Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-14
WAR TAX BILL HELD
UP PENDING RETURN
OF THE PRESIDENT
Wrangling Over Plan to In
clude Freight Causes Dem
ocratic Leaders to Delay
Report to House.

WASHINGTON. Sept i4-Emergency
revenue legislation will hold chief in
terest in the House this week, despite
the delay in the introduction Of the Ad-
ministration bill to provide iiO0Oo0COO a
year, which the Treasury will need be
cause Of the falling off OF customs duties
on account OF the European war. In
dications are now that the bill may not
reach the floor of the House until
Wednesday or Thursday. but the wrang-
ling over the proposed tax on fresht
shipments has reached such a stage that
a Democratic caucus is planned early this
week when several Democrats Will seek
to overthrow the freight tax provision
of the bill.
The original program was that the
revenue bill, agreed upon by majority
Of the Democrats Of the Ways and
Means Committee. would be introduced
last Saturday and would be formally re-
ported by that committee today. Con-
slderation OF the bill under a special rule
was scheduled for tomorrow. However at
the eleventh hour on Saturday Majority
Leader Underwood announced he would
not introduce the bill until it had re-
ceived the unqualified approval Of the
President, the inference being that Mr.
Underwood realized the seriousness Of
the revolt against the freight tax clause
ana intended TO put responsibility
squarely up to Mr.. Wilson.
Accordingly, the bill Is held in abey-
ance until the President gets back from
Cornish, n. H., tomorrow.
Sufficient signatures have been OBJ
tained to call a Democratic caucus
which is scheduled for tonight or to-
morrow night, unless the President
brings pressure to bear to have II post
poned. 1t probably will require 4 letter
from him to put the freight tax through
the caucus, although there is little or
no opposition to the proposed tax on
beer and wines
When the caucus is convened Repre-
sentatives Kitchen and Garner, Demo-
cratic members of the Ways and Means
Committee, who have consistently op-
posed a freight tax, will offer n substi
tute bill proposing to tax beer. wines,
whisky. cigarettes, inheritances and nu-
tcmobiles and 10 increase the income tax
rate.
The entire revenue legislation IS mix
ed and presages a further delay in the
final adjournment Of Congress
Senator Robinson, OF Arkansas, said
today that he would offer as n substitute
for the House war tax bill measure tax
ing all automobiles in the United states
from 30 cents to 81: taxing coca cola 10
cents per gallon retaining House tax on
beer. and placing a considerable tax on
cigarettes.
Outside OF consideration Of the i'm
portant revenue measure, the House will
conclude during the week its debate on
the bill authorizing the leasing of coal
oil and phosphate lands on the public
domain. This measure probably will pass
without serious opposition. On Wednes-
day the Barnhart printing bill is to again
take the right of way and a vote may be
reached on this measure designed to re-
wise and codify the printing laws and
check waste at the government printing
office.
They would also limit the publication
- government documents TO the actual
S.fsIof public officials, and seek 20
chesE the Junk pile to which thousands
of useless. uncaIled for documents are
consigned each year.
Routine bills on the private claims
calendars are scheduled TO take up the
spare time of the House. In fact, there
is no prospect OF legislative let-up at
any time this week.