New-York tribune., 1920-01-19
CougedTenants
IOCet REVENGE
By Income Tax
1917 Forms Have Place for
amount of Rent and to
Whom Paid, Is Statement
by Commissioner Roper
U. S. to Catch Profiteers
Department of Justice Will
Use This Information to
Bring Landlords to Time

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s. Throurh
'he collection OF taxes on 1919 incomes
the first step in which will be taken
tomorrow. the government will wage
war on protiteering landlords with
sweet revenge" in prospect for "the
tenant who has had to dig deep into
ms earnings to pay high rental in
1919"
FIRST lntimation Of this plan came
tonight in an announcement by Daniel
=: roper Commissioner of the Bureau
OF internal Revenue, that forms for
making income tax returns, which will
be in the hands of all internal revenue
collectors and ready for distribution
tomorrow, Will contain section pro-
vldlng that tenants shall include in
thelr statements the amounts of rents
paid and to whom it was paid. This
information will be turned over to the
department of Justice to be used in
It's high cost Of living campaign.
Tenant Holds Whip
The tenants are doing the driving
and holding the whip" Mr.. Roper said.
frohteer landlords will be held to the
straight and narrow path in the pay
ment of their income taxes. Revenge
IS sweet to the tenant who has had to
d!g deep into his earnings to pay q
ilgn rental in 1919. Catherine his
family around him, he takes his
;cratchy pen in hand, and with the last
drop OF ink in the bottle informs the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue that
ne, blll Brown, Of the Hallroom Apart
mcnts, paid to John Smit 13 Protitecr
avenue $1,000 for his three-room fiat
by gathering these reports from all
of the Bill Browns who are running
themselves ragged to pay their rents
'he internal Revenue Bureau will have
an Of the information needed to see
mat the profiteer John Smiths pay
proper taxes or face prosecution"
While the work of collecting the in
come taxes will be just as heavy this
year as 1t was in 1919, the government
VIII receive less revenue. Instead of
collecting 6 per cent on incomes be-
ween $4,000 and $4,000 from married
persons, as was done last year. only
4 per cent will be collected this time.
pNAS ASN'o VIA EcC ali exemption
OF 81 900, as was provided under the
previous revenue law On incomes
above $4,000 the normal tax will be
) per cent instead of IL per cent, as
asst year. But the surtax begins oper-
a;on at $4 600 and continues upward
ntil the government will assess 60
per cent of annual incomes above
81 100000
To Enforce Law Strictly
Internal revenue officials will send
income tax forms to all persons who
paid taxes last year. Others who are
taxable must apply to the collectors
for them. Mr.. Roper warned that there
would be rnswerving enforcement Of the
revenue laws and that punishment
will be meted out and penalties applied
without fear or favor" this. year, since
II persons should be familiar with
the law By this time.
The Commissioner said he would not
appeal to the public to nay taxes on
grounds of patriotism. except in so far
rs tax payment constitutes duty to
The nation.
Returns on at least one-fourth Of the
amount due must be in the hands of
internal revenue collectors by March
Is.