CONSCIENCE MONEY

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 10

CONSCIENCE MONEY

TREASURY WINDFALL “WHEN REMORSE GNAWS.” “ If all men had consciences tender enough to make them pay to the national account what was morally owing for British income tax, excess profits tax, license duty, mid so on, tho Chancellor of the Exchequer would receive such a huge sum of money that his task- would ho very easy.” So a Treasury official slated recently, when the Budget problems were under discussion. People are mistaken in thinking that tho sums acknowledged in the newspapers by the Chancellor from time to time as “conscience money” from A.B.C. or X.Y.Z. have been reluctantly wrung from defaulters by a threat of prosecution, if such were the case no acknowledgment would be necessary. No; these amounts are sent anonymously and spontaneously by people whose consciences have pricked them. Jin the aggregate they form a steady but not very large addition to the annual revenue. The remittances are sometimes accompanied by interesting letters. One last year came from a jjoor -widow, enclosing Is 9d. She explained that during the war she stole a tin of condensed milk from an Army canteen, and tho matter had lain upon her conscience ever since. A more humorous note was struck by the man who wrote; “I once defrauded you_ of £5. Remorse gnaws at my conscience. J. am sending you os. When remorse gnaws again. 1 will send you some more.”