The Washington herald., 1915-01-13
THE OPEN FORUM.
Woman Writer Complains of Opera
ton of Income Tax Law.

Editor OF the Washington Herald:
Your morning contemporary on the Sth
instant. in an editorial-"Crisis in Nation
al Finances"-in which it predicted all
kinds of teTrors in increased and new
taxes, queries: "WiI incomes below
5000 be taxed to make up the deficit?''
As usual that publication is asleep. when
accuracy is most necessary.
You pointed out in your editorial on
the 5th instant ''Nagaries of the Income
Tax Law"-some eye openers and
thoughts for reflection, both for the
United States government and the penal
Iy-taXed, married woman, who dares to
live with her husband.
Will you please jog up sleeping con-
temporary and inform it that its fears
for the future taxation of incomes be-
low 5000 arrived long ago: i'm fact. il
is provided in tine organic law, the income
tax law of October 3. 1913. and has been
rigidly enforced by the Treasury Depart
ment against married women who live
with their husbands.
See income law, page >. section &C.
which says: Provided: That only one
deduction of $1,000 shall be made from
the aggregate income of both husband
and wife when living together" The
restricted deduction does not apply un-
less husband and wife live together.
AS a specific application of the law to
me- please note: MY husband who is Il
cripple, most temperate in habits and
speech, has a small business and for
the past twelve years has been paying
on our small honey works faithfully to
keep his family comfortable. and pays
his bills promptly. Last February he
prepared an honest financial statement of
his business from March l to December
81, 1918. and was overjoyed to find he
had just escaped payment Of income tax,
under the exemption of $1,000 allowed
married persons living together. His joy
was not long lived.
my father-an old invalid soldier-had
saved some of his pension money. and
just before he died gave to me all he
had TO help me and the children during
a rainy day. when my husband had
lost what little health he had. or would
pass away. / put it in the bank, getting
per cent on it. tell you l felt like
a rich bond holder when / would use
this small interest money to buy some
little extras for the children or put some
Of it in the church box on Sunday.
Our cousin-a young lawyer whom We
consulted without Charge(he being in the
family)-tOld my husband he must add
my interest to his statement, though II
was only very small amount, in order
to comply with the law. This almost
broke my heart. but We could not be
dishonest and cheat the government
though it would never be found out
Adding my interset to my husbands
income increased the total above the
limit. and I had to pay an income tax
on my small amount of that years in
terest. l wonder how many other poor
women are similarly situated and how
a rich government knowingly could take
my money and deprive me and my chill
dren of its pleasures. when one cent
TO us is as big as $40 to some other per-
sons. How I will be treated this year
I don't know. but being honest with the
government will not lose my soul These
are surely hard times for good women
" Stop. Look. and Listen would have
prevented the French revolution.
NJ + s.