summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
-rw-r--r--.gitattributes4
-rw-r--r--LICENSE.txt11
-rw-r--r--README.md2
-rw-r--r--old/51055-0.txt1209
-rw-r--r--old/51055-0.zipbin23213 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/51055-h.zipbin112690 -> 0 bytes
-rw-r--r--old/51055-h/51055-h.htm1753
-rw-r--r--old/51055-h/images/cover.jpgbin86184 -> 0 bytes
8 files changed, 17 insertions, 2962 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7b82bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+*.txt text eol=lf
+*.htm text eol=lf
+*.html text eol=lf
+*.md text eol=lf
diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6312041
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
+the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org.
+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
+jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize
+this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright
+status under the laws that apply to them.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5851f5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #51055 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51055)
diff --git a/old/51055-0.txt b/old/51055-0.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 13a3e1b..0000000
--- a/old/51055-0.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,1209 +0,0 @@
-The Project Gutenberg eBook, Frenzied Liberty and The Myth of "A Rich
-Man's War", by Otto Hermann Kahn
-
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
-other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
-the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
-
-
-
-
-Title: Frenzied Liberty and The Myth of "A Rich Man's War"
-
-
-Author: Otto Hermann Kahn
-
-
-
-Release Date: January 27, 2016 [eBook #51055]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-
-***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRENZIED LIBERTY AND THE MYTH OF
-"A RICH MAN'S WAR"***
-
-
-E-text prepared by ellinora and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
-(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by
-Internet Archive (https://archive.org)
-
-
-
-Note: Images of the original pages are available through
- Internet Archive. See
- https://archive.org/details/frenziedlibertyt00kahn
-
-
-Transcriber’s note:
-
- Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
-
-
-
-
-
-FRENZIED LIBERTY
-
-The Myth of “A Rich Man’S War”
-
-by
-
-OTTO H. KAHN
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-Extracts from Address Given at the University of Wisconsin,
-Jan. 14, 1918
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-
-
- Part One
- Frenzied Liberty
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-
-
- FRENZIED LIBERTY
-
-
-We are engaged in a war, an “irrepressible conflict,” a most just and
-righteous war for a cause as high and noble as ever inspired a people to
-put forth its utmost of sacrifice and valor. To attain the end for which
-this peace-loving nation unsheathed its sword, to lay low and make
-powerless the accursed spirit which brought all this unspeakable misery,
-sorrow and ruin upon the world, is our one and supreme and unshakeable
-purpose.
-
-That is the purpose of the people of Wisconsin as it is the purpose of
-the people of New York and of every other State in the Union. I give no
-credence to and have no patience with those who would measure as with a
-thermometer the loyalty temperature of our communities. Some dreamers
-there may be, here as everywhere, so immersed in their dreams that the
-trumpet call of the day has not yet awakened them.
-
-Some politicians there may be, here and elsewhere, so obsessed by the
-issues which heretofore were good election assets and so unable to shake
-off the inveterate habits and the formulas and calculations of a
-lifetime, that they are unable to recognize and to share in the sudden
-flaming manifestations springing from the deep of the people’s soul—and
-after a while, looking around for their usual followers, find themselves
-in chilly loneliness.
-
-Some there are, a small minority always and getting smaller every day,
-among Americans of German birth or descent who lack the vision to see
-their duty or the strength to follow it, and who stand irresolute,
-hesitant and dazed.
-
-The vast and overwhelming majority have acted like true men and loyal
-Americans. They are entitled to claim your sympathetic understanding for
-the heartache which is theirs and they are entitled to claim your trust.
-It will not be misplaced. I am taking very little account of that
-insignificant number of men of German origin who, misguided or corrupt,
-dare by insidious and underground processes to attempt to weaken or
-oppose the resolute will of the Nation. There are too few of them to
-count and their manoeuvres are too clumsy to be effective. But let them
-be warned. There is sweeping through the country a mighty wave of stern
-and grim determination, which bodes ill for anyone standing in its way.
-
-
- II
-
-One element only there is in our population which does deliberately
-challenge our national unity. I mean the militant Bolsheviki in our
-midst, the preachers and devotees of liberty run amuck, who would place
-a visionary class interest above patriotism and who in ignorant
-fanaticism would substitute for the tyranny of autocracy the still more
-intolerable tyranny of mob-rule, as for the time being they have done in
-Russia.
-
-If it were not for the disablement of Russia, the battle against
-autocracy would have been won by now. As so often before, liberty has
-been wounded in the house of its friends. Liberty in the wild and
-freakish hands of fanatics has once more, as frequently in the past,
-proved the effective helpmate of autocracy and the twin brother of
-tyranny.
-
-Out-czaring the czar, its votaries are filling the prisons with their
-political opponents, are practising ruthless spoliation and savage
-oppression, and are maintaining their self-constituted rule by the force
-of bayonets. Riot, robbery, famine, fratricidal strife are stalking
-through the land.
-
-The deadliest foe of democracy is not autocracy but liberty frenzied.
-
-Liberty is not fool-proof. For its beneficent working it demands
-self-restraint, a sane and clear recognition of the practical and
-attainable and of the fact that there are laws of nature which are
-beyond our power to change.
-
-Liberty can, does and must limit the rights of the strong, it must
-increasingly guard and promote the well-being of those endowed with
-lesser gifts for the struggle for existence and success, it must strive
-in every way consistent with sane recognition of the realities to make
-life more worth living to those whose existence is cast in the mould of
-the vast average of mankind; it must give political equality, equality
-before the law; it must throw wide open to talent and worth the door of
-opportunity.
-
-But it must not attempt in fatuous recklessness to make over humanity on
-the pattern of absolute equality. If and when it does so attempt, it
-will fail as that attempt has always failed throughout history. For an
-inscrutable Providence has made inequality of endowment a fundamental
-law of nature, animate as well as inanimate, and from inequality of
-physical strength, of brain power and of character, springs inevitably
-the fact of inequality of results.
-
-Envy, demagogism, utopianism, well-meaning uplift agitation may throw
-themselves against that basic law of all being, but the clash will
-create merely temporary confusion, destruction and anarchy, as in
-Russia; and after a little while and much suffering, the supremacy of
-sanely restrained individualism over frenzied collectivism will reassert
-itself.
-
-
- III
-
-Under the system of wisely ordered liberty, combined with incentive to
-individual effort whereof the foundation was laid by the far-sighted and
-enlightened men who created this nation and endowed it with the most
-sagacious instrument of government that the wit of man has devised,
-America has grown and prospered beyond all other nations.
-
-It has stood as a republic for nearly a century and a half, which is far
-longer than any other genuine republic has endured amongst the great
-nations of the world since the beginning of the Christian era. Its past
-has been glorious, the vista of its future is one of boundless
-opportunity, of splendid fruitfulness for its own people and the world,
-if it remains but true to its principles and traditions, adjusting their
-expression and application to the changing needs of the times in a
-spirit of progress, sympathetic understanding and enlightened justice,
-but rejecting the teachings and temptations of false, though plausible
-prophets.
-
-More and more, of late, do we see the very foundations of that majestic
-and beneficent structure clamorously assailed by some of those to whom
-the great republic generously gave asylum and to whom she opened wide
-the portals of her freedom and her opportunities.
-
-These people with many hundreds of thousands of their countrymen came to
-our free shores after centuries of oppression and persecution. America
-gave them everything she had to give—the great gift of the rights and
-liberties of citizenship, free education in our schools and
-universities, free treatment in our clinics and hospitals, our boundless
-opportunities for social and material advancement.
-
-Most of them have proved themselves useful and valuable elements in our
-many-rooted population. Some of them have accomplished eminent
-achievements in science, industry and the arts. Certain of the qualities
-and talents which they contribute to the common stock are of great worth
-and promise.
-
-But some of them there are who have shown themselves unworthy of the
-trust of their fellow-citizens; ingrates, disturbers, ignorant of or
-disloyal to the spirit of America, abusers of her hospitality.
-
-_Some there are who have been blinded by the glare of liberty as a man
-is blinded who after long confinement in darkness, comes suddenly into
-the strong sunlight. Blinded, they dare to aspire to force their
-guidance upon Americans who for generations have walked in the light of
-liberty._
-
-_They have become drunk with the strong wine of freedom, these men who
-until they landed on America’s coasts had tasted nothing but the bitter
-water of tyranny. Drunk, they presume to impose their reeling gait upon
-Americans to whom freedom has been a pure and refreshing fountain for a
-century and a half._
-
-_Brooding in the gloom of age-long oppression, they have evolved a
-fantastic and distorted image of free government. In fatuous effrontery
-they seek to graft the growth of their stunted vision upon the splendid
-and ancient tree of American institutions._
-
-
- IV
-
-We will not have it so, we who are Americans by birth or adoption. We
-reject these impudent pretensions. Changes the American people will make
-as their need becomes apparent, improvements they welcome, the greatest
-attainable well-being for all those under our national roof-tree is
-their aim; but they will do all that in the American way of sane and
-orderly progress—and in none other.
-
-Against foes within no less than against enemies without they will know
-how to preserve and protect the splendid structure of light and order
-which is the great and treasured inheritance of all those who rightly
-bear the name Americans, of which the stewardship is entrusted to them
-and which, God willing, they will hand on to their children sound and
-wholesome, unshaken and undefiled.
-
-The time is ripe and over-ripe to call a halt upon these spreaders of
-outlandish and pernicious doctrines. The American is indulgent to a
-fault and slow to wrath. But he is now passing through a time of tension
-and strain. His teeth are set and his nerves on edge. He sees more
-closely approaching every day the dark valley through which his sons and
-brothers must pass and from which too many, alas, will not return. It is
-an evil time to cross him. He is not in the temper to be trifled with.
-He is apt very suddenly to bring down the indignant fist of his might
-upon those who would presume on his habitual mood of easy-going good
-nature.
-
-When I speak of the militant Bolsheviki in our midst as foes of national
-unity I mean to include those of American stock who are their allies,
-comrades or followers—those who put a narrow class interest and a sloppy
-internationalism above patriotism, with whom class hatred and envy have
-become a consuming passion, whom visionary obsessions and a false
-conception of equality have inflamed to the point of irresponsibility.
-But I am far from meaning to reflect upon those who, while determined
-Socialists, are patriotic Americans.
-
-I believe the Socialistic state to be an impracticable conception, a
-utopian dream, human nature being what it is, and the immutable laws of
-nature being what they are. But there is not a little in Socialistic
-doctrine and aspirations that is high and noble; there are things, too,
-that are achievable and desirable.
-
-And to the extent that Socialism is an antidote to and a check upon
-excessive individualism and holds up to a busy and self-centered and far
-from perfect world, grievances to be remedied, wrongs to be righted,
-ideals to be striven for, it is a force distinctly for good.
-
-Still less do I mean to reflect upon the labor union movement, which I
-regard as an absolutely necessary element in the scheme of our economic
-life. Its leaders have acted with admirable patriotism in this crisis of
-the Nation, and on the whole have been a factor against extreme
-tendencies and irrational aspirations.
