Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-08-28

in the least economic overstrain to the
fighting and producing classes that
are the wars backbone.
Shall we Protect Our Own Soldiers?
Again, it is immensely important
as measure of war morale, as we'll
as justice, that we should protect the
men VINO are at the front. Most of
these men are poor, that is, thew have
no "capltap and no income surplus
Ihey are, for the present, in EuroDe
nghtlng our battles, and conseuuent
~ they are unable to speak for them.
selves. We should therefore make if
a point of honor to take care of their
interests during their absence by see.
ing to 1t that, when they return. thew
ana their families will not find them.
selves embarrassed any more than Is
absolutely necessary by a great bond
ed debt, to be paid as bonded debts
always have been, out of the pocket
Of the average citizen.
President Wilson has not only seen
the necessity of keeping down the
bonded debt by levying heavy excess
prohts, income, luxury and inheritance
taxes; he has acted upon his convic-
ton personally, as we'll as through
Mr.. NcAdoo.
1t is an open secret that, not long
ago, the President sent word to lead
ers of both Houses that he would ad-
journ Congress if they would promise
him a revenue bill which would make
it possible to divide the years war
cost with approximate equality be-
tween taxes and bonds. believe the
percentage mentioned was 40 per cent
taxes and 60 per cent bonds. And it
is also no secret that the majority
of the leaders refused to accede to the
Presidents suggestion why the
public would naturally like to know.
England May Levy on Wealth.
England, though proverbially con-
sentative in matters of finance, has
taken position considerably more
advanced than that of the President,
the British Chancellor of the Excheq-
uer recently predicting that, in order
to finance the war, Parliament would
have to resort to something beyond
taxation-that is to say, to a direct
levy on wealth. And certainly, at this
time, when so many people are suffer
ing from the lack of good nourishing
food and so many others are dying, or
being wounded in the service of their
countries, it should not arouse resent
ment in the well-to-do man, if he finds
he is being taxed to the limit of his
income, and that a part of his capital
is drafted as well.
1t is already becoming recognized
as guiding principle of war finance
| that, when war taxes have been paid
| citizens of all classes should find that
| they have made something like ar
| equal sacrifice for the cOuntry's com
mon enterprise. And, naturally, this
| does not mean that all should be
! obliged to contribute equal sums Of
money to the government. On the
contrary, it means that our contribu
tons should vary widely. They shoulG
be as unequal as are the means Of
the contributors: Indeed, those wh<
haven't enough money to live on de
Gently should not be taxed at all, Of
merely to a nominal extent They
are already taxed enough by the RISE
in the cost of living, which has in
creased considerably faster than thu
income of the wage earning and sal
aried classes. 1t is true that in some
few trades wages have gone up faster
than prices; but these are the con
spicuous exceptions which prove thu
general rule that the purchasing pow
er of the average citizens has de
creased during this war, just as j
did in Civil War days.
What is Equal Sacrifice?
Bearing this in mind, let us assume
for the sake of argument, that hav'
million dollars, bringing me an in
come of forty thousand a year net
while my friend has a salary of thirt.
dollars a week, which is less than h
can support his family on comfortabl.
at present prices. It would clearl.
be more sacrifice for my friend to pa.
war tax of few dollars than for M
to turn in my whole income and gOO'
slice of my own principal too. Fo
while the few dollars he paid woul'
make him cut down on sheer neces
stiles, my contribution would onl,
cause for me and my family, les
sened consumption OF few pleasan
but non-essential luxuries. In con
tributing hundreds of thousands o
dollars, / would really be sacrificing
nothing in comparison to my friend
who would be giving some of tn
health, comfort, and opportunity o
his family with every dollar he paid
Either ,of our sacrifices, however
would be utterly insignificant whe1
compared to that of the man VIII
gives his life.
The Federal Trade Commissions re
port to the Senate, dated June 18th
e. Il Svo1 III rof vol
discouraging document. For it show
that the profiteers have literally beel
having the time of their lives at tn
expense of the United States and tn
Allies The report closes with a sig
nificant quotation from President VIII
sons message to Congress:
1.-The protiteering that can not b.
got at by the restraints of CONSCIENCE
and love of country can be got at b.
taxation"
Congress, however, does not yet seen
to have made up it's mind to "get at
profteering by taxation. Or, to b.
more accurate, the Ways and Mean
Committee seems to have made vi
it's mind to ,"get att profiteering t.
less than so per cent of the extent tina
Parliament has actually got at it.
But still am certain that Congress
will have the whole-hearted supper
Of the public, if it follows Presiden
Wilson's recommendation, however pit
fully few of our more unregenerat
profiteers and their newspapers ma,
howl to heaven. Even last year tn
people were convinced that the STAN
now taken by Mr.. Wilson was right
| I'D %h1x ~ fhof nffo7
whenever there was an opportunity
though the profiteers were then muc]
bolder in their efforts to prevent larg
war taxes than they are now. AS yo'
may remember, year ago. last spring
| Co. In, X01]