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TAX THE DEAD MEN FOR THE
USE OF THE LIVE ONES
When a multi-millionaire like Man
shall Field dies, let the state step in
and by power of an inheritance tax
law take away all the millions except
a million dollarsspjece for the heirs
to live on. "
The U. S. industrial commission re
port out today has this answer to a
big question The Day Book asked
Chicago some time ago.
Marshall Field III. and his brother
Henry, the two grandsons of Mar
shall Field L, will step in and take
control of property worth over $350,
000,000 when they are 50 years of
age, the Day Book showed. On State
street, out in Pullman, up in Zion
City, on the street cars, on the Rock
Island Ry., in stores, factories anl
railroads, a large army of wage earn
ers are working for the profit of
these two Field boys, who never
work. The Day Book showed the in
terlocking directorates and the sys
tem of control by which the Field es
tate is the biggest power in the in
visible government of Chicago. Here
is what the U. S. I. R. commission
says on this condition:
"The families of industrial princes
are already well established! and knit
together by commercial alliances.
'Effective action by congress is re
quired, not only to readjust on a
basis commensurate in some meas
ure to the service performed the ex
isting inequalities in distribution of
wealth and income, but also to check
the growth of an. hereditary aristoc
racy, which is foreign to eyery con
ception of American government,
menacing to the welfare of the peo
ple and the existence of the nation as
a democracy.
-. "The enactment of an inheritance
tax so graded that while making gen
erous provisions for the support of
dependents and the education of
minor children, it shall leave no large
accumulation of wealth to pass into
hands which had no share in its pro
eduction," is suggested.
A limit of $1,000,000 is fixed as the
amount which should pass to the
heirs. What's the federal government
going to do with the money? Re
serve It for:
1. Education and important social
services. Improve schools and uni
versities. Make it easier for any boy
or girl to learn a trade and grow up
to be more Tike a real human being
than are the millions now sunken in
poverty.
2. Develop co-operation with states
and cities in great constructive works,
road building, irrigation and reforest
ation. This would mean more jobs
for the unemployed in slack periods
and increased welfare and efficiency
of the nation.
The inheritance tax recommenda
tion is signed by Commissioners
Walsh, Garretson, O'Connell, Lennon,
Commons, Harriman. The Commons
Harriman report says the tax would
be collected through machinery that
now collects the income tax and a
portion would be turned over to each
state of the union. Various states
now collect about $25,000,000 in in
heritance taxes. By increasing the
tax rate the federal government
would collect, it is estimated, $200,
000,000 a year, of which $50,000,000
would be returned to the states.
JEWISH FOLKS WANT CIVIL,'
JUSTICE HOLD MEETING
The promotion of civic justice to
the Jews, both of America and Eu
rope, was the purpose of a meeting
at the West Side Auditorium yester
day. The Hebrew race is bearing the
brunt of the war was the claim ofj
several speakers.
M. Bakall, secretary National
Workmen's Committee for Jewish
Rights and chairman of the meeting,,
protested against the expulsion of
100.000 Hebrews from the American
Federation of Labor last week. The
unions were suspended because they
furthered an attempt to give Social
ism a'place in the propaganda of the
labor body.
