The Washington times., 1924-10-24
TAX PUBLICITY
IS CAUSING
STIR
Government Officials Divided
Az to Legality Of Publish
ing income Returns
CONTINUED from F'irgt Pags.)

- AeeA ~sAA ~ S4NAsek
u. TAFT, collector 81 internal rev.
enue, refused to make the list of
taxpayers open for pubiIc taIon, but
did open them for public inspection
IN response to the hundreds Of
inquiries directed at the Depart.
nent OF Justice, Solicitor General
Beck shortly before noon issued tile
following statement:
Many inquiries have been res
ceived by the Department " Jus
tice ~ To the publication la the
press OF the income tax records
secured from the collectors of tax
offices under the public inspection
provisions Of the tar law, passed
in May last, In view Of the pro.
vision Of section 1851 Of the re-.
viaed statutes, which, if unrep0nled
by the latter law. makes such pub
licatlon 81 criminal offense.
'.0ffiuialB ol the department btatad
that ii. careful study OF the two
provisions would be made BY the
department. and, III due cotirne, q
conclusion reached al to whether
such publication ID permissible under
the law as now amended
In the meantime. the RESPONSE.
bility for such publication must
rest with those who III any way
publish the details Of Individual ia.
comes.
May Investigate.
publication by Iiewspaptrs
throughout the country OF Federal
taxes paid by wealthy individuals, In
what tho United States Treasury
considers violation Of, the revenue
act may becpme the subject of an
investigation BY the Department Of
Justice.
While authorizing the Openinf Of
books of internal revenue collectors
To public inspection, 30 that Federal
taxes paid may be made known to
persons interested, the tai law Of
1924 specifically reGEflrme b section
Of the revised statutes prohibiting
publication Of returns under penalty
Of fine and imprisonment, ACCORDING
to the Treasury.
Views Are 81 C0nnlet
Although Secretary of the Treas,S
ury Mellon and Underseeretaryl
Winston regard publication tn RS.
turns Q violation Of the law, 4 nun
Der Of legal experts in the Rurenu
Of Internal Revenue take an Up.
posite view. It was declared that
the revised statutes prohibit pul,Ilea.
ton Of returns in any manner mot
provided by law They added that,
the provision Df the aew 'saw permit
ting public Inspection aE returns
carries with Il tina authority 10 pub
lish them.
s'It il not up 20 HE. Treasury "a.
talee the Initiative IN Interpreting
the law Or enforcing the pfOyisionA.
9 spokesman Tor SECRETARY Mellon
IF ! criminal cfrsnae has been.
committed BY the publication of
these lists IN any city Il Ii up to
the Attorney General and the United
States attorneys to institute prosecti.
items.
Secretary Mellon il NOT attempt.
ing or assuming 10 interpret the
law. II may be possible that the
Attorney General wiz decide that
publicat tOn II legal.
"0n the other hand, 1t Ii within
the range Of possibility that large
taxpayers, who regard themselves
injured by the publication ot these
returns, may take steps 10 prosecute
the alleged offenders ana thus bring
to legal test the validity oe the
publicity provisions OF the rev law.
Against Publications,
However, IL Secretary Melicn
were a newspaper publisher Ne.
would not publish the names of
taxpayers and the amounts paid
until an official ruling on the.
matter Is made"
Commissioner OF Internal Rev
enue Blair issued q statement yes
terdRy declaring that 'list of tar
payers showing the amounts 3of ins
come tax paid BY each, have bsen
made available for public inspec.
tion In the offices Of Collectors or
Internal Revenue"