The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-30
SENATE FIGHT
NEARS CLIMAX
Effort to Force Vote on War
Profits Taxation by
Shutting or
Debate.
BALANCE OF POWER
Southern Democrats Can Swing Mat
ter Either Way When the Ques-
tlon Comes to
Vote.s
BALANCE OF POWER

lUnited Press Leased Wire Service]
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3O-Climax in
the senate fight over war profits taxa
t1on drew near today. Senator Sim.
mons. champion of the committee
! Dill. planned final effort to shut off
debate and force vote.
| II he succeeds the test Of strength
/ between the Simmon-P Penrose and the
Borah-Johnson groups will come on a
vote to approve the committee meas
ure raising $49S,0O0,OO0 on war
Profits. The wealth conscription in
terests declare nothing less than s2,-
000000,000 from this source will
satisfy them
A third group held the balance of
power-southern democTats-who are
by no means radical, but who refuse
! to support the committee bill be-
cause they say 1t is discriminating
The substitute which they will offer
would raise $S00,0O0,0O0 to $1,000
100000 war profits taxes.
Senator Simmons probably will
press his move for c1oture rule.
With Senator Underwood, recognized
as a powerful figure in any revenue
fight, lined up with the southern
democrats who oppose the committee
bill, the cloture was intended to
stop argument by him more than 1t
was aimed at the Borah-J ohnson
group. Underwood so far has made
no speech.
The committee proposition on
which vote Is expected today is con.
! cession on the Simmon-Penrose group
| to %hn ri,,t; on
ing far heavier levies than the orig
i iral bill. On profits in excess Of 30
| per cent 1t levies 60 per cent which
would raise S700O0,000.
House leaders don't like the senate
! bill even with it's threatened big tax
on wealth.
| 1t is so drawn, said Kitchin, that
certain firms making sixty to seven
ty-fve per cent profits will escape
taxation altogether. Z know of tre-
mendously wealthy concerns who
made much money before the war as
we'll as during it. Why should they
escape war burdens?"
The s11y5OO,OOO war bond bill-the
most gigantic piece of financial legis-
lation ever known-will pass the
house within a few days.
The bill was before the house with
unanimous recommendation for pass
age from the committee. Republican
mebers announced themselves salts
fed with the explanation by Secre-
tary McAdoo of provisions they did
not understand. No attempt will be
made to push the bill, but its passage
Is expected by next Tuesday. An
rother measure considered vital to
war success-the soldier insurance
bill-also was reported to the house
today The committee reduced the
amount for which man may insure
himself from $1,000 to a $4,000 maxi
num- Widows who draw benefits
under the support Of the families
provisions of the bill also lose their
rights Immediately upon remarrying,
instead of two years afterwards.
Vote Probably Next Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30-Chargfng
an attempt to gag wealth conscription
advocates, Senator LaFollette today
prevented unanimous agreement by
the senate to fix date for voting on
the revenue bill.
"If debate on this bill is to be
choked off, let it be through appl1ca-
ton of the gag rule lately written in
to the rules Of the senate" La Fol-
lette said.
Senators Simmon who late yester-
day introduced a cloture petition, to-
day sought the agreement so as to
make unnecessary the use Of the clo-
ture.
at is preposterous," said La Fol
lette. "to make such request just aft
er the finance committee has intro
duced an amendment to the war
profits tax section Of the bill which
totally changes It's aspect. / object
strenuously to any agreement for a
vote until after the war profits and
income tax sections have been dis
posed Of"
La Follette's stand, If persisted in,
makes practically certain application
of cloture on Friday. This would
bring a vote on the bill not later than
next Wednesday.
Opening the fight Of southern demo-
Gratis on war profits taxes, Senator
lContinued on page 2)