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About The Springfield news. (Springfield, Lane County, Or.) 1916-2006 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1918)
THUrDAY, APRIL 11, 101$. PAGE 6 THE SPRINGFIELD NEWS WAR PROFITEER PUBLIC NUISANCE Ha Extortion te 8 Tolerated, but , Libera! Dtefwwiion Toward SJtrtokaot if Vaktn WouW Cur- UH Cajtty to ProvWt ' Sintw f War. ! , 0nMfljt4en af Mtn, CwHwrletten at Money," Analysed. I y OTTO H. KAHN. I Much In beta said about taa pa atble sowidlB ceateatloa that be cause a certain portion of the youne saanhood of the nation bas been con scripted, therefore woaqr rauskaieo.be conscripted. Why, that Is the very thing the government has been doing. It has conscripted a portion a rela tively small portion of the men of the , Bation. It has conscripted a portlou a large portion of the Incomes of the satlon. Capital and business pay more than four-flftbs of our total war taxa tion directly and a large share of the . remaining fifth Indirectly. If the government went too far In coBscriptlag-Baea the country would be ' erisfled. If it went too far la con '.scripting Incomes and earnings the . .eeantry would likewise be crippled. ' J -Results ef Cenifcrfptlo'n ofCapltaL ' I would ask those who would go further and conscript not only Incomes, bat capital, to answer the riddle, not nly In what equitable and practicable Banner they would do It, but what the utloa would gala by It? 1 It Is true that a few years ago a capital levy was made In Germany, but the percentage of that levy was so small as to actually amount to no more than an additional Income tax and that at a time when the regular Income lax In Germany was very moderate as measured by the present standards of Income taxation. Only a trifling fraction, of a man's property is held In cash. If they con script a certain percentage of bis pos sessions In stocks and bonds, what would the government do with them? Keep them? That would not answer Us purpose, because the government wants cash, not securities. Sell them? Who Is to buy them when every one's funds would be depleted? If they conscript a certain percent age of a man's real estate or mine or farm or factory, how Is that to be ex pressed and converted Into cash? Are conscripted assets to be used as a. basis for the -IssueMrf-' Federal Re serve bank notes?-THatr'wouldmean gross Inflation,, with all its attendant evils, dangers and deceptions. Would they repudiate a percentage if the national debt? Repudiation Is no less dishonorable In a people than Id an Individual, and the penalty for failure to respect the sanctity of obli gations Is no different The thrifty -Would Be Penallced. The fact Is that the government would gain nothing In the process of capital conscription and the country would be thrown Into chaos for the time being. The man who bos saved would be penalised, he. whha,s wasted would be favored. Tturlft and'eonstruc tlve effort, resulting In the needful and fructifying accumulation of capital would be arrested and lastingly dis couraged, I can understand the crude notion of the man who would"-divide all posses sions equally. There would be mighty little coming to any one by such distri bution, and It Is, of course, an utterly Impossible thing to do, but It Is an un derstandable notion. But by the con fiscation of capital for government use neither the government nor any Indi vidual would be benefited. A vigorously progressive Income tax to both economically ajud. socially' sound. A capital tax Is wholly unsound and economically destructive. It may nevertheless become neces sary in the case of some of the belliger ent countries to resort to this expedi ent, but I can conceive of no situation Tlkely to arise which would make It accessary or advisable In this country. More than ever would such a tax be harmful In times of war and post-bellum reconstruction, when beyond, al most nil other thing's It Is essential to stimulate production and promote , oy the consideration that taxation must thrift, and when everything which tends a'ot reach a point where the business to have the. opposite effect should be 'activity of tho country becomes crip rigorously rejected as detrimental to 'pied and Its economic equilibrium In tho nation's strength and well-being, j thrown out of gear, because thut would Tliare is an astonishing lot of hazy harm every elemntot the 'common thinking on the subject of the uses of wealth and diminish the war-maktu capita! Ip the hands of Its owners. cupaclty of the nation. The rich man enn spend only a rela tively small sum of money untnnlue lively or selfishly. The mlmoy ilmt II Is In his power actually to .vnsti' Is ceedlngly limited. The hulk