The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-28
1921 Collections Drop as
Costs of Administration
Go s1O,462,O25 Higher.
FIND INEFFICIENCY
IN POOR HOU SING
Condition of Revenue Di'
visions Plant in An
nual Report.

respite a decrease of more than
$500 100000 in collections made dur-
ing the past year the cost of oper-
ating the Bureau of Internal Rev
enue. during the same period in
creased s1o.462,O25.
Collections by the bureau for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1921,
totaled 1886. 900. 1854 as COM
pared with the total for the preced-
ing year. s5,407.5S0.251.s1
These figures show a decrease
during the past year of sSl2,579,-
iS6.07, or Is per cent when COM
pared with the collections of the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1920.
The Increase in cost of operation
Of s. 80 for every 500 collected last
year-totalling s.S7 for the year
1921, and SIS for the preceding
year-is attributed to the fact that
the collections were reduced and to
the fact that the bureau now oc-
cupies space in seven different
buildings scattered over an area
of approximately two miles. thus
causing duplication of work and in
creased expenditures.
Fire Protection Demanded.
To reduce these expenses and to
increase the production of the
bureau. as well as to guard the
irreplaceable records against the
fire hazards to which they are now
exposed as a result of the insecure
character of the buildings occupied,
a demand is made for the imme-
date erection of a fireproof build
ing adequate to house the entire
personnel of the bureau.
These reports and demands are
contained in the annual report OF
the workings of the bureau made
by Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue. David H. Blair. made public
today.
The total amount of the income
and profits tax collections for the
past year was s3,22S,l37.673.75, COM
pared with the total collections Of
these taxes during the preceding
year. s3,956,936;O03.6 so, and shows a
decrease of s72s,7ss.32s.s5.
The miscellaneous collections
arising from objects of taxation
other than income and profits taxes
amounted to ,366.S63, ,09l.s9 for the
past year. compared with sl,450.-
644.24S.21 in 1920, decrease of
sS3.7S1.156.22. The principal de-
creases In these taxes were on al
coholic liquors. s52,247,720.97: to-
bacco manufactures, s40,5s9.96 !;
excise taxes. s3S.53S.12l.72: corpora
ton capital stock. s11, 1,494,767.62; and
stamp taxes, sll.S79.S13.96, which
were materially offset by increases
on estate tax. s5O.407, ,e97.15; trans
portation and telegraph, sl2,l64,-
326.39, and admissions and dues,
s13.972, ,0s3s9.
The cost of administering internal
revenue laws for the past fiscal year
was $40. .2O3,7l6.74, not including ex-
penditures from the appropriations
for refundinG internal revenue col
lections and taxes illegally collect
ed. which is not considered an ad-
ministrative expense.
One of the principal causes given
in the report for the large expenses
necessary for the administration of
the internal revenue laws Is the de-
centralized conditions under which
the various divisions are housed.
The income tax unit is housed IN
four different buildings: Annex I.
located at Pennsylvania avenue and
Madison place; Annex 9. Fourteenth
and r streets northwest: the In
terror Building, Eighteenth and F
streets northwest. and Building c
at Sixth and Il streets southwest.
In Building c are also located the
sales tax unit; the capital-stock. es
tate and child labor tax divisions.
as well as the tobacco and miscel-
laneous divisions.
The prohibition unit occupies the
west. The Solicitors ONCE, ac-
counts unit and the Committee on
Appeals and Review are located in
the Interior Building. The stamp a.
vision is in the Auditors Building,
Fourteenth and B streets southwest
The Commissioners Office special in
telligence unit. the Supervisor of Col
lectors' once, the division of sup
plies and equipment and the appoint
ment division are in the Treasury
Building.
Emcient Impossible.
Under these conditions the report
sets forth. effective administrative
control is impossible. Various units
and divisions of the bureau are close
ly related and that the needs of
these units and divisions require fire.
quert consultations at short notice.
Under these conditions administrative
intercourse and control are seriously
impeded and vast amount of du-
plication of effort, additional expense
and delay results
The report predicts that ff proper
and adequate quarters were pro-
vided for the bureau, the efficiency
of the working force would be in
creased more than 25 per cent, with
the present expenditures and that
the consequent savings would equal
in less than two years the cost Of
the new building.
3 Another complaint registered
a against the present housing condi-
ton Is the Inconvenience to the
public, many Of which
are frequently required to visit
three or four different buildings to
secure Information on a single ques-
ton.
Still another complaint against
the present conditions which 10
in the. report is that the
most of the present buildings occu-
pied by the bureau are infiammable
and insecure. More than half Of
the buildings are lily adapted for
the work OF the bureau and are
also Of such fiimsy construction
that there is constant danger of
fre, which would result in the de-
Continued on PAGE Three.