiate rates sub
Jet 10 approval By the interstate
commerce commission; appropriat-
ing $500. 900, 900 for a revolving fund
for the director general and placing
all short lines" within the federal
system.
johnson OF California, republican.
said the bin was unfair" and unjust
20 the people and outrageously gem
10 the railroads, while Sena-
tors Townsend of Michigan. Bill
can, and Cummins. Iowa, republican.
repeated their criticisms of some sec
tons Of the bill. some OF the bills
principles. Sen. Townsend said. are
"subversent OF good government"
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-14
High School Chamber Of Commerce

This mammoth exhibit has been planned to teach the people Of
this vicinity how to be practically Independent of transportation
facilities in obtaining of food and the various other commodities
which can be produced III this community. By so doing we will re-
leve the railroads of the country of the great over burden which
has been causing all the freight congestion and difficulties in the
shipment of war supplies.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15

equitable rentals fixing. either apply
ing to all of the District real estate or
only to that involved in the profiteer-
ing. controversy. or necessary to be
used by the government at reasonable
rates for war purposes.
If our problem is merely that of
equitable rentals fixing to meet a tenn
porary emergency the task of solving
it is simplifed
For not all rentals need to be dis
turbed. Only the degree of arbitrary
rentals fixing which is necessary to
protect the government and its en-
ployes and to help win the war is COM
pulsory. No rentals contract with
which both parties to it are satisfied
should be upset.
Any plan of universal rentals fixing
for the District to do equity should
raise rentals which are too low as well
as cut down those that are too high,
and would involv" g. revaluation of
every piece of real estate in the Dis
trict. But correction of the present
evil of rentals profiteering in relation to
government employees should not be
compelled to await the establishment of
an equitable universal rent-fixing sys-
tenn. If universal rent-fixing legisla-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15

uniform. tax can be based on the false
assumption that the rentals OF any date
in the past were fair and uniform, and
can now serve as a safe standard of
measurement Rentals of 1856. when
the housing supply much exceeded the
demand, showed just as many inequali-
ties, just as E1aring lack of uniformity.
as the rentals of today, when the hous-
ing demand far exceeds the supply.
To add 10 per cent or any percentage
to 1856 rentals and to substitute
them for the actual rentals of 1918 is
merely to put the rental inequalities of
1855 in place of the rental inequali-
ties Of 1918, with no resulting improve
ment of the equities.
The conditions of supply and demand
In 1856 gave the advantage to the
tenant over the landlord, and agree
ments to accept too low rents were in
many instances exacted from landlords.
The process is reversed in 1918. The
inequities of neither period should pre-
vail.
There are rentals of 1856 which
were forced SO low by the conditions
then prevailing that the leases have
brought little or no profit over expenses
to the landlords. To make these leases
the standard of rentals for 1918 is to
perpetunte inequities which are as
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
100 Companies Using System.

''In this regard and in efficiency the
advanced state of the art, mechanically
speaking, leaves little to be desired
The automatic systems in use by about
100 companies in the United States
(and recently sent for use in France
by our Army and i'll general use with
the postal telephone systems dispense
entirely with exchange operators, the
information and toll operators being
alone required. Moreover, the opera
ton u the system is such that secrecy
of communication is maintained be
tween the parties talking"
The report stated that the automatic
switchboards would be installed in the
existing exchange buildings, some
minor budding alteration being neces-
sary, estimated to cost 100000. and it
adds:
THE estimates for automatic equip
rrent include equipment for consoli-
dating the existing government private
branch exchanges in one interdepart-
mental automatic private branch eX-
change. Also equipment for convert
ing 4 900 of the existing commercial
private branch exchange stations to
automatic private branch exchange
stations.
THE central Office 1nanually operated
switchboards would be replaced by
automatic switch boards. 1t is proposed
TO utilize three-fourths of the exist
ing telephone instruT ents by attaching
automatic dials thereto, the remaining
one-fourth to be new Instruments
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
hammer in order to crack an annoying
louise.
Stimulating Renting Productivity.

