The Washington herald., 1918-01-21
Manates viii Turn Guns on
Internal Revenue Office at
Treasury Department.
~ JOHN A. DUGAN.


The big guns of baseballdom will
start firing upon the United states
Treasury Department today when
a conference Is slated to be held be-
tween the moguls of the national
pastime and the Internal Revenue
Commissioner. This meeting Is
booked for the purpose of thrash
ing out the complications which
will arise this summer in the carry
ing out OF the new tax law. Com
missioner Roper will meet the Ma
tIonal Commission and other base
ball magnates shortly after noon
today, when IL Is expected that the
Question will be settled satisfactor-
lily to all
Up to a late hour last night Au-
gust Hermann. chairman OF the
National Commission. was the only
one of the baseball '72" on the
firing line. Ban B. Johnson and
his distinguished party from Chi
cago were reported early in the
night as being eleven hours behind.
schedule. but il is a sure fact that
Ban B. will be on the job when ac-
tfon starts today.
Secretary Heydler. of the Ma
tional League; Secretary John b.
Foster, of the New York Giants,
and Secretary Hapgood. of the Bos-
ton Braves, left New York last
night and are due upon the scenes
early this morning. Manager Clark
Griffith and President Minor. of the
local club, will be the hosts Of the
occasion. and win present the mag
mates to the Commissioner or In
ternal Revenue.
Railroad delays may offset the plans
of the moguls as they had figured
upon holding a closed meeting before
interviewing Commissioner Roper.
Unless they can get in session this
morning 1t is doubtful whether any
plans will be made before having
stated facts put to them by the gov
ernment
Garry HERMAN. who is known in
baseball as the players best friend,
had the following to say last night:
We never had any intention Of
changing the admission price. We
will go right ahead and charge the
usual 10 per cent on all admissions
and take all the pennies the fans
care to give US. That is about as far
as I can go on an interview tonight.
The purpose Of this conference is
not how much will be charged to get
into the park, but in what manner
the tax should be collected. How the
record of the tax should be kept by
the ball clubs and how the repre-
septatives of the various clubs will
cooperate with Internal Revenue
Commissioner Roper, who has entire
supervision over war tax upon all
amusements.
The baseball heads have been seri-
ously bothered by the complicated
war revenue taxes, as they AFFECT
baseball Some big problems have
presented themselves, and the dele
cations object is to get Commission
er Roper, of the Internal Revenue
Bureau. to decide for them what is to
be done.
Chairman Hermann expressed a de-
sire not to say anything until after
the matter has been taken up at the
Treasury. II is understood that the
matter of collecting the tax, and the
methods whereby 1t is to be collected
constitute the principal subjects un-
der discussion. Hermann pointed
out some Of the difficulties, and said
the delegates have several suggestions
they wish to propose.
law, 10 per cent is imposed on every
admission to a ball park next season.
Aside from the fact that thousands of
admissions daily will make a rather
big job by itself, there are other an
giles.
For instance the bleachers patron
will have to pay Is cents for 25-cent
ticket: instead of 50 cents, the fan will
pay 50: So cents instead of 75; etc.
Collection of such odd figures in an
ordinary theater involves considerable
extra labor. Where there are from
1e.OOG and up. instead of 2,OCO admis-
sions. it is apparent that the mere
physical labor is terrific. 1t also
means delay and congestion at gates.
Tax payments on free admissions, and
taxes on rain checks, are a few other
matters involved.
Reduced prices so that with the tax
the figure will be even, is one remedy
suggested. II this proves too costly.
the magnates might apply some al
tsration of this plan. it is said. How
ever, the matter will be thrashed out
today at a conference, and the mag
mates hope to reach some workable
basis.