Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-07-30
Brifain's Financial Burden

income tax 10 the extent OF a little
more than 12s. a quarter. A man, with
mo children. earning 3 pounds per
week pavs 19s. quarterly. The reduc-
tion In the assessment allowed on
each child would, Of course, reduce
such incomes below the minimum OF
income tax payment.
But direct taxation accounts FOR
less than a half OF the tax revenue
Of the State. Since the war, great in
creases have been made in indirect
taxation. England being a free trade
country. lays her import duties on
narrow range OF commodities not
produced within her own shores
though she has added to the list a
few manufactured goods, such as mo-
tor cars and musical instruments, dur
ing the war The tax on cocoa has
been raised from Id. to Cd. per pound,
on coffee and chicory from under Sd.
to Cd; the price Of sugar, the supply
OF which has been taken over by the
Government, has risen to figure un-
dreamed of before the war Owing to
the enormously increased taxation the
cost Of tobacco is now 100 per cent.
higher than before the war. Hitherto
~
to tax matches as TO tax window space
but the Chancellor of the Erchequer in
1916 imposed a tax OF 4d. thousand
on these indispensable, articles. An
other big sum is being raised by what
Is called the amusement tax. A two
penny seat in a picture theatre pays
a tax OF a halfpenny; a ten and six
penny seat in a theatre OF concert
pays one shilling. Theatres. football
matches. horse racial such enter
tainments bring grist to the national
mill.
The tax collector waylays the cti-
zen at many other points. For in
stance railway travelling was rather
heavily taxed during 1916, aud since
the beginning of 1917 railway charges
have been increased by so per cent
The object Of this. however, is not to
make money. but to discourage all
needless public travelling. One need
only mention increased duties on min
eral waters and motor cars, high du-
ties on tea and tobacco, and higher
postage and telegraph charges.
How does all this affect the person
with, say 500 pounds a yearg Income
tax will account for an additional
charge on that sum OF over 90 pounds,
but such q person is chiefly hit by
the enormous rise in general prices
due to taxation, increased freight
charges and the general influence OF
war conditions. This, rise of at least
so per cent. in cost OF living. due dir
ectly to the war. means a sacrifice OF
about $50 pounds on an income OF 500
pounds. For, IL must be remembered,
everything has obeyed the upward
tendency in price. from newspapers to
doctors and dentists fees. Insurance,
fire premiums, and the like have risen
owing to the higher cost of building
materials
It is quite a mistake. then, to imag-
inc that the Englishman is not feeling
the war or making any personal sac
rlfice. Even the game Of war-profiteer-
ing has been severely handicapped.
The excess profits taX-that is, the
tax on profits higher than a pre-war
average-was raised in 1917 to so per
cent. which means that, taking in
come tax, super-tax and excess profits
tax together. the prohteer will be
handing back to the State we'll over
30 per cent. of his war profits. It will
be seen. therefore. that Britain is con-
| tributing not only an enormous naval
and military strength to the Allied
cause but is mobilising her money
power effectually for the same great
purpose