Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-06

IL
estimated that those who profit BY war
viii be made TO bear no small part OF the
burden Of carrying It on.
Then the war bin takes an unusual slant
into possible sources Of revenue and bears
down upon tho clubs OF the nation IL
holds that clubs were exclusive and the
temples of the idle rich and that their in
comes will be q neat tax melon to cut II
therefore, levies q straight 4o per cent upon
the incomes Of all clubs, that being n handy
figure offering the saving OF much compu-
tation, since there would be but the nee
essity or moving the decimal point, So
every man who pays ten dollars as club
dues will he giving one OF It TO the Gov
ernment with which to fight the war. This
does not however. apply 10 clubs whose
dues are less than Si2 year nor to secret
societies.
II one is accustomed 10 eau up his girl
and she lives far enough away 10 make
the call cost fifteen cents, he begins to help
support the war again, There viii be y
ilve-cent tax on such a call. Likewise viii
kilograms bear a fve-cent taN.
BEVERAGES FIRST TO PAY
Tho tax on beverages was FIRST 10 become
operative. When Mr.. Wilson sigued ths
bill there was an instantaneous increase In
the tax on distilled spirits IN bond from
}l.l0 10 S&.20 a gallon. An instantly opera
tive tax of s275 a barrel was likewise
placed on beer. Then. to still further dis
courage the dstillAr. who had already ~
perienced a half dozen knockout blows at
the hands OF Congress. this war tax law
naled tax OF $50 on every hundred pounds
OF grain he used in making booze.
Tobacco also came in for an additional
hwy In the war tax Where the revenue
stamps have heretofore had to be placed
on the packages by the manufacturer. the
present law requires the retailer to get into
The stamp business. All he has to do is TO
figure out the value of the stamps that the
manufacturer has used and lick on others
OF half the value. The ordinary package
OF cigarettes costing twenty cents carries a
revenue stamp Of about two cents Upon
tins twenty-cent package the retailer must
nuN spend a cent in stamps. What viii
happen In tho price before it gets to the
consumer is vet problematcal but he will
probably pay an additional nickel that the
Government may get its penny. II his
cigarettes do increase in price to that ex-
tent he should be in position to know the
extent TO which he is gouged.
But even the soda fountain is to pay its
part of the war tax. Grape Juice and soft
carbonated drinks and mineral waters must
syrups used IN soda water fountains are
taxed.
AUTOS AND MOTORCYCLES
Everybody who rides on motorcycle
must pay q war tax of 80 50 year. II
you ride in an automobile for pleasure and
that machine costs less than $500 you must
contribute 50 n year to the war fund for
the privilege. and $40 II the machine costs
more than $1,000. and S5 for each additional
$500 you paid for your machine. and for
each $500 above $4,000 you must pay $40.
So tho bigger you arc the harder you fall.
The bin deals drastically with him who
would take his pleasure on n yacht. Like
wise docs it indicate that Congress looks
with disfaNor upon such games as golf ana
tennis, for the appurtenanccS thereto are
heavily taxed. Perfumes. cosmetics, toilet
waters, pomades and toilet soaps are levied
upon. but ordinary soap that keeps YOU
clean but does not, perfume you escapes
taxation. Patent medicines get the ak good
and strong There is n special tax of
per cent on jewelTy'. Chewing gum has to
pay . per cent, while your talking machine
records arc levied upon for per cent.
When next gpu go to pay your life insur-
ance you will he required TO part with
eight cents for each 800 you carry. You
win have 10 pay a penny for eaeh parcel
post and express package you send that
costs much as twenty cents.
When the Treasury Department pulls the
situation together It finds that this tax
will secure from Incomes individual and
corporate. about SSJ1 900 600; from the
excess profits Of manufacturers. $1,000, ,00O,-
600 from distilled spirits, Sl35, 900, 900:
from beer SAG, 600; cigars, 10000, 0OO
cigarettes, $4,000, ,OOO, and tobacco. s30.-
10000 The tax on a small item like
cigarette papers alone amounts TO $780,
600. The tan Oh freight transportation viii
amount to 1000, 900. while tine levy on
passenger traffic will be about S6O, ZOO, ,0O0
The tax on amusement admissions VIII
amount TO $5O,0OO,O00 a year, while the
clubs OF the nation will contribute St,500.-
OOO from their dues. The increase in post
age rates will bring in $4,000, 900. while
the munition makers will donate $4,000
000
POSTERITY'S BIG PART
Thia 81, 800, 100000 hasn't much to do
with the general job Of winning the war
The mass Of the money is raised by floating
loans which posterty viii pay off Mi
McAdoo sells bonds to raise an incidental
three or five billion dollars in a campaign
of few weeks which means that he bor-
rows the money from the neople on the
credit Of the Government, But the present
be garnered for current revenue. IT is but
a few years ago that a billion-dollar Con-
gress was without precedent, had never
happened. Now We levy for two and
half that amount in current taxes while
bond issues make mere billion look like
pin money. But the intent of the law is to
make it rest Lightly upoU tia industrious
and frugal individual who kee 5 away from
luNuries. while it lanls the n in with lots
OF cash. which, like lii, lusty'youth of the
nation, is regarded IS being subject 20