Timely Topics

...No m a t t e r w h o a q u e a l s a b o u t taxes, d i r e c t relief, or s t i l l b e t t e r , useful work, m u s t bo p r o v i d e d for t h e s e fellow h u m a n beings...

...A l r e a dy t h e r e a r e 410,000 m o r e men, women a n d c h i l d r e n w h o s h o u l d be r e c e i v i ng a i d who g e t none...

...2. All g o v e r n m e n t a l bodies should economize b u t a n y e c o n o m y i s d a n g e r o u s a nd I n f a c t wasteful, which i s a t t h e p r i c e of p u b l i c h e a l t h , education, o r social service, o r which reduces i n s t e a d of i n c r e a s i n g t h e v o l u m e of useful public w o r k . T r u e economy l i e s In c u t t i n g h i g h e a l a r i e s , e l i m i n a t i n g o r c o n s o l i d a t i n g u n n e c e s s a r y o r r e d u p l i c a t i ng j o b s , and, in t h e c a s e of t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t , c u t t i n g naval a n d m i l i t a r y expendit u r e s (now a b o u t $700,000,000) t o t h e bone...

...I n N ew Y o r k City alone—and N e w Y o r k h a s b e e n b e t t er r a t h e r t h a n worse t h a n most American cities - n o t o n e r e n t i s In s i g h t a f t er J u n e 1 for 750,000 individuals now r e c e i v i n g some form of aid...

...A condition of t h e gove r n m e n t ' s l o a n Is t h a t a t l e a s t four a n d a half million is t o b e handed r i g h t over t o t h e C h a s e National B a n k and t h e Mississippi Valley T r u s t Company...

...S u n d a y ' s papers featured the news t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s Recons t r u c t i o n F i n a n c e Corporation Is to loan $18,000,000 " t o t h e Cotton B e l t . " For a moment I took It t h a t t h e p o o r c o t t o n g r o w e r s were to g e t a h e l p i n g hand...

...5. The a r g u m e n t a g a i n s t h i g h e r Income a n d i n h e r i t a n c e t a x e s is p r i m a r i l y •politic a l , not economic...

...B u t every cloud h a s a s i l v e r lining...

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...S o m e comparisons b e t w e e n B r i t i s h t a x e s a n d t h e p r o p o s ed t a x e s h e r e under t h e H o u s e bill a r e in order...

...8. Nevertheless n o S o c i a l i s t believes w e c a n t a x o u r s e l v e s I n t o p r o s p e r i t y . P r o s p e r i t y r e q u i r e s s o c i a l i s a t i o n a n d s o c i a l p l a n n i n g . T h e c h i e f u se of i n h e r i t a n c e t a x e s i n t i m e of d e p r e s s i o n i s n o t t o f a l s e r e v e n u e b u t t o do j u s t i c e a n d t o a i d In a c q u i r i n g social o w n e r s h i p a n d c o n t r o l . WHY KEEP THE PHILIPPINES t WH Y in t h e w o r l d w e s h o u l d h a n g o n t o t h e P h i l i p p i n e s w h i c h w e d o n 't w a n t a n d Which d o n ' t w a n t u s b e c a u s e E n g l a n d clings blindly to I n d i a a n d t h e D u t c h t o t h e E a s t I n d i e s , i s m o r e t h a n a n y s a n e m a n c an s a y . Yet t h a t i s t h e a r g u m e n t of S e c r e t a r y SUmsoa a n d h i d i m i t a t o r s . If w h a t w e w a n t i s n a t i o n a l s a f e t y w e d o n ' t w a n t t o h a v e t o d e f e n d t he P h i l i p p i n e s — a v i r t u a l l y i m p o s s i b l e t a s k a n y h o w — a g a i n s t J a p a n . If w h at we w a n t i s t r a d e w h y n o t c o m m e n d o u r s e l v e s to I n d i a a n d C h i n a b y g i v i ng t h e P h i l i p p i n e s w h a t t h e y w a n t The o l d w a y s of b a l a n c e of p o w e r a nd c o n t r o l of t r a d e r o u t e s a r e b a d w a y s . So f a r a s J a p a n is concerned, h e r g o v e r n m e n t h a s s u g g e s t e d i t s willi n g n e s s t o n e g o t i a t e a t r e a t y g u a r a n t e e i n g P h i l i p p i n e i n d e p e n d e n c e . W h y n o t t a k e i t u p ? J a p a n ' s w o r d could b e b e t t e r b u t s h e i s l i k e l y t o h a v e h er h a n d s m o r e t h a n full in C h i n a . H e r m i l i t a r i s t s , a s m i l i t a r i s t s o f t e n do, have w e a k e n e d n o t s t r e n g t h e n e d ' t h e i r c o u n t r y ' s m o r a l , economic a n d u l t i m a t e ly e v e n I t s m i l i t a r y power i n t h e F a r E a s t . Maybe t h e y h a v e l e a r n e d enough t o k e e p h a n d s off t h e P h i l i p p i n e s . L e t t h e P h i l i p p i n e s n e g o t i a t e f r i e n d l y t r e a t i e s . They a r e b e t t e r p r o t e c t i o n all ' r o u n d t h a n o a r o w n m i l i t a r i s t s will give...

