davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1921-05-01
President Harding SCOTS at Fears
That Hard Work Is Injuring Health

culated that the average increase of
costs due to federal taxation is %
per cent.
That is federal taxation. now. mind
you. on top Of all state and local.
The suggestion should be sufficient
to attract the attention of the man in
the street to the consideration of
plans for readjusting taxation which
are now under analysis in Congress.
The plan at the moment being most
earnestly mooted is general sales
tax of 1 per cent.
What is general sales tax? Let
Senator Smoot of Utah tell it; he is
its most conspicuous booster:
"A tax on the gross value Of goods.
wares and merchandise, whether raw
material or manufactured or partially
manufactured products. whether OF
domestic or foreign origin, whether in
barter. or on d cash. credit or in
stallment basis. which tax shall ac-
crue at the time of sale or lease of all
such goods, wares and merchandise at
the rate of per cent of their total
value at the time of such change of
ownership.
The tax is similar to an overhead
charge. to be added to the cost of the
goods, and finally paid by the ulti-
mate consumer" Here Senator
Smoot's optimism asserts itself. and
he adds: But there is nothing in the
bill to prevent the seller of the goods
absorbing the l per cent charge, and
that no doubt will be done with many
establishments where their sales prof
it's are large" He is an optimist. all
right enough, isn't he?
X X \
He is backed up. though not quite
so hopefully. by Mr.. Otto Kahn, who
expresses the opinion that he is salts
fed sales tax cannot be pyramided
to any appreciable extent. if at all.
He says: II am satisfied that a 1 per
cent sales tax imposed on all stages
from original producer to final con-
sumer would not aggregate more
than 31s per cent to the ultimate pur-
chaser"
Just a word: if you become interest
ed in the question. write to your con-
Eressman; that's what he is there for.
But if you want to please those
about the President and who are con-
cerned with his tasks and burdens,
don't take it up" with him.
Evening star., 1921-05-01

wage cut. Whether strikes viii re-
suit depends upon negotiations now
in progress between the operating
companies and the carmen. The first
reduction. from 60 to A. cents an hour.
WAS put into effect in Albany. Janu-
airy 80. and was followed by a strike
of the 1890 carmen. The strike re-
mains in progress. with no apparent
prospect of settlement
The principal labor controversy
looked for on May day is in the print
ing trades, and the conditions in New
York state affecting this craft are the
same as in practically every other
state in the Union.
Wage cuts, ranging from 10 to 30
per cent. are IN prospect in the build
ing trades. Some strikes in the build
ing industry are looked for. but the
belief is widespread that in view of
the great curtailment of building op-
erationS during the past two or three
years the major portion of the work
ers would prefer 10 labor under a
wage reduction than to undergo added
periods of idleness.
X X X
PENNSYLVANIA situation with
regard to wages is a mixed one In
many trades and industries the trend is
downward and in others wage rates re-
main stationary.
While the wage rate among common
labor in Independent steel companies has
been cut labor prices i'll the great coal
industry of the state have been MAIN
tained. This is due largely to the agree
ments in effect with the miners union,
which have another year to run. At
tempts to start up idle mines at reduced
wages have failed. Although their rate
of pay has not been cut, the earnings of
the mine workers have been reduced in
many cases because of idleness due to
slack demand for coal
In Philadelphia there is much idleness
in the great textile industry for two
reasons-one. depression in business and
the other the refusal OF employees in
many cases to return to work at lower
wages.
Shipyard workers in the Philadelphia
district are aiming at their employ
ment at 10 per cent reduction in
wages. None of the plants. however. is
working with full forces
According to the Chamber of Com
merce of Phila delphia. the lumber busi-
ness and its associated branches have
cut wages 10 to 20 per cent: metal
CONTINUED on Fifteenth PageD
Evening star., 1921-05-01

