The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-16
INCOME TAX /
NO BUGAB00
FOR CROOKS
Collector Wants Revenue;
Doesn't Care About
Source of It.
Ry DAVID LAWRENCE.

(COpvright, l9ZZ, Dy Inc AISuS'J
Washington, March 16.-Bootleg-
.ors handbook makers, or any
other class of individuals of the uu-
derworld paying a tax on incomes
derived by fraudulent or unlaWrul
means are not likely to have their
offenses call to the attention OF 9TH
or branches of the government or
state authorities.
DThe primary function of the in
come tax division is to collect rev
enue." sad Carl Mapes, secretary OF
internal revenue, and TO see 10 u
that proper returns are made tor all
income receipts. We are far TOO
busy to do anything else, but Oh
course if any other department OF
the government calls upon US to see
The income TAX return of any lndl-
yidual or business, we are bound
by law to permit inspection"
Return Is Not evidence"
There's another obstacle, how
ever. in the way of prosecution
Would an income tax return made
cut and sworn to by an lndlVldual
constitute evidence? Doesn't tne
federal con. titution give man tht
right not 20 incriminate himself
These points have been thresnep
over by government lawyers WIN
the result that they are consldef'
ably in doubt what could be doh-
with an income tax return whlcI
disclosed that an individual hao
been engaged in unlawful purslts
It's true that the prohibition en-
forcement agency of the govern
ment. which is a part of the treas
urv department, could ask for any
returns it wished and if 1t suspect
ed that an individual was engaged
in violating prohibition laws, care-
full watch could be kept for eVle
deuce of further transactions. Bu'
il is a matter of much doubt whetn-
er the income tax return showing
a lump of past transactions would
he of auv value without further evil
dence furnished by persons whc
had knowledge. for instance, OF the
sale of liquor illegally, or any othel
violations of existing laws
Lawbreakers Rest Easy.
Inasmuch as the income tax dl'
vision is an agency to get as mucf
revenue as possible and does no'
feel its duty is to inquire how any
man makes his money, no matter
how legitimate is his business, tht
whole subject of detecting fraud Is
one on which officials here are mo-
particularly anxious to talk. bu'
the impression one gains is that de
spite earlier reports to the con
not as much a source of Information
as it was thought they would be
There is reason to believe ina
many bootleggers, for example, are
so sure of their ground that they
are making out their returns with
out fear of difficulty. Just how
they describe their business is diff
ficult to know though it is sup
posed the words commissions.
broker" and kindred terms no
contained on the income tax form:
are broad enough to cover most o
the activities of the bootlegger ani
handbook maker.
1t will be Immediately asked VIII!
a man who makes his money
through Illicit means should hesi
tate to evade paying income taxes
But there is a check upon failure
10 pay income taxes. The govern
ment has the right to compel bank
to produce records of their deposit
ors. Similarly, the government cal
ascertain whether an 1ndlV1dua
has any money or not by examlna
ton of the books of concerns Whlci
Continued on Page Ten.)