...B r i t a i n g e t s 50 p e r c e n t of h e r r e v e n ue f r om Income t a x e s ; t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s would g e t 3 7 p e r c e n t ! B r i t a i n g e t s 10 p e r c e n t of h e r r e v e n u e f r om e s t a t e ( i n h e r i t a n c e ) t a x e s ; t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s l per c e n t ! Henry R o s n e r h a s d r a w n u p a t a b l e showing t h a t t h e B r i t i s h income t a x r a t e s applied only o n Incomes from $10,000 u p would b a l a n c e t h e b u d g e t l e a v i n g o t h e r l e g i t i m a t e n ew t a x e s t o p r o v i d e for u n e m p l o y m e n t relief...

...No s u ch luck...

...Whenever t h e N e w Leader h a s 50,000 r e g u l a r r e a d e r s in t h i s c i t y it will be time- t o t h i nk of l a u n c h i n g a daily...

...A s m a t t e rs s t a n d Mr...

...N o a d e q u a t e bill for f e d e r a l relief la now before Congress...

...The s a l e s made In t h e « , 6 7 0 A. A P. s t o r e s t o t a l e d m o r e t h a n a billion dollars a b o u t s i x p e r c e n t less t h a n t he h i g h r e c o r d of 1929, b u t r e p r e s e n t ing: a considerable increase in a m o u n t of goods sold, a n d of c o u r s e a still g r e a t e r i n c r e a s e in i t s p r o p o r t i o n of t h e c o u n t r y 's whole r e t a i l t r a d e. A m e r i c a n Tobacco also made r e c o r d profits—$46,000,000 In 1931, a s compared with $43,000,000 in 1930...

...Atlantic and Pacific, g r e a t e s t of s t o r e chains, m a d e s l i g h t ly less profit In 1931 t h a n in 1930, b u t more t h a n In 1929 o r a n y p r e - vloiis year...

...These d e t a i l s m a y b e difficult but c e r t a i n principles t h at a p p l y to t h e r a i s i n g and s p e n d i n g of money by t h e g o v e r n m e n t In this e m e r g e n c y a r e c l e a r . 1 s t a t e them t h u s: 1. No budget i s b a l a n c e d in n a t i o n , s t a t e o r c i t y which does n o t ^ p r o - vide for t h e unemployed...

...Four of the v i c e - p r e s i d e n t s , somewhat l e s s able t h a n Mr...

...Louis Southwestern Railway...

...I t s p r e s i d e n t , George W. Hill, d r ew a bonus of $842,000 in 1930 and o v e r $850,000 l a s t year, on t o p of h i s a n n u a l s a l a r y of $168,000, besides which he w a s all o t t e d 13,000 s h a r e s of s t o c k at $25 a s h a r e which w a s w o r t h $116 o n t h e m a r k e t — t o t a l " r e w a r d of a b i l i t y " for t h i s very able g e n t l e m a n , more t h a n $8,200,000 since t h e crisis g o t u n d e r way...

...T h a t i t i s " b e t t e r t h a n n o t h i n g " is n o t enough...

