The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-05-25
At He National Capitol
 DAILY WASHINGTON LETTER
A Digest of Who's Who and What's What
 By RODNEY BUTCHER
NEA Service Writer

NEA Service Writer
 Washington-Befor the pope spoke, the question of distribution of wealth in this country was shap- ing up as an issue on which more and more was sure to be heard. No one can measure the probable effect of papal message addressed to the entire world. advising that 1t is absolutely necessary to recon struct the whole economic system" and insure a more equitable dis tribution of the united proceeds of capital and labor" But it obviously will stimulate interest in the United States, where the progressives- and Couzens of Michigan in recent months-have often shouted against the markedly unequal distribution of wealth and income.
 Plenty probably will be heard about 1t in the next presidential campaign and much, certainly, in the next session of congress as a strong attempt is made to plaster tax in- creases on millionaires to help meet the treasury's billion dollar deficit.
 Facts Can Be Distorted
 Maybe you'd like to know the facts about the distribution of wealth in America. We'll so would lot of other people. As with most other figures, you can do various tricks with those statistics of income pub lished by the treasury every years.
 Everyone knows, as the pope says, that the rich have been piling up immense fortunes and that the poor are very little better off than they used to be. The year 1890 was ban ner year for corporation dividends the big profits of 1929 being dis tributed-but 6,000,00O persons were unemployed and perhaps 10000. 900 affected by their loss of jobs. other millions worked part time and many others had their wages cut.
 Such facts are incontestable. but then you get to such statements as Borah's that three per cent of the people own 75 per cent of the wealth." Or. to be more liberal. he said that four per cent owned 80 per cent. Such state of affairs would be enough to make most of us sore. and Borah attributed the assertion to "economists and stu dents of the subject"
 Attack BOrah's Figures
 But the sharpshooters on the con- 5cTtdtlNe sue udVe BOuS uitcT bOTuH about that. It is true that the in- come statistics for 1929 show that 4,035,000 persons. or only 3.3 per cent of the population. made federal tax returns in 1929. That 75 per cent of the national wealth Is owned by less than 4.000.000 wealthlest citi- gems has also been cumputed: But It has to he pointed out that nearly all property owners m dmost ,,tn- come tax payers are heads Of fam- ilies and adults;- that you have to count In the rest of the family that the 3.3 per cent who filed income taxes accounted for only an esti. mated 90 per cent of national in. come. And 70 it is argued Dorah's figures in effect show 90 per cent Of the population owning 70 per cent Of tho wealth and that tho wealthiest per cent have only about 90 per cent of tho national income.
 What seemed Co count most with tho pope--whnt stands out bnidiy In recent industFiai histery--is ihe in. eFeasingiy unequal split between cap. itaI and labor. The productivity Of labor has increased rapidly. but that hasn't meant much Co labor.