Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-03-28

cratic and routine regime possibly
could be. Money In the hands of the
individual is continuously and fever
ishly on the search for opportunities
Il. e.. for creative and productive use.
In the hands Of the government 1t Is apt
to lose a good deal Of its fructifying
energy and ceaseless striving and to
sink instead into placid and somnolent
repose.
There need not be and there should
not be any conflict between profits
and patriotism. l am utterly opposed
to those who would utilize their coun.
try's war as a means to enrich them.
selves. The "war proflteer," as the
term is generally understood, is a pub.
lie nuisance and ar ignominy. Extor.
tionate profits must not be tolerated,
but, on the other hand, there should
be a reasonably liberal disposition to-
ward business and a willingness to see
1t make substantial earnings.
For, taxation presupposes earnings.
Our credit structure is based upon
values, and values are largely deter.
mined by earnings. Shrinkage OF
values necessarily affects our capacity
to provide the government with the
sinews Of war.
Tho Consumption Of Men.
Reverting now to the subject of the
CONSUMPTION of men, I know l speak
the sentiment Of all those beyond the
years of young manhood when I say
that there is not one of US worthy of
the name Of a man who would not
willingly go to fight If the country
needed or wanted US to fight. But the
country does not want or call its en-.
tire manhood to fight. It does not
even call anywhere near its entire
young manhood. It has called or In.
tends to call in the immediate future
perhaps rs per cent. Of its men be-
tween twenty and thirty years Of age,
which means probably about 4 per
cent. Of It's total male population of all
ages. But It has called from incomes.
business profits and other imposts fall. :
Ing principally on the well to do. an.
proximately ninety per cent. Of our
taxation, not to mention the con.
tr%ibutions to the Red Cross, the Y. M,
). A. and other var relief activities.
Let me add in passing that tho chill.
'ren Of the we'll to do have been taken I
or the war In proportionateIy greater I
umbers than the children Of tho poor, d
ecause those young men who are il
eeded at home to support dependents 8
r to maintain essential war industries \
exempted from the draft, f
Our Laws Favor Sons Of the Poor. 1
Tho draft exemption regulations die. +
Eliminate not as In former wars, In I
avor OF the rich mans SON, but In v
'vor Of the poor woman's son. s
l realize but too we'll that the bur. C.
en- of the abnormally high cost of
wing, caused largely by the war,
elghs heavily indeed upon wage earn.
3 and still more upon men and wo. y
en- with moderate salaries. Yield .
no one In my desire to see every. =
ing done that is practicable to have
at burden lightened. But excessive
xation on capital will not accom-.
ish that; on the contrary. 1t will
to intensity the trouble.
must be sound and wise
ID scientific and cannot be laid In a
phazard way or on impulse or &C.
riding to considerations Of politics,
the whole country will suf-
I. History has shown over and over
ain that the laws Of economics can
t be defed with lmpunity and that
. resulting penalty falls upon all
:tions and classes.
The question Of the individual ia not
n that counts. The question Is =
what sacrifices capital should and =
uld be willing to bear If called upon,
what taxes 1t is to the public ad.
,ta0e to impose.
do not say all this to plead for a
luction Of the taxation on wealth or
order to urge that no additional
es be imposed on wealth If need be.
ere Is no limit to the burden which
time Of stress and strain those
st be willing to bear who can az
d 1t except only that limit which 10
'osed by the consideration that tax
IN must not reach a point where
business activity of the country
ONES crippled and its economic
illbrium Is thrown out Of gear, be-
Sc that would harm every element
the commonwealth and diminish
war-maklng capacity of the nation.