cabinet for preliminary handling. and
ing only important questions of pol
icy for presentation to the execu-
tive for decision In time of doubt.
1t is not one-man administra-
tion. by any manner of means The
cabinet was selected with that 1dea
in view. as the exceptional ability
of the men proves.
X X y X
But outside Of the cabinet every
body and all classes with troubles
run straight to the President with
them The farmers are looking to
him to point the economic pain "h'ch
will lead them out of their distress.
The railways are doing the same
thing. Labor troubles are looming
large constantly. and everybody
glances anxiously at the President
as if he could take silk nat ana
a conjurer's wand and create an
omelet out of a handkerchief. only
Congress seems disposed to take up
A share of the responsibilities and
thrash out on It's own account s"'
jects within it's bailiwick.
x X X X
And this remark leads naturally 10
more discussion of taxation problems,
not by way of repetition. but rather
continuation. for the discussion Is put
in it's incipiehcy now and much Will
be heard of it in the coming weeks
and months. No use to get tired OF II,
for it has hardly commenced.
That eminent economist and prac-
tical business man, Otto H. Kahn
of New York, addressing the Traffic
Club of Pittsburgh last Thursday.
after reciting the principal domestic
ills, burdens and desperate conditions,
asked why they existed, and answered
thus:
ut is mainly because the clumsy
hand of faulty taxation has been
showed into the delicately adjusted or
eanization of our commerce and in
dustry. Capital has been driven from
the highways of trade because the
government lies in wait and exacts
huge toll. going up to three-quarters
of the wayfarer'sincom blithely un-
mindful too. of the fact that there is
another way called tax exempt Sc
curities' which is not only safer,
smoother and less laborious to travel.
but is entirely free from toll"
x X X
rha nenartnenf of Justice has cal.
Evening star., 1921-05-01
u. S. Employees Given N ew Hope
Bv Policies of Administration

The Post Office Department is
striking example of the complete re-
vulsion of feeling that has come with
the Harding regime. Postmaster Cen
eral Hays, has announced his intention
to establish a division Of welfare work,
to have charge Of such activities. that
will spread into all the postofhces
throughout the country and brighten
the lives and improve the working
conditions for every man or woman
who helps Uncle Sam deliver the
mails. =
In instituting this social welfare re-
form in the postal service Postmaster
General Hays, shaving already estab-
lished a well recognized reputation Tor
organizing genius. called into con-
ference the best possible authorities
DR.. Garland. in charge Of social well
fare work for the National Cash Reg
lister Company. and Mr.. Frankel. in
charge Of similar work for the Metro
politan Life Insurance Company.
But while organizing for such a
systematic development Of good feel
ing. Postmaster General Hays put his
own personality and genial affability
to work. There are big four" OF
organized labor in the postal service.
representing the city carriers, the
rural carriers. the post Office clerks
and tho railway postal clerks. Each
one Of these has maintained officers in
Washington to represent their inter-
ests before the department and before
Congress.
+ Il 4 X
These officers OF the organized labor
in the Post ONCE Department asked
Postmaster General Burleson for
recognition. and he ignored their re-
quest. Postmaster General Hays sent
out an invitation to these representa-
tives to meet him in his Office for a
conference. which they did on Tuesday.
April 81.
1t is an important fact that i'm
mediately an agreement was reached
Evening star., 1921-05-01

health and strength building second
only to eating and sleeping.
Meet the President at dinner. or in
social converse in the evening. and
he is carefree and intent upon the
ment You never catch him in a
brown study" with his thoughts
reverting to that mountain of Of
fetal care which towers before him
constantly. He does not allow its
shadow to overtake him in the val
leys of rest and recreation to which
he resorts.
Members of the cabinet. who are
all in close touch with him. are eX-
pressing resentment over one fea-
ture Of the responsibilities that are
thrust upon him. and which. in his
desire to help keep the peace in the
republican party, he takes to heart
too much to heart, his friends as
sert-and that is the miserable. sor-
did factional fights among the re-
publicans in number of states
which are being passed up to him
through the avenues of patronage
dispensation.
The details of some Of these
squabbles are SO paltry, in COM
parison with the real troubles that
he has in hand. that they excite the
indignation of men close to him, and
they make no bones of expressing
themselves in tones of evaporation
states where the republicans are SO
divided over the spoils of Office.
quarreling over very small and
meager bones. it would seem. that
party success for the future is ac-
tually threatened. The President is
patiently. for the welfare of party,
trying to pacify the excited. clam
orous factions, but that effort is
taking it out of him" to a degree
that adds material and, it is contend
ed, unnecessary. weight to the load
he is carrying.
President Harding would certainly
find his burdens of state appreciably
heavier were it not for the notable
relief afforded by his cabinet in
taking from his shoulders as much
Of them as possible by his conspicu-
ously efficient body of advisers. This
so early in its ex-
istence, is marked to a pronounced
degree by the distribution OF the
nroblems of government among the
Evening star., 1921-05-01
BY SHELDON s. CLINE.


