The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-30
TARIFF DEBATERS
OUT IN WAR PAINT
KRChin Defends Emergency
Revenue Bill as Result of Pre-
paredness Demands.

With the sounding Of old and new
tariff cries and q display OF partisan
ship the House today began consider
alton OF the Democratic emergency
revenue bill. Oratorieal enemies who
have fought one another for years
paint. and the galleries enjoyed the
verbal warfare from the tariff
trenches.
Chairman Claude Kitchin. of the
Ways and Means COMMITTEES, led on
In the spirited debate today. Follow
ing the lines Of the majority report
on the revenue bill. he asserted that
additional legislation was necessary
because OF preparedness" which the
country demanded. Preparedness, ar
gued Mr.. Kitchin. must be paid for
hence the revenue bill.
Fsrdney Prods Demserats-
Congressman Fordney, ranking Re-
publican OF the Ways and Means
Committee, prodded Mr.. Kitchin with
questions and assailed the Democrats
because they did not raise their
money at the customs houses. MI.
Fordney inveighed against the direct
taxes levied In the Democratic bill.
and was met By Democratic claims
that protective tarin would not
have met the revenue situation dur
Ing the past two years of war.
The partisan debate evoked ap-
pIause on both sides. The Democrats
wre particularly =. exuberant. and
yelled their APPRECIATION as MI.
h. n n.
In turn the Republicans nudged MI.
Fordney along whenever he took q
Dot shot at Mr.. Kitchin-
The debate on the revenue bill viii
continue until late tomorrow after
noon.
MInsfity Report FILED.
Republican members OF the Ways
and Means Committee nled q minority
report on the revenue bill today
which says In part:
The bill now under consideration.
proposing to raise an enormous
amount Of additional revenue other
than by tariff measure, 10 q nagrant
violation OF the Democratic platform
As the proposed bond issue more than
cares for additional expenditures In
cident to increases In the army and
navy, the excesspront tax IL con-
elusive evidence that the Government
IL not being economically admins
tered or else that the. Underwood
tariff law 10 q failure as q revenue
producing measure. Further. the bill
now proposed establishes the glazing
insincerity of this pledge OF the Demo
cratic party relied on at election time.
"The minority members Of the Ways
and Means Committee, having had no
opportunity to formally confer with
the majority in the matter of raising
revenue to meet the Treasury den-
cienciss, decline to accept RESPONSE
bility for the bill, II. R. 20673, which
the majority has submitted to the
House. The course adopted by the
majority has submitted 10 the House
The course adopted by the majority
In this new deficiency emergency 10
not much different from that hitherto
employed-the taxes are placed upon
the business interests in q few States,
SO that presumably the burden will
not fall upon the larger number Of
citizens. The system Is so cleverly
devised a. to suggest an arrange
ment of taxes so adjusted as u OBJ
tain the greatest political advantage
for the Administration-a question
able proceeding, since direct taxes i'm
posed upon a few of the people will
instantly bear heavily In proportion
upon the many"