The Washington herald., 1918-05-28
WILSON TELLS
SOLONS TAX
NEEDS
Burden on Prohteers Sound
Principle, the Presi-
dent Says.
NATION NOW UNIFIED
In SUPPORT OF WAR
Ways and Means Commit
tee Begins Hearings
in Ten Days.
SENATE, HONORING HOUSE
PRERoGATIvE, TO FOLLOW
Law Due November | Will Provide
40 Per Cent Tax, Balance Bonds.
Congress Goes to Work.
NATION NOW UNIFIED
IN SUPPORT. OF WAR
SENATE, HoN0RING HOUSE
PRERoGATIVE, TO FOLLOW

President Wilson, addressing a joint
session of Congress yesterday. asked
immediate preparation of a new war
tax bill, the chief burden of which,
he said. should fall on prohteers.
Republican and Democratic leaders
at once promised cooperation.
Chairman EitChin. of the House
. wGys and Means Committee. said he
would begin hearings i'm about ten
days during which the Treasury
DcHr-:ment will be compiling figures.
The inco>,c tex division ts TO sup
piy Information on which the ex-
CC-s p-o.it5 section of the bill is to
be fT"-:cG.
senate to Hold Hearings.
Chairman simmons, of the Senate
Finance Committee. plans to hold
similar hearings just after the House
committee has begun. There will be
no joint sessions. because of the
HouEe's stand upon its constitutional
right to initiate all revenue legisla-
ton.
II is reported on the highest author
ity that THE general plan of the bill
will he to provide 20 per cent Of the
naton's need by taxation. The other
% per cent will be met by bonds.
ChaiTnlcn Simmons and Kitchin
( asrce on November as the earliest
possible date of passage. They ex-
p4ct the bill to be introduced in the
House August ! or l..
Hits Prohteer.-
President Wilson hit profiteers some
\ ~.
gent statement:
The .profteering which cannot be
got at by the restraints OF conscience
and love of country can be got at by
taxation"
l When he said: THE consideration
that dominates every other now. and
ma kes every other seem trivial and
negligible. is the winning Of the war.
the whole assemblage arose and
cheered repeatedly, as also at:
Hundreds OF thousands of our
men, carrying our hearts with them,
and our fortunes. are in the field. and
{ships are crowding faster and faster
to the ports Of France and England
with regiment after regiment, thou
fsands after thousands. to join them
IuntT the enemy shall be beaten and
Wrought to a reckoning with man.
tIkind.''
N There were only two Supreme Court
ISustices who could he found-Bran-
[deis and Clark. Five Cabinet mem
General Burleson
land Secretaries Wilson, Houston.
Daniels and Baker-sat just beside
Speaker ClarK's desk.
Mrs. Wilson Attends.
Mrs. Wilson, her mother Mrs.
Boiling, and the Presidents daugh-
Ter. Mrs. McAdoo. sat in the Presi-
ientIaI gallery. The Senate had
narely been seated. when the Presi-
hent stepped briskly into the cham
ber. The crowd cheered him heart
ly.
He spoke slowly, and in quiet.
Restrained voice.
In his first sentence he told his
ecisIon as to a revenue bill:
TT Is with unaffected reluctance
hat / come to ask you to prolong
tour session to provide more ade-
luate resources for the Treasury
Tor the conduct of the war"
In rather an argumentative, per-
uasiye tone. he explained that IL
vas clear to all that more revenue
Must be had. now or later. Inasmuch
4 business must pay this levy out
N its profits from the income of
ls1s. IL was wisdom, he said. to let
msiness know now how much a
Sfrden II must stand.
wsaid Decrease Imitation
lTaxes.- too, he said. would decrease
hngers from imitation. The first
feak in his even tones came when
e said: We shall naturally turn,
therefore,. I suppose, to war profits
nd incomes and Iuxuries for the ad-
itional taxes
on the Republican side, Senators
Kenyon Of Iowa and johnson Of Cali
prnia started hand-clapping. In an
nstant, Il spread over the whole
por. The President stopped but
Aiehy. Again he urged the business
isdom OF framing the tax at once,
hd concluded: II cannot assure the
buntry of a successful administra-
on Of the treasury In 1918, IL the
lestion of further taxation Is to be
Vt undecided until 1919."'
The business argument past. the
PRESIDENT turned to the. war. 81
HE predicted the day when the
laiser shall be Drought to a reckon
* with mankind"
The session was warming tn the
beech now. and the floor and the gal
riss cried their approval. That had
arceiy subsided when the President
I'd: =.
'The Congressional elections will
to those who think least of them.'' %
ID again there was handclapping.
For lobbyists who come to wash
gton to urge tar exemption of the
terests who employ them. the
esident promised the light Of pub
noSrrsuED on PAGE srx.