New-York tribune., 1922-02-17
% reaction at home en- The President

o. reaction at home on tho President :
resSsce,
The hackfre from all Owe, The coun
try on thc House lax scircn,e has been
rather stern lesson 70 the Legislators.
and they are morc War today than
for q long time They are literally
"t-eading lightly" and can be expected
TO proceed with extreme caUtiousnoSs
ard with all the senses alert Tor signs
CT reaction on every phase OF tho ques-
ticr.
Despite thc desire Of the suhcomm,t-
tees to delay the decision. there is aN
exceedingly strong feeling in the
House that The sales tax will he ac-
cericd ~ some form. bat there il in
thc present confusion nothing on which
70 base speculation as to how the
House might vote on the sales TAX.
Tnc sales tax was rejected hy the
Republicans Of the House III q caucus
when the revenue bill WAS being con
sdsred. As bonus proposition it is
viewed by many IN an entirely different
light and many Of its former opponents
ray now be counted il is saia, as sup
porters. There ave MANY other such
cross currents 70 lie ccnsidcred The
farm bloc has been against the sales
taS promo sal 70 n man. and the opposi-
ton now has its cornerstonc in that
group. The President. however. has
recommended general s2ics tax" and
i is difficult 10 guess how the aelicui-
,rrists could accent tAat form as the
minority IN the House apparently is
ABOUT split even on thc sales tax
Longworth Rcvives Plan
REPRESENTATIVE l.cnrworth and other
prominent members advanced AGAIN to-
nj rS
,urers' sales tax on businesses Of more
man $4,000 volume a year. 1t would
not be objectionable to most businesses.
they say, and would yield about $500
ooo GEO wear
The two subcommittee which met
II tho Senate FINANCE Committee room
Immediately after the Presidents mes
sage reached tho Capitol were COM
posed OF Senators McCumbcr, OF North
Dakota, Watson Of Indiana: Curtis OF
Kansas; FrclinghuyseN, Of New Jersey:
Mclean, of Connecticut: Smoot, of
Utah. and Sutherland. OF West Nir-
GINA and Representatives Joseph
fordncy os Mich gan; Nicholas Long
worth, OF Ohio; Charles y. Timhcrlake,
Of Colorado; Henry v. Watson. of
Pennsylvania; Isaac Bacharach of New
Jersey; Allen 7. Treadway, of Massa-
enusctts. and Ira {. CoploT. OF Illinois.
Following the joint session of the
Senate ard House suh-cormttees
vshch lasted about an hour. Chairman
Icrdncy OF thc WAYS and Means Com
nlittec said:
~ believe The House VIII accept the
bonus bill carrying w;th It a sales tax.
90 rot know Just what form tno sales
tax will take but believe it ought to
follov} the Canadian laW, which eNempts
food products and places the tax upon
manufactured and wholesale sales.
"a am not IN favor OF postpoung the
bonus beyond this session Of Congress
II the House should refuse 10 take the
sales tax bill and pass the measure
without making provision 10 meet the
payments some way would be found tc
obtain the revenue"
View Not Representative
Though the chai.'nan's statement was
clcan-cu.. it is not regarded as reflect
ing accurately thc sentiment OF The
ioint group in charge OF the bonuS
question for the t'ro houses. Mr.. Ford
rer has always been one Of the most
ardent advocates O. the bonus bill ano
his comment is undoubtedly his per
soaa opinion. Tor i is not borne up ir
the results of the session.
il opposition - 1T the interpreta-
..rr given the Presidents letter rs
Virtually every member is that 1t is
piea for postporement." and the tacl
laEen b. the Joint conference docs no
reflect tho same sentiment Is that ex
pressed by Mr. Fordney. Their disin
e.ra .ior TO make a decision immedi
et-;y ard to have the Way and Near
onlnit.ee proceed tomorrow to con
sideratiou or tho administrative fea
tlrcs OF the bonus Bill. a coarse whicl
: moro OF less ;tien 1t this particula
iunctnro TO the situation forced upol
encp by tho Presidents move. poin
10 an attitude Of complete uncer
t,in.v. In other words. The two sub
committees are not ready and p.'obabi'
VIII not be ready for week or NOR
to choose thcir path.