davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-09-27

. A general sales tax is fa1r. Inc
hodge-podge Of special excise taxes
penalties the industries which are
not, in the capricious eyes of Con-
greSS, luXurieS, or which are not
represented in Washington by pow
erful lobbies. A general sales tax
would permit the special sales taxes
to be spread out over all manufac-
tured articles and the burden to
be shared.
. A sales tax Is stable. It is the
most dependable source Of taxation
It does not f1uctuate widely in yield
with the business cycles, as does
the income tax.
o A sales tax would encourage
Government economy. The public
would be acutely conscious of a
sales tax and would pressure the
Federal Government to cut unnec-
esSary spending.
. A sales tax Is familiar tax. Al
most every one has lived or travelled
in a State or city that has a sales
tax. There would be no difficulty in
educating the public, as would be
the case if some totally new system
Of taxation were devised.
. The sales tax works. The States
use it and like 1t. Canada has a
stiff general sales tax applied at
the manufacturers level, and it is
a good dependable money maker
good enough, in fact. to permit
Canada to cut her income taxes last
year. Canada's economy, of course,
is similar to ours.
Where to Levy 1t
The advantages OF sales tax are
readily apparent. The only question
not easily answered is this: Should
it be applied at the retail or the
manufacturers level?
There are good arguments for
both techniques.
First, the retail tax. It brings in
more money because it also applies
to all the middleman markupS and
can be extended to services. A 5 per
cent retail manufacturers tax will
bring in about the same revenue as
an per cent manufacturers tax.
And the retail tax would obviate
"pyramiding"-the gimmick whereby
the manufacturer and middlemen
count the sales tax as part of their
costs and take percentage of profit
on it, too. Finally, the retail tax
would not appear on the cost-of-
living index and therefore would
not contribute to the inflationary
wage spiral. ~......-
The manufacturers tax, urged by
the NAM, also has its advantages.
First, collection Is easier and cheaper
the net would be higher. Only
100000 manufacturers, compared
with 25 million retailers, would
have to be checked. And manufac-
turers, on the whole, keep better
books. Also, a manufacturers tax
would leave retail taxation to the
States and thereby avoid added
overlapping. Finally, a tax at the
manufacturers level would entail
less fuss, less irritation for the tax
payer. Politically it would be easier
to push through Congress, which,
after all. is one Of the major prob
lens facing the administration If
1t decides to go after q sales tax.
Evening star., 1953-09-27

only discriminate against the poor
in favor of the rich. 1t would also
discriminate against the State and
local governments in favor of the
Federal Government.
A new national sales tax would
invade field which up to now has
been left for State andslocal gov
ernments. Outside of property
taxes, sales taxes are the only
source of revenue left open to those
governments. The strain and con.
fusion that would result from Fed.
eral invasion of the sales tax sector
would be tremendous.
Other Effects
What would be other effects Of
the sales tax. aside from the injus.
ticeS it would precipitate?
The cost of living would be raised.
Of course. That would undoubtedly
result IN increased wages. which
would raise prices.
A manufacturers excise tax would
be reflected in the Bureau of Labor
Statistics living index, and
this. in turn, would bring automatic
raises among many workers whose
wages are pegged to that index.
Wage-earners, salaried employees
and people in the low-income
brackets already find it hard to make
ends meet because of rising prices
and rising living costs. The lifting
of rent controls has kept the cost
of-llving on the aScendancy and
squeezed where it hurts most, in
low income families. An 8 per cent
sales tax could reduce these poor
peoples incomes below the SUBJ
sistence level.
Those who do not earn enough
to be hit by income taxes already
are paying heavily-percentagewis0
in hidden" or indirect taxes.
The talk of devising a national
sales tax which would not affect the
necessities of life is ridiculous, Of
course. Unless sales taxes are ap-
piled to food, shelter and clothing,
they would produce little revenue.
The little man spends almost all his
money for these three items, and q
sales tax on these would be most
unfair.
Luxury Tex Ineffective
There are administrative draw
backs to the sales tax, as well. Col
lecting it alone would require new
Government bookkeeping system.
even If the tax were levied at the
manufacturer level rather than the
retailers. The main burden would
fall on the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau, which would have to check in.
dividual returns more closely. Prob
lens of definition would require q
much larger staff under Internal
Revenue Chief Andrews. Auditing
the books and records of the tax
payers would be another added
chore.
A Backward Step
But the overriding objection to
national sales tax is that it would
soak the poor and let the rich of
easily. Obviously, this would be q
step backward, step away from
democracy where the greatest good
for the greatest number is the flrst
principle. The proper solution to
the problem of raising more revenue
is to concentrate on direct taxes
levied against individual incomes
and corporation profits.
Direct taxation of income is an
open and honest way of doing busi-
ness-which is precisely the reason
it is opposed in some quarters.
But taxes are no less painful II
they are not SEEN Better we all see
them, and see that they are levied
equitably, against persons best able
to pay.
Evening star., 1953-09-27
General Sales Tax the Way to Close Federal sca GAP?
The Affirmative View

