Evening star., 1924-10-24
BY ROBERT r. SMALL.

The publication OF income tax re-
turns in various sections of the coun-
try today as a result Of the ruling of
the Treasury Department that all
income tax payments be made avail
able to the public has shocked Wash
ington more than any event since the
discovery Of the 100000 Doheny
loan" to Albert B. Fall.
The Treasury has been able 10
pacify several thousands Of anxious
inquirers that there Is nothing in the
new statute under which 1t is oper-
ating that will permit any one to
Inspect the details OF a return and
that the sources and deductions noted
in the returns Will not become public
property under the law as it now
stands.
The law merely provides that a full
list Of all persons who have made
returns shall be made available to
the public, together with the amounts
they have paid, these amounts in
cluding original payments. penalties
and interest assessed. Some inquisi-
tive persons misunderstood the law
to mean that every detail OF any
mans return should be posted for in
spection and that revenue department
employees should be assigned to help
all inquirers properly to decipher the
intricate figures.
Details stIl withheld.
Such is not the case, however The
details OF a mans returns, and like
wise the details of a corporations g
busir ess, still are inviolate, but
Treasury officials said today they
would not be surprised If Congress
this Winter provided that the most
intimate details Of every mans busi-
ness should be spread out for public
inspection and consumption
When New York newspapers, bold
ly printing the payments made by the
wealthy men Of the country residing
in the metropolitan collection dis
tricts, reached Washington this
morning Treasury officials frankly
were amazed. They had issued a
warning that publication of the re-
turns was plainly in violation of one
OF the sections of the new law Emil
nent lawyers consulted by the news
papers gave 1t as their opinion that
1t was the intent Of the law that the
payments be made public and the
printing OF the payments in the news
papers was merely a logical means
OF giving the publicity provided by
the statute.
Treasury officials are somewhat at
odds on this point, but there was
general feeling in Washington today
that governmental action may follow
the publications as a means OF testing
the constitutionality of the new pro-
vision.
Had Forgotten Clause.
The tax payment publications came
as shock because most persons had
forgotten that the publicity clause
had been added to the revenue act
passed last spring, reducing taxes
by 25 per cent. The amendment pro-
viding for publication was offered
by Senator Norris of Nebraska, a
member OF the progressive group of
Republicans The effect of the
amendment was thoroughly discussed
at the time. But since then it virtu
ally has been forgotten.
Not by the Treasury, however. The
officials of that department il may
be stated are not in sympathy with
the new law. 1t was passed as a sub
stitute for the measure recommended
by Secretary Mellon. Both Demo-
Gratis and Republicans have laid
claim to full credit for IL. The Treas
ury has been studying the act con-
stantly. and suddenly announced yes
terday that complete lists of all who