Middletown transcript., 1917-05-19
War Revenue Measure to Raise
$1,8OO,OOO,OOO introduced
in the House.
MAKES entire NATION HELP
Compromise Reached on Army Con.
scription BiII-Nine Regiments OF
Engineers Going to Europe
Soon-Desperate Fighting
in Northern France
and Macedonia.
By EDWARD w. PlcKARD.

The house Of representatives re-
ceived from the ways and means COM
mittee on Wednesday the completed
war revenue bill designed to raise ST.
SOO,OOOOOO, which Is additional to the
normal revenue of $1,5O0,OOO,OOO. The
measure is so drafted that every home,
every individual, will share in the bur-
den. Under its provisions the Ameri-
can people will be paying direct taxes
Of $33 per capita for the year 1917.
The people of the British isles now
pay per capita taxes of $50.
The principal features of the levy
are the increases in income and profits
taxes, in internal revenue rates and in
customs duties, but the householder
and indeed everyone is hit, for light,
heat, and telephone bills, admission
tickets to amusements, fire and life in
surance, railway tickets, automobiles,
automobile tires and tubes, soft drinks,
postage rates, golf clubs and baseDall
bats. club dues, and host OF other
everyday necessities or luXuries come
under the taxation. At the last min
ute the committee added a paragraph
placing a tax of 2 cents pound on tea
and cent a pound on coffee, and an
additional tax was placed on sugar.
The bill proposes a normal tax of =
per cent on individuals having incomes
between $1,000 and $4,000, if single,
and 1000 and $4,000, If married or the
head of a family. An additional nor
NAL tax of 2 per cent would be added
in the case of larger incomes. AT $o,-
600 an additional surtax, graduated
until at S5OO,O00 and over 1t reaches
33 per cent, would be imposed.
All articles of import now on the
free list will be taxed 10 per cent. and
an additional 10 per cent tax Is placed
on all articles now on the dutiable
list. The tax on excess profits Is III
per cent on profits over per cent ana
$4,000. Heavy taxes are placed on
beer, spirits, whisky and tobacco and
It's manufactures. The first-class mail
rate goes up to cents and the second
class rate is increased according to the
zone system.
Army Bill Compromise.
Snurred to action by the president.
tho senate and house conferees COM
nromised the differences over the
army conscription bill. The amend
ment authorizing the Roosevelt expe-
ditionary force of volunteers was elm
mated. The age limit for the draft
was set at twenty-one to thirty years
inclusive. Liquor is barred from the
training camps and immoral resorts
from their vicinity. The pay of en-
listed men is raised $40 month to $25,
and that of other grades proportion
ately. The machinery for draft ex-
emption is provided.
IT is estimated that under the bill
more than 100000 men are liable
for war service. From these will be
taken the first 100000 recruits for the
conscription army, the second 100000
when the president decides to call for
them. and the men necessary to bring
the regular army and National Guard
up to maximum war strength If volun-
teers do not come forward in sufficient
numbers.
Reports during the week concerning
the submarine warfare were conflict.
ing and confusing. Germany claimed
its campaign was still successful be.
yond its expectations, while Great
Britain issued figures showing a con.
siderable decrease in the number OF
! U-boat victims.
Great Britain reported the sinking