Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-22

| nanclal depression, unemployment
and low wages, the Christmas trade
for 1921 was better by one per cent.
than ever before. This is a part of
the $76,000,O00 brewery profit. for
merly sent to England, which now
remain in the pockets of the Ameri-
can people,
The liquor interests always tried to
beat taxes. he declared, and a num-
Der of large corporations which today
should step up and pay taxes as 9TH
ers, are trying to beat them on the
same plan that the liquor interests
did.
One of the chief reasons why the
United States has been able to
Weather the storm of financial read
ustment, unemployment and other
hings through which the world is
passing, is because of prohibition,
Mr.. Regain asserted Money that for
nerly went to the foreign interests as
>rofit from their liquor trade in the
Jnlted States has been kept at home
| The argument of the "wets" that
the taxation problem in the United
States can be solved by the revenue
derived from liquor manufacturing
and selling licenses was branded as
untrue and misleading by Mr.. Regain,
who declared that during the time
preceding the passa ge of the eight
eenth amendment, the liquor inter-
ests paid but small percentage of
the taxes rightfully due from them.
The government can afford to pay
the bonus TO soldiers" the speaker
claimed. Instead of paying the
soldier bonus" said Mr.. Regain, Con
gress reduced profteers' taxes to the
extent of 450,000,00O; Congress cut
down S90,000,000 from surtaxes from
corporations. Later Congre
changed these figures when pressure
was brought to bear on 1t, and in
stead of reducing profiteers' taxes
$45OOO0,O0O Congress reduced these
taxes only $260,000,000. Congress
also made the surtaX reduction of
$30,O00,O00, making the surtax $50
100000 instead of $90,0O0,000 reduc-
ton, while instead of letting the cor
porations off with s75,000,O0O Con-
sress levied this latter amount
against the corporations, as originally
proposed.
ment, had it properly manipulated
thee tax problem, could have paid the
bonus to the soldiers"
The return of beer and Wine for
!. revenue producing purposes is a
fallacy, in the opinion of Mr.. Regain,
who said the taxes collected on the
liquor business are paid by the con-
sumner and not by the manufacturer.
!, He closed his lecture with the
statement that "as long as there was
a God in Heaven and real men and
women in America, the old system of
robbing the poor for a few of the
very rich would never return" He
received hearty applause at the close
Of his lecture.
Address by Arthur e. Whitney
The second speaker at the Wednes-
day afternoon and evening Flying
Squadron meetings was Arthur Z.
Whitney, of Columbus, Ohio, who
served two years in France as Y. NJ
: c. y. secretary during the war and
later as general secretary and treas
urcr of the Ohio Christian Endeavor
Union
The tricks used by the "Wet" pro-
pogandists against the service men in
the World War, MIR. Whitney explain
ed in an cnliShteninS and interesting
manner He said that about the time
the American soldiers were going
overseas the picture was painted Of
the awful conditions in France and
Belgium in regards to drinking water
and it was endeavored to show that
the American soldio.' would be obliged
to adopt a rum ration. The truth or
the matter, the American soldiers
learned on their arrival overseas, but
the story in its true form could not be
brought to the folks back home until
the boys themselves returned
MIR. Whitney said that he saw hun
dreds and thousands of American Of
hccrs and doughboys who drank moth
ing but water while overseas. He
himself had drank none Of the French
and Belgian wines or liquors, and he
said his health was the best while he
was overseas Thus Mr.. Whitney ex-
ploded the story which had been sent
out in this country that the returning
soldiers would bring back with them
the liquor traffic, which the United
States had rid itself of.
Many other ways in which the
"Wets" had planned to make use of
the American soldier boys to further
their interests, the speaker dwelt up
on. saying that now these boys were
having their turn to tell the story
Just as it Was-and throughout the
land they are making the most of this
opportunity.
The speaker made q strong plea
against the legalizing Of the sale of
light wines and beers for which the
VETS" are now working for. He said
that such an action would allow the
WET" interests to open the breweries
and hiatt was all they wanted They
would create their own markets. He
urged that all friends of prohibition
, pray and give their moral and finan-
. cial support for the cause.
The meetings on Wednesday were
preceded by short devotional services.
led in the afternoon by Rev. w. j.
Layton, pastor OF the Methodist
church, and in the evening by Rev. A.
Francis Walch, pastor Of the Univer-
salst church. Miss Carrie Bradford
served as pianist.
The FLYING Squadron local cam
paign will be continued today with
meetings at go p. NJ. and p. NJ. at
the Methodist church The speakers
VIII be James H. Woertendyke and