The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-12-07

troll over the unions because
there was no place to 20 to find
out the condition of the union
treasures. So in the revenue act
Of l943 it was provided that all
tax-exempt organizations should
file returns on their income,
even through they were not
compelled to pay the actual
taxes. This new provision in the
laws was broad enough to take
in farmers co-ops. educational
and c h aritable institutions,
luncheon clubs, mutual banks
and insurance companies. But it
was the labor organizations
which were particularly aimed
at.
sso.MILLION.DOLLAR
BUSINESS
IN the compilation of returns
from over "a, 1000 labor organize
tons reporting in 1913, the gross
labor union income Is shown 70
be over 800 million dollars. OF
this amount, union dues contri-
buted 218 million dollars, with
an additional 70 millions raised
by fees, fines and assessments.
Sixty-four million dollars more
were assessed as taxes for the
support of national headquarters
and affiliated organizations, so
the total dues payments were ia
the neighborhood of 252 million
dollars.
The Treasury report gives no
figures on union membership,
but estimating it at the frequent
ly claimed figure of IS million,
the average per capita contribu-
ton would be about SIT year.
In the Treasury's breakdown
of union income, seven reported
gross for the year of over five
million dollars each. Thirty-four
unions were reported in the one
to-five million income class.
Four hundred reported incomes
of from 100000 to q million
dollars a year. But the vast ma
jority of the unions-the locals
are revealed as little organi-
cations which would be tax-ex-
empt in any law that might be
written by a hostile Congress.
Over 10000 Of these locals had
incomes of less than $1,000 a
year and another $4,000 received
less than $4,000 for the year.
Some Of the big unions are
frankly in business. Out Of the
total of $4,000 unions reporting
for the Treasury's compilation,
1341 reported they were in bust
ness on the side - operating
banks, office buildings and 9TH
er properties which in 1913
brought them income Of over Is
million dollars total. The total
for SO of these unions filing bal
ance sheets of assets and liabili-
ties showed cash on hand of over
nine million dollars, loans and
investments of over 20 millions,
real estate owned worth over
five millions.
THEY AREN'T ENTIRELY
TAX FREE
MANY unions are known 20
have bought war bonds to the
limit Of their treasury funds. In
terest payments to the unions
on their investments are put a.
over a million a year. Receipts
from rentals of union owned
property were half q million.
And not 50 incidentally, the
unions did pay over q million
dollaEs in taxes on their hold
ings. So they aren't exactly tax
free.
About 80 per cent Of the
unions 1913 income was report
ed as expense. The total was 1923
millions, leaving 81 millions as
union profits or reserves for the
year, in accounting for the total
income Of 800 millions.
No unions are identified by
name In the Treasury compila-
ton. The totals merely give an
indication of how big organized
labor has become. Whether or
not the figures give justification
for taxation or other financially
restrictive operation will be up
to Congress when 1t writes the
A.. LII