g. In other cases of price fixing for
war purposes the government names a
rate which will encourage intense pro-
ductivity, as well as prevent extortjon-
So should the government proceed in
fixing the price of war rentals. 1t needs
intense productivity in the supply Of
rooms and houses to rent in Washing
ton. just as it needs to check extor-
tionate charges for such rentals. The
House bill suspends for investigation
every real estate lease in the District;
voids every one of these leases which
chances to carry a rental rate IL per
cent larger than the rate. equitable or
inequitable, of two years ago; threat
ems with threefold penalty as usurer
and extortioner lessor who inadver-
tently charges more than this" arb1-
trary 10 per cent increase; instead or
stimulating productivity in renting the
bill paralyZes it.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15

ohense Of rentals usury as an income
tax" The false pretense OF tax I'M
position should be eliminates. rms
penalty should verbally be treated as
the fine imposed upon the now ouehse
of rentals usury, involving extortion'
corresponding precisely to the nne I'M
posed upon the local of1ense OF money
usury.
That a fine for extortion here mas
querades as income tax is obvious Inc
so-called tax has none of the earlilai ms
or genuine and just taxation W
revenue will flow from 1t. Inc very
bill which creates the So-called tax
makes unlawful the transaction out OF
which it must arise and in erect rem
ders any such tax payment PROOF "
extortion and rentals usury, and one
third part of the penalty and forfeiture
for these offenses
The sO-called tax bristles with tnjus-
ticcs. Inequalities. grossly fnequftanie
DETERMINATIONS. 1t is a tax on the IN
on that real estate. 1t has been dem
onstrated that Washington real estate
staggers under a tax burden which Is
greater than that of any city of Amer
lea with which it can fairly be coLi-
pared. Nobody exercising in good faith
the taxing power would select WASH
ington real estate for the imposition OF
a new tax burden. 1t is conceded TO pc
that kind of taxable property when Is
here already most excessively taxed
Discriminatory Canoufage Tax.
The lack of uniformity and the gross
in the application OF
this income tax are obvious The
amount of the tax of \, L or c is the
sum in which his real estate rentals or
1918 exceed his corresponding rentals
of 1866 plus 10 per cent. Inc
amount of the tax Of y. or Il is the
sum in which his gross rentals income
exceeds 10 per cent of the value
placed or to be placed by the assessor
upon his property. The inequalities
among X, y and in their class have
already been Indicated This proposed
tax lacks no characteristic of dis
unfair, unwiSe and eccen-
trio TAXATION
The only advantage Snincd by calling
n tax the penait? imposed upon the
rentals usury extOrtioncr was In the
that it gave of furnishing
the new misdemeanor In
hibitiOn. But since the retroactive fea-
ture of the bill has been dropped the
tax provision loses all value,
and should also be eliminated.
5. The House bifl will prevent the
local rentals profiteering only by I'M
settling. all leasing contracts and by
a great mass of rentals in
ing. 4 wise law Will void only the
contracts that are proved to be tainted
with extortion.'
1t will not stab vitality at the welfare
of the real estate owning community as
a whole in order to punish few prof
iteering offenders. one does not hit Il
friend in the head with slcdge-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
Ero.. a. those of 1918, which we 'nre

attempting to cure.
ca Another set of Inequalities and
violations of uniformity results from
the fact that the House bill sets up
widely differing standards of taxation
and rentals fixing between real estate
that happened to be rented in 1856
and real estate that did not happen to
be then rented. The first standard is
the 1915-16 rental plus 10 per cent. The
second standard is a gross rentals in
come of 10 per cent on the assessors
valuation of the leased property. These
standards, based on radically differing
foundations, produce when practically
applied srotesquely and unjustIy vari-
ant results
CD Still another set of inequalities
u and inequities springs from the arbi-
trary fixing of 10 per cent of the as
| sessed value of real estate as the max
imum of Eross income TO be derived
from the property. This standard, with
unjust results, disregards the widely
varying service cost and general ex-
pense deductions which fix the net in
come and real earnings of each piece
of rented property.
Equitable War Rentals Fixing.
9. When analysed the problem is one of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
ASsails Inadequacy.

The report scored the telephone COM
communication in Washington, declar-
ing:
The coIppany's failure to provide
adequate communication in Washington
is due t. its policy of refusing to en-
ploy the approved up-to-date methods
and nlechanisns fthe tlephonic art
The local company is paying II per
cent OF its operating income to the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company for the use Of its patents on
the now Anticipated mechanism it en-
ploys. And the consequent loss of this
revenue may deter change to prefer
able apparatus
The Postmaster General states:
THE conclusion cannot be esca ped
that private rate-making is responsible
for the out-0f-date and inadequate tele-
phone service, and for its resulting
breakdown from congestion of traffic
in Washington
The automatic principle generally in
use permits of any cumulative additions
to the switching operations which may
be desired, and as the needs occur, just
as additions may be made to a sectional
bookcase, and without scrapping equip
ment which is in use. The non-auto-
matte or manual equipment in use in
Washington is not cumulative; and SO
substantial additions to the service cam
not be made or great emergency re-
quirements be met without displace-
ment of the existing operations, and
changes in the operating exchange
structure, comparable with cha nging
the gauge of a railroad track. The de-
lay. the waste of capital involved, are
only less important in character than
the operating expenses involved in the
elimination of exchange operators by
the automatic.
Not only is the automatic principle
susceptible of quick and unlimited ex-
tensions to the service, but it carries an
equally important element of economy
in operatiOn
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15

