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The Commoner
MAT, 1917
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How to Ray for the War
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Immense war appropriations are being con
sidered by congress. "We support tbeso appro
priations because a large sum of money must bo
immediately available.
Probably it will bo necessary to follow tbeso
appropriations with others.
The important tbing is to be clear in our own
minds as to bow to dcal with tbe indebtedness
which the issue of bonds and certificates will
represent.
The debt must be paid by taxation of all in
comes, except very small ones, on the lines sug
gested below. Our committee recommends that
incomes below $2,000 a year be exempt from
taxation, for the reason that people of such mod
erate means will bo taxed enough for the ixir
creased cost of living duo to the war.
This is the committee's policy. Wo believo
that it is a just one. It is also in substantial
accord with the policy of the President outlined
in his speech of April 2, when ho asked congress
to declare war. Speaking of the war, Mr. Wil
son said:
"It will involve also, of course, the granting of
adequate credits to the government, sustained,
I hope, so far as they can equitably be sustained
by the present generation, by well conceived
.taxation."
If these "adequate credits" (the war bonds
and cor tinea tea) aro not paid for by an Income
tax, how will they bo paid? They -will bo paid
chiefly by tho wago earning classes and the peo
ple of modorato means In taxes and rovenacif,
and in tho Increased cost of food, fuol, rent and
other necessaries of life, caused by high taxes
and revenues'. For, in tho long run, it !s tho
consumer who shoulders tho burden of taxation.
The country must havo largo and prompt ap
propriations. But lot us guard against hastily
adopting, during tho first emergency of war, un
wise and unjust methods of financo.
Wo ask tho earnest attention of every patri
otic citlzon to tho declaration and plodgo prist
ed below.
DECLARATION!
Will You Stand by Your Country?
In WAR, the country needs two things:
MEN and MONEY.
Rich and poor must be ready to make
patriotic sacrifices. But the poor man will
make the greatest sacrifice. He will do the
bulk of the fighting, because he forms the
bulk of the population. He will offer to
his country "more than life itself for, if
killed, or disabled, he leaves his wife and
children helpless, dependent on charity or
the state.
But war does not only demand its toll
of human life. It requires a limitless ex
penditure of money. Never in the history
of wars has money been so necessary to
military success. (Great Britain alone is
spending THIRTY-FIVE MILLION DOL
LARS a day as her share to the war's ex
pense.) What, then is the duty of all citizens of
means, those who have a comfortable suj
E. W. SCRIPPS '
JOHN P. WHITE
SAMUEL McCUNE LINDSAY v
HAROLD HOWLAND '
W. P. MONTAGUE
FREDERIC C. HOWE
A. J. KELWAY
plus, and especially all who will remain at
home protected by tho sacrifice of the na
tion's young manhood?. The least that can
be done by the men and women with bank
accounts, the men too old to fight, and all
other people of means who do not go to
the front, is to bear their share of the na
tion's burden by the free and prompt offer
ing of their wealth to the nation's cause.
America needs more than spoken loyalty
from its citizens who stay at home. It
needs real support.
In war, the burden of fighting must be
carried by those who aro physically strong
and fit to fight. The burden of financo must
be borne by those who are financially strong
and able to give. Above all, the war must
bo paid for as It proceeds, in dollars as
well as in lives. There must bo no crush
ing legacy of bonded debt to be paid in
taxes by the men who have done the fight-
JOHN L. ELLIOTT
OWEN R. LOVEJOY
HENRY MOSKOWITZ
JOHN J. HOPPER
AMOS PINCHOT - ' '
JOHN D. FACKLER
WDLL IRWIN
ing and their children. Lot us mako this
a cash war, a pay-as-you-enter war. Let
all loyal citizens who havo incomes abovo
their immediato necessities volunteer their
wealth.
Tho people of the United States have
never failed to respond to tnoir country's
need. They novor will. In our Civil War
a million men (a quartor of tho whole
population of military ago) volunteered at
Lincoln's call during tho first year. But
the nation's private fortunes did not vol
unteer. They declared for patriotism,
while they profited on tho country's neces
sity. Congressional committees disclosed
gigantic graft and thefts from tho govern
ment in war contracts. Tho public need
not bo remiided of tho experiences during
tho Spanish-American war. Lot us not
forget these bitter lessons of history.
In the name of honor, justice and tho
country you love, sign tho pledge below.
SUMNER GERARD
WILLIAM T. CREASY
GEORGE P. HAMPTON
ALEXANDER M. BING
GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY .
GEORGE W. ALGER
PLEDGE
I
I hereby request that the Congress of the United States shall immediately enact legislation providing substantially for the following measures:
lThat there shall be levied on all net in- other obligations issued for war purposes are venting tho of ie s of life during
comes in excecs of $2,000 (for unmarried per- paid. 4 That intentional failure to supply the
sons) and in excess of ?3,000 (for married 2That all war 8Uppiies or war service, in- government with correct figures as to income
Persons) an annual war tax, beginning at 2 duding transp0rtatIon, shall be furnished to tho Qr afl to proflta on Buch 8ales and service, and
Per cent, and increasing on a sliding scale to a government at a reasonable profit, to be fixed that tlirnlBhlns the government with defective
point which will permit of no individual retain- congreBB war 8UppHe8, shall bo a felony, punishable by
ing an annual net income in excess of $100,000, - i i,.i Wfc mnriRnnmpnt
such war tax to continue until all bonds and 3-That congress shall enact legislation pre- imprisonment
t,, i , a t 'm nble to further the prompt enactment into law of such measures.
I Pledge myself to support and use my influence, in so far as I am ame, 10 mriuei
Issued by AMERICAN COmnTTEE ON WAR
FINANCE, CO Broadway, New York
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