sort of defense it wants, 1t must be
willing to get the money where it
is available.
. A sales tax would not, Of course,
destroy the present ability-to-pay
tax structure. This is demonstrated
by the following tables, based on
the NAM-recommended sales tax of
Az per cent, applied to typical fam
lilies of four:
Evening star., 1953-09-27
By Crosby S. Moves

leisurely way, he rambled around
through Lebanon, Syria and Pakis-
tan. Almost inevitably, he showed
up in Iran before the middle of
August.
Just Dropped In
His arrival stirred speculation
which escaped neither the Russians
nor Premier Mossadegh. For his
part, Gen. Schwarzkopr shrugged off
the talk. He had dropped in, he
said, to "meet old friends" One of
them, in all probability. was his
former colleague on the Iranian po-
lice force, Maj. Gen. Fazollah Ia
heidi. Another was the Shah.
BY this time, things had progressed
Evening star., 1953-09-27
Question of Revenue:

A national sales tax is the logical
answer to the country'S money
problems. first, because it Is the
only remaining untapped revenue
source productive enough to meet
Federal needs; second, because it
is desirable, sound supplement to
the income tax.
Another point should be made
quickly: There is nothing unusual
or sinister about a sales tax. It is
simply a general excise tax, applied
evenly and fairly to all things pur-
chased. The Federal Government
imposes a limited and discrimina-
tory sales tax now on many pre-
sumed luxurieS - including such
"luxuries" as light bulbs, telephone
calls and baby powder.
And 80 States and the District
now have general sales tax.
Neglected System
It is a well-eStabliShed system of
taxation, but one which has been
neglected in recent years by the
Federal Government. Excise (sales)
taxes bring in a lower portion of
revenue now than ever before in our
history. In the 1930s, for instance,
the Federal Government raised
about 40 per cent of it's money
from excise taxes. Today these
taxes bring in less than 20 per cent
of the revenue.
This country gets the lowest por-
ton OF income from excise taxes
Of any other major nation.
Proposals call for a sales tax of
up to 10 per cent. A 10 per cent
retail sales tax would raise about
$40 billion-almost enough by itself
to make up for next years tax
losses and balance the budget. If
applied at the manufacturer level,
& 10 per cent tax would raise only
$7.5 billion, but would be easier to
collect. Food and food products
would be exempt under most plans.
Tobacco and alcoholic drinks also
would be exempt, but for less hu-
man1tar1an reasons: They now are
subject to indirect sales taxes that
bring into the Treasury about 81
billion year.
Existing Federal sales taxes on
other products raise about IS billion
annually.
Other Attractions
Although the principal appeal of
the sales tax is that it brings in
the money. it is attractive to econo-
nniStS for another reason: It bal
ances and supplements the income
tax.
There is tremendous discrepancy
between the amount of taxation
on production (the income taxi
and on consumption. Production is
hit hard, consumption lightly. The
result is penalty for production, a
stimulus to consumption; while the
country'S economic goal, of course,
is balanced, high-level combination
OF productivity and consumption
leading to a prosperous, dynamic
economy.
So to balance the tax burden on
the Nations economy, more atten-
ton should be paid to a tax on con-
sumption-a national sales tax.
20 There are many other appealing
features to sales tax:
. 1t would broaden the tax
base. Today we depend on the
direct income tax for 30 per
cent of Federal revenues, vet
exemptions and adjustments leave
only one-third of total individual
income subject to the income tax. A
general sales tax would broaden the
source-tap some Of the money that
now is not called on to carry a fair
share of the Federal tax load. A
sales tax would bring in a large
amount of money sitnply because it
taps those large, unexploited sources.
And If the Nation Is to pay for the
Evening star., 1953-09-27
The Negative View

The case against the national
sales tax can be summed up in one
word: Discrimination.
Taxes should be levied on persons
and corporations most able to pay
They should be levied on income and
profits. They should not be levied
on consumption, because the poor
man, who must consume to live, is
not able to pay taxes unless he de-
prives himself of necessities.
A national sales tax throws out
this long accepted principle of taxa
ton based on the ability to pay.
Under a national sales tax, a widow
with four children would have to
buy five times as many shoes as a
bachelor, and pay five times as
much Federal tax as the bachelor.
Two bachelors, one earning $4,000
a year and the other $4,000 a year,
would pay roughly the same amount
of national sales tax on necessities.
But the one making $4,000 would be
deprived Of necessities.
A national sales tax Is now being
considered as substitute to cover
the losses of revenue from income
tax reductions and excess profits
taxes. Such q switch in emphasis
would actually penalize the poor.
Bigger Lood on Poor
Those most able to pay would
have their income taxes reduced.
Lower income people would pay on
every purchase they make, except
food. Their taxes would go up. And
there are other things besides food
which are necessities in this country
today: Shelter, clothing and medi-
cine being three Of the most i'm
portant.
Since 1899, Federal revenues have
come more and more from income
and estate taxes, less and less from
excises, customs and other sources.
In 1899, for instance, only SO per
cent of the Federal revenue came
from income taxes and estate taxes;
in 1853, however, SO per cent will
come from those sources, only II
per cent from excise, customs and
other types Of levies. This is a
healthy trend, because it puts the
burden of taxation on those best
able to pay.
The national sales tax would re-
verse this healthy trend. It would,
as one observer put it. soothe the
rich and soak the poor.
Ability to Poy
The sales tax is oppressive for
the poor because the lowest income
groups have to spend all of their
money to live. Higher income
groups spend only a part Of theirs.
and, besides, good share of their
spending goes for personal services,
whcih probably could escape sales
taxes. If personal services are made
subject to the sales tax, the cost of
enforcement would skyrocket. Com
missioner T. Coleman Andrews, for
instance, as we'll as his predecessors
in the Internal Revenue Bureau,
know only too we'll how persons in
the personal services fields, like
walters, evade income taxes on tips.
The same problem would be mul-
tiplied many times if sales taxes
were made applicable to personal
services.
The ideal taxation system would
be based completely on the abil-
ity to pay. When more taxes are
needed, two just methods of in
creasing revenue are possible: Tax
scales can be adjusted to be more
severe for higher income groups;
or lower income groups car be
made subject to tax. Both such
methods would abide by the prin-
ciple that those most able to pay
should bear the burden of taxation.
The Federal sales tax would not
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
EXTRA SPECIAL PROGRAM
 WEDNESDAY,. 7:3o PM.

Mrs. Louis Robinson Chapman General Missionary President of Kansas City, Missouri, will be the guest speaker Wednesday evening at 7:3O at the Church of the Nag arene.
 Mrs. Chapman spent over 20 years in Africa as a missionary. She is the author of Africa, O Africa" and other fine books and she is a dynamic speaker.
 Come and bring your friends Everyone is welcome.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01

N o T IT c E Women's Society of the Meth- odist Church will meet in the Social Rooms al 2:00 pm. on Fri day afternoon for their regular monthly meeting.
 Lennie Mae Nerland
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
TOURIST FLIGHT TO NOME

A tourist flight was made yes terday by Wien Airlines and the visitors included:
 Mrs. C. B. Lake, Seattle; Harry and Dello Black, Flint, Mich; Murial Hagberg and Mrs. Laura Wright, Fairbanks; MT. and Mrs. Jerry Coffman, Lebanon, Iowa; R. E. Meade and w. s. Pocick, Belmont, Calf; and Val Cruel and Jim Douchit, Fairbanks.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS

Arriving Saturday were: Fred Johnson, Juanita Fagerstrom, Jim Johnson, Eric Kveven, Elton Luckon, Burton Robison, Inge- berg Shines, Jack Strige, Mack Kahill, Clair Saccheus, Mildred Hermann, Tom Beltz, Mrs. George Goshaw, Mrs. James Walsh and children.
 Departing were MT. and Mrs. Warn and Mrs. Dorcas Frieberg.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
ALASKA AIRLINES

