The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-11-06
GUINNESS To
GIVE LITTLE TINE TO
NEW LEGISLATION
important Work to Go
Over Until Harding
Is ~lnaugurated


WASHINGTON. .. @, Nov. o.-rhc
next secession Of congress-, which meets
December 6. and which will be the
last aud third session Of the sixty
tixth congress. Will last only until the
inauguration OF the new president.
March 4 next, when the session will
expire hy Limitation OF law. Including
the rhfistmns holidays. which nearly
always last ten days, the next session
VIII have less than 20 working days.
II will readily be seen from this linz
tied time tina the December session
win not be able TO enact much lcgis-
lntion. II will do well to pass tho
fourteen big annua appropriation
hills. and adjourn In time FOR the
presidential Inauguration.
There In another thing. besides lack
Of time. which will prevent much. "
any, new legislation In the Dccem-
Der session. As a new congress- and
n new president will take the holm
after March 4 there will be n general
desire on the part of all congressman
TO defer important Legislation until
Tho new president makes hiS desires
known, and Until the new members OF
congress. OF which there Will he
many. cam participate In National
lorinlatiOn.
Harding To Cali Session
The first session Of the SiNty-sev-
onfh congress viii be "a special Hcs-
sion called by the new president soon
after his inauguration next March.
This session VIII last n long time,
md may even run into the regular
December session Of conHrcss, lt2l4
Al this special session all he vast re-
construction problems OF the sfew adj
mlniHtrntlOn will rave to he consid-
cred and solved. and IL Will take
months to do that. Tho last session
Of did not really have time
20 Rrupple with reconstruction prop
lems and neither will the December
Session. Reconstruction viii be ef-
fccied in the special session OF u
new Congress-. These problems are
hf gigantic and important ns those
which confronted the federal gov
rnmcn at the beginning OF h
world "A
Though the December session will
not have time to take up the prob
lens OF government, nevertheless
there are two matters Of leglstla-
tlon besides the appropriation bills,
which tina session will endeavor TO
nut through. one OF them is revis-
ion OF the tax laws, and some sort
pf relief from the housing situation
which has grown serious IN nearly
every urban community In the whole
An effort viii be made In Decem-
ber 10 complete revise the income
tax laws. but because OF the lack OF
time IN that session, It Is doubtful II
any new tax bill be enacted into
law. Both democratic ana republican
leaders are very anxious TO have tle
tax laws. particularly ths Income taN,
revised from top to bottom. Needless
10 way every citizen 4 In this
slcaire, for the income tax. 1t cannot
he denied, presses heavily on rich
and poor alike. In the December
keaalof Secretary HouAto1 viii ark
conrrtss 10 make the now lav simpler
than the present cumbersome statute.
one OF tho most important recon-
mendations OF Mr.. Houston Will -"
that the 6mmlasioner OF Internal re.
venue be authorized to make final
determinations In any tax assessment
Under the present law a TAX case can
he oncned time and time again until
the tax payer never knows when he
A. through with litigation with the
treasury. But a lowering OF the whole
fncomo tax schedule IL what Is now
desired BY conEressraeh and citizens
alike. There are ais many imper-
fcctlons In the present Income tax
law, na happens usually IN an coin,
piex and new statutes, and these must
he ironod ont In the revision, house
and senate lenders are said TO plan
not only a general reduction In all
schedules. but changes 10 that big
incomes viii bear a pronortionally
larger share OF the tax. The little
fellow VIII not have to q as much
as heretofore. This will Indeed be
popular legislation with the masses.
Housing situation
The houainp situation VIII also be
considered by the December session.
The shortage OF homes In every Sec
ton Of the land, except in h rural
districts, IA almost as serious as the
tax burden and the high cost of Nv
ing. This problem confronting con-
gresa will have two angles to bring
about construction OF more homes
and apartment houses, and 20 prevent
the rent hogs from further profiteer-
ing on the helpless tenant. Tho sit
untion may result In n federal law
establishing rem commission IN all
cities OF a certain ~populntion. Taxa
ton too, viii be considered as a
means OF relief FOR the housing Hhor-
tage. Federal on newly con-
atructed dwclliag n apartments
now average about 3 percent OF the
total cost. This is always tackled on
the tenant. II these taxes We're re-
mitted lower rents could certniniy be
secured. Where rents now are based
on . percent Interests on the invest
ment, three percent OF Il Is tax. viii
this tax removed there should bo q
one-third reduction in rents by tht
landlords.