...Most of t h em w e r e careful not to mention H o a n ' s Socialist affiliations nor t h e fusion of t h e D e m o c r a t s and Rep u b l i c a n s In a n effort to p r e v e nt h i s re-election, On April 5, with t h e biggest t u r n o u t at t h e polls Milwaukee had ever seen, Hoan won by a r e c o r d - b r e a k i n g majori t y . Not only t h a t , but t h e peop l e put Socialists Into office as c i t y t r e a s u r e r and city a t t o r n ey a n d doubled the Socialist repres e n t a t i o n In t h e council, So f ar a a I have seen, none of t h e oldp a r t y papers "played u p " this m e s s or m a d e e d i t o r i a l comment o n i t Yes, we s u r e l y do n e e d a n E n g l i s h Socialist d a l l y i n N e w Y o r k . O n e way t o m a k e its e s t a b l i s h ment p r a c t i c a b l e Is t o double a nd redouble t h e c i r c u l a t i o n of our weekly...

...N o w h e r e h a v e I s e e n finer, t r u e r o r m o r e p u n g e n t e p i g r a m s a t t a c k i n g t h e p r e s e nt s y s t e m . The a u t h o r s a y s i n effect t h a t c a p i t a l i sm will n o t b e d o o m e d if c a p i t a l i s t s a r e w i l l i n g t o t a x t h e m s e l v e s t o a n e x t e n t t h a t will t a k e t h e b r e a t h of a l l o f t h e m a w ay o r if t h e y w a n t t o t a k e a c h a n c e o n a w a r . B u t , t h e a u t h o r adds, In a w a r t h e w o r ld m i g h t g o R u s s i a n . If t h a t ' s t h e b e a t h o p e a b r i l l i a n t e x p o u n d e r of c a p i t a l i sm c a n g i ve us, w h a t m u s t w e t h i n k of t h e s y s t e m . MILWAUKEE SHOWS HOW CO N G R A T U L A T I O N S to M i l w a u k e e , t o D a n Hoan, a n d t h e p a r t y ! We e x p e c t e d It t b u t w e r e j o i c e n o l e a s . N o w f o r n e w progress) i n n e w s p a p e r s m u n i c i p a l Socialism...

...Cotton B e l t " is a nickname for the St...

...The f i g u r e was $29,792,975— a good big melon to be c u t in t h e s e c o n d y e a r of a gene r a l depression...

...I t m a y m a k e n e x t e l e c t i o n e a s i e r f o r o u r w a t c h e r s . B u t of c o u r s e It w o n ' t t a k e t h e p l a c e of p a r t y o r g a n i z a t i o n. CAPITALISM'S GLOOMY SPOKESMAN SO C I A L I S T s p e a k e r s will find s o m e r a r e a m m u n i t i o n in a r e m a r k a b l y thoughtful a n d b r i l l i a n t book e n t i t l e d : "Is C a p i t a l i sm D o o m e d ? " b y L a w r e n c e Dennis, publ i s h e d b y H a r p e r B r o t h e r s . I t i s n o t a S o c i a l i s t book...

...How m a n y c i t y dwellers lost t h e i r homes, t h e d i s p a t c h does not s a y . Some of t h i s p r o p e r ty will l a t e r be r e d e e m e d by p a y m e n t of t a x plus n c n a l t v nhis i n t e r e s t. but In m o s t c a s e s t h e o w n e r ' s equit y la forever wiped o u t * * • Mississippi Is a n e x t r e m e ins t a n c e , no doubt but t h e s a me t e n d e n c y la a t w o r k all over t he c o u n t r y . Small f a r m owners by t h e t e n s of t h o u s a n d s y e a r l y a re b e i n g t u r n e d i n t o r e n t e r s , a n d o t h e r s tens of t h o u s a n d s a r e being f o r c e d t o leave- t h e l a n d a l t o g e t h er a n d j o i n in t h e c u t - t h r o a t compet i t i o n for Jobs in t h e i n d u s t r i al field...

...REED HARRIS...

...HONORS rI S R e e d H a r r i s expulsion at Columbia Is e t h i c a l l y Indefensible a n d f r om the s t a n d p o i n t of t h e u n i v e r s i t y t h e k i n d of b l u n d e r t h a t N a p o l e o n s a i d w a s w o r se t h a n a c r i m e . S u p p o s e H a r r i s d i d n ' t s u b s t a n t i a t e all h i s c h a r g e s w h i c h h e p u b l i s h e d In T h e S p e c t a t o r a s well a s h e s h o u l d —and I do n o t g r a n t t h a t — b o t h t h e a g g r i e v ed p e r s o n s a n d t h e u n i v e r s i t y h a d . o t h e r r e m e d i e s t h a n s u m m a r y expulsion...

