The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-03-11
FOUR. MINUTE.
MEN To WAGE
TAXCAlll||:PAlGN
Army Of $4,000 Patriotic Speak
ers Starts Out Today on
Stacker Drive
PAY YOUR % INCOME BIT
Americans Let Off Easy in Com
parison With Citizens of
Allied Countries
PAY YOUR INCOME BIT

Washington d. G.. March H.
twenty-five thousand Four Minute
Men will. start out today on nation
wide campaign to impress upon the
|. American public their patriotic duty
promptly to file their income tax re-
turn and pay their taxes. The period
ioi' filing ends April l. Taxpayers
have II deays, not counting Sundays,
III which to comply with this provision
OF the law. The penalty for failure is
a fine OF not less than $40 nor more
Than $1,000 and an additional assess
meat of so per cent OF the amount due
The Four Minute Men will appear in
theatres, moving picture houses and
at public gatherings. Special meetings
will be held by chambers OF commerce
boards Of trade, rotary clubs, lunch.
con clubs and business organizations
20 hear the addresses Don't uclay"
is the warming that will be given by
the speakers Taxpayers will be utg
ed 10 protect themselves and aid the
government by being prompt 1t will
cost the government money and trou-
bic to hunt down the man who dndges
the income tax, out the word has gone
forth from headquarters tina. this will
be done. The "slacker' will be shown
no leniency. =
The man whose intentions are good
but who is inclined to put Off unit! to
morrow what should be done today
will be urged not to procrastina.e bu:
to get his blank and file his return
at once. IN
In every address the Four Minute
Men will lay stress upon that pro-
vision Of the law which requires re-
turn from every unmarried person
whose net income for 1917 was $1,000
or more and from every married per
son whose net income was $4,000 or
more. They will be" supplied with
facts and figures TO show that the rich
man and the man Of modest income
alike are made 10 bear a just share
Of the common burden. Tables will
be produced comparing the rate of
tax in the United States and Great
Britain. Here the married man with
an income OF $500 pay $l0 In Great
Britain the man with an income Of
$1,000 pays a tax of 1926 and $500 if
his income is not earned but is from
interest on bonds or the like. AS the
income increases the difference be-
tween American and British taxes
become 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 per cent
on the net income of unmarried per-
sons in excess of $4,000 Under the
act of September 5, 1916, which re-
maine in force, the normal rate OF tax
is 2 per cent on the net income Of
unmarried persons in excess of $4,000,
and on the net income of married per.
sons in excess OF $4,000. '
Incomes under the 1917 act are sub
ject to a surtax which ranges from
per cent on incomes between $4,000
and $500 to so per cent on incomes
in excess of $l,000,00O. The surtaX
under the 1916 act ranges from l per
cent on incomes between $4,000 and
$4,000 to 10 per cent on incomes in
excess Of $2,OO0,000. The multi-miF
lionaire' is assessed G. per cent on
his income in excess of $2,000,000,
while the man with a.$2,500 income
pays per cent on his income in en-
cess OF $4,000.
These and other facts and figures
will be used to refute the statement
OF German sympathizers that this is
"capitalist' war"
1--WE must learn to realize says the
bulletin issued to the Four Minute
Men by the, committee on public infor.
nation, that all of us who pay our
mite are really capitalists A capital
list is simply person who has a claim
on a bit of the worlds stored up
wealth. The unmarried man and wom
an, earning. $1,000 year is by no
means poor'-with rare exceptions he
or she has something laid by in
bond, real estate or a few dollars in
a savings bank An income of $1,000
is considerably above the average.
and after ALL what is a 81 tax, your
share if you are single and make ST.
200 and what is q $40 tax to a married
man, earning $4,000? Surely we, as
t',,,e,i will pay that much cheer