The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-08-14
(By Associated Press. }

Washington, Aug. l3.-War taxatloh
with all its problems, and its Dement'S
as we'll as its evils, Is the SUBJECT
which will occupy Congress almost to
the exclusion Of all all others when
, lit reassembles, for regular sessions
on Aug. "a.
A statesman Of an older generation
once remarked that government was
nothing more or less than the power
to levy and collect taxes. 1t is OBJ
vious that while the subject OF war
} taxation has the attention Of Congress
lit must necessarily command the at
|tention Of the American people. be-
!. lcause the stability of government is
measured chiefly by its revenue.
The ways and means committee OF
1.-THE House now is engaged In the pre-
1 Iliminary work Of framing the twenty
flour billion dollar revenue bill which
lis to provide the sinews Of war for
! 1.-THE coming year. Passage OF the Dill
Iby the House in substantially the form
lin which it comes from the commit
itee promises to be a matter of course.
In the Senate, however, will come
lrevision and reconstruction, often the
I subject Of prolonged debate and even
flliblster, which will put the bill more
nearly in the shape in which it ulti-
, mately will become, the Senate, as
/ some historian has said, being the
saucer in which is cooled the hot tea
! coming from the cup Of the House"
| the deliberations there are sure to be
! prolonged.
After the bill has been passed by
the Senate, it will 60 to conference,
often referred to as the place where
bills really are made. Here joint
4 committee representing Senate and
House smoothes out conflicting pro-
visions, arranges compromises for
J |hard-fought amendments, and, finally
4 Inducing each side to give way 1T
Il tie. or when agreement is shown g
4 be homeless, discarding provisions en-
ltirely reports back to both Houses o
Il Congress a completed bill Sometimes
I lone House or the other, insistent OF
q some provision, refuses to accept TN
u decisions of the conferees and de
4 mands further consideration, but Il
\ 1.-THE end bill that is adopted by bot
branches Of Congress comes out.
4 The war revenue bill will be thread
i ing its way through these tortuou
passages in the halls Of Congress 10
several weeks, possibly until sno'
flies and 1t will be well for any Amer
- lean newspaper reader who wishes
grasp the significance of its move
Iments as 1t progresses to fix In min
- the five stages through which the 81
passes before 1t goes to the whit
House for the signature Of the Pres
|dent, these stages are:
The bill is framed by the Hous
WAYS and means committee. (This
now going on.)
IT, is considered in the House an
with A more or less limited iebat
and possibly some amendments fro
the committee form, is passed and SCI
| Ito the Senate.
The bill is considered by the Sc
ate finance committee, to which 1t n
been referred. In this committee Z
lIbiu may be practically made owe
Ito to the structure Of the work OF
- House may be added the ideas OF 7
. Senate committeeman.
It is debated and passed in the BE
~ ate. often after nights of prolonged
gument and parliamentary nance
II vre.
IL AS altered by the Senate the |
goes to the conference committee
Ill senators and representatives VIII
II finally reports back comprom
II draft on which both houses can agr
II Inasmuch as this particular
II lengthens the long arm OF the 9
eminent tax collector so it can rel
u into almost every mans pocket,
who attempts to be informed OF W
Ill sacrifices he will be called upon
{ make that the world may become
decent place to live in, will do
III to survey the needs which n
III brought before the country TINS me
n ure for taxing the high and low
II The American people of course
Ill mt only finance their own snare
81 the war, but they will furnish IN Ia
I'll measure, the monetary backbone
III enable the Allies to continue.
81 new law is expected to make an eq
Il able distribution Of the burden 10
z the people in just proportion 10 u
Il share of the nations wealth. hes
Fl OF the present laws have not
nj 4,naIy satisfactory,