~ ROM all parts Of the coun-
~ try there are coming to
officials in Washington
cordial Endorsements of the
Harding Administrations program
to eoualize and stabilize prices ana
to get business under way again
on a level of prices that has some
inst relation to values and costs
of production. 1t is a program 10
which the whole American people
can subscribe, without regard 10
party Affiliations or divergent
views as to the league of nations.
The economists Of the Harding
administration-of whom Herbert
Hoover, Secretary of Commerce. Is
the most widely know n-are united
in believing that the most press
ing need of the day is equalization
of prices. There can be no general
industrial revival. nor can there
be any enduring prosperity. SO
long as one staple commodity is
selling below it's true value while
another fetches twice its worth.
That is the situation which exists
today. In some lines, mainly agri-
cultural, the retail selling price often
is below cost of production. On other
commodities profits are being ex-
acted as great or greater than the
inflated profits of the war period.
1t is a condition thoroughly un-
healthy and unsound and for which
a remedy must be found speedily.
In the correction of this condi-
ton there isn't a great deal that
can be done by congressional enact
ment or administrative decree. The
people-the ultimate consumers
have the remedy in their own
hands, and unless they will use 1t
resolutely and consistently the Gu
rative process Is bound to be ex-
ceedingly tedious and long drawn
out. That remedy is for every
buyer to insist upon getting a dol
lars value for every dollar he
pays out.
A year or more ago there was a
nationwide buyers strike" based
upon the settled belief that all
prices were too high and profits
too great all down the line. 1t
was a drastic remedy applied to a
desperate case and ash drastic
remedies are apt to do IL has In.
ficted upon the patient train OF
other Ills. chief among them wide
spread industrial depression"
II II ~
So Il falls out that tho nation
finds itself confronted by this
dilemma:
Unless there Is a resumption OF
buying there can be no industrial
revival. and things will go from
bad to worse. with bread lines
and soup kitchens looming In the
distance.
But If buying is resumed gen.
orally in disregard of price In ,
equalities, there either must be
speedy ascent OF the lower prices
70 the higher levels or the whole
rabric soon will como tumbling
down again, with more grievous
complications than those of tho
present period.
A condition in which all prices
are too high is bad enough. Such
a condition results from innatlon,
and enriches the many at the ex-
pense Of few. But condition
in which some prices are too high
and others too low is a great deal
worse. Such a condition results
from profiteering and enriches the
few at the expense of the many.
\ y + +
There is today just one reason
why all prices arb not at their
true level. It is because artificial
barriers have been interposed to
interfere with the leyeling process.
Evening star., 1921-05-01

A GENERAL tendency toward
~ reduction in wages throughout
~ the country, combined with a
tendency on the part of labor
in the east to resist the cut. and a
general feeling that the peak or un-
employment has been reached. are the
outstanding indications contained III
reports on the industrial situation
from almost every state in the Union
A decided back to the farm move
ment is also noted in the reports and
as a rule there is no lack of farm
help in any section.
The only labor troubles that have
shown up previous to this May day
appear in New York and Massa-
chusctts, where strikes of a rather
serious nature have been in progress
and where more are threatened as
the result of the proposed reduction
in wages in several trades.
However, in the west. south and
central states the reports show that
in a number of industries the wage
cuts have already gone into effect
The government, state and labor
leaders appear to be pinning hopes
for a return to normal conditions in
the opening up, on large scale. OF
the building industry coming. as they
hone. with the full operation of the
agricultural work.
The troubles in the eastern section
appear to be peculiar to their own
locality. the. only nationwide con-
troversies appearing in the commercial
printing field, where controversy over
the ortv-four-hour week has arisen,
and in the railroad situation.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-Wash-
ington's labor horizon, from present IN
dications, will be serene, except for
few light clouds, when May day rolls
past this year With the exception of
minor troubles and the local aspect Of
the printers disagreement on the forty
four-hour week, labor troubles will be
conspicuous by their absence. it is ppe-
dicted. -
Cudahy Company and the Rosslyn
Packing Company, the total number ag-
gregating not more than sixty; sight
seeing bus lecturers are conducting
campaign for recognition of the union
by a few of the larger sightseeing
lines, and minor troubles are evidenced
in individual instances, with no definite
effect upon the community.
In the case of the building trades the
Evening star., 1921-05-01

