The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1923-02-02
WANTS WOMEN
HELP FIRED FROM JOBS
THE EXCESS PROFIT
TAX EVASION

In a period of II weeks. 70 leading
corporations have handed out ST .387.-
100000 in stock dividends. Financial
experts agree that the stock dividend
epidemic is yet far from having
reached its crest.
About ten weeks ago, a Standard
OIL unit, the California Company. an
nounced that it would distribute
dividend of stocks Of 100 per cent.
Since then ten Standard Oil units
alone have thus far distributed an ag-
gregate sum of $814,16S,411 in stock
dividends.
The epidemic has so spread that
hardly a day passes but from three
to SIX companies, or more, are added
to the list. We are told that the total
of stock dividends will be swelled to
more than $2,OOO,OOO,OOO before the
end of the year.
Some regularly elected law makers
down in Washington bungled up
things by passing an excess profit
tax. 1t was done according to Hoyle.
No tricks were used.
Now, when law is put into the
book by regular law makers, we are
told by all "nice" people in the coun-
try that we ought to obey it. If we
don't like it, we are told, we can have
it changed at the next election.
That's what is said to US working
people, and like a lot of darn fools
we, most of us, believe it.
RESPECT FOR LAW?
But, it seems, the people who own
industry are not SO supplemented.
They don't like that excess profit tax
because they'd lose a lot Of money if
they were to obey it.
They didn't wait for another cleo
ton to have the ,aw changed; they
just changed their way of doing bust
ness. Instead Of paying out cash
dividend, they pay it in stock divi-
dends. They save a lot Of money by
doing this, millions of dollars. Of
course. they don't live up to the let
ter or the intention of the law. But,
what's that between capitalists?
Now, that law is a dead letter. It
can rust away on the law books down
in "our" government headquarters.
The capitalists didn't break the law.
They just bent it a little. Or, they
just ignored the damn thing as
nuisance. No self-respecting capital
list gives a whoop about laws anyway.
Here's another story:
Down in Pennsylvania, there was a
mine disaster and seventy-seven min
ers lost their lives. A gas explosion
killed them.
A Pennsylvania jury gave a verdict
holding the mine company responsible
for the deaths of the seventy-seven
miners. The jury found out that the
mine management knew about the
gas. They alleged the use of open
flame lights. They employed too few
fire bosses to make inspections.
The responsibility in this case was
placed on ONE man: the man who
dictates how that mine shall be con-
Quoted.
That man was trying to save money
and as a result, seventy seven miners
are dead.
IF 1T HAD BEEN A STRIKEi
If there had been a strike on, and
the seven-seven miners had killed
ONE man in an effort to get more
wages, they would have been put in
Jail, and probably hanged.
The ONE man, who, to make his
mine more profitable, killed the seven
ty-seven will not be put in Jail, and
will not be hanged
The owners of industry are stealing
from the government when they
dodge the excess profit tax. The ONE
man who refused to obey the mine
safety laws, deliberately committed
murder.
In both cases it was a question Of
more profits for the masters.
If you think that men and law are
as important as money in this coun-
try you are dreaming.
FRAZIER SPENT ONLY
ESQ M NO 'pr7 IT E70grEn !