The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-01
MEASURE
REVISED TO RAISE
ABOUT z BILLIONS
New Levies Added to War
Tax Bill by Finance
Committee of the
Senate

Washington, July 31.-Revision of the
war tax bill so as to increase it's total
from s1,670,0Oo.ooo to about s2Ooo,0O0.Ooo,
mainly by additional levies on intoxicants
and on personal and corporate incomes,
was definitely decided on today by the
Senate finance committee.
The detailed schedules and the exact
total remain to be determined. but COM
mittee members said tonight they ex-
pected the bill to aggregate at least sl,s9s-
100000 and not more than s2,o0s, 900 900.
They plan to have the measure ready to
report by the end of the week
NEW LEVIES
| The following new levies were definitely
decided upon today
On corporation incomes, S162, 900.
Incomes of individuals of $4,000 and
more s27, 10000.
Distilled spirits, $500 900.
Malt and fermented liquors (beer), s25.-
900, 900.
These new taxes total 1904, 900. The
committee considered the following addi-
tional revisions in providing for the re-
naming s23,4oo,ON0 necessary to attain the
minimum, $685. 100000. x
Increases of taxes on brandy for forth
flying wines, to yield about 100000.
Increases of rates on wines to yield
about 100000.
Increase of consumption, or excise taxes
on sugar, coffee and possibly tea, together
with a few new taxes, possibly to include
gasoline and firearms.
Reduction of the Is per cent tax in
the so-called Jones amendment, on cor
porate undivided surplus to 10 or per
cent
| Although the committee had originally
planned to get much of the additional
revenue from war excess profits taxes,
committee sentiment today was said to
| be strongly against increasing the pend
/ ing schedules, estimated to raise s523, 0Oo 600
more than under the present law, or a
total of $74S,OOO,Ooo
INCOME TAX
To secure $162 100000 more from incomes
| of corporations, joint stock companies
and associations, including life insurance
companies the committee decided to in
crease the normal rate on such incomes
by two per cent, trebling their present
| rate ana DOUBLING the IdlS plOFtotb IL
the bill. Modification Of the Jones amend
ment was virtually agreed to- with the
exact change to be decided later, be-
cause of the income increases ordered,
The new surtax rates on individual
! incomes of $500 and above remain to be
definitely fixed The graduated surtaxes
in the pending bill run from per cent
on $4,000 incomes up to 80 per cent. The
new rates probably will be graduated
from to So per cent. With the increases
the total income tax returns to the gov
eminent would be 81 ,O52 900, of which
SIG, zoe, 900 would be the war levy. against
s5s2, 7oo, 900 proposed in the House bill.
LIQUOR TAX
| The committee decided to add a tax
of 81 a gallon more on Distilled spirits and
so cents more per barrel on malt and
fermented liquors. These taxes would
provide a total increase of s2.10 gallon
on distilled spirits, which now pays $.10,
land Of 81. rs per barrel on beer now pay
i, ing s1.50
| Chairman Simmons said tonight that
while new and increased consumption
taxes are being considered by the COM
Imittee, he thought the few millions OF
revenue needed to bring the bill to about
| 81 900. 100000 probably could be found with
| out raising the consumption taxes. The
Tentative increases proposed for these are
of A-cent pound on sugar. h-cent on
coffee and l or cents on tea. The rates
now in the bill are 1a-cent pound on
sugar. 2 cents on coffee and cents on
! tea.