The Missouri herald., 1922-05-05
DONATIONS TO WILSON
FUND TO BE TAXED
Internal Revenue Bureau So Rules
Gifts to Roosevelt Memorial
Not to Be Taxed.

Washington.--Wha to Democratic
seems the most picayunish piece Of
politics of the time is the action Of
the Internal Revenue Bureau in
dealing with the Woodrow Wilson
Foundation. Though subscribers
to the Mckinley Memorial Associa-
tion and the Roosevelt Memorial As
sociation have the right to subtract
the amount of their contributions
in their income tax returns under
the provisions that makes contribu-
tions to educational organizations
deductible, the subscribers to the
Woodrow Wilson Foundation have
been informed that no such privi-
lege extends to them.
Woodrow Wilson is still the bogey
man of the Republican admfnistra-
| ton. Every time the former presf-
dent is applauded the administration
has nervous fit. This was mani
fest when Mr.. Wilson indicated de-
sire to participate in the observ-
ances of the unknown soldiers in
terment, when for days Mr.. Wilson
was kept waiting for a reply and an
assignment in the parade.
The pilgrimage of 5000 women to
Mr.. Wilson's home has likewise filled
the Republican sentinels with gloom
and apprehension.
1t took a long time for the Inter
nal Revenue Bureau to find method
by which they could make fish Of
memorials to Republicans who had
occupied the White House and flesh
of the Democrats, but they did it,
after the subordinates had accepted
the identity of the cases as matter
of course and had so reported, prom
ising formal corroboration of the
verdict,
Before this formal word came.
however, the "best minds" got busy
and finally decided that, while a
body formed to erect and maintain
monuments for Col. Roosevelt, with
an endowment fund to promote his
ideals, was an educational organi-
zation, body formed for the pur-
pose of endowing a fund to make
awards to individuals who render
conspicuous service to the advance
ment of Mr.. Wilson's ideal of DEM
ocracy with a small "d'D and hui
man freedom, was not purely edu-
| cational under the statute.
The incident had it's inception
early in February when Sen. Car
ter Glass. in response to an inquiry
from an officer of the Wilson Foun-
dation, asked the Internal Revenue
Bureau whether or not contributions
to that Foundation were deductible
from taxable income.
The Bureau answered that "the
question was an entirely new one"
and promised to reply within few
| days. Within week Senator
Glass called up the Bureau and was
told that the ruling had been made
and a letter had been dispatched
telling him that such gifts were de-
\ ductible The Assistant Commis-
sioner promised that copy of the
letter would be sent forthwith. An-|
other week went by and Glass got|
a message from Assistant Commis-l
sioner Smith-not the copy that|
had been promised, but to this ef-|
feet:
sit does not seem wise for this Bu-|
reau to rule upon this matter until
it has received copy of the char
ter and bylaws, or any affidavit of
the officers of the Foundation, rela-|
tive to the exact purpose for which,
the Foundation is being estab-|
lished."
The full quota of literature ap-|
pertaining to the Foundation wad|
sent, but there was no reply FROM
the Bureau until more than n month
later. After repeated requests by!
Glass over the telephone, Commis1I
sioner Blair, head of the Bureauj
sent a ruling that contributions td
the Woodrow Wilson fund were NOT
deductible. In short words this|
means that contributions to the
Foundation must pay the Govern
ment for the privilege of subscribing
to this fund. The Roosevelt ruling
was made on Feb. 10, the Mckinley
ruling on Feb. 20 and the Wilsor
ruling on April Of this year.