, 1918-08-29

Losses of allied and neutral mer-
chant shipping during July aggregated
313,011 gross tons, an increase over
the month of June but a big decrease
from the losses of July, 1917. There
is nothing in the shipping situation to
change the opinion that the submarine
campaign Is a flat failure. Its out
breaks now are sporadic and more nm
noying than serious. Among the neu-
trail nations that have suffered from
1t Spain is showing the most resent
ment, and last week it notified the
imperial German government that,
Spanish tonnage having beer reduced
to the extreme limit, Spain will be
obliged. in case of new sinkings, to
substitute therefor German vessels in
termed in Spanish ports. AT the same
time, the Spanish cabinet announced,
Spain will continue to observe neutral
ity. There is a strong pro-German
element in Spain, and every hint of
II rupture of relations brings violent
protest from the pro-German press
there.
Germany's latest peace offensive.
consisting of speeches by leading men,
was opened by Doctor Solf, minister
of colonies, who devoted himself main
ly to blaming England for starting
the war" and attacking the British in
tention to retain the conquered Ger
| mon nn1nniaS Ha o1Sn 1nfandod Cor
mans course in the lear East, as
sorting that she was merely protect
ing the frontier peoples of Russia un-
til they are capable of determining
their own national future. The
Czecho-Slovaks he denounced as "land-
less robber bands" The expressed de-
termination of the allied nations to
defeat the Germans on the battlefield
gives Doctor Solf great pain and
arouses his bitter anger.
Ia
With troops going across the Attain
tic at the rate of about 100000 a
month, with the new draft aw about
to be put On its passage, and with
war industries well organized and
ready to operate full blast, the Amer
lean government is confronted with a
serious shortage of labor. A million
workers are needed at once and the
administration intends that they shall
be provided for the concerns that are
making war materials, no matter what
happens to private business. Nones-
sential industries will be called on to
give up many of their men all idlers
will be put to work, and women will
be used to release men for war work
that women cannot do. The emergen-
cy is one that must be met, INT those
in authority propose to meet it in the
same spirit in which they have met
the need for a huge army of fighters.
A general feeling of satisfaction
%pervaded the country when it was
announced that the 100 1. w. w. lead
ers on trial in Chicago for disloyalty
had been convicted. Next on the list
of alleged disloyalists to be given a
lose of justice are five Socialists
Victor L. Berger, Adolph Germer, If
win st. John Tucker, ]. Louis Engdahl
and william F. Kruse. The charges
against them are even more serious
thar were those against the "Wob-
blies."
The house ways and means commit
tee nearly completed the draft of the
$4,000, 100000 revenue bill, but had
still to decide between two PROPOSE
tions for the excess profits tax. Ac-
cording to Chairman Kitchin these
were, first: An 8 per cent deduction
in addition to the $1,000 specific ex-
emption, with a 35 per cent IA on
profits between 8 and Is per cent; 80
per cent tax on profits between Is
and 20 per cent, and 20 per cent tax
on profits above 20 per cent, and, Sec
ond, the same exemption and deduc-
ton, with 40 per cent tax on profits
between s and 20 per cent, and 20 per
cent tax on profits exceeding 20 per
cent.
The committee decided on a fiat 10
per cent deduction as a minimum on
war profits. The proportion of excess
profits and war profits taxes will re
main the same; that is, 90 per cen OF
business will fall under the war prof
its tax. 1t decided on a fiat 10 per
cent minimum deduction for prewar
earnings in computing the war profits
tax
A provision affecting corporations
with swollen profits directs that any
corporation whose capital exceeds ST.
100000 shall pay a tax Of at least 10
per cent of Its net income as excess
profits.