The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-05-31


$4,000 have to pay Is to 20 per cen
or more, in taxes of all kinds, fedora
state and local. And this big slice get
no smaller as incomes decrease. TIL
percentage of income paid out i
taxes by those in the $500 to $1,00
bracket is about the same as that i
the $4,000 to $4,000 and the $4,000
$4,000 brackets, and only slightly low
er than the share taken out of il
comes ranging from $4,000 to $4,000
This directly diminishes the purchas
ing power of the American people.
1915 Tax Law Provided "ReIief
for the Greedy"
1t is true that the burden on thes
lower income groups was somewha
reduced by the 1915 tax law-but no
nearly enough. And not nearly a
much relief was granted these indi
viduals as was granted to corporations
The reduction for corporations wa
34.6 per cent. For married man with
out children whose income was $1,000
the reduction was PIT per cent. Fol
single man earning $1,000 it was
only 1874 per cent.
In August, 1914, | pointed out thai
at that time the postwar reserve sci
up for American corporations under
these provisions of the tax laws
amounted to $4,000, O00,O 00-the esti
mated amount of normal and excess
profits taxes levied during 1913 and
1914
Today this fund amounts to more
than $31 900, 900, 000-the estimated to-
tai of all normal and excess profits
taxes paid by corporations for 1914
and 1916
The remedy for this situation is a
complete revision of the tax structure
"a revision that will not only provide
for taxation in accordance with the
ability to pay, but will also wipe out
all provisions of the tax laws that
substitute strikes.
National Prepaid Health
System Needed
A fourth cause for labor disputes
is the lack of a national system of
health insurance.
Under present conditions, the costs
of medical and hospital care represent
one Of the greatest threats to the Sc
curity of the average working man
and his family.
Consequently, there has been an in
creasing interest on the part of or
gained labor, in negotiating with en-
ployers, for the creation of special
health insurance plans.
The present controversy between
the United Mine Workers and the coal
operators is only one in growing
number of such cases. Some compan-
les have already agreed to establish
plans of this type. A survey by the
Social Security board reveals that in
1915 there were 115 such plans in ex-
istence.
How simple it would be to dispose
of the multiplying disputes between
and labor regarding
health and welfare funds by making
single health insurance law.
Let us consider the amendment pro-
posed by the distinguished senator
from Virginia Byrd. This amend
ment would impose certain limitations
upon employer contributions to health
and welfare funds run by a union.
Would this amendment save the life
of even one child who would otherwise
die at birth because of the lack of an
obstetrician? Would this amendment
bring adequate hospital care to even
one miner in the entire country?
-. Let us enact the National Health
bill S. 1906, and thereby establish
National Health Insurance fund which
will bring adequate medical and hos
pital care within the reach of every
miner in America, and the dependents
Of every minerl
ANA Follows Usual Line-"It's
Un-American"
Of course, the leaders of the Ameri- |
can Medical association already have
voiced their objections !. But what |
nave the leaders of organized medi- |
cine proposed to meet the health needs |
N mining areas? Has Dr. Morris |
Tishbein editor of the American Med
cal JournaD came forward with any |
plan to provide medical care for min
srs? Has the National Physicians COM
nittee, which is carrying on an ex-
.ensive lobbying campaign against the |
National Health Insurance bill, come
forward with any suggested health
plan for miners?
Have any of the very distinguished |
senator's, whose thinking happens to
coincide with that of the medical lob
~, offered any proposals to solve the
health problems of American miners?
There is no fundamental answer to
he miners health problems other than
he creation of a National system of
leaith insurance.
In this situation, as in many others,
he way to prevent strikes is not by
.urtailing the rights of labor, but by |
charging and expanding those rights.
instead of curtailing the right to
trike, we must give the people of
America the right to health. BY so
Icing we would remove one of the /
most prolific causes of conflict be-
ween capitol and labor.
Other causes why men strike, as
,iven by Senator Murray in his speech
asst Friday, will be carried in next
weeks Voice.