Evening star., 1921-07-29
REPEAL 0F'::TkXES
: ASKED Of HOUSE
National Manufacturers and
:, !, Film Men Appear Be-
fore Committee.

The National Manufacturers Asso-
cfation asked the House ways ana
means committee today to repeal the
excess profits tax. the surtaX
brackets above as per cent and ex-
else taxes founded on war condl-
tions. Opposition was expressed 70
any increase in the present norman
tax on corporate income.
: James A. Emery of Washington
speaking for the association, SAID
excise taxes should not be imposed IN
the light of present conditions. ana
that the present excess prontS taA
was impossible of administrator:
MIR. Emery told the committee that
in 1917. 1918 and 1919 the manu-
,facturers paid the federal govern
,ment three billions in taxes. ana tns
the whole federal tax. one third was
paid by corporations, and that the
manufa cturers paid from 6S to 40 per
cent of that third.
Movie Men Paint Gloom.
"A gloomy pictpre'of conditions IN
the moving picture industry was
painted to the committee by repre-
sentatives of nation picture Pr0eucers osers
and theater owners. Samuel +. Rogers
National Association Of Motion Pic
ture Producers. said that in tine las'
three months 1000 theaters mad cioseu.
He and Harry B. Warner. also OF NV Nv
York city. and other spokesmen tot
the picture industry asked repeai VI
the seat tax on theaters, the ~ per
cent admission tax and the per cent
tax on the sales of nlms.
Mr.. Emery said that If the cor
porations were going to be required
~,
at present they unquestionabiy wouiu
accept a higher corporate income taA
in preference to- the present t'i &c
way system of taxation on EXCESS
profits, income and the excise TAX oi
81 a thousand on the capital IN excess
of $1,000.
w. A. Brady Heard.
William A. Brady of New York.
speaking also for the motion picture
Industry, said that proportlonateiy
this industry was taxed more imam
any other. Urging that the butter De
spread out a little thinner, ne saio
that only one motion picture company
had paid a dividend last year ana
, that practically all: of the studios IN
the east had been closed because OF
the extreme depression in the business:
Questioned about high salaries OF
movie stars Mr.. Brady said THESE
had disappeared in the last year La
bor costs in the theaters and in pro-
duction had increased 800 per cent
he added.
Francis HALEY. representing the bu-
reau of economies, pleaded for the re-
moyal of the 10 per cent admission
tax in the interest of the educatlon
of the masses. His bureau, he said.
was putting out educational MINIS
and wide circulation was obtainaole
only through established theaters.
which rapidly were being forced TO
close their doors.
+ Another witness seeking repeal or
taxes was Edward Fillmore of New
York city, representing the natlonal
committee of the fur industry. with
a few exceptions, he said, fur clothing
was the only kind subject to tax
Few Changes Predicted.
Tax revision got into the House de-
bate yesterday with a prediction by
Representative Garner of Texas:
ranking democrat on the ways and
means committee. that the republican
majority of that committee would
revenue law. lfaving to the Senate
the task of perfecting the tax meas
ure.
Representative Mandell of Wyo-
m ing. the republican leader. countered
with the declaration that the House
would send to the Senate bill, the
best possible produot of our judg-
ment.".
Specifically. MFR. Garner said the
House committee would provide only
for repeal of the excess profits tax.
a reduction in the surtaXes to max
imum of 25 to 35 per cent, and an
increase in the taxes on corporations
He said all other taxes in the present
law probably would be left as at
present. ss-s
Changes as "Feeler."
Supplementing his declaration to
the House. Mr. Garner said later that
his information was that the repub-
licans planned TO offer the few
changes he had outlined as "feeler"
to the country. SndS that the Senate
finance committee Mbuld redraft the
tax bill in the 'li8hf of the reaction
noted during the proposed recess of
Congress.
Representative Mondell told the
House that what was to happen. as
he understood it. was that the ways
and means committee would carefully
consider the question of revenue, re-
port bill "in due time after delib-
eration." which bill would be Con
sidered in the House in such form and
manner as may be determined upon
after full consultation by the ma
jority in conference"
two committee sessions, at which a
number of additional witnesses ap-
peared. asking for repeal Of various
taxes. = =