The American home of today needs optif1
cheerfulness, hopefulness- only the well
tured mind can effuse the cheerful, hopeful att
demanded in crisis.
Music in your home is the answer-a pia
player-piano purchased from knabe at an extr
ly low price and on most favorable terms SUI
that need without pinching the most modest p
book
Order your instrument tomorrow don't
for the best bargains to 60 Each piano or pl
piano in the sale is in perfect condition and GU;
teed to be as represented Enjoy it as you are
ing for it! Just SO much every weell-not en-
to hurt
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15

ton is wisely ever to be enacted tfrS
task should not be tackled in war;
time.
War rentals fixing should apply only
to the real estate involved in tho waR
necessities, and the rentals I'm these
cases should be fixed so ms to produce
n reasonable net return on the actual
present value Of the leased property.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
WANTED: A JUST LAW
TO STOP EXTORTION
Continued from First Page. J

policy is proved The sweeping, indis-
criminate impairment of the obligation
of all leasing contracts of 1918 that
carry an II per cent increase in rental
rate over that of 1876 is more dis
tinctly against public policy than the
voided leases themselves. Indeed. un-
less actual extortion is established by
proof against these leases they are not
convicted as contrary to public policy
at all.
On April l. 1918. the obligation of a
great mass of leasing contracts. which
have nothing whatever to do with to-
days proffteerirg. will be impaired.
The state legislatures are forbidden by
the Constitution to impair the obliga-
ton of contracts. Will Congress, act
ing as the Districts state legislature,
impair the obligation Of these District
contracts. without justification in
equity, merely because the Constitu-
ton omits specifically to forbid it to
do so?
The Income Tax False Pretense
4. The House bill DISCUSSES the PEN
atty paid to the EoVAEnment- for the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
Unnecessary Blow at Private Rights.

{. Because a few lessons of rooms or
residence houses have doubled or
tripicd their rental charges, eXtortlnS
grossly excessive rentals from the
necessities of lessees, all lessons or
Washington real estate. including the
multitude of non-eXtortioners in resi-
dence-renting and another multitude
who do not rent the Kinds of real es-
tate in respect 10 which profiteering is
alleged. are slurred as potential profit
GERS. and are punished as eXtortioners
if their rental charge chances to eX-
coed by II per cent the rental charge
of two years ago.
Governmental war communicating or
billeting or price fixing should be
rigidly limited to the absolute mini
mum of interference with private
rights that is compelled by war
necessities. The voidng of leases and
arbitrary rentals fixing should be con-
fined in application to the real estate
which the government while at war
absolutely needs. The government will
impair the obligation of contracts and
will void contracts as contrary to pub
lie policy only when it must. to meet
it's own vital necessities and TO win the
war. How does it concern the govern,
ment what relation today'S rental
bears to the rental charge of two years
ago if two observation-disclosures, as lessor
and lessee, have agreed upon this
years rental rate as fair. and if the
rented property is naked lot, a
grocery store, a garage, or any kind of
property not needed by the government
for the war housing of itself or its
employees
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
Need to Others Equal.

Does it not occur TO these fortunates
that the workman's time. his wife's
time ars Of equal Importance to them
if not to society? 1t is of just as much
Importance TO the ordinary man An
hour wasted out of his day means just
as much TO Kim as it means to ms
fortunate neiGhbor. and an hour lost
out of the useful home laborS OF mis-
wife may mean more to HIM, to her
and to society .han the like hour OF
the fortunate lady to whom private
mana cement readily accords phone
Sudden illness, the child is sick. an ac-
cident has happened in the phoneless
home of this laboring, and therefore
poor, member of society, hours are
spent instead of minutes in finding a
doctor-and the possible result-who
is responsible for it. il not those tory
prejudice. strive to deny the plain peo-
pie of the United States those privl-
leges of modern communication vouch-
safed TO them by the Constitution it
self?
What is also overlooked is that the
fortunate are almost equally as much
served by extending this service to the
people generally as the latter them
selves. The demands for commuuica-
ton between those having phones and
those not are reciprocal demands ana
neither element nor class can be ade-
quateiy served without serving the
other. This, of course, Is a mere truisnl-
But il is not less truism to add that II
the present rates already exclude 80 per
cent of the most numerous class OF the
city's population. raising the rates is
bound to aggravate rather than remedy
this condition of failure in communi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
A False Standard of Measurement.

