WIPE THE WAR DEBT SLATE CLEAN!
RYAN, Rev. JOHN A.
WIPE THE WAR DEBT SLATE CLEAN! Payment of Debts and Reparations Unlikely As It Is Undesirable—U. S. Must Act First By Rev. JOHN A. RYAN IN any discussion of debt set tlements and reparations...
...Let us assume, however, that ail our European debtors were in a position to pay the full annual sums due ut by way of interest and amortisation on their war debts...
...If the bulk of the reduction were to take place in the higher incomes, as contemplated by some of our administrative authorities, the benefit would go to a still smaller proportion of concrete American human being...
...Organised Labor in Wisconsin hst made a long fight for this result...
...Like the imports on account of the debts due to our Government, these incoming goods will not be balanced by exports...
...In round numbers, the yearly total would be 1484,000,000, if all the debts are-funded on the same basis as that owed by Great Britain...
...How many persons would have their tax burden lightened...
...TCew obstacles will be put in the way of the movement toward international peace...
...would be these of 1924...
...Colsmsn also explsintd how private detsctives hava obtained membership in unions, snd even gone 10 far Si to serve si captains on the picktt lines near Industrisl plants...
...In all three countries the operators are tailing reduction of wages as the only cure for their own greedy and unscientific mismanagement...
...As a result, a Ana spirit of cooperstion snd harmony has been developed in the rsnk and Ale...
...The war debt of Franca to tht United States is now, almost $4,260,000,000, while.her obligation...
...If we assume that they will replace import* already coming to us, we do not change the Anal result, for the new imports will not be balanced by exports, that it, by goods produced in thit eountry...
...It would be much more favorable to Italy, and all the other Ally statet Therefore, the only countries that would undergo any conaiderablt theoretical losaes weald be the United States and Great Britain...
...They contended the clause in the law, requiring operatives to be registered, would tske sway the moat effective weapon at their command—secrecy...
...In this country a strike in ths anthracite fields is probable and in the larger and worse mismanaged bituminous field not improbable Hers if...
...John Repaee, Or-' ganizer, and Joe Dimino,' delegate...
...in thit city, who have suffered considerably in the last year because of various internal struggles, have effected a united organisation again...
...Among ths other newly elected officers are Tom Di Nonno, Preiident...
...During the hearing, attorneys for the detective sgencies asserted that the business of these companies would be ruined if ths judges held the lsw constitutional...
...Coleman answered by detailing activities of private detective agencies in Milwaukee and other places extending over seversl years...
...Such common understsnding may be denounced violently as antipatriotic...
...Therefore, the net result of ths cancellation proctss would be favorable to France...
...The amount, $484,000,-000, is approximately one-fourth of the amount received by tht Federal Government at personal income taxes for the year 1924...
...Coleman mads the Aght in the Assembly for the amendments to the lsw enactsd by the 1926 Legislature...
...Nor it this the whole story, Private loans by Americans to European states, and American investments in European industries are now estimated at approximately 82,000,000,000...
...The industrisl forces art now making for Socialism, preparing the way for it, and sooner or later it is sure to coma.—Eugene V. Debs...
...Ths dsciiion of theia three Fedsral judges makes ma isppy, as it is a jutt one and will go a lung way to eliminate from industrial plants the tactics which for ysars hava made private detectives notorious," said Assemblyman - William Coleman, State Secretary, Socialist Party, and tor ysars active in the organized Labor movement...
...The total number of Federal income taxpayers it about 7,000,000, or only one-eighth Of the total number of inhabitants of the United States who arc over SI yean of ago...
...ill-feeling against Germany for non-fulfillment of technical obligations, and an increase in the tame sort of feeling between the United States and the countries of Europe which are not paying, and cannot pay, the annual amounts that are legally and theoretically due to this country...
...Under the law, operative!, ai well a! the owners of detective companies, must obtain licenses and Ale a bond with the city or county clerk...