-
-Trades unions have not only come to stay, but they are bound, I think,
-to become an increasingly potent factor in our industrial life. I
-believe that the most effective preventive against extreme State
-Socialism is frank, free and far-reaching co-operation between business
-and trades unions sobered and broadened increasingly by enhanced
-opportunities, rights and responsibilities.
-
-
- V
-
-Business must not deal grudgingly with labor. We business men must not
-look upon labor unrest and aspirations as temporary “troubles,” as a
-passing phase, but we must give to labor willing and liberal recognition
-as partner with capital. We must under all circumstances pay as a
-minimum a decent living wage to everyone who works for a living. We must
-devise means to cope with the problem of unemployment and to meet the
-dread advent of sickness, incapacity and old age in the case of those
-whose means do not permit them to provide for a rainy day.
-
-We must bridge the gulf which now separates the employer and the
-employee, the business man and the farmer, if the existing order of
-civilization is to persist. We must welcome progress and seek to further
-social justice. We must translate into effective action our sympathy for
-and our recognition of the rights of those whose life, in too many
-cases, is now a hard and weary struggle to make both ends meet, and who
-too often are oppressed by the gnawing care of how to find the
-wherewithal to provide for themselves and their families. We must, by
-deeds, demonstrate convincingly the genuineness of our desire to see
-their burden lightened.
-
-We must all join in a sincere and sustained effort towards procuring for
-the masses of the people more of ease and comfort, more of the rewards
-and joys of life than they now possess. I believe this is not only our
-duty but our interest, because if we wish to preserve the fundamental
-lines of our present social system we must leave nothing practicable
-undone to make it more satisfactory and more inviting than it is now to
-the vast majority of those who toil. And I do not mean those only who
-toil with their hands, but also the professional men, the men and women
-in modest salaried positions, in short, the workers in every occupation.
-
-Even before the war, a great stirring and ferment was going on in the
-land. The people were groping, seeking for a new and better condition of
-things. The war has intensified that movement. It has torn great
-fissures in the ancient structure of our civilization. To restore it
-will require the co-operation of all patriotic men of sane and temperate
-views, whatever may be their occupation or calling or political
-affiliations. It cannot be restored just as it was before.
-
-The building must be rendered more habitable and attractive to those
-whose claim for adequate houseroom cannot be left unheeded, either
-justly or safely. Some changes, essential changes, must be made.
-
-I have no fear of the outcome and of the readjustment which must come. I
-have no fear of the forces of freedom unless they be ignored, repressed
-or falsely and selfishly led.
-
-But this is not the time for settling complex social questions. When
-your house is being invaded by burglars you do not discuss family
-questions. Let us win the war first. Nothing else must now be permitted
-to occupy our thoughts and divert our aims.
-
-When we shall have attained victory and peace, then will be the time for
-us to sit down and reason together and make such changes in political
-and social conditions as, after full and fair discussion, free from heat
-and passion, the enlightened public opinion of the country deems
-requisite.
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-
-
- Part Two
-
- The Myth of
- “A Rich Man’s War”
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-
-
- THE MYTH OF
- “A RICH MAN’S WAR”
-
-
-Since Pacifism and semi-seditious agitation have become both unpopular
-and risky, the propagandists of disunion have been at pains in
-endeavoring to insidiously affect public sentiment by spreading the
-fiction that America’s entrance into the war was fomented by “big
-business” from selfish reasons and for the purpose of gain. In the same
-line of thought and purpose they proclaim that this is “a rich man’s war
-and a poor man’s fight” and that wealth is being taxed here with undue
-leniency as compared to the burden laid upon it in other countries.
-
-These assertions are in flat contradiction to the facts:
-
-Nothing is plainer than that business and business men had everything to
-gain by preserving the conditions which existed during the two and a
-half years prior to April, 1917, under which many of them made very
-large profits by furnishing supplies, provisions and financial aid to
-the Allied nations, taxes were light and this country was rapidly
-becoming the great economic reservoir of the world.
-
-Nothing is plainer than that any sane business man in this country must
-have foreseen that if America entered the war these profits would be
-immensely reduced, and some of them cut off entirely, because our
-Government would step in and take charge; that it would cut prices right
-and left, as in fact it has done; that enormous burdens of taxation
-would have to be imposed, the bulk of which would naturally be borne by
-the well-to-do; in short, that the unprecedented golden flow into the
-coffers of business was bound to stop with our joining the war; or, at
-any rate, to be much diminished.
-
-The best indication of the state of feeling of the financial community
-is usually the New York Stock Exchange. Well, every time a ship with
-Americans on board was sunk by a German submarine in the period
-preceding our entrance into the war, the stock market shivered and
-prices declined.
-
-When, a little over a year ago, Secretary Lansing declared that we were
-“on the verge of war,” a tremendous smash in prices took place on the
-Stock Exchange. That does not look, does it, as if rich men were
-particularly eager to bring on war or cheered by the prospect of having
-war?
-
-But, it is said, the big financiers of New York were afraid that the
-money loaned by them to the Allied nations might be lost if these
-nations were defeated, and therefore they manoeuvred to get America into
-the war in order to save their investments. A moment’s reflection will
-show the utter absurdity of that charge.
-
-American bankers have loaned to the Allied nations—almost entirely to
-the two strongest and wealthiest among them, France and England—about
-two billions of dollars since the war started in 1914.
-
-These two billions of dollars of Allied bonds are not held, however, in
-the coffers of Eastern bankers, but have been distributed throughout the
-country and are being owned by thousands of banks and other corporations
-and individuals.
-
-Moreover, they form an insignificant portion of the total debts of the
-Allied nations; they are offset a hundredfold by their total assets.
-Even if those nations were to have lost the war it is utterly
-inconceivable that they would ever have defaulted upon that particular
-portion of their debt, because, being their _foreign_ debt, it has a
-special standing and intrinsic security.
-
-It is upon the punctual payment of its foreign obligations that a
-nation’s credit in the markets of the world largely depends, and the
-maintenance of their world credit was and is absolutely vital to England
-and France. Furthermore, the greater portion of these obligations was
-secured by the deposit of collateral in the shape of American railroad
-and other bonds, etc., which were more than sufficient in value to cover
-the debt.
-
-But let us assume for argument’s sake that the Allies had been defeated
-and had defaulted, for the time being, upon these foreign debts; let us
-assume that the entire amount of Allied bonds placed in America had been
-held by rich men in New York and the East instead of being distributed,
-as it is, throughout the country. Why, is it not perfectly manifest that
-a single year’s American war taxation and reduction of profits would
-take out of the pockets of such assumed holders a vastly greater sum
-than any possible loss they could have suffered by a default on their
-Allied bonds, not to mention the heavy taxation which is bound to follow
-the war for years to come and the shrinkage of fortunes through the
-decline of all American securities in consequence of our entrance into
-the war?
-
-Is it not perfectly manifest to the meanest understanding that any
-business man fomenting our entrance into the war for the purpose of gain
-must have been entirely bereft of his senses and would have been a fit
-subject for the appointment of a guardian to take care of himself and
-his affairs?
-
-
- II
-
-Now as to the allegations concerning taxation: 1. The largest incomes
-are taxed far more heavily here than anywhere else in the world.
-
-The maximum rate of income taxation here is 67%. In England it is 42½%.
-Ours is therefore 50% higher than England’s and the rate in England is
-the highest prevailing anywhere in Europe. Neither republican France nor
-democratic England—containing in their cabinets Socialists and
-representatives of labor—nor autocratic Germany have an income tax rate
-anywhere near as high as our maximum rate. And in addition to the
-federal tax we must bear in mind our state and municipal taxes.
-
-2. Moderate and small incomes, on the other hand, are subject to a far
-smaller rate of taxation here than in England.
-
-In America, incomes of married men up to $2,000 are not subject to any
-federal income tax at all.
-
- In England the tax on incomes of $1,000 is 4½%
- In England the tax on incomes of 1,500 is 6¾%
- In England the tax on incomes of 2,000 is 7⅞%
-
-(These are the rates if the income is derived from salaries or wages;
-they are still higher if the income is derived from rents or
-investments.)
-
-The English scale of taxation on incomes of, say, $3,000, $5,000,
-$10,000 and $15,000, respectively averages as follows, as compared to
-the American rates for married men:
-
- In England In America
- Income tax rate on $3,000 14% ⅔ of 1%
- Income tax rate on 5,000 16% 1½%
- Income tax rate on 10,000 20% 3½%
- Income tax rate on 15,000 25% 5%
-
-(If we add the so-called “occupational” tax, our total taxation on
-incomes of $10,000 is 6¾%, and on incomes of $15,000, 9¾%.)
-
-In other words, our income taxation is more democratic than that of any
-other country, in that the largest incomes are taxed much more heavily,
-and the small and moderate incomes much more lightly than anywhere else,
-and incomes up to $2,000 for married men not taxed at all.
-
-3. It is true, on the other hand, that on very large incomes as
-distinguished from the largest incomes, our income tax is somewhat lower
-than the English tax, but the difference by which our tax is lower than
-the English tax is incomparably more pronounced in the case of small and
-moderate incomes than of large incomes. Moreover, if we add to our
-income tax our so-called excess profit tax, which is merely an
-additional income tax on earnings derived from business, we shall find
-that the total tax to which rich men are subject is in the great
-majority of cases heavier here than in England or anywhere else.
-
-4. It is likewise true that the English war excess profit tax is 80%
-(less various offsets and allowances) whilst our so-called excess profit
-tax ranges from 20% to 60%.
-
-But it is entirely misleading to base a conclusion as to the relative
-heaviness of the American and British tax merely on a comparison of the
-rates, because the English tax is assessed on a wholly different basis
-from the American tax. As a matter of fact, Congress has estimated that
-the 20% to 60% tax on the American basis will produce approximately the
-same amount in dollars and cents as the 80% tax is calculated to produce
-in England. (I know I shall be answered that we have twice the
-population of England and twice the wealth. But it must be borne in mind
-that a far larger proportion of our wealth is represented by farms and
-other non-industrial property and that a far larger proportion of our
-people than of the British people are engaged in agricultural pursuits
-which are not affected by the excess profit tax. I believe it will be
-found that the total wealth employed in business in America is not so
-greatly superior to the total wealth similarly employed by Great
-Britain.)
-
-_The American excess profit law so-called taxes all profits derived from
-business_ over and above a certain moderate percentage, regardless of
-whether or not such profits are the result of war conditions. The
-American tax is a general tax on income derived from business, in
-addition to the regular income tax. _The English tax applies only to
-excess war profits_; that is, only to the sum by which profits in the
-war years exceed the profits on the three years preceding the war, which
-in England were years of great prosperity.
-
-In other words, the English tax is nominally higher than ours, but it
-applies only to war profits. The normal profits of business, i. e., the
-profits which business used to make in peace time, are exempted in
-England. _There, only the excess over peace profits is taxed. Our tax,
-on the contrary, applies to all profits_ over and above a very moderate
-rate on the money invested in business.
