The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-28
INCOME TAX ADDS
TO CONFUSION OF
BUSINESS AFFAIRS
Appears That Big Clerical
Force Will Be Required
to Tabulate Returns
MACHINERY NOW
VERY INADEQUATE
Recent Heavy Shipments of Gold
= to Canada Tend to Reflect
Large Trade With the
United States
BY HOLLAND

New York November 27.-(SpeciaL)
1t Is spoken of here as an unfortunate
+ complication al this time which the
Avagueness, the friction and irritation
Rnd the other surface defects, at least
Aof the income tax law are now occa-
ssioning. just at this time business
Racks much iof the activity which was
characteristic of it year ago Many
of the busibess men are persuaded that
Aecession fill continue until after the
first of thf year-perhaps little long
eir. There happen to be at the present
nj boment Uncertainties occasioned by the
Inability iof Congress Immediately to
formulate into law satisfactory bank
Ing and currency bill. The stimulus to
business which was thought certain to
take plsce within a few months after
the new tariff law was placed upon the
statute books has not as vet mani
fbsted itself.
All Of these conditions are perplex-
ing and tend to the continuance of
somewhat unsatisfactory business con-
ditions. In addition there appear the
difficulties occasioned by the imposi-
.fion of the income tax. Many persons
SVho in all sincerity desire to pay the
tax levied upon their income confess
themselves to be completely in the fog.
ifhe banks of the United States for the
most part will not accept coupons from
their depositors unless the understand
ing be that they are taken subject to
collection. The treasury department at
Washington continues apparently to
4. ~
ing the proper regulations.
All of these defects. real or merely
momentary, are in effect as nothing
In comparison with the suddenly raised
apprehension lest the danger be grave
that the income tax law fall to pieces,
so to speak. from its overweight
The census bureau at Washington
cannot be successfully administered un-
less there be a very large corps of
clerks and great many census agents
at work throughout the country The
returns made by these agents entail
prolonged labor so that perfect classi-
fieation can be secured.
The interstate commerce commission
whose business relates wholly to the
railroads of the ecountry, requires a large
clerical force which Is employed many
the statistics which are reported to
that commission
Millions of Documents
Apparently, however. it has been the
expectation that the income tax would
be collected without any considerable
increase of clerical force. In the ag
Rregate the returns made to the tax
collector must number millions of sep
arate documents. The manual labor en-
tailed in classifying and utilizing these
returns is so great that it is believed
q force possibly equal to that necessary
for preparing the census returns is In
evitable If there is to be speedy and
satisfactory utilization of certificates
and other documents 1t Is said on eN-
cellent authority in this city this morn
Ing that apparently the mere physical
or manual labor which the collecting,
sitting and utilizing of these docu-
ments will entail is so great that un-
less there is to be a very large in
crease in clerical force many months,
perhaps two or three years will be
required before anything like syste-
matte and complete arrangement of
these details can be secured.
Yet there stands the tax. The people
of the United States who have incomes
must obey it's commands. When they
have done this so far fling certi
ficates and documents are concerned
they have done all the law demands.
The complication may be removed
before the second year of the imposi-
tion of the income tax begins. But at
present the situation adds unquestion
ably to some of the complications
momentary 1t Is hoped-which are
characteristic of the present business
condition.
The Movement of Gold
r-l,a oop,awbat beayy ShinnpntS of poII
4 TO Canada last week represent, it is be-