Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1949-10-27
Dangerous Tax System

"
ton on all coal mined to be used
as a welfare fund for union coal
miners, it permitted the establish
ment of new and dangerous tax
system in this country.
That 20-cens-a-ton on all coal
mined was not tax paid by en-
ployers, the coal mine owners. 1t
was but another of the many hid
den taxes the consumers pay. That
20 cents was added to the price of
each ton of coal sold. 1t was part
of the cost Of coal production.
That tax on coal secured by
Lewis set q pattern for other
labor union leaders in other
industries. Now comes s de-
mand ON steel and automobiles.
Should the union leaders sue
coed In their demands in these
cases every other industry en-
ploying union labor will be met
by similar demands. In every
case it means tax passed on
to the consumer of commodi-
ties.
The cost Of such taxes will be,
must be, passed along to the con-
sumner as part of the price Of the
produced commodity in exactly the
same way that all other taxes,
local, state, federal (including So
cial security, of every producing
concern is included as a portion
Of the price the consumer pays for
what he buys.
In the case Of the tax levied by
the coal miners the cost to the con-
sumers Of coal is around so million
dollars a year. With steel at the
proposed tax Of 10 cents an hour
for each man-hour worked, the
cost to the consumers Of steel and
steel products would amount to
about 200 million dollars4a year..
Such figures are but illustrative Of
what. vast sums such. taxes can
amount to-. all Of. which the con-
sumers-you and Twill pay.
Such taxes can multiply in
Z the course Of production Of raw
materials and the, transform
ing Of such materials into con-
sumer-used commodities. When
the producer Of iron ore II
forced to pay such . tax he
includes II in the price Of ore
to the steel producer. The steel
mill adds to that the tax II
pays. The auto manufactHrer
adds his tax to the enc pasa
by the ore producer and the
steel mill. Even tu.ally II
reaches the consumer as big
part Of the price he must pay
nf6r the commodity he buys. 1t
;samounts to not 10 cents per
mafi-hour only, but much near
er 40, cents, covered by the
several landings Of 3 basic
commodity on which congress
permitted such q tax to be
levied by the union leaders.
The levving Of such taxes .bv the
unions should be outlawed by con-
gress. 1t is negotiable. 1t can. and
will. wreck our entire economic
system. 1t means exorbitant prices
for the things we need. 1t means
breaking industry, and bankruptcy
for the nation.
The reason that is not done is
that congress is afraid Of the labor
union leaders who concocted such
scheme. In the case of steel the
so-called fact-finding board ap-
pointed by the president did not
consider the possible, the probable,
the certain place in the tax pic
ture of the American consumer or
worker. It means establishing a
principle that will break American
industry If Industry was to do the
paying, that would close the mines
and plants on which we are de-
pendent for jobs and the commodi-
ties we need.
Because the consumer will do
the paying II will mean higher,
thing the consumer buys, In
Guiding food, clothing, housing
and all essentials rs well rs
luxuries, when the system has
spread, Is II will, throughout
all industry. The inaction Of
uofa xryha,, lahnw I.oks 4. .,.s~