-
-In short, our law-makers have decreed that normal business profits are
-taxed here much more heavily than in England, while direct war profits
-are taxed less heavily. You will agree with me in questioning both the
-logic and the justice of that method. It would seem that it would be
-both fairer and wiser and more in accord with public sentiment if the
-tax on business in general were decreased and, on the other hand, an
-increased tax were imposed on specific war profits.
-
-5. Our federal inheritance tax is far higher than it is in England or
-anywhere else. The maximum rate here on direct descendants is 27½% as
-against 20% in England. In addition to that we have State inheritance
-taxes which do not exist in England.
-
-6. Of her total actual war expenditures (exclusive of loans to her
-Allies and interest on war loans), England has raised less than 15% by
-taxation (France and Germany far less), while America is about to raise
-by taxation approximately 28% of her total war requirements (exclusive
-of loans to the Allied nations and of the amount to be invested in
-mercantile ships, which, being a productive investment, cannot properly
-be classed among war expenditures.)
-
-
- III
-
-Much is being said about the plausible sounding contention that because
-a portion of the young manhood of the Nation has been conscripted,
-therefore money also must be conscripted. Why, that is the very thing
-the Government has been doing. It has conscripted a portion, a
-relatively small portion, of the men of the Nation. It has conscripted a
-portion, a large portion, of the incomes of the Nation. If it went too
-far in conscripting men, the country would be crippled. If it went too
-far in conscripting incomes and earnings, the country would likewise be
-crippled.
-
-Those who would go further and conscript not only incomes but capital, I
-would ask to answer the riddle not only in what equitable and
-practicable manner they would do it,[1] but what the Nation would gain
-by it?
-
-Footnote 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 tax 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
-conscript a certain percentage of his possessions in stocks and bonds,
-what would the Government do with them?
-
-Keep them? That would not answer its purpose, because the Government
-wants cash, not securities.
-
-Sell them? Who is to buy them when everyone’s funds would be depleted?
-
-If they conscript a certain percentage of a man’s real estate or mine or
-farm or factory, how is that to be expressed and converted into cash?
-
-Are conscripted assets to be used as a basis for the issue of Federal
-Reserve Bank Notes? That would mean gross inflation with all its
-attendant evils, dangers and deceptions.
-
-Would they repudiate a percentage of the National debt? Repudiation is
-no less dishonorable in a people than in an individual, and the penalty
-for failure to respect the sanctity of obligations is no different for a
-nation than for an individual.
-
-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 has saved would be penalized, he who has wasted
-would be favored. Thrift and constructive effort, resulting in the
-needful and fructifying accumulation of capital would be arrested and
-lastingly discouraged.
-
-I can understand the crude notion of the man who would divide all
-possessions equally. There would be mighty little coming to anyone by
-such distribution and it is, of course, an utterly impossible thing to
-do, but it is an understandable notion. But by the confiscation of
-capital for Government use neither the Government nor any individual
-would be benefited.
-
-A vigorously progressive income tax is both economically and socially
-sound. A capital tax is wholly unsound and economically destructive. It
-may nevertheless become necessary in the case of some of the belligerent
-countries to resort to this expedient, but I can conceive of no
-situation likely to arise which would make it necessary or advisable in
-this country. More than ever would such a tax be harmful in times of war
-and post-bellum reconstruction, when beyond almost all other things it
-is essential to stimulate production and promote thrift, and when
-everything which tends to have the opposite effect should be rigorously
-rejected as detrimental to the Nation’s strength and well-being.
-
-There is an astonishing lot of hazy thinking on the subject of the uses
-of capital in the hands of its owners. The rich man can only spend a
-relatively small sum of money unproductively or selfishly. The money
-that it is in his power to actually waste is exceedingly limited. The
-bulk of what he has must be spent and used for productive purposes, just
-as would be the case if it were spent by the Government, with this
-difference, however, that, generally speaking, the individual is more
-painstaking and discriminating in the use of his funds and at the same
-time bolder, more imaginative, enterprising and constructive than the
-Government with its necessarily bureaucratic and routine regime possibly
-could be. Money in the hands of the individual is continuously and
-feverishly on the search for opportunities, i. e., for creative and
-productive use. In the hands of the Government it is apt to lose a good
-deal of its fructifying energy and ceaseless striving and to sink
-instead into placid and somnolent repose.
-
-Taxation presupposes earnings. Our credit structure is based upon
-values, and values are largely determined by earnings. Shrinkage of
-values necessarily affects our capacity to provide the Government with
-the sinews of war.
-
-There need not be and there should not be any conflict between profits
-and patriotism. I am utterly opposed to those who would utilize their
-country’s war as a means to enrich themselves. Extortionate profits must
-not be tolerated, but, on the other hand, there should be a reasonably
-liberal disposition toward business and a willingness to see it make
-substantial earnings. To deny this is to deny human nature.
-
-Men will give their lives to their country as a matter of plain and
-natural duty; men, without a moment’s hesitation, will quit their
-business and devote their entire time and energy and effort to the
-affairs of the Nation, as a great many have done and every one of us
-stands ready to do, without any thought of compensation. But, generally
-speaking, men will not take business risks, will not venture, will not
-be enterprising and constructive, will not take upon themselves the
-responsibilities, the chance of loss, the strain, the wear and tear and
-worry and care of intense business activity if they do not have the
-prospect of adequate monetary reward, even though a large part of that
-reward is taken away again in the shape of taxation.
-
-
- IV
-
-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 entire manhood to fight. It does
-not even call anywhere near its entire young manhood. It has called, or
-intends to call in the immediate future, perhaps 25% of its men between
-20 and 30 years of age, which means probably about 4% of its total male
-population of all ages. In other words, it calls only for such number of
-men as appears indicated by the needs of the country, and as corresponds
-to a prudent estimate of the task before it.
-
-I am far from meaning to compare the loss of income or profits with the
-risk of life or health to which men on the firing line are exposed, or
-to compare financial sacrifices to those willingly and proudly borne by
-the youth of our land and shared by those near and dear to them. But I
-do believe it to be a just contention—not in the interest of the
-individual, but of the welfare of the community—that the same principle
-which is applied in the case of the conscription of men should hold good
-for the conscription of income or profits; i. e., so much thereof should
-be taken by the State as is required by a prudent estimate of the task
-before it and as best promotes the accomplishment of that task, bearing
-in mind that the preservation of the country’s economic power is next in
-importance for winning the war to its military power. Vindictiveness,
-extremist theories and demagogism ought to have no place in arriving at
-that estimate.
-
-I have no patience with or tolerance for the “war profiteer,” as the
-term is understood. The “war hog” is a nuisance and an ignominy. He
-should be dealt with just as drastically as is possible without doing
-damage to national interests in the process. But neither have I patience
-with nor tolerance for the man who would use his country’s war as a
-means to promote his pet theories or his political fortunes at the
-expense of national unity at a time when we should all be united in
-mutual good will and co-operative effort.
-
-And if we do talk about the formula, “conscription of men—conscription
-of wealth,” let it be understood that we have called less than 5% of the
-Nation’s entire male population, but have called from incomes, business
-profits and other imposts falling principally on the well-to-do,
-approximately 90% of our war taxation, not to mention the contribution
-to the Red Cross, the Y. M. C. A. and other war relief activities.
-
-Let me add in passing that _the children of the well-to-do have been
-taken for the war in proportionately greater numbers than the children
-of the poor_, because those young men who are needed at home to support
-dependents or to maintain essential war industries are exempted from the
-draft.
-
-Moreover, to an overwhelming degree the sons of the well-to-do have not
-waited to be conscripted. They have volunteered in masses—a far greater
-percentage of them than those in less advantageous circumstances. That
-is merely as it should be. Having greater advantages, they have
-corresponding duties. Not having dependents to take care of, they can
-better afford to volunteer than those less fortunately situated.
-
-But the patriotic zeal of the sons of the well-to-do in coming forward
-to offer their lives to the country does give a doubly false and
-sickening sound to the ranting of the agitator who would arouse class
-hatred—who calls this “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight” when an
-overwhelming percentage of the sons of the men of means have eagerly and
-freely offered themselves for military service, when _the draft
-exemption regulations discriminate not, as in former wars, in favor of
-the rich man’s son but in favor of the poor woman’s son_, and when
-capital and business pay more than four-fifths of our war taxation
-directly and a large share of the remaining one-fifth indirectly.
-
-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 time of
-stress and strain, those must be willing to bear who can afford it,
-except only that limit which is imposed by the consideration that
-taxation must not reach a point where the business activity of the
-country becomes crippled, and its economic equilibrium is thrown out of
-gear, because that would harm every element of the commonwealth and
-diminish the war-making capacity of the Nation.
-
-
- V
-
-The question of the individual is not the one that counts. The question
-is not what sacrifices capital should and would be willing to bear if
-called upon, but what taxes it is _to the public advantage_ to impose.
-
-Taxation must be sound and wise and scientific, and cannot be laid in a
-haphazard way or on impulse or according to considerations of politics.
-Otherwise, the whole country will suffer. History has shown over and
-over again that the laws of economics cannot be defied with impunity and
-that the resulting penalty falls upon all sections and classes.
-
-I realize but too well that the burden of the abnormally high cost of
-living, caused largely by the war, weighs heavily indeed upon wage
-earners and still more upon men and women with moderate salaries. I
-yield to no one in my desire to see everything done that is practicable
-to have that burden lightened. But excessive taxation on capital will
-not accomplish that; on the contrary, it will rather tend to intensify
-the trouble.
-
-We men of business are ready and willing to be taxed in this emergency
-to the very limit of our ability, and to make contributions to war
-relief work and other good causes, without stint. The fact is that,
-generally speaking, capital engaged in business is now being taxed in
-America more heavily than anywhere else in the world. We are not
-complaining about this; we do not say that it may not become necessary
-to impose still further taxes; we are not whimpering and squealing and
-agitating, but—we do want the people to know what are the present facts,
-and we ask them not to give heed to the demagogue who would make them
-believe that we are escaping our share of the common burden.
-
-May I hope that I have measurably succeeded in demonstrating that the
-allegations with which the propagandists of disunion have been assailing
-the public mind are without foundation in fact. And may I add, in
-conclusion, that the charge of “big business” having fomented our
-entrance into the war is one which, apart from its intrinsic absurdity,
-is a hateful calumny. Business men, great or small, are no different
-from other Americans, and we reject the thought that any American, rich
-or poor, would be capable of the hideous and dastardly plot to bring
-upon his country the sorrows and sufferings of war in order to enrich
-himself.
-
-Business men are bound to be exceedingly heavy financial losers through
-America’s entrance into the war. Every element of self-interest should
-have caused them to use their utmost efforts to preserve America’s
-neutrality from which they drew so much profit during the two and a half
-years before April, 1917. Every consideration of personal advantage
-commanded men of affairs to stand with and support the agitation of the
-“peace-at-any-price” party. They spurned such ignoble reasoning; they
-rejected that affiliation; they stood for war when it was no longer
-possible, with safety and honor, to maintain peace, because they are
-patriotic citizens first and business men afterward.