! Senator Aldrich left the Senate in
! 1911. for two years. Then his party
became the minority party for six
years. Two years ago Senator PEN
rose was again elected chairman,
when the republicans regained con-
troll of the Senate. The republicans.
while they held control of the last
| Congress, realized that it would be
futile for them to attempt a revision
| of the tariff laws with Woodrow Will
| son in the White House ready to veto
| any protective tariff law they sent
| him. 1t would have been impossible
| TO muster the necessary two thirds
| vote to pass it over the presidential
| veto.
Both Senator Penrose and Mr.. Ford
ney are old at the tariff game Mr.
Fordney was prominent member of
the ways and means committee when
MIR. Payne was chairman. Both have
been regarded as high protectionists,
, as "standpatters" of the ultra type.
Democrats insist today that the mere
| fact that the republican tariff law is
to be called the "Penrose- -Fordney
act" will be enough to damn it. But
| that, Of course, is democratic con-
versation.
How far President Harding plans
to go in the matter of tariff making
has not yet been made clear There
seems little doubt, however, that il
the republicans get into a snarl over
various tariff schedules-and they
may we'll do so with the conflicting
interests of producers and consumers,
exporters and importers-there will
be appeals to the chief executive. This
happened during the Taft admins
tration, when night conferences at the
White House over the tariff became
4 common affair, and to some extent
when tho democrats were making the
Underwood Simmons law and went 10
President Wilson for arbitration on
disputed points.
X
Men in public life have had their
fame increased or lessened at times
by reason Of their activities regard
ing tho tariff. William Mckinley's
name stands alone in connection with
tho tariff act of 1890, known as the
Mckinley act" He was cha airmau
of the House ways and means COM
mittee. benjamin Harrison was Pres
ident at tho time of this enactment.
But the democrats overthrow the re-
publicans a couple of years later and
elected Grover Cleveland. Then came
the WilsonGorman tariff act of
1894, and the famous struggle over
that measure between Senator Ar
thur Pue German of Maryland anu
President Cleveland and other demo
Gratis. The Maryland senator was
accused of catering to special inter-
ests in this measure, He was the
leader of the Senate, not
chairman of the finance committee.
Daniel w. Voorhees, was chairman of
the committee, but his name is never
used in connection with the tariff
act of 1894, so dominant was the in
fuence of Senator German,
Mr.. Mckinley was the only one of
the tariff makers in recent years
elevated to the presidency. During
his administration the republicans
revised the tariff, and the Dingley
act approved in 1897 was the result.
Dingley was chairman of the House
ways and means committee and JUS
tin S. Morrill, of Vermont was chair
man of the Senate finance committee.
But Senator MorrilIs name was never
used widely In connection with this
law.
Evening star., 1921-05-01
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

