The Washington herald., 1920-10-15
What the Voters Are Thinking.

ii VtE QucStiOnnaire concerning the vital issues OF
the campaign sent out by firm of New
York bankers to some 1000 men of affairs,
including wage earners, has produced inter
esting results
1t desired TO find out what phase of the
political discussion OF the day was really interest,"
ing the average the most. That because of
the Presidents strategy the league of nations has
been thrust into the foreground is apparent enough
to any casual observer OF politics But whether
that question is really engrossing the attention of
the American business man, and whether so far as
his vote is concerned the election will hinge upon
It, Is not SO certain.
Ii the results OF this investigation into the
opinion OF representative business men may be
tskcu indicative OF public sentiment it appears
that the business mind is engrossed with the
question OF just and equitable taxation than with
the adjustment Of international affairs. OF 3673
answers received to the questions 264I put the cor
rcction Of faulty and oppressive methods of taxation
HrSt IN the list OF issues which the American peo-
pie should settle in the immediate future And
OF those answering nearly all declared that for the
benefit OF all classes in the community there should
be repeal of the excess profits tax, and mate
rial reduction in the income tax Again we desire
to emphasize the fact that these questions were not
submitted to a jury OF capitalists or merchants
only, but to representative section of the COM
munity including wage earners.
The Herald finds particular interest in the re-
sPonsc to the interrogatories for it supports what
has been the consistent position of this newspaper
since the beginning of the campaign Economic
rather than international questions are OF prime
importance to the American people today 1t is
upon industrial issues, upon the problem vital to
every man and woman of how to earn living.
how to maintain home, how to provide against
old age or possible sickness and adversely that
the minds OF the people are fixed. Much of the
clamor OF politicians the league of nations is
an effort to divert public attention from these
matters.
For eighteen months the people have been
grcaning under oppressive system of taxation
put in force measure but which the ad-
mInistration has shown no willingness or ability
to reform
When it is urged that the excess profits tax is
an incentive to extravaganza clog on business
development and notoriously evil factor in main
tanning the high cost Of living the voters are too
frequently given equivocal answers-or their ques-
uons side-stepped entirely.
We have never believed that the public mind
could be thus switched off the main track to sid
ing artfuy prepared by the politicians, and which
Will lead nowhere. In saying this there is no de-
sire to bettle the importance of the international
association for the maintenance OF peace as an is
1t is inportant-so important that its deter
mInation must not be permitted to hinge upon the
grathcation OF any individual pride of opinion or
authorship, nor its final and workable form be
made dependent upon the ratification of promises
made by the American peace commissioner with
out regard to the sentiment of the nation he rep
resented
But eonceding all importance to the interna-
tional issue still hold that it is second in sig
nihcancc to the duty OF putting our own house in
order, OF ridding ourselves fast as may be of
the intolerable burdens of the war Of freeing in
dustry from its shackes that the already apparent
menace to employment may be averted. 1t is well
for US to guard against future wars but in the
name OF common sense is it not better for us first
to cut away the eutangling debris of the war?