The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-17
VIGOROUS EFFORT
 MADE ID INCREASE
 TAXES ON INCOMES
This Is Done in Order t Cut Out Some of the Schedules Being z
 .sa,-s-sss-s 2
 Opposed .

WdSnlngCOn, May Ib.-A vigorous movement to in crease the proposed war revenue bill income taxes another 25 per cent on all amounts above $4O,000 was started in the House today under the leadership of Rep resentative Lenroot, repub- lican, of Wisconsin, and Rep resentative Sherley, demo- crat,. of Kentucky.
 Over the determined opposition of Democratic Leader Kitchin and Rep resentatives Fordney of Michigan and Hill of Connecticut, republicans, the insurgents succeeded in obtaining in the committee of the whole their pro- posed increase from to 33 per cent on incomes between $4O,O0O and $60,000, and tomorrow they will re- sume their fight, determined to ele- vate every division until incomes above s5oO,00O would pay almost 60 per cent.
 should the proposed increase prevail there will be an attempt to strike from the bill the proposed freight, light ano heat taxes and. possibly the increased second-e,ass mail matter rate. Unofficial estimates are that the proposed 25 per cent increase would net approximately s1so,0oo, GOO
 NO PARTY LINES
 Party lines were obliterated and ap- peals of republican and democratic ways and means committee members for sup port seemed to fall on deaf ears.
 An attempt to increase the surtax be- ginning at $5oO0 was defeated. The pro- posed rate between 5000 and s75o0 is I per cent and Representative Sherley sought to have this doubled
 An overwhelming vote rejected the pro- posal. Then Representative SherIey Joined in support of the Lenroot plan to add 20 per cent to the schedule of sur taxes on incomes over s40,O0O It car ried eS to S7 amid cheers
 Representative Kitchin assailed all sug- gested income tax rate increases over the committee recommendation, insist ing that support of such proposals came only from those who sought to serve. cer- tain interests and not to lower taxes gen. erally.
 T haven't heard anyone here object to the taxes on necessities he shouted. The crly taxes it is proposed to decrease are those on second-class mail matter, automobiles and luxuries"
 Representative Lenroot characterized the democratic leaders remarks in genious," but as failing to get away from the fact that the general 25 per cent Increase would enable the House to strike out the freight, light and heat taxes.
 WOULD MAKE RICH PAY
 These taxes would fall on every home. he declared. Our real interest here IS to make the tax as small as possible on the poor men with families and make it as large as possible on those who are able to pay
 In opposing the proposed increases Rep resentative Fordney said if taxes on the wealthy were put so high that they felt an injury was being done them they would eyade the levy by passing dividends and other methods He also pleaded against what he termed class legsla- tion," insisting that the rich were as pa tliotic as the poor"
 , Former Speaker Cannon suggested that oEly about s1ooOo,0 900 of the total wealth of s0sO, ,oOo Ooo.Oo0 in the United States was in the hands of the plutocrats and he saw no reason for trying to place an unfair burden on them
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