River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-06-30
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
(From James A. Frear, M. c.

Attorney General Dougherty has
/ announced that his department has
! been accommodating evidence of illegal
! charges against the government
! made by profiteers during the war
which were exposed by the various
House investigation committees and
| that he proposes to commence action
/ to recover moneys wherever possible
and to meet out deserved punishment
if sufficient evidence can be had. In
practically every one of the five SUBJ
committee Investigations much testi-
mony was offered of shady transac-
tions and particularly where plans
were made to have the government
finance private operations and then
let the property be sold by the Gov
eminent for song The case of mills
and railways built in Washington and
Oregon for aircraft wing beams IS
fair example Of methods pursued
In that case approximately $4,000,
600 of the billion dollars spent or OBJ
ligated for aircraft was spent on the
coast largely for mills and railways
in the fir and spruce lumber for air.
craft beams with the expectation OF
turning over to private parties at q
nominal price after the war. A sud-
den settlement of the war prey aa.,I
the completion Of these projects and
as Judge Hughes, now Secretary OF
State well said, the war stopped too
soon to secure sufficient evidence IN
many cases for conviction but it last
ed long enough to show tie general
purpose Of some grafters and profit
~eers whose patriotism was no. alto
gether free from suspicion.
Last December Congress was con-
fronted by a strongly organized pro-
poganda for the repeal OF certain
taxes on corporations and on high
individual incomes. Powerful finar-
cial interests, particularly IN New
York City, newspapers throughout
the country like the New York Times
Wall Street Journal and Boston Post,
all of which vigorously criticised the
writer and many business organlza-
lions largely in the East all took up
the cry for repeal, and for the enact
ment of sales tex to meet the de-
ficit occurring through such repeal
For many weeks the pressure was
heavy on every member and at stat
ed in the House by the writer, prob
ably an average Of 500 to 600 letters
and other communications were re-
ceiyed by individual members de-
harding a sales tax. Many RepuD-
lican and Democrat leaders prophes-
led it's passage while fearing its ef-
feet on the country Advised by tax
experts of national standing like Sci
lyman, Mccoy and many other high
authorities that sales tax would be
bitter disappointment from a rev.
enue, economic and political stand
point, steps were taken to affect an
organization through speeches, maya
zine articles and letters to counter
act the sales tax propaganda. AS the
effort to force the sales tax proposal
was checked by Wisconsin members
in the soldiers compensation bill that
passed the House last session, so the
same forces and others were enlisted
and over 20 witnesses OF high stand
ING against the tax we're heard before
the Senate Finance Committee in OPP
nosition to a turnover sales tax. The
tax is now declared to be dead beyond
resurrection and many generous
words of appreciation for the writ
er's efforts to prevent the IMPOSE
ton of a grossly unjust tax upon the
country.
Chairman Anthony, nephew OF
Susan b., advised the writer recently
that the only hope of curtailing heavy
military and naval expenditures is
through gradual international dis
armament. Anthony as chairman OF
the military conferees of the House
succeeded in getting the Senate to re-
duce their demand for an army OF
$4,000 men to 10000 the number
fixed by the House. Secretary OF
War Weeks, however, says this will
leave only $4,000 for home service
and the rest for foreign service. Ii
It brings back 10000 American sol
diers still in Germany and like num-
Der from other foreign service it will