, 1919-02-13

the German revolution" never per-
hitting themselves to be quoted con-
corning it mol paying the slightest at
tention to the lucubrations of hypo-
critics such as Bernstorff. But they
are watching with interest the inter
national conferences of Socialists
and trades unions that are In session
In Berne. Switzerland. The former
seems to be virtually dominated by
the pro-Teuton elements. The Trades
Union conference, in which are dele
gates from the United States and Eng
land, is discussing international labor
legislation in conjunction with the
Socialists.
Turkey let out a loud wall recently
In protest against the proposition to
put Constantinople, the Bosporus and
the Dardanelles under international
control. This idea Is being promul-
gated in Paris especially by the en-.
tente nations, and they assert that
the controlling nation should be the
United States as the one disinterest.
~ RN"Sh thaS Nouiu hhuulc tnc tcIEi-
tory. The Ottoman liberal party,
which has been anti-German through
out the war, asked President Wilson
to save Constantinople to Turkey by
giving 1t a chance at self-determIna-
ton. Several days later the sultan
himself sent a secret letter to the lib
eral Turks In France and Switzer-
land, appealing to them to return
home and save their country from the
starvation and lawlessness prevalent
under the regime by which the NOM
inal ruler is dominated. Many com
n,unItles and municipalities. under
Ottoman rule have sent petitions to
the American peace delegates asking
that they be put under the protec-
ton Of the United States.
The labor situation grew better in
Great Britain and worse In the United
States last week. The British public
apparently awoke to the fact that the
strikes there. unauthorized by the,
trades union authorities, were being
stirred up by alien anarchist leaders
and the men began returning to their
work pending peaceful settlement Of
the disputes. The railway men and
electrical workers resumed their la
Dor In London and the city began to
get relief from conditions that had
nearly paralyzed it for days. In Bel
fast the strike leaders were arrested
on conspiracy charges.
The United States was hit hardest
last week at points widely separated
New York and Seattle. In the
metropolis building operations wers
virtually tied up by a lockout de-
clared by the Building Trades EN-
ployers' association which affected
25.000 workers and which threatened
to spread throughout the country and
Canada.
In Seattle the 10000 shipbuilders
who are on strike received the sup
port of a general strike which wac
started on Thursday. Practically all
union laborers quit work, though the
engineers In the municipal lighting
plants were exempt. The textile
workers in Lawrence, Mass, struck
for n 4S-hour week with "a hours pay.
and some of the big cotton mills In
Fall River were closed owing to dis
putes with the employees.
One more greatest war revenue
bill in the country's history was pre-
scented to the house last week By
Chairman Kitchin of the ways and
means committee. As fixed up by
the conference 1t provides for the col
lection of about $4,000, 900 600 in taxes
from the American citizen. and in ad.
dition 1t gives a bonus of $50 to each
soldier, sailor, marine and woman
nurse in the American forces. PRETTY
nearly everything one possesses OF
hoes win be subject to tax. Even
the president and all other federal
officials must pay tax on their In
, comes, though state officials do not.
The normal income tax for 1918 is
0 per cent, on incomes up TO $4,000
and IL per cent on higher incomes.
After 1918 the normal is 4 per cent
ON incomes up to $4,000 and 8 per
cent on those over $4,000. The pres
ent normal Is 4 per cent.
The income surtax rates begin at I
per cent on incomes of $4,000 to So.
900 and run to IS per cent on Incomes
of over 81. 100000.
Provision is made for both war and
excess profits taxes In the fiscal year
but after that the war profits tar
comes off. except In certain specified
cases where war contracts run oyer
In liter years.