The Tomahawk., 1921-02-10

WASHINGTON, D. c. Senator
Kenyon of Iowa has introduced bill
to compel lobbyists to register, to
make public the name or names OF
their employers and to list the amount
of compensation offered.
In his argument for the bill Sena-
tor Kenyon. pointed out that one lob
by, that representing the coal COM
bine, was spending $250,00O year.
This lobby not only attempted to in
fluence congressman, but has taken
possession of some administrative bu-
reaus. It has written priority orders
for coal shipments for the interstate
commerce commission and compiled
statistics for the geological survey.
Why Washington should be overrun
with lobbyists at this time is hardly
to be explained unless the special in
terests are afraid some of their poll
ticians who hold down seats in the
senate and house are in danger OF turn
ing over new leaf.
Both houses were never more safely
reactionary except that some of the
old guard from Nonpartisan league
and organized labor territory are
greatly worried. They are afraid that
the old trick of sticking jokers in leg
by with the folks back home.
THE LA BELLE CASE
When the supreme court decided
that corporation could dodge income
taxes by issuing stock dividendsfrit
badly crippled government finances.
The government lost not only the
huge levies it might make in the fu-
ture on these stock dividends but had
to pay back what had been previously
collected.
Now the court is faced with SINH
lar issue. The La Belle Iron Works
acquired some ore lands in 1904 for
100000. These holdings have now
increased in value to $10,000,0O0. The
treasury department holds that this
unearned income is profit; the La
Belle company is fighting on the
ground that it must be regarded as in
vested capital.
If the court turns favorable ear to
the La Belle company the decision will
mean a great reduction in income
taxes and our empty treasury will
have to pay back about 100000, 900
already collected and spent.
METHoDISTS HIT OPEN SHOP
The Methodist Federation for So
cial Service is another of the great
church organizations to lift it's voice
against the alleged open shop cam
paign. Its report on the matter points
out that the financiers really aim at a
closed shop against organized labo:
and says, in part:
I'm the light of what is now hap
pening in certain local mining
districts in West Virginia, we regard
it as certain that the contamination of
this open shop campaign will perpet-
uate and increase chaos, anarchy and
warfare in our Industrial life.
''The leaders Of this open shop
campaign announce themselves as
champions of the rights and freedom
of the unorganized man, but the kind
of freedom and protection that the
s0-called individual rights policy
actually gives to the unorganized man
can be ascertained by reading the re-
port of the Interchurch Movement on
the steel strike.
I'm the steel industry this labor
policy, conceived in the same spirit as
the present open shop campaign and
defended on the same ground Of right
and principle, has meant the destruc-
ton of all labor organization, long
hours, low standards of living and the
denial of civil liberties to entire com,
munities.
"This movement is the embodiment
of determination repeatedly express
ed in war time by certain leaders of
finance and industry. to put labor in
its place after the war;"
MUSCLE SHOALS ACTION