The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-29
ENGLAND MAY
 CONSCRIPT WEALTH
BY HOLLOND

New York, July 2S.- -(Speciall-One Of the ablest as well as most prominent of American industrial leaders who re- turned a few days ago from a sojourn of three months in Europe said few weeks after his return that he had received in formation from authoratve sources in Great Britain that in all probability the British government would feel the neces- sity of conscripting some part of the wealth now in the possession of English men. This may be done speedily. It may not be attempted until some months have passed This statement was reported in this column a few days ago, but at that time it was not possible to reveal the identity of any of the English statesmen who made this prediction.
 Now this revelation can be made. For the opinion has been made public by Sir George Paish. He it was who with oth CTS said to the American industrial leader that in his opinion it was inevitable that the English government conscript con siderable portion of the wealth now in the possession of Englishmen.
 Sir George Paish stands as one of the ablest world authorities upon finance both national and international. So highly did the English government es- teem him that it called him into it's ser vice, entailing thereby his temporary withdrawal from the editorship from the ondon Statist, which is perhaps the best authority on financial matters, both ma tional and international, among all the English publications.
 Cir Caorga stated without reSerVa ton to this American that sooner or later England would be obliged to make con scription of wealth. That seemed to be | the only practicable or even possible way 1 by which the staggering war debt ol 1 Great Britain can be reduced. This ac l ton could be justified not only py the , necessities of Great Britain but also by
 the fact that those who accumulated
 large profits during the war would De compelled to contribute their part in this way and to use Sir Georges own WordS' just as the soldier was willing to con | tribute at the risk of his life.
 i PROFITEERING IN ENGLAND l Sir George was evidently aware Of the fact that the profiteering which has been
 ir progress in England since the war be gan has on the whole resulted in enor | mons gains for those who shared in 1t He was of the opinion that the profiteer- ling that prevailed in England was Ia, greater than any that has been reportef to have been secured in the United States during the war.
 Some of these profiteers have made mil l.-ns upon millions The returned sol
 diers are convinced that the governmen
 should take as many of these millions a is deemed expedient. For in that wa, there may be an evening mp of the cor tributions to the war made by wealth ant
 by the soldiers.
 In a communication published da' or tw, ago from Sir George he intimate' that the government would be justified perhaps compelled to take at least 50 pc cent of this wealth, doing it in the Wa. of direct taxation Other levies woult be made upon wealth, some of it at tn
 rate of 15 per cent, some at the rate Q 20 per cent
 While the war was in progress Si George at the request of the British gov ernment, visited the war fields and de livered there a number of lectures. H was brought into close contact with tn men who were in the trenches. He foun' that these English soldiers were con vinced that the men in England wf.o ha made vast amounts of money by profiteer
 ing should be compelled by the govern ment to relinquish considerable par of their great gains and that this woul be only fair to the soldiers.
 Il If Sir George Paish feels justified a this time in saying for publication tha there must become a conscription o
 great wealth in Great Britain it is tn
 belief here that this conscription will b
 adopted by the government in a shor time.
 SOLDIERS IN CANADA Among the changes occasioned by tn war are some which may beneficially al feet Canada. This is the view of Canad ' ian officers who have recently returne from Europe. One of these officers wa asked this morning whether there Wa much unrest among the returning sol | diers In reply he said there was not, be ! cause the men had learned great des I from what they had seen while in service but that it all depended upon whethe