-
-The insinuation that “big business” had any share in influencing our
-Government’s decision to enter the war is an insult to the President and
-Congress, a libel on American citizenship, and a malicious perversion or
-ignorant misconception of the facts. Those who continue to circulate
-that insinuation lay themselves open to just suspicion of their motives
-and should receive neither credence nor tolerance.
-
-
-
-
- * * * * * *
-
-
-
-
-Transcriber’s note:
-
-Obvious errors in spelling or punctuation have been corrected.
-
-
-
-***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRENZIED LIBERTY AND THE MYTH OF "A
-RICH MAN'S WAR"***
-
-
-******* This file should be named 51055-0.txt or 51055-0.zip *******
-
-
-This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
-http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/0/5/51055
-
-
-Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will
-be renamed.
-
-Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
-law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
-so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
-States without permission and without paying copyright
-royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
-of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
-concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
-and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive
-specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this
-eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook
-for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports,
-performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given
-away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks
-not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the
-trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
-
-START: FULL LICENSE
-
-THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
-PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
-
-To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
-distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
-(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
-Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at
-www.gutenberg.org/license.
-
-Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-
-1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
-and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
-(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
-the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
-destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your
-possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
-Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
-by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the
-person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph
-1.E.8.
-
-1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
-used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
-agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
-things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
-paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this
-agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
-
-1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
-Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
-of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual
-works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
-States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
-United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
-claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
-displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
-all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
-that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting
-free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm
-works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
-Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily
-comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
-same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when
-you share it without charge with others.
-
-1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
-what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
-in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
-check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
-agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
-distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
-other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no
-representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
-country outside the United States.
-
-1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
-
-1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
-immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear
-prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work
-on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the
-phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed,
-performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
-
- This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
- most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
- restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
- under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
- eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
- United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you
- are located before using this ebook.
-
-1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is
-derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
-contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
-copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
-the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
-redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
-either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
-obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
-
-1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
-with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
-must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
-additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
-will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works
-posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
-beginning of this work.
-
-1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
-License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
-work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
-
-1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
-electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
-prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
-active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm License.
-
-1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
-compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
-any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
-to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format
-other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official
-version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site
-(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
-to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
-of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain
-Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the
-full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
-
-1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
-performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
-unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
-
-1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
-access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-provided that
-
-* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
- the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
- you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
- to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has
- agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
- within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
- legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
- payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
- Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
- Literary Archive Foundation."
-
-* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
- you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
- does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
- License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
- copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
- all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm
- works.
-
-* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
- any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
- electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
- receipt of the work.
-
-* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
- distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
-
-1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than
-are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
-from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The
-Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
-
-1.F.
-
-1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
-effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
-works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
-Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
-contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
-or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
-intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
-other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
-cannot be read by your equipment.
-
-1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
-of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
-liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
-fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
-LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
-PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
-TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
-LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
-INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
-DAMAGE.
-
-1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
-defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
-receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
-written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
-received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
-with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
-with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
-lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
-or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
-opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
-the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
-without further opportunities to fix the problem.
-
-1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
-in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO
-OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
-LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
-
-1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
-warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
-damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
-violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
-agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
-limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
-unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
-remaining provisions.
-
-1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
-trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
-providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in
-accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
-production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
-including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
-the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
-or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or
-additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any
-Defect you cause.
-
-Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
-electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
-computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
-exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
-from people in all walks of life.
-
-Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
-assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
-goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
-remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
-and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future
-generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
-Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
-www.gutenberg.org
-
-Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation
-
-The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
-501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
-state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
-Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
-number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
-U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
-
-The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the
-mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its
-volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous
-locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt
-Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to
-date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and
-official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact
-
-For additional contact information:
-
- Dr. Gregory B. Newby
- Chief Executive and Director
- gbnewby@pglaf.org
-
-Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
-Literary Archive Foundation
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
-spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
-increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
-freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
-array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
-($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
-status with the IRS.
-
-The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
-charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
-States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
-considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
-with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
-where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
-DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular
-state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate
-
-While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
-have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
-against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
-approach us with offers to donate.
-
-International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
-any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
-outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
-
-Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
-methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
-ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
-donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate
-
-Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works.
-
-Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be
-freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
-distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of
-volunteer support.
-
-Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
-editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
-the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
-necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
-edition.
-
-Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search
-facility: www.gutenberg.org
-
-This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
-including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
-subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
-
diff --git a/old/51055-0.zip b/old/51055-0.zip
deleted file mode 100644
index edd9306..0000000
--- a/old/51055-0.zip
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/51055-h.zip b/old/51055-h.zip
deleted file mode 100644
index b7a0000..0000000
--- a/old/51055-h.zip
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ
diff --git a/old/51055-h/51055-h.htm b/old/51055-h/51055-h.htm
deleted file mode 100644
index 09243e5..0000000
--- a/old/51055-h/51055-h.htm
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,1753 +0,0 @@
-<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
- "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
-<head>
-<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
-<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Frenzied Liberty and The Myth of "A Rich Man's War", by Otto Hermann Kahn</title>
- <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" />
- <style type="text/css">
- body { margin-left: 8%; margin-right: 10%; }
- h1 { text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.4em; }
- h2 { text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.2em; }
- h3 { text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.2em; }
- .pageno { right: 1%; font-size: x-small; background-color: inherit; color: silver;
- text-indent: 0em; text-align: right; position: absolute;
- border: 1px solid silver; padding: 1px 3px; font-style: normal;
- font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; }
- /* .pageno:after { color: silver; content: attr(title); } */
- p { text-indent: 0; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; text-align: justify; }
- sup { vertical-align: top; font-size: 0.6em; }
- .sc { font-variant: small-caps; }
- .large { font-size: large; }
- .xlarge { font-size: x-large; }
- .small { font-size: small; }
- .lg-container-b { text-align: center; }
- @media handheld { .lg-container-b { clear: both; }}
- .linegroup { display: inline-block; text-align: left; }
- @media handheld { .linegroup { display: block; margin-left: 1.5em; }}
- .linegroup .group { margin: 1em auto; }
- .linegroup .line { text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em; }
- div.linegroup > :first-child { margin-top: 0; }
- div.footnote {}
- div.footnote > :first-child { margin-top: 1em; }
- div.footnote p { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: 0.0em; margin-bottom: 0.0em; }
- div.pbb { page-break-before: always; }
- hr.pb { border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid; margin-bottom:1em; }
- @media handheld { hr.pb { display: none; }}
- .chapter { clear: both; page-break-before: always;}
- .figcenter { clear: both; max-width: 100%; margin: 2em auto; text-align: center; }
- .figcenter img { max-width: 100%; height: auto; }
- .id001 { width:550px; }
- @media handheld { .id001 { margin-left:16%; width:68%; }}
- .ig001 { width:100%; }
- .table0 { margin: auto; }
- .nf-center { text-align: center; }
- .nf-center-c0 { text-align: left; margin: 0.5em 0; }
- .nf-center-c1 { text-align: left; margin: 1em 0; }
- p.drop-capa0_2_0_6 { text-indent: -0.2em; }
- p.drop-capa0_2_0_6:first-letter { float: left; margin: 0.100em 0.100em 0em 0em;
- font-size: 250%; line-height: 0.6em; text-indent: 0; }
- @media handheld {
- p.drop-capa0_2_0_6 { text-indent: 0; }
- p.drop-capa0_2_0_6:first-letter { float: none; margin: 0; font-size: 100%; }
- }
- .c000 { margin-top: 4em; }
- .c001 { margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; }
- .c002 { margin-top: 1em; }
- .c003 { page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em; }
- .c004 { margin-top: 2em; }
- .c005 { page-break-before:auto; margin-top: 4em; }
- .c006 { margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 0.0em; }
- .c007 { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: 0.0em; margin-bottom: 0.0em; }
- .c008 { page-break-before: always; margin-top: 2em; }
- .c009 { margin-top: 1em; text-indent: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.0em; }
- .c010 { page-break-before: auto; margin-top: 2em; }
- .c011 { vertical-align: top; text-align: left; padding-right: 1em; }
- .c012 { vertical-align: top; text-align: center; padding-right: 1em; }
- .c013 { vertical-align: top; text-align: center; }
- .c014 { text-decoration: none; }
- .c015 { border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid; width: 10%; margin-left: 0;
- margin-top: 1em; text-align: left; }
- .c016 { margin-top: 2em; text-indent: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.0em; }
- .pageno {border-style: none}
- .dblspace { word-spacing: .5em; }
-
- h1.pg { font-weight: bold;
- font-size: 190%; }
- h2.pg { font-weight: bold;
- font-size: 135%; }
- h3.pg { font-weight: bold;
- font-size: 110%; }
- hr.full { width: 100%;
- margin-top: 3em;
- margin-bottom: 0em;
- margin-left: auto;
- margin-right: auto;
- height: 4px;
- border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */
- border-style: solid;
- border-color: #000000;
- clear: both; }
- </style>
-</head>
-<body>
-<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Frenzied Liberty and The Myth of "A Rich
-Man's War", by Otto Hermann Kahn</h1>
-<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
-and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
-restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
-under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
-eBook or online at <a
-href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not
-located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the
-country where you are located before using this ebook.</p>
-<p>Title: Frenzied Liberty and The Myth of "A Rich Man's War"</p>
-<p>Author: Otto Hermann Kahn</p>
-<p>Release Date: January 27, 2016 [eBook #51055]</p>
-<p>Language: English</p>
-<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p>
-<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRENZIED LIBERTY AND THE MYTH OF "A RICH MAN'S WAR"***</p>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<h4 class="nf-center">E-text prepared by ellinora<br />
- and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br />
- (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br />
- from page images generously made available by<br />
- Internet Archive<br />
- (<a href="https://archive.org">https://archive.org</a>)</h4>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10">
- <tr>
- <td valign="top">
- Note:
- </td>
- <td>
- Images of the original pages are available through
- Internet Archive. See
- <a href="https://archive.org/details/frenziedlibertyt00kahn">
- https://archive.org/details/frenziedlibertyt00kahn</a>
- </td>
- </tr>
-</table>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<hr class="full" />
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-
-
-<div class='figcenter id001'>
-<img src='images/cover.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' />
-</div>
-<div class='pbb'>
- <hr class='pb c002' />
-</div>
-
-<div>
- <h1 class='c003'><span class='xlarge'>FRENZIED</span><br /><span class='xlarge'>LIBERTY</span></h1>
-</div>
-
-<div class='nf-center-c1'>
-<div class='nf-center c004'>
- <div><span class='large'>THE MYTH OF</span></div>
- <div><span class='large'>“A RICH MAN’S WAR”</span></div>
- <div class='c004'><span class='small'>BY</span></div>
- <div><span class='large'><span class='sc'>Otto H. Kahn</span></span></div>
- </div>
-</div>
-
-<div class='nf-center-c1'>
-<div class='nf-center c004'>
- <div><span class='small'>EXTRACTS FROM ADDRESS</span></div>
- <div><span class='small'>GIVEN AT THE UNIVERSITY</span></div>
- <div><span class='small'>OF WISCONSIN, JAN. 14, 1918</span></div>
- </div>
-</div>
-
-<div class='pbb'>
- <hr class='pb c002' />
-</div>
-
-<div class='nf-center-c0'>
-<div class='nf-center c000'>
- <div><span class='xlarge'>Part One</span></div>
- <div><span class='large'>Frenzied Liberty</span></div>
- </div>
-</div>
-
-<div class='pbb'>
- <hr class='pb c002' />
-</div>
-
-<div class='chapter'>
- <span class='pageno' title='5' id='Page_5'>[5]</span>
- <h2 class='c005'><span class='sc'>Frenzied Liberty</span></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p class='drop-capa0_2_0_6 c006'>We are engaged in a war, an “irrepressible
-conflict,” a most just and
-righteous war for a cause as high
-and noble as ever inspired a people to put
-forth its utmost of sacrifice and valor. To
-attain the end for which this peace-loving
-nation unsheathed its sword, to lay low
-and make powerless the accursed spirit
-which brought all this unspeakable misery,
-sorrow and ruin upon the world, is our
-one and supreme and unshakeable purpose.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>That is the purpose of the people of
-Wisconsin as it is the purpose of the
-people of New York and of every other
-State in the Union. I give no credence to
-and have no patience with those who
-would measure as with a thermometer
-the loyalty temperature of our communities.
