Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1920-08-19

inc DaSlC purpose Oh lllt Iehgut were
at any time distorted II would also
appear to be simpler matter TO pro
vide against amy misunderstanding IN
the future and at the same time to
meet the objections Of those who he
lleve that we might be Inviting con
trovCrsy over our constitutional rights,
by mixing senatorial addition In
words something like these:
at will Of course be IN lcrstood
that N carrying out the purpose Of the
League, the government of the United
States must NJ all time act In strict
harmony with the terms ana intent of
cannot In any way be altered by the
trcaty-making power
Helpful Additions Not Barred.
"UnQuestioned friends of the
League have made other proposals.
Our platform clearly lays no bur
against any additions that will be help
ful, but II speaks in firm resolution
to stand against anything that dis
turbs the vItnl principle. We hear 1t
said that interpretations are unnneccS-
sary. That may be true, but they Will
ut least be reassurng TO many OF our
citizens, who feel that In signing the
treaty, there should be no mental res
ervations that are not expressed In
plain words us a matter Of good fnilh
to our associates. Such intcrpretu-
lions possess the further virtue or
supplying n base upon which agree
ment can be reached, and agreement,
without injury to the covenant, Is
now of pressing Importance. II WIS
the desire to get things started, TINT
prompted some members Of the senate
to vote for the Lodge reservations.
Those who conscentlously voted for
them In the final roll calls realized,
however, that they acted under dureSs,
In that politically bigoted minority
was exercising the acbltrnry power Of
its position to enforce drastic condi.
TONS Happily the voters of the re-
public, under our system Of govern
ment, can remedy that situation, and |
have the faith that they will, at the
government will be enabled to combine
impulse and facility In the making Of
better world conditions. The agencies
Of exchange will automatically adjust
themselves to the opportunities of
commercial freedom. New life and re-
newed hope will take hold Of every
nation. Mankind will press n resoute
shoulder to the task Of readjustment,
and new era will have dawned upon
the earth.
Federal Taxation.
Federal taxation must be heavily
reduced, and 1t will be done ut once,
II Democratic administration Is
chosen In November Without hamper
ing essential national administrative
departments, by the elimination of all
others and strict economy everywhere,
national taxes can be reduced in eX
cess OF two billion dollars yearly. An
noying consumption taxes, once will
!ngly borne, now unjustified, should be
repealed The incomes from war-made
fortunes, those Of non-producers and
those derived from industries that exist
by unfair privilege may be able to
carry their present load, but taxes on
the earnings of the wage-earner, Of the
salaried and professional man, of the
agricultural producer and Of the, small
tradesman should be sharply modified
believe that better form of taxation
than the so-called excess profits tax
may be found and | suggest a small
tax. probably one to one and one-half
per cent on the total business Of every
going concern. It Is to be understood
that the term business as used does
not include income received by wage
earncrS, salaried men, agriculturists
and the small business man who should
he exempt from this tax. The profitecr
and some of the highly capitalized
units have used the excess profits tax
as favorite excuse for loading on the
consumer by means of highly inflated
selling prices many times the amount
actually paid the government. A
necessary condition to the national
contentment and sound business is
just proportion between fair profits to
business and fair prices to the con.
sumer
Would Halt Proftecring.
"The tribe Of prOtitecrs has simply
multiplied under the favoring cirCum-
stances of war. For years, large con-
tributlons have been made to the Re-
publican campaign fund for no pur-
pose except to buy n governmental
undcrhold and to make Illegal profits
as the result of preference. Such
largesSes are today a greater menace
to our COntentment and our inStItU-
tiOns than the countless temporary
prontcprS who are making n mOckery
Of honest business. but who can 1--we
and ratten only in time Of disturbed
prices If | am called to service rs
president means will be found. If they
do not already exist, for compelling
these exceptions to the great mass ur
square dealing American business
men, to use the same yardstlck "
honesty that governs most of MS In
our dealings with our fellowmca or
In language that they may understand
to suffer the penalty Of criminal law.
at has been my observation that the