Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-08
HINTS At FORCE IN
PUTTING THROUGH
MERGER PROPOSAL
Continued from Page y

and honor require should be dis.
charged.
Cur government has a liqut
dated claim against Germany for
the expense of the army of occu.
patton Of over $255,000,000. Be-
sides this, the mixed claims
commission have before them
about 1880 claims of Ameri-
can citizens, aggregating about
$1,225, 100000. These claims have
already been reduced by a re-
cent decision, but there are valid
claims reaching well toward
100000. Our thousands of
citizens with credits due them
of hundreds of millions of dol
lars have no redress save in the
action of our government. These
are very substantial interests,
which it is the duty of our gov
eminent to protect as best it can.
That course I proposed to pur-
sue.
It is for these reasons that we
have a direct interest in the
economic recovery of Europe.
They are enlarged by our desire
for the stability of civilization
and the welfare of humanity.
Thatswe are making sacrifices
to that end none can deny. Our
deferred interest amounts to ST.
100000 every day. But recently
we offered to aid with our adj
vice and counsel. We have re.
iterated our desire to see France
paid and Germany revived. We
have proposed disarmament. We
have earnestly sought to com
pose differences and restore
peace. We shall persevere IN
well-doing, not by force, but by
reason.
Foreign Papers
X Under the law the papers per-
tanning to foreign relations to
be printed are transmitted as a
part of this message. Other
volumes Of these papers will fol.
low.
Foreign Service
The foreign service Of orr
government needs to be reor-
ganized and improved.
Fiscal Condition
Our main problems are domes-
tic problems. Financial stability
is the first requisite of sound
government. We can not escape
the effect Of world conditions.
We can not avid the inevitable
results of the economic disor-
ders which have reached all an
tons. Eut we shall diminish
their harm to us in proportion
as we continue to restore our
government finances to a Sc
cure and endurable position.
This we can and must do. Upon
that firm foundation rests the
only hope of progress and pros
perity. From that source must
come relief for the people.
This is being accomplished by
a drastic but orderly retrench-
ment, which is bringing our eX-
penses within our means. The
origin of this has been the de-
termination of the American
people, the main support has
been the courage Of those in au-
thority, and the effective meth
cd has been the budget system.
The result has involved real
sacrifice by department heads,
but it has been made without
flinching. This system is a law
of the congress. 1t represents
your will.j 1t must be maintain
ed, and ought to be strengthen
ed by the example of your OBJ
servance. Without d budget
system there can be no fixed re-
sponsibility and no constructive
scientific economy.
This great concentration of
effort by the administration and
congress has brought the eX-
penditures, exclusive of the self
supporting postoffice depart
ment, down t. three billion dol
lars. 1t is possible, in conse-
quence, to make a large reduc-
ton in the taxes of the people,
which is the sole object of all
curtailment. This is treated at
greater length in the budget
message, and q proposed plan
has been presented in detail in
a statement by the secretary of
the treasury which has my I'M
qualified approval. / especially
commend a decrease on earned
incomes, and further abolition
of admission, message, and
nuisance taxes. The amusement
and educational value of moving
pictures ought not to be taxed.
Diminishing charges against
moderate incomes from invest
ment will afford immense relief,
while a revision of the sur
taxes will not only provide addi-
tional money for capital invest
ment, thus stimulating industry
and employing more labor, but
will not greatly reduce the reye-
nue. from that source, and may
in the future actually increase
it.
Being opposed to war taxes
in time of peace, I am not in
favor of excess profits taxes. A
very great service could be
rendered through immediate en-
actment of legislation relieving
the people of some of the bur-
den of taxation. To reduce war
taxes is to give every home a
better chance.
For seven years the people
have borne with accomplishing
courage the tremendous burden
of national and local taxation.
These must both be reduced.
The taxes of the nation must be
reduced now as much as
prudence will permit, and eXpen-
ditures must be reduced accord
ingly. High taxes reach every
where and burden everybody.
They bear most heavily upon the
poor. They diminish industry
and commerce. Thew make ag-
1i3uliure Improbable. They
increase the rates on transpor-
tation. They are a charge on
every necessary of life. OF all
services which the congress can
render the country, [ have no
hesitation in declaring this one
to be paramount. To neglect it,
to postpone it. to obstruct it by
unsound proposals, is to become
unworthy of public confidence
and untrue to public trust. The
country wants this measure TO
have the right Of way over all
others.
Another reform which Is
urgent in our fiscal sys-, l is the