Evening star., 1923-12-04
APOLOGY rendered
FOR SLUR ON STAR
Regret Expressed for Un-
founded Statement Concern
ing Stars Acts and Motives.

November &c, the executive commit
tee OF the progressive organization of
the House of Representatives issued a
statement rcgardi''y the income tax re-
duction proposals of Secretary Mellon,
III the course of which. asserting that
Sncn reduction would effect a great
saving to Mr.. Mellon personally in the
leSSening of his own taxes, it was
stated that the taxes of the publishers
OF The Star ard the Washington Post
would likewise be reduced. This. it
was stated. might explain the eager
ness" with u'hich Mr.. Mellon and the
publishers OF The Star and the Post
We're Progressively supporting the Mel
Ion pan and deuunciation of those who
differ from him"
In it's issue of November 81 The
Star published this statement of the
executive committee. and in its issue
the day following 1t editorially de-
c'ared it TO be unfounded. 30 far as
The Star was concerned, both as to
the amount of income tax reduction
mad" possible to the publisher of The
Star in case the Mellon plan should
lie adopted, and as to the motive of
The Star in supporting the Mellon
plan of tax reduction. and also of
urnunciatory publications by The Star.
\ letter to the same effect was sent TO
Representative John NJ Nelson, chair
man of the executive committee of the
House progressive organization.
Incident Regarded Closed.
The following letter of retraction
and regret, which has been received
from Representative Nelson, closes
the incident. so far as The Star is
concerned:
Representative Nelson's Letter.
Replying to your recent letter of
protest against the publisher of The
Star being included with another
Washington newspaper and the Sec
rctary Of the Treasury as among
those. whose tax savings by the Mel
lon plan would be sufficient to mo-
tjvate them in supporting the plan, L
Ge"ire to advise you as follows:
During the press of progressive
conferences, incident to which the
statement was issued, information
reached the committee that Wash
iueton papers, including The Star.
had been printing articles abusing
the progressives, questioning their
sincerity and honesty.
Information was also conveyed to
rs that your income was such a $ to
PLACE you in the class of those who
would benefit greatly by the Mellon
tax plan.
Following receipt of your letter. we
made a check and take pleasure in
informing YOU that We have found
no statements of the nature referred
10 III Your paper AS to your 4Htoiile,
we readily accept your statement. and
on behalf of the executive committee
] wish to express to you our profound
regret that we enormously included
The Star and its publisher in the
statement. and | herewith tender you
the sincere apology of the executive
committee for the mistake.
We desire to do injustice to no man
or business. And 10 the end that the
error may be repaired we have trans
mitted a copy of this letter to the
press with request that il be given
the same or greater prominence than
J the original statement received.
Trusting this will set matters right
and assuring you we will genuinely
appreciate a continuance of the fair
treatment accorded the progreSsiveS
In the past by The Star. l am.
Very truly yours.
JOHN VI. NELSON.
Chairman Executive. Committee.