-<span class='pageno' title='6' id='Page_6'>[6]</span>Some dreamers there may be, here as
-everywhere, so immersed in their dreams
-that the trumpet call of the day has not
-yet awakened them.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Some politicians there may be, here and
-elsewhere, so obsessed by the issues which
-heretofore were good election assets and
-so unable to shake off the inveterate
-habits and the formulas and calculations
-of a lifetime, that they are unable to
-recognize and to share in the sudden
-flaming manifestations springing from
-the deep of the people’s soul—and after a
-while, looking around for their usual
-followers, find themselves in chilly loneliness.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Some there are, a small minority always
-and getting smaller every day,
-among Americans of German birth or
-descent who lack the vision to see their
-duty or the strength to follow it, and who
-stand irresolute, hesitant and dazed.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The vast and overwhelming majority
-have acted like true men and loyal Americans.
-They are entitled to claim your
-sympathetic understanding for the heartache
-which is theirs and they are entitled
-to claim your trust. It will not be misplaced.
-<span class='pageno' title='7' id='Page_7'>[7]</span>I am taking very little account of that
-insignificant number of men of German
-origin who, misguided or corrupt, dare by
-insidious and underground processes to
-attempt to weaken or oppose the resolute
-will of the Nation. There are too few of
-them to count and their manoeuvres are
-too clumsy to be effective. But let them
-be warned. There is sweeping through
-the country a mighty wave of stern and
-grim determination, which bodes ill for
-anyone standing in its way.</p>
-
-<h3 class='c008'>II</h3>
-
-<p class='c009'>One element only there is in our
-population which does deliberately
-challenge our national unity. I
-mean the militant Bolsheviki in our midst,
-the preachers and devotees of liberty run
-amuck, who would place a visionary class
-interest above patriotism and who in
-ignorant fanaticism would substitute for
-the tyranny of autocracy the still more
-intolerable tyranny of mob-rule, as for
-the time being they have done in Russia.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>If it were not for the disablement of
-Russia, the battle against autocracy
-<span class='pageno' title='8' id='Page_8'>[8]</span>would have been won by now. As so
-often before, liberty has been wounded
-in the house of its friends. Liberty in
-the wild and freakish hands of fanatics
-has once more, as frequently in the past,
-proved the effective helpmate of autocracy
-and the twin brother of tyranny.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Out-czaring the czar, its votaries are
-filling the prisons with their political opponents,
-are practising ruthless spoliation
-and savage oppression, and are maintaining
-their self-constituted rule by the
-force of bayonets. Riot, robbery, famine,
-fratricidal strife are stalking through the
-land.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The deadliest foe of democracy is not
-autocracy but liberty frenzied.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Liberty is not fool-proof. For its beneficent
-working it demands self-restraint,
-a sane and clear recognition of the practical
-and attainable and of the fact that
-there are laws of nature which are
-beyond our power to change.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Liberty can, does and must limit the
-rights of the strong, it must increasingly
-guard and promote the well-being of
-those endowed with lesser gifts for the
-<span class='pageno' title='9' id='Page_9'>[9]</span>struggle for existence and success, it
-must strive in every way consistent with
-sane recognition of the realities to make
-life more worth living to those whose
-existence is cast in the mould of the vast
-average of mankind; it must give political
-equality, equality before the law; it must
-throw wide open to talent and worth the
-door of opportunity.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>But it must not attempt in fatuous
-recklessness to make over humanity on
-the pattern of absolute equality. If and
-when it does so attempt, it will fail as
-that attempt has always failed throughout
-history. For an inscrutable Providence
-has made inequality of endowment
-a fundamental law of nature, animate as
-well as inanimate, and from inequality of
-physical strength, of brain power and of
-character, springs inevitably the fact of
-inequality of results.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Envy, demagogism, utopianism, well-meaning
-uplift agitation may throw
-themselves against that basic law of
-all being, but the clash will create
-merely temporary confusion, destruction
-and anarchy, as in Russia; and after
-a little while and much suffering,
-<span class='pageno' title='10' id='Page_10'>[10]</span>the supremacy of sanely restrained individualism
-over frenzied collectivism
-will reassert itself.</p>
-
-<h3 class='c008'>III</h3>
-
-<p class='c009'>Under the system of wisely ordered
-liberty, combined with incentive
-to individual effort whereof the
-foundation was laid by the far-sighted and
-enlightened men who created this nation
-and endowed it with the most sagacious
-instrument of government that the wit of
-man has devised, America has grown and
-prospered beyond all other nations.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>It has stood as a republic for nearly a
-century and a half, which is far longer
-than any other genuine republic has endured
-amongst the great nations of the
-world since the beginning of the Christian
-era. Its past has been glorious, the vista
-of its future is one of boundless opportunity,
-of splendid fruitfulness for its own
-people and the world, if it remains but
-true to its principles and traditions, adjusting
-their expression and application to
-the changing needs of the times in a spirit
-of progress, sympathetic understanding
-<span class='pageno' title='11' id='Page_11'>[11]</span>and enlightened justice, but rejecting the
-teachings and temptations of false,
-though plausible prophets.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>More and more, of late, do we see the
-very foundations of that majestic and
-beneficent structure clamorously assailed
-by some of those to whom the great republic
-generously gave asylum and to
-whom she opened wide the portals of her
-freedom and her opportunities.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>These people with many hundreds of
-thousands of their countrymen came to
-our free shores after centuries of oppression
-and persecution. America gave
-them everything she had to give—the
-great gift of the rights and liberties of
-citizenship, free education in our schools
-and universities, free treatment in our
-clinics and hospitals, our boundless opportunities
-for social and material advancement.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Most of them have proved themselves
-useful and valuable elements in our many-rooted
-population. Some of them have
-accomplished eminent achievements in
-science, industry and the arts. Certain
-of the qualities and talents which they
-contribute to the common stock are of
-great worth and promise.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='12' id='Page_12'>[12]</span>But some of them there are who have
-shown themselves unworthy of the trust
-of their fellow-citizens; ingrates, disturbers,
-ignorant of or disloyal to the spirit of
-America, abusers of her hospitality.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><i>Some there are who have been blinded by
-the glare of liberty as a man is blinded who
-after long confinement in darkness, comes
-suddenly into the strong sunlight. Blinded,
-they dare to aspire to force their guidance
-upon Americans who for generations have
-walked in the light of liberty.</i></p>
-
-<p class='c007'><i>They have become drunk with the strong
-wine of freedom, these men who until they
-landed on America’s coasts had tasted nothing
-but the bitter water of tyranny. Drunk,
-they presume to impose their reeling gait
-upon Americans to whom freedom has been
-a pure and refreshing fountain for a century
-and a half.</i></p>
-
-<p class='c007'><i>Brooding in the gloom of age-long oppression,
-they have evolved a fantastic and
-distorted image of free government. In
-fatuous effrontery they seek to graft the
-growth of their stunted vision upon the
-splendid and ancient tree of American
-institutions.</i></p>
-
-<div>
- <span class='pageno' title='13' id='Page_13'>[13]</span>
-<h3 class='c008'>IV</h3>
-</div>
-
-<p class='c009'>We will not have it so, we who are
-Americans by birth or adoption.
-We reject these impudent pretensions.
-Changes the American people will
-make as their need becomes apparent, improvements
-they welcome, the greatest
-attainable well-being for all those under
-our national roof-tree is their aim; but
-they will do all that in the American way
-of sane and orderly progress—and in none
-other.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Against foes within no less than against
-enemies without they will know how to
-preserve and protect the splendid structure
-of light and order which is the great and
-treasured inheritance of all those who
-rightly bear the name Americans, of
-which the stewardship is entrusted to
-them and which, God willing, they will
-hand on to their children sound and
-wholesome, unshaken and undefiled.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The time is ripe and over-ripe to call a
-halt upon these spreaders of outlandish
-and pernicious doctrines. The American
-is indulgent to a fault and slow to wrath.
-But he is now passing through a time of
-<span class='pageno' title='14' id='Page_14'>[14]</span>tension and strain. His teeth are set and
-his nerves on edge. He sees more closely
-approaching every day the dark valley
-through which his sons and brothers must
-pass and from which too many, alas, will
-not return. It is an evil time to cross
-him. He is not in the temper to be
-trifled with. He is apt very suddenly to
-bring down the indignant fist of his might
-upon those who would presume on his
-habitual mood of easy-going good nature.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>When I speak of the militant Bolsheviki
-in our midst as foes of national
-unity I mean to include those of American
-stock who are their allies, comrades or
-followers—those who put a narrow class
-interest and a sloppy internationalism
-above patriotism, with whom class hatred
-and envy have become a consuming passion,
-whom visionary obsessions and a
-false conception of equality have inflamed
-to the point of irresponsibility. But I am
-far from meaning to reflect upon those
-who, while determined Socialists, are
-patriotic Americans.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>I believe the Socialistic state to be an
-impracticable conception, a utopian
-dream, human nature being what it is,
-<span class='pageno' title='15' id='Page_15'>[15]</span>and the immutable laws of nature being
-what they are. But there is not a little in
-Socialistic doctrine and aspirations that is
-high and noble; there are things, too, that
-are achievable and desirable.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>And to the extent that Socialism is an
-antidote to and a check upon excessive
-individualism and holds up to a busy and
-self-centered and far from perfect world,
-grievances to be remedied, wrongs to be
-righted, ideals to be striven for, it is a
-force distinctly for good.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Still less do I mean to reflect upon the
-labor union movement, which I regard as
-an absolutely necessary element in the
-scheme of our economic life. Its leaders
-have acted with admirable patriotism in
-this crisis of the Nation, and on the whole
-have been a factor against extreme
-tendencies and irrational aspirations.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Trades unions have not only come to
-stay, but they are bound, I think, to become
-an increasingly potent factor in our
-industrial life. I believe that the most
-effective preventive against extreme
-State Socialism is frank, free and far-reaching
-co-operation between business
-and trades unions sobered and broadened
-<span class='pageno' title='16' id='Page_16'>[16]</span>increasingly by enhanced opportunities,
-rights and responsibilities.</p>
-
-<h3 class='c008'>V</h3>
-
-<p class='c009'>Business must not deal grudgingly
-with labor. We business men must not
-look upon labor unrest and aspirations as
-temporary “troubles,” as a passing phase,
-but we must give to labor willing and
-liberal recognition as partner with capital.
