Evening star., 1923-12-20
Wrangle in Committee Over
Procedure Features Last
Pre-HoIiday Session.
BlANT0N INSISTS BILL
GO TO WAYS AND MEANS
onderhill Amendment Imposing
Personal Property Tax Precipi-
tates Warm Debate.

Inc two-cent gasoline tax bin.
commonly known as the auto recf-
procity bill. has gone over until the
next meeting of the House District
committee. on January 4, without
maj action in committee
rms decision was reached todsv
after a two-hour discussion princi-
pally as to what parliamentary pro-
cedure would make 1t possible for
members of the committee to recon
slider their vote on the paragraph
of the bill amended SO as to imposa
a personal property tax on automo-
bile owners as well az the gasoline
tax
Representative Kent of Pennsylva-
MIA made it plain that, in his opinio.
II action was taken today, with Rep
resentaive Underhill and his folloI
ing insisting upon vote Oh the bil.
as amended, the measure would re
killed.
Blanton Raises Objection.
Representative Blanton of Texas.
acting as leader of the minority, an
nounced that if the gasoline tax bill
comes UP in the House for conSdera-
ton. he will defeat it on a point OF
sisted that this is undoubtedly a tax
measure, revenue measure, and that
it has no place in the District com
mittee but belongs in tine jurisdic-
tion of the ways and means COM
mittee.
Several speakers during the meet
ing protested that with the personal
property tax imposed by the Under
hill amendment the bill as il now
stands means legislation in the in
terest of Maryland and imposing an
additional tax burden on automobile
owners in the District for raising
revenue which is not needed.
When the meeting opened an appeal
from the decision of the chairman was
pending. Chairman Reed had sustained
a point of order by Representative Blan-
ton that the committee could not return
| TO the paragraph which had been
amended on motion of Representative
Cnderhill imposing the personal prop
erty tax. Representatives Reed, Blan-
ton and Jost of Missouri, quoted from
the rules of the House TO sustain ;hc
decision of the chairman. RepreseEts-
tie Zihlman of Maryland ;ei the dis
cussion TO show that the point Of order
settled amicably by Representative hei-
Ter OF Minnesota withdrawing his ;.D
peal
Chairman Reed then suggested as
way in which a majority OF the cGm-
mittee could get action on the personal
property tax provision that suhsti-
tute, which in reality might be the
original bill. could be offered when the
final vote was taken in committee.
Representative Underhill argued
hn
amended. and suggested that the re-
port might carry a recommendation
that an amendment restoring the
original language was favored by
majority of the committee. Repre-
sentative Kent of Pennsylvania said
tee to adjust such matters in the
committee and bring in the clear re
port. Representative Underhill said
that he had talked with a number of
automobile owners in the District
who are willing to pay the personal
property tax and the gasoline tax II
they can only get rid of the nuisance
of going after Maryland tags.
Representative Blanton said: This
is undoubtedly a tax measure, reve-
nue. measure, and so can be consid-
cred only by the ways and means
committee.
Representative Underhill said he is
in sympathy with the bill and in sym
pathy with the people of the District
but cannot see justice of relieving
those from the personal property tax
who are best able to pay il. You
cannot get this desirable legislation
through" he said, unless you elm
mate this piece of favoritfsm."
Calls 1t Burdensome.
Representative Zihlman told the
committee that if the bill was passed
as amended you are putting an add
tional tax burden on the people cf the
District of $625,000 at time when
people everywhere are demanding
reduction in taxes" He emphasized
that this is community of a So
600 900 surplus in the Treasury and
able to raise more than its so per
cent share of any appropriations that
Congress makes for the District. The
revenue which would be derived is
unneeded." he said.
REPRESENTATIVE Zihlman also point
ed out that this bill would raise four
times the amount appropriated in re-
cent years for street repairs and i'm
proyements. 1T is not an effort" he
said, Ito evade any tax, but to shift
the tax so as to avoid friction and
the nuisance of having to get two
tags" In pointing out that the bill
was not drawn in the interests of
Maryland, he said that it would take
a half million dollars out of the
Maryland treasury and put it in the
District treasury, but that the bill as
amended would rob the people OF any
benefits intended for them.
Representative Gilbert, democrat.
of Kentucky argued regarding the
question of taxation and the pro-
posed change in the method of taxa
ton to suit the people of Maryland.
He said he could not see why an au-
tomobile should be distinguished
from a house for purposes of. taxa
ton, and that a man who had $4,000
invested in an automobile should be
taxed just as much as neighbor who
had $4,000 invested in his home.
Would End Nuisance.
I'VE are making this tax excessive"
he said, ito meet the demands of
Maryland in an effort to evade
nuisance.
Representative Roy G. Fitzgerald of
Ohio suggested that as some states
allow an exemption on personal prop
erty up to a certain figure 1t might
be well to incorporate in this meas
ure an exemption on automobiles up
to "a certain amount, in order not to
impose hardship and additional tax
burden on the poor people who own
cheap cars.
Representative Gilbert said he be-
lieved this is splendid idea and
might aid in getting the measure
passed.
Representative Oscar Keller of Min
kContinued on Page IL. Column,1.l !,