"TO CAN THE KAISER"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 148, 12 March 1918, Page 7

"TO CAN THE KAISER"

TAXING AMERICANS TO PAY FOR THE WAR EVERY LITTLE HELPS (By Hamilton Fyfc, in tlio "Daily ■ Mail.") "When I had. taken my scat in tlio parlour-car this morning to rido into New York tho conductor said to me, "Fifty cents and fire pouts, please." I looked up at him with a questioning eye. "New tax," lie added, "to pay for tlio war and ran the Kaiser." Then 1 1 remembered that as I glanced hurriedly at the change handed out'to me. by tho. booking-clerk my railway ticket had seemed to cost more than usual. "Eight per cent, on fares. Ton per cent, on Pullman dues," tho conductor told me.

I must explain that, owing to tho discomfort of the ordinary American railway-carriage, therft is 'attached to most trains a Pullman-car in which each passenger can hire-, by extra payment, an armchair to himself. Those who read and write in trains, as I do, find it well worth while to make this extra payment. So hero was my first experience of the new war taxes in the United States.

Arrived at tho Grand Central terminus; I went to tho telephone-boxes and put in a couple of calls. They wero 15-cont calls. I know this. I had often made them. Therefore when the young woman said "Forty cents," I resisted with a mild "How's that?"

"Five cents a call tax," sho exclaimed. "Don't you want to sen the Gfirmans whipped good and plenty?" ■ ' • ■

"Sure," I answered, knowing the language, and paid up. On every telegraph or telephone message costing 15 cents or moro there is a 5 cent addition. .

Later in the day I wrote some letters in tho Lotos Club, which is kind enough to open its hospitable doors to homeless strangers. When I asked for some stamps 1 was reminded t'dat the postage rate had gone up. Letters oost lid. instead of Id. Post-cards have gone up to Id. My fellow-mem-ber who kindly warned me of this ehango went on to mention that all club subscriptions over.'£2'Bs. a year are now to bo taxed 10 per cent: *Ho reckoned up how much this would cost him. Ho belonged to throe clubs in town, two of them £25 a year each, tho other £15. Ho belonged also to a country club and to two golf clubs. These cost him £50 between them.

"Sixty-five and fifty," he said, "make one' kindred and fifteen. Eleven pounds ten ; shillings a year will be my contribution to war taxes on this one count alone.

"Then," he went on, "there arc the now taxes on cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco. Ton cent. (5d.) packets of cigarettes will cost thirteen cents (C.Jd.). The extra cost of a good cigar will be about 10 cents (5d.). Theatregoing becomes more cxpensivo also. A two-dollar seat—that's a little over Bs. in your money—will bo raised to nearly 9s. A 20-cent. (Is.) place will cost Is. ljd."

Goods which arc sent by train aro taxed as well as passenger fares. A tax on payments for trunks, handbags, and parcels sent by "Express," or, as wo should say, by "Carter, Patcrson," is fixed at 5 per cent.

Tho now taxes, together with those already in force, which raise the prices of beor, wines, spirits, and "soft drinks" (by which must bo understood lemonade, ginger. beer, and so on), aro intended to increase the revenue by more than two hundred million pounds. I do not say they will be paid cheerfully. Ido not believe any taxes ever are. But there was iio serious opposition to them in Congress Mid thero will be none among tho people. •'Wo don't go into this war," the War Minister told me, "with shouting and music. Wo regard it in the light of a surgical operation that has to be performed no matter what it may cost." The United States public know that surgical operations, when tho highest skill is employed, cannot bo performed choaply. They aro willing to pay the price.