Arizona republican., 1920-06-20
CAM PA|CN ID BE STAR TED HERE LIN TAX DODGERS
Persons Who Failed to Pay War and Other Taxes to Be Hunted Down and > Prosecuted in Big Special Drive

All those who have failed to make payment in full of war taxes and other taxes due the government are to be searched out and prosecuted, according to information given out by Alfred Franklin, collector of internal revenue for this district, whose office is in Phoenix
 There is to be grief in full measure for all those who have attempted to cvade payment of such taxes by con- cealiing evidence or by making false reports and that the government has prepared to bring every such offender into the spotlight and not only exact payment in full but to impose the penalty, which is severe, is made plain Tn the following statement issued by Mir. Franklin:
 Tn this. as in every other section of tho country, there will be conducted during the next two months an inten- sive tax drive for the collection of de- hnquent sales and other miscellaneous taxes, such as the so o-called luxury tax, the soft drink tax, the admission tax, the manufacturers tax the tax on jeweIry and works of art, and the tax on toilet articles and proprietary medicines. Reports of laxity on the part of dealers and other persons re- sponsible for the return and collection of these taxes have reached the bureau of internal revenue from many feurces-
 Force of 20O0 Men
 ''To remedy this condition. Commits sioner William NJ Williams has as signed to the work of investigation 175 special revenue officers. These men will compose flying squadrons which will visit every large city in the United States, cooperating with assistant supervisors and field deputies. The total force numbers 2000. The drive will be under the immediate super vision of collectors of internal revenue and is expected to result in the collec- ton of millions of dollars in delin- puent taxes and penalties.
 Information from the sales tax unit of the bureau of internal revenue is that many dealers in soft drinks and ice cream either are keeping no rec ord of the amount of tax collections from such sales, or that the record is insufficient or incorrect.
 Special attention will be directed to the collection of this tax as well as to the tax on toilet articles and pro- prietary medicines. Through the fail- uro of retailers to collect in full the tax of l cent for each p cents or frac- ton thereof of the amount for which toilet articles and proprietary medi- cines are sold. it is estimated the gov ernment is losing several million dol lars annually. The tax is collected by means of stamps ranging from 1 to 4O cents, which the law provides shall be affixed by the dealer and can relied.
 Prosecutions to Follow
 ''It is the intention to conduct as thorough and effective a campaign as possible in such a way as to bring to justice willful violators. and cause no embarrassment to merchants and busi- ness men who honestly are endeavor- Ing to comply with the revenue laws. Discovery of evidence to show willfui tax evasion will be followed by prose cutions. In fragrant cases the bureau will urge the imposition of extreme penalties. For willful refusal to collect and pay the tax the penalty is fine of not more than $10000, or one years Imprisonment, or both, together with added assessment equal to the amount of tax evaded. For failure to make return the penalty is a fine of not more than 5000.
 Persons desiring to file amended re- turns Of tax collections for which they are responsible should do so before government investigation, in which case the policy of the bureau will pa one of leniency. There is great diff ference between the self-discovered tax delinquent and the tax evader dis covered by tn ebureau."