The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-14
WHEN YOU PAY
YOUR TAX YOU
HELP WIN WAR
It is the Opportunity For
Every Man Who Can't
Fight to His Bit.

are now uGQ1CdClnS TO tnlS cause the
full measure of our devotion.
No hand is unwilling, nor is one
heart reluctant to do what can be
done. Business mon are FORGETTING
large incomes and young men are say
rificing their most cherished arbi-
tions IN order that they may offer
their lives to their country. Mothers
are giving their sons to the nation and
wives are bidding their husbands God
speed, as they sail for France. Mil
| lions of Americans are facing tasks
| today that are new, and hard, and bit
ter, and are facing them with smile.
| The one great question on the lips
OF every man and woman is What can
I do to help? What part am I to play?
| What share-white mite-of sacrifice
and service can I contribute to my
c. untry and my flag?"
| Sometimes this question IS answer
ed with an opportunity fraught with
Danger and filled with corresp 'nding
glory. Far Oftener the part assigned
| to US is inconsiderable; the buying of
bond perhaps, or possibly the mere
| payment OF a tax. Nevertheless, to
Play a small, an aforementioned and
lnconspicuous part in the winning Of
this great world conflict is a rare and
| splendid privilege.
| Even that most prosaic 1uty-the
prompt, ungrudging payment of a tax
becomes an actual and an honorable
service. For new levies must and will
be made upon our purses, and we are
doing a patriotic duty if we meet
them cheerfully and willingly. Last
ais paid a tax upon their incomes. This
year six million American citizens will
be called upon to shoulder for the first
time tbs new burden of taxation.
Shall we, however, call this a bur-
Gen? Is it then a burden to support
the great institutions in America that
protect and shelter US? Can it be
burden to uphold the arms of our
President in q cause that is just? Will
we name that a burden which helps
our country carry on war that is I'M
tainted by selfish aims and ambitions
Ia war that is a crusade to establish
and permanently to insure the free
dom of all the nations of the earth
Some may call this a burden, but
there are those, and they are legion,
who will accept this new tax as new
opportunity for sacrifice and for ser
wee, a rare occasion for showing the
government that its citizens recognize
the great purposes of this war and
THAT they will back the government in
this supreme enterprise to their last
dollar.
For America now stands at the su-
preme moment of her history. She
has been chosen as the keystone in the
great arch of civilization. Her strong
arm and fertile brain, her great wealth
and vast resources, must bear the
measured attack of the mightiest, the
blacklist, the most sinister and most
dlabolical military machine that ever
destroyed the peace of the world and
challenged its freedom. Americas
great hour has struck. The tragedy
and ruin of her failure would be as
great, as complete, as irrevocable as
the glory of her success. The flood
tide Of her affairs has set in and to
take it at the full demands the brave
hearted loyalty and heroic self ffac-
ing patriotism of every citizen. Not
a grudging loyalty that reluctantly
does its legal and bounden duty. For
a stingy and niggardly loyalty that
ccols when its pocketbook and COM
forts are touched, a loyalty that does
not burn more brightly with each new
and necessary sacrifice, is the loyalty
OF a soul that is dead
America could not command 10y
atty so complete OF :nsoire a devotion
So single and SO fervid if its cause
were not SO sacred. 1t is but a short
time ago that our President restated
the noble aims for which We are striv-
ilg-+'The eyes of the people have
been opened he said, Z" and they see.
The hand of God is laid upon the ma
tons. Our cause is just and holy-for
this we entered the war and for this
cause we battle until the last gun is
fred
The ears of the world are accustom-
&C to the boasts Of war-lords who
draw their swords for brutal and sell
fish ends, but it is new to hear call
to battle voiced in such phrases as
these and the other sublime passages
c. the Presidents recent message to
CT ngress.
With these high words ringing in
Our ears. with our spirits and the spir-
it Of the nation bathed and glorified
t,y this exalted iGealism, could the
least of US be recreant to his humhlest
duty-the payment of tax-and so
forfeit his share in the heritage of
glory that will inevitably come to our
great country? No, not the least of
Us, for of a certainty, there is no citi-
zen VINO is unwilling to render to the
ration the things that are the nations
Assured1y there is not man who
would permit the government to use
any portion of that energy that it
should and must give to this life-and-
death struggle, in making him pay a
tx that he is legally bound to pay,
al yway. We know there is not for
such a man would oe as base an enc
my to his country as if he were to
sand in a German trench and shoot
a bullet straight to the heart Of an
American soldier.
This, then, is a call on every Ameri-
can subject to the income tax to meet
without delay the necessities of his
government in its great task of accom-
plishing the freedom of the world. II
every unmarried man with an income
of $1,000 or more, and every married
man with an income of $4,000 or more
will take prompt steps to make report
to the government, he will perform an
| inestimable service to the United
States and to its Treasury Depart
! ment.
= This department is already laborins
under the extraordinary difficulties
imposed by the war. By giving it his
8 hearty cooperation each citizen will
be doing his share at least to ease its
a burden and to tighten the heavy re-
. sponsibilities of the new Commissioners
of IntnrnaI Ravenra who mann COL