of whnt he Una must bo spent nutl used for productive purposes. Just as would ho the caso If It wcro spent by the gov ernment, with this difference, howevsr, that, generally speaking, the individual II mdre-palnstalclng and discriminating la the use of his funds and at the same time bolder, more Imaginative, enter prising and constructive than the gov erameat with Its necessarily bureau cratic and routine regime polbly could be, Money la the bands of the Individual to continuously and fever ishly on the search for opportunities L e., for creative and p reductive use. Is the bands of the government It la apt to lose a good deal of Its fructify ing energy and ceaseless striving and to sink Instead Into placid and somno lent repose. Thera need not be and there ahould not be any conflict between profits and patriotism. I am utterly opposed to those who would utilize their coun try's war as a means to enrich them selves. The "war protUccr,M as the term Is generally understood, la a pub lic nuisance and an IgnoaVtay.v Extor tlonnte profits must nothe tolerated, but, on the other hand, there, should be a reasonably liberal disposition to ward business and a willingness to see It make substantial earnings. I i For, taxation presupposes earnings. ! Our credit structure Is based upon values, and values are largely deter mined by earnings. Shrinkage of valuesnecessarlly aftectatbur capacity to provide the government with the, sinews of war. The Conscription of Men. Reverting now to the subject of the conscription of men, I know I speak the sentiment of all those beyond the years of young manhood when I say that there Is not one of us worthy of the name of a man who would not willingly go to fight If the country needed or wanted us to fight. But the country does not want or call Its en tire manhood to fight. It does not even call anywhere near Its entire young manhood. It has called or In tends to call-In the" Immediate future perhaps 25 per cent, of Its men be tween twenty and thirty years of age, which means probably about 4 per cent, of its total male population of all ages. But It has called from Incomes, business profits and other Imposts fall ing principally on the well to do. ap proximately ninety per cent, of our war taxation, not to mention the con tributions to the Ited Cross, the Y. M. C. A. nnd other war relief activities. Let me add In passing that the Chil dren of the well to do have beea taken for the war In proportionately greater numbers than the children of the poor, because those young men who:nre need ed at home to support dependents or to maintain essential war Industries are exempted from the draft. Our Laws Favor Sons of the Poor. The draft exemption regulations dis criminate not, as In former wars. In favor of the rich man's son, but In favor of the poor woman's son. I realize but too well that the burden of the abnormally high cost of living, mused largely by the war, weighs heav ily Indeed upon wage earners and stilt more upon men and women with mod erate salaries. I yield to no one In my desire .ttffSee'.'e very thing, doue that is practicable to tin ve that hurflei'ifgKt ened. But exn-xxlve taxation on capital will not accomplish that; on the con trary, It will tend to Intensify the trou ble. Taxation must be sound and wise and scientific and cannot be laid In & haphazard way or on Impulse or. ac cording to considerations of politics, otherwise the whole country will suffer. History has shown over uud over again that the taws of economics cannot be defied with Impunity and that the re sulting penalty falb upon all soctlons and classes. J The question of the Individual la not; tho one that counts. The question la' not what sacrifices capital should audi would be willing to bear If called upon, but what taxes It Is to the public ad vantage to Impose, I do not say all this to plead for a reduction of the taxation on wealth or In order to urge that no additional taxes be Imposed on wealth If need be.. There Is no. limit to the burden which In tlmo of stress and strain those must be willing to bear who cab afford It ex- Cept only that limit which Is Imposed 1IE INDUSTRIES SHOW PROSPERITY Governemnt War Activities Are Helping Many Industries of Oregon V The following la a brief review of, what capital is doing la Oregon for the past week. Portland Women to be employed aa conductors on streetcars hero, Vale oil andnltrate fields are enlist ing more capital. Steers tho past week reached high est price ever known at Union Stock Yards. Vale Court houso to have vaults and other additions. Albany Lebanon highway to bo Im proved. Warren Sawmill building for Sher man Bros., two miles wcsL Getting out ship. knees big Industry