The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-02
'IAXLAGGARDS To
FEEL LAWS LASH
Midnight Marked Limit for
Filing Income State
mentS.
MANY TRYING TO DODGE
Collectors on Watch for Fraudulent
Figures-Leniency May Be Or
dered in Some Gases.
MANY TRYING TO DODGE

| Persons who have failed to send in
statements concerning their incomes be-
came subject TO a penalty Just the
clock changed twelve last midnight
! The law states that al having taxable
incomes shall submit to the income tax
| collector Of their district before mid
| night on March ] a full statement of
their source Of annual revenue. and that
delinquents shall be subject TO a penalty
of between so and Sl.g" in addition to
having their tax increased by 20 per
cent
The law Will he enforced vigorously. ac-
cordinE to announcement Yesterday after
| noon by =. ii. Boyd. chief clerk Of the
| income tax division OF the Treasury
| Department
There is but little discretion about the
| matter. nc said. The law states that
tho tax shall be increased 10y 20 per cent.
and there il 10 cIrcumvcntInG that pro-
vision. The penalties are determined
by the law division Of the Treasury De-
partemtn II IL possible some clemency
will be shown nasscssinG these penal
ties. but the % per cent Increase in tax
is absolute
Can Attach Properties.
The United States Is divided into sixty
four collection districts. and II will he
fully month before the collectors at the
head of these subdivisions get the numer-
Gus statements to tn" Treasury Depart
n"nt At the TT, asury department the
statements will b" review cd. mistakes
noted. and taxes determined This work
Will he completed about Juno !. on which
day tax bills Will h" sent to all persons
allInS under tn" law.
The persons to whom bills arc sent
will have until June 80 10 pay their
fal n i, nv that
date they viii be subject to fine of
) per cent with an additional fine OF
per cent for each succeeding month
Of delinquency. If payments are not
made within several months after the
taxes are due. tho property OF the de-
linquents is attached and sold to salts
fy the Indebtedness.
II Is believed there will be a con-
sidcrab bic. number of dcIinQucntS this
year. as many persons unquestionably
are lodging the collectors. Persons
who furnish false statements with
fraudulent intent are subject to an in
crease of 100 per cent in taxes. in ad-
ditIon TO the criminal penalty.
Two Excuses Valid.
Although the law provides a PEN
atty of from SEQ TO $1,000 for persons
who fail to turn in statements before
March !. cIemenCy was shown last
year and by order OF the Secretary Of
the Treasury. the penalty was tacitly
fixed at 50 for individuals and $40 for
1t is portable this ar
rangement will be continued this year.
Only two excuses will exempt state
ment delinquents from the penalty
sickness and absence front home. These
excuses. if well founded. are good for
an extension of thirty days from
March buf no longer. The granting
of extensions lies solely within the dis
erection of the collectors. Americans
now abroad will automatically be
granted extensions of thirty days.
The collector for the district en-
bracing Washington is located at Bal
timore. All statements sent last night
by mail and posted before midnight
will be considered as having been filed
before midnight.