Evening star., 1914-10-17
WAR REVENUE BILL
MAY Be DEFEATED
Eiqht Southern Democrats En-
ter Into Agreement to Table
Measure. 1t Is Learned.
AIDED BY REPUBLICANS,
SUCCESS SEEMS CERTAIN
Combination Made Only if Cotton
Growers Are Not Assisted.
Lane Against Bill.

Aduc ASdluSt DILL
Eight democratic senators from
southern states had entered into an
agreement, it was learned today. to
vote to table the war tax bill Ii no
provision is carried in the bill to aid
the cotton growers of the SOUTH
Another democrat, Senator Lane OF
Oregon, has already announced that he
will vote against the bill in any event.
These nine democrats, voting with the
republicans. will be able to defeat the
passage of the bill, it is believed. I'm
less the administration is able to pull
these democrats around the measure
may fail
The eight democrats said to have en-
tered this agreement are Senators Smith
of Georgia. Smith of South Carolina,
Shields of Tennessee, Clark of Ar
kansas. Sheppard of Texas. Nardaman Of
Mississippi. Robertson of Arkansas and
White of Alabama
Senator McCumber of North Dakota
during the debate on the war tax bill
in the Senate today bitterly arraigned
the proposal of Senator Hoke Smith
that the government purchase cotton
to help the cotton growers in the crisis
due to the war.
Would Treat All Alike.
But if we are to raise this banner
of paternalism,' said Senator McCum-
Der. let US grant to all the industries
of the country the same measure of
aid" He said that he had introduced
an amendment to the Hoke Smith
amendment to the war tax bill a pro-
vision that the government also buy
wheat. barley and oats, and Senator
Smoot of Utah had offered another
amendment providing for the govern
ment purchase of copper. If the cot
ton amendment was to be adopted. he
said, these amendments also should be
approved.
THE argument that strict interpre-
tation of the Constitution prohibits
the enactment of the cotton amendment
is absurd" declared Senator Smith of
South Carolina. IF the strict observ-
ance of the Constitution is going to al
low the people of the south to starve
and die there will be new Constitu-
tion and a new Congress-
Senator Norris of Nebraska expressed
his sympathy for the people of the
SOUTH but declared that he believed it
would be a mistaken economic policy
to support the cotton amendment.
Borah Supports Amendment.
Senator Borah of Idaho. republican.
took the floor in support of the cotton
amendment.
THE only real emergency growing
out of the war contained in this bill is
dealt with in the cotton amendment"
he said. The other features of the
bill proposing to tax the people to pay
the expenditures of the government are
not there because of the war. But the
disaster to the cotton states is a mat
ter superinduced by the conflict in Eu-
rope"
senator Borah added that if he did
not support the cotton amendment he
would fear being criticised as incon-
sistent. He said that the west came to
Congress a few years ago for what
practically amounted to a loan from the
federal government to purchase rights
of way and construct projects much
needed. He said that he had support
ed that proposition. and there was
really no difference between it and the
proposed aid to the cotton states.
Declare Surprise Is in Store.
With an agreement to vote before
midnight tonight on the tax bill,
cussion on the measure today. At
O'Clock voting will begin on amend
ments and OH the bill and after that
hour speeches will be limited to fifteen
minutes each.
While number of amendments were
offered today by senators, the main
fight came over the Hoke Smith cotton
amendment, providing for the issue of
s25O,OOO, 600 to buy cotton to help out
the cotton farmers
Southern senators We're insisting to-
day that surprise was in store on the
vote on this amendment They claimed
that they had enlisted the aid of many
of the republicans, and some of the
republicans admitted that if they were
assured the democrats would go the
limit in support of this amendment,
even though ii was known that PreSi-
dent Wilson was strongly opposed to
it, they were strongly inclined to
support the cotton amendment.
Administration Leaders Confident
sisted that the cotton amendment
margin.
on the tax bill before adjournment to-
6ay will send the bill to the House
Monday. Representative Underw ood
the ma jority leader, intends to ask
unanimous consent that the bill be sent
to conference Immediately. OF course.
Representative Henry of Texas. who is
filibustering against adjournment of
Congress before some legislation is en-
acted to help the cotton farmers, may
object and in that case the bill would
have to be referred to the ways and
ton NJ n w