In Polk county. Rosehurg: Express company erect ing offices at depot. Brownsville Canning Company will operate Corvnllls cannery, so long Idle. Hood River cannery erecting 76 foot addition. '' ' Eugene Sawmill at Donna to ro sumo with '65 men. V More sawmills ' and shlnglo mills tied up .with car shortage Portland faces a big deficit from municipal wage Increase Astoria Hammond sawmill starts on night run. Eugene Bids for 130,000 addition to court house opened April 8. Oregon mohair clip for 1918 coming tn at SO cents. Enterprise telephone system has been rebuilt and servlco Improved. Lebanon cannery reorganized and will be operated by new capital. Schotleld Is a new sawmill town west of Buxton. Shanlko will build nn elevator. Portland Gas and Coak Company February earnings 33 per cent over February, 1917. Portland Yards In this district launched 23 ships In three months. Early shorn wool clips moving at GO cents per pound. Reconstruction of tho Astoria gas plant nears completion. Pacific Home telephone systems to be merged at Portland under modern one-instrument service. The Dalles Contract let for 500,000 bushel concrete elevator. Portland Construction of new dam begun at Bull Run reservoir. Total Oregon taxes to be collected this year $23,203,14'oTcfl??,Stato tax Is lowest in four years, 26g,205.' School tax is highest, 7,039,72L75. Marshfleld Many houses to bo built here; demand steadily Increases. Salem Through efforts Senator Mc Nary's $250,000 order for dehydrated potatoes secured. The Dalles Wittenberg-King's Pro ducts Company's plant working on or der for dried spuds: Receives 8tate Diploma Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Bartlett of this city received word Monday from their son, Floyd, who Is attending the Brad ley Polytechnic Institute at Peoria, Illinios, that ho was ono of few out of a large class who had passed the state examination in optics. He has there fore received the state diploma in op tics. He will finish his course in watch-making and .engraving about the middle of May. He is a graduate of Springfield high school, having fin ished with the class of 1917. Has Motorcycle Accident Bill Devlne who is' working at Ma- bel and who recently purchased a new motorcycle, ran into a rock Monday while riding near Haydtfn bridge, and his motorcycle was overturned. The young man was severely bruised and shanen up. He was brought to town at once by Max Green, postmaster at Donna, for medical treatment. Three stitches were required to close a gash cut in the Inner angle of his right eye, His machine was badly smashed up. Nature Cures, The Doctor Takes the Fee, i There Is an old saying that "Nature cures, the doctor takes tho fee," but as evoryono knows you can help Nature very much and thereby enable it to effect a cure In much less time than Is usually required. This is particularly true of -colds. Chamberlain's Cough Remedy relieves the lungs, liquifies tho tough mucus and aids in its expectora tion, allays tho cough and aids' Nature in restoring the system to WhoaltUy condition. adv. LANE PRIZES ARE LIBERAL Pair Board Meets and Fixes Dates for Annual Event. Tho Lano County Fair Association at a mooting Friday night doslgnutod September 18 to 31, InclUBlvo, as tho dates for holding the fair this year. E. E. Hardesty, secretary of tho fair association, tendered his resignation and Ray If.- Wood,' of tho -iMunmoo department of the United States Na tloaal Bank, was appointed as' his sue ceMor. Tho association last Bight decided to offer a cash prize of 1225 for the beat grange exhibit and S1S0 for the second best exhibit Premiums for other classes of exhi bits will also be Increased this year. la Taken to Asylum Mrs. Frances Dowdy, who Uvea near Deadmond'a ferry, was committed to tho Stato Asylum at Salem Monday, for treatment. Sho la tho mother of six children. Tho sixth ouo died re cently and sorrow over Its doath Is supposed .to have caused hor lllnoss. She was taken to Salem by E. E. Morrison of this city. Constipation and Indigestion. ' . Those- ara twin evils. Persons suf fering from Indigestion arc Often troubled with constipation. Mm. Robort Allison, Mattoon, III., writes that when sho first movod to Mattoon sho was. a great sufferer from Indiges tion and consljpaton. Fpod distressed her and thore' was a fooling liko a hoavy weight pressing on hor stomach and chest. She did not rest well at night, and felt, worn out a good part of tho tlmo. Ono bottlo of Chamber lain's Tabids corrected this trouble so that sho bas since folt like a dlfforont person. adv. NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the County Court of the State of Oregon for Lane County In tho matter of the estate of draco