Evening star., 1925-10-11
by WILLIAM CLLMAN.

After having contributed nearly a
billion dollars in eXCiseS To the Fed
crai government, the taX-ridden mo-
tOriStS of the country are now cor.
railing their forces in a concerted and
determined effort to wipe out the
lingering war impost on automobiles
Long the victim of city, State and
hlie owner at last is awakening to the
fact that he is being intimidated.
nenaliZed. mulcted and otherwise
preyed upon out of all proportion to
the benefits derived from the common
veal. He has been taxed and over.
taxed to the point where he consid-
crS himself the worlds champion tax
payer, and funds collected from the
motor vehicle owner have gone to
swell TO the breaking point the sur
puses of public treasures
The first shot in th. fight against
what the motorist considers unfair
taxation will be fired when he and
his representatives appear before the
House ways and means committee
October 26 TO urge upon that body
the elimination of the automobile war
excise taxes. Automobile. motor ac-
Cessory and tire manufacturers also
VIII lend their support in the effort
10 convince members Of the National
clSeS are unnecessary, unjust and
unduly discriminatory, and that they
therefore should be repealed
War Measures.
These taxes date back to 1917 with
the passage Of the war emergency
revenue act. At that time a fiat tax
OF ) per cent on the wholesale value
was levied against automobiles and
trucks. A year later this tax was
increased to per cent and a levy Of
similar amount placed on tires, parts
and accessories. A concession was
made TO motor vehicle owners last
year when the tax on tires, parts and
accessories was reduced to 81. per
cent and exemption allowed on motor
truck chassis having a wholesale
value under $1,000 and bodies having
Il wholesale value under S200.
The cost to the automobile and
truck owners on account of these
taxes, at the end OF the fiscal wear
1925. reached the tremendous total of
1868, 71O,28S-a sum sufficient to pur-
chase more than million automo-
hlIeS at the present average price.
This stupendous burden was shouI-
dered by the automobile owner in ad-
dition to a half dozen other taxes
specifically applicable to automobile
ownership.
Seven years after the war the auto
mobilist is still the prev OF all sorts
of taxation. There are ways of dodg-
ing the Inheritance, corporation, in
come and other taxes. but the motor
ist who buys new car having a
wholesale value of $1,000 cannot by
any possible evasion escape paying a
$50 tax. Nor can he evade the gaso-
line tax, the registration fee, the per-
sonal property tax, the drivers license
fee and the other fees. tolls and ex-
cises he must pay because he owns an
automobile.
Farmer Hard Hit.
The farmer is particularly hard hit
by the retention of the motor vehicle
tax. He is the largest single user
of the motor vehicle, and this virtually
Is the only form of relief which can
he granted TO him while general tax
reductions are being granted to other
groups of citizens.
Members of Congress who oppose
the abolition of the tax have argued
that the m0torist gets back in Fed
eral aid highway benefits a large part
of the taxes he pays. On the other
hand. it is pointed out that the Fed