The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1918-03-20
HELPING GET
TAX REPORTS
Urging PrOmptness on Citizens
No "SlOcker" Can EVade

: Washington, March 18.-Twenty-
five thousand Four-minute Men have
started out on a nationwide cam
paign to impress upon the American
public their patriotic duty promptly
to file their income tax return and
pay their taxes. The period for filing
ends April 1. Taxpayers have eleven
days, not counting Sundays, in
which to comply with this provision
of the law. The penalty for failure
is fine of not less than $40 nor more
than $1,000 and an additional as
sessment of so per cent of the amount
due.
The Four-Minute Men will appear in
theatres, moving picture houses and
at public gatherings. Special meet
ings will be held by chambers of COM
merce, boards of trade, rotary clubs,
luncheon clubs and business organi-
cations to hear the addresses. Don't
delay" is the warning that will be
given by the speakers. Taxpayers will
be urged to protect themselves and
aid the government by being prompt.
1t will cost the government money
and trouble to hunt down the man who
lodges the income tax, but the word
has gone forth from headquarters
that this will be done. The Stacker
will be shown no leniency.
The man whose intentions are good
but who is inclined to put off until
tomorrow what should be done today
will be urged not to procrastinate,
but to get his blank and file his re-
turn at once.
In every address the Four Minute
Men will lay stress upon that provi-
sion of the law which requires re-
turn from every married person whose
net income was $4,000 or more. They
will be supplied with facts and fig
ures to show that the rich man and
the man of modest income alike are
made to bear q just share of the COM
NOR burden. Tables viii be produc-
ed comparing the rate qf tax in the
United States and Great Britain.
Here the married man with an income
of $500 pays $40. In Great Britain
the man with an income of $1,000
pays tax of 1925 and $500 if his in
come is not earned but is from inter-
est on bonds or the like. AS the in
come increases the difference be-
tween American and British taxes be-
come less and finally when million
dollar incomes are reached the amount
paid in this country is greater than
in Great Britain.
The normal rate of tax under the
war revenue act of 1917 is 2 per cent
on the net income Of unmarried per-
sons in excess of. 1000 and on the
net income of married persons in ex-
cess of $4,000. Under the act of
Sept. 8, 1916, which remains in FORCE
the normal rate of tax is 2 per cent
on the net income Of unmarried per-
sons in excess of $4,000 and on the
net income of married persons in ex-
cess of $4,000.
Incomes under the 1917 act are sub
ject to a surtax which ranges from L
per cent on incomes between $4,000
and ST, 800 to so per cent on incomes
in excess of $1,000,000. The surtax
under the 1916 act ranges from 1 per
cent on incomes between $4,000 and
! $40, 900 to 10 per cent on incomes in
excess of $20,000,000. The multi
millionaire is assessed 81 per cent on
his income in excess of 100000,
while the man with a $1,000 income
pays So per cent on his income in ex-
cess Of $4,000.
No Capitalists War;"
These and other facts and figures
will be used to refute the statement
cf German sympathizers that this IS
Capitalists war"
eve must learn to realize" says a
bulletin issued to the Four Minute
Men by the committee on public in
formation, "that all of us who pay our
mite are really capitalists. A capital
ist is simply a person who has
claim on bit of the worlds stored
up wealth. The unmarried man and
woman earning $1,000 year is by
no means 'poor'-with rare excep-
tions he or she has something laid by
in a bond, real estate or few dol
lars in a savings bank. An income of
$1,000 is considerably above the aver
age.
"And after all, what is $4 tax
your share if you are single and make
$1,000 and what is a $40 tax to
married man earning $4,000? Surely
we, as Americans, will pay that much
cheerfully."