Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-12-13
THE LIBERTY TAX
BY Daniel C. Roper, Commissioners Of
Internal Revenue


Internal Revenue
Shall we pay to our own govern
ment Liberty Tax OF s2.500.000,O OO
or to Germany war indemnity OF
many times that amount?"
This is the real issue presented to
the American people by the passage OF
the war revenue act. II is for the
people, who through their represen'
tatives in congress have levied this
tax upon themselves, to decide.
Can there be doubt that in the
event of Germany's success in the war
the indemnity demanded Of the United
States by the kaiser would be so great
as to cause to pale into insigni6cance
the sum total 1.-THE revenues called
for by the war revenue act. Remem'
bering Germany's threats. there is but
one answer.
The designation Liberty Tax" Is as
applicable to the revenues to be raised
by the war revenue act as the term
Liberty Bond" to the two bond issues
to which the people have subscribed
$4,000, 100000. Both are for the same
purpose, the financing Of the war The
Liberty Tax represents that portion
of the burden--if burden 1t can be
called-which we assume for our
selves, while the Liberty Loan repre-
sents that portion which 1t is only
fair for us to remit to those who
come after US.
Communities throughout the length
and breadth of the land We'd with one
another in the purchase Of Liberty
Bonds, displaying n just pride when
they exceeded their quota. The man
who promptly pays his Liberty Tax
may also feel pride in the FULFILL
ment OF a patriotic duty.
The task Of collecting this tax. the
greatest levy ever undertaken by the
United States government, devolyes
upon the bureau OF internal revenue
The bureau is ready to do its part
and to every one fthe taxpayers
1000, 900 OF whom never before have
paid an income tax. is given the op
portunity to cooperate.
VAST COLLECTION MACHINE
There Is being organized in the
treasury department a vast machine
for the collection OF every penny call
ed for by the law. The government
Is not required to seek the taxpayer
the law providing that returns shall
be filed between January 1 and Marcel
with the collector OF internal re
venue in the district where the tax
payer lives. The bureau of interna
revenue. however, has in the field
large force OF agents to check return
and to see that the law Is not evadet
The Information at source" proyis
sion OF the law will give the treas
ury department many complete rec
ords.
In accordance with this all indIyiC
uals, trustees. guardians and othe
fiduciaries, partnerships, corporation
or associations must file with the con
missioner of internal revenue n tTu
report of the income paid in rents, IL
terest, salaries, wages or other fixe
and determinable gains of $500 c
more in any taxable year, togethe
with the names and addresses of pc
sons to whom such payments al
made. For the information of en-
ployes, employers everywhere through
out the country will be asked to pos
In their factories. Offices and bu ines
houses notices that these reports hay
been filed. In this way the attentio
of employees will be called to the faC
that, in addition to the returns mad
by themselves. the treasury depar
ment has received an accurate stat
ment of the taxable salaries paid I
eaoh.
EXCESS PROFITS HlT HARD
The largest single item in the Iii
erty Tax total is the return from TIL
excess profits tax, estimated at 81
000, 000.0 In the construction an
Interpretation Of the excess profit
provision OF the law, the bureau
aided by nine advisers on bushes
conditions, appointed by Secretary NJ
Adoo. Selected because OF their abb
ity to deal with just such problems a
are being presented. they are Repre-
sentative Cordell Hull. member o
the house committee on ways an
means; n. 8. Adams, economist o
Yale University; Wallace d. Sim
mons. president OF Simmons Hardwar,
Company OF st. Louis and Philadel
pbia: J. n. sterrett Of Price, Water
house q Company. accountants, New
York; 8. n. Bertron OF Bertron, Grls
com & Company, bankers, New York;
70. T. Meredith, editor OF Successful
Des Moines, Iowa; T. w
editor of Omaha Bee.
Nebr.; Stewart w. Cramer, of