Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-27

delegates.
See Production in u. s.
Cut by Soldiers Bonus
Continued from Pare One
duction and consumption limo is also
necessary for the payment of national
debts and dp1atiOu Of currency.
There are some things. however
which arc being done and which can be
done tn assist materially. Tho gradual
hardening uf credit is having a good ef-
feet and the country has wide movement
in favor Of greater economy as an ex-
cclcnt sign.
War Tax an Undue Burden
"Onc cause of tho high cost Of living
may ho eliminated by a change in our
present uuscicntifr national tax laws.
Iudcr tho mistaken idea that taxes
should and can be collected almost
exclusively from tho we'll to do and the
rich. war taxes and excess profits have
been continued into peace. with the re-
suit that credit IS unduly restricted by
investors putting money in taT fro"
securities cNtravaganCc is encouraged
and the consumer who thinks in many
cases he iS escaping without tax is
paving several taxes
Urging tho delegates 10 take deeper
interest in public work. the speaker
said
we stand for square deal for
American business bur above and be-
yond that. we stand foe representative
American institutions, individual initi
ativc and III" enforcement of III" law.
We know that nothing can bc good for
business in the long run that is not good
, for tho United States.
Warns Against Expansion Of Credit
W. I. Saunders. president Of tho
American Manufacturers ENport AS
Sociation. sounded n sharp warning TO
day against an undue expansion Of
credit while discussing American i'm
nort and export trade in repairing thC
waste Of war. The cost Of the recent
conflict. he maintained. has hoNn largely
paid by drawing upon American credit.
"W'hCn tho war ended there was n
shortage of goods OF all kinds all over
the world. the New Yorker said. The
wheels of commerce have been turning
with a speed novcr before known. but
little hradway has been made toward
labOrcrs enough to do the work. The
natural and inevitable result is that
wages rise and prices advance. CAPITAL
strainIng every effort to fill orders. Dor
rows moro and moro money. putting a
strain upon credit and still further in
hating the currency.
What We are rpally suffering from
II we are suffering at all. is beCaus.
business is booming beyond our normal
capacity 10 take car" Of it. The situa .
ton might have been brought about
without war. America has suffered
less from the high cost of things thar
others.
Taxation and Profits
"Taxation. thing which alway'
makes for increased cost and higl
prices. should be put on a peace basis
The only excuse for an excess profit,
tax is tho desperation brought about
bv war. To tax profits means to holC
them down. Just now we want all the
profits that can be made. Let income,
| which come from profits be taxed. but
/ lot us encourage skill through invention
and initiative when it is applied to re
! duction in the cost Of the product 81
/ a. 10 make greater profit, Prices arr
| op+ to reach more normal conditions a,
! .oons a. Europe begins to send larg'
! cxportS 70 other parts Of the world.
r +. CrpssOn. Jr.. an engineer o
! tbe New York New Jersey port m,
| harbor development commission, PLEADED
for greater interest in the expansion o
mort facilities for speedily moving goods
| "If tho products Of American manu-
facturPrs are 10 compete with product
or other countries in the foreign trad
markets, the neck of the bottle in tn
he enlarged. ne asserted.
Great ocean freight carriers arc ap
nearing. So far a the ship itself j
CONCERNED with it's improved tackle 70
the loading and disCharging of cargo,
may fairly be said that this medium o
TRANSPORTATION has kept abreast of tn
times.
Must Improve Transportation
"Thp principal point Of congestion
expcnse and delay in the transportatio
system between this country aud fOreig
countries is at the point of contact be
tween the railroads and the ships. an
This point is the neck of tho bottle !
the American transportation system
With the present shortage of rallroa
cars il is little short of an eCOnOm
crime to hold cars in terminal district
for from three days TO week or more
Provision must he made for the quic
discharge of freight from cars and th
quick release of the cars.
Roy V, Wright, traffic eHncrr. sal
other industries less essential TO th
prosperity of the country az whOI
should allow railroads priority in
handicapped market for such material
as they need TO put themselves int
prime condition for service.
Charles T.. Lee, a transportation au
thority, urged centralized contr,
of the movement Of freight cars, an
said it may ultimately be desirable
, have all freight cars not only useC
but owned and maintained in common
lie said il was economic waste fC
lack of some such control as suggeste
10 have idle cars when there are var
amounts Of freight awaiting movemen