s. Under the House bill the real es-
tate rentals of 1866 become the
standard of measuring and fixing the
real estate rentals of 1918 and there
after This standard of measurement
is shifting and unreliable-a false
measure.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-15
u. s. PHONES Would
AID SMALL HOME
House Committee Says Con-
troll Would Make Service
Available to All.
AGREES WITH POSTAL HEAD

A brief for the man who has no
telephone was drawn in the report of
the House District committee favoring
government ownership of the local tel
ephones under jurisdiction of the Post
Office Department
I'VE agree with the Postmaster Cen
eral. who stated truly enough that
communication is primal to the graft
fication of all human requirements and
should be made accessible to all. de-
clared the report presented to Con-
gress by Representative Hiliiard. Sc
lected by Chairman Johnson of the
House District committee to present it
at is now. so far as the telephone
communication is concerned, almost
purely 4 class privilege. The business
man and the well-to-do have it It's
service is indispensable to them They
could not afford the time to wait on
the mails, the time to run crrands with
their messages; their time has too
much value to be thus wasted. The
social interests could not afford sucn
great economic losses to them
The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-17
Creation Of New American Front
In Flanders Is Next Official Step to
Be Taken By Foch and Pershing

roads to Channel ports.
Permanent location of Americans
either in Flanders or in Picardy does
not necessarily follow the fact that
they are to be sent there at the pres
ent time. The chief work now before
the American army in France is to
get all the experience possible in prac
teal fighting before engaging in Of
rensive operations of their own.
Since the Flanders and Picardy fronts
present the best opportunity for gain
ing practical knowledge Of German
methods Of warefare, it is perfectly
logical for the brigading of Ameri-
cans to be carried out in those sec
tors to the fullest possible extent.
This does not mean, however, that
General Foch is going to use up Am
ericans for defensive operations. 1
means only theoretical intensive
train behind the front is now to b
succeeded by active training undel
Eactual conditions Of warfare.
The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-17
By J. w. T. MASON,
Omitted Press War Expert.)

New York, May 17.-Creation of a
new American front in Flanders, in
association with the British first line
holdings in that area will be the next
step taken by Generals
Foch and Pershing for further train
ing of Americas overseas forces. The
brigading principle will undoubtedly
be continued for the present in the
American sector. American troops,
therefore, in increasing numbers, can
be expected to become associated with
Field Marshal Haig's veterans in the
Flanders fighting. There is every pos
sibility that the Americans now in
England comprise the units that will
90 to Flanders to find temporary
PAGES with the British divisions, pro
tecting Ypres. Hazebrouck and the
The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-17
Peace Talk
OF BaIfour
British Ready to Listen to Seri-
ous Proposals--Moves Of
Central Powers Not Fair
and Honorable.

London, May 16.--The British sec
retary for foreign affairs, Arthur ].
Balfour, in giving explanations in the
house Of commons today in connec-
ton with Emperor Charles letter to
Prince Sixtus, Of Bourbon, recently
made public by the president Of the
French republic, declared that no ef-
fort at conversations has ever been
made by the central powers in the
interest of fair and honorable peace,
and he added;
IF any representatives Of any bel
ligerent country desires seriously to
lay before US any proposals, we are
ready to listen TO them"
The letter in question had been ex-
amined by committee Of the French
chamber, said Mr.. Balfour, and the
conclusion reached was that it did
not provide an adequate or satisfac-
tory basis for an honorable peace.
The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-17
ALLIED NAVAL OFFENSIVE OF GREAT PROPOSITIONS;
PROBABLY WITH JAPAN PARTICIPATING;
is PREDICTED TODAY IN NAVAL QUARTERS

Washington May 17Aled naval offensive szeable pro-
positions with England France America Italy and probably
Japan participating predicted in the entente naval quar-
ters today
Officials declared that the British raids against Ostend and
Zeebrugge followed by the successful Italian sally against
Poa and Durazzo evidently the fire of further spec
acuar war action The simultaneous action by the British and
American naval against the Germans in the north and
the French and Italian naves against the Italians in the Adra
tc is believed to be the Allied plans Another possibility is
that Of drawing the German fleet reported under seal
lat Kiel.
Admiral Smms American fleet commander in European wa
ters may prominent part in directing the forthcoming
operations
The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-17
Will Recheck
All Men In the
Deferred Classes

Chattanooga, May 17.-Due to the
rapid manner in which Glass l men
are being called to the service, and
an effort to keep out Of the deferred
classes as long as possible, Chairman
Adler, Of the district board Of East
Tennessee, has directed government
appeal agents in his jurisdiction to
recheck all questionnaires where
men have been given deferred elassi-
fication by the local boards. Mr.. Ad-
Ter said yesterday he believed this
would result in recruiting Class l,
which In several counties Of the dis
trict are badly in need OF men.