Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-10-24
SEE VIOLATION
ON INCOME TAX
Publication of Returns Is
Against Law, Says Col
lector Bowers of N. Y.
BLAIR'S TELEGRAM
Mellon and Others Withhold
Any Definite Opinion in
the Matter

NEW YORK, Oct. 24.-F'rank K.
Bowers, collector of internal revenue
for the second district, announced
today that publication OF income tax
returns was a violation of the law
and that violators were subject to a
penalty of $1,000 fine or zone year in
prison or both. He said he could
not state whether local newspapers
which published partial lists would
be prosecuted.
Mr.. Bowers made public a tele-
gram he received this morning from
David II. Blair, commissioner of in
ternal revenue at Washington, which
read as follows:
with reference mimeograph
3249, does not authorize prepara-
tion of copies income tax lists by
public. To permit persons to pre-
pare duplicate lists of income tax
payers would seriously obstruct effi-
cient management of your Office.
Post conspicuously and call to
the attention of all who wish to ex-
anime tax lists provision of 1857
revised statutes. particularly that
provision making 1t unlawful to print
or publish any income tax return
or any part thereof under penalty
of one year or BOTH"
Mr.. Bowers said that lists would
be given only to those who could
show good cause for obtaining them
and that no list would be given out
to curious people who merely wanted
to ascertain how much their neigh
bors were making, and how much in
come tax they had paid.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.-The de-
partment of justice served notice
today that pending a careful exam
ination of the statutes and a final
ruling, newspapers which publish
income tax returns will do SO at
their own risk.
The departments announcement
was made while Secretary Mellon
and other banking officials at the
treasury were Withholding any def
mite opinion. Revenue Commissioner
Blair, however, indicated that he re-
garded publication of the returns as
a violation of the law.
Upon inquiry by Secretary Mellon,
this statement was issued by James
M. Beck, acting attorney general in
the absence of Attorney General
stone:
MANY inquiries have been re-
ceiyed by the Department of Justice
as to the publication in the press
of the income tax records secured
from the collectors of taxes offices
under the public inspection pro-
visions of the tax law passed in MAY
last, in view of the provisions of
section 3167 of the revised statutes,
which, If unrepealed by the latter
law. makes such publication a GRIM
inal offense.
"Oficials of the department state
that a careful study of the two pro-
visions will be made by the depart
ment and, in due course, a conclusion
reached as to whether such publica-
ton is permissible under the law as
now amended.
I'm the meantime, the RESPONSE
bility must rest with those who In
any. way publish the details of in
dividual incomes"
Immediately after making this
statement, Mr.. Beck went to the
Treasury department for consulta-
ton with Commissioner Blair. who
Is in direct charge of the collection
of income taxes, and other interested
treasury officials.
In conformity with the law orders
nave been issued TO internal revenue
collectors to open to inspection the
records of their offices showing how
much each taxpayer contributed to
the national treasury on last years
income.
Late last night, however, someone
discovered and promulgated as a
treasury notice another section of
the law which declares it unlawful
for iany person to print or publish
IN any manner whatever not provided
by law any income tax return or any
part thereof or source of income,
profits, losses or expenditures ap-
pearing in any income return" The
section carries a penalty of $1,000
fine or one years imprisonment.
There were indications of a direct
isagreement among treasury experts
themselves as to the meaning of the
law, and Secretary Mellon finally
referred the question to the Depart
ment Of Justice. declaring 1t was not
a part OF the treasury department to
enforce the law. Attention was call
ed to the non-publication section
last night. he said. merely for the
information of publishers and in or
der that all the facts should be
known.
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