TAX LAW ON CHURCHES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29367, 21 November 1960, Page 8

TAX LAW ON CHURCHES

Breaches During Campaign

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.

The Internal Revenue Service said today it was investigating complaints that certain American churches abused their tax privileges by mixing in politics during the Presidential election campaign.

A spokesman for the service said it was looking into allegations against churches, other religious organisations and individual clergymen who reportedly sponsored and distributed literature hostile to the election of Mr John Kennedy, who is a Roman Catholic.

The spokesman declined to name those under investigation nor would he disclose the source of the complaints. Service investigators would determine whether the allegations involved tax-exempt organisations and whether these groups jeopardised their tax-free status by engaging in political activity. Under the law, tax exemption is available to any non-profit religious organisation “no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and which does not participate in, nor intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”

Eichmann Trial.— The trial of the former S.S. colonel, Adolf Eichmann, accused of the massmurder of Jews during World War 11, will begin in Jerusalem on March 6 next year.—(Jerusalem, November 18.)