Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-06
THOMAS DEMANDS FULL
WEALTH CONSUMPTION
Member OF English Parliament Who
Opposed British Draft Gives
Reasons for Stand.
YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE
Shows That National Solvcncy Must
&c Preserved to Safeguard Coun-
try and Explains Various Methods
for Taking Over Incomes.
ny nr. non. J. II. THOMAS. NJ. r

y by III. ttoN. -. III IIlo.HHss we
i international News Bureauo
/ LONDON. December es.-When the
proposal for the CONSUMPTION of men
| for military service was before Parlia-
| ment. strongly opposed it. did so
| for two reasons. Firstly. because i
believed that as many mon rs could
be spared from industry had and
. would continue to volunteer. And. sec
ondly. because the proposal to conscript
men was not accompanied by propo-
sition TO conscript wealth.
Equality OF Sacrifice.
Everybody will agree that tho gov
erument is in as great--if not greater
IA need OF money to carry on the war,
as it is in need Of men. Yet we find
| that mon are simply called up.'
. whereas every Involvement is held out
to get wealthy people TO lend their
money voluntarily for tho war.
True. income tax has been increased
until. with supertax, it rises TO nearly
SIS. Cd. in the pound. and also there is
a heavy tax on excess war profits. But
all thie only provides about one-sevcnth
/ of tho cost OF the war The war has
already cost Great Britain about
! IS. 900, 900 900. $4,000. 100000 OF which
has had to be- borrowed at fairly high
rates OF interest Surely it must be
recognized that sooner or later We
shall be compelled to adopt some dr.
| fcrcnt method OF meeting the cost of
the war than that now In existence.
! great many people arc completely
at loss to understand what we mean
| when we talk about conscriptinE
wealth. They fear we shall all DO
plunged into complete ruin, and that
even thrifty people who have struggled
along and managed to save a few hun
dred pounds. will have it taken from
them or course. there is no need to
fear. as we mean to do no such thing
We arc simply attempting to bring
about an equality Of sacrifice among
all Glasses and at the same time our
proposal would be Of tremendous ad-
vantage to the country without inflict-
ing any undue hardship on any indi-
/ vidual
Civilians on Army ray.
Let m" proceed to explain what
mean There arc several methods by
/ which wealth might be conscripted
and one is that suggested by W. c.
ANDERSON. NJ. r., for tho seaucstration
OF all unearncd income such az rants
interest, dividends. etc. in future 10 he
paid only to the government. and in
.nis way 70 contiscatc II. OF course
ar' Anderson recognizes that MANY
people are wholly or partly depcndcnt
upon unoarncd incomes for their liv
'hs' IN these cases 1t is proposed that
uo.'lalencc allowances shall be made
os the public trustee. which. after pro
H'"ihS Tor legal charges. moral claims
ana 80 on. shall be at tho rates OF nav
obtaining in the army for all ranks
rerhans this is the most drastic OF All
inc proposals made. although we must
I'M ess that the sacrifice involved is
not TO he compared with that made hv
our soldiers and sailors
/ A Tax on CAPITAL
Ahothcr way to conscript wealth Ia
ny means OF the income tax. the vicId
81 ei wnich might be we'll doubled by
snhPE regarding the rates and ma king
mem very steep on the 10000 or mors
incomes which are in excess ~ 6, ooo
year. or course. conscriptfon NJ
"eaith IN this sense is already In
"l'oh' II Is recognized. however
.nae no matter how high the income
~. rates may be made, 1t is never
iikeiy 10 produce the enormous .,,,,
/ money required during and immadia,,..
aitcr the war; and. morcovsr 49,
ne'nod Is not likely to fully satisr,
nose VINO arc calling out for conscrin,
/ ton. o""srip-
Now the plan that is most in favor
- What may be termed as tax on
nrnn,,,.,,. IN, some people will
| promptly explain. how can Won ~,
capiiai when it consists of land build
's ;, railways. ships machinery. horses
raetie' materials. tools and so on.
"u'' let us see how it could be done
Is well known that we already
ealH autlcs graduated from
hothihg on estates under $500 nm 20
nearly 20 per cent on large estate. lsf,
70 strangers Is not this a tax on can't
tar Yes, certainly. And do we ever
near OF any nsuperablc diniculty in
'he collection OF the duty? No, think
not IL is calculated that If a rencr.l
\ ou's were imposed a, the cxistin-
rates for death duty. we should he All.
I" raise about $1,000. oo0. 900. what y
boon II would be il. instead of nilinr
up the nations indebtedness by bor.
rowing We were tn simply transfsr
TO the treasury wealth in this w,v,
| The total capital of tho indiv;dm,is
or the nation is estimated al ahon,
aao'ooo'o00, 900: before the war nj fIG
""V'oon'ooo. We have previously stated
| ,hai the government has already had
TO borrow $4,000, 0o0. 900 10 NEE, ~
COST or the war. Thus We can $50 ,h,I
individuals who have been getting ricb
out OF the war. have used their weaI,b
10 make the nation their debtor. Whilst
the individuals concerned may moi al
together be to blame for doing mis-
"haer the existing circumstances npe
must admit II is not good business fnr
the nation. 80
u Is suggested that there should be
!