davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-03-16
Crosssecton of the English Channel the Strait of Dover
showing the several plans The inset above shows the Aer
plan the inset the left the French plan

tunnel under the Strait OF Gibraltar.
thus linking up Europe and Africa at
the western extremity of the Mediter-
ranean.
The tunnel would be driven through
the rock that underlies the Strait OF
Gibraltar al depth of about 5000 feet
below sea level From an engineering
viewpoint there Is nothing prohibitive
in the project; in fact, it was carefully
gone into in all its details a few years
ago.
The Strait of Gibraltar is eight miles
wido at It's narrowest section, and from
Gibraltar to Ceuta on the African side,
the interval is thirteen miles. The
tunnel, apart from port and terminal
improvements. would entail an ex-
penditure of s5O,000,000.
The reason for being OF a tunnel
under the Strait OF Gibraltar would
be augmented by the construction OF
the Channel tunnel, and is further
warranted by the recent completion
of the Franco-Spanish tunnel, which
now pierces the Pyrenees between AK
in France and Puigcerda in eastern
Spain. The run between these two
places is about twenty miles. and tho
tunnel reduces the distance by rail
from Paris to Madrid by fully 200
miles.
The sun., 1919-03-16

ing the ebb and flow OF military ac-
tivities.
Passenger List of 2O,OOO,oO0.
1t has been authoritatively COM
puted that during the first two and
a half years Of the conflict there were
carried across the Channel a human
passenger list in excess Of 100000 900
persons. 1t is safe to say that the
whole composite service of transporta-
ton in that time involved a total OF
close to 100000 tons Of shipping. A
double tube tunnel. properly equipped
with rolling stock and suitable termi-
nails, could have met the peak OF the
wartime demand and have spared an
enormous expenditure which had to
be made to maintain communication
by water.
True, the cross Channel run Is a
short one, comparatively speaking. but
even so it bristled with such perils,
both OF natures and mans making,
that only extraordinary provisions
and eXpedients sufficed measurably to
reduce some of the hazards.
The idea of cross Channel tunne.
is many years old. At intervals during
more than half a century various
projects have been advanced, mainly
by the French, but nearly as often
they were turned down by the British.
who feared that it would weaken the
national defence.
Early in the sos, however. this
The sun., 1919-03-16
By ROBERT C. SKERRETT.

" HE Channel tunnel is in fair
way to become an accom-
plished fact. Andrew Bonar
Law says the British Government has
the project under consideration as part
of Great Britain's work of reconstruc-
ton.
Surely the building Of that suba-
queous route would be a momentous
memorial to the return of peace and
a potential boon Of we'll night meal
culable value to the peoples concerned.
1t would inevitably link France and
England more intimately, facilitate
commercial and social intercourse and
strengthen both nations against the
menace OF a common enemy.
During the four years and more
of strife that have so lately ended
Great Britain paid doubly for her
priceless and most enviable insular.
ity." The very span of water, the
English Channel, which so long has
been deemed a veritable bulwark, has
In fact been a very heavy handicap
in battling with the Kaiser's hordes
Thousands and thousands of men have
been diverted from the fighting fronts
by reason OF the complex service of
defending that water gap while moving
to and from the Continent millions OF
soldiers. great volumes of munitions
and supplies and otherwise maintain
The sun., 1919-03-16

go on without cease. The driving of
the two main tunnels would he some
what slower, but the completion of the
entire project could be effected within
six years from an active start.
The purpose Is to drive the tunnels
downward at an easy gradient from
the British and the French coasts and
to level the run when approaching the
line beneath the middle of the Channel
The permanent ventilation of the
system has been carefully worked out.
Fresh air will be forced into the tubes
by high speed blowers and the flow will
he directed so that it will follow the
movement OF the electrically driven
trains.
|. In case OF accident and any short
c'rcuiting Of the current that may in
duoe smoke the passengers will escape
| rearward, and in the face of the on
coming draft so that fumes and
smoke will be blown in the opposite di-
rection. The intercommunicating pas
sages will make it easy for the people
so halted. to enter the thanking tube
and board returning train.
Cont n, plating Gibraltar Tunnel.
II has been announced within the
last month that European financiers
are contemplating the building of a
The sun., 1919-03-16

