Evening star., 1949-01-10
Income Tax Level Proposed


The conditions criticized in Taxation and
Big Incomes" printed In The Star January 4
are weakness Of our Government deplored by
all thoughtful citizens, and a glance at the
origin OF our income-tax system will lead to a
better understanding of what it means for the
present and future
In the gay nneties shabby. lonp. .haired
stranger hoated into small Missouri town
one summer afternoon. At the close of the dav
ne addressed group of men under the maple
trees on the courthouse grounds saying: THE
world was made for all of us: and everyone
should have an equal share. Why should the
rich have 1t all and the rest of us nothing?
we poor are more numerous; why don't we
see that all the money is divided evenly?"
The speaker elaborated his theme eloquently
and convincingly for over half an hour; and
offered to answer any opposing argument The
next day ne was gone; and no one knew whittier
he went or whence he had come But the men.
especially the young and imaginative, dis
cussed and laughed at the funny heretical
doctrine until fall when discussions about
Free Silver and 16 to /" crowded it out.
Fifteen years later came the first Federal in
come tax, which everybody understood was
nothing more than means of sWattine the
wicked rich. Many Baptist churches blatantly
wealth. No honest person ever would get
enough money to have to pay such tax Con-
gressmen safely could support it. No one sus-
pected that what seemed to be a harmless law
was only the camels nose under the tent flap
Nor do most people at the present time suspect
that taking over half of the income of wealthy
persons as taxes may later be extended to all
persons. John @. Public Is not worried because
few with incomes of million or more must
pay from 81 to 100 per cent of it to State and
Federal governments. He does not look ahead
to the time when that per cent will be pushed
down to include him-which will mean the
abolition Of money, the State assuming COM
plete control of citizens, freedom becoming an
obsolete word.
For the benefit of those of low incomes as
well as those of high, constitutional limit of
not more than Is per cent should be placed on
income tax; and it should be of q uniform
rate regardless of the size of income We are
at the fork of the road Are we to continue to
follow further to the left the doctrine of equal
distribution of wealth preached half century
ago by the shabby stranger, or shall we keep
to the right, the road 81 thrift, industry, and
individual responsibility along which our coun-
try has come to the highest prosperity the
world has ever known?
majority of voters have favored turning to the
left with the rest of the world. The old words,
industry economy" thrift" seldom are
heard. For them we have substituted, mo fault
of their own" unemployment compensation"
social security" Federal housing" Our mod
ern version of the ancient axiom is: Go to the
sluggard, thou ant; consider his ways and be
wise"
Instead of the voice of the shabby, long
haired stranger crying in the wilderness, we
have Congressman, cabinet members, and
President in fine raiment and dollar haircuts
supporting practically the same doctrine. They
know the power of 1.-THE havenots' at the bal
lot box. The vote of an indolent, perpetual
reliefer, father of numerous brats of Kallikak
grade, through no fault of his own,' helps as
much in electing an ohicial as the vote of
millionaire. Bread and circuses must be pro-
vided to win elections, and the money must
come from "the haves"
So long as "havenots" outvote "haves' there
is no chance of enacting just and equitable in
come-tax laws.
While we continue TO drift further into COM
munism, the President views the handiwork
and says, The State of the Union Is good"
GEORGE FREDERICK MILLER.