Evening star., 1923-11-16
POLITICAL TREND
FOR TAX REVISION
Change Declared Assured, as
Parties Are Sparring
for Platform.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Tax revision by the coming Con-
gress has become-virtually a GER
tainty overnight.
Senator Hiram Johnson for the re-
publican presidential nomination.
while emphasizing for the moment
foreign issues, is to be followed by a
demand for a reduction in the tax
burdens of the American people.
William G.. McAdoo's informal ap-
proyal of a statement by his pre-
convention manager that he would be
a candidate for the democratic presi-
Dental nomination and the assertion
of Mr.. McAdoo himself that not only
bonus paid, too, has made it certain
that the primary issue Of the imme-
diate future will be taxation.
Eyed by Democrats.
Talking with another prominent
democrat whose name is being men,
toned as a possible compromise, this
correspondent asked what would be
the issue of the next campaign. He
answered.:
IF the republicans do not revise the
taxes, we will make Secretary Mel
Ions figures and statements the basis
of the democratic national platform .
The significance of this statement
cannot be overestimated. 1t means
that the democrats in the United
States Senate will line up for tax
revision, and that a coalition of con-
servative democrats and republicans
is more than enough to obtain the
necessary majority as against the
radicals of both parties.
1t would not be surprising if a nom
partisan bloc of the conservatives
was finally organized to prevent the
whole tax program from being
wrecked by amendments of the radi-
Gals that would ordinarily force a
presidential veto.
course, not to contribute to republi-
can prestige by helping them hurdle
the barriers of radicalism in their
own ranks, but the pressure from all
parts of the country is much more
likely to supersede partisan desire.
The dispatches about the candi-
dacies of Hiram Johnson and William
G. McAdoo wasn't really news at all
to the National Capital. for both men
have been aware of the efforts of
their friends and organizers ever
since the last campaign of 1920.
What is significant is that both Mr..
McAdoo and Mr.. Johnson should Sc
lect this week as the opportune mo-
ment for throwing their hats in the
ring.
Laslrr Strong Support.
Hiram Johnson has been intending
to fight for the presidential nomina-
tion for some time. When he made
his trip to Europe last summer the
late President Harding was much
concerned about what Mr.. Johnson
would say on his return. The mass
meeting arranged for Mr.. Johnson's
return was part of the campaign
which was to lead up to the form al
announcement. Albert D. Lasker,
former chairman of the United States
Shipping Board under Mr.. Harding.
probably Is the most influential figure
in the Johnson camp. He helped to
finance the Johnson movement in 1920
because he believed Mr.. Johnson was
the best exponent of policy of non
ENHANCEMENT in European affairs.
Mr.. Lasker when in Washington
recently let members of the Coolidge
administration know that he was
committed to the support Of Senator
Johnson if the latter became a can
didate. Yesterdays announcement
definitely aligns Mr.. Lasker with
Senator Johnson against President
Coolidge.
The johnson candidacy can hardly
be appraised now at its full value,
for he has a way of campaigning in
0Confinued on PAGE q ColunoD