The smallest sum received by the Of
Gce at the end of the 1918 fiscal year
was 1 cent. This came from a woman
I'm Montclair who spent 10 cents to
register her letter. The largest indi-
vidual check Covering an individual
income solely received was for $751;
100000. This year the largest check
will be double that sum or more, since
the rate has increased in normal tax
alone from 3 per cent. to per cent,
not to speak of the step by step sur
taxes.
One OF the rigdly kept secrets of the
office is the identity of the great
payers. Collector Edwards considers
that rich and poor have a right to
this secrecy: that the amount of their
payment is nobody's business except
the Governments. OF course there are
larger amounts turned in from the
great corporations on the basis of ex-
cess profits and corporation taxes. The
Second District includes the financial
district of New York, the heart and
centre of tho money market OF the
country. 1t covers that tip end of
Manhattan which is bounded by the
East River from the centre of Gather
ine(S Slip to the Battery; by the North
River from the Battery to the centre
of West Twenty-fourth street and,
generally, by Zgzag line which runs
in Twenty-fourth street to Sixth
avenue; in Fourteenth street to Fourth
avenue. around Cooper Square, 10 TIE
east side of the Bowery, in Houston
street to Mott street, then to Canal
and Catherine streets and completin
the bounds at Catherine Slip.
There's lot of money within these
bounds-more than can be found any
where else in the United States or
probably in the world. 1t must pro-
duce at least $1,000, 900, 900 by De-
cember Is, 1919, if the Government is
20 meet its bills and show a frank face
to the world. Bill Edwards says 1t will
and the Hon. William generally knows
what he is talking about-eXcept when
II comes to Princeton beating Yale at
football.
1t will be some time naturally be-
fore the Office can offer statistics il
Illustrating the number and scope OF
income tax payments, but something
may be assumed from the figures of
last year, when in the whole country
120 persons reported incomes of more
than $1,000, 900. 200 made returns of be-
tween 100000 and 100000 122 he
tween 100000 and 100000, 254 be-
tween 100000 and 100000, 2l6 be-
tween $250.O00 and 100000, 1886 be-
tween 100000 and s250.0O0. T24 be-
tween $4,000 and 100000. 7s2 be-
tween 100000 and $150.oOO, 2.O56 be-
tween $4,000 and 100000. 4,791 be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, 400 be-
tween $4,000 and $50, 900. 1905 between
$4,000 and $4,000, 6.196 between $685.
900 and $4,000. 9,707 between $4,000
and $4,000, 16,475 between $4,000 and
$4,000. 34,102 between $4,000 and
$4,000. 120.402 between $1,000 and
{ $4,000, 5S,949 between $4,000 and s5.-
The sun., 1919-03-16
Continued from Second Page.

tours not included in the foregoing
are: 'Hedda." by the French COM
poser Leborne; Celeste" by Marongo:
Yelled Prophet" by Napoetaro;
|" Arlesienne, by Cilea: "Mariedda, ="
"Noto.' by Giordano: "A San Fran
cesco,' by Sebastian; Malta" by
Frontini; "Maschere." by MascagAi;
Lohensren,' "Capulet and Montague"
by Bellini; Andrea Chenier," by Gior-
dano; Regina oil Saba" by Goldmark (;
fupankey," by Barutti IA South
American composer) "Dramma in
Nendemmia" and II Puritani."
Pays Tribute to Gran.
MY contract with Mr.. Grau was in.
herlted by Mr.. Conried, and if the for
iner had lived it is likely l should have
made my New York debut in La
,, Boheme,' as this was the opera Mr.
Grau first heard me in. 1t was in Lon
con where the negotiations were be-
gun which were afterward concluded
IN Mr.. Grau's home near Paris, He
was a man who impressed mo with
, singular favor; no talked little. hui
everything he said was to the point
and the few words OF praise that he
bestowed on an artist whom he adj
fhlred are certain to lingcr in the
memory. He was proud of the stand
ard To which he had raised tho Metro
poitan opera, and when I expressed
my extreme qualification on joining
the company no said shortly that he
believed me to be sincere because any
artist might well be gratified.
THE choice of 'Rigoletto' for my de-
tut was not mine, although it satisfied
ne. and | think the opera was selected
because l had deOuted in 1t in London
with success. That London debut was
not an overwhelming success, passing
unnoticed by some of the journals and
| remember that one Of the London
papers said, The role of the Duke was
sung by a Mr.. Caruso with care The
success grew. however, with every rep
resentation.
my New York debut made more ex-
element, but II was not rocketlike.
Nine. Sembrich, for nearly twenty
years associated with the opera here,
song Gtldd. and her beautiful voice
and finished acting, taken with her
great popularity. really made her the
star of the occasion. But New York,
after long abstinence, since Campanari,
In fact, had a genuine thirst for an
Italian tenor, and its kind reception of
enc filled my heart with gratitude. 7
hoped also that as it knew me better
IL would like me more.
In truth experience had taught me
to expect this growth of favor.
Neither at debut nor in a first repre-
sentation am 1 able to give all that |
feel of role. Perhaps | sing a new
role as we'll as shall ever sing il. but
with every representation it appears to
me that my conception becomes firmer
and warmer life blood pulsates in a
character. While this experience is
ordinary II is by no means general. and
in my case n lack in n first representa-
ton is not due To Carelessncss of study
nor to nervousness. | am not ner-
vous before going out on a stage to
sing and | never attempt a role until
I have mastered it. The Caruso of to-
day works as hard on preparation an
"A
The sun., 1919-03-16
crosssecon of the American project

