The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-11
DEMOCRATS TO TAKE
WAR TAX PLEDGE
At Caucus on Monday Leaders
VIII Bind Party, Fear.
ing q Break.
MANY OPPOSE THE LEVY

VI VII OADII LIZ u
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-A q Of
Democrats Of the House viii Be held
Monday night to pass . resolution com
hitting the party to q pledge Of sup
port for President Wilson'S recommends
ton for the immediate enactment Of the
war ven emergency act
A good deal Of significance IL attached
TO the decision Of the Democratic lead
ers to resort to caucuses to put through
q bill extending the life Of the war rev-
enue act, which under the present law
will expire on December 81. It IL &C.
cepted a. an indication that the House
leaders are fearful that with q majority
Of only twenty-four there viii be many
occasions IN the session when It may be
difficult to hold Democrats In line for
Administration or party measures.
h war revenue emergency act yields
about SIS 10000 . year. II collections
from his source should be suspended
already in q bad way owing to declining
receipts from customs, would be still
further embarrassed.
A canvass Of public demands disclosed
that many members OF the party are at
heart opposed to the war taxes and &C.
cordingly II was agreed hat the best
way out Of the difficulty was to bind
all. II possible. through . caucus man.
date.
Caucus. Too, On Other Bills.
1t Is maintained by Democratic lead
ers In view Of the fact that they must
60 to the caucus to force the passage
Of the proposed bill extending the life
Of the war act. that like procedure may
have to be followed in the case Of gen.
eral ven legislation which will come
up later In the session. the Administra-
ton shipping bill and other measures
included In President Wilson's legisla-
1.-Two programme.
At last Mondays caucus full vent was
given the views Of Democrats opposed
to an enlarged programme OF national
defence on the ground that II will entail
additional taxes that are likely to plague
tho party In the campaign next year. As
national defence and new taxes are
correlated In the Administration pro-
gramme II Is the general expectation
that the former question will be debated
a; length.
The little navy" members intend 10
take advantage OF the occasion to stir
up opposition 10 President Wilson's
recommendation for increased a~ppropria-
lions for the two military establishments.
Despite grumbling on the part OF the
Democrats the leaders appear confident
that the extension bill will be passed In
both houses before the holidays. No at.
tempt will be made to amend the law In
any particular.
A pledge will be made for the benefit
Of the Senate Republicans that when
the time comes to pass general revenue
legislation later In the session oppor-
tunity will be given 10 amend the war
act. II 10 understood such . pledge wal
demanded before the Senate Republicans
would consent to the passage OF the bill
In that body.
Recess May Ne Abandoned.
Should there Be any upset IN thi. plan
the customary holiday recess will b
abandoned and the Senate kept In session
night and day with a view to ASSURING
tho extension OF the war act beyond
December 81. the date OF rs expiration
under present law.
However. the Democratic leaders are
confident that their promise to afford
opportunity to amend tho Law later viii
result In prompt action on the extension
bill in time to permit the President tc
give his approval before he leaves Wash.
ington for his honeymoon on Decem.
Der 10.
In the last Congress the war act was
put on the statute books by an over
whelm!ng vote in both houses. Al tina,
time the Democrats had n majority Of
about 40 In the House. Things arr
different now. The Democratic pluralit,
over the minority in the present hous,
Is twenty-four.
The desertIon of a handful Of Demo.
Gratis would result In the defeat OF the
extension bill. In the last House al
the Republicans and Progressives voted
against the var taxes. The minority
as now constituted IL made up Of 20;
mer bers. counting Republicans. Progress
sives. one Socialist and n independent
as compared with 229 Democrats, II II
taken for granted that all Of the minorit,
will vote against the extension measure
There are seven Democrats in th!,
House who voted against the emergency
revenue act In the former Congress. Il
they should stand pat on their records
the votes against the extension bill woult
be 2l2, leaving 2a2 Democratic votes fol
h proposal to extend the war taxes.
There are approximately t~hirty-Ave
new Democratic members In this House
Whether any OF them viii desert on this
proposition Ia not known. Concedins
that all will stand by the party the lead,
ers admit they will have only a small
majority for the extension bill even II
the Democrats who voted against It a
year & reverse themselves next week
This analysis In interesting as show.
Ing the slender margin by which the
Democrats control the House n the
danger OF their losing II at any time or
questions that arouse controversy within
tho organisation. II present plans are
carried out Congress will adjourn for the
holiday recess on December IS to reas.
semble on January 3 or 4.
DRYS THREATEN WASHINGTON