Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-02
BEGINS PAYING
MANY NEW WAR TAXES
New Three-Cent Postage on
FirSt-CIaSS Mail Probably
viii Be Most Felt

MASHlNNTIONs OCl- O1.--N GuiltShe1N
was the last day of grace from many
new war taves.
With the exception of increased letter
and tobacco taxes which go into effect
Friday. the special stamp taxes on docu-
ments. legal instruments and parcel
post packages which go into operation
December 1. all speclaI taxes begin to
apply at midnight tonight They in
clude:
one cent on each dime paid for
amusement admissions.
Three per cent on payments for
freight transportation.
Eight per cent on passenger fares.
Five per cent on oil pipe line trans
portation.
One cent for each 90 cents or frac-
ton paid for express packages.
Five cents on each telegraph, tele-
phone or radio message costing fifteen
cents or more.
Various taxes on cigars, cigarettes, to-
bacco and products.
Ten per cent on club dues.
Eight cents on each 500 Of new life
| insurance and one cent On each dollar
of fire. marine. casualty and other in
surance policies.
Although the tobacco taxes do not be-
come operative until Friday, many deal
ers have already advanced retail prices
| in anticipation of the tax levies. other
taxes of the new law. including those on
hard and soft drinks. incomes and war
! excess profits. have been in effect since
the law was approved October 3, but
! in indirect form.
On December 1. the new stamp taxes.
including those on parcel post packages.
will be payable. putting the entire law
| into complete operation, except for in
| creased rates on second-class mail, post
pohed until July 1 next.
Increases in first-class mail rates
probably will be most generally felt
by the people. The law provides that
/ the postage on letters. except drop"
/ or local letters. shall be. 3 cents; and
| that on postcards, including private
mailing cards, shall be l cent more than
heretofore. This increase includes So
called picture postcards. The advances
were made effective thirty days after
passage of the law, and are construed
: by the postoffice department to begin
with letters and postcards posrmarked
| November ..
The increases also have been extended
by departmental order to first-class
mail to many foreign countries which.
under postal conventions, have enjoyed
the domestic rates. The new Scent let
I ter rate. therefore, will apply to let
/ England. Ireland. Scotland, Wales, the
Bahamas. Barbados, British Guinea,
/ British Honduras. Santo Domingo, Dutch
West Indies. Leeward Islands, New
/ foundland and New Zealand. The post
| card increase will extend to Canada,
Cuba. Mexico and Panama, the only
countries which have enjoyed the do
nestle postcard rate.
For consumers convenience, books of
I postage stamps containing Scent stamps
/ are in readiness for sale and the depart
ment has had printed thousands of =
I cent post cards. First-class mail post
/, marked tomorrow or any time prior to
N2.O1 a. m, November 2, regardless of
time taken for delivery, will be trans
mitted at the old rates, but that post
marked thereafter must pay the in
creased toll
{ Amusement admission taxes become
effective tomorrow Ut places charging
more than 10 cents They are l cent
( for each 10 cents or fraction paid fo=
such admission, payable by the person
/ admitted but collected by the govern
ment from the amusement proprietor, re-
quired to make sworn returns to the
treasury. fiat tax of 1 cent for each
child under twelve admitted when chill
dren are charged also is provided.
! Passes also are taxed. except those to
bona fide employees, municipal officers
and children under twelve, at the regu-
lar rate, which also is extended to cab
erets or other entertainment in which
the admission is included in the price
paid for refreshpent, merchandise or
service. Persons leasing theater boxes
must pay 10 per cent on their rental
The new rates on cigars range from
% cents to 81 per thousand, and on
cigarettes from so cents to S1.2O per
thousand. Five cents a pound is the new
tax on tobacco, SNUFF and other manu-
featured tobacco, while cigarette papers
are taxed from 1-2 cent TO 1 cent per
hundred. AS the taxes are now reaching
the ultimate consumer the raises mean
, about l cent more on scent tobacco
packages, from to cents on cigarette
packages and from l to 10 cents on
/, cigars.
, The taxes on freight and passenger
transportation are also extended to mo-
tor vehicle competitors of steam and
, electric railways and water lines. The
! passenger transportation tax is not APP
plicable 10 fares costing 35 cents or less
or Communication or season Hckets for
trips less than thirty miles. Payments
for services rendered the federal and
state governments are exempt from tax
alton.
The 10 per cent tax on Pullman ac-
commOdatiOHs is applicable TO payments
for seats. berths and staterooms in par
Tor and sleeping cars or on vessels.
The s-cent tax on telegraph, telephone
. or radio messages costing Is cents or
= more applies only to those originating in
the United States.
The new insurance taxes are imposed
on new policies issued, with reinsurance
policies exempted. Industrial or week
Iy-payment policies are taxed 40 per
cent on the first premium on policies fOl
$500 or less.