New-York tribune., 1918-11-30
Six Billion Dollar Levy To
Be Fought by Upper
House Minority
All Taxes Affecting
Daily Life Reduced
House Measure Virtually
Rewritten; Child Labor
Employers Penalized
Tribune Washington Burea,

ftUUWS w UoftCftSt tOft II W CUU
WASHINGTON, Nov 20. - Senator
Simmons announced at the conclusion
of the afternoon session of the Senate
Finance Committee that it had COM
pleted its work Of modelling q &c.,
000, 100000 war revenue bill, with q
$4,000, 100000 graduation for 1919, from
the raw material OF the $4,000, 900, 900
House bill, together with some addi-
tional ingredients.
Senator Penrose stated on behalf of
the minority that it would undoubtedly
submit a minority report, taking ex-
ception to the 1919 appendix. A cor
cllary Of the dissenting report, the
Senator said, would undoubtedly be op-
rosition 20 the bill on the floor Of the
Senate
"Viu it be bitter-end opposition ?"
was asked.
"The opposition will be determined"
was tho answer. "You know the Sem
ate is supposed to be g deliberative
body still.'
The committee celebrated its last day
ON the lob bv voting to repeal the sec
ond class postal zone law, and substl-
tute for it a second class postage rate
OF I cent pound for the first 200
miles and ia cents for Eli distances
beyond that.
Text Of Amendment
This amendment is as follows:
THAT on and after July /, 1919, the
rates of postage on publications en-
tered as second class matter (includ-
ing sample copies to the extent OF
10 per centum of the weight of copies
mailed to subscribers during the cal
endar year, when sent by the pub
Usher thereof from the postoffice OF
publication or other postoffice, or
when sent by news agent to actual
subscribers thereto, or to other news
agents for the purpose of sale, shall
be l cent per pound or fraction there
Of for delivery within the first zone
application to fourth class matter. and
! u cents per pound or fraction there
OF for delivery within any other
zone"
The restoration of 2-cent first class
letter postage on July l next was also
decided upon.
The abolition of the zone system.
which has stirred the publishing world
for the last two years, will not make
any change in the gross revenues the
first year, but the stepping down from
three cents to two cents for letters will
reduce the revenues about $7Q,000000.
The change in the second class rates
will have the effect of leaving them as
they we're before the zone system was
introduced for the first 200 miles and
half a cent pound higher for greater
distances.
Gold Miners Exempted
The Senator'S also took pity on the
gold miners and voted to exempt them
2rom the application of the war excess
profits lax. Under present conditions
gold mining has become very an@mic
industry. Everything else in the world
has increased in price, but gold re-
mains at the historic price fixed by
statute the world over of $20.67 an
ounce. Many mines have been COM
PEELED to shut down, otherx are about
TO. close and prospecting for gold has
fallen to low ebb. With only the
normal income tax to pay and the lib-
eral revisions the Finance Committee
has made in the definition of invested
capital and the special provisions for
mining in general as an industry,
which depletes its capital as it pro-
crosses, the goH miners say that they
now hope to be able to keep the wolf
away
By a vote OF 10 to 3, Senators Sim
mons Smith and Williams voting in
the negative, the Pomerene bill, sub
mitted as an amendment to the revenue
bill! and referred to the Finance Com
mittee, was adopted. This amendment
penalties, by an additional tax of 10
pev cent of the net profits all mines
and industrial establishments utilizing
child labor
Child Labor Defined
In the meaning of the amendment
child labor in mines is the labor Of
children under sixteen years of age,
and in industrial concerns of the labor
of any child under fourteen and of the
labor of ch ldren between fourteen and
sixteen for more than eight hours a
day, six days in the week, or after
p m. or before 6 a. m.
A committee of theatrical men, on
finding that the committee had COM
p.cted its labors with the theatrical
admissions tax and had left the same
as in the present law, presented the
thanks Of the business to the commit
tee through Senator Simmons.
The basis of the business capita] tax
was changed from the par value Of 6
stock to the net assets of the bust
ness.
The committee gave no considera-
sion to the question of an anti dumping
aMendmene 70 guard against the alleged
danger of the accumulated wheat of
Australia being dumped in the United
States at s1.1S bushel, whereas the
guaranteed price of American wheat
until the end of the 1919 crop year is
1926, Chicago.
Campaign Tax Plan Rejected
Senator Thomas's amendment to tax
all political campaign subscriptions Of
more than $500 at the rate of 100 per