The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-06
SPITE TRAP EXPECTED
TO CATCH MANY DODGERS
Crafty Evadcrs OF Income Tax Will
BE Fooled by Their Less For
tunatc Enemies.
COLLECTORS ARE GETTING TIPS
Many Anonymous Letters Are Al
ready Pouring In Telling of Men
Who Are Trying to Escape Their
just Payments.

Washington, u. C., July 5.-Ths
greatest portion OF the gigantic income
tax of the United States has been coll
lccted and slowed away in Subtrcasu-
rics over tho country. and the inter
nal revenue service of the Treasury De-
partment is now preparing to run down
rs many as possible of the corporations
and individuals who ''doctored" Income
tax returns In them own favor.
The American people az "a general
thing are honest, but there are Il good
many individuals. the internal revenue
service believes. who yielded To tire
temptation to shade their tax returns.
The temptation to persons without fixed
Income was particularly strong, il is
felt. and these are the folks who are
wanted by the Internal revenue agents
first and by grand juries aftcrward.
The collection OF this income tax was
the first collection of that source of
income ever made in this country, and
that first collection was marked by the
birth of new secret service. The
members Of this secret service work
without pay. and generally keep their
real names under cover. They make
their entirely voluntary reports by let
ter, and through these anonymous com
muncationS agents OF the Treasury De-
partment bcliev. they now have a vast
amount of information bearing on the
'doctorinG" of income tax returns i'll
all parts Of the country.
"SpItc Service" Helpful.
The spite service" is the name they
call this new detective system at the
headquarters of the internal revenue
service. While the collection of the in
come tax was going on all over the
country last Tuesday letters were pour
ing into the Treasury Department Civ
ing tips" on certain cases where low
returns were being made.
and a desire a even 10
at tho bottom of these letters. but the
Treasury Department deals with cold
facts. and it hasn't stopped TO question
the motive behind the tips" The in
formation thus obtained was not So
licitcd. but IL is not being refused.
Many Of these bits OF Information
turned into the Treasury Department
in the hope that the information would
result in the arrest Of the person mem
toned have their origin in some neigh
borhood feud or in some business deal
For instance, MIR. Brown. who * Il
prosperous citizen and inclined to turn
IA dollar. honestly or otherwise, on .,
estate rsn S 10 Mr. Bl.ck AIR. Brown repre-
scntS the property to be something IL
is not. aud Mr.. Black buys. Eventual
| ly MIR. Black discovers lie has been
| ''stung"
Then comes the income ,aX. and by
( the very nature OF things Mr.. Brown
is the kind Of man who would like
10 save as many pennies MS possible
/ The temptation TO exempt his income
tax return from this little negotiation
is very strong, and he yields.
In the meantime Mr. Black has been
merely waiting. He pens Il note TO
the Treasury department.. The cold
4 bloodcd guardians of Uncle Sans
cash are put III touch with Il suspicious
ease. and the hunt is on.
MIR. Browns income tax return is
| sub jectcd To a scrutiny a hi; more Sc
/ we're han ii would meet under ordi-
nary circumstances. The internal rcve-
| nue. folks study while and conclude
| that Mr.. Black is probably correct in
| his information and that Mr.. browns
return will not bear close analysis.
/ The outcome. of course. is apparent.
] Mr.. Browns return is shown to he
| faulty, and he cannot explain the alb
| sencc of the assessment based on that
| real estate deal.
| Quncks and Gnmbicrs Hnrd to Catch.
| There is Il certain class OF persons
the internal revenue folks will watch.
| Among these will be "quack" doctors
| quest ionablc job. Another class that
/ will be hard TO round up Will he pro-
! fcSSional handbook men and gamblers
/ toned to an income of $4,000 year
| the question arises ;ts to tho proper
Way for him to make an income lax
\ payment.
il would not be surprising if. mum
| Der OF individuals or corporal ions are
| made to feel the hand OF the law ut
| his time. for the government tax col
! lcctors are very anxious TO create "A
/ beneficial moral effect now and save
themselves trouble later.
This causes the Treasury Depart
mcnt TO drop 4 word of advice III
4 You want to beat the income TAX. don't
try IL now. Wait few years and
we may not be so cautous-hut don't