Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-18
All Should
Bear Burden
Of Defense
Compensation Held Due
Those Hit Hardest
BY HUGH =. JOHNSON


THERE is almost no complaint
about the increasing burden
Of taxes for defense. They bear
uncqually on various income
classes because of the healthy
principle of ability TO pay but
they bear equally within each
class and that is enough TO
satisfy the American sense of
justice.
There is even less complaint
Of the Selective Service Act. 1t
also distinguishes bctw cen
classes of men on the ground of
age. dependency and essential
employment. but il has operated
with sympathy. common sense
and remarkable impartiality.
That also enough for the
a merican insistence on fair
play.
Most of the taxes bear on in
come and, in many cases take
no more than the defense effort
has added or will add. They do
not take property or life-savingS
or deprive people Of their means
of earning living.
Consumption d G m n d s the
sterneSt sacrifice that a man
may he called upon TO make in
the service of his country-the
devotion of his life during his
service and the possible risk of
his death.
But this is an unacceptable oh
legation Of every citizen. a uni
versal obligation without which
the life of this or any other ma
ton would not be possible. That
also seems TO be either under
stood or inStinctively ( e. It and
accepted by most of our people.
DUT what are we going to say
- about an application too
ruthless, unStudied and head
long of some OF the acknowl-
edged and necessary principles
Of industrial mobilization for
modern war-prioritieS without
regard 10 established civilian
services. employment, businesses
and property?
The recent meeting and or
ganization of little business
men to protest against economic
determination through failure 10
get supplies and inability TO get
defense orders or 10 adapt their
facilities TO them Is an example
of what is meant here.
Unlike taxation or military
service, there is certainly nc
equality Of bearing of this bur-
den and sacrifice. 1t is purely
haphazard Recent announce
ments Of SPAB (the 1871 War
Industries Board) make it clear
that what has been done was
without any comprehensive sur
vey of either the total available
supply or the lrreducible needs
all along the line and until very
recently without much recogni-
ton or any consideration of this
aspect of the problem and also
without any attempt by conSer-
walton or any other proved
World War methods TO parry or
soften the blow
The only answer I have ever
heard TO these criticisms is
ITS the hazard Of war. They
happened 10 be in the wrong
place when the bomb fell"
THAT used 10 be a pretty good
argument before the advent
of modern war and the German
concept OF the nation in arms
which means that everybody,
civilians and soldiers alike. is
enlisted and1fn the line of fire.
For example, il has long been
both British and American legal
doctrine that if battle hap
pens to be fought on my farm 10
It's practical destruction, that Is
Just my hard luck and no com
penSation is coming.
1t wasn't French doctrine in
1918. We paid compensation
even for the damage due 10
Smelling a forest occupied by
German troops. The French
government helped restore dam
aged factories in the occupied
one. II newspaper reports are
correct the British government
IS giving some aid 10 owners of
property destroyed by air raids.
Two things ought 10 he done
about this First. the greatest
possible effort should bp made