- ASTOR and Pollux. Damon
and Pythias. on down the
4 line through the ages to
Penrose and Fordney, the
| names OF men bound by various ties
have been linked together in popular
thought. Senator Boise Penrose of
Pennsylvania and Representative Jo-
seph w. Fordney. respectively chair
man of the Senate finance committee
and the House ways and means COM
mittee, are about to go down into
history as the co-authors Of the new
republican permanent" tariff law
permanent merely to distinguish the
measure from the "emergency" tariff
bill, which now bears the name of
Representative Young of North Da-
kota.
How permanent the new tariff law
will be remains to be seen. Tariff
a forerunner, if not the cause, of. the
downfall of political parties in this
country during the last half century.
Yet whenever the democratic or re-
publican party comes into power the
first thing it does is to revamp the
tariff laws. This happened when
the democrats took command in 1913,
with Woodrow Wilson in the White
House; when the republicans won
under William Mckinley. and so on
down the line.
X X +
ho 10 aS ha
tariff came when President Taft be-
came chief executive in 1909. The
republicans had been in power con-
tinuously for twelve years. The
Dingley tariff act, put through in
1897, soon after William Mckinley
became President, had been on the
statute books for long time. and
there was persistent demand for
revision. Theodore Roosevelt was
one Of the few Presidents who did
not tamper with the tariff during his
long administration. And the task
fell to his successor. with more or
less disastrous results.
President Taft called Congress into
special session. for tho purpose of
he entered the White House. Serene
E. Payne OF New York. chairman If
the House ways and means commit
tee, and Senator Nelson M. Aldrich of
Rhode Island. chairman of the Senate
finance committee. had the handling
Of the measure, which was to become
known as the Payne-Aldrich tariff
act. There is no doubt but what the
Payne-Aldrich tariff law brought
about, in large part. the downfall of
the republicans In 1910 and 1919. Fol-
lowing the enactment of this law !
with its high tariff rates on many
of tho manufactured products of the
United States, the democrats elected
a. majority of the House In 1910, and
two years later they gained control
of the Senate also, and put a demo-
cratic President in the White House.
OF course, the split in the republican
marty. when under the leadership of
Theodore Roosevelt the progressive
party was organized. had much to do
with this victory of the democrats
But the dissatisfaction with the
Payne -Aldrich law had not a little to
do with the dissatisfaction which ex-
listed among the moro progressive
members of the republican party and
was a contributing factor in the up
building Of the third party.
The last democratic tariff laW-the
Evening star., 1921-05-01
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


TIME new order is here. Under
the new order the great army
of government employees is go
ing to march forward under
SUMMER skies and along pleasanter ways
to greater accomplishment. The most
practical fact from Uncle Sans point OF
view is that greater efficiency in his
workshop is resulting while congress
sional committees are yet mulling over
preliminary proposals and elemental
suggestions for a reorganization OF the
federal service to attain the same
much desired result.
The morale of the federal service Is
being built up. in just about the same
way that the morale of the i.o0O,0OO
soldiers who went into the world war
under the Stars and Stripes was so ef-
fec,ively done as to be a marvel to the
world
BY getting the government employees
to pull with rather than against and to
fight for instead Of against the official
IN charge. it is recognized by psycholo-
ris,s. economists and scientific experts
on shop management that the most
economic and efficient service can be
obtained, and that is just the new wave
O, feeling that is spreading through the
reyiyified army of government en-
ployes.
The Post ONCE Department has ini-
tiated this new order and the other
government departments are following
the good example. as witness the ap-
pointment OF Miss Mary A. Tate as as
sistant to George Carter. the govern
ment printer. Miss Tate's particular
work is TO create an interest In their
work among the $500 employees Of the
government printing Office. about one
third OF whom are women.
The big idea is to build up the spirit
of the working organization. 80 that in
stead Of getting off in small groups and
knocking they are becoming individually
and collectively boosters
The Harding administration has rec
ornized that to get such a spirit into
tho workshop the right type OF execu-
tives must be selected. They must be
men. and women. who will lay out work
all r,ght and expect TO get II done right.
hut who In their relations with the
empIoyes-the rubbing together 10
shouIders-wiu not hesitate to extend
the good hand OF feilowehip. human
sympathy and establish conneraderie
more potent than great tones OF rules
and regula tfons, penalties and prohibi-
tions.
=
fhs Cabinet was selected with this
idea in the back Of Presidents Hard
inEs head Secretary Weeks. in the
War Department. is a good example OF
the genial good fellow who makes
friends Of all with whom he associ
ates, while at the same time getting
results. Secretary Hoover gave the
sntirs country a direct and persona
illustration Of his power to spreac
enthusiasm and a spirit Of cO-opera
tion as food administrator when he
said, Lets do this And the people
who followed his lead during the war
are still cheering for him as leader.
Now this isn't propaganda for any
department. The attention OF tho
writer was focused on the new sweer
Of feeling and zeal that is spreading
through the entire federal service b!
the most unexpected agency-leaders
Of organised labor-Who heretofore
have been having cat-and-dog hghtt
...A the government officials.