The citizen., 1920-08-12

on the part OF the sOft-drink Nenuefs
II ~ general that special preparations
are being made by Commissioner VIII
liams TO force obedience Of the revs-
nue. statute. Special deputies, gath
cred from all parts Of the country. are
going through special school In or
der that the bureau can make sure OF
the enforcement Of the law. These
agents VIII soon be sent into the states
to organize special forces to ferret
out offenders, large and small, and
press the prosecutions In the federal
courts.
To get ready for the drive against
the venders failing to comply with the
law, Commissioner Williams called to
Washington a corps Of revenue agents.
and they are studying a special course
Of Instruction on the provisions Of the
law and the proper way to obtain evi-
dence against vlolators.
Flying Squadron Trained.
These agents are about ready to re-
turn TO their states, where each Will
| pass along the knowledge he has
| acquired at the school here, and from
the persons enrolled in the local
schools there will be organized flying
squadrons to descend upon refresh
ment booths, drug stores and the other
/ places from which the government
collects 10 per cent on each sale Of
soft drink.
No rigid enforcement of the law has
been required i'm the past, the govern
ment officials winking. possibly. at vio-
lations because of the fact that many
venders were not familiar with the
law and might violate its provisions
innocently. But with the beginning OF
the new fiscal year in July, Mr.. VIII
liams has felt that the time has come
to press for a more general compli-
ance with the revenue statute regard
ing the soft drinks.
Under the law the tax must be paid
by the consumer. and the seller gets
into trouble not because Of failure to
pay the tax hut for failure to collect
It from buyer. A maximum penalty
of $4,000 fine and Imprisonment for
one year is prescribed for the wilful
evasion of the law. Vendors also are
required to keep daily record sheets
showing the number of sales and the
amount Of tax collected on EACH
Where no acash register or check sys-
TEN is employed It is required by the
revenue bureau that a separate re-
ceptacle be kept TO hold the collec-
tions as they are made with each sale.
More Giant Redwoods Saved.
Acceptance by the department or
the interior, through John Barton
Payne. secretary of the interior,
and stephan T. Mather, director
of the national park service, OF
a deed for a tract of 100 acres In
Giant forest, California, will preserve
for future generations a group of the
largest and oldest trees in the world.
The donor was the National Geo
graphic society, and the presenta-
tion was made by Gilbert Grosvenor.
its president.
A member Of the National Geo
graphic society, who had long been
interested In the efforts of the society
to preserve the big trees, subscribed
$4,000 toward their purchase. Part
of the Giant forest was purchased In
1916. when the National Geographic
society supplemented a congressional
appropriation by a gift of $4,000. AT
that time 617 acres Of the forest were
bought. The society has been untir-
ing In its efforts to save the Giant
Seauoias from devastation. The lat
est addition to the governments for
ests Is known as the Tharp tract
There is still one area which Is not
under control of the government.
An enumeration of the Giant Be-
quota trees In the latest ADDITION mas
not been made. One of the giants Is
said 20 be as large as the famous
Sherman tree, known widely as the
super-giant Of the towering timber
land and one-half as high as the
Washington monument. The Sher-
man tree has a girth Of approximate
lv 30 feet. There are other trees In
the tract which exceed the height OF
that 279-foot giant, but few which
approach Its girth.
Not Surpassed Anywhere In World.
In submitting a favorable report on
a resolution directing the secretary
of the interior TO make an investiga-
ton aud submit report as to secur-
ing, stand of typical redwood trees
as a national park, the committee on
public lands said that in height and
In quantity of material. as well as
I'm the beauty and density OF their
forests, the trees were probably un'
surpassed by any other forest In the
world. The committees report which
was adopted by the recent session OF
congress and under which the secre'
tary OF the interior is carrying for
ward the investigation designated
pointed out further that as these trees
are more than 1900 years old they
are among the Oldest living things on
the earth.
, "They are natures monuments. well
worthy Of preservation" the commit
= tee said. "These forests are unques
tionably among the most admirable
things In nature on our continent
All win readily agree that typical
! stands of these trees should be pre-