Askov American., 1943-09-09
That Reelection?

Writing on the Ruml tax plan and
what it means to future taxpayers
Editor A. C. Erickson of the Spring
field Advance Press states that "well
organized big business political propa-
ganda put over a clever scheme to
save taxes for the big boys"
Forgiveness of three-fourths OF
the federal income tax for 1912 or
| 1943 when huge war profits are made
and when higher taxes could be paid
without injury, results in so much
more federal debt to be paid in the
years to come. On that point the Ad-
vance Press says:
1.-THE taxes thus saved will be made
up by the new taxpayers coming up
from the younger generations, espe-
cially the soldier boys, who will find
that they will have just that much
more of tax burden that will have
to be met. For most of us older men,
it's a saving of a few hundred dol
lars, which our children will have to
make up"
"The injustice of the Ruml plan
lies in the forgiveness of taxes on the
wealthy" the Springfield paper goes
on. Granted that they will pay just
as much or more this year by being
made current there is still that saw
ing of a years taxes when they re-
tire or die. There's Edsen Ford, one
Is ~, iv, ic
estate now will not have to pay more
than one-fourth of the 1912 taxes,
thanks to a congress bent on saving
years taxes for themselves"
Likely many members of congress
were interested in reducing income
taxes on their own salaries, point
Editor Erickson has emphasized more
than once, but there is something
more important than that to con-
gresham. Reelection to office and
assurance of continuing the $4,000
annual salary is paramount.
Some reduction in the tax on the
congressman's salary is not hard for
him to take, but campaign funds for
the next and succeeding political
campaigns - ah, that really looms
up! Reelection is the all-important
problem.
The immediate is the thing the con-
gresham can see. Editor Erickson is
correct when he points to self-inter-
est as a motive, but the self-interest
goes far beyond the tax saving on
the lawmakers own salary.
After all, when the rs per cent for
giveness runs into sums of tens of
thousands, hundreds of thousands and
even into millions to some individ-
uals and corporations with huge war
profits, a congressman who voted
fright" can be protected - his in
terest, his reelection, can be looked
after. Even one per cent of the for
giveness to big taxpayers would make
campaign fund improbable of be-
ing matched.
1t is of great importance to the peo-
pie as whole that as much of the
war debt as possible be paid current
ly. 1t make much difference whether
the national debt is paid in 10 to 20
years or it is passed on to future
generations throughout the next so
years or more, much of it possibly
to be drained from the people through
sales taxes.
Who is most apt to furnish polit-
ical campaign funds and propaganda
for the reelection of "RumI' con-
gressmen, the common people or the
war profiteers? The congressman
know. Where will those congressman
get the most boosting, from the indie
pendent press or the conservative
press? They know.
Congressman with an eye to re-
election are not so concerned about
the future - 25 to so years from
now. Few if any of the present law
makers will then be candidates for
political office. 1t is the immediate
they are interested in. 1t is expedi-
ency.
The national debt is now 148 bill
lions and may be 300 billions when
the war ends. The more debt paid
now the better Money made off the
American consumer will not serve as
good a purpose invested in foreign
countries as when used to pay off
our own American debt. Let us meet
our own obligations first before our
capitalists-like after the first World
war - establish industries in for
eign countries. The first obligation
is to the people and the country
where the profits were made.
Such thoughts are called isolation
ism by the Cowles monopoly press in
Minneapolis. But if advocating gov
ernment debt payment ahead of hav-
ing American capital go to Asia, AT
rica or Europe after the war to ex-
plot cheaper labor is isolationism
then let there be more of it.
There is, however, considerable diff
ference between interest in world
organization for peace, cooperation
/