War Taxation Some Comments And Letters

"War Taxation: Some Comments and Letters" is a book by the renowned German born, American investment banker Otto Heinrich Kahn. Written during the First World War, Kahn examines American policy on taxation and opines that then new measures to raise taxes for funding the war effort, particularly on the wealthy are not well thought out. He warns that this would precipitate a situation of capital outflow to nations such as Canada with lower tax rates. Kahn also addresses the widespread speculation that "appears to prevail amongst not a few people the strange delusion that America's entrance into the war (First World War) was fomented by moneyed men, in part, at least, from the motive and for the purpose of gain."

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"War Taxation: Some Comments and Letters" is a book by the renowned German born, American investment banker Otto Heinrich Kahn. Written during the First World War, Kahn examines American policy on taxation and opines that then new measures to raise taxes for funding the war effort, particularly on the wealthy are not well thought out. He warns that this would precipitate a situation of capital outflow to nations such as Canada with lower tax rates. Kahn also addresses the widespread speculation that "appears to prevail amongst not a few people the strange delusion that America's entrance into the war (First World War) was fomented by moneyed men, in part, at least, from the motive and for the purpose of gain."

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Book Excerpt: ...drawing from the field of constructive investment to the greatest extent possible.So much is this the case that I incline to the belief that taxation so graded as to result in a maximum average of say 33-1/3 per cent. would produce at least as great a revenue as a maximum average of 50 per cent.It is one of the oldest principles of taxation that an excessive impost destroys its own productivity.The flood of securities which would be coming for sale in order to escape extreme income taxation would create a grave condition of demoralization in the investment markets of the country, with the resulting inevitable effect upon the country's general business, and upon its capacity to absorb Government loans.IVThe tax recently enacted by Congress imposing a burden of 8 per cent. on business profits over and above 8 per cent. on the capital employed, regardless of whether such profits have any relation to war conditions or not, is unscientific and unsound...

Book Excerpt: drawing from the field of constructive investment to the greatest extent possible. So much is this the case that I incline to the belief that taxation so graded as to result in a maximum average of say 33-1/3 per cent. would produce at least as great a revenue as a maximum average of 50 per cent. It is one of the oldest principles of taxation that an excessive impost destroys its own productivity. The flood of securities which would be coming for sale in order to escape extreme income taxation would create a grave condition of demoralization in the investment markets of the country, with the resulting inevitable effect upon the country's general business, and upon its capacity to absorb Government loans. IV The tax recently enacted by Congress imposing a burden of 8 per cent. on business profits over and above 8 per cent. on the capital employed, regardless of whether such profits have any relation to war conditions or not, is unscientific and unsound. ( Read More