-We must under all circumstances
-pay as a minimum a decent living wage to
-everyone who works for a living. We
-must devise means to cope with the problem
-of unemployment and to meet the
-dread advent of sickness, incapacity and
-old age in the case of those whose means
-do not permit them to provide for a rainy
-day.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>We must bridge the gulf which now
-separates the employer and the employee,
-the business man and the farmer, if the
-existing order of civilization is to persist.
-We must welcome progress and seek to
-further social justice. We must translate
-into effective action our sympathy for and
-<span class='pageno' title='17' id='Page_17'>[17]</span>our recognition of the rights of those
-whose life, in too many cases, is now a
-hard and weary struggle to make both
-ends meet, and who too often are oppressed
-by the gnawing care of how to
-find the wherewithal to provide for themselves
-and their families. We must, by
-deeds, demonstrate convincingly the genuineness
-of our desire to see their burden
-lightened.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>We must all join in a sincere and sustained
-effort towards procuring for the
-masses of the people more of ease and
-comfort, more of the rewards and joys of
-life than they now possess. I believe
-this is not only our duty but our interest,
-because if we wish to preserve the
-fundamental lines of our present social
-system we must leave nothing practicable
-undone to make it more satisfactory and
-more inviting than it is now to the vast
-majority of those who toil. And I do not
-mean those only who toil with their hands,
-but also the professional men, the men
-and women in modest salaried positions,
-in short, the workers in every occupation.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Even before the war, a great stirring
-and ferment was going on in the land.
-<span class='pageno' title='18' id='Page_18'>[18]</span>The people were groping, seeking for a
-new and better condition of things. The
-war has intensified that movement. It
-has torn great fissures in the ancient
-structure of our civilization. To restore
-it will require the co-operation of all
-patriotic men of sane and temperate
-views, whatever may be their occupation
-or calling or political affiliations. It cannot
-be restored just as it was before.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The building must be rendered more
-habitable and attractive to those whose
-claim for adequate houseroom cannot
-be left unheeded, either justly or safely.
-Some changes, essential changes, must
-be made.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>I have no fear of the outcome and of the
-readjustment which must come. I have
-no fear of the forces of freedom unless
-they be ignored, repressed or falsely and
-selfishly led.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>But this is not the time for settling
-complex social questions. When your
-house is being invaded by burglars you
-do not discuss family questions. Let us
-win the war first. Nothing else must now
-be permitted to occupy our thoughts and
-divert our aims.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='19' id='Page_19'>[19]</span>When we shall have attained victory
-and peace, then will be the time for us to
-sit down and reason together and make
-such changes in political and social conditions
-as, after full and fair discussion,
-free from heat and passion, the enlightened
-public opinion of the country deems
-requisite.</p>
-<div class='pbb'>
- <hr class='pb c002' />
-</div>
-
-<div class='nf-center-c0'>
-<div class='nf-center c000'>
- <div><span class='xlarge'>Part Two</span></div>
- <div class='c002'><span class='large'>The Myth of</span></div>
- <div><span class='large'>“A Rich Man’s War”</span></div>
- </div>
-</div>
-
-<div class='pbb'>
- <hr class='pb c002' />
-</div>
-
-<div class='chapter'>
- <span class='pageno' title='23' id='Page_23'>[23]</span>
- <h2 class='c005'><span class='sc'>The Myth of</span> <br /> <span class='sc'>“A Rich Man’s War”</span></h2>
-</div>
-
-<p class='drop-capa0_2_0_6 c006'>Since Pacifism and semi-seditious
-agitation have become both unpopular
-and risky, the propagandists of
-disunion have been at pains in endeavoring
-to insidiously affect public sentiment by
-spreading the fiction that America’s
-entrance into the war was fomented by
-“big business” from selfish reasons and for
-the purpose of gain. In the same line of
-thought and purpose they proclaim that
-this is “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s
-fight” and that wealth is being taxed here
-with undue leniency as compared to the
-burden laid upon it in other countries.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>These assertions are in flat contradiction
-to the facts:</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Nothing is plainer than that business
-and business men had everything to gain
-by preserving the conditions which existed
-during the two and a half years prior
-to April, 1917, under which many of them
-<span class='pageno' title='24' id='Page_24'>[24]</span>made very large profits by furnishing
-supplies, provisions and financial aid to
-the Allied nations, taxes were light and
-this country was rapidly becoming the
-great economic reservoir of the world.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Nothing is plainer than that any sane
-business man in this country must have
-foreseen that if America entered the war
-these profits would be immensely reduced,
-and some of them cut off entirely, because
-our Government would step in and
-take charge; that it would cut prices right
-and left, as in fact it has done; that
-enormous burdens of taxation would have
-to be imposed, the bulk of which would
-naturally be borne by the well-to-do; in
-short, that the unprecedented golden
-flow into the coffers of business was bound
-to stop with our joining the war; or, at
-any rate, to be much diminished.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The best indication of the state of
-feeling of the financial community is
-usually the New York Stock Exchange.
-Well, every time a ship with Americans
-on board was sunk by a German submarine
-in the period preceding our entrance
-into the war, the stock market
-shivered and prices declined.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='25' id='Page_25'>[25]</span>When, a little over a year ago, Secretary
-Lansing declared that we were “on
-the verge of war,” a tremendous smash in
-prices took place on the Stock Exchange.
-That does not look, does it, as if rich men
-were particularly eager to bring on war or
-cheered by the prospect of having war?</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>But, it is said, the big financiers of New
-York were afraid that the money loaned
-by them to the Allied nations might be
-lost if these nations were defeated, and
-therefore they manoeuvred to get America
-into the war in order to save their investments.
-A moment’s reflection will
-show the utter absurdity of that charge.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>American bankers have loaned to the
-Allied nations—almost entirely to the
-two strongest and wealthiest among them,
-France and England—about two billions
-of dollars since the war started in 1914.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>These two billions of dollars of Allied
-bonds are not held, however, in the
-coffers of Eastern bankers, but have been
-distributed throughout the country and
-are being owned by thousands of banks
-and other corporations and individuals.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Moreover, they form an insignificant
-portion of the total debts of the Allied
-<span class='pageno' title='26' id='Page_26'>[26]</span>nations; they are offset a hundredfold by
-their total assets. Even if those nations
-were to have lost the war it is utterly inconceivable
-that they would ever have
-defaulted upon that particular portion of
-their debt, because, being their <em>foreign</em>
-debt, it has a special standing and intrinsic
-security.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>It is upon the punctual payment of its
-foreign obligations that a nation’s credit
-in the markets of the world largely
-depends, and the maintenance of their
-world credit was and is absolutely vital
-to England and France. Furthermore,
-the greater portion of these obligations
-was secured by the deposit of collateral
-in the shape of American railroad and
-other bonds, etc., which were more than
-sufficient in value to cover the debt.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>But let us assume for argument’s sake
-that the Allies had been defeated and had
-defaulted, for the time being, upon these
-foreign debts; let us assume that the entire
-amount of Allied bonds placed in
-America had been held by rich men in
-New York and the East instead of being
-distributed, as it is, throughout the
-country. Why, is it not perfectly manifest
-<span class='pageno' title='27' id='Page_27'>[27]</span>that a single year’s American war
-taxation and reduction of profits would
-take out of the pockets of such assumed
-holders a vastly greater sum than any
-possible loss they could have suffered by
-a default on their Allied bonds, not to
-mention the heavy taxation which is
-bound to follow the war for years to
-come and the shrinkage of fortunes
-through the decline of all American
-securities in consequence of our entrance
-into the war?</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Is it not perfectly manifest to the
-meanest understanding that any business
-man fomenting our entrance into the war
-for the purpose of gain must have been
-entirely bereft of his senses and would
-have been a fit subject for the appointment
-of a guardian to take care of
-himself and his affairs?</p>
-
-<h3 class='c010'>II</h3>
-
-<p class='c009'>Now as to the allegations concerning
-taxation: 1. The largest incomes
-are taxed far more heavily here
-than anywhere else in the world.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='28' id='Page_28'>[28]</span>The maximum rate of income taxation
-here is 67%. In England it is 42½%.
-Ours is therefore 50% higher than England’s
-and the rate in England is the
-highest prevailing anywhere in Europe.
-Neither republican France nor democratic
-England—containing in their cabinets
-Socialists and representatives of
-labor—nor autocratic Germany have an
-income tax rate anywhere near as high as
-our maximum rate. And in addition to
-the federal tax we must bear in mind our
-state and municipal taxes.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>2. Moderate and small incomes, on the
-other hand, are subject to a far smaller
-rate of taxation here than in England.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>In America, incomes of married men
-up to $2,000 are not subject to any
-federal income tax at all.</p>
-
-<div class='lg-container-b c002'>
- <div class='linegroup'>
- <div class='group'>
- <div class='line'>In England the tax on incomes of $1,000 is 4½%</div>
- <div class='line'>In England the tax on incomes <span class="dblspace">of 1,500</span> is 6¾%</div>
- <div class='line'>In England the tax on incomes <span class="dblspace">of 2,000</span> is 7⅞%</div>
- </div>
- </div>
-</div>
-
-<p class='c007'>(These are the rates if the income is
-derived from salaries or wages; they are
-still higher if the income is derived from
-rents or investments.)</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The English scale of taxation on incomes
-of, say, $3,000, $5,000, $10,000 and
-<span class='pageno' title='29' id='Page_29'>[29]</span>$15,000, respectively averages as follows,
-as compared to the American rates for
-married men:</p>
-
-<table class='table0' summary='Income tax rates in England and America'>
- <tr>
- <th class='c011'>&nbsp;</th>
- <th class='c012'>In England</th>
- <th class='c013'>In America</th>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td class='c011'>Income tax rate on $3,000</td>
- <td class='c012'>14%</td>
- <td class='c013'>⅔ of 1%</td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td class='c011'>Income tax rate <span class="dblspace">on 5,000</span></td>
- <td class='c012'>16%</td>
- <td class='c013'>1½%</td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td class='c011'>Income tax rate on 10,000</td>
- <td class='c012'>20%</td>
- <td class='c013'>3½%</td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td class='c011'>Income tax rate on 15,000</td>
- <td class='c012'>25%</td>
- <td class='c013'>5%</td>
- </tr>
-</table>
-
-<p class='c009'>(If we add the so-called “occupational”
-tax, our total taxation on incomes of
-$10,000 is 6¾%, and on incomes of
-$15,000, 9¾%.)</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>In other words, our income taxation is
-more democratic than that of any other
-country, in that the largest incomes are
-taxed much more heavily, and the small
-and moderate incomes much more lightly
-than anywhere else, and incomes up to
-$2,000 for married men not taxed at all.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>3. It is true, on the other hand, that
-on very large incomes as distinguished
-from the largest incomes, our income tax
-is somewhat lower than the English tax,
-but the difference by which our tax is
-lower than the English tax is incomparably
-more pronounced in the case of
-small and moderate incomes than of
-large incomes. Moreover, if we add to
-<span class='pageno' title='30' id='Page_30'>[30]</span>our income tax our so-called excess
-profit tax, which is merely an additional
-income tax on earnings derived from
-business, we shall find that the total tax
-to which rich men are subject is in the
-great majority of cases heavier here than
-in England or anywhere else.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>4. It is likewise true that the English
-war excess profit tax is 80% (less various
-offsets and allowances) whilst our so-called
-excess profit tax ranges from 20%
-to 60%.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>But it is entirely misleading to base a
-conclusion as to the relative heaviness of
-the American and British tax merely on
-a comparison of the rates, because the
-English tax is assessed on a wholly different
-basis from the American tax. As
-a matter of fact, Congress has estimated
-that the 20% to 60% tax on the American
-basis will produce approximately the
-same amount in dollars and cents as the
-80% tax is calculated to produce in
-England. (I know I shall be answered
-that we have twice the population of
-England and twice the wealth. But it
-must be borne in mind that a far larger
-proportion of our wealth is represented
-<span class='pageno' title='31' id='Page_31'>[31]</span>by farms and other non-industrial property
-and that a far larger proportion of
-our people than of the British people are
-engaged in agricultural pursuits which
-are not affected by the excess profit tax.