most prophetic in his Endorsement OF
the proposed undertaking. AS reported
by the London Times:
'tSir A. Conan Doyle said he had
given some attention to the naval
and military arguments against the
scheme and he agreed that invasion
by means of the tunnel was impos-
sible. The position OF a body OF
troops inside the tunnel would be
strategically as good as that OF
Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea.
There were possibilities in a future
war that rendered II a matter OF
vital national importance that the
tunnel should be constructed with
out delay. The danger was that we
The sun., 1919-03-16
When Americans Give Up Six Billions

600 and 6s,O45 between $4,000 and 81.
The sun., 1919-03-16

laws" said Collector Edwards.
Cooperation with the taxpayer is
our watchword and objective. But
the entire strength of the bureau
OF the United States Government
itself will be arrayed against any
person who deliberately concealed
tax liability or who falsified n re-
turn in order to reduce or evade
his tax or who deliberately abetted
or aided concealment or fraud.
That goes for any dodger whether
he is a millionaire or poor man,
a moonshlner. a stealthy trafficker
In habit forming drugs, juggler
OF income tax figures, a delinquent
or violator of any sort. The law
extends n helping hand TO the good
citizen, but for the dodger it has
teeth that bite.
"One Of the most difficult of
the many problems in tax collect
ing is TO classify those who fail to
fulfl the Obligations imposed by
law. The internal revenue bureau
Is obliged TO maintain large staff
and TO use the utmost discretion in
properly labelling these cases,
Even handed justice is "A heavy re-
sponsibility and only through care
full siftings can delinquents be
classified.
Three Glasses of Delinquency.
There are three distinct classes
OF delinquency with which we have
to deal. First. the taxpayer who
had reasonable cause, brought
aSCut' h. exceptional conditions.
beyond his control; second, the
fellow who didn't look up or didn't
realize his obligations. and third.
the person who wilflIlly evaded
compliance with the law.
'As for the man who shows a
reasonable cause within certain
lines established by the internal
revenue bureau no penalties are
asserted. All other delinquents are
more carefully investigated be-
fore prosecution ia begun. Many
OF these offenses are caused by
ignorance. and negligence.
Failure to make the reports re-
quired by law may in some cases
warrant severe penalty, as where
the delinquent continues his de-
linquency after being warned of
the penalty for failure to make re-
turn. However, il the delinquent
takes immediate corrective action
and II is clearly established
through investigation that he did
not wilfully violate the law he
internal revenue bureau allows
him to compromise his liability to
specific penalty by rendering a
nominal sum of money! In such
instances the money is not really
in compromise but assessed to i'm
press the taxpayer against future
violations.
No Compromise for the wiIfuI.
But there is no relief, no COM
promise, for the man who will
FUZZY evades. wllfully neglects or
wilfully falsifes. He Is classed
with other law breakers in the
The sun., 1919-03-16
CaruSOLOOkSFOrWard

