Evening star., 1947-03-11
Letters to The Star
Objects to Discrimination
in Federal Tax Leyies


To the Editor Of The Star:
An issue is before Congress which
concerns married persons in the Dis.
trict Of Columbia and married persons
in 50 States. I understand husbands
and wives in those States and the Dis
trict OF Columbia actually are paying
more in yearly Federal income taxes
than are the married residents Of the
nine so-called community property
States of the Far West. These favored
nine States are Arizona. California,
Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New. Mexico,
Oklahoma. Texas and Washington.
For example, why should Maryland
Congressman and his wife with the
same $12,500 salary as a Texas con-
gresham have to return $3.50 more
annual income tax than his colleague
from Texas? But because an inequity
does exist in the law, this is what
actually happens.
The reason, of course, is that the
Texas Congressman and those in the
nine community property States have q
peculiar advantage. For income tax
purposes the Texas Congressman may
divide his $12,500 income separately
between himself and his wife and then
figure his own tax on $3.50 and his
wife's on $6,250, after which they add
together their two separate tax charges
and mail their check for the combined
amount to the internal revenue collector.
Being thus able to split their incomes,
rather than figure the tax on $12,500
alone, they can keep out of the high
surtax figures and thereby achieve a
tax return which is $3.50 lower than
the Maryland Congressman and his wife
are compelled to pay
The reference to Congressman is for
illustration only, and the tax applies to
all married residents OF the stated 80
States.
do net know whether Congress pro-
poses any action to rectify the existing
inequality in the tax laws, but do know
that were Maryland Congressman, I
could be very easily persuaded that such
action was desirable.
ALBERT G. MOORE.
Champion of a Free Press
To the Editor Of The Star:
A subtle bit of propaganda is making
the rounds, and 1t is not difficult to trace
its origin. You will hear it uttered fire.
quently by those who call themselves
"progressives." just what they are pro
crossing" toward is not clear.
Typical of the occasion for planting
the idea was the organization OF q local
consumers council, an afiliate Of the
CIO union. After urging support for
funds for the OPA, opposing any change
in rent controls throughout the country
and any change in the present tax
structure, the speaker ended by saying
that although these matters were re-
ported in the papers. "you know you
cannot believe anything you read in the
papers" The aim, apparently, is to
supplant newspaper reporting with
grapevine propaganda.
OF course, q newspaper does not pr
port to be documented report-that
would not be a newspaper. But the
oVSa06V N1OADCAA Id 4IOt AdlFC CkIOuAu W
swallow everything he reads without
grain Of salt. He has enough Judgment
to consider the source of any given
article and to appraise it accordingly
However, to let such a remark become
current and believed by even the ,ln-:
thinking is dangerous. 'a@$'ss.ss
II the confidence Of the average
American in the reliability Of the press
is undermined, if he can be made to
believe that all the old-line, most widely
read newspapers Of the country are not
printing the truth to the best of their
knowledge and belief, he can be used
as q tool Of the enemy within our
gates. Nazi Germany, Japan, and Russia
show what can be done by an unscrupul-
Gus few when the sources Of the peoples
information are poisoned. These same
propagandists' however, it will be noted,
rush to the press to disseminate their
views with amazing disregard for their
statements that "of course, you cannot
believe anything you read in the
papers"
The press itself should recognize this
danger to Its very existence, which de-
pends upon public support. It has a
duty to the public to warn against this
attack on one Of our basic American
institutions-the free press.
L. K. COLE.
Rabbi Wise States Position
To the Editor of The Star: