Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-12-01
OUR WASHINCTONLETTER


by the department of labor officials
that between 100000 and 100000
workers are now out of employment
would indicate that the period Of de-
aation has become as serious for city
labor as it is for the western farmers.
Industries chiefly affected with >un-
employment so far are the textile,
automobile, rubber and machine tools
industries. While the number of un-
employed now exceeds the figures for
any period since 1907, it is hardly
possible at this time to say whether
this indicates period of acute de-
preston and stagnatiOn of city pro-
duction, or whether it is merely
temporary slowing-up which big bust
ness has taken advantage of to fight
union labor.
Immediately after the election the
so-called open shop movement, which
had been running for some time, was
broadened into the policy of laying
off as many organized workers as pos
sible as blow to organized labor. In
many sections thousands of workers
whose cases do not appear in the list
of unemployed have been laid off and
then hired back Immediately at lower
wages and sometimes longer hours.
BUYERS HOLD BACK
A panicky state of mind, however,
may be developed in the whole work
ing population of the United States
by this threat of unemployment and
likewise among the farmers by the
raids on their crops this fall, the re-
suit of which might easily be a panic
| of considerable proportions.
Would-be buyers, on the one hand,
are neglecting to buy except the most
essential things in the hope that prices
are going lower, and producers, on the
other hand, are afraid to produce a
normal quantity for fear they are 60
ing lower.
The present labor situation shows
how hypocritical was the cry of big
business that all we needed for read
justment was more efficient labor and
harder work; whereas both the high
prices of the recent past and the hard
ships of the present are produced by
| monopoly control of vital industries,
by the squeezing of the money trust,
by the chaos resulting from imperialis-
tic policies in Europe.
We are now paying not only for war
and war profiteering, but for bogus re-
construction following the war
| oVER7URN IN. GREECE.
| The election in Greece on Novem-
Der IA, resulting apparently in the de-
feat of Premier Venizelos, is good
indication of how little our press ser.
vices keep us informed of the news
of the world. Practically every news
story concerning Greece has assured
us that Venizelos had the united sup
port of the Greek people and that his
opposition consisted of a handful!
which supported the cause of ex-King
Constantine, who was chased out by
allied military forces. We also have
been told that the issue was entirely
one of whether the pro-German King
Constantine should be allowed to re-
turn or not
Kings, however, are only superficial
puppets on the stage, and it is might
er forces than they which make OF
unmake actual governments Venizel
| os has probably lost for the same rea
son that the leaders of Italy, who were
made by the last war, were endorsed
at the last Italian election. and the
man who had opposed the war from
the very beginning became prime min
lister. VeniZelos not only led Greece
into the war with the allied side but
has since been pursuing an expansion
! policy. At the present time Greece
is Waging war in Asia Minor as a price
which France and England demands
of her in return for certain new ter
ritory. The Greek people are probabl,
tired of war and of paying the price
for nationalistic jingoism.
Honest government is made especial
ly difficult in Balkan state, such a.
Greece, because the great powers in
terfere so much with the actual course
of affairs. For years before the wa
German money competed with English
money and French money in corrupt
ing the public officials in these states
Many a Balkan statesman and politi
clan attempted the difficult feat O
taking Money from both sides and at
tempting to please both It was from
diplomatic cockpit of this kind, il
fact, that the great war broke out
) And none of these little nations
whether they took the allied side O
the German side, gained anything from
the war but great misery and debt.
FEDERAL TAXES.
That the year ending June 30, 1925
was more prosperous year for pluto
, Gratis than the year ending the sam
day, 1919, is indicated by the fact tina
the income and excess profits take
brought in nearly a billion and a hal
, more revenue to the government i
the latter year.
A government report shows that tn
federal taxes collected for the fisc;
, year ending June 30 were made up a
follows:
Amount Per Ger
Sources collected of tot,
i Income and profits
i taxes ............. So, s57, 6ss, 5000 70
i Transportatio etc, .
4 and insurance -: so7, sos, oe5. So s