Evening star., 1942-06-09

Henry MeLemor.. slip out Of his
more serious fighting togs OF khaki
into the purple silk Of the prize
ring and make Anal defense OF
his heavyweight championship
Corpl. Louis has asked permis-
sion to do this in order to be able
to pay the sl17O00 income tax that
he owes for last year. In recent
months he has twice risked hts
title and on each occasion he has
handed over his check to Army and
Navy Relief Societies. He now finds
himself out Of what Mr.. Morgen-
thau likes to call the ready
scratch and needs one fight for
himself to raise it.
The War Department might as
we'll know that the public is on
Joe's side. 1t has gold braid in its
corner, but Joe is seconded by 48
States full Of sentiment. You
could knock on all the doors from
here TO Walla Walla and back with
out finding half a dozen citizens
who didn't feel that the Army owes
Joe this chance TO square himself.
He is far and away the most
popular athlete in this country, and
deservedly so. From the first time
he pulled on a glove he has been a
perfect sportsman. In the ring and
out. his conduct has been exemplary.
Apparently without trying TO, he
has always said and done the right
thing. And, when the time comes
to write the history of his race in
this country, the boy from the
Alabama bottomlands will stand
with the leaders.
Yet, if the War Department says
mo" to Corpl. Joe's request, those
Of us who would like to see him
fight again, see him given the
chance to earn the unpaid sll7,0oo.
should remember that there are two
sides to an argument, even to one
involving a national athletic Idol.
I talked to tax expert Zone,
incidentally, who has Travelled as
far as California to see Joe fght4
and he explained what is probably
going on in the War Department
mind concerning Corpl. Louis.
In the first place, Joe owes the
sl17,0O0 on money earned in l94l,
before this country was at war and
before he had even considered being
soldier. To owe this sort OF
money to the Government, he must
have made a net profit in l94l OF
something close to 100000. Out Of
that. the War Department probably
feels that Joe should have laid aside
enough to take care of the income
tax payments. After all. he was
private citizen then, and knew that
Mr.. Morgenthau's bill collectors
would be around on March IS.
Further. my tax expert friend
feels that perhaps the War De-
partment believes it would tarnish
Joe's reputation as magnanimous
giver if he were allowed to fight q
bout for his own enrichment. IN
making out his 1912 income tax
he could get credit for the charu-
able contributions he made in the
"give-away" fights with Buddy Baer
and Abe Simon. In these charity
fights. the tax expert pointed oul,
.1oe did not waive his end OF ting
nurse. thus ending any chance OF
his deducting a sum for charitaole
contributions, but accepted cnecks
and thus Endorsed them over 70
the relief agencies. In other Woros'
m make his charity bouts absolutely
charity bouts, he would have had 70
accept no check at all.
There's a point there. -
There's another point, too. The
War Department, if it allows LoWs
to leave the Army to make enough
money to pay unpaid taxes, VII
have established precedent capable
of causing a lot of trouble. There
must be thousands of men IN the
Army who owe something on their
le4l taxes and had to ask defermeHt
until the war is over, but who, u
allowed to return to private life
for while. could make enough
money to take care of the obliga-
ton. -.
I hope the War Department lets
Louis make the fight he wants. AS
a taxpayer, my heart beats for
any one who is sll7,oo0 in arrears
But. If it doesn't, I am not goinr
to beat my ploughshare into a word
and march on Washington and
whack Mr.. Stimson over the head
Distributed by McNaurht Syndicate. Incl