Evening star., 1939-05-23
Gordon SeIfHdge, Jr., Cites
Good and Plenty Taxes
Former Clussmute of
King Backs Up
Roosevelt Statement

Interviewed following President
Roosevelt's request for disclosure of
the kind of taxes he pays to keep
England afloat," H. Gordon Self
ridge, jr., former classmate of King
George vi, last night explained how
in his opinion the average British
citizen pays more than the average
American.
I'VE are paying taxes good and
plenty" he declared, ION the aver
age somewhere between $3.50 and
5000 per year for each man, woman
and child in England. Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland. I am
not informed specifically about your
taxes here, but I understand they
are not that high"
The occasion was the first annual
banquet of the American Retail
Federation, at the Mayflower Ho-
tel. where the President departed
from defense of his administration
tax program to single out the Amer
ican-born son of the president of
one OF the worlds greatest depart
greatest department magnates.
Suggests Questions on Tax.
"You have very delightful gen.
tleman here-Mr. Selfridge," de-
clared the President. ASK him
about the taxes he pays to keep
England afoat"
The 80 year old Mr.. Selfridge
told not only of British taxes but
declared the President had deliv-
cred marvellous speech"
HE is really a great man." de-
clared the Britisher, whether you
agree with him or not"
The British tax on gasoline is 16
cents gallon, he said, bringing
the retail price up to SO cents
gallon.
Automobile tax is $6 for each
horsepower, which brings the tax on
his own car, he said, up to $225 each
year
British income tax is 2712 per
cent on all profits, worked out on
a government schedule which is
apt to be a little more than the
balance sheet profit, he explained,
because of the smaller amount al
lowed by the government to be
spent for depreciation, usually less
than is actually spent by his firm.
Tax Based on Rentals.
Local taxes, based on occupation
OF property vary, he said, from SO
per cent to $50 per cent of assessed
rental-whether or not the company
owns the property, or rents.
A graduated tax is paid by his
company on all salaries for national
health insurance. Employees pay a
tax themselves toward this insur-
ance, and SO does the government,
for the benefit of both the health of
the employe and for unemployment
benefits. 1t is sliding scale, he said,
heavier in larger salaries, smaller
on smaller salaries.
Another heavy burden is to be
laid on business shortly, he pre-
dicted, through certain passage of
a new bill now in Parliament pro-
viding that companies in "vulner-
able parts of the country" must
erect air raid shelters for all en-
ployes within at least five minutes
travel from the place of employ
ment. These shelters must be finish
er by September, or the government
will not contribute 27H per cent
subsidy promised If they are COM
pleted in time.
Total taxes paid this year by a
population of about 40,0O0,O00, Mr..
Selfridge estimated, would be about
$1,000, 900 900.
Recalls King in College.
Recalling his college days with
King George vi, Mr.. Selfridge said,
the King was an earnest and seri-
ous student at Trinity College,
Cambridge University.
Mr.. Sefridge is managing direc-
tor of Selfridge Provincial Stores.
which is associated with Selfridge
& Co., Of which his father is presi-
dent. He represents English retail
ers at the conference.
1--WE been so busy working most
Of my life that I've never had time
to develop what you'd call an Eng
lish accent" said Mr.. Selfridge, who
in spite of 80 years spent in Eng
land still speaks f1rst-class "Ameri-
can"
Intensely interested in American
business methods and economic con-
ditions, Mr.. Selfridge pays the
United States a three-week visit