The Chancellor of the Exchequer has been giving a few very interest ing figures concerning the amount of direct taxation now borne by the individual, pointing out that in England it has risen from 31/- in 1914 to 303/- at the present day. In comparison with the other countries mentioned the British figure is striking, and taken in conjunction with figures given below is a noteworthy commentary upon our great war effort. At a recent meeting of the Pafis Political Economy Society the following, taken from British Ireasury statistics, were given as showing how the national debt per head had increased during the war:— uted States, by £55 per head.
England, by 2157 per head.
In France, by £114 per hoyt.
In Moly, by £73 per head. 3 It has to be borne in mind that throughout the war we were also contributing largely in taxes to current expenses, so, however crushing these figures' seem at the moment, they provide material for a certain amount of pride in what the nation can do when called upon. At the same time it is almost heartbreaking to ponder over the fact that taxation on its present basis would have wiped out the prewar national debt in a single year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.