The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-13
TO LIMIT DEBATE
 ON TAX BILL
Leaders Think Measure Will Be Disposed Of In Two
 Weeks

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12-(By As sociated Press. )-Informal agreements, made today by House leaders, designed to confine general debate on the tax reduction bill to three or four days, when it is taken up on the floor Thurs day is believed to assure disposition of the measure in the House within three weeks at the most and possibly in two.
 Chairman Green of the House ways and means committee and Representa- tive Garner of Texas, ranking democrat, expressed the hope that general debate on the bill could be concluded on Mon- day and the income rates, the center of difference on the measure, taken up Tuesday and disposed of within two days.
 Discussions on the bonus bill today developed the opinion in the committee that it could not be given consideration before the tax bill is disposed of. Chair man Green said, however, the bonus measure would be first on the program of the committee after the floor contest on the revenue bill is finished.
 Revenue Bill Gets Right Of Way
 The revenue measure was given a clear track in the House by decision of the republican steering committee today to withhold all other legislation from the calendar during it's considera- tion, with the possible exception of ap- propriation bills. if delay is encountered in it's disposition.
 Both Chairman Green and Mir. Gar ncr expressed the opinion that with the income rates contest disposed of, con- sideration of the remainder of the bill could be completed within 10 days.
 In lI. tn lnr,d nnt rxrI,I Ifh will be offered by the democrats, how ever, to the estate tax rates, coupled with an amendment to impose a gift tax, some skirmishes are expected on revision of the excise and nuisance taxes, many of which the committee re- pealed. Representative Clancy, dem ocrat, Michigan. has said he would seek reductions on the takes on automobile accessories and spare parts and, per haps. on automobile trucks, all of which the committee refused to allow. Considerable support is expected for the gift tax. The report on the revenue bill, submitted by the democratic members of the committee, announced they would seek the amendment. Representative Frear of Wisconsin, republican insur- gent member of the committee, also favored such tax ill his report, while Chairman Green is expected ot support it on the floor.
 Republican leaders failed to develop an agreement on surtax rates, on which >a pronounced difference have developed in their ranks. Representative Long worth, republican, floor leader, in ex- pressing the belief that it would not be possible for the republicans to put through the Mellon surtax rate of 9 per cent maximum, has said they should be able to agree on a maximum rate lower than the H per cent. Dem ocratic members will hold a caucus to- morrow night at which an attempt will be made to bind the party as unit to support the income rates proposed by Representative Garner, author of the democratic tax plan.
 In their proposal to reduce the pres ent maximum surtax rate of 90 per cent to II per cent the democrats recommended 90 per cent cut in the normal rates instead of the 20 per cent reduction proposed by Secretary Mellon and carried in the bill. It is expected the normal and surtax rates will be considered on the floor as a unit and that if the democratic surtaxes are adