davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
TAX REDUCTIONS AND TAX REFUNDS

The vigorous propaganda for early tax reductions aims at abolish
ing the excess profits tax as soon as possible and at a substantial lower
ing OF this tax in the meantime. 1t seems to be a foregone conclusion
that these changes will soon be made.
In an important study published by the National Planning Asso.
citation, Business Reserves for Postwar Survival" Mark S. Massel
shows the other side of the picture.
He demonstrates that, quite apart from abolshing O reducing the
excess profits tax in the future, those measures which are already in
effect regarding excess profits taxes re apt to create, in conjunction
with other tax measures, great inequities in favor of big monopolisic
enterprises.
If several provisions of the present laws are continued, consider
aple amounts OF wartime taxes may be returned to companies which
we're very prosperous during the war, Mr.. Massel holds. Such provi-
slons concern the direct refund of 10 per cent of the excess profits tax
as well as the right to carry back operating losses and back excess
profit credits and to reopen the returns of taxpayers OF account of
inventory valuation.
Since most of such postwar refunds would be made to companies
which were especially prosperous during the war, they might have a
appreclable effect on competitive relations, Massel points out. Com
panles which have suffered during the war and are not in the excess
profits brackets may be in a precarous competitive position after the
markets, inability to keep up with technical developments, shortages
OF funds, and increases in debt. "The addition of Governmental refunds
to the treasure of their prosperous competitors would initiate against
survival" Massel contends @a
Massel thinks that excess profits taxes should only be reduced
10 efficient producers of essential supplies" Profit incentives which
ar afforded by tax reduction should be linked with contract renego-
and price control in order to maintain only such profit incen-
IVes as ar at the same time of use to the whole economy.
the possible postwar refunds do not seem to provide the right
inducements: they may neither help war production and initiation
controls nor effectively limit the "a profieering" MasseI concludes
The Brewery Worker.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
Workers Fighting Workers

In Detroit where cutbacks already have resulted in the loss of
thousands of Jobs and where the end of the war is likely to bring large
scale unemployment, the leadership of CLIO and ALL unions already
are engaged in a keen and not-at-a llfriendly rivalry for those jobs
We don't like to see such a fight at this time. First, it shows that
no real plan has been evolved for avoiding unemployment when the
war ends And, second, a fight between workers will give the owners
of industry a clear road to their goal of al owner-dominated economy.
Whenever workers fight workers we arr convinced that both
groups have picked the wrong adversary, 1t is the business of workers
to exploit them and, of necessity, the expoiters who aim to perpetuate
that system.
During the war period Americas workers have been "a fairly
peaceful lot. BY their WI decision they sacrificed the right to strike.
They failed to protest against the high corporation profits which were
forging a collar of debt around the Threats of future generations. They
accepted the bosses standards of common interest.
So far as the val was concerned, it wasn't necessary for labor
to play along with the profittakers; about the most useless thing in
the war was the profits which now swell the Golfers of big business.
Neither was it patriotic to permit private business to place a mortgage
upon the future of the nation. The necessary thing va for labor to
unite against exploitation. The ntenigenty-patriotic thing would have
been for united labor to make the nations resources the property of
all the people, produce abundance for use, save the nation from the
burden of profits and inaugurate an economy under which peace would
not mean unemployment and social chaos.
We Socialists told whoever would listen that the time to end the
old depression and war breeding economy is NOW-whne the war
was still making workers important. We warned that the position of
workers would be weaker after the war, when government orders
ceased and unemployment arrived.
Well, we're being justified already-and we're not happy about
it. However, it must be admitted that a inter-labor conflict already,
even before Japan has been finished off, does not anger a bright future
for the workers of this nation.
Nevertheless, while it may be more difficult to do the Job from
here out, the task ahead remains the same. The capitalist economy
conceivably can offer security under social controls that ae incon-
sstent with liberty. Or it can offer liberty without economic security.
But only by scrapping the private profit system and inauguratng
liberty. And that is the task for a united labor movement. - Reading
Labor Advocate.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
Two important Decisions

Two court decisions of major Importance to all who work were
handed down. One, from the U. S. Supreme Court, denied the right of
states to cripple Labor Unions by forcing business representatives to
become licensed. The other, from the Florida state supreme court, up
acid the recent measure outlawing the Union shop in that state.
The licensing scheme of the big manufacturers, would place all
Union business representatives under the control of state politicians
who could put Unions out of business by refusing to issue licenses to
representatives. Texas has such a law now, and Texas has more Labor
trouble than other states today.
The anti-UniOn shop legislation is q more direct blow at Labor.
Those in Labor who have fought through the long struggle for the
right to organize and to bargain collectively, know that no Union can
protect the rights, the wages and welfare of its members unless it can
contract for the Union shop. If that right is denied, Unions will be
hampered.
The passage of laws to put Unions out of business is not going to
bring industrial peace. The American working people m not dumb
slaves. Repressive measures which deny workers the right to unite for
their own protection and for the advancement of their w economic
interests will never stop progress. If however, we are to have industrial
sanity, with true American cooperation between Labor and Manage
ment, and mutual confidence, Labor Unions must be encouraged, not
hampered by Gripping laws.
The southern states that have so eagerly led the way toward anti
labor legislation have not found the answer to their problems They
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
IN THE WIND
From THE NATION

More than a thousand white
G%eorgians prominent in business
and the professions have signed a
petition to Congress to establish a
permanent Fair Employment Prac-
tice Commission and signatures
are still coming in.
The John c. Winston Company,
publishers of dictionaries, will
omit the word niger from all
future editions, beginning with
those copyrighted this year; other
terms of racial opprobrium, such
as COON" "dago," "sheeney," and
"wop,' will be deleted as 500 as
is technically possible.
Moss A. Plunkett of Roanoke,
Virginia, president of the Southern
Electoral Reform League and a
leader in the fight against the poll
tax, will seek the Democratic nom
nation for Governor of Virginia
at the primary on August 7. If he
is elected it will be a blow to Sen
ator Harry Flood Byrd, a leader
of the anti-New Deal Democrats,
who comes up for %erelection next
year. The present Governor, Col
gate w. Darden, Jr., is al i'm
portant part of the Byrd machine.
Publishers Weekly for June 8
reports that the Treasury Depart
ment has ordered a copy of Stuart
Chase's book Where's the Money
Coming From?"
This is from a letter to the San
Francisco "Chronicle" of June 49,:
The mere fact that we, as Amer
leans, have suffered more and de
priVed ourselves of more of the
necessities of life than any other
people, save for the Chinese, per
haps, denotes that world leader
ship is u destiny. Furthermore,
| suggest that the United Nations
Conference should set aside a day
during which the delegates might
pay homage and respect to us, who
have saved them from Nazism."
Legislative memo; R. H. 1928,
which would close the mails to
material melting to racial pre-
JUDGE, is now in the House Com
mittee On Post Offices, headed by
Thomas G.. Burch of Virginia; H.
j. Res. 173, which would author
ize a Congressional investigation
of Jim Grow baseball, is in the
House Committe on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce, headed by
Clarence F Lea of California.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
14,5OO, 600 UNION
MEMBERS

Organized labor has reached it,.
greatest strength in American hys-
tory, the U. S. Department of La
Dor announced.
Some IA, 500 900, workers were
employed under collective bar
gaining contracts in January, 1945,
according to a study made. by the
Bureau Of Labor Statistics. At the
beginning of 1943, BIS reported
that there were 5000, 900 work
erS under union contracts. In 1899
there were 100000 U. S. work
covered by union contracts.
BIS said in an official report in
October of that year.
During the year 1914 there was
increase of more than 500, 900
workers covered by union con-
tracts. This was equivalent to a
LIS per cent rise in the proportion
of unemployed covered by agree
ments," according to the monthly
Labor Review"
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
"PATRIOTIC" BUSINESS
MEN GYP TREASURY

For the last five or six "a
the insiders who control big
corporations, altough they have
very little invested, have been
putting aside huge sums to pro
vide pensions, principally for those
officials who have been drawing
enormous salaries.
Thes contributions to pension
fund r charged up to "cost of
operation" That means that Uncle
Sam can't tax them. Now it devel-
ops that in this way the Public
Treasury is losing about S7OO, OOO.-
600 a year in taxes.
The. stockholders are losing a
little, but not much. You see. it's
a choice between fattening the
pension fund for men who should
be able to pay for their own pen
slons and paying the money to
Uncle Sam at a time when he is
fighting a World War.
So these patriotic" business
men decide to gyp Uncle Sam. In
addition, they are taking the old
gentleman ito the cleaners on
war contracts. Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
HOUSE BILL AIMED AT
ALIEN TAX

Refugee aliens who ARE get
ting rich on stock market specula-
tions and real estate deals" will
pay the same taxes as American
citizens if Congress approves a bill
offered by Congressman James
Greelan (Dem., Comm
Greelan said refugees living a
life Of luxury in this country, oc-
cupying the best suites in the most
exclusive hotels, / lodging taxes
by claiming they are not operating
businesses. Many of them, the
,solon added, have made huge pro-
tits on their OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
"UNBREDLED GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION" CHARGED
ARMY PROJECTS

Reckless waste of money and
large-scale corruption on War
Department and Maritime Com
mission projects were charged in
the Senate by Senator Edward v.
Robertson Bep., Wyo.) and Sen
ator George d. Aiken (Rep., VIZ.
The accusations are not new.
Senator Aiken said that the Comp
troller General had made five re-
ports to Congress of corruption in
deals with shipping companies. AS
an example of what had been re
vealed, Aiken said that the Mari
time Commission sold to one ship
ping concern ice ships for $685.
600, which subsequently deterio-
rated to a value of S2O2, 900. When
the war came on the Commission
paid the company $3,294, 900 for
the same five ships.
The Commission has paid ship
ping firms for ships lost at sea a
hundred times their book value,
Aiken asserted.
Senator Robertson charged fan
tastic waste and graft" in the con-
struction of the Alaskan highway.
the Canol oil project and a high
way in Honduras, all sponsored by
the War Department.
The highway, he said, was di-
Vided into two sections, of about
80 miles each, The southern half
was constructed by the Honduran
Government, at a cost of less than
$4,000, 900. The government-built
road is a first-class construction
comparing favorably with our fin
est highways.
The northern half was turned
over by the War Department to a
private construction firm. The
work was abandoned after more
than $4,000, 600 had been spent,
and after it had become clear that
the construction was abominable.
Roberts told the Senate the con-
tractor had "milked" Uncle Sam
to the tune of millions by renting
to the army road building equip
ment which Army maintenance
men described as 1.-The worst burch
of junk they had ever seen"
Much the same situation exist
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
STREAMLINING 6

While various proposals for "streamlnng Congress" ae under
consideration by a Congressional committee, special attention should
be given to ending the seniority rule at present governing committee
appointments.
Under this rule, the most influential committees are packed with
members whose only qualification is that they have been longer in
Congress than their felowmembers.
nj leads to the exclusion of Congressman who may have out
standing qualifications for the work of a particular committee.
1t also means that the composition of the committees does not
reflect the changes of public opinion registered by the turnover at
each election.
But worst of all, the seniority rule virtually insures committee
control by those Congressman who arr elected by the smallest number
OF Voters-namely the representatives from polltax states.
Because all but a welltodo minority n disfranchised bv the
poutax, 1t is comparatively easy for reactonary Congressmen from
these states to be reelected again and again. And, in fact. most of the
members of Congress with greatest seniority ar pol1tax Congressrnen
Of this. stripe.
To do a real job of "streamlnng Congress- therefore, of the
first essentials is to do away with the pontax, so that the citizens of
IN poltaX states may have a n opportunity to elect representatives
who really reflect their sentments-and thus remove the dead-han
OF the senior poltaXers who now exercise such undue influence in
Congress.
antEpoLtax Dill has been passed by the House and is now
before the Senate. Urge your Senators to pass it without delava and to
squelch any attempted filibuster.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
Colonial Peoples VIII Rennuin Under
The Old Standards urd Old Rules

Except for one section, which seems to safeguard Jewish rights
IN Palestine, we e nothing to commend and much to deplore in the
o-caIIed united Nations charter for colonial peoples. The trusteeship
-dea energies is a glanorous fraud, a maximum cover for standard
imperialism but hardly even a meager concession to the lust aspira
hons for Self-rule and self-development of $50 600 600 colonial and
colored peoples. The powers may annex whatever colonial territories
Or n AXls they feel necessary to their security; this takes of mn
Pacific islands. Whether any conquered territory Or existing mandate
M possessing n mandatory power. There is 10 provision for native
representation on the council, O for a right to appeal to it. or for the
right Of dependent peoples to request an investigation of their griev
ances n principal change, SO far a dependent peoples are concerned
is tina IN great powers are permitted to fortfy colonial areas and to
levy on their population and resources for the defense of the empire
which holds them in fnf. The powers could not do this under The
League mandate system: that is. thew could not Il n If 1egarv thnv dd
do it covertly. Hardly a historic reform.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
WAR DIET AIDS
BRITISH CHILDREN

Sir John Boyd Orr tells an in
teresting story of the effect of
Wartimes diets on children in the
Tight Little Isle" He cites a
study made in Glasgow. Boys of
Is r three-quarters of an inch
taller and three pounds heavier on
an average than were lads of 81
milar age in the 1935-39 period.
Three times as many tots as be-
fore are coming to their fifth birth
day with sound teeth, and the in
FAINT mortality rate is we'll below
the peacetime level.
According to Sir John, the
principal reason for the improved
child health is that poorer class
mothers and their youngsters are
getting much more milk than ever
before, because of British priority
rules.
Sir John makes another inter
esting observation: "a steady
round of oatmeal, potatoes and
vegetables may be monotonous,
but it's nutritious, too"
We have a lot to learn about
diets. Perhaps many of the items
of food we deem so essential are
really not important.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
TAX REDUCTION
FOR CORPORATIONS ONLY

Inc war is Still raging and the
nation is being called upon to con-
tlnue its heavy wartime sacrifices,
but relief is already in sight. How
ever, relief for big corporations
only.
The House Ways and Means
Committee has reported legisla-
ton that will mean a tax saving
of $500, 00, 900 to corporations.
The measure is described as re
Adjustment to provide business
with quick relief from wartime
levies."
The "quick relief" consists in a
number CT measures aimed at the
reduction of the tax burden of
concerns some of which are in the
best financial condition in their
history. 1t includes an increase in
the exemption of corporations I'M
der the excess profits levy from
$51, 900 to a few thousands, and
will also NEAR a $3.50, 900 increase
in their cash reserves. The Com
mittee comedies that the effect of
the bill will be a reduction of
about $780, 900, 900 in taxes on
1914 and 1945 incomes.
1t may be pertinent to ask
who is to fill this gap?
1t may be also pertinent to keep
n mind that the same legislators
Who endorse "relief" to big con-
Germs + unflinching in their OPP
position to wage increases pro-
posed by the AFL and CLIO.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
1000 YEARS

You may stop worrying about
the possibility of our oil resources
petering out.
America has coal and Ignite
enough to meet u gasoline needs
for 1000 years, besides supplying
demands for hard fuel, according
to testimony before the Senate
Petroleum Resources Committee
Government experiments have
demonstrated, it was said, that the
gasoline can be extracted at a cost
not much greater than motorists
are now paying.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
LIQUOR FIRMS PROFITS
BOOSTED 100 PERCENT

That liquor interests are sit
ting pretty" under regulations of
the Office of Price Administration
is abundantly demonstrated by a
report by Distillers's Corporation
Seagrams, Ltd, showing a sever
fold increase in profits for the
quarter ending April 80 over the
same period last year.
Distillers are permitted by O.
P. A. to adulterate their product
at will and to charge prices two
or three times higher than those
prevailing before the war.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11

chief argument of the Roosevelt
shouters was that the President
was strong on foreign policy"
Well, what now? Where is that
foreign policy? Where was it last
November? Was it hidden inside
the skull of one man? Had we
Americans been so completely
committed to the leader principle
that foreign policy died with the
leader? Remembering her cam
paign activities, it seems to us that
Miss Thompson should do more
than report facts. She should now
be asked to explain.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
TWO MILLION JOBLESS
I'M AUGUS

Two million workers will be
without jobs early in August. That
is the unpleasant prediction of
Paul V. McNutt, manpower com
missioner.
He told a Washington audience
this week that layoffs will be rela-
lively heavy during July, but he
voiced hope that by November the
number of unemployed will drop
to 1900, 600. Beyond that he de-
clined to hazard a guess.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11

ed on the Canadian highway and
oil projects, Robertson asserted,
but the graft was larger, because
greater sums were involved.
Senator Aiken declared that
President Truman, while a mem
Der of the Senate, became familiar
with much of the corruption and
graft that occur in the govern
ment,S and he voiced the hope that
We will set some action from him
just as soon as he has time to
take 1.-THE New Leader.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
WORTH FAIR TRIAL

1t has been estimated that the direct cost of World War II to all
nations involved has already gone considerably past the trllion-donar
mark, with billions more to be added as the war in the Pacific
tnues. The cost of human lives is still to be reckoned, not in monetary
value but in terms of heartbreak and sorrow. suffering and pain #
too, will reach a high figure.
ANY plan-such as the United Nations proposed peace organiza-
promises to keep the world at peace and prevent a future
repetition OF This criminal waste of life and goods is worth a fair trail
~ those OF u IS who want no more wars after this M ends should
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
RAIL REVENUES GAIN

Freight and passenger revenues
OF the railroads hit $685. 1882, 389
in May, a gain of more than
$4,000, 900 compared with the same
month last year, the A. A. r. re-
ported this week.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
AUSTRIA

The Western Allied Military
Government in Austria has ap-
pointed a DR.. Ludwig Drexler as
a special advisor on financial ques-
tons. DR.. Drexler is a former
Minister of Finance in Schusch-
nigg's cabinet and was a leading
member of the "Heimwehr" lie. of
the semi-fascist organization that
suppressed the Austrian labor
movement in 1894.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
U. p. PROFITS

The Union Pacific, after paying
all taxes and charges, had a net
profit of SIS, 662, 600 for the first
five months of this year. This is an
increase of more than 1000, 900,
compared with the same period of
last year.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
So BILLION IN FRED"

Uncle Sam has closed his books
for the fiscal year 1945. He finds
he spent nearly 100 billion dollars
and collected about As billion:
Both figures r world records.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11

1t will be remembered that
Dorothy Thompson, who now de-
plores our weakness in victory.
was n of those persons who
urged the reelection of Franklin
D. Roosevelt last year, when the
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11

1t is not necessary to be garruL
Gus In order to be entertaining
A. L. Jack.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11

There are several reasons why
powerful America is finding it
difficult to deal with conquered
peoples. But the chief reason is
that, being a capitalist union, it is
the purpose of u policymakers to
deal with the economic rulers of
Germany and not at all with the
people themselves.
Unfortunately we are looking
too much at the fallen foe and not
enough at ourselves. Instead of
asking, What are we going to do
with Germany and JAPAN" we
should be asking, What are we
going to do with ourselves; what
can we do to use our strength for
peace and justice?" And we're not
asking that.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-07-11
What We Are Going To Do With Ourselves
BY RAYMOND HOFSES, Editor, Reading Labor Advoc.+s

Dorothy Thompson seems to be
depressed by the lack of a British
American program for victory. In
Germany she finds the natives
quite subdued and stolidly ODE
dent to whatever orders may be
given them. But she also finds the
democratic conquerors d~eplorably
inept in the job of shaping the
German people to a pattern that
will make 70 5000, 900 vanquished
men, women and children a credit
to the human race and an asset
to the future. Moreover, she ques-
tons whether We'll be any more
efficient in handling victory over
Japan when, as she puts it, that
nation falls into our arms like
tons and tons of Lead