The Washington herald., 1919-03-16
INCOME TAX RUSH
in CLOSING HOURS
BRINGS BIG TOTAL
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once money-order office in his ONCE.
and two men were kept busy in max
ing out money orders. Mr. Aud's
ONCE refused to receive cash, taking
only checks and money orders.
Remarkably few residents of this
city whose incomes were over s., 600 for
1918 came to the ONCE in person and
paid their taxes. This class Of tax
payer invariably sent In his or her
check or money order by mail Those
who did visit the ONCE during the
past two weeks were individuals
whose incomes were over 81 900 and
very much under 5000.
Chnirmen Pay Up.
From Deputy Collector Aud's OBJ
servations during the day II is
clear that you cannot tell by look
ing at person, or Sizing" them
up by outward appearances, what
their incomes have been or are.
Many people paid taxes during the
past week on incomes in excess OF
$1,000 who did not appear to have
the price of a clean collar or any
collar at all. Colored maids, even
washerwomen. ditchdiggers. chauf-
fuers, bellhops. street car conduc-
tors and motormen, one newsboy,
peddlers. book agents. manicurists.
department store clerks, Mattresses
and walters, Office employees. por-
ters. window washers. messengers,
soldiers, Chinese laundrymen, ush-
ers, all of a class of workers whose
incomes are hard to gauge, mixed
in a thorough democratic manner
and came Across" in many cases
with the full amount Of the tax in
stead of only one-fourth, as in the
case OF tax payers whose incomes
were larger.
Forty thousand forms. tax returns
for persons with incomes over
$1,000 were distributed from the
local office. 1t was impossible to
get an estimate of the number OF
forms for persons with incomes un-
der $1,000 that were distributed or
secured at the office.
Although many Americans put on
the work of payment until the last
hour. the reports show that the re-
turns are fully up to expectations,
that few slackers will have to be
rounded up, and that there will be
no necessity for any further extern
sion OF time within which the returns
can be made.
At the Treasury Department last
night no one could attempt a clear
summary of what transpired through
out the country yesterday, the last
day set for the initial payment of the
greatest single tax any nation ever
levied upon its willing citizens.
Investigators Busy.
Under the law one-fourth of this
amount was to be paid in yesterday,
but many Americans decided to have
the agony over at once. and paid up
in full. So many took this course
that it is confidently expected that
the Treasury OF Uncle Sam was en-.
riched by anywhere from 5000 900. .o0t
to s., 900, ,OO0, 900.
Many returns were in the mail
last night. but 1t is stated that nc
person whose return shows that il
was in the mails on March IA will
be subject to prosecution. There
Is q feeling in Washington. however
that this year will see far greater
care taken in checking of the in
come tax returns than ever before
1t is known that the Treasury
Department has organized the
greatest machinery for tax collec-
tion ever known to experts of the
revenue division. Thousands OF
clerks and investigators have beer
given special training courses to At
them for mulling over the books OF
firms and individuals. Officials say
that no slackers will escape. as they
are prepared to cross check on tn,
source of everyone's earnings.