-I believe it will be found that the total
-wealth employed in business in America
-is not so greatly superior to the total
-wealth similarly employed by Great
-Britain.)</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><em>The American excess profit law so-called
-taxes all profits derived from business</em> over
-and above a certain moderate percentage,
-regardless of whether or not such profits
-are the result of war conditions. The
-American tax is a general tax on income
-derived from business, in addition to the
-regular income tax. <em>The English tax
-applies only to excess war profits</em>; that is,
-only to the sum by which profits in the
-war years exceed the profits on the three
-years preceding the war, which in England
-were years of great prosperity.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>In other words, the English tax is
-nominally higher than ours, but it
-applies only to war profits. The normal
-profits of business, i. e., the profits which
-business used to make in peace time,
-<span class='pageno' title='32' id='Page_32'>[32]</span>are exempted in England. <em>There, only the
-excess over peace profits is taxed. Our tax,
-on the contrary, applies to all profits</em> over
-and above a very moderate rate on the
-money invested in business.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>In short, our law-makers have decreed
-that normal business profits are taxed
-here much more heavily than in England,
-while direct war profits are taxed less
-heavily. You will agree with me in
-questioning both the logic and the justice
-of that method. It would seem that it
-would be both fairer and wiser and more
-in accord with public sentiment if the
-tax on business in general were decreased
-and, on the other hand, an increased tax
-were imposed on specific war profits.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>5. Our federal inheritance tax is far
-higher than it is in England or anywhere
-else. The maximum rate here on direct
-descendants is 27½% as against 20% in
-England. In addition to that we have
-State inheritance taxes which do not
-exist in England.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>6. Of her total actual war expenditures
-(exclusive of loans to her Allies and interest
-on war loans), England has raised
-less than 15% by taxation (France and
-<span class='pageno' title='33' id='Page_33'>[33]</span>Germany far less), while America is
-about to raise by taxation approximately
-28% of her total war requirements (exclusive
-of loans to the Allied nations and
-of the amount to be invested in mercantile
-ships, which, being a productive
-investment, cannot properly be classed
-among war expenditures.)</p>
-
-<h3 class='c008'>III</h3>
-
-<p class='c009'>Much is being said about the
-plausible sounding contention that
-because a portion of the young
-manhood of the Nation has been conscripted,
-therefore money also must be
-conscripted. Why, that is the very
-thing the Government has been
-doing. It has conscripted a portion, a
-relatively small portion, of the men of the
-Nation. It has conscripted a portion, a
-large portion, of the incomes of the Nation.
-If it went too far in conscripting men, the
-country would be crippled. If it went
-too far in conscripting incomes and earnings,
-the country would likewise be
-crippled.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='34' id='Page_34'>[34]</span>Those who would go further and conscript
-not only incomes but capital, I
-would ask to answer the riddle not only
-in what equitable and practicable manner
-they would do it,<a id='r1' /><a href='#f1' class='c014'><sup>[1]</sup></a> but what the Nation
-would gain by it?</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Only a trifling fraction of a man’s
-property is held in cash. If they conscript
-a certain percentage of his possessions
-in stocks and bonds, what would the
-Government do with them?</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Keep them? That would not answer
-its purpose, because the Government
-wants cash, not securities.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Sell them? Who is to buy them when
-everyone’s funds would be depleted?</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>If they conscript a certain percentage
-of a man’s real estate or mine or farm or
-factory, how is that to be expressed and
-converted into cash?</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Are conscripted assets to be used as a
-basis for the issue of Federal Reserve
-Bank Notes? That would mean gross
-<span class='pageno' title='35' id='Page_35'>[35]</span>inflation with all its attendant evils,
-dangers and deceptions.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Would they repudiate a percentage of
-the National debt? Repudiation is no
-less dishonorable in a people than in an
-individual, and the penalty for failure to
-respect the sanctity of obligations is no
-different for a nation than for an individual.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>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 has saved would be penalized,
-he who has wasted would be favored.
-Thrift and constructive effort, resulting
-in the needful and fructifying accumulation
-of capital would be arrested and
-lastingly discouraged.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>I can understand the crude notion of
-the man who would divide all possessions
-equally. There would be mighty little
-coming to anyone by such distribution
-and it is, of course, an utterly impossible
-thing to do, but it is an understandable
-notion. But by the confiscation of
-capital for Government use neither the
-Government nor any individual would be
-benefited.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='36' id='Page_36'>[36]</span>A vigorously progressive income tax is
-both economically and socially sound.
-A capital tax is wholly unsound and
-economically destructive. It may nevertheless
-become necessary in the case of
-some of the belligerent countries to
-resort to this expedient, but I can conceive
-of no situation likely to arise which
-would make it necessary or advisable in
-this country. More than ever would
-such a tax be harmful in times of war and
-post-bellum reconstruction, when beyond
-almost all other things it is essential to
-stimulate production and promote thrift,
-and when everything which tends to
-have the opposite effect should be rigorously
-rejected as detrimental to the
-Nation’s strength and well-being.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>There is an astonishing lot of hazy
-thinking on the subject of the uses of
-capital in the hands of its owners. The
-rich man can only spend a relatively
-small sum of money unproductively or
-selfishly. The money that it is in his
-power to actually waste is exceedingly
-limited. The bulk of what he has must be
-spent and used for productive purposes,
-just as would be the case if it were spent
-<span class='pageno' title='37' id='Page_37'>[37]</span>by the Government, with this difference,
-however, that, generally speaking, the
-individual is more painstaking and discriminating
-in the use of his funds and at
-the same time bolder, more imaginative,
-enterprising and constructive than the
-Government with its necessarily bureaucratic
-and routine regime possibly could
-be. Money in the hands of the individual
-is continuously and feverishly
-on the search for opportunities, i. e., for
-creative and productive use. In the
-hands of the Government it is apt to lose
-a good deal of its fructifying energy and
-ceaseless striving and to sink instead into
-placid and somnolent repose.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Taxation presupposes earnings. Our
-credit structure is based upon values, and
-values are largely determined by earnings.
-Shrinkage of values necessarily affects our
-capacity to provide the Government with
-the sinews of war.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>There need not be and there should
-not be any conflict between profits
-and patriotism. I am utterly opposed
-to those who would utilize their country’s
-war as a means to enrich themselves.
-Extortionate profits must not be
-<span class='pageno' title='38' id='Page_38'>[38]</span>tolerated, but, on the other hand, there
-should be a reasonably liberal disposition
-toward business and a willingness to see
-it make substantial earnings. To deny
-this is to deny human nature.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Men will give their lives to their country
-as a matter of plain and natural duty;
-men, without a moment’s hesitation, will
-quit their business and devote their entire
-time and energy and effort to the affairs
-of the Nation, as a great many have
-done and every one of us stands ready to
-do, without any thought of compensation.
-But, generally speaking, men will not
-take business risks, will not venture, will
-not be enterprising and constructive, will
-not take upon themselves the responsibilities,
-the chance of loss, the strain, the
-wear and tear and worry and care of intense
-business activity if they do not have
-the prospect of adequate monetary reward,
-even though a large part of that
-reward is taken away again in the shape
-of taxation.</p>
-
-<div>
- <span class='pageno' title='39' id='Page_39'>[39]</span>
-<h3 class='c008'>IV</h3>
-</div>
-
-<p class='c009'>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 entire manhood to fight. It does
-not even call anywhere near its entire
-young manhood. It has called, or intends
-to call in the immediate future,
-perhaps 25% of its men between 20 and
-30 years of age, which means probably
-about 4% of its total male population of
-all ages. In other words, it calls only for
-such number of men as appears indicated
-by the needs of the country, and as
-corresponds to a prudent estimate of the
-task before it.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>I am far from meaning to compare the
-loss of income or profits with the risk of
-life or health to which men on the firing
-line are exposed, or to compare financial
-sacrifices to those willingly and proudly
-borne by the youth of our land and shared
-<span class='pageno' title='40' id='Page_40'>[40]</span>by those near and dear to them. But
-I do believe it to be a just contention—not
-in the interest of the individual, but
-of the welfare of the community—that
-the same principle which is applied in the
-case of the conscription of men should
-hold good for the conscription of income
-or profits; i. e., so much thereof should be
-taken by the State as is required by a
-prudent estimate of the task before it
-and as best promotes the accomplishment
-of that task, bearing in mind that the
-preservation of the country’s economic
-power is next in importance for winning
-the war to its military power. Vindictiveness,
-extremist theories and demagogism
-ought to have no place in arriving at that
-estimate.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>I have no patience with or tolerance for
-the “war profiteer,” as the term is understood.
