The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-02-25
THE SALES TAX
BILL MAY PASS
1t Will Transfer Tax Burdens
From Those Who Are Able
And Unwilling to Pay to
Those Who Are Willing But
Unable to Pay.
lBY Charles NJ. KelleYl

(By Charles M. Kelley
A sales tax may and probably
will be enacted by Congress, but
its proponents will know that they
have been in a fight before they
win their battle. Opposition is de-
veloping. Congressman are hearing
| from back home and some of the
more timid servitors of Big Business
may take refuge in a storm cellar
until the political skies again clear,
The fight against a sales tax is
being led by Congressman James A.
Frear, of Wisconsin, but there is
nothing of eXpediency in his effort.
He is moved entirely by the convic-
| tion that great wrong against the
people is contemplated. He said in
recent speech in the House:
"The stakes are $800,000,000 now
paid from corporation excess pro-
fits that would, under a sales tax,
be shifted to the backs of 100000
600 people who must consume in
order to live"
That, briefly, summarizes the real
argument back of the demand for a
tax on sales. Corporations with
swollen profits seek relief from
taxes, but before they can secure
it new sources Of taxation must be
found The government needs every
penny that can be raked and scrap
ed together and then will fall short
of it's expenditures.
Congresmen have been vainly
seeking ways and means of provid-
Ii
covering that everything that can
be taxed is now being taxed with
the single exception of sales. Scores
of members who will finally be COM
PEELED to vote for this proposition
will do so grudgingly and only I'M
der the spur of their private masters
for they are not more anxious than
is the average citizen to impose
new burdens upon the people. There
is, however, no escape for them, un-
less they are ready to cut the strings
that tie them to privilege and go
over to the side of the people.
The men who control Congress
have served notice that taxes laid
upon the excessive profits of large
corporations must be removed. To
do so means a reduction of nearly
billion dollars in government re-
ceipts, and the national interest will
not permit this sacrifice of revenue.
That leaves Congress with but one
alternative, the imposition of sales
tax, compelling the people to pay
taxes on everything they eat, wear
and use.
Were Congress serving the people,
the situation would be altered. Then
the profiteers would be told that
they have taken unwarranted pro-
fits from the public and in common
fairness and decency should assist
in maintaining the government. But
Congress does not serve the people
other than to exploit them, state
ment that will be fully justified
when the corporations are relived
of their tax responsibility and the
public is compelled to assume it.
Congressman Frear is an exper-
fenced defender of the public well
fare, having waged successful COM
bat against the various pork" meas
ures which once infested Congress.
He is a fighter who does not know
when he is licked, and can be de-
pcIlucu W sway "iCii CiiC oolSo va
proposition until it is determined
| one way or another.
Whether he can muster sufficient
opposition to defeat it is another
question. If the past is safe
guide for the future, a reasonable
guess would be that the sales tax
will become a reality. Big business
has had no difficulty in recent years
in getting what it wanted, and it
now wants nothing quite as much
as a transfer of tax burdens from
those who are able and unwilling to
pay to those who are willing but
unable to pay.
If the common people are not
satisfied with a sales tax law when
it shall have been thrust upon them
they may transfer their votes from
plutocratic party to a democratic
party. Vote in future for your own
business instead of big Business"
You have no share in "Big Biz"