...It is very mis leading to represent the advantages from foreign payments of interest at going to "the American people...
...will not be the eitisen as taxpayer but ths citizen as consumer who may bavs to subsidiss private owners to keep up wages—this though ths Federal Trade Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Mires have both shown that the increase in the pries of anthracite (tnd hence of the profits of the operator...
...The United States would lose, theoretically, the equivalent of 26 par cent of the Federal tax on pertonal incomes...
...snd ($) soms sort of international understanding which will prevent watte snd destructive international competition...
...Senator Padway and Assembly mar...
...Before long, the total amount of interest must come to ua in the form of goods...
...In ths long run not only the workers but the consumers in every country suffer from the present chaos in coal mining...
...When we recall 'hat theae receipts art largely theoretical and illusory, we perceive that the advantage to be derived, from the cancellation process becomes jnor-moualy greater...
...Even If wa aaaume these losm to be actual instead of theoretical, if we assume tlat the full amount of annual interest due to both countries on account of war loans ware coming to then, it, would be to their economic advantage tc have all of the war debta and reparation...
...CHAOS IN THE COAL INDUSTRY By NORMAN THOMAS PRIVATE ownership of ths cotl mines that no man triads snd their operation for profit has got things in a mess in Great Britain, Germany and America...
...What is true of America and Great Britain in this respect is obviously true to a much greater extent of France, Italy and Ssfetilt...
...There were 6,698 votes polled, msny of the miners failing...
...The new administration in ths union is now preparing extensive plant for a vigorous organisation drive to round up the unorganised workers in the industry and to better the conditions of the workers ia the shops...
...Great Britain would lose, theoretically, considerably lets than onavhalf of that amount...
...This strike was one of the most stubborn ever waged in Canada...
...jostled sbout by six committees...
...Economic Advantage Of Cancellation* Now let us suppose.that all inter, national war debts and reparations were cancelled...
...Consequently, the Federal income tax could ha reduced by 26 per cent...
...Thit sho.-ld eliminate from induitrial plants the private detective " agencies' 'undor-covtr' man...
...Some idea of the magnitude of that problem may be obtained by reflecting that 1484,000,000 is almoat exactly 41 per cent of the value of ail the goods that Europe tent ut last year...
...A lew administration satisfactory to all concerned has been elected to office, Fred Csiols hss been sleeted as manager of the union...
...Combining both items, we hsvt the enormous sum of 8664,000,000 worth of European goods which will displace com moditiet produced in tht United Statet...
...Attorneys representing Ave detective agencies, including Pinkerton, Corporation Auxilisry and the John Ferris organisation, fought ths amendments before ths committees...
...Every social system changes ceaselessly, snd ultimately, having fulfilled its mission, passes away...
...Thie decision msket Wisconsin the first State in the United States to register an inroad into the espionage of the private detective agtnciet...
...In either cats, therefore, the receipt of this greet sum of interest payments > in the form of goods means a displacement of the demand for American products to the value of $434,-000,000...
...Paper-Box Makers Unite Their Ranks The paper-box worker...
...Will W. Benefit By Payments...
...Suppose, however, thst our European debtors were ablt to pay in full the sums annually due to our Government, and thst wt are willing to receive them in whstsver form they come...
...under that head to Great Britian are in excett of $8,000,000,000...
...The directors of ths corporstion, meeting in Montreal to consider ths same terms, adjourned to meet again Thursday...
...The figure was 81,066,599,400...
...Does anyone seriously doubt that our country now possesses the power to achieve all these great objects...
...If the tax reduction, made possible by the receipt of the European interest payments, ware applied by la equal percentage to all incomes, the benefit would be reaped ry only a small fraction of the American people...
...the registering and licensing of private detectives, sought by the Pinkertdn National Detective Agency and the Corporation Auxiliary Agency, which contended the law was unconstitutional...
...Wages paid would be those of 1922 or a reduction of 6 to $ per cent, from the 1924 rates, snd working condition...
