The Washington times., 1919-01-25
Today
Pity the Basket Man."
TO Clothe a Lady, S231.
Selling Cocaine, MansIaughter
Good News for U. S. Steel.
By ARTHUR BRISBANE.
(Copyrixht, islal

This is about another soldier
who called on the Editor Of The
Washington Times yesterday,
walking on crutches. He wanted
to sell Fifty Dollar Liberty Bond
as he had two weeks tnrlough and
wanted to see the family on his
fathers farm in Oklahoma They
haven't seen me in uniform yet,"
said he, with a diffident smile. He
got $50 for his bond, and S1.06
more for the November, 1918, cou-
pom. "Keep that for the aceommo-
dation," said he.
This young man from Oklahoma
illustrates the cheerfulness Of the
American soldier.
I've nothing to complain Of"
he said. "I've got my heel left on
this foot, and soon they viii make
me an artificial foot to I'LL out the
rest Of my shoe. They are all out
Of wood at the Walter Reed Hos
pital right now, there is such de-
mand. / went through Chateau
Thierry all right, then l got this,
but Ii doesn't amount 10 anything.
"Out Of thirty thousand men in
our crowd, only two thousand got
through, safe and sound. They
gave rs plenty of chance to fight.
"I've got work on the farm
waiting for me and l can drive
mules. | am satisfied. But feel
sorry for the poor basket men,"
BY basket men" he meant
those that have both legs gone,
and rs the soldiers put it, will
have TO be carried around in -
basket"
This soldiers face was pale un-
derneath the tan. He had suf-
fered, with his foot half shot
away, but he was absolutely
cheerful, and hadn't the faintest
idea that he was entitled to any
credit.
Said he: "They let Us buy rail-
road tickets for a cent a mile, 50
that I viii be able to get out to see
the folks and back again for
thirty-six dollars" )
That will leave him fourteen
dollars out Of his Liberty bond,
minus what he spends TO eat GO
ing and coming.
Il certainly is very kind" to al
low a man with one foot shot
away to &C back and see his father
and mother, charging him ONLY
thirty-six dollars for the round
trip, with the railroads under
Government control
This being a rich, generous
country, with billions for any
foreign government that viii bor-
row the money, and hundreds Of
millions to spend feeding the
hungry in Europe, don't you think
II might strain point and do
little something for q one-footed
soldier or sbasket man" in addi-
ton to giving him one-cent rate
a mile on the cars?
Couldn't the United States af-
ford 70 give six months pay to
EVERY soldier after he gets his
discharge?
Judge Meyer, Of the United
States District Court, decides that
the Government can't charge in
come tax on "stock dividends.
II the corporation gives its
stockholders more stock instead of
money, the Government cannot tax
the stock as income.
There is a good hint for the
United States Steel Corporation.
. It Is said to own more than one
hundred and fifty millions Of Lib
erty bonds. Let IL issue extra
stock, pat those Liberty bonds
back o. IL, instead of paying cash
dividends, anu use the cash to buy
more good bonds. That could be
kept up for a while until the re-
construction period and the high
income tax days are ended. Then
it could be Strengthened out
nicely.
Distinguished citizens would
avoid the income tax that runs up
TO so per cent sometimes.
AAON 4oro ~ ou obAlhc Tie uELlG
business man, who pays income
tax often, even on money that he
hasn't got?
We haven't yet heard from the
United States Supreme Court. II
may not agree with the learned
Judge Meyer. Perhaps if you get
as dividend perfectly good stock,
that is income. Or the Govern
ment might take the stock for part
payment Of tax. How would that
do?
DR.. Copeland, health officer in
New York, expresses anxiety con-
eerning the increased use Of drugs.
The man who gives habit-forming
drugs to another is, OF course,
worse than a murderer. The life
OF a drug victim is infinitely more
20 be feared than death. The Eng
lish are solving this problem intel
ligently, as they have solved many
Sothers.
An American actress, Miss Billie
Carlton, was found dead from ex-
cessiye use Of cocaine. The man
who supplied the drug Is indicted