E. Hill, sometimes known aa Qraco Hill, deceased. Notice is horeby given that an or der of tho above entitled court, duly made and entered of record on tho 8th day of March, 1918, tho undersigned was duly appointed Administrator of tho abovo ontltlod estate. , All porsons having claims against tho said estate aro hereby notlflod to present them duly verified to tho under signed In' tho offlco of L. M. Travis, In rooms 7, 8, and 9, U. S. Natlonut Bank Dldg., Eugene, Lane county, Oregon, within six (6) months from date of this noltco. Datod at Eugeno, Oregon this 8th day of March, 1918. RODT. C. CLOSTERMANN, Ad ministrator of tho abovo entitled es tate. L. M. Travis, attorney. Mch,H,21,28:ADr.4,ll,18.2G. EXECUTOR'S SALE. Notice Is hereby given that by vir tue of an ordor of tho County Court of Lane County, Oregon, duly mado and entered tho 19Ui day of March, 1918, authorizing tho undersigned, as executor of tho estate of Nancy Dahr, deceased, to sell tho real estate be longing to said estato, at private salo, for cash if possible, nnd for credit upon proper security If it appears that said sale cannot bo mado for cash; Now, therefore, I will on and attor the 27th day of April, 1918, at tho of fice of Young & Ray, attorneys for said estate, In the Court House, Eu geno, Oregon, offer for sale and sell to the highest bidder for caBh, or for credit with proper security, If It ap pears that Bald sale cannot be mado for cosh, the following described real property: Lot twenty-six (26) In Olock thirty three (33) in Falrmount, In the City of Eugene, Lane County, Oregon. Lot twenty-seven (27) in Block thlrty-thrco (33) tn Falrmount, in tho City of Eugene, Lane County, Oregon. Dated this 19th day of March, 1918. H. H. Rlttor, Executor of tho estato of Naucy Bflhr, deceased. -Young & Ray, Attorneys for estate. Mch 21,28;Apr.4,ll,18. Made in Springfield A DIRECTORY OF MERCHANTS AND BUSINESS MEN WHO WANT YOUR BUSINESS AND WILL GIVE YOU GOOD VALUES Patronize Home Industry EAT EGGIMANN'S War, Oat, Meal and Liberty Bread Day or Night PHONE 51 YOU GET ALL THE NEW8 THAT'S "MADE IN SPRINCFIFLD" EVERY THURSDAY IN THE flubscrlntlon $1.50 per year , Phone 2 rr-'H i rtrltllrMwbrt w '- He Ntcds Somebody to Sena Him another pooch ol Real GRAVELY Chewing Ping Uade Sara's Boys don't atk for muck is the way f osafrta-t good tobacco they must A few csnU spent for Real Gravely will buy more tobacpo tatitfaction than ay time tl moaey in ordinary plus;. Give any man a chaw of Roal Gravely Nuf.aml ka will tsll yea lhaft tho hint to tend. Send the best I Ordinary plu U falsa economy. It costs ! pr whK to chew Ileal Gravely, beeattse small ehow of It laats a Ion WhIfott smoke a PW. Gr.v.ty vrlth your k4fe and mii a little to yew .molting tobacco. It wUl give flavor-faBfroya your smoke. mm your mm in til u. s. sdwce a r&ucn er eaAvnv Dealers all around bare carry It In lOe. poddies. A 3c sump will put It Into his hands In any Training Camp or Sea. port of the U. S. A. Even "over tlicro" 3c sUnm will take it to hlra. Your dealor will supply envelope aad give yen offlcisl directions bow to address it. P. D. GRAVELY TOBACCO CO., BavU!e, Va. Tht PaUnt Pouch it Frtih anil CI tan and Good it (t not Rtat Gravel without thii Prottction nai Established 1B31 SEE US ABOUT Soiling your cream. It will pay you. Ask us about feed. EUQENB FARMERS CREAMERY. The Hun Specter Really Approaches Invest in the Third Liberty Loan Our System- of eyesight testing has no superior. Our 28 years of practical experience is be hind this system. No matter how excellent the mechanical work In a nair of classes, it counts for nothing unless tjie formula from which the lenseB aro ground is the correct ono for your oyes. THE FORMULA will only 1)0 correct when it Is based on the result of a careful examination. Consequently a thorough examination by a competent person Is tho first requisite for a satisfactory pair of. glasses. SHERMAN W. MOODY Broken Lenses EYE S1CHTSPECIALIST Fa6tory Quickly PQPJjeiAN on Replaced 001 WMamotto Stroot Premises TELEPHONE 362 NEW SERVICE We are authorized under the Federal Roserve Law to act as an Executor, Administrator, Guardian or Trustee. This Is a new service our officers will be glad to discuss with you. First National Bank, Eugene, Oregon JOB Made At the ItODERT DURNS Lodge, No. 78, A. M. F., Ancient and Accepted Scottish Tllto Uni versal and Symbolic Free Masons aeots first and third Friday oventac la W.'OV'W. J.Bali. Visiting brothers wel come. P. A. Johnson Secretary. Caas. KJngswcll R. "W. M. Moody's Deep-Curve Krypiok Lx rites Ara Uctter JL ELECTRICITY For light, heat and power. , "Made In Springfield." Oregon Power Co. ; PRINTING in Sprjnj. field News Office