The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-08
TRAILING OF INCOME TAX DE.
LINQUENTS.

eNNy W 'Hdt DTuilcn Oh trlc ssCf"t 49,
vice which is an arm OF the Internal
Revenue Commissioners Office. 80
When the last day passed for fling
Income tax returns the average man
thought that the tremendous completely
connected with the whole thing was
over and done with, that the only thing
left to be done was to pay the tax when
due. AS a matter Of fact. that Is true
as regards those who have filed their
declarations properly ana honestly, but
unless the Federal Government Is mis-
taken there may be a good many per-
sons scattered Throughout. tho United =
states who ought to pay an income tax
and who have sought to evade IT, or
who have made false declarations. How
many such men and women there are
nobody knows. 1t is the business of tho
secret service to hunt for such delin-
qucnts.
The seriousness OF the situation in
which such a delinquent would find him
self Is easily Understood when 1t IL re-
mcnbercd that the law provides n PEN
atty ranging from $50 to $1,000. And II
an individual officer of a corporation
knowingly makes any false or fraudu.
lent return In the declaration he Is
guilty of a m!sdemeanor and may be
fined far more heavily or imprs-
oned, or both, at the discretion OF the
| court, and in addition he will have to
pay the costs Of prosecution.
a DAY or two ago the Commissioner
, OF Internal Revenue sent out orders to
his collectors by telegraph forbiddins
them to make public in any way any
! information as To the number of indi-
viduals joint stock companies and COR
pOrations which had filed income tax
declarations. II may he said in passing
, that this order was hardly necessary.
excepting as precautionary measure.
at least In the districts OF New York
and It's vicinity for the internal rcve-
nue. collectors hercabout distinctly un
derstand the danger of having any leaks
IN their Offices.
During the past few days state; ~.
Rave been published that some $1,000
declarations were made in New YORK.
and 10000 IN Philadelphia, while othe.'
figures were given for New Eng anu
Chicago. st. Louis and cities OH the Pa
ciiic coast. II may be said, however,
guesses. There are only u few persons
In each internal revenue district who
have accurate know edge of the subject
ana they are not saying = word
The number Of revenue agent. is not
hnown to the public either. They are
distributed in every part OF the coun-
Try. but have no permanent stations.
Should the Commissioner in Washing
tAY flrs,, 4i.,r al. 4.
Manhattan or on Long Island in The
BronE or In Westminster county, had
Jailed TO make declarations when their
incomes required them to do SO, or per-
haps had made false declarations. IL
would be- wholly within his power ~
summon agents at any point by tolr-
graph ana order them here for in,estl-
eating such suspected cases And that
he will do So II necessary there is not
/ the sigh,,s doub..
just how the Internal Revenue secret
service VIII so TO work IN this new
undertaking and how soon 1t VIII COM
inencc cannot be ascertaiucd definitely
for obvious reasons. But that sccrct
service men W1. make Inquiries ot the
nature indicated "a not a matter for de-
bate. All they are waiting for 10 word
from the Commissioner IA Washington.
When he presses the button or sigus a
Geographic order to his force OF secret
service agents ;hey VIII l.. on tho 700
Before this IS done, howcvcr, "a great
deal of preliminary work will have to
be accomplished by the several col
lectorS and their st31fs Of clerks. For
example. while all the expected returns
in the lower Sew York city district ar.
in Collector AndcrSon's keeping. they
are not yet on the way to Washington,
and nobody VIII 80 much as hazard a
guess as To when tho documents viii
leave this city. At tho present time
they are being carefully tabustsa,
Classified, recorded ard generally
checked up by u force OF men and
women in a big room on the third floor
OF tho Custom House.
That the s>'ret service men VIII not
be left unlssis,ed To discover Lclin-
quents or those making false returns
. may be understood from tho fact that
II Is the business OF IL revenue collector
% promptly report TO The commissioner
~ Washington the name and address Of
any person or Corpo ration whom a..
suspects, Furthermore. when in His
+ opinion u IS necessary TO prevent falls
or fraudulent returns of PROPERTY.
d charged WIN a. tax the collector is en-
powered 10 summon any person 10 CIV.
, testimony under olta. Ne may not onl,
summon any such person residing
within tho state IN which his rev.
? caue district Hes or who may hs found
there. but the collector has authority
to enter any collection district IN any
STAT. where such person may bs found
i q there make the examination under
oath, compelling witnesses havin.
knowledge ~ thu property 81. question
, to testify and compelling also tho pro-
dvcr.on ~ books ana papers relating
to tho inquiry.
The difficulty of asCcrta,nlug Just who
do ana "hu do not come under the head
F ~ suspects would be great under IN,
circumstances; and il Is especially 81
In this country. Nhcro property N,'u.-i
Increase or decr-;Is" =" suddenly. Nl.r..
money - made quicllN and lost ust
rs easily, where Il man may D, dr,tNius
q good 's.trv uUc day aud tud hlus,Tg
on the street .pu>.tG toy u new 5Isluoss
position the next day.
TIA, suggestion h-s Hc"U made .r-.
officials of 'uursr.-t.at r"yrrur co.,