New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
Older Men Want
To Do Full Share

10 DO FULL Share
Furthermore, hardship is necessary
part of the cost of the war, and every
one who is paying his share is going
to be compelled to suffer good deal.
AS an aside, it is perhaps not out of
place to remark that one of the things
the American people are commencing
to expect from Congress is that it shall
cease being so mighty tender with the
feelings of the stayathome. We want
to win the war, and we want to win it
quickly. We want to win it before all
the best blood of the nation has been
drained on the fields Of France, and to
the accomplishment of that end we are
willing to devote the last ounce of our
strength and the last material thing
we can spare without impairing our
working capacity. We stay t-homes,
we who are SO unfortunate as to be too
old or too infirm to do real mans
share of this job, would like to have
Congress know that we are Just as
ready to give the last drop that is in
us as we are to permit those who are
fghting for us to give the last drop
that is in them.
We are all agreed that the conscrip-
tlon law is good law, and though Con-
gress may not know it, we stay-at-
homes are equally agreed that the con-
scription~ Of our incomes would be even
more just. Can any one rise to tell US
what reason there is in conscripting a
man to go out and die and in the same
breath hesitating about conscripting
the income of man who in any case
is going to be safe and have enough to
eat and enough to wear? There is no
reason in such proceeding. There is
neither rhyme nor justice in it, nor
common sense. 1t is hideous.
And we want Congress to know that
we are alive to its hideousness, and
that we want the hesitating stopped.
The worst punishment to which any
man who cannot fight can now be sub
Jected is to be denied the privilege of
doing every littlest thing and every
greatest thing that it is in him to do to
help. If we must part for all time from
some whose lives are dearer to us than
our own, AS many, yes, very many of us
must, then we must be allowed that
little sorry consolation that there is in
knowing that We have done our best;
in knowing that however little it may
have been and however little it may
For this is the only consolation there
will be. We want the hesitating to
cease. We want the pampering of the
stay-at-homes to cease. We are tired,
oh, very tired, OF hearing that this, that
or some other proposed law aimed to
facilitate war work will "disturb bust
ness" will "dislocatc labor" will "re-
allocate capital" or in some other way
will work changes in the ways of this,
that or some other group. We don't
care in the least whether it does or
not. We want to win the war quickly,
and we want to be disturbed and made
to change our ways if that will help.
do not mean by this that we stand
den. Congress would be remiss if it
did not lay that burden as equitably
as it could. But we do not expect that
burden to be laid with exact JUS
tice, for that is humanity impossible.
The fighting burden does not fall
equitab!y. Some come back we'll and
strong, some come back broken, and
some do not come back at ALL No one
can prevent this, and neither can any
one prevent some measure of injustice
in the distribution of the civilian bur
den. But, above everything, we want
the emphasis laid on the needs and
protection of the fighter. We want
everybody's interest subrogated to that
of the fighter. We want early victory
made the paramount issue, and made
the paramount issue every minute of
the day till Pershing gets to Berlin.
And this no matter what the cost to
the stay
These things we want, and these
things we want Congress to know we
want And it is my personal opinion
that direct and drastic taxation of in
dividual incomes and luxuries will do
more to make these things come true
than any other measure Congress can
adopt.
Taxation That.
Will Save Lives
Such taxation will compel drastic
economy and stimulate effort. such
taxation will help keep prices down
and exertlons up. 1t will retard CON
sumption and stimulate production.
Better than all the flaming oratorv and
persuasive exhortation that ever have
been or ever can be voiced, It will tell
the stay-at-home just what he has to
40 and when he has to do it. II viii
tell him what he has to do, and tell
hlm in language that he cannot nos.
sibly mlsunderstand; and it will force
him to do it whether he is willinr to
or not W
In my opinion, such taxation will
save hundreds of thousands of lives.
TT Y 7 I