Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-03-21
"THE rich MANS WAR
HATEFUL CALUMNY"
American Business Men Ready TO
Make Sacrifices With
out Stint.
TAXES HERE AND ABROAD.
American Taxation the Most Demo.
cratic In the World.
TAXES HERE AND ABROAD
By OTTO Il. KAHN.

By OTTO II. KAHN.
Nothing is palmer than that business
and business men had everything 10
gain by preserving the conditions when
existed during the two and a half years
prior TO April, 1917, under which many
of them made very large profits by fur
nishiuc supplies, provisions and imam
cial aid 10 the allied nations. Taxes
were light. and this country was rap
idly becoming the great economic res
ervoir Of the world.
Nothing is palmer than that any sane
business man in this country must nave
foreseen that, if America entered tue
war, these profits would be Immensely
reduced and some Of them cut OIL en-
tirely, because our government would
stem in and take charge: that 1t womb
cut prices right and left, as, in fact II
has doug that enormous euruehs oi
taxation would have 10 be Imposed. Inc
bulk Of which would naturally be borne
by the well-to-do; in short. that the uh-
nreredeuted golden flow into the Golfers
of business was bound to stop with our
Joining The war, or, at any rate ~ De
much diminished.
But it is said the big tinaneiers OF
New York were afraid that the money
loaned by them to the allied nations
might be los, If these nations were de
fested, and therefore they u~aneuveTed
10 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 lis
assume. for arguments sake, that the
allies had been defeated. Let Us make
the wildly improbable assumption hat
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
sbane of American railroad bonds and
stocks and of bonds of neutral coun'
tries. ~scgregating more than sufficient
in value TO cover these debts. Let Us
assume that the entire amount OF al
lied bonds placed in America had bee
held by rich men in New York u ths
east instead Of being distributed, as II
is. throughout the country.
Is IT no. perfectly manifest that
single years American war taxation an
reduction Of profits would take out o
,bo noel pts of such assumed holders
vastly greater SUN than any possible
loss they could have suffered by a de
fault on their allied bonds. not to men
ton the heavy taxation which is boun
,o follow the war for years to come an
.he shrinkage of fortunes through TN
decline OF all American securities |
Of our entrance into tn
war;
Not only is the "rich mans var a
absurd myth; the charge is a hatef'
calumny.
business men, great or small, are I
different from other Americans, al
we reject the thought that any Anel
can, rich or poor, would be capable
the bideous and dastardly plot
bring upon his country the sorro'
and sIfferings Of war in d to {
rich himself. Business men are bou
TO be exceedingly heavy financial los
through Americas entrance into
war. Every element OF self-inter'
shoul,l have caused them to use tn
utmost efforts to preserve AIneric'
neutrality, from which they drew
much profit during the two and a hi
wears before April, 1917. Every e.
sideration of personal advantage co
mapded nen of affairs to stand "
and support the agitation Of the pea
at-any-price" party. They spurr
such ignoble reasoning; they reject
that utilization they stood for y
when II was no longer possible, W
safety and honor, TO maintain pea
because they are patriotic citize
first and business men afterwards.
Our income Tax and Taxes Abroa,
a. The largest Incomes are Ia,
far more hea Willy here than anywh
else In the world.
The maximum rate Of Income ia
ton here is 81 per cent. In Engiant
IL 42h per cent. Ours is therefore
per cent. higher than E%ngland's.
the rate In England Is the highest
vailing anywhere in Europe. And
addition to the federal tax We n
bear in mind our state and munic
taxes.
(2.) Moderate and small incomes
the other hand, are subject to a
smaller rate Of taxation here thar
England.
ARMY CAMPS ORDERED TO