The sun., 1918-12-02
ROPER WORRIED BY
DELAY ON TAX BILL
Tells McAdOo That He May
Have to Make Collections
Under Present Law.
special Despatch TO Tar srN.


wAsuINoToN, Dec. 1.-The Treasury
Department is in a dilemma as to the
proper course to pursue in regard to
the collection OF taxes for the current
year.
The task OF collecting billions of
dollars in internal revenue taxes In
wolves an almost incomprehensible
amount of administrative detail. Every
organization or person subject to tax
must make a report before the tax can
be assessed and collected and the time
for preparation of reports is becoming
go short that Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue Roper fears 1t cannot be
done.
The law sets a time limit on making
returns and payment OF taxes. AS
last year these limits may have to be
extended. The pending revenue bill
will necessitate an entirely new set OF
forms for practically every tax except
the documentary or stamp taxes and
even these have 20 be reported. Prepa-
ration of the forms cannot be under
taken until II is known whether taxes
are TO be collected for the year under
a new law.
The situation in Congress threatens
long delay, IL not the death of the new
tax bill. Both Republicans and Dem
ocrats are standing pat. the Democrats
for the dual bill, providing 100000 00,-
900 this year and s4.00o,000 next, and
the Republicans in opposition to the
so called split bill that would permit
the Democrats TO fix the taxes for next
year, when they will not DO in power
in Congress.
Roper Complains to McAdoo.
Commissioner Roper, in a letter to
Secretary McAdoo. said in part:
Despite the confusion which IL
seems at the moment will inevitably
ensue, feel that it is clearly our duty
to shape our course for the application
to the current year OF the law now on
the statute books, unless the existing
law is superseded by a new law before
January !. 1919.
Il need not remind you Of the salu-
tary effect which will be produced by
prompt decision with respect to the
taxation programme. Business men
and all those who must participate in
problems incident to the period OF re-
construction are beset in their calcu-
lations by doubts and uncertainties.
Surely the Government should not fail
to dispose quickly OF the important
questions OF taxation which vitality
effect every business and the deter
mination of which awaits only the
completion OF the prescribed legisla-
tive procedure.
Seven months have been consumed
in bringing the revenue bill to its
present form. All this effort will be
OF no avail unless the bill is speedily
enacted into law.
only One Month Remains.
"Only one month remains before the
| commencement OF the period pre-
scribed by law for the filing of in
come and excess profits tax returns.
| During the last year it has been
| possible to bridge the gap created by
the inadequacy Of the present law, but
| the satisfactory results were made
possible in no small way by the patri-
| otto spirit Of accommodation of the
people. This attitude was induced by
war emergencies and by the same feel
ing of assurance / have possessed that
| the act OF october 3, 1917, would not
remain in force another year, but
would be superseded by n new law emf
bodying adequate and ineligible tax
| ing provisions and authority for rea-
sonably flexible administration.
Toward this end | have endeavored
consistently to guide the tax admins
,ration Of the last year. But now
with the time for taking action al
ready at hand, l am appalled, by the
necessity OF proceeding in accordance
with the existing revenue law"