Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-30
SHRINKING INCOME RETURNS

MO SPEECH that any silver. tongued
~ politician could have made in the SEN
nte or in the House could have matched the
bare figures of current income tax reports
ms q commentary on bonus legislation now
pending.
More than a billion dollars was cut auto
matically from the calculated sum Of Fed
eral resources in the fiscal year that ended
in June. And this means that the incomes
of the moderately we'll to do and the peo-
pie whose wages are for enough above the
danger line to be called salaries, like the
incomes Of the owners Of small businesses.
have been slowly but steadily Debated. With
the results OF this defation apparent on
one hand, and period of fresh economic
stress threatened rs result Of the rail
and coal strikes. it is pretty hard to see
where Washington can get the three or
four billions which the Senate proposes TO
distribute among former service men.
Let the rich pay IT, cry the most
insistent propagandists in Commander Mac
Nidcr's group. But there Is not enough
loose riches in the country to pay the SOL
der bonus If it we're all contributed to that
end. And even If we departed from the
just rule Of equality in taxation and At
tempted to mulct the rich to provide
bonus fund, the people SO mulcted would
in the end. and almost OF necessity, SHIFT
the burden to the vast majority. which Is
not organized 20 protest or to defend itself
against the tyranny Of aggressive m!noritics.
The necessary lev!es would be made as
usual upon the small business man, the
purchasers of necessary goods and the earn
ers of what are known as comfortable
salaries
To all people who have been enduring
defalion of income without crying out IN
pain and rage Samuel Gompcrs' triumphant
address 10 the representatives of organized
labor will have an odd sound. We have
it now upon the word Of the veteran presi-
dent of the Federation OF Labor that union
wages have decreased only ; per cent from
the wartime peak. 1t would be pretty safe
to wager that the proprietors of the In
Vulnerable small businesses that, in the
aggregate. represent perhaps the most I'M
portant element in the industrial organiGa-
ton Of the country, could not say as much
for their own incomes.
In answer to such comment on Mr.. Com.
pers figures labor would say that its pre-
war earnings were inadequate to American
standards and aspirations. Labor wants
more than living wage and 1t isn't
| ashamed to say SO and that is what the
strikes are about. 1t wants opportunities
to share more largely in the comforts and
| nloosures Of life. But should not labor
share also in the social responsibilities OF
| the hour?
We are now confronted by the spectacle
OF q minority of labor making direct war
on the majority Of organized and unorsanized
workers by the systematic obstruction OF
TRANSPORTATION and the Withholding Of essen
tial Industrial fuel. Such tactics, whatever
results they may have upon the future OF
wage -earners, certainly aren't OF sort
to encourage those who want to pay BILL
! lions in bonuses. For, unless there Is some
thing like a miracle Of strike settlements and
industrial reorganization, almost every man,
woman and child in the United States will
be roorcr this winter because Of the two
| tig strikes now IN progress.
4 Senate which, after reading the In /.
come tax figures and looking around at tho
present and prospective consequences OF tho
coal and rail strikes, attempts to wiring
three billion dollars OF additional wnr cost.
! out OF the Governments fattened pocket
book wouldn't hesitate to attempt to legis-
| late blood oIlt Of stone.