The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-05-04
DEMOCRATS IN
 FAVOR OF WAR PROFIT TAXATION
Would Use This Means to Provide Bonus For Elk
 Service Men.

Washington, D. C., May 4.-InSur- gent Republicans of the House who have been fighting their leaders in an endeavor to force taxation of war profits to obtain revenue for payment of a soldier bonus insist they are gaining recruits. As yet, the insur- gents are not publishing names and as the members themselves are in clined to avoid the issue until forced to vote, there has been a. disposition upon the part of only a few couraL- geous Republicans to make their posi- ton clear,
 What will be the result of the Re- publican conference soon to be held no one Is ready to predict. The lines have been sharply drawn during the House discussions. Democratic mem berS, led by Champ Clark, minority floor leader, assisted by Representa- tive Rainey, of Illinois, have pledged the support of the Democratic mil nority for the taxation of war profits.
 With the exception of the Republi- can leaders, the only expression which has come from the Republican side in support of the taxation of war profits is from Representative Johnson, of South Dakota, Representative FTear, of Wisconsin, and Representative ,,KnutSon, of Minnesota The Republi- can leaders are pledged to taxation of sales and in this proposal they insist they have the support of the majority on the Republican side.
 Republican leaders have made it clear that if their proposal to adopt a sales tax is not accepted by the House, they will kill the legislation through parliamentary tactics. Either the House must accept the legislation
 
 will not have an opportunity to con slider any bonus bill. No amendments will be permitted, the members will be allowed to talk on the subject and then they must vote on one or two propositions, according to the order from the Republican 1eaders-they must vote for the sales tax or they must vote to kill the legislation
 In their endeavor to mo1lify the insurgents and prevent a break in their ranks. the Republican leaders have tanned down their sales tax pro- posaI and have taken this action on the face of a warning from Senator Watson, of Indiana, that the revenue must be obtained through taxation of sales.
 The insurgent Republicans and the Democrats count some successes already.
 First, the Republican leaders plan ned to avoid having any legislation and were successful in this plan for months, until the insurgents forced them to consider the question.
 Second, the Republican leaders then planned and wrote legislation providing a tax on turnover sales '' a tax which would have made prof. teering possible, also further increases in the cost of living. Insurgents and Democrats by exposing this scheme, have frightened the machine Repub- Iicans into modifying this plan.
 Soldiers are insisting in letters and telegrams to members having come in one day to RepreSen tative Rainey-that they will not accept any cash bonus obtained through taxa ton on sales because instead of ma.k- ing those who made big profits out of the war pay the bonus, the poor would have to pay it. But the Repub- lican leaders continue to insist that the the wealthy are paying all the taxes they can and should pay, and that the only source of income left is by taxing the necessities of life.
 Republican leaders insist this tax will not be obnoxious or burdensome and that it will cost the average man very little. They admit, however, that the consumer will pay about $S00,- 0000 through this form of taxation and that about 90 per cent of the Aeople Yiu pay the entire sum.