...H a r r i s h a s a good c h a n c e t o w i n h i s s u i t f o r r e i n s t a t e m e n t or d a m a g e s . It n o t , h i s e x p u l s i o n i s a b e t t e r c r e d e n t i a l t h a n o t h e r m e n ' s d i p l o m a s. One bad f e a t u r e which . t h i s a f f a i r b r i n g s t o l i g h t la t h e d a n g e r o u s a n d a r b i t r a ry power of t h e d e a n t o e x p e l . I t ' s a s b a d a s t h e p o w e r of t h e p r e s i d e n t s of s o m e unions I could n a m e ! B o t h w o r k e r s a n d s t u d e n t s a r e rightly p r o t e s t i n g a g a i n s t s u c h power...

...T h e W a g n e r bill a s I have pointed out, m e r e ly p r o p o s e s t o lend i n a d e q u a t e s u m s t o s t a t e s t h a t m a y a p p l y . I t s e t s u p n o d e v i c e to a s s u r e Negroes i n S o u t h e r n s t a t e s even a p p r o x i m a t e e q u a l i t y in t r e a t m e n t a n d i s o t h e r w i s e defective...

...T h a t demand comes f i r s t — a h e a d of bonus t o v e t e r a n s, b u i l d i n g u p t h e n a v y o r a n y t h i n g else...

...N o t t a x e s b u t a g e n e r a l collapse of c a p i t a l i sm explains E n g l a n d ' s t r o u b l e s . B u t h e r e in A m e r i c a t h e $10,000 a n d u p c l a s s r u n t h e p a p e r s a nd p o l i t i c s . T h a t ' s w h y b y h o o k o r crook, political p r e s s u r e a n d d e l i b e r a t e m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n t h e p r e s s t h e y g e t t h e i r way...

...T h i s closely follows t h e $13,000,000 l o a n t o t h e Missouri Pacific, a Van S w e r i n g e r road, of which n e a r l y s i x m i l l i o n w a s e a r m a r k ed for J. P . M o r g a n , Kuhn Loob & Co., a n d t h e G u a r a n t y T r u s t. The railways' h a v e a l r e a d y been helped out t o t h e t u n e of $210,000,000 this y e a r in t h e f o rm of a 10 p e r c e n t w a g e cut, a n d goodness knows how m u c h more in i n c r e a s e d freight r a t e s . And n ow i t is p r e p a r e d t o m a k e t h e m a free gift ot $361,000,000 by a r e t r o a c t i v e r e p e a l of t h e e x c e s s profi t s r e c a p t u r e a c t . Who says the R e p u b l i c a n s a re not doing a n y t h i n g t o r e l i e v e our s u f f e r i n g in t h i s time of c r i s i s? • •• » O n e - s i x t h of a i l t h e a g r i c u l t u r al land a n d o n e - e i g h t h of a l l t h e c i ty real e s t a t e In M i s s i s s i p p i w a s sold a t a u c t i o n by t h e s h e r i f f s of t ho v a r i o u s c o u n t i e s o n A p r i l 5 because the owners h a d n o t p a i d a t least one-half of t h e i r 1031 t a x e s . The number of f a r m s t h u s f o r f e i t e d w a s 30,600...

...T h e l i s t g r o w s daily...

...BE F O R E I g e t b a c k from this five-day t r i p I shall have a p p e a r e d before t h e S e n a t e F i n a n c e C o m m i t t e e on t h e s u b j e c t of t a x a t i o n . I a m g o i ng on s h o r t notice and a s usual, have Henry Rosner t o t h a n k for i n v a l u a b le w o r k on d e t a i l s, such as he h a s done on s i m i l a r questions in N e w Y o rk C i t y and s t a t e for S o c i a l i s t s who h a v e a p p e a r e d before various governm e n t a l bodies...