Arriving from Anchorage: MT. and Mrs. IL. M Warn, Ed Benick, Robert Ravens, Charles Gommer, Nora Ahwinona.
 Departing for Anchorage: Judge Earl Cooper, Major Horne, Wilson Russell, Margaret Heller.
 Departing for Unalakleet: Cath crime Wall, Maggie Ansell; for McGrath: Robert Curtis.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
Robert Ravens Will Assist
 Brother at Methodist Church

Robert Havens, younger bro- ther of Rev. Reeves Ravens of the Methodist Church, arrived Satur- day having been ordained an elder in the Methodist Church recently. He plans to remain for the sum- mer, carrying on the recreational program of the church during the absence of Esther Mccoy. He was accompanied by Charles Gommer, who also plans to enter the min istry.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
IN COMMISSIONERS COURT

Robert Cunningham was given a sentence of six months in the Federal jail for being drunk and disorderly in a private home. It is reported he has indicated he is going to appeal.
 Gregory AYac was given sus- pended sentence of IS days and fine of $40 for being drunk and disorderly.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
Rev. and Mrs. Cox 10 Fill Post
 Of Rev. Laycock al Pt. Hope

Rev. and Mrs. Rowland Cox are scheduled to arrive soon at Pt. Hope for the Episcopalian Church to fill the post left vacant with the tragic death of Rev. Lay cock last year while landing with his plane and passengers.
 Cox is a graduate of Harvard and his wife is a graduate of Rad cliffe. Bishop Gordon will also make the trip to Pt. Hope, it is reported.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
WARNING

All loose dogs will be impounded and shot if not claimed within 24 hours. - Clyde Glass
 Chief of Police
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
THE NOME NUGGET
ROAD BULLETIN

All local roads are open for traffic.
 The Nome Council road is now open 10 Solomon.
 Both the Safety and Solomon ferries will be operating on 40- hour week until further notice. They WILL NOT be open to inc public on Wednesday and Thurs day of each week.
 Center Creek Road near Dredge No. l will be closed until further notice.
 John M. Cooley
 District Engineer
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
MIMI HOSPITAL

Admitted: Floyd Walluk, Freida Leonard, Bertha Vlaar, Bertha Adsuna, Orilla Brown.
 Discharged: Esther Nuglene, Gunnar Kaasen, Maggie Ansell.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
FIRE DESTROYS oUIANNA CLUB POWER PLANT

The City Fire Department was called out at o'clock yesterday morning to the Quianna Club. A fire destroyed the power plant of the club, it is reported.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
ATTENTION CUB SCOUTS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Pack meeting Wednesday eve ming, ZOO. Bring your own weiners. Drinks and buns will be furnished. Bring your own cups.
 If weather is bad. Cubs will be notified details for indoor picnic.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01
Mildred Hermann, Juneau attor-

4H1AO4 CC1 44SA 4II01II1E . NIIGdU dIIO4 . ney, arrived Saturday on a busi- ness trip. She returned recently from trip to Washington where she was active during the state hood hearings.
The Nome nugget., 1953-06-01

Son Born 10 MT. and Mrs. Adsuna
 MT. and Mrs. Peter Adsuna are the parents of a son born yester- day and named John Gary.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-12

merce; Robert L. Williamson,
Pittsburgh; Jack Wilson, Look
Magazine; John j. Wilson; Lyle
C. Wilson, United Press Associa-
tions; Richard Wilson. Des
MOines Register & Tribune:
Frederick N. Windridge; Jesse
P. Walcott, Representative from
Michigan; Preston Wolfe. Column
bus Dispatch; j. Howard Wood,
The Chicago Tribune; Lewis
Wood, The New York Times:
Harry H. Woodring, Topeka,
Kans.; Robert w. Woodruff, At
lanta, Ca; Paul WootOn, The
New Orleans Times-Picayune;
John Russell Young.
Daryl F. Zanuck. Los Angeles:
James c. Zeder. Detroit.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-12

City. Charles M. Stevenson,
Readers Digest, Milton Stewart,
Arlington, Roy P. Stewart, The
Daily Oklahoman, Thomas L.
Stokes, United Features Syndi-
cate, Walker Stone, Scripps, Ho-
ward Newspapers. w. Almon
Stopford. Montclair, New Jersey,
Holly Slower, Lloyd Stratton,
The Associated Press, Jack I.
StrauS, New York City, Michael
w. StrauS, Adm. Lewis L.
Strauss, New York City, William
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Monitor, Arthur Hays Sulzber-
ger, The New York Times, Joyce
Swan, Minneapolis Star g. Tri-
bune, John w. Sweeterman,
The Washington Post, Arthur
Sylvester, Newark Evening News,
w. Stuart Symington, Senator
from Missouri, William G. SYM
mers, Old Greenwich, Conn, AL
den H. Sypher, Nations Bush
ness.
Robert A. Taft, Senator from
Ohio; Harold E. Talbot, Sec
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M. Talburt, Scripps Howard
Newspapers; Dana Tasker,
CoWleS Magazines, Inc; Orville
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erick, Md; Francis D. Thomas;
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apolis; Richard A. Thornburg,
The Philadelphia Inquirer; Merle
Thrope, Alexandria; Paul TILES,
New York City; BascOm N. Tim
mons, The Houston Chronicle;
Charles T. Tittman; DR.. Norman
Topping, Philadelphia; AdOlph
TOrOvSky; j. Mark Trice, Secre-
tary of the Senate; Walter TrO-
han, The Chicago Tribune; AL
fred True; Charles p. TrusselI,
The New York Times; Joseph P
Tumulty, jr.; Walter Tuohy
Cleveland.
Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg
Chief of Staff, U. S. A. F.; A.
Wander Zee, Detroit.
w
Harry v. Wade, The Detroit
News; Arthur c. Wahlstedt, The
Kansas City Star; John Robert
Waller; Franklyn Mailman,
Philadelphia; Thomas r. War;
ing, Charleston News & Courier;
Albert L. Warner; James S. War;
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-12

rem, Ahrens Publications; A.
Lincoln Washburn, Hanover. N.
H.. John c. Watts, Representa-
tive from Kentucky; william
Weddell, Chicago: William G..
Weisbrod, Wilmington, Del;
Herman Welker, Senator from
Idaho; Warren Wheaton: James
S. Whitcombs The Detroit News;
Frank White, New York City;
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ford; Don Whitehead, The Asso-
ciated Press; Leroy Whitman,
Army Mayfair Force Journal:
John Hay Whitney, New York
City: John Wieland, Chicago: j.
Russell Virgins, The Washing
ton Post: Jack Williams, The
Kansas City Star; Walter Will
liams, Undersecretary of Com
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-12
q
George Quirk.

George Quirk.
r.
William F. Raymond; c. L.
Reese, jr., Wilmington News
Journal; A. p. Reeves: James B.
Reston, The New York Times:
Robert L. Richards, Wilmington,
DEL. Sid Richardson; Fort
Worth, Tex: Walter Ritter;
Robert L. Riggs, Louisville COur-
ier-JOurnal; Jasper E. Rison,
Louisville Courier journal; Chal-
mers Roberts, The Washington
Post; Emory Roberts; c. Wesley
Roberts, Holton. Kans.: Roy A.
Roberts, The Kansas City Star:
Albert j. Robertson, Assistant
Postmaster General; A. Willis
Robertson, Senator from Vir-
ginia; William E. Robinson, New
York Herald Tribune: John M.
Robson, jr., Representative from
Kentucky; Nelson A. Rockefeller,
New York City; William P. Rog-
ers, Deputy Attorney General;
DR.. BENJAMIN Rones; Dwight E.
ROrer; H. Chapman Rose, Assist
ant Secretary of the Treasury;
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man, United Features Syndicate;
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ton Post.
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Robert F. Seedlock, Emil A.
Sees, The Kansas City Star,
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Craig R. Sheaffer, Assistant Sec
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uel C. Shepherd, Jr., DR.. Gerald
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Sprague, Parade Magazine, DR..
c. Worth Sprunt, Neil Staebler.
Ann Arbor Michigan, Frank j.
stared, The Associated Press,
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Mutual Security, James H. Steb-
bins, New York City. Jack
Steele, New York Herald Tri-
bune, G. Douglas Stengel.
Thomas E. Stephens, Warren L.
Stephenson, Donald ]. Sterling.
Portland (OreD Journal, Will
liam P. Stevens, Minneapolis
Star & Tribune, Austin Stevens,
The New York Times, Robert T.
Stevens, Secretary of the Army,
Roger L. Stevens. New York