Evening star., 1931-05-20
British Land Tax Appraised
AS Political, Not Economic

While Chancellor Snowden's budget
for tax on British estates is viewed
by Americans a. revolutionary In prin-
ciple, the practical achievement Of the
goal is believed doubtful. It is looked
upon as political rather than economic
and intended to win support from the
Liberal party. It is predicted that the
Conservatives will be aroused to action.
held to point in the direction Of con-
flscation, but the survey which must
precede any taxation is pointed to as
offering merely an opportunity for q
future election With this policy Is one
Of the issues.
"It is seldom that the financier Of
the British Labor government fails to
see things as they are" says the Akron
Beacon Journal, but In his proposed
land tax the chancellor has gotten on
on the wrong foot. Frankly, he tells
England this tax's ultimate aim is
nothing less than nationalizing oil
land. and II he had stopped there, one
could not have Quarreled with his posi-
ton. However, when he begins to talk
about land as belonging to all the peo-
pie and which therefore should be
broken UP and restored to them as q
cure-all of poverty and unemployment,
the eminent Briton abdicates the high
place he has held as q statesman and
aligns himself with those sentimental
lists who are always cocksure that they
have up their sleeves . panacea for all
Of the Ills Of the world"
There is little doubt" in the opinion
of the st. Louis Globe-Democrat, that
the scheme will have the support OF the
Liberal party as we'll as the Labor party,
though this impression may be modified
when the full details of the plan are
published. 1t Is certain that the Con-
servative party will bitterly oppose 1t.
Indeed, 1t Is not improbable that they
will welcome the proposal as one that
will reveal the government in its true
colors and give them the opportunity to
overthrow it for which they have been
patiently waiting. At any rate, 1t Will
be several years before it can be put
into effect and there will be plenty of
time for public opinion to become ac-
quainted with the consequences OF such
revolutionary legislation"
Directing attention TO the fact that 1t
would require preliminary valuation
program so vast as to put the famous
queror completely in the shade" the
st. Paul Dispatch comments: THE new
basis of valuation would be the price
the land brings without buildings. 1t
Is estimated that the survey would cost
$4,000 Furthermore, there are over
10000, 900 different parcels Of land and
the plan Is to repeat the process every
five years. Such costly preliminarieS
have aroused criticism, many recalling
that the revenue derived from one of
Lloyd Georges land tax schemes during
the nine years it was in operation was
only one-fifth' Of the cost of valuation.
Snowden's DoomSday Book may spell
the doom of his land tax proposal"
THE land tax in conservative Britain
contains much dynamite" AYERS the
Cleveland News, viewing it as the issue
upon which the Labor premier may fall.
The Baltimore Sun remarks that 1t ZAP
pears as the most important move
toward the Left which the Labor gov
eminent has inaugurated since it came
into power" and the paper comments:
THE Liberal party, by whose sufferance
the Labor government remains in once,
committed itself to policy Of land ma
tionalization five years ago. The espou-
sal OF this policy on the part Of the
Macdonald government creates q new
bond between the Labor and Liberal
parties and will tend to promote CO.
operation between the two groups in the
appeal to the electorate, toward which
all political parties in England are look
ing forward"
Taxes and taxes. Everybody Is talk
ing about taXesW eXcl0imS the Raleigh