...I t a p p e a r s from m a t e r i a l published in t h a t excellent book "King Legion," from t h e c h a r g e s of t h e W i l l a r d S t r a i g h t P o s t of t h e A m e r i c a n Legion, a n d t h e a r t i c l e s o t T a l c o t t Powell in t h e S c r i p p s - H o w a r d p r e ss t h a t s u b s t a n t i a l s a v i n g s can b e m a d e in t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of v e t e r a n s ' relief a n d in some forms of a i d w h i c h w e r e p a s s e d u n d e r p o l i t i c a l p r e s s u r e , not f o r t h e b e n e f i t of v e t e r a n s who w e r e a c t u a l v i c t i m s of w a r s e r v i c e . S. The d e m a n d for p a y i n g $3,400,000,000 bonus n ow i s u n f a i r t o t h e unemployed, t o debt burdened f a r m e r s , a n d t o t h e whole c o u n t r y . I n c r e a s e d spending power m a y h e l p u s t o b l u n t t h e e d g e of c a p i t a l i s t d e p r e s s i o n ; It s h o u l d b e a c c o m p a n i e d b y c r e a t i ng good roads a n d h o m e s a n d e l e c t r i f y i n g r u r a l a r e a s ; it s h o u l d be p u t in t h e h a n d s of w o r k e r s on t h e b a s i s of need, n o t i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y In t h e h a n d s of v e t e r a n s on t he b a s i s of o r g a n i z e d political p r e s s u r e . I t s h o u l d be i n w e e k l y a n d m o n t h l y p a y m e n t s, n o t in l u m p s u m s . I f t h e r e i s to be I n f l a t i o n — a n d I t h i n k t h e r e should be c a r e f u l ly c o n t r o l l e d inflation t o t r y to b r i n g b a c k t h e p r i c e level a t w h i c h f a r m e r s a n d o t h e rs borrowed—It should n o t b e b y p r i n t i n g p a p e r m o n e y in a l u m p s um f o r v e t e r a n s . C r a zy I n f l a t i o n means m o r e hell a n d n ew d e f l a t i o n . A s k t h e G e r m a n s ! I t m e a n s t h a t prices r i s e o u t of a l l p r o p o r t i o n t o w a g e s. 4. With t h e e x c e p t i o n of a f ew l u x u r y t a x e s , a n d s o m e s t o c k s a l e s t a x e s , n ew t a x a t i o n should fall on Incomes a n d i n h e r i t a n c e s . Sales t a x e s a r e n o t only u n f a i r in t h e m s e l v e s but t h e y check t h e r e s u m p t i o n of p u r c h a s i n g . T h e S e n a t e should n o t only S t a n d by t h e H o u s e in r e j e c t i n g t h e g e n e r a l s a l e s t a x ; i t s h o u l d c u t o u t s o m e sales t a x e s t h e House p u t in...

...T h i s c o u n t r y invites t h e r i o t s of d e s p e r a t i o n by I t s lack of policy...

...L e t ' s h a v e t h a t m u n i c i p a l b a n k! Hoans Efficient Administration "Neither Song Nor Sermon" AF E W weeks a g o t h e o l d - p a r ty p a p e r s h a d a r t i c l e s warmly p r a i s i n g the e x c e p t i o n a l l y j j e an a n d efficient a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of t h e c i t y of Milwaukee, headed by Mayor Daniel W. Hoan...

...S e c r e t a r y of t h e T r e a s u r y Ogden Mills, t o l d t h e S e n a t e F i n a n ce C o m m i t t e e t h a t h e a v y t a x a t i o n would d i s c o u r a g e p r o v i s i o n of c a p i t a l f o r n e w economic p r o g r e s s , a n d s u g g e s t e d t h a t E n g l a n d ' s t r o u b l e s m i g h t b e d u e t o h e r t a x e s . A s a m a t t er of fact, a t p r e s e n t we n e e d n o t m o r e m a c h i n e r y — m o s t of w h a t we h a v e is idle—but m o r e s p e n d i n g p o w e r a m o n g t h e m a s s e s . N e w w o r k l i k e h o u s i n g o n a l a r g e s c a l e will h a v e t o b e p u b l i c work...

...H i l l , received b o n u s e s a g g r e g a t i n g $1,436,000 in 1931 alone, i n - a d d i t i o n t o s a l a r i es a n d "ground floor" stock purc h a s e s . T r u l y , "God's in H i s h e a v e n , a l l 's well w i t h t h e w o r l d " — p r o v i d e d you b e l o n g t o t h e c a p i t a l i s t class...

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