Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-11
HARDING AND c. O,P.
LEADERS To CONFER

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-Chairman
Fordney and other Republican mem
bers of the house ways and means
committee will confer with President
Harding late today on the general
subject Of tax revision. Discussion,
it is understood, will center particu-
larly upon what present estimated
extraordinary expenses can be pro-
vided for through other means than
direct taxation.
Secretary Mellon, Speaker Gillett,
chaireman of the house and senate
appropriation committees, and prob
ably some other Republican leaders,
will participate in the White House
conference.
Having agree to elimination of the
soda fountain, ice cream and so-callei
luxury taxes on wearing apparel and
so per cent cut in the levy on
sporting goods, Republican members
of the house ways and means COM
mittee returned to the job Of
revenue revision determined to
make further reductions in the total
tax the American people will be
called upon to pay this fiscal year.
A SO per cent cut in the trans
portation levies, both passenger and
freight, was declared to be practi-
| cally a certainty. Those members
who heretofore have urged immedi-
ate 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 sur
taxes is delayed until next January
l, as now proposed.
The toal loss of revenue involved
in cutting off the transportation taxes
was estimated at $2B0,000,000 or less,
it was claimed, than the loss than
would be entailed this year through
making the repeal Of the excess profits
and higher income surtaxes retro
was argued that the cutting off of
the levies on freight and passenger
traffic would prove of real help to
business through savings in freight
charges and added expenses of trav-
ehng statesmen.
Formal agreement among the ma
jdrity members as to the total that
the government this fiscal year, has
not yet been reached, and it was
said that further specific tax cuts
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.
Having been excluded for partici-
patton in the framing of the bill
Democratic members Of the commit
tee are giving independent study to
the revision question. Representative
Kitchin, the Democratic leader, who
is detained at his home in North
Carolina by illness, has been kept
fully informed on the public hear
ings and it is understood that his
counsel will be sought in framing
any report that the Democrats may
decide to make after they have stu
died the Republican draft of the
measure.
Representative Garner, Of Texas
the ranking Democrat on the ways
and means committee in the absence
| Of Mr.. Kitchen, came out fatty to-
| day for full repeal of the transporta-
| ton taxes and the So-called nuisance
| taxes, including the 10 per cent tax
on bottled soft drinks, and agains:
any of the new or increased taxes
suggested by Secretary Mellon.
The Texas member also if of the
opinion that a much greater return
can be had from back taxes than the
| treasury has estimated. He thinks
that instead Of the $235, 100000 given
in Mr.. Melons statement to the COM
mittee nearly $500,000,000 can be OBJ
tanned from this source this fiscal