The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1935-08-30


the large consuming public to the
enormous profits made by the tobacco
trust and the tobacco barons. We had /
testimony before our committee on
labor that the Big Four, the cigarette |
trust, had a labor cost on thousand
cigarettes Of only 2 cents. That ISL
how they accumulated a net profit Of
S759,000,000 over a 10-year period.
Tobacco Trust Robher Growers
Stihed Workers
Mr. Truax Mr. Chairman, it has
been said many times on the floor Of
this house during the discussion of
this bill that the tobacco trust has
repeatedly and persistently plundered
and robbed tobacco growers. That
is true. For long period, which only
ended about a year ago, growers were
receiving an average Of s cents Al
pound for tobacco figure consid-
erably lower than the cost Of pro-
duction. This tobacco trust, compos-
ed Of the Dukes, Reynolds and others,
exploited both growers and workers
by unfair methods and by brutal
monopoly that squeezed out the last
drop Of blood from the tobacco farm
ers. BY starvation wages, by ruthless
opposition to labor unions, they stifed
cooperative effort among their work
ers to a point that resulted in more
than half Of their employees receiving
Il neager average weekly wage Of
$12. Many employees, known as the
common labor group" received even
less than that, with the inevitable
result that those workers were forced
on federal relief doles to exc out
mere existence.
During the 1o-year period before
mentioned, during which these tobacco
barons and modern bluebeards crushed
growers, employees and consumers &o
the tune Of $3.50 100000, they reduced
their working personnel from 10000
to 10000 employees. ),
Only Remedy is Drastic Tax-the Rich
Program
Mr.. Truax.-I am not idealist enouh
to fondly hope that the enactment Of
this bill into law will accomplish the
millennium and restore economic bal
ance between the tobacco grower and
the tobacco trust. | feel sure that
the only remedy for these super
racketeers and these blue -blooded and
rich oppressors of the poor is the
adoption Of drastic tax-the-rich pro-
gram commonly known as share the
wealth"
Commends President Roosevelt
Mr. Therefore / heartily
commend the courage and initiative
of President Franklin d. Roosevelt
in urging the congress to enact such
a program into law before this ses-
sion adiourns know full we'll that
this contemplated program meets
with displeasure from some members
and arouses the ire of many who
complain about being sick, who COM
plain about the terrific heat now pre-
vailing in Washington, and who pray
that congress should adjourn SO that
they may 60 home.
Personally | do not subscribe to
this doctrine. think we should heed
the call of duty, and that duty bids
us aot only to soak the ricn,' but
to scale down the immense fortunes
by capital tax levy and to make il
impossible for the accumulation Of
huge fortunes in the future.
Proposed Plan Too Liberal
Mr.. Truax.-I read in the daily
newspapers that the tentative plar
agreed upon by the committee on ways
and means would grant a $4,000 ex-
emption for blood kin with a tax start
ing at A per cent on the next $4,000
Ii would run up to almost confisca.
tory figures" at $10,000,000 or more