The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-06-06
ASKS FOR NEW
WAR TAX BILL
"Country's Crisis Is at Peak" I"
the Presidents Message to
Congress.
PLAIN DUTY TO COUNTRY

buolHGSs mubS BE FoTS"aIHSo " OebS
dens Which inevitably viii Be
Laid Upon lt-AII Citizens
Called On to Practice
Economy.
Washington.-Just as the German
cannon were laundering their herald
of the renewed offensive on the west
ern battle front President Wilson ap-
peared Unexpectedly before congress
and demanded that, laying political
considerations and all others aside,
1t remain In session until 1t has en-
acted new war tax laws to finance
the growing cost of the war and pre-
pare the country for the burden 1t
must bear. His speech follows:
Gentlemen of the congress: 1t is
with unaffected reluctance that come
to ask you to prOlOng your session long
enough 10 provide more adequate re-
| sources for the treasury for the con-
duct of the war. have reason to ap-
preciate as fully as you do how ardu-
GUS the session has been. Your la
bOrs have been severe and prOtracted.
"The summer Is upon us in which la
Dor and counsel are twice arduOus and
are constantly apt to be impaired by
Iassitudc and fatigue. The elections
are at hand and we ought as soon as
possible to go and render an intimate
account Of our trusteeship to the peO-
pie who delegated us to act for them
in the weighty and anxious matters
that crowd upon US in these days of
critical choice and action. But we
dare not go to the elections until we
have done our duty to the full.
''These are days when duty stands
stark and naked and even with closed
eyes. We know it is there. Exposes
are unavailing We have either done
our duty or we have not. The fact
will be as gross and plain as the duty
itself. In such a case lassitude and
fatigue seem negligible enough. The
facts are tonic and suffice to freshen
the labor.
| Must Provide More Revenue.
"And the facts are these: Addition
al revenues must manifestly be provid-
ed for. 1t would be a most unsound
policy to raise too large a proportion
of them by law, and it is evident that
the $4OO0O0O,000 now provided for by
taxation will not Of themselves sustain
the greatly enlarged budget to which
we must Immediately look forward.
1--WE cannot in fairness wait until
the end of the fiscal year is at hand to
apprise our people Of the taxes they
must pay on their earnings Of the pres
ent calendar yeai, whose accountings
and expenditures will then be closed
We cannot get increased taxes unless
the country knows what they are to be
and practices the necessary economy
to make them available.
"Definiteness, early definiteness, as
to what its tasks ale to be is absolutely
necessary for the successful admins
tratiOn Of the treasury; 1t cannot
frame fair and workable regulations II
haste If it is not to know its exact
task until the very eve Of its perform
ance.
1.-The present tax laws are marred
moreover, by inequities which ought tt
be remedied. Indsputable facts, ev
cry one; and we cannot alter or blinl
them. To state them Is argumen
enough.
Sees Danger Of Initiation.
. "And yet perhaps you will permit M
to dwell for a moment upon the stu
: alton they disclose. Enormous loan
freely spent in the stimulation of in
! dustry of almost every sort produce In
dations and extravagances which pres
| emily make the whole economic struC
: ture questionable and insecure and tn
} very basis of credit is cut away. Onl
: fair, equirably distributed taxation o
the widest incidence and drawin
, chiefly from the sources which woul
: be likely to demoralize credit by thei
very abundance, can prevent in1atio
and keep our industrial system free G
[ speculation and waste. We shall nat
) urally turn, therefore, I suppose,
war profits and incomes and luxurie
: for the additional taxes.
; "But the war profits and income
upon which the increased taxes wi
. be levied will be the profits and ir
0 comes of the calendar year 1918.
"It would be manifestly unfair I
:; wait until the early months Of 1919
C say what they are to be. 1t might b
Q difficult, l should imagine, to run tn
0 mill with water that already has gon
i over the wheel.
Taxes Not Paid Until June, 1919.
Moreover, taxes of that sort wi
not be paid until the June Of nel
year, and the treasury must antiC
pate them. 1t must use the none
they are to produce before it is du
1t must sell short-time certificates {
indebtedness
> 'In the autumn a much larger sal
:, Of longtime bonds must be effecte
than has yet been attempted. Whi
are the bankers to think of the ce
tificates If they do not certainl
know where the money is to con
T- from, which Is to take them up? Ar
g how are investors to approach Il
, purchase of bonds with any sort I
l. confidence or knowledge of their ow
lnf Fni IL NJ uwrtN,