The New York herald., 1921-01-04
Senator Curtis (Kan.) Opti-
mistic After Conference
With President-Elect.
TO END PETTY TAXES
Reorganization and Concen-
tratiOn of Federal Blu
reaus to Be Drastic.
ASSESS LUXURIES HIGHER
Clifford Pinchot and Paul ID.
Cravath Among Visitors to
Marion White House.


MARIow. Jan 3.--An extra sessiop OF
Congress 20 be called imnedi Y
after the inauguration q Sc BY
Harding as President FOR the pr Sc
of making such changes ~ hA Ne
nue. laws as will relieve me rs0nie of
unnecessary and unjust burdens for
drafting a new tariff law and for
| guiding the reorganization of govern
ment in the interest of real economy
and real efficiency was clearly fore
shadowed to-day by Senator Charles
! Curtis of Kansas, the Republican whip,
after a long conference with the next
Chief Executive.
Senator CsStis esled the President
elect to take the necessary steps, CO.
incidentally with going into office,
toward obtaining the corrective and
ameliorative legislation for which the
people are anxiously waiting. He
| found the President-elect in hearty
accord with his views regarding the
necessity of cutting appropriation es-
Inmates by half billion to billion
dollars, of reducing the number OF
Government employees by perhaps
100000 and of getting to work at once
on the revision of taxation and on
building up protective tariff.
1.-THE public realizes said Senator
/ Curtis that Senator Harding is talk
| ing with people OF all kinds concerning
4 L. rx,,ey
! deal during his Administration. Re-
publicans of House and Senate are IN
accord with him as to the need OF CIV
ing the country a clean and economical
Administration. The President-elect
realizes that with strict economy w
Administration expenditures can be re-
| duced materially, making possible
| changes in the revenue laws that VIII
relieve the people
Harmony Means Economy.
Personally I think that with the
Appropriations and Finance committees
and the Congress generally in har-
mony with the President the appro-
priations can be cut certainly hall
billion. perhaps a billion. below the
estimates of the Secretary Of the Treas
ury This, however. will be possible
only il the Cabinet members work with
House and Senate in eliminating un-
necessary employees and cutting out
applications in department work.
1T is realized that there are at least
| one hundred thousand or two hundred
| thousand unnecessary Government en-
ployees. and the question is how to
reorganize the departments TO save TINS
expense without in any way Gripping
the work Before the war there We're
| some $4,000 civil service employees; now
there are 10000. 1t is realized that
there Is necessity for increased forces
in the War and War Risk departments,
hut not for the huge excess that exists
two years after the end Of the war.
THE Smoot-Davis Joint resolution
which has just passed provides Tor
Joint commission OF House and Senate
to study and report a plan for redis-
tribution Of the functions of the depart
rnents. 1t would save many millions
and eliminate Implications OF work, un-
necessary publications and the like.
Il hope and believe Congress VIII pass
the emergency tariff legislation at TINS
session. The agricultural interests were
never in such acute need for RELIEF az
they are to-day. The Democrats, how
ever, say they will have strength enough
in the Senate to prevent the adoption OF
cloture, and possibly to defeat the Dill
by a filibustcr The Republicans insist
that the situation OF the farmers makes
passage Of the legislation absolutely
necessary. and IL Is known that some
Democrats will vote with the Republi'
cans for IT,
'I urged Senator Harding to call an
extra session during March. He has
under consideration the question OF the
precise date. If the Ways and Means
Committee will take UP taxation and
tariff matters Immediately II should be
possible TO report on them by the latter
mart of March, and II then the Senate
will follow and study the measure as the
House proceeds with II 1t should be
possible 10 &c, the legislation passed
and TO adjourn by the early part OF
July.
would simplify Tax Returns.
Everybody admits the revenue laws
should be amended to simplify the in
come tax returns. to place the burdens
where they will be easiest to bear and
to get rid of some annoying taxes tha'
Yield small revenue. We should elm
mate from the taxable list some articles
that are now treated as luxuries that
are not luxuries, and should tax real
luxures in some cases more heavily.
Tho new tariff act could not be per-
manent because OF existing conditions
but duties could be restored on many
articles and Increased on others, so as
10 produce more revenue. The Govern
ment now collects about $500 90 900 an
nualiy from customs on 5000. 100000 OF
imports. or about 9 per cent This is not
sufficient to mako mp the difference be.
tween the cost Of production here and
abroad; a tariff sufficient TO do thai
should Yield on the present volume OF I'm
ports at least 5000. 900. .000'to 500, 900
Importations Of luxuries alone amount tc
So 600, ,000,0 900 a year, and the duties
are very small Importations OF pearlf
and diamonds and other extravagan'
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