Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-10
MAY LEVY ON ALL.
FROM SERVANTS
TO MEMS SOCKS
Plan Is to Double Present
Rates in Nonessential
Commodities

dOiOiHoDlieS anu JSWeiTy W HSdEiy ali
articles of clothing were suggested
by the Treasury Department yester-
day to the House Ways and Means
Committee, which is drafting the new
$4,000, 100000 war revenue bill.
= The department submitted to the
committee a long list of articles
which it suggested as a source of
war revenue. For some of them
specific tax was suggested, while the
amount of the tax suggested for the
remainder was left for the commit
tee 10 determine.
The list includes jewelry. automo-
biles, gasoline, household servants,
nearly all articles of clothing for
men, women and children. household
furniture and furnishings, hotel and
restaurant bills. double taxes on mo-
tion pictures and soft drinks and
double the present tax on club dues.
List in Two Parts
The departments list is divided
into two parts. one including the
suggestion for tax on retail sales,
which would be levied directly
against the purchaser and the other
on articles that would be paid by the
manufacturer, producer or whole
saler.
The Treasury Department believes,
the list, that the proposed taxes
would not only greatly Increase the
war revenues of the nation by tax
ing luxuries and doubling present
taxes on nonessential commodities,
but would also tend to keep down
the consumption of many necessary
articles. such as clothing.
The departments suggestions in
full follow:
Retail Sales Tax
Fifty per cent. on the retail price
of Jewelry, including watches and
clocks, except those sold to army
officers.
Twenty per cent on automobiles,
trailers and truck units, motorcycle,
bicycles, autom bile. motorcycle and
bicycle tires and musical instru-
ments.
A tax on all mems suits selling
for more than $50, hats more than
81, shirts more than 81, pajamas
more than So, hosiery more than
thirty-five cents, shoes more than
SIS. gloves more than So. underwear
more than SO and neckwear and
canes.
On womens suits more than $40,
coats more than $50, ready-made
dresses more than $35, skirts more
than SIS, hats more than $40, shoes
more than $6, lingerie more than So,
corsets more than $5. Dress goods
silk more than $3.50 a square yard,
cotton more than fifty cents a square
yard and wool more than 50 a square
yard. All furs, boas and fans.
On children's clothing-suits more
than SIS, cotton dresses more than
So, linen dresses more than $5, silk
and wool dresses more than IS.
"a o1nVnC 80
On household furnishings, all or
namental lamps and fixtures. all
table linen, cutlery and silverware,
china and cut glass. All furniture in
sets for which IS or more is paid
for each piece. On curtains more
than 50 yard and on tapestries,
rugs and carpets more than SO
square yard.
On all purses, pocketbooks, hand
bags, brushes, combs and toilet ar
ticles and all mirrors more than 81.
Ten per cent on the collections
from the sales of vending machines.
Ten per cent. on all hotel bills
amounting to more than $3.50 per-
son a day. Also the present tax on
cabaret bills is made to apply to the
entire restaurant or cafe bill (the
present tax is 10 per cent?.
Taxes on manufacturer or pro-
ducer.
Ten cents gallon on all gasoline
to be paid by the wholesale dealer.
Ten per cent. tax on wire leases.
The following taxes on soft drinks
are suggested:
Those now paying five cents
gallon to pay twenty cents, those
paying eight cents to pay thirty
cents, those paying ten cents to pay
forty cents and those paying twenty
cents to pay eighty cents.
Jump of Fifteen Cents
Mineral water now taxed one cent
n gallon to pay sixteen cents. Chew
ing gum now taxed two per cent of
the selling price to pay one cent on
each fve-cent package.
Motion picture shows and films:
Abolish the foot tax of one-quar-
ter and one-half cents foot and
double the tax rate on admissions
and substitute five per cent. on the
rentals received by the producer.
Double the present taxes on alco-
holc beverages, viz: Distilled spirits,
now $500 a gallon, proposed $6.40.
Wine, eight cents gallon; to be six
teen cents. Tobacco and cigaret
taxes all doubled.
Automobiles, a license tax on pas
senger automobiles graduated ac-
cording to horsepower I'D.
Twenty three horsepower or less
SIS. Twenty-four to thirty horse
power S25. Thirty-one to forty
horsepower $40. More than forty
horsepower $50.
Double club membership dues.
Household servants, male: 20 per
cent of the wages of one servant up
to 100 per cent of the combination
wages of four or more. t...
Female servants: Each family eX-
empted from tax on one servant. All
additional servants (female) from 10
to 100 per cent. on all over four.
The House Ways and Means Com
mittee members favor the sugges-
tions, and the departments list will
be used as a basis for schedule of
taxes along these lines. The list was
returned to the department yesterday
with a request for an estimate of
the taxes it would yield.
The committee has abandoned the
SUGGESTIONS for a breakfast table"
tax on the consumption of sugar,
coffee, tea and similar commodities.
1t also has decided not to tax oil.
with the exception of gasoline for
pleasure cars. The proposal to tax
cotton, lumber. wheat, etc, has not
been considered as yet.
Chairman Kitchin said the meas
ure would be drafted within four or
five weeks and ready for presenta-
ton in the House late in August.
IAHH N II