The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-09
DETERMINED
TO REDUCE
TAX LEvIES
Republican Leaders To Con-
fer with President Late To-
day-Seek To Raise Money
Through Other Sources.
WILL EXEMPT S0DAS
(Ry Associated Pressl


WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-Cha irman
Fordney and other Republican mem
bers of the house ways and means
committee will confer with President
Harding late today on the general sub
ject of tax revision.
Discussion, it is understood, will
center particularly on what present
estimated extraordinary expenses can
be provided for through other mean ms
than direct taxation.
Secretary Mellon, Speaker Gillett,
chairman of the senate and house ap-
preparations committees, and probably
some other Republican leaders will
participate in the White House confer
ence scheduled for late today.
Eliminate Levies.
Having agreed to elimination of the
soda fountain ice cream and social
luxury taxes on wearing apparel, and
a so percent cut in the levy on sport
ing goods, Republican members of the
house ways and means returned today
TO the job of revenue revision determ-
ined to make further reductions in the
total tax the American people pay
this fiscal year.
A so percent cut in the transporta-
ton levies both passenger and freight
was declared to be practically a GER
tainty. Those members who hereto
fore have urged immedite repeal of
all of these taxes were understood to
be prepared to press their point with
the argument that this could be done
readily if repeal of the excess profits
and higher surtaxes is delayed until
next Jan. !, as now proposed.
To Prove Real Help.
The total loss of revenue involved
in cutting off the transportation taxes
as estimated at $260,000 900. or less
it was claimed, than the loss that
would be entailed this year through
making the repeal of the excess prof
its and higher income surtaxes re-
troactive to last Jan l.
1t also was urged that the cutting
off of the levies on freight and pass
enger traffic would prove of real help
to business through savings in freight
charges and added expenses of travel
ing salesmen.
Formal agreement among the ma
jority members as to the total that
will be absolutely necessary to run
the government this fiscal year has
VI,
that further specific taxouts might
await such an agreement
There also was talk of conferences
with President Harding to obtain his
advice in the solution of the major
problems before the committee.
Study Revision
Having been excluded from partici
patton in the framing of the bill
Democratic members of the commit
tee are giving independent study tc
the revision question.
Representative kitchin, the Demo
cratic leader, who is detained at his
home in North Carolina by illness
has been kept fully informed on the
public hearings and it is understood
that his counsel win be sought il
framing any report that the Demo
Gratis decide to make after they have
studied the Republican draft of the
measure.
Representative Garner of Texas, tbs
ranking Democrat on the ways ant
means committee, in the absence o
Mr.. Kitchin. came out flatly today fol
full repeal of the transportation take:
and the so-called nuisance taxes, in
cluding the 10 per cent tax on bottled
soft drinks, and against any of tbs
new or increased taxes suggested b.
Secretary Mellon.
The Texas member also is of tn,
opinion that a much greater return
can be had from back taxes than tht
treasury has estimated He thinks
that instead of the $235,000,000 giver
in Mr. Melons statement to the com
mittee, nearly S500,00O.000 can be OBJ
tanned from this source this fisca
year.