The Washington times., 1919-03-11
SEE POLITICS
NINCOMET TAX
EXEMPTIONS
Legislators Henehmen at
Home -Untaxed, While D. c.
Workers Are Made to Pay.
By BILL PRICE.

How Congress exempted from in
eOme taxes the salaries OF all the
ssIlows who make up political ma
chimes in the states-the machines
which send Congressmen hsrS-Gnd
oarefuIly arranged that the same
class OF employees Of the Federal ana
District governments in this city
should bear their proper burden Of
these taxes is just one Of the Httle
chapters OF the income tar law,
Washington men and women work
ing for the Federal and District
governmSnts who have no votes here,
and comparatively few OF them 6iSe-
where. are puESiing their heads ever
this curious little game by which
Congress has made fish Of one ana
fowl Of another.
An over town officials and olhSf
employees Of the United States and
District governments are making
out their income tax fetufns-scratch-
ing their heads In confusion as they
do so-and at the same time won-
darinR how men and women sirailof-
~ employed ih states, codf1tie8 and
municipalities away from Washih9-
ton entirely escaped this job and the
giving up OF money % aid the 0ov-
ernmsut
Have Ne Power.
OF course, the truth is that these
washington employees OF the United
states and muhIelpal E6vefnments
have no political poWeE TO DO harm or
eood 20 Senator'S and CohGfSSsmeIi
Who are aspiring TO continue 10 Com
gress. Some Of them DO 90 home on
Registration and election days, but
they are Of no Importance "a the ma
chimes that continue the gentIemen ia
public life. They are supposed TO dc
this merely 70 be able to help thet1-
selves retain their own positions II
they get IN q pinch.
washington policemen and school
teachers who are fortunate enough
70 draw salaries sufficient 70 cause
fSFeturns and taxes to be made are %
no more consequence politically than
bumps on q log. He or she does not
vote, does no work before or on elhc-
) 1tOn day for Congressional gsntiemeh
fSseking 60 escape dsfSat
It's di6erent. though, in the States,
Seounties, cIties, and townG. The
Seounty sheriff. treasurer. clerk OF
court, coroner, membefa OF the legfS-
latuTs, All belong to machines that
are valuable as friends, dangerous as
foes. The policemen. firemsn, consta-
bIes, and school teachers In both
counties, cities, Snd towns are powers
'-around election day Ia influencing
voters. They naturally take part In
. All political contests.
So Congress puts into the income
F4ax laws q provision that officials
and employees Of States and rnu-
inequalities and the subdiVisiens
! ef States shall be exempt from paying
taxes upon salaries drawn from their
employment
That ought 70 insure strong sdp-
port in the next Congressional and
Senatorial elections for those who 80
thouGhtfUf1y voted for exemption.
On Constftuti6nai GFSun6s.
Congress did not make the ezemp-
tion on the grounds referred to. There
wa talk that the United States could
not constitutionallY taE employees OF
q State or any OF it's Subdivisions.
This constitutional stuff is turned
loose in large Quantities Whenever
there 10 nothing else tangible to play
the game under.
Nobody employed by the Federal
and District government in Wishing
ton feels that he wants to esca6e
his duty by his Government now. Yet
every man fails to understand why
the other fellow should not be chm
PEELED 20 likewise DO his duty.
The understanding Of these thfhfS
would be much clearer II the peo-
pie Of Washington-who pay more
taxes and buy more bonds and give
more men 70 the army than one-third
the States of the United Statss-had
Senators and Representatives in
Congress 70 look after their inter.
ests, and cast electoral votes for
President.
Ded6etI0aa for Expenses.
For the Information Of business
men who are struggling with fIlinG
fn their returns there is obtainable 4
raluahlh nrirner from the Intarnal