The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-01
Taxation of
Bachelors
Misses Goal
Italy's Levy Followed by
Decline in Number
of Marriages.
By DOROTHY DCNBAR
BROMLEY

HTUssOLI.,I sheds his light far.
" A bin has been introduced IN
the Utah state senate which would
impose 4 TAX ~ So a year on every
unmarried man between thu ages Of
81 and SD. v.dovers excepted. I
have never hcld any brief FOR
1acne.ds. but I don't believe In
taxing or licensing them IS II they
were docs. For one thing. I'm afraid
i wouldn't improve their DISPOSE
r0us. which even now leave some
thing 20 be- desired.
DO the Utah legislators realize
that they VIII have set a dangerous
,urecedent u they pass this Dill? A
bachelor TAX of s. a year seems
tufing thing But It's likely 70 Be
epped mp as the state treasury
gets emp.er. In MussOlni-land a
man Who earns as much as 5000
year PAYS the government from
$50 to $500 annually for the priv
.l.eCe o. remaining unmarried IN ad-
oltion 10 his regular income tax.
This tax increases. what's more.
W.ta every $1,000 of added income.
Marriage Rate Declines
The proceeds of NIussolini's bach
c.0r tax may have helped drain the
P0utne marshes. but the imposi-
ton ~ the tax doesn't seem 70 have
convinced many bachelors of the
.eTor Of their single way Of life. The
marriage rate IN italy. as IN this
country. has been dropping stead
i.y during he depression. You cant
get away nom the economic inter
probation Cf mafumOuy.
have heard tell that YOU can
lead "a horse 10 water but that YOU
can't make him drink Herr Hit
Der has made the bachelors drink
the nup,ial wine BIZ loaning 1000
MARKS no bridal couples Prefer
ence In employment Is also given
Or married men. So it. came about
that there we're $1,000 more mar
rages IN Germany the first half
OF last year than there had been
tine year before. This system puts
the German girls i'm somewhat the
same position as the war brides who
were married by draft dodgers. I
should not like a man 10 marry me
as an advantage To- himself.
Mans soul May Benefit
The Utah legislators may be re-
.Vsrung 10 the mores Of their Nor
mon fathers. They think perhaps
that II Is healthy for a mans soul
10 be the head OF a family. If not
Of sev araI families. But what would
he tax accomplish II would only
reatc another un0erprivileged class
md make the patchwork of the
lass struggle still dizzier.
. Here IN one front ward you'd have
the mtrenChCd BACHELORS. smoking
their pipes and holding out as long
las their diminishing incomes lasted
There. I'M attacking formation. you'd
have the great army of married
men. determined TO shanghai their
opponents and force them 10 marry
their daughters and sisters and
other female appendageS.
The nOt-So-happy benedicts are
driven TO madness by the spectacle
.of men who enjoy an atmosphere
Of freedom which they themselves
can no longer breathe.
But the bachelors instead of
meeting a frontal attack-Set about
undermining the position of the
married men. And I don't mean
that they would use gas bombs.
either.
Seriously. 7 think bachelors are a
.Spoied lot. They seldom return a
wOman's hospitality. They think
that the charm 81 their presence
should be sufficient reward TO
hostess. But that's not all that's
wrong with them. The average
bachelor is more likely than not TO
he q selfish and -Dirituailv shallow
person. II he weren't. ne would have
married long ago and committed
himself 20 human responsibilities.
Your bachelor may have Wit and
charm and a lovely SavOir-faire. but
ln "a pinch he VIII put himself first.
Just as Alec did IN Memory of
Love still 1 think 10 would be too
much ike fasCiSm 60 prosecute the
bachelor boys They have right 10
lociicve that happiness lies IN the
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