Evening star., 1932-12-16

Urging enactment of general sales
tax in his message to Congress, Presl-
dent Hoover becomes identified with a
general movement in favor Of this form
Of taxation, which was rejected at the
time Of the adoption Of the present
currency bill. 1t is asserted that public
opinion has changed as result OF fall
ure of existing tax measures to produce
ADEQUATE revenues 1t is also believed
that the sales tax is easily applied,
This form of levy is fair and equi-
table" thinks the Kansas City Times.
TT would not be burdensome upon GER
tain groups and disturbing in its opera
ton. With food and clothing essen
tials exempted. it could not, through any
reasonable Interpretation, become a
hardship upon the poor. It Would not
replace the income tax, which also IS
sound in principle, and It would eHect
wide and easy distribution OF the TAX
load Opposition to the sales tax mas
diminished as its merits have become
better understood. 1t is a safe solution
of the budget problem The Jersey
CITY Journal observes that THE big
point for the moment is that sales
tax has now the Presidents approval,
and that even limited sales tax is
move in the right direction Tor 1T
makes every purchaser realize that the
more economical government becomes
the less it will cost"
x X
Recalling the former argument that
this form of taxation shifted the pur-
den to the poor" the San Jose Mercury
Herald AYERS that the common interest
in security justifes tax sacrifices Tor
=, Il p
The Boston Transcript believes that
much of the opposition to this tax has
been political, due to fear" but that
there Is "a greatly changed public
opinion" since some of the States have
provided object lessons in the expedi-
ency of the plan" The Oakland Trlb-
une predicts that ''the old debate will
be renewed and will demonstrate
whether or not there has been a change
in sentiment" The Oklahoma City
Oklahoman advises that 1.-The proposal
will meet formidable opposition, and
may fail, but its possibilities cannot be
offset by higher income taxes when in
comes dWindle" The Boise Idaho
Statesman is among the few opponents
of the measure when it argues: 1T
would be more appropriate to call the
sales tax consumers tax. But 1t Is
not even q fair CT nsumers' tax, because
the man of a small or average income
spends a larger proportion OF his In
come for necessities purchased from
retailers than the man of large income
He is therefore the victim OF discrlml-
nation"
Several papers comment on the trial
Of this form Of taxation in Canada. The
Louisville Courier journal records that
the neighboring country has had this
tax since 1921, and from an expert
mental measure it has developed into a
probably permanent feature" The San
Antonio Evening News finds that the
levy is not popular there, but 1t gen.
orally is accepted as the least among
various taxation evils" The Ashland
Independent concludes that in the Do
minion business likes the sales tax
not because it likes taxation, but be-
cause the sales tax is preferred"
In this country the Springfield
(Mass.) Union feels that there is nc
question that the business world gen.
orally is prepared to welcome this levy;
that is, a tax of low rate collected on
the finished manufactured product.
The Asbury Park Press suggests that
it will be more easily adjusted to the
demands of the Treasury and will allow
for more accurate estimates of the
necessary rates" That paper adds that
"the present system in attempting tc
tax so-called luxuries makes unreason-
able distinctions between commodities
taxing some severely and exempting
many that should be taxed" The
Oklahoma City Times calls It "the