The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1943-03-11
LOOKING
ANAD
It's Everybody Tax

Being q farmer myself and a
farmers son with more than 40
years Of close acquaintance with
farm. problems, my writing last
week on the pay-as-you-go plan for
collecting income tax was almost
entirely q farmers view Of II. But
it is not q onelindustry tax. just
about everybody who earns . liv-
ing this year will pay an income
tax. Moreover there ia q lct. t. say
in favor of skipping 1912 and hgur-
ing this years payments on this
years earnings, besides convenience
to us farmers.
Consider our floating workmen, for
example. There are literally thou
sands Of them in the country. Many
are only farmers who are handy
with tools; u own neighbors, NOV
ing as the war work moves from
one war-boom settlement to another.
Most of these men have higher liv-
ing costs than they ever paid be-
fore. Many are paying off debts on
property and maintaining families
back home. Income tax is a real
problem with them.
The Money Gets Away.
WANDERING workers as a class are
not saving any actual money. Those
with a sense of responsibility are
paying debts or investing perhaps,
but others are going in extensively
for crossroads chicken dinners,
gaining introduction to juke-box so
ciety. Wayside night clubs have be-
come a problem in many defense
communities. ! am not shifting into
a moral lecture. | am merely cit
ing evidence that a large and we'll
paid class of potential income tax
payers made no plans last year to
have cash they win need for taxes
next March Is.
1t has been said that swarms of
wandering workers draw pay by a
different name at each new job, that
no record anywhere will prove they
earn $500 a year and that they will
probably never pay any income tax.
Obviously they would pay one I'M
der a payday deduction plan. But
the really big class are the spend
ers, about to beat their income taxes
accidentally. Unless they pay tax
on a good years income while they
are getting it, il will be folly to seek
payment after the war when most of
them may be jobless.
Revenue Needed Now
Under the existing t.: system, to
whatever extent defense workers
earned incomes last year that can
not be checked now, to that extent
they will escape paying any income
tax in 1913. A plan of pay-as-you-
60, figured against their current
earnings, would bring revenue from
them Immediately. And, in addition,
to this gain for the Treasury, there
is another n too big to ignore. In
comes generally are larger now than
they were a year ago and taxes com
puted on 1913 earnings will be larg-
er than those based on 1912.
Students agree that l943 will be
the hard year e. he war. CIR coun-
try's create I need Is now. 1t seems
positively unpatriotic TO stay in debt
to Uncle San for this years taxes
AiitA AofI, - R1Nial1y IAooC IlSW wage
earners wl.o are paying nothing for
1912. Re Kiess spending certainly is
unpatriotic for it creates imitation.
Revenue collected from spenders
now will mean less money spent and
thus safeguard fair prices.
Who Win Oppose It
1t has been estimated that 80 per
cent of Americas income tax pay
ers are not ready to meet one-fourth
Of their 1912 tax next March Is. The
year after the war, when jobs are
scarce and salaries low, many of
them will be in a worse dilemma
still. Pay-as-you-go will help them,
SO who will oppose it? The answer ie
ton obvious. II will be opposed by
pawn brokers' and salary loan banks,
among others.
People who argue that The Treas
ury ought soynehow to collect IN
come taxes Abr Ielx ana l94s both,
wh1le shifting to Z pay-as-ycueao
plan, have ifte& the usual cry
against rich psepls. They forget
tya4 income. tones d not Apply On
nrupertH: OH oneinNomea, And. q
cor men vdho draw haae salaziea
n mOre thoN earn the bigger ne