...Capitalism Is the conneetlng link between' Feudalism and Socialism...
...For a rtal rtform of the coal in-duttry two thingt art necessary: (1) efficient and democratic nationalization of coal in industrisl nations snd ths elimlnstion of ths profit tsksr...
...Hence, this enormous annual sum must come to ut in the form of goods...
...First, that the war debts to tta United States from Franca, Italy and certain other Continental countries will never be paid in full...
...The third conclusion is that the Dawes Plan ii very unlikely to yield the maximum annual reparations payments which it contemplates, namely, two and one half billion marks...
...If there ever waa a time what the precept of charity demanded something from eae nation to other nation,, that tits* is sorely the present, that aatiea the Vailed States, and that duty ef ' charity Is to bring about the urn- • ?•real cancellation ef wer debts and reparation...
...Since this enormous volume of goods mutt come to ut at payment for obligations already contracted, they cannot be offset by exports...
...While a large part of the interest is not regularjy transferred to the United States, being rein-vetted in European industries, this process cannot continue indefinitely...
...ilsismt ZHSj Be) much far the economic edvaju Ugeeef^tte liifissl.^hs c*p*<% m ta»*pfeM oMnU^n?tonaTsusril eion and hatred ia toe ohvtoto to need ataberataia, Up to the United States The one nation which posse 1*44 the power to initiate and carry through thii program of cancellation is, of sparse, the United States...
...Company, Cudahy, tevtral yean ago, in which ont of the ttrikeri was killtd by a bullet alleged to have been Arsd by a privste detsctive...
...All the Jingoes, ultra nationalists, and economically ignorant persons in America will take up against our European debtors the complaints which have done so much injury in the last Ave years to the relations between France and Germany...
...It involved eivil wvrwitl 'VM:0m canaries of the company in which men wars killed on both aides...
...The outstanding effect of this situation will be a continuance of the...
...Sam Sen nail, Treasurer...
...Milwaukee Federated Trades council united in a statement that the decisio.i would attract attention throughout the country and be cited asi precedent in legal controvtrsles between organised Labor and private detective agencies...
...cancelled...
...Coleman Included in his indictment of the privets detective agencies reference, to the strike of the employei of ths Cudshy Bros...
...England's only hope of averting a ksripus strike seems, as we write, to be the proposition of a loan to the coal industry in ordsr to maintain ths tragically low wage seals without reducing profits...
...All the ether nations would be only too willing to leeept such a proposal if made by our Government...
...Senator Joseph A. Padway, Socialist, counsel for the State Federation of Labor and the Federated Trades Council, made the campaign for them in the Senate...
...In Germany ths Government ssems to be considering some sort of direct or indirect subsidy to its mint owners to thst they will not further reduce wsget ot lengthen hours...
...Nova Scotia Mine Strike Ends The miners of Novs Scotia employed by ths British Empire Steel Corporstion agreed by a majority of 1,188 in a plebiscite this wsek to return to work under the proposals of the Provincial Governmsnt...
...The law contains the following, section: What the Law Provides , "Any person, firm or corporation, who ahall act at a private detective, private police or private . guard, and aay person who ahall aolleit or perform aervicea in thia State aa a private detective, private police or private gaard, with- ' oat having procured the license and filed the bond required by thii section, or who ahall violate aay ef the proviafoae of this section, ahall be deemed guilty of a miademeaaor, %ad upon conviction thereof ahall be paaiahed by a fine of not leat than $100 nor more than $600, or by impriaon-sneat ia the county Jail not loss thaa six months, or by both sack fine add imprisonment...
...Wage increases in the anthracite Asld should come out of tht profits...
...that is 60,000-000,000 msrks...
...The amendment approved by the latt Legislature, which provoked two private detective agencies to sppesl to tht Federal courts, in their effort to have tht law held unconstitutional, wa...
