On the front page of the 6/29/94 WSJ there is mention of the fact that the IRS chief refers to the US tax system as "voluntary". I had heard this "voluntary" before. So at about 3:20 today I called the IRS at 1-800-tax-1040 to ask if this was correct. After about 40 minutes on hold (fortunately I have a computer to keep me busy) I got someone. They said that, yes, the US does have a "voluntary compliance" tax system. They said that I could find the tax codes saying this in the local library. I tried to pin down why they used the word "voluntary". After asking a couple questions I said, "but if we don't comply there are penalties, right?", they said yes, then I said, "so why is it voluntary?" and they hung up on me. Since this same government says that Clipper is "voluntary" I am worried that they mean some new Orwellian definition of "voluntary" and not the old fashioned "voluntary" many of us might have assumed. Voluntary used to mean things like "without legal obligation" and such (see below). Get a copy of PGP while you can, -- Vince Word voluntary (VAHL'uhn-ter'ee) adj. Definition --adj. 1. a. Arising from one's own free will. b. Acting on one's own initiative. 2. Acting or serving in a specified capacity willingly and without constraint or guarantee of reward. 3. Normally controlled by or subject to individual volition. 4. Capable of exercising will; volitional. 5. Proceeding from impulse; spontaneous. 6. Law. a. Acting or performed without external persuasion or compulsion. b. Without legal obligation, payment, or valuable consideration: a voluntary conveyance. c. Not accidental; intentional: voluntary manslaughter. --n., pl. - ies. 1. Mus. Solo organ music, occasionally improvised, that is played usually before and sometimes during or after a church service. 2. A volunteer. voluntarily (-taruh-lee) --adv. voluntariness --n. Etymology ME < Lat. voluntarius < voluntas, choice < velle, to wish. Domain Literature, Rhetoric, Philosophy, Law, Music Synonyms voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willful, willing, spontaneous. These adjectives mean unforced. Voluntary is applied in several related senses to what is done by choice, to physical movement subject to regulation by the will, and less often to action that is not only of one's choice but premeditated. The last-named sense is more basic to intentional and deliberate; in addition, deliberate stresses the idea of action taken with full awareness of the consequences. Willful can mean merely in accordance with one's will but often implies headstrong persistence in a self- determined course of action. Willing suggests acceding to a course proposed by another, without reluctance or even eagerly. Spontaneous refers to behavior that seems wholly unpremeditated, a natural response and a true reflection of one's feelings.