Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-12
TAX
PLAN FOR WAR
$33 PER HEAD
WIDE RANGE COVERED IN MEASURE
NOW BEF0hE CONGRESS, iNCLuD-
ING HOUSEHOLD LIGHT, HEAT
VI AND TELEPHONE BILLS.
ADJUSTMENTS, RAILROAD TICKETS,
SPORTING GOODS, FIRE AND LIFE
INSURANCE, AND IN FACT
ALL EXPENDITURES.

WASHINGTON, May l2.-The war tax
every American home has been formally
presented Ia tho house by the ways and
means committee with plans for quick pas
sage.
As n forecast of what MAY come later,
il proposes special taxes to raise II 500,
annual revenue Of : $500. GOT, 900. When
its terms are effective the American people
will be paying direct taxes of $50 per cap
liza. The people Of the British lslos-hali
n many-now pay q per capita tax Of
$50.
While the principal features Of the new
war levy are the increases in income and
profits taxes, increases IN internal revenae
rates, increases of customs duties, many
Of it, provisions reach the innermoSt struc-
ture Of every home and make up q list at
taxes probably the most formidable ever
faced by the American people.
The household. light. heat and telephone
bills, admission tickets 10 amusements, fire
and life Insurance., railway tickets, auto
mobiles, automobile tires and tubes, soft
drinks, postage rates, golf clubs and base
ball bats, club dues and u host of other
everyday necessities or Injuries coIne UNI
der tho taxation.
Increased postage ratCs on newspapers,
arranged IN q zone system are such that
publishers say they will force many news
papers out of business. Already protests
against many features Of the law are pour
ing in and attacks upon il will center IN the
senate finance committee. which will on
duet public hearings on it and probably
make some amendments.
In presenting the bill the ways and
means committee made a report saying Ia
part:
after carefully considering the cxper-
fences of the European countries 10 war.
the committee believes il j. sound economic
policy for the present generation To bear
a fair and equitable portion Of the burden
of financing the war and recommended
the remaining contemplated expenses Of
the government for the remainder Of this
and the whole of the next fiscal year he
raised nv taxation. The effect of this
recommendation j. that about half Of this
contemplated expenditure will be met by
taxation and the other half from the pro-
lceedS of bonds.
III il estimated that the receipts of
the federal government including postal
receipts for the next fiscal year under
under existing law will amount 10 II 500
600. 900. The proposed bill i estimated To
Weld during altwclvcmonth period II 500
000, 900 additional. This will make the to-
tai receipts OF the government for the next
fiscal year ~, 300, 000. 900. or about 1913
per capita, n compared 10 Great Britain
with a population less than half that Of the
United States whose receipts. including
postal receipts, for the year ending March
81, 1917, amounted to -, 100, 600 600, or
about $50 per capita. "
"The committee brl.cv the American
people were never III = more I. ,rr bic con
dition 10 pay y reasonable amonni If
taxes AZ 10 neccSsitatc a. lttle readiu~t-
for normal purposes than 90 the pro-cai
time. The committee has endeavorcd 10
distribute equitably this additional bur
1 ttn vi hAAtiph Wv ~ " ~ u ~
taxes n Ia ncces~itatc a. little readjupSt-
mont or disturbance ~ business n posi-
BILE
The committee estimated the war cxpen-
ditures for the remainder Of this and the
whole of The next fiscal year at about
s. $500, 900. 600 exclusive Of the BOND issue
To finance the foreign loan.
The bill today j. calculated To raise in
exact figures 81, $50, l20,000. 1t is expect
ed to produce this yield:
Income tax: Now war income tax.
$32. 500, 900; retroactive tax on incomes,
sos, 100000.
Additional excess profits, Sos o0 600.
Liquors: Distilled spirits, Slo0, 600,
600; r~ectified spirits,S7 800 900: fermcnt
ed liquors. $37, 900 900; wines $4,000, 900.
Soft drinks, Syrups, etc. S2O.0 600.
Cigars. $ll 900. 900; cigarettes, S25,-
000, 900: tobacco, $4,000, 900; snuff. 81,
goo 900; cigarette papers. $4,000
Stamp taxes. including documents and
playing cards. $33. 600. 900.
Increase in customs duties. 5000, 000.
600.
! Increase in first class mail matter $40.
00O 900: IN second class mail matter, 49,
O0O. 600.
Transportation: Freight bills, $77 800.
000; passenger tickets. $3.50 ,00n: ex-
press bills. $4,000, 600; pipe lines, Sl.50O,-
600; seats, berths and state rooms, $780,
600.