The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-12-13

the 81, eco, coo, 900 needed in addition
to the $4,000, O00, 900 provided by ex.
listing law be obtained from the profits
which have accrued and shall accrue
from war contracts and distinctively
war business, but that these taxes DO
confined to the war profits accruing
in 1918 or in 1919 from business orig
mating in war contracts. | urge your
acceptance OF his recommendation
that provision be made now. not sub
s%equently, that the taxes to be paid in
1920 should be reduced from six to
four billions. Any arrangement less
definite than these would add elements
Of doubt and confusion to the critical
period OF industrial REIMBURSEMENT
through which the country must now
Immediately pass. and which no true
friend of the nations essential bust
ness interests can afford to be respon-
sible for creating or prolonging. Clear
ly determined conditions, clearly and
simply charted, are indispensable TO
the economic revival and rapid indus
trial development which may conf
IDENTIFY be expected If we act now and
sweep all Interrogation points away.
Pleads for Navy Program.
take it for granted that the con-
gress will carry out the Naval pro-
gram which was undertaken before we
entered the war. The secretary of the
navy has submitted to your committee
for authorization that Fart of the pro-
gram which covers the building plans
of the next three years. These plans
have been prepared along the lines
and in accordance with the policy
which the congress established, not
under the exceptional conditions OF
the war, but with the intention OF add
herring to a definite method of develop
ment for the Navy. ] earnestly rec
ommend the uninterrupted pursuit OF
that policy. 1t would clearly be IN
wise for us to attempt to adjust our
programs to a future world policy as
yet undetermined.
The question which causes the great
est concern is the question of the pol
icy to be adopted toward the railroads.
frankly turn to you for counsel upon
it. have no confident judgment of my
own. ! do moi see how any thoughtful
man can have who knows anything OF
the completely OF the problem. 1t is
a problem which must be studied.
studied Immediately and studied with
out bias or prejudice. Nothing can be
gained by becoming partisan OF any
particular plan of settlement.
Railroads Up to Congress.
1t was necessary that the admins
tration of the railways should be taken
over by the government so long as the
war lasted. 1t would have been impos-
sible otherwise to establish and carry
through under a single direction the
necessary priorities OF shipments. It
would have been impossible otherwise
to combine maximum production at the
factories and mines and farms with
the maximum possible car supply to
take the products to the ports and
markets: impossible to out troops,
shipments and freight shipments with.
out regard to the advantage or disad.
vantage OF the roads employed; i'm.
possible to subordinate, when neces.
sary, all questions of convenience to
give the necessary financial support to
the roads from the public treasury
But all these necessities have now
been served. and the question is. what
is best for the railroads and for the
public in the future?