The Washington herald., 1918-06-01
SCORES
PROFITEERAS
A TARANTULA
Offers Senate Resolution
Asking Information Bear
ing Thereon. Z,
WANTS TON
Supports Wilson S Position;
Warns Congress to Act
Promptly.
WANTS TON

Stigmatizing the war profiteer as a
"blood-sucklng tarantula upon the
American people," Senator Borah. of
Idaho, yesterday called upon Con-
gress to pass drastic laws to put the
profiteering class out Of business. In
a ringing speech delivered in the
Senate. he declared there should be
no talk OF adjournmnt until legis-
lation of this kind has been passed.
Quoting the words of President Will
son in his recent address to Con-
gress on the subject of revenue legis-
lation, Senator Borah said there is
indisputable evidence of the exist
ence OF the profiteers. He denounced
the class as miserable scavengers
upon civilization" and declared them
to be infinitely worse than the for
eign SPIES
To prepare the way for legislation
to curb the profiteers. Senator Borah
introduced a resolution asking the
Secretary of the Treasury to send
to Congress all the information which
bears upon the subject.
Follows President.
Senator Borah read to the Sem
ate the following paragraphs from
President Wilson's address to show
that information of this character is
in Secretary .McAdoo's hands:
'There, iss abundant fuel for the
light in the records OF the Treasury
with regard to profits Of every sort.
The profiteering that cannot be
got at by the restraints OF conscience
and love of country can be got at
by taxation. There Is such profiteer-
ing now. and the inforpation with
regard to it is available and indis-
putable."
ator Borah declared that the govern
ment could not justify its prosecution
Of seditious and disloyal persons. If
it does not at once take steps to drive
the profiteers out. He cited the con-
case in point. She was convicted for
uttering the statement that mo gov
ernment which is for the profiteers
can also be for tie people. and 1 am
for the people here the government
is for the - ofiteers.'
Nothing is truer than that state
"and IL the government possesses he
facts as to the existence of these
profiteers and fails to prosecute them,
the government is derelict and subject
to the criticism Of everybody who is
for the people"
Tax the Pronteer.
The President suggests a very
proper and efficient way in which to
deal with the subject of profiteering,
and that is by taxation" Senator
Borah continued. you can not reach
it in all instances in its subtle and
devious ways Of carrying on Its work
by criminal statutes. While criminal
statutes are desirable and should be
passed wherever it is thought that
they can reach the situation, there IL
no doubt that an effective aid to any
criminal statute is that Of taxation;
and in many instances where II could
not be reached at all by any other
method it can be reached effectively
by taxation.
Il am. therefore, in hearty ac-
cord with the expression of the
President with reference to the
method of reaching profiteering;
but I regarded that statement when
made by the President as some
what startling. If it had been made
by some private citizen, it would
likely have started him upon the
way to the penitentiary; but the
PRESIDENT has made IT perfectly
proper-indeed, not only proper, but
has devolved upon US the duty-to
discuss the subject and to deal with
it, and take it that he would not
have incorporated 1t in his mes
sage had he not regarded it as OF
transcedent moment. and worthy of
the speedily consideration of Con-
gress."
Worse Than Foreign spy,
The profiteer was defined by SEN
ator Borah as one who takes ad-
vantage of his country's condition
to gather extraordinary profits and
to reap enormous private gains
Such a person, he declared, is worse
than the foreign spy, and should be
dealt with more harshly.
TO my mind, presume I simply
express the view Of every patriot
the man who does that is upon a
lower standard than the foreign
spy because the foreign spy
is loyal to one flag. he il loyal
to one country" Senator Borah
said. He takes his life in his hands
to serve that country. but the man
who claims the protection of the
American government and claims
the protection Of the American flag
who processes his loyalty to the
government and the nag, and al
the same time takes advantage OF
his nations peril or its dangers to
increase his private gains and
thereby demoralize the efforts OF
the people. impeding the progress
of the war, and finally works for
Its ultimate failure, Is infinitely
lower in my humble Judgment than
the foreign spy who takes his life
in his hands for his own govern
ment."
Senator Borah said that the rev
enue measures enacted by the pres
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