Something for Mr. Morgenthau

Many a boss had carefully explained it all: 20% (after exemptions) would be taken out of every worker’s pay, come the first week of July. U.S. workers had nodded understandingly, had signed the tax deduction certificates with only routine grumbles. But when pay envelopes actually showed up—lighter by some one-fifth —groans rose all over the U.S.

The chorus of Something For the Boys, Broadway musical comedy, stared dumfounded at their tax-shrunk salaries (normally $45 to $50 a week). They promptly demanded raises. Turned down, they gave the theater management a huffy two weeks’ notice. Said sorrowful Producer Michael Todd: “The kids thought [the tax] was very unfair. I told them I couldn’t do anything about it. …” But by week’s end he had prevailed on them to go on working, even if it did mean working part of the time for Uncle Sam.