The Washington times., 1921-02-23

U. S. Collecting Agent7
"3 Meals a Day" Danger.
Bicycles $17.00.
Taxing Our Commerce.
Ah 4 nun DuIoDANl
Copyright. is7I.)

t-by ARTHUR BklSBANE-I
Copyright is1i)
The allies will take as indemnity
whatever they can get from Ger
many. Belgium owes the United
States two or three hundred mil
Hons, and the President suggests
mat we accept, as payment from
Belgium, bonds that Belgium will
get from Germany.
II we settle Belgium's debt by
taking her German bonds zoe I'M
dertake to collect on them.
We announced that we didn't
want any loot when the war was
over, either in money or territory.
Is 1t a good idea to make our
selves the thoroughly hated col
lector of the allies, and do their
work, collecting from a bankrupt
nation?
Why should they not do their
own collecting from Germany!
That question, Senator Harding
will answer.
Caruso's health is improving;
everybody is delighted. The dan
ger Is in the line ''he eats three
meals a day" Doctors that know
how to cure patients sometimes let
them kill themselves by eating
prematurely or wrongly. One great
surgeon allowed a patient after a
successful major operation to eat
heartily Of salad and other food
and the patient died.
When a man is eliminating the
poison Of disease he is in no con-
dition to assimilate much food.
Here is something to make all
manufacturers think - workmen
also. In the British parliament
somebody wants to know whether
Germany's ability to manufacture
cheaply is causing lack Of employ
ment. 1t seems that Germany
sends bicycles to England that
cost, delivered. 81 shillings for a
first-class machine. At the pres
ent rate of exchange, that is
about ST.
Things that seem wise at first
often turn out otherwise. You
might with war indemnities, taxes
>on exports. etc.. reduce seventy
millions of Germans to . condi-
ton of coolie labor. But then
: your own working people must
compete with coolie labor close at
hand, and that isn't convenient
One very interesting proposition
in connection with the allies in
.demnity plan is the scheme to put
a tax Of 12H per cent on every
thing shipped out Of Germany.
i,scludimg shipments to the United
States.
Under that plan this country
submits to an alien tax on its COM
merce with a foreign nation. 1t
il told, when you trade with
Germany, We add 12h per cent to
your cost In the shape Of an ex-
port tax"
Does the United States see
good reason why the allies. who
owe us many thousand millions
of dollars, should put q tax OF
1914 Der cent on our trade with
= foreign country? What other
taxes on the foreign trade Of the
United States are contemplated!
Interesting to politicians, espe-
cially Republicans, is the intelli-
gent move by Mayor Hylan, fight
ing the street Car trust in New
York City. HyIan has engaged
Hiram johnson, Of California, to
fight the trust, and, incidentally,
to fight Mr.. Miller, Republican
governor Of New York State. who
feels that conditions justify the
street car trust in breaking its
contract with the city.
Those that know how Hiram
johnson fought the railroads in
California, and beat them, know
what kind Of a fight he will make
in New York. 1t may develop into
a political fight, as well as an
anti-corporation fight And it
might start something new in the
way of a political party. Hiram
johnson is big Republican; GER
tainly as hard q fighter as any
Republican in the Nation. There
will be some interesting fireworks
in New York.
Railroads are laying off men;
that may be justified. They are
closing repair shops also, many Of
them. Latest is the New Jersey
Central, very prosperous railroad,
- A.