Evening star., 1934-01-21
A Golden Opportunity for Graft.
Tn the consideration of the DrOpOSal

In the consideration OF tne proposal
to make q house-to-house inquiry
throughout the country regarding the
payment of income taxes, which has
been laid before the collectors Of inter-
nal revenue by the Secretary Of the
Treasury, one point is especially borne
in mind. That is the possibility of
imposition upon the people by unau-
thorized persons. It is quite conceivable
that with such a system Of investigation
under way grafters would take advan-
tage of the opportunity to impersonate
agents of the Government to obtain in
formation for nefarious purposes. or
would even attempt to collect money
from the uninformed and the credulous.
Such games are played constantly, and
the institution Of door -to-door search
for delinquents would open rich field
for crooks and swindlers.
While those who pay income taxes
regularly are well acquainted with the
procedure of the presentation Of re-
turns by the collectors of internal rev.
enue and their filling out and filing with
checks In quarterly payments, there are
many who under such a system OF in
quiry as that proposed would be likely
to fall for the suggestion that the pre-
cedure has been changed and that the
Government is collecting its taxes di-
rectly. and would hand over money to
the supposed solicitor"
Then there are those who do not now
pay income taxes because they are not
In possession Of sufficient revenues TO
make them subject to the tax. They
would be easy pickings for pseudo
agents, perhaps bearing badges-Which
are easily obtained-and demanding
settlement under penalty Of prosecution.
The game would not be difhcult Tor
shrewd operatives, playing upon the lg-
norance and the fears of their victims
with the suggestion that settlement on
the spot would prevent trouble.
The present system works well enough
as far as the great majority OF people
are concerned, those Of small incomes
who as a rule, conscientiously file their
returns and pay to the last penny OF
the computed tax With few excep-
tions the delinquencies occur not In the
lower brackets. which embrace the larg-
est number, but in the higher brackets,
where the incomes are greater and the
taxes correspondingly heavier house
toulouse canvass would not reach these
delinouents, who make their returns
regularly but not altogether truthfully,
and who take advantage Of self-con-
puted deductions in abatement Of their
taxes.
If the purpose Of the Secretary's sug-
gestion Is simply to find out how many
people make returns and pay taxes an
individual canvass of the entire country
would undoubtedly yield the answer.
But it would cost an immense sum OF
money. probably a greater sum than
would be secured in the course Of sew
eral years, through taxation Of the now
untaxed A hundred thousand inquisi-
tory agents would at the least computa-
ton be required to make such survey
in a year The pay roll of such a body
of door bell ringers would make great
hole in any volume of additional taxes
thus gained, to say nothing of the sums
collected by impersonators and chiselers
taking advantage Of this golden oppor-
tunity to reap q harvest from the
innocent public.