The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-05-01
sv easiL N. MANLY

w oFN9H1 W.
eaussti American Economic lnvesti'
gator
Nov THAT | have shown the Unit
ed States treasury 10 being robbed
a. $500. 0oe. 600 income tases annual
~. largely because tho law creating
tire Income tar 10 rtsclf defective,
let us examine the administration
OF this inadequate Law.
Tho collection OF the income tar
10 entirely IN the hands OF tho In
ternai revenue bureau, and its sue'
cess a. revenue source depends
entirely upon the EFFICIENCY OF
this bureau.
The bureau Of informal revenue
In not yet an efficient machine Tor
collecting the income tax.
In tho frat plaee. until thn crea.
ton Of the income tax. tho bureau
was trained entirely In dealing
with tangible properties II had %
find 30 many barrels Of whisky
and beer. and sec that the tax was
paid. to sell no mang stamps and
Keep a check on the tobacco and
oloemargarine markets This did
not require a hlsh ordef ~ ability
simply enough men 20 keep a
Gloss watch over the entire coun-
try. ], scema fair 20 say that no
large amount OF tar evasion was
possible without tho eollusioa Of
the revenue officers.
u Needs Brains
Win the income tas. parttcu.
larry tho personal tar. the ait.
us,ion IS ENTIRELY CHANG
Ed. The bureau mus, deal
entirely with INTANGIBLE
Income. OF which the evidences
arc meaqer ard often deceptive.
Brains. Imagination ana wide
knowledge OF affairs are neces.
sAry for It's sueeessfui admins.
irs,ion.
raE COLLECTION or TIE
OLD EXCISE TAXES WAS a
pollcEaAN's JoR. TIE IN.
CONE TAX Is WORTHY OF
THE BEST EFFORTS OF
SHERLOCK HoLmEsi
This fact seems 20 be realized IN
only a small measure either By con.
gress or the majority o. officials
Ia the bureau.
II Ia a striking fact. illustrative
OF the policy OF the federal govern.
mcnt. that NO MAN In the income
tar division OF tho bureau ~ PAID
ENOUGH SALARY TO ne Sun.
JECT TO THE INCOME TAX.
There are a fow men who arc worth
more than tho maximum salary,
but ,hey must all look outside gov.
eminent service for their reward.
These are the men whom Uncle
sam pits against the shrewdesi
business men. tho most skillfui ac.
countanis and the oleYereut law
yerH IN the country
Clerks ss. Wizards
In the personal tax division
the detection Of fraud and
evasion rests entirely upon the
aeuren OF ~ 81 900 clerks. who
examine the returns from tho
entire country. N the return
looks 'fishy" 20 one Of these
clerks, II will be referred TO
revenue agent for essriina.
ton. but II u IL we'll balanced
ard eleseriy constructed. so
that all the items appear rea.
sonable. no question will ever
be raised. tho u may cost the
government $4,000 In ,ssesl
Any sslllfui accountant car
construct a return for any es.
eept the best known OF tho
rultln1llilonalrcs that would
exempt him entirely from the
tss and not stand one chance
In q hundred OF detectioni
Secretary McAdoo savs he has
plans now under way which will
furnish means OF detecting and
Furnishing frauds. " congress will
Eive hiB tse necessary appranria.
tlgG.
Hero Ia Whist tho secretary OF
The tFeastry srfss DO In erdeF b
carry aBt hts preEaise.
What MSadoo Must Do
FIRST. he must card inAex MI
intervention epntaSIIe4 IN the lists
OF Stockholders and tesqdlssiasrs 10
which hta atcats havc Haeeas, Ia
tRe pak4te reeeSsH Of feascs, Hfort
Rtges, real estate traasRettuns. pro.
bates of willis, IN cosrt reeaFes
Z