The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-08-02
4 SENATOR TAKES A FALL OUT OF
PkTRIOTEERs AND ASKS SANITY My !
, our WASHINGTON LETT Err

s,rer in disguise. The money WHICH
tho Government receives is -Wrung
ont of the public by profteeerlng anu
tbon = is passed on to the treasury
in mart, The public pays the freight
The profiteering corporation or con CON
cern doesn't suffer, and in reality oy
this system escapes taxation and gets
awav with sufficient amount %
loot to pile up more net pro1lsS ''''''
it made in the pre-war period
seWhat should be done is to hit a.
profteering at the source. The prices
of articles of ordinary use, OF 1oou-
+ stutfs clothing and so on, should pc
held down-to a reasonable figure
"Tbe method of permitting prom
teering and then taking part OF the
nrofits out of the profteer, which IS
now so freely advocated, is simply
scheme, and an adlolt one, to COM
mol the consumer to pay the cost OF
the war. We have all heard obJec-
l
ton to paying the cost Oh the war
bv consumption taxes. Ii sucn ooJec-
tons are sound, then we snoulon !
assent to system that imposes
taxes on the consumer by indirectlon.
at voted for $2.40 wheat, but
doubt if it would have done the farm
er much good. If he has 20 cents
more put in one pocket and 40 cents
taken out of the other by the sell
fishness of the profteers, he Isn't
helped. The farmer will not profit
as much by $2.4O wheat as by S2.2o
wheat if the administration will go
down the line and fix fair prices on
implements, shoes, clothing and 9TH
er things that the farmers and con-
bsumers generally have to buy" .au
Referring to the talk of imposing
an 80 per cent tax on profiteering
concerns, Mr.. Baer declared this In
adequate and that the profiteers
could we'll afford to snap their fin
gers and laugh at such a proposal,
as it meant they would "make their
getaway with tremendous gains out
of the necessities of the people. I .
''The big business man, the big
protiteering corporations, as shown
by the report of the federal trade
COMMISSION Mr.. Baer added furth-
er, sis making inordinate profits,
The small business man in the Mid,
die West, and doubtless elsewhere, is
being taxed to the limit. He is not
getting any fat war contracts eth
er. The result is that the condition
of the small business man is not
healthy. It is like taxing sick men, Z
81. PLAY JOHN DIS WAY zsa.
A war is on between the Rockefel-
Ter Foundation crowd, which has set
out to influence not only the Ameri-
can schools and churches but the
American habits of play, and the
group led by Miss Margaret Wilson,
daughter of the president, who want
the people in each community to
govern their own recreation enter
/, prlses. 81 sEIlHG5L#8
The Rockefeller people have work
ed through the Playground Associa-
ton of America. This organization
is headed by Joseph Lee of Boston, 4
brother-in-law of Senator Lodge. The
house committee on the judiciary has
favorably reported a bill for the fed
eral incorporation of the Playground
and Recreation Association of Arneri-
ca. It will ask congress for 500 900
as a starter, to pay it's bills.
Miss Wilson and her friends have
tor years been working to get the
American schoolhouses made the
home of community recreation acti.
utles. In the District of Columbia
this mas been granted by law, and
there is rapidly developing commu-
nifty spirit which is wholesomelv
democratic and constructive in char
acter. The appearance of the aixa)
movement, backed by the funds and
staff of the Rockefeller Foundation.
and seeking TO absorb the democratic,
organization by pledging the paw
ment of all necessary expenses for
rapid growth at once, has caused :
considerable protest.
When the incorporation bill comes
Up in the house it is quite likely that
come of the members will offer bat
tie. They fought, some years ago. to,
drive a horde of Rockefeller en-
ployes out of the department of agri-
culture and the department of COM
smerce. Now they propose that
focke1eiier money shall not swallow
up the movement to put the peopl,
GALLEY gTNENTY-oNE
OF each school district in direct and
democratic Command ~ 2 :. |