Evening star., 1918-08-18

world began Is being written
this moment in Warrington
= greatest with respect to the
sum Of money that a people
composing nation will have to pay
into their public treasury, 't.t
Were the sum, eightNbillion, to be
divided by the number of habitants
in the country the quotient would be
$50. The share Of a man, then, with
a wife and three children would be
$500: with six children. 500; with
ten children, and there are such fam
lilies. $3.50.
The divisions and multiplications
here stated are, OF course. no more
than Illustrations. They give some
idea. however, Of the size of the tax
law that is slowly taking form. The
man with ten children will not pay
$500. unless he is a millionaire, and
in that event he Will pay a great deal
more. 80 IN
But $50 is the mathematical quota
OF each unit of population and the
whole eight billion will be collected
year. Besides, sixteen billion will
have to be borrowed. and that also
will be expended in carrying ON the
war with the Prussians.
81.
Such colossal sums Of money are
new in the calculations and expert
ences of humanity. One hundred
thousand carpenters would have work
more than 153 years. each at IS a day,
and every day at that, to earn the es-
timated war expenses of the United
States for 1919. The Declaration of
Independence was written and signed
142 years ago. ~
Roughly. four billion is being raised
Dy taxation this year. That amount
must be doubled for next year. So
twenty-five men. twelve democrats
andften republicans, members of the
ways and means committee of the
House OF Representatives, are meet
ing daily and searching through the
hundreds OF items that, as a whole.
constitute commerce. for those that
can be taxed to the best advantage.
nat1onally and
II Is solemn undertaking. Under
the constitution Of the United States
measures IN st OF taxation must originate
N tne House OF Representatives. And
the House. as a matter OF business.
mas the preliminary work done BY the
committee on ways and means. The
committee writes the bill, whereupori
tne. House debates and passes it. Then
~ goes to the Senate, also to be con-
sidered there by a COMMITTEES. ire
quently to be recast entirely. and ac-
cepted or rejected.
The twenty-five men, now engaged
IN preparing the eight billion dollar
niit nope to have 1t ready by the first
OF North Carolina is Chairman of the
committee. At his right hand sits
Gordell Hull of Tennessee. Kitchin in
general taxation expert. Hulls
speciaity Is incomes. The bill, of
course, Will be a democratic measure.
PRESIDENT Wilson asked for it and
Congress, democratic in both branches
VIII enact 1t into law of the re,
public.
Nevertheless, the ten repub,icans
headed by Joseph W. Fordney. the
lumberman from Michigan, and in
cnua,ng Nicnolas Longworth, the SON.
with the twelve democrats. politics
nas been adjourned" the President
las said. On the face of things legis-
iative that Is SO. But the democrats
VIII be responsible for the new tax
law law and they will write 1t line by
Now and then a republican sugges-
tion may go through.
The tariff, II Mr.. Kitchin's program
is followed. will not be discussed.
Present taxes on imports are salts
factory to the democrats. Mr.. Ford
ney, always protectionist, believes
that the prevailing duties should be
increased. The nine other republicans
probably sympaihize with him in that
belief. Mr.. Fordney says that there is
more free trade In the United States
ut present than in Great Britain it.
self.
However that may be, the new
taxes Of 1919 will be levied, mainly,
on incomes. profits and luxuries. Near
Iy four weeks were spent by Mr..
kitchin's committee on what are
known as hearings for the public In
terests were invited to appear in
Washington and explain why their
taxes should not be made greater.
~
Nearly 1000 pages of printed briefs
and statements were received. Wit
nesses made speeches, gave their tes-
timony and were cross examined, All
agreed that more money was re-
quired for the war against the Prus.
SLAMS. But many of them thought that
1t ought to be collected from the other
fellow. And the other fellow. in most
instances, was the consumer of the
nations products.
Members Of the committee. both
.iap,ocrata and ranuhltcopo oitNxpg a a