The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-07-15
The Peace situation so far as the

Inc Peace situation so lar as the
United States is concerned, seems as
far away from solution now as it
was months ago. The truth is that
England, France, Italy, Japan and
our other Allies during the war have
a First Mortgage on everything in
Europe and this country has to take
its choice of losing its guarantees or
joining the Allies in the Versailles
treaty. Germany, Austria and the
other countries have signed this First
Mortgage, consequently they are not
in a position to give separate
mortgage on the same property to
the United States. We are, at pres
ent, an unprotected creditor, ne
gotiating for a second mortgage on
property that is already mortgaged
to its full limit and which cannot
be further mortgaged without the
consent of those who are holding the
First Mortgage.
Last week We SSIII Jul " al oIi1 Po
to Tampico, no one has ever been
able to find out why, except that the
great oil companies were having
j trouble with the Mexican govern
ment. When Congressman and
United States Senators began to
lombard the Government with ques-
lions as to why the warships had
been sent they were unable to get a
satisfactory reply, but the warships
received orders to leave. Our rela-
lions with Mexico do not seem to
have improved any under the present
administration. In fact this admin
istration is carrying out the Wilson
policies as faithfully as if they had
made them. Evidently they find
them all right.
The average business man, farm
er. professional man, mechanic and
laborer is wondering where those
boom times are that we're promised
before the last election. Liberty
bonds have not gone to par, wages
have steadily decreased, business is
at a standstill, farm products are sell
ing for less than cost and normally"
seems Tong way off. Still we must
all admit that it made good campaign
material and caught the votes.
President Harding is reported to ad-
yocating a stamp tax on almost
everything. 1t is, undoubtedly, the
plan of the Republican adminlstra-
ton to shift the cost of government
from those who are best able to bear
it to the backs of the laboring class
es of the people. The President
wants many of the taxes taken off OF
the corporations. A leading Repub-
lican paper says: THE repeal OF the
excess profit tax is foregone con-
clusion and it is certain the next
revenue bill will not attempt to
make the business and industries OF
the country carry the bulk OF the
load" This, of course, means that
the masses of the people must
shoulder this load. 1t is proposed
to increase letter postage to three
cents instead of two; to have stamps
on bank checks, drafts, real estate
transfers, deeds, mortgages, con-
tracts of sale, etc. In addition to
this a sales tax seems likely, or
production tax, which will be placed
On at the factory and passed on to
the consumer in the selling price OF
the various articles.
x
Of course, country newspaper
publishers never handle any money
that is real money, but we do hear
that money is just as scarce now as
it was before the election, in spite OF
the full dinner pail, par for liberty
bonds, peace, our soldiers brought
home and return to "normalcy."