Evening star., 1931-12-15
TAX POWER ABUSE
CHARGED BY BECK
Representative Says Unjust
Use Of Levy Authority Vio-
lates Constitution.

Charging "the power to tax has been
used to change the essential nature OF
our Government" Representative James
M. Beck of Pennsylvania, in a radio
address last night sponsored jointly by
the American Taxpayers League and
the National HFoadcasting Co, urged
the need Of tax reform Ito preserve
what Is still left of the Constitution"
Recognized as one Of the leading au-
thorities on the Constitution, Mr.. Beck,
formerly solicitor general, was invited
to speak in the weekly radio program of
the league, which is endetvoring to in
terest the people in the question Of tax
alton, or. as former Senator James w.
Wadsworth Of New York pointed out in
the first address Of the series, to make
the citizen "tax-conscious
Mr.. Beck called attention to the fact
that the Federal Government through
the power to tax and appropriate, has
been able to exercise many govern
mental powers which not only were ney-
er granted to the Federal Government,
but some OF which were expressly with
l!CIo u Jul CllBllSll Ie
said. the greatest single force for the
power over the purse
Has Faith in People.
Mr.. Beck declared he had enough
confidence in the ultimate rectitude of
the American people that when they be-
come really tax-conscious they will be-
gin the work of reform by reducing the
expenditures Of the Government to the
limit Of its reasonable and legitimate
necessities and only to execute govern
mental powers which have either been
directly or by necessary implication
granted to the Federal Government"
In democracy such as the United
States, he pointed out, the citizen
| should be keenly alive to the justice or
injustice Of any tax. The tax is un-
just" he said, when imposed beyond
| the legitimate necessities Of the Gov
ernment, economically administered
1T Is even more deplorable that the
power to tax has been used to change
the essential nature of our Govern
ment," Mr.. Beck added In other
words, the power to tax has enabled the
Federal Government to operate in a
field OF power which has been expressly
reserved to the States
Called United States Weakness.
The power OF appropriation. Mr. Beck
further declared, has indeed become
the Achilles heel" of our form of gov
crnment. Many of the bureaucratic
activities Of the Department of Com
merce or the Agriculture Department,
he charged, can find no possible sane
tion In the Constitution"
The Government has appropriated
the money for non-Federal purposes,
Mr. Beck charged in asserting the use
OF these appropriations by Federal bu-
reaus has destroyed many of the re-
served rig hts Of the States.
The fact that the smallest State has
equal representation in the Senate with
the largest, condition which, he de-
clared, was forced upon the trainers of
the Constitution, has led to an abuse
and discrimination in the expenditure
CT revenues raised by taxation Idaho
in 1890, he pointed out. contributed less
than $l,00o,000 to the Federal Treasury,
compared with 1928 100000 for New
YORK, yet the smaller State drew ST.
$4,000 out Of the Treasury in Federal
subsidies.
Cites Inequality.
In like manner Mr.. Beck declared,
only z per cent of the population pays
An income tax, while 10000 individuals
pay go per cent Of the tax thus raised.
This brings me to the heart of the
problem" he said. 1T is not strange
that the average citizen is not tax
conscious when only tive men out of
hundred pay any income tax.
Ine American Taxpayers League
VIII render great public service if It
can only make the American people
taX-conscious. The average American
Is not willingly unfair. but as he feels
taxes indirectly If at all, he is thought
less One of the great problems of the
future will be to readiust the powers
OF taxation and appropriation so that
their exercise win be more equitable"