-The “war hog” is a nuisance and
-an ignominy. He should be dealt with
-just as drastically as is possible without
-doing damage to national interests in the
-process. But neither have I patience
-with nor tolerance for the man who would
-use his country’s war as a means to
-promote his pet theories or his political
-<span class='pageno' title='41' id='Page_41'>[41]</span>fortunes at the expense of national unity
-at a time when we should all be united in
-mutual good will and co-operative effort.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>And if we do talk about the formula,
-“conscription of men—conscription of
-wealth,” let it be understood that we have
-called less than 5% of the Nation’s entire
-male population, but have called from
-incomes, business profits and other imposts
-falling principally on the well-to-do,
-approximately 90% of our war taxation,
-not to mention the contribution to the
-Red Cross, the Y. M. C. A. and other war
-relief activities.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Let me add in passing that <em>the children
-of the well-to-do have been taken for the war
-in proportionately greater numbers than
-the children of the poor</em>, because those
-young men who are needed at home to
-support dependents or to maintain essential
-war industries are exempted from
-the draft.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Moreover, to an overwhelming degree
-the sons of the well-to-do have not waited
-to be conscripted. They have volunteered
-in masses—a far greater percentage
-of them than those in less
-advantageous circumstances. That is
-<span class='pageno' title='42' id='Page_42'>[42]</span>merely as it should be. Having greater
-advantages, they have corresponding
-duties. Not having dependents to take
-care of, they can better afford to volunteer
-than those less fortunately situated.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>But the patriotic zeal of the sons of the
-well-to-do in coming forward to offer
-their lives to the country does give a
-doubly false and sickening sound to the
-ranting of the agitator who would arouse
-class hatred—who calls this “a rich man’s
-war and a poor man’s fight” when an
-overwhelming percentage of the sons of
-the men of means have eagerly and freely
-offered themselves for military service,
-when <em>the draft exemption regulations discriminate
-not, as in former wars, in favor
-of the rich man’s son but in favor of the
-poor woman’s son</em>, and when capital and
-business pay more than four-fifths of our
-war taxation directly and a large share of
-the remaining one-fifth indirectly.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>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 time of
-stress and strain, those must be willing
-<span class='pageno' title='43' id='Page_43'>[43]</span>to bear who can afford it, except only
-that limit which is imposed by the consideration
-that taxation must not reach
-a point where the business activity of the
-country becomes crippled, and its economic
-equilibrium is thrown out of gear,
-because that would harm every element
-of the commonwealth and diminish the
-war-making capacity of the Nation.</p>
-
-<h3 class='c008'>V</h3>
-
-<p class='c009'>The question of the individual is not
-the one that counts. The question
-is not what sacrifices capital should
-and would be willing to bear if called
-upon, but what taxes it is <em>to the public
-advantage</em> to impose.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Taxation must be sound and wise and
-scientific, and cannot be laid in a haphazard
-way or on impulse or according to
-considerations of politics. Otherwise, the
-whole country will suffer. History has
-shown over and over again that the laws
-of economics cannot be defied with impunity
-and that the resulting penalty
-falls upon all sections and classes.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='44' id='Page_44'>[44]</span>I realize but too well that the burden
-of the abnormally high cost of living,
-caused largely by the war, weighs heavily
-indeed upon wage earners and still more
-upon men and women with moderate
-salaries. I yield to no one in my desire to
-see everything done that is practicable to
-have that burden lightened. But excessive
-taxation on capital will not accomplish
-that; on the contrary, it will
-rather tend to intensify the trouble.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>We men of business are ready and willing
-to be taxed in this emergency to the
-very limit of our ability, and to make
-contributions to war relief work and other
-good causes, without stint. The fact is
-that, generally speaking, capital engaged
-in business is now being taxed in America
-more heavily than anywhere else in the
-world. We are not complaining about
-this; we do not say that it may not become
-necessary to impose still further
-taxes; we are not whimpering and squealing
-and agitating, but—we do want the
-people to know what are the present facts,
-and we ask them not to give heed to the
-demagogue who would make them believe
-that we are escaping our share of the
-common burden.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' title='45' id='Page_45'>[45]</span>May I hope that I have measurably
-succeeded in demonstrating that the
-allegations with which the propagandists
-of disunion have been assailing the public
-mind are without foundation in fact.
-And may I add, in conclusion, that the
-charge of “big business” having fomented
-our entrance into the war is one which,
-apart from its intrinsic absurdity, is a
-hateful calumny. Business men, great or
-small, are no different from other Americans,
-and we reject the thought that any
-American, rich or poor, would be capable
-of the hideous and dastardly plot to bring
-upon his country the sorrows and sufferings
-of war in order to enrich himself.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>Business men are bound to be exceedingly
-heavy financial losers through
-America’s entrance into the war. Every
-element of self-interest should have caused
-them to use their utmost efforts to preserve
-America’s neutrality from which
-they drew so much profit during the two
-and a half years before April, 1917.
-Every consideration of personal advantage
-commanded men of affairs to stand
-with and support the agitation of the
-“peace-at-any-price” party. They
-<span class='pageno' title='46' id='Page_46'>[46]</span>spurned such ignoble reasoning; they rejected
-that affiliation; they stood for war
-when it was no longer possible, with
-safety and honor, to maintain peace, because
-they are patriotic citizens first and
-business men afterward.</p>
-
-<p class='c007'>The insinuation that “big business”
-had any share in influencing our Government’s
-decision to enter the war is an
-insult to the President and Congress, a
-libel on American citizenship, and a
-malicious perversion or ignorant misconception
-of the facts. Those who continue
-to circulate that insinuation lay
-themselves open to just suspicion of their
-motives and should receive neither credence
-nor tolerance.</p>
-
-<hr class='c015' />
-<div class='footnote' id='f1'>
-<p class='c016'><a href='#r1'>1</a>. 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 tax in Germany
-was very moderate as measured by the present standards of
-income taxation.</p>
-</div>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-
-<div class='pbb'>
- <hr class='pb c002' />
-</div>
-
-<div class='nf-center-c1'>
-<div class='nf-center c000'>
- <div><span class='large'>Transcriber’s Note:</span></div>
- </div>
-</div>
-
-<p class='c001'>Any obvious errors in spelling or punctuation have been corrected.</p>
-
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<p>&nbsp;</p>
-<hr class="full" />
-<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRENZIED LIBERTY AND THE MYTH OF "A RICH MAN'S WAR"***</p>
-<p>******* This file should be named 51055-h.htm or 51055-h.zip *******</p>
-<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br />
-<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/0/5/51055">http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/0/5/51055</a></p>
-<p>
-Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will
-be renamed.</p>
-
-<p>Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
-law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
-so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
-States without permission and without paying copyright
-royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
-of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
-concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
-and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive
-specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this
-eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook
-for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports,
-performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given
-away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks
-not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the
-trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
-</p>
-
-<h2 class="pg">START: FULL LICENSE<br />
-<br />
-THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE<br />
-PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK</h2>
-
-<p>To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
-distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
-(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
-Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at
-www.gutenberg.org/license.</p>
-
-<h3 class="pg">Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works</h3>
-
-<p>1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
-and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
-(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
-the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
-destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your
-possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
-Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
-by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the
-person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph
-1.E.8.</p>
-
-<p>1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
-used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
-agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
-things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
-paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this
-agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.</p>
-
-<p>1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
-Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
-of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual
-works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
-States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
-United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
-claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
-displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
-all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
-that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting
-free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm
-works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
-Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily
-comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
-same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when
-you share it without charge with others.</p>
-
-<p>1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
-what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
-in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
-check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
-agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
-distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
-other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no
-representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
-country outside the United States.</p>
-
-<p>1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:</p>
-
-<p>1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
-immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear
-prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work
-on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the
-phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed,
-performed, viewed, copied or distributed:</p>
-
-<blockquote><p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
- States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost
- no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use
- it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with
- this eBook or online
- at <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you
- are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws
- of the country where you are located before using this
- ebook.</p></blockquote>
-
-<p>1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is
-derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
-contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
-copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
-the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
-redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project
-Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
-either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
-obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.</p>
-
-<p>1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
-with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
-must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
-additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
-will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works
-posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
-beginning of this work.</p>
-
-<p>1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
-License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
-work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.</p>
-
-<p>1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
-electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
-prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
-active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm License.</p>
-
-<p>1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
-compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
-any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
-to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format
-other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official
-version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site
-(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
-to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
-of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain
-Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the
-full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.</p>
-
-<p>1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
-performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
-unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.</p>
-
-<p>1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
-access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
-provided that</p>
-
-<ul>
-<li>You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
- the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
- you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
- to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has
- agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
- within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
- legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
- payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
- Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
- Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
- Literary Archive Foundation."</li>
-
-<li>You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
- you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
- does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
- License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
- copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
- all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm
- works.</li>
-
-<li>You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
- any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
- electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
- receipt of the work.</li>
-
-<li>You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
- distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.</li>
-</ul>
-
-<p>1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than
-are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
-from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The
-Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm
-trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
-effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
-works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
-Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
-contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
-or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
-intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
-other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
-cannot be read by your equipment.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
-of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
-Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
-liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
-fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
-LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
-PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
-TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
-LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
-INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
-DAMAGE.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
-defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
-receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
-written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
-received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
-with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
-with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
-lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
-or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
-opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
-the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
-without further opportunities to fix the problem.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
-in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO
-OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
-LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
-warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
-damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
-violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
-agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
-limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
-unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
-remaining provisions.</p>
-
-<p>1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
-trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
-providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in
-accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
-production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
-electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
-including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
-the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
-or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or
-additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any
-Defect you cause. </p>
-
-<h3 class="pg">Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm</h3>
-
-<p>Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
-electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
-computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
-exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
-from people in all walks of life.</p>
-
-<p>Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
-assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
-goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
-remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
-Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
-and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future
-generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
-Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
-www.gutenberg.org.</p>
-
-<h3 class="pg">Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg
-Literary Archive Foundation</h3>
-
-<p>The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
-501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
-state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
-Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
-number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
-U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.</p>
-
-<p>The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the
-mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its
-volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous
-locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt
-Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to
-date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and
-official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact</p>
-
-<p>For additional contact information:</p>
-
-<p> Dr. Gregory B. Newby<br />
- Chief Executive and Director<br />
- gbnewby@pglaf.org</p>
-
-<h3 class="pg">Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
-Literary Archive Foundation</h3>
-
-<p>Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
-spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
-increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
-freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
-array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
-($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
-status with the IRS.</p>
-
-<p>The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
-charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
-States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
-considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
-with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
-where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
-DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular
-state visit <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/donate">www.gutenberg.org/donate</a>.</p>
-
-<p>While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
-have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
-against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
-approach us with offers to donate.</p>
-
-<p>International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
-any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
-outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.</p>
-
-<p>Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
-methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
-ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
-donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate</p>
-
-<h3 class="pg">Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works.</h3>
-
-<p>Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
-Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be
-freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
-distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of
-volunteer support.</p>
-
-<p>Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
-editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
-the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
-necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
-edition.</p>
-
-<p>Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search
-facility: www.gutenberg.org</p>
-
-<p>This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
-including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
-Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
-subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.</p>
-
-</body>
-</html>
-
diff --git a/old/51055-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/51055-h/images/cover.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index e16fa3c..0000000
--- a/old/51055-h/images/cover.jpg
+++ /dev/null
Binary files differ