Evening star., 1923-12-12
CONSULT MELLON
ON TAX REVISION
Ways and Means Members
See Secretary Before
Starting Work.

"A preliminary conference today
with Secretary Mellon by the ranking
republicans of the House ways and
means committee marked the actual
beginning Of its work on tax revision
legislation.
Representative Green Of Iowa,
prospective chairman. and Repre-
sentatives Hawley of Oregon and
Treadway of Massachusetts, were
designated at conference of repub-
lican members OF the committee yes
terday to confer with the Secretary
on the tax reduction program out
lined by the Treasury and other fiscal
matters. .-.. ...-.
Mr.. Green announced that he ex-
pected to call the committee to-
gether Monday, and declared it would
proceed with the work of revision
as rapidly as. Is consistent with ac-
curacy and thorough consideration"
The committee, he said. always has
been In favor of tax reduction. -
VIII Hold Hearings.
After today's conference at the
Treasury, Mr.. Green said the ways
and means committee in its consider
alton of tax revision probably would
first take up administrative changes
in the present law worked out by the
tax revision board. Later he said pub
lie hearings would be held on the pro-
posed alteration of various tax sched-
ules.
While the committee is engaged in
this work ii was indicated that it un-
doubtedly would report to the House
the proposed constitutional amend
ment prohibiting further issuance of
tax exempt securities This proposal
received committee approval in the
last Congress and committee members
declared that no hearing or lengthy
discussion would be necessary for 1t
again to be reported.
Mr.. Green and his colleagues during
their conference with Mr.. Mellon sug-
gested that he make public sum-
mary of the tax-revision bill, drawn
up by the Treasury, with an eXplana-
tion particularly of administrative
changes recommended. Mr.. Mellon indi-
Gated he would issue an explanatory
statement within a few days.
Definite assurance that tax reduc-
ton legislation will be considered
promptly by the House ways and
means committee was given last night
by Representative Green of Iowa.
prospective chairman. after a con-
ference with republican members OF
the committee.
Mr. Green in a formal statement
said he expected to call the committee
together Monday to take up the draft
and thereafter proceed with the
Work OF revision as rapidly as is con-
sistent with accuracy and thorough
consideration"
1T is obvious" the statement con-
tinued, that 50 great Il task as is
now presented to the committee can
not be disposed of summarily but IL
should also be borne in mind that the
income taxes affected by the proposed
measure VIII not be payable until
1925.
Promises Early Action.
Some time necessarily will elapse
before the committee can even COM
plete an examination and considera-
ton of the administrative features
alone, and the whole bill must be re-
viewed with great care. but there will
be no unnecessary delay"
Declaring that the ways and means
committee always has been favorable
10 tax reduction. Mr.. Green asserted
that IL ought to be clear to every one
that taxation should not be continued
at rate that would enable the gov
ernment to pile up a large surplus
aDoYe necessary working balance
and the payments upon the debt
through the sinking fund"
The time also has arrived" he
said, when a complete revision of
our revenue laws should be made for
the purpose of their simplificatjon in
the interest of the taxpayer and the
pose of preventing evasions"
Reiterating that the committee "is
now, as before, ready tnd desfrous
of reducing taxes to the lowest point
CONSISTENT with proper government
expenditures, and will undertake its
work with this object in view" Mr..
Green said that the '"ordinary and
usual methods with a Treasury bill
in the committee is to take up the
bill item by item and make n new
draft which. If approved by the whole
committee. is then introduced by the
chairman"
.'I assume" added Mr.. Green. "that
this procedure will be followed in the
consideration of the proposed bill"
G. o.. II. Members Meet.
Republican members of the com
mittee, meeting for the first time yes
terday, discussed in a general way it's
program for the session There was
no definite expression of opinion. IL
was said as to the merits of Mr.. Mel
Ions tax reduction suggestions. nor
was there discussion of the SOL
diers' bonus bill. Mr.. Green and Rep
resentatives Hawley of Oregon and
Treadway of Massachusetts,, ranking
republicans on the committee. were
designated to confer today with MIR.
Mellon on fiscal matters as a pre-
liminary to next weeks committee
sessions.
Members Of the committee said they
expect that once hearings get under
way Secretary Mellon will appear in
person, as he has done frequently in
the past, to explain his tax proposals
and to submit argument in their sup
port. Other Treasury experts also will
be heard.
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