The Washington herald., 1922-03-15
ROUGE AND CAR
TOKENS CLAIMED
FOR EXEMPTION

Coniinsed from Page One.
from . o'clock in the morning until
closing time. some--upward of 200
persons--even form In line outside
Of the ONCE before opening time.
There are some cases OF pathos,
too. but there also are some which
tragedy classification. Among thes,
10 the following:
Les. Of Arm no Excuse.
: A young man. with one arm miss
ing. informed the clerk that his
$500 salary for the past year
should be reduced by % per cent.
owing to the fact that during that
year he had lost zone quarter of his
limbs" as the result OF an accident,
and therefore possessed only
three-quarter earning power.
The clerk offered sympathy for
the loss OF the arm. but Informed
the man that he must be taxed sor
$500 owing to the fact that he was
unmarried.
Boys and girls OF tender ages,
who assert that they are the sup
ports Of their families. and that
their parents do not work. form
the principal portion Of the pathetic
part OF the days work. Some, how
ever. are sent by their parents to
nle the family returns. This Is no.
legal, as the person making the re-
turn must personally do the filing
A number of persons. when asked
to sign their names to the returns,
admit that they can neither read
nor write. Many of these have in
comes Of more than s2,soo.
Taxpayers .Learnias How
Very few letters of an unusual
nature have been received this year,
according to early reports coming
from the Baltimore once, the head
quarters Of the revenue district
which embraces the District. A few
returns, but not enough to even
compare with those of last year,
nave been received for taxes
amounting to one and two cents,
An unusual array OF occupations
are indicated by those who "let the
clerk do II" and merely respond to
the questions which he asks them.
few which were overheard by
a bystander were as follows:
Some Unusual aProfessioas.,
Liberty cabbage manufacture.
you know. a maker of sour kraut":
"steeple-jack"; hello girr'; ct sell
mems furnishings, so I guess Won
can record me as a salesman; a
bill-poster, not collector; "a near
beer bartender: "a hash singer.
oh. well. IL you insist, a waitress"
and boot black"
Thus far. with one day of hfteer
hours still remaining, approximate
ly 10000 persons have nled their
returns with the local ONCE, ac-
cordinG to Acting Division Chief
James G. Young
During today. IL is estimated that
more than 5000 additional returns
will be made. which will bring the
years total to approximately 1000
less than the number handled
$4,000.
Reduction In Totals.
noticeable decrease In the
amount of tax collected in the Dis
trict this year is forecast by those
who are engaged in handling the
returns. although II Is stated that
the decrease here will be less than
In many other sections OF the coun-
try. owing to the fact that wash
ington Is q salary city" where the
rise and fall Is not greatly felt.
Treasury experts. estimate that the
entire tax this year will be the
smallest in five years, foreca sting
the amount to be reported by mid
night tonight at sI.s0o, 900, 600 for
both income and profits tar. This
Is nearly S2.ooe. eoo, ,oeo less than the
amount reported two years ago, and
s9oO.00o,0o0 less than that of last
year.
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon
estimates the initial payments of
Federal taxes, which must accom-
pany the fling OF returns, will not
net the government more than $500
O0o.000-the smallest amount since
1911.
Wealthy Pay Heavily.
The big slump in taxes is at
tributed to the depression which
hit the country last year. Second
airy causes are increased exemption
allowed this year.
Approximately one-eighth OF the
Income tax payments will come
from 1.oSS wealthy individuals, the
Treasury estimates, This wear
these persons. whose income is in
excess OF 5000, 900 a year each. will
have combined income of approxi-
mately s425, 500, 900, of which the
government will take approximately
Half in taxes.
No estimate Is available as to the
number Of returns that will be filed
this year. but IL Is believed II will
not exceed 100000. All persons
with an income OF $1,000 or more
must hle returns. During the war
1eriod the total was in excess of
5000. 900.