BRUTAL TAXATION

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 292, 27 August 1923, Page 8

BRUTAL TAXATION

NEW GERMAN GOVERNMENT POLICY EFFORT TO RETURN TO GOLD STANDARD By Telegraph.— Press Association. —Copyright. Berlin, August 24. Herr Helferding, Finance Minister, addressing party leaders in the Reichstag, said that if tho German currency was further inflated it would mean the death of Germany. The State was bound to pay contributions to the municipalities to keep up their payments to the State departments, otherwise there would be a national breakdown. Stabilisation by taxes alone was impossible. The deficit on the railways in the past year was 450 billion marks, and the deficit under the Peace Treaty amounted to many billions. It was intended to compel the people to deliver up foreign currencies, and to force industries to sell out their stocks. Thus it was hoped to get back to the gold standard. If the results were unsatisfactory, stronger measures would be taken. Every German must be prepared in the near future to make sacrifices, otherwise a tremendous catastrophe faced the country. The new Government was the last bulwark against complete ruin. Her Helferding declared: “Brutal taxation will be our policy. This Government will be the last on a Parliamentary,'basis if we fail, and the country will fall into the hands of adventurers, We propose to use dictatoral powers.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TAXPAYERS AGHAST AT PROPOSALS London, August 24. The “Daily Express” corresnondenfi in Berlin* states that farmers, landowners and industrialists are aghast at Herr Helferding’s proposals. They declare that they cannot even pay the present taxes. Workers are being dismissed in many industries. The majority of the printing works are closing, and the tramcars will shortly be stopped because the managers cannot make ends meet. Some of-tlie Berlin banks are closing, and there are signs of stagnation everywhere.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.