Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-04-24
SEN. CAPPER .
SCORES THE
PRoFTrEElRS |:
Declares United States Has
Become Robbers
Roost."
GIVES LIST OF
FIRMS AND PROFITS
Urges That Officials Either
= Enforce Laws or Quit
Job.

Washington, April 24.-"The Unit.
ed States has become robbers
roost," Senator Capper. Republican.
Kansas. declared in a prepared ad-
dress today In the senate in which he
scored profiteering and declared that
If the law enforcement officers Of the
government could not enforce the
laws they should resign and let men
who can take their places.
Declaring that the proof of prof.
teering was in the margin of profit,
the senator said that in one year
alone during the war the gross in
come of American corporations rose
from 35 13 billions to "a 1-2 billions.
He read to the senate long list Of
corporations whose profits were plac-
cd at anywhere. from 20 to 200 per
cent.
Wall streets melon patches" he
declared, continue to be warmed by
the sun of privilege. fertilized by the
perspiration of labor and watered by
the tears Of poverty, and this year
will raise a record breaking crop free
from the blight of income taxes,
while the people are being urged to
buy their coal early and be robbed
for less, to abstain from steak one
day a week and to purchase war say
ings stamps that the United States
may live in nine billion style on six
billion income. ~
Attacks Sugar Men.
"At this moment the most brazen
challenge we have had in this Satur-
MALTA of greed comes from the
gamblers in sugar A corner has evil
IDENTIFY been formed right under the
eyes Of department of justice. The
canning season raid is on. For years
the sugar interests have annually and
openly and shamelessly robbed
American housewives during the can.
ming season."
After reviewing the activities OF
-four, sugar and cotton mills. the re-
cent supreme court decision holding
stock dividends untaxable, and the
department of Justices campaign
urging use of the cheaper cuts OF
nneat-which he condemned-Sen.
ator Camper presented a list of cor.
porati@ns whose earnings he. said
were proof OF profiteering "open
''a-ss: Standard Oil conpany or In,
diana" :" the senator continued, has 70
Gently increased its capital from on.
million to. thirty million dollars, Civ.
ing its stockholders stock dividend
of 2,900 per cent: &.
The National Candy company.
earnings last year showed an increase
Of 545 per cent over 1915; Burn.
brothers, the largest retail coal deal
ers In the United States, made a me-
profit Of 40 cents q ton, against 2;
IL in 1916: the earnings Of the Unit.
ed States Drug company. doing {
business Of s50,000,000 annually were
242 per cent greater than, 1916, ths
American Ice company, which cut.
ice by the millions, but not profits
has in the last four years increased
It's earnings 283 per cent: the Inter
national Cotton company. doing near
ly $s,0oo.000 worth Of business las
year, made 80 per cent more money
although it sold 20 per cent fewer
. goods" #
Would Tax Profits.
These patriotic melon raisers, WHIT
have made their millions and billion:
during and since the war" said Sen
ator Capper, now are urging tha
the soldiers bonus be raised by one
per cent tax on sales to be paid or
every dollar spent by every man
woman or children in the country, in
Guiding the ex-service men them
selves. Mr.. President, shall favor
placing this tax right where it be
longs-on war profits-and taking
iron
excess war profits and from thu
profteers all that Is needful to com
pensate the Htan who sacrificed them
selves instead OF their country ol
their cou1trymen in time Of war.
During the coal strike, while zert
weather and privation threatened tn.
people the pricesof crude oil shot u,
nearly: 800 per, cent and still is rlsing
The tobacco products corporation
HsA ha1o
OF 1,647 per cent over It's 1914 profits
"Other upholders' Of government
and befrtenders ofAthe poor are tn,
American Hide and Leather com
pany, whose profits for 1919 wer,
moro than three and one-half time,
larger than those it gained in 1914
the Central Leather company, who's.
1919 profits were more than doubl,
those OF the same months in 1913
Manufacturing corporation, who's,
profits rose from $2,1l4.43o in 1911
to :$s,7s1,5s0 in 1919.
Shoe Prices,
''Despite these swollen profits. tn,
public Is being warned that shoes ar,
going to cost more instead of less.
''For four years wheat farmers. al
whole. have little more than broke,
even. But the net profits Of th.
fifteen plans Of the Standard Milling
company have been Increased bn,
hundred per cent but not because o
increased wages and taxes. =
"Our greatest industry-agricul
ture-tied hand and foot-has beer
made the helpless victim Of specula,
tors and prohteers. 81 Z,
THE need of drastic action by gov
ernmental agencies in the enforce
ment OF laws we now have has beer