the Caruso of twenty-five years aso
ever did"
The tenor had been idly drawing
lines on a sheet Of paper lying on the
table, or so it seemed. He held this
paper up and said
Here is a picture of that early
Caruso. He looked like Charlie Chap-
lin and he was as awkward, in fact, a.
that movie artist pretends to be to
catch a laugh. And here is the Caruso
of to-day" and he hold up another pen.
Cilled caricaturc (which shows there
have been many physical changes.
know not if the awkwardness has en-
tirely disappeared. A letter came tho
day after Nine. Alda's season farewell
in 'Boheme' in which the lady writer
remarked this trait and asked why T
wore as Rodolphe such frightful
pants
My mail is a catch bag of freaks.
here is letter written in Italian by
man who states that he has seen
me in every part for the last three
years, but now no Is without money
and demands that I refund to him the
sum OF $3.50 which he claims to have
spent for opera tickets. Some day you
must come to see my collection of i'm
possible letters written by strangers in
this quarter century"
The words recalled him naturally 10
the subject of his anniversary and he
said simply but with every mark of
deep sincerity that while he could not
deal in phrases, "for l am as little OF
talker in my way as was Mr. Grau."
his gratitude TO the american peopla
for the supreme gifts they had given
him rose above phrases.
His Picture of Paradise,
TN my first years here among
Them said he. IL may have regretted
the inclusive contract that bound me.
but that was because I knew not how
TO read their great heart to which thew
had taken me. To return to Adolfo
and Enrico in my home at Florence, TO
live villeSiature with my boys in Italy.
Is like n stay in Paradise, but Para
disc is not a mans home and from Il I
come back to this New York as the
wanderer returns to his home. 1t In
mine.
Fame, fortune are hno things, there
are few human beings who would not
aspire to these; friendship, love and
the home feeling are more satisfying
and If / had not found the last two
here | might he proud OF the two
former, but they could not have held
me. Whether l sing in my new Coun-
try or not, | could not, II I would.
sever the ties that bind me to ~
! should not be able to return TO NV
Villa de Signe to live there perma.
rently without deep sadness. Han
piness enduring for near a score NJ
years has wrought too deep a change
and In Italy l must be homesick 70,
America.
But 7 shall sing. For how lon.
who knows? do. 1t will be long A.
46 l have all my ambitions ana
have all my powers for work. =.
strong as DESTROYS as they ever wer.
When l no longer feel like sinvin.
then Caruso will 40 longer sing.
And this singer is the Caruso wbo,.
teacher prophesied he would NOT ,.-e
two years. lie has lasted twentv-fSS
and is still going. wonder IL w..
sine. whose memory cherish t,nS,r
Is aware OF the uuiraoisi-
The sun., 1919-03-16

900 and 69,O45 between $4,000 and 81
COO.
The Rush to the Notaries.
The third stage of the rush in the Of
fee Of the Second district, AS in every
one of the other internal revenue coll
lection mills, is to- the desks of the
rotaries to get the returns witnessed.
This fortunately Is a proceeding so
simple and so devoid OF brain struggle
that it occupies comparatively little
time. The last stage is counting out
the cash or making out the check in
payment Collector Edwards notes
with pleasure that a very large pro-
portion of persons are paying in full
with the turning in OF their income
statements. Many persons of course
will seek to tighten the burden by d.
viding it into quarters, paying to I'm
Gle Sam on March 10 a fourth of the
amount due him and then completing
the payments on June 10. September Is
and December Is.
Examples OF a very liberal view
l'taken by the Government or of lib
| eral constructions OF the law made
by collectors occur frequently. The
| theatrical profession is treated fairly
kindly, certain exemptions being made
that will touch the chorus girls heart,
not to speak of her luckier sister in
the star dressing room. Note these
deductions: advertising, carriage and
freight on scenery and effects. clean
ing, laundering, pressing and repair OF
stage costumes. commissions paid to
| agents and hooking offices, insurance
on'SeGge scrfHry and effects. music
and stage effects which have a life not
exceeding a year. powder. paint, &c,
salaries and wages of assistants and
helpers. storage of scenery and stage
effects, telephone and telegraph mes
sages in connection with business:
travelling expenses including railroad
fares, taxi and bus hire and excess
baggage and transfer of baggage. But
! star or soubrette cannot get deduction
for hotel bills, lodging or meals, though
the field is pretty thoroughly covered
otherwise. The deduction for paint and
powder alone might make a consider
able difference.
The sun., 1919-03-16
Little Chance TO Evade.

