Evening star., 1924-03-11
TAX CUT DELAY
ROUSI|NG PUBLIC
Flood OF Letters Pours in on
White House Complaining
of Congress Inaction.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The administration is face to face
with critical situation in Congress
The principal recomrne endations made
by President Coolidge in his Deceu1-
ber address have not been acted upon.
Even the intimation conveyed by the
White House last week that the
President would like to see Congress
pass a joint resolution making i'm
mediately effective the 25 per cen,
reduction on 1928 incomes has TINS
far failed TO produce action.
The utter ineffectiveness of. the leg
islative branch of the government at
this time is the subject of widespread
complaint, judging by the letters
pouring in here from different parts,
OF the country. The administration is
inclined TO blame the congressional
tendency to investigate instead of
legislate.
Mr.. Coolidge made a pointed speech
on that phase OF congressional duty
last Saturday night, and IL means the
administration has begun to realize
the necessity of driving Congress
somewhat or at least placing the re
sponsibility for inaction on the two
houses.
Could Act Quickly.
Perhaps the most fragrant cage d.
congressional iassItude is the record
OF both the democrats and the reDub-
lfcars on the proposal to give the
taxpayers of America the benefit or
March Is of this year OF a reduction
on tho 1923 income taxes. Through
out the United States citizens have
been making out their returns in the.
nope that before Saturday of this
week, when the first income tax pay
ments are due. Congress might get
INTO action and pass the necessary
III Congress wanted TO make the re-
ductlon Immediately effective it could
De done. Joint resolutions have been
hnown to pass without even the for
nnaiIty OF a roll call, and in yar-tir1es
Congress frequently broke its own rec
oros IN passing needed legislation
me responsibility for the delay in
making the 1928 income tax reductions
enective at once is not upon the White
Rouse or the Treasury Department, for
both have urged action of some kind AZ
once. SO that uncertainty would be re-
moved The proposal originated with
Chairman Green of the House ways and
means committee, who made il part O.
the general revenue bill.
President May Act.
The democrats promptly suggested
separate legislation by means of
joint resolution so that the latter.
might go through without waiting
for the inevitable debate on the main
revenue law affecting 1924 incomes.
The democrats also proposed that the
Garner rates apply to 1898. The ways
and means committee had the power
TO report out to the House a sepa-
rate resolution affecting 1928 incomes.
gossip as TO whether some admins
tration leaders used their influence
TO keep the measure in the commit
tee or TO force the proposal out.
There have been some. for instance.
who thought the provision affecting
1928 incomes might be used as lever
age TO force quick action on the main
revenue bill and thSA the taxpayers
could not be injured by the delay be
cause a rebate could always be given
or else the taxpayer permitted 10
ments on the fifteenth of June, Sep
tember or December.
+ Only few days remain before the
first payments are due. II the House
wished it could report and vote on q
measure in twenty-four hours and
the resolution sent to the Senate.
where il is doubtful If any democrat
or republican would care to take the
responsibility of blocking an in1me-
unaware evidently OF the pressure OF
public opinion. something about
which, however, President Coolidge
may find it desirable in the next
tweuty-four hours to remind Con
EreSS.