South Bend news-times., 1922-10-08
ENGLISH PEOPLE
VIEW INCOME TAX
AS REAL SCOURGE


LONDON Oct 7.-Brlush citizens
are just undergoing their annual tor
ture-that OF the income tax oni-
Gals.
Compared with il the Star cham
be- and the Spanish inqu.siton
were institutions Of mercy. They
merely tortured physically. The
British income tax leaves the citizen
practically without cent and entire
Is without self-respect
For the average person in Britain
the income tax is FIVE saIllings in
the pound rs percent of income.
For the wealthy. when ombinod
with what is known as "supertaX."
So may amount 10 as much as So
percent Of income.
Pulling Statistics.
To begin with. the average com
mon or garden taxpayer has 20 ill
in forms relating 10 his income. In
their statistical details they would
puzzle any weu-informed account
ant
with these ne does his best And
then the person known as the Gin
come tax surveyor" begins 90 dis
pute.
He begins by assuming that the
innocent Taxpayer IS attempting 90
defraud the treasury He demands
more and further information and
threatens the direst penalties Of the
laws
The taxpayer makes further re-
turns but meets with the same fate.
He is told that his return is incor-
rect but that the income tax com
missioners have assessed him at
certain figure. That figure is usual
~ Just three times the amount of
the citizens return.
And the powers Of these income
tax people are entirely arbitrary. If
the amount they demand is not paid
20 the minute they can do practical
~ what they please. IL they wish
they can just descend on the tax
PAYERS home-without notiCe-and
seize and sell all his furniture with
out more 10 do.
Relief Impossible.
Process of this. kind is beloved OF
income tax offic cials. Extreme ac-
ton OF this sort brings them Off
ciaI commendation and increases in
saIary For every extra percentage
they extOrt from the taxpayer they
receive kudos I'm kind
Sometimes the citizen insists on
appealing against his assessment to
the institution known as Somerset
house. the headquarters i'm England
OF the inland revenue. And there he
meets his Waterloo right away.
To begin with. he is kept waiting
between four and five hours ia a
great big lofty. uufurnished waiting
room Then. when more or less
brought 20 the proper frame Of
mind. ne is suddenly introduced in
10 the presence OF the gentlemen
known as the commissioners of
the Inland Revenue"
Twelve Of them sit around "a table.
and as the unhappy victim ap-
uroaches they make one concen-
trated dive i'm his direction.
How long have you been defraud-
ing the revenue2" asks one i'm a
hectoring voice
scared Into IL.
do Won know the penalties for
an incorrect return % saws second.
Have YOU anything TO say before
we instruct the authorities 90 take
proceedings against you2' shouts a
third and SO the process goes on.
In three minutes the poor unhappy
victim believes himself guilty Of all
charges and is glad 20 escape the
hest way be can
In the finish he is usually told
mat his assessment is treble the fg-
ura originally fixed and ne rushes
out and paws &c. glad TO get away
from these derds
And then the trained team OF in
come tax inquisitors. reckoning II
has done n fine mornings work for
the country. goes 20 lunch and
laughs