The Washington times., 1921-11-05
LAF0LLETTE
IN At 7 TACK
ON MELLON.
Badger Senator Asks Treasury
Head to Resign as Ally
of Rich.
BY International News Service.

The retirement of Secretary Mellon
"as the fiscal head of the Govern
ment" was demanded in the Senate
today by Senator La Toilette (Re-
publican) of Wisconsin in charging
that Mellon had "brazenly and i'm
pudently laid down the principle that
wealth will not and cannot be made
to bear its full and fair share of
taxation"
Watson Reforts.
La, Follette,s attack OR Mellon came
while he was urging the adoption of
an amendment introduced by him to
the pending compromise tax bill to
require all tax returns to be made
public by the Treasury Department.
THE fiscal head OF the Government" I"
La Toilette asserted, has laid down
the principle that wealth will not and
cannot be made to bear its fair and
full share Of taxation; that the people
must carry far more than their 4:
and just share of taxation IL tn.
revenue needs of the Government are
to be met successfully.
He has laid down that principle,
brazenly and impudently, and he
ought to be retired for making a
declaration of that sort"
Senator Watson (Republicanl OF In.
diana suggested that the purpose Of
La Follette's amendment to throw
the light OF "pitiless publicity" on all
tax returns was to "inflame the pub
lie mind"
You cannot inflame the public
mind unless some wrong has beer
done" La Toilette retorted. The pur-
pose OF my amendment is not to in
flo ha Itt tn
the truth and force wealth from the
cover afforded II by the Treasury De-
partment."
There isn't an argument to be
made against my plan for publicity" +"
La Toilette continued. II am sure il
1t were submitted to the people OF
the States II would have 100 per cent
support.
you know very well that when you
cover up returns. as they are covered
up under the present system you
make 1t impossible for the people to
get the information we should have
In a real democracy and you provide
an incentive for dishonesty"
Tax Publicity Asked.
Senator Johnson Q2) of California
said that lin most States. includin
California. all tax records are spread
open on the records for any citizen
to look at"
"The theory that the public has the
right to know all the facts about tax
alton is generally accepted in most
Of our States" Johnson continued,
why. therefore, should not the Fed
eral Government accept II. If publ.
city be accorded as a right by the
States. on what theory that is justi-
fable, does the Federal Government
and the Secretary of the Treasury
pretend to the right of secrecy in
these matters?'
I.aFollette stated that IL was his
purpose to force holders OF tax.
exempt securities TO place all facts
concerning their holdings before
Congress and the country"
HIS amendment involved all hold.
ers OF Federal State and municipal
bonds and similar forms OF tax
exempt securities.
The country is entitled to know
who is bearing "A proper share of
the country's burden of taxes and
who Is escaping them" said Lat'ol.
lette,
we were urged in passing this
bill to remove the surfaces on in.
comes in excess OF $66,000 on the
grounds that otherwise capitalist
would invest their money I'm ia
exempt securities and thus esca
taxation.
Wealth must prepare to bear pol,
lust share of taxation and II is .n-
vesting its holdings in such securities
as will enable II to escape taxation,
the country is entitled TO know all
about IL.