FOREST TAXATION IN THE UNITED STATES 459 
taxes being the income tax (Einkommensteuer), the property tax 
(Vermoégensteuer), and a system of yield taxes (Ertragsteuern) levied 
upon the yield capacity of land, buildings, business, and capital 
(Grundsteuer, Gebaudesteuer, Gerwerbesteuer, and Kapitalrenten- 
steuer). These Ertragsteuern, though the term is commonly trans- 
lated as “‘yield taxes’’, are not to be confused with the American 
forest-yield taxes. In addition there were frequently certain other 
direct taxes and a number of indirect taxes, fees, duties, etc., al- 
though these latter were usually of minor importance. The National 
Government, just before and during the war, found itself seriously 
hampered by the restriction of its revenue sources to indirect taxation 
and its inability to impose its levies directly upon the wealth and in- 
come of the people. In the political and financial reorganization 
which came with the republican revolution after the war, there was a 
drastic reorganization in the tax structure of the National Govern- 
ment and the States. The income tax, which had been the backbone 
of the tax systems of most of the States, was transferred to the Na- 
tional Government. The tax on the yield from capital (Kapital- 
rentensteuer) was made a part of the income tax. ‘The property tax 
was also taken from the States and given to the Nation. Of their 
former system the States retained only the yield taxes on land, build- 
ings, and business. In order to make up this loss to the States, a 
large portion of the revenue which the National Government receives 
from direct taxes is turned over to the States, which in turn hand 
oyer portions to the communes. These amounts are called transfers 
(Uberweisungen). The national tax system was put in form in a 
series of taxation laws enacted in 1925, and the existing system of 
national taxation therefore dates from that time. The following 
laws were passed on August 10, 1925. 
1. The income tax law (Einkommensteuergesetz). 
2. The corporation tax law (Korperschaftsteuergesetz). 
3. The law concerning property and inheritance tax (Vermégensteuer- und 
Erbschaftsteuergesetz). 
4. The national valuation law (Reichsbewertungsgesetz). 
5. A law modifying the turnover tax (Umsatzsteuergesetz). 
6. A law concerning the financial allotment between the National Government, 
the States, and the communes (Finanzausgleichsgesetz). 
In 1928-29 the National Government revenue from direct and 
indirect taxes was as shown in table 131 (257, p. 106). Here, as else- 
where in this section, values are given in American dollars as well as 
German reichsmarks. The converting factor used is $0.2382, which 
is the 1933 par value of the reichsmark in American gold dollars. 
TaBLE 131.—Revenue of German National Government from direct and indirect 
taxes, 1928-29 
Tax Receipts 
Reichsmarks Dollars 
Direct taxes (Steuer) YooN Se eS te Tae as vee UL eee od 6, 146, 800, 000 1, 464, 200, 000 
Customs and excises (Zolle und Verbrauchsabgaben)___-__------___-_---- 2, 877, 600, 000 685, 400, 000 
AO Ea es Oe 2 epi 2s TE A EN A ILE i ES 9, 024, 400, 000 2, 149, 600, 000 
Of this amount there were allocated to the States and communes 
3,412,500,000 RM (257, p. 362) ($812,900,000), leaving 5,611,900,000 
RM ($1,336,700,000) for the use of the National Government. 
