Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-15

corporation in which case the as
sessment letter merely showed the
mathema tical adjustments. covering
. 267 pages with 317 pages OF eN-
hibits. And the difficulty or the
questions presented in adjusting the
case is shown by the fact that Oh the
last Is pcome-tax cases decided w
the Supreme Court, . OF the cases
have been decided by divided court.
The accomplishments of the bureau
are as remarkable as It's task WAS
colossal.
AS result OF the work of the Blu
reau of Internal Revenue in auditing
these returns, @there has been col
lected in additional taxes for the
fiscal years 1917 to 1925 more than
| s.. 500. 0OO. 900. and the collections as
a result of audit for the first quarter
of the fiscal year 1925 amounted 10
more than $75,000,0Q0. The work OF
the bureau in auditing these returns
needs no justification other than the
| figures showing the result of these
audits.
The accomplishments Of the bu-
reau are clearly and strikingly pre-
| sented in the following summary:
! Since the passage of the income TAX
| act of 1917 there have been filed more
! than 100000 income tax returns.
| During the same period the Bureau
of Internal Revenue has collected and
accounted for more than $30.000,000,-
| 900. OF this amount more than 81
| SOC. 000. 900 has been collected as re-
suit Of the audit and investisa ton Of
| tax returns. The cost of collecting
| this tremendous sum of money has
averaged less than 81 for each 500
collected. Less than 1000, 600 cases
remain at the present time to be set
tied and finally adjusted out of the
| 100000 cases filed during and since
| the war.
In the investigation. the accom-
plishments of the bureau as whole
were not examined for the purpose
! of determining whether. considering
the size of the task, it had been well
| performed. On the contrary. indi-
vidual cases which had been settled
by the bureau were reexamined for
the seeming purpose Of finding some
thing to criticize in connection with
the settlement.
The entire record discloses the de-
sire to examine and present cases
| which might form the basis for
| criticism of the bureau. The record
of the hearings, as well as the re-
port itself, shows that it was the I'M
usual and unique cases. called to the
| attention of the committee with the
suggestion of irregularity in the set
| Element, which We're investigated. II
is impossible for such an investiga-
ton to show a complete cross Sec
ton of the work of the bureau: II
necessarily and purposely shows only
the rough spots. But the bureau has
ended up with clean record even
after that type of an investigation.
The accomplishments of the bureau
in collecting more than $4,000 900,
600 in revenue and In auditing and
closing 5s,000,000 cases has been
subjected for the last year and three
months to this type of critical in
vestigation by the investigating com
mittee and its staff, composed OF
some so lawyers. engineers, account
ants. and clerks. 1t has resulted in
criticism of various regulations
which had received the approval OF
two administrations and many CON-
petent and able authorities on taxa
ton, besides disclosing a difference
J Of judgment in some specific cases
The investigation has has disclosed
no hint Of any irregularity or fraud
! That the bureau can so successfully
J withstand such a searching and
. critical investigation is a great trib-
ute both to ts present and past Of
, f1cials and employees. The bureau i:
: entitled to the respect. admiration
( and praise of the Congress and OF
) the country for the honest and eff
ficient way in which it has perform
, ed its work"