...Many conferences of the different groups of the more active workers have helped to bring this sbout...
...Hence France would stand to gain about $1,000,000,000, if her debts to the United States and Great Britain as well at her practical reparations claimt upon Germany were wiped out...
...The amount of gold that Europe can tend us in insigniflcant and, indeed, has for several years been only a fraction of the amount that we have tent to Europe...
...The Federal judges' refusal to hold the Wisconsin law unconstitutional gives ths measure a nationwide standing, which undoubtedly would not be attained through a similar ruling of State courts...
...to the United States should do to within the next six months...
...How much benefit would the Amsricsn people derive from the transaction...
...ANTI-PINKERTON LAW FOUND LEGAL Wisconsin Test Case Lost By Detectives WISCONSIN'S private detective law waa held constitutional, last week, when an order was filed in Federal District Court refusing an injunction restraining...
...Thsrs is no way to end it so long as it is left to ths mercy of private profit seekers...
...The deciiion was proclaimed a signal victory for the organissd Labor and Socialist movements in Milwaukee and the rest of the State, as their representatives have promoted a long campaign against the activities of private detective agencies, particularly in industrial plants, aad obtained paSssge by the State Legislature of the original law and the amendments spprovtd by the 1926 Legislature, requiring the licensing and regitttring of all private detectives, Precedent la Established Socialists and officials of the Wisconsin State Fedsration of Labor and...
...And this would prove to be net ealy good morale, bat good policy...
...JOHN A. RYAN IN any discussion of debt set tlements and reparations on« invariably finds one's aelf almost compelled to draw thre* important conclusions...
...Htre ia a neat problem to tett the economic agility of the high protectionists who intitt that European interest obligations must be regularly psid to tht lstt dollsr...
...is out of ti\\ proportion to the last wage incrssie...
...With cancellation actually accomplished, all the Ally peoples would regain the spirit and the capacity to produce, to export, and to import goods in sueh great volume that the peoples of both America and Great Britian would reap far greater economic benefit than from the receipt of interest on account of war debts...
...These conclusions would probably be accepted by the majority of economists and other competent authorities...
...That is, ths taxpayers will psy to keep up profits...
...But tat) Government of the United States should couple the proposal with certain important conditions...
...The annual interest on thit amount it at least $120,000-000...
...If it ii, so much ths worse for that kind of patriotism...
...Now let ut assume that Germany could pay the utmost smount of reparations thst anyone has ever seriously considered, namely, the face value of the A and B bonds as Axed in London, May 1921...
...Second, that the Amount of interest likely to he paid on theae debts will be insignificant for at least ten yaart, even though the European countries which have not yet funded theii war obligation...
...Of course, I am elated with the decision," said John J. Hand ley, secretary-treasurer, Wisconsin State Federation of Labor...
...to vote...
...Thit leaves out of account her loans to Russia, Italy, Belgium and some other countries, but the total amount recoverable from these ($800,000,000 are* due from Russia) is probably under $1,-000,000,000...
...The share of this going to France, 68 per cent, would be 26,000,000,000 marks, or $6,250,-000,000...
...Florence Oiler, Financial Secretary...
...As a step toward it the workers in Greet Britain, Germany and America ought.to try to get together so thst international strike-breaking csn be ended...
...At every weli-infenaed person knowt, international transfers of pecuniary valuta mutt takt the form of gold, goods or servicer No part cf the interest payment can i>e made by meant of services, for these are all needed to compensate for our export surplus to European countries...
...Are we ready to face that contingency, to accept 'that situation T Is it not vary probable that wt shall raise our tariff wall still higher, and thus render impossible the payment of any considerable portion of the interest due us on account of the loans to European Governments...
...Therefore, they will take the place of goods now produced in the United States...
...Chief among that*, conditions would be universal disarmament, the outlawry of war, and the estsblithmeni of an adequate tystem of international* arbitration...
Vol. 2 • August 1925 • No. 32
