Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-07-30
az j sAxoN MILLs-

Some people seem 70 think that be-
cause Britain is a. land Of enormous
wealth the British people are not
making any real financial sacrifice in
the war It is not easy to indicate the
extent OF Britain's contribution TO the
economic resources of the Allies, be-
cause the figures are so large as to
be almost beyond the reach of COM
prehension or imagination. When Mr.
Bonar Law, Chancellor OF the Elk
chequer, moved his last vote of credit
for 500 millions sterling on May 8,
1917, the daily expenditure Of the
United Kingdom stood at S7,450, 900.
The total expenditure during the en-
tire period of the war down to April
/, 1917, was 4,31S million pounds, Of
which unimaginable sum 1877 mil
lions had been provided out of rev.
enue as distinct from loans. During
the last financial year no less than
574,428, 600 was raised in revenue
that is, a sum over 374 millions great
er than the pre-war revenue at its
highest figure. Il is highly satisfactory
that rs per cent. OF England's entire
wartime expenditure should have been
met out of revenue or taxation. Dur
ing the two years and eight months OF
the war ending April 1, 1917, England
financed her Allies and Dominions.
but chiefly her Allies. to the extent Of
about 1000 million pounds sterling
But these figures, as / said. are too
large to convey any distinct idea TO
the ordinary mind We want to know
how this colossal expenditure affects
the individual how, for example, the
man with a modest income Is affected
by these huge figures OF expenditure
and taxation. IL is calculated that the
war Is costing each person-man,
woman and child-in the United King
dom, IS. per day, OF which rs. Sd. Is
being borrowed leaving Cd. to be
raised by taxation. In order TO illus
trate this figure 1T should be men,
toned that the average individual
consumption OF goods ard services in
England. amounts, or amounted fIsfore
the war, to about 2s 4d. per day. Or.
in other words. the taxation due to
the war imposes on an average upon
every person in the United Kingdom
a contribution in taxation equal to
about One-third Of his entire expen-
diture before the war.
Let us see for a moment how these
new millions of revenue are raised.
Income tax, which was about Cd. or is.
before the war, is now D. Sd. up to
500 pounds a year Is Cd. between 500
pounds and 900 pounds, and 5s. over
$500 pounds That is for earned in
comes. Unoatned incomes reach the
maximum of 5s. ct an income exceed
ing 1000 pounds. In addition, there IS
what is known as the super-tax, which
begins on incomes over 5000 pounds.
The ordinary citizen is not fortunate
enough to be affected by these higher
grades of taxation. It may be interest
ing, however. to indicate approximate
ly what a person with say, q 900
pounds per annum has TO pay. In in
come tax and super-taX he is charged.
on present war rates. 1854 pounds
three shillings and fourpence. But
this, OF course. is not nearly his en-
tire contribution to the revenue.
There is the whole range OF indirect
taxation and the numerous additional
channels through which the country is
made to contribute to the sinews Of
war.
The incidence OF the income tax has
been lowered during the war to
figure Of 131 pounds year, so that
many OF the working classes are now
paying this impost To take a speci-
men case or two, man with no child
rem, earning SOS. per week, will pay