Evening star., 1918-05-27
Lawmakers Asked to Put
Through Bill Before
Adjournment.
TAXATION ONLY WAY
TO REACH PROFITEERS
Would Raise Third of Revenues by
Tax on Incomes, Luxuries and
Business Profits.

business kT0utS.
President Wilson, appearing before
a joint session of Congress today,
urged revenue legislation without fur
ther delay as an imperative war
measure.
"The consideration that dominates
every other now, and makes every
other seem trivial and negligible, is
the winning of the war;" said the
President. "Our financial program
must no more be left in doubt or
suffer to lag than our ordnance pro-
gram, our ship program, sur munitions
program, or our program for making
millions of men ready"
Politics 'Is Adjourned"
The President called upon Congress
to eliminate politics from the consid-
| GRAFTON of the bill. Politics, he said.
Is adjourned"
The principal increases in taxation.
the President said, should be on in
comes. war profits and luxuries.
Plans which might have delayed
the work, but which involved a work
ing agreement between both parties
having fallen through, the President
told the legislators there was no way
| to meet the problem of financing the
war but to have Congress remain in
session and go ahead at once.
| He said that he for one was conf
dent the people of this country would
give q just verdict upon the services
| Of the men who act for them.
|. Character Of New Taxes
| Speaking Of the probable character
I'VE shall naturally turn. I suppose.
to war profits and incomes and lux
| uries for the additional taxes. But the
war profits and incomes upon which
the increased taxes will be levied will
be the profits and incomes OF the
calendar year 1918. It would be mani
festly unfair to wait until the early
months Of 1919 to say what they are
| to be-"
President Wilson warned against
lobbyists who might be expected to
hurry to Washington to influence the
proposed tax legislation. and said
there is indisputable evidence of
lprofiteering at present. He declared
this must be reached by the new
legislation.
'Pfolteering that cannot be got at
| by restraints of conscience" said the
President, ''can be got at by taxation"
House and Senate Notified.
The Presidents decision to address
Congress became known when the
leaders of House and Senate were
notified. soon after 10 o'clock this
morning, to make arrangements for
a joint session in the hall Of the
House.
There was no official announce
ment Of the subject on which tho
President would speak, but it soon
became known that he would out
line to Congress the situation in re-
gard to the new war revenue legfs-
lation.
Secretary McAdoo's reasons for i'm
mediate legislation, which are be-
lieved to have impressed the Presi-
dent. are that passage Of the new
country and business of the payments
it will have to make next spring and
give time to prepare to make them.
and that it will stabilize the liberty
bond market for the next issue, IN
Party leaders in Congress. includ-
ing the democratic whips, disagree
strongly with these views and have
yielded to the pressure for immedi-
ate consideration of the legislation
only because it came from the Treas
ury Department. ostensibly with the
backing of the White House
Greeted With Cheers.
The President was greeted with
cheers when he intimated almost at
the outset that new revenue would
be drawn from war profits, incomes
and luxuries.
The crowded galleries and the
House and Senate rose and cheered
loudly when he declaned that hum
dreds of thousands OF our men. car
rying 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 to join them
until the enemy shall be beaten ana
brought to a reckoning with man
kind"
When he had concluded his pre-
pared address the President unexpect-
edly made a brief extemporaneous
statement. in which he said that just
for the Capitol he had heard that the
new German drive apparently had
just begun and that it added to the
solemnity of his conception OF the
country's duty.
of his prepared address. the President
leaned forward and earnestly said:
May I not add. that just as was
leaving the White House I was told
that the expected drive on the west
ern front has apparently begun"
News Strengthens Purpose.
The President said that his purpose
had been strengthened by this infor-
nation. He also praised Congress for
the work done during the present
session and 'co-operation which has
been generous" disclaimiEg that any
Interpretation should be placed upon
his remarks that he was imputing
neglect to Congress
The applause and cheering that fol-
lowed came from republicans ana
democrats alike.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
announcement the President would
come to the Capitol to address Con
gresa was made only about thsss