Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-15
WAR TAX TORNA[ :
THE TARIFF BATTLE
Democrats Caucus Toniqht to
Decide Upon the Freight
Stamp Plan.
REPUBLICANS DECIDE '
TO OPPOSE ANY BILL
Wilson Not Committed to ANY Plan
and Underwood Will Garry Out
Majority's Decision.

With the House democrats divided.
the majority against the plan. and the
republicans in the Senate deciding to
fight such legislation to the last, the
war revenue measure promises to be-
come the basis OF fight as lively as
tariff revision.
The principal snag in the war reve-
nue. bill. the. proposed per cent tax on
freight charges, promises to be the
bright particular spot around which
most Of the action will revolve. Presi-
dent Wilson and Democratic Leader
Underwood. it is understood. will con-
fer on the question today. and tonight
the whole plan, with the Presidents
suggestions, will be thrashed out In a
democratic caucus.
Chairman Underwood OF the ways
and means committee. yielded today TO
protests of democrats against the tax
on freight and agreed to let the caucus.
tonight decide. The President Mr.
Underwood said. was not committed to
a freight tax and would not insist
upon it.
Mr. Underwood is ready. to drop the
war tax on freight If the democratic
caucus refuses to indorse the proposal
to raise S65.000.00O by taxing freight
charges 5 per cent.
Against War Tax.
AS matter OF face, the strongest
sentiment in the House is not merely
against a tax on freight charges. but
against any tax measure. That is the
element in the situation which keeps
the House democrats boiling and bub-
bling on the tax subject right along.
There has not been anything like
unanimity on any one proposal for n
war tax yet. and Representative Ua-
derwood is today wearing the look OF
man who is resigned to any fate that
can be melted out to him by his supe-
riors; and his superiors are the fneEi-
bers of the democratic caucus, which
gave him his commission as House
leader and chairman of the ways and
means committee.
II the caucus tonight will go the
length of indorsing a bill. Chairman
Underwood win write that bill and in
troduce it no matter what 1t contains
or overlooks. That would be a bill
bearing the Endorsement of the voting
power of the House. However, IL the
caucus merely records itself as being
opposed to a freight tax. then the pa
tient Mr.. Underwood Will have to write
a new bill, which will have to bear the
scrutiny of all the democrats of the
House again. There probably will be
no bill written against which there are
no violent protests. Every man in the
|
something or other. 1t is the tarfn
proposition all over again: Tax the
other fellow, but let my. constituents
alone
Wilson Not Insistent.
The significant thing at the Capitol to-
day, however. is the indication that the
President and Representative Underwood
will by no means insist on the freight
tax. It was said today that the Presi-
dent sis not attached unalterably to the
freight tax" but that he approved it az
a good measure. and that is all.
When Representative Underwood goes
into the caucus tonight he will explain
just why the freight tax was put into
the bill that 1t is easily collectible, that
it is spread very thinly over the fa0irof
the country and that it will nor rest
heavily on any one.
The caucus may indorse the freight
tax. However, the caucus was called
by men opposed to the freight tax and
they may succeed in smashing 1t. II
they take the bit in their teeth they
may tangle up the situation go that
it Will be impossible to get out ta-
law until after election. And that Is
a possibility that some Of the demo-
Gratis are wishing for with ardent long
ings.