There is mighty little chance for
anybody liable to evade payment of
income tax. Collector Edwards says.
This year the names Of all individuals
that have paid tax will be published.
The amount " their taxes will be kept
inviolate, but the names will be public
property and will be posted at con-
spicuous places accessible to all. It is
believed by the bureau that this will
have the effect OF minimizing the num-
Der OF tax dodgers, since a mans
neighbors will know. locally. whether
his name ought to be upon the postal
list, and he will be very likelya 80 hear
from them.
Quoting the words of Daniel
c. Roper, Commissioner of Inter-
nal Revenue. the bureau extends a
helping hand toward taxpayers
who endeavor to comply fully and
honestly with the internal revenue
The sun., 1919-03-16

per cent of those who ordinarily go by
way Of Havre and Ostend, 20 per cent.
of those using the Dieppe route, 80
per cent or the voyagers who make
the run via the Hook of Holland and
in all likelihood 20 per cent. of the
persons that otherwise would travel by
the Flushing boats.
For good and sufficient reasons
two of the greatest of the railway sys-
tens of England and France have
stood squarely back of the Channel
tunnel project for years. Before the
fateful first of August OF 1914 the an
nual movement of freight To and from
England and the Continent repre-
scented a volume of about ], 200, 900 tons
from the ports just mentioned and
the value Of that freight was approx
mately $3.50. 100000. Logically, the more
valuable the commodities the greater
the desire to seek a safer route if such
were available.
According to the statisticians. the
maintenance of fifty train passenger
service daily to and from the Continent
would entail a yearly expenditure Of
s., 000. 900, and il has also been figured
that the gross receipts when operating
upon such a schedule would amount to
substantially 100000. This would
leave an ample margin for meeting in
terest on the capital involved.
The sun., 1919-03-16

eyes OF the bureau and is vigor-
ously prosecuted in the courts.
No other course is open to tho
bureau In meeting fairly and
squarely the demand of the will
ing taxpayer. 4 will--the other
man must There is n solemn
responsibility thus existing be-
tween the honest taxpayer and
the bureau to locate and punish
the dishonest tax dodger.
For decade the drift of Fed
eral taxation has been from the di-
rect tax toward direct payment by
each citizen and resident Of his Just
share of the cost OF Government.
Gradually the circle of direct tax
payers has been increased. and
under the new revenue law the ex-
tension will include hundreds of
thousands who never before filed
declarations with the Government.
We have therefore now come TO
another milestone in rational prog
ress. We approach a new test OF
the soundness of American ideals of
Government Of, by and for the peo-
pie. The test is whether our Won
derful victory of liberty is worth
the cost as apportioned to the pri-
Vate pocketbook by the peoples
representatives.
ut is such q big thing, this col
lection of taxes directly from pri-
Nate funds and business funds, that
nothing short of our best American
cooperative effort can make it sue
cessful and hence just. The bureau
seeks this cooperation of the people
in collecting the revenues. 1t has
never been denied or stinted: any
thing less than the great, voluntary
outpouring of shares in the national
assessment is unthinkablc.
And it is such a big thing that
the willing taxpayer must have the
guarantee of this bureau that the
laggards, the jugglers and the vio-
lators will not escape taxation and
penalties. The bureau Is fulfilling
its part of this contract with the
people--this contract that means so
much in the practical, effective and
Just administration of the Internal
Revenue laws"
Big Jump in Four Years.
1t is interesting to note the tire
mendous jump taken in four years il
income and other internal revenue TIA,
collections. The first income tax col
lection was made in 1914 and realized
along with the excess profits tax, ST.,
3Sl.27474. -Four years later, at tn,
end Of the 1918 fiscal year. these item
alone had mounted to sass, 999, soaps
The total internal revenue collection
in 1914 were $3.50 ,OOS, S93.sS, hut in 1871
they grew to $3.694,619.63s.72. An,
at the end of the 1919 fiscal year the,
will approach or exceed $4,000, 900, OOO
To accomplish this vast job Uncl
Sam had n Commissioner of Interna
Revenue and siXty-four collectors
These heads, directing thirty-one in
ternal revenue agents and an army O
clerks (the bureau in Washington
alone contains 2,245 persons). form
the vastest money collecting machin,
In the world.