Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-03-30


which shows the effect of wage cut
ting in private industry Only a few
months ago the rail workers were
forced to accept wage cut In order
to save the railroads from disaster.
The fixed charges and dividends or
the railroads amounted to $163,931,-
O69 more in 1881 than in 1921. Dur
ing the same 10 year period payrolis
dropped $1,45S,649.330 In other
words, in 1921 the fixed charges ac-
cruing to capital amounted to 11.5%
and in 1881 22.2% of the total in
come of the railroads. The rail work
ers are facing another wage cut.
Now the reason why / bring tins
out is not because l am in any way
personally interested in government
salaries, Veterans bonus or Railwork-
ers' wages. | am trying to point out
that our federal budget can be bal
anced without cutting wages, and
when the government starts cam
paign of wage cutting it is setting up
bad example for private industry
to follow. Every wage cut reduces
the buying power of the consumer,
and this leads to further wage reduc-
tiOns in other industries. 1t is vi
cious circle to which there is no end.
The farmer is interested in obtaining
higher price for his products, and
| this he certainly deserves, but the
farmer must realize that his best Gus
toner is the American workman and
only when he has the buying power
can the farmer expect to realize that
| higher price. Pauperizfng labor Will
pauperfze the farmer.
So much for wages. Now what
about the bonus. There are many eX-
service men who need and should
have this bonus. There may be some
who are not entitled to it, who are
getting a bonus. That should be rem
edied. However, since the govern
ment is. and for more than hundred
years has been committed to the
bonus system, why should it suddenly
be necessary to take the little bonus
away from the ex-service man in
order to save the country from ruin
while we allow the greatest of all
bonuses to continue. | refer to the
protective tariff. You may look al
this from any angle you like. it re-
main a bonus to industry which l.
costing the American public man!
times more than the Veterans bonus
Yet not one word of protest agains
this gigantic steal has come from the
rev Moses.
1t is generally admitted that 90ft
of the people own 1919 of our wealth
and 1910 of the people own 900 o
our wealth. Doubtless the annual ne
income will be divided somewhat nea
that ratio This means that out o
every dollar 1870 Of the people TAX
9Oc and the remaining 90fo of TIN
people divide the remaining 10c
These are the people who produc
nearly all the wealth i'm which the
share so unjustly. Truly, it is not al
inspiring sight to see these 900 fight
ing like cats and dogs to divide tn
dime in such a way that all will shar
alike in misery while 1870 of the pee
! pie shall have nearly as much each
as are left for the 900 to divide. l
: it not high time for us of the 90f
to stop fighting among ourselves TO
: the division of the dime and use GU
: energy to get a fair share of the 80
which now goes to the very rich?
In 1776 our forefathers revolte
against the payment of a few com
paratively low taxes imposed upO
{ them by Great Britain. They wen
b. through years of sacrifice and priva
tion rather than submit to this in
Justice l often wonder, where is thu
l spirit today? Shall we forever sui
nit to this injustice? Or shall W
t arise as free men and demand GU
D rights.
The Farmers Holiday AssOciatiO
has caught some of that spirit. Ma
they carry on militantly and detel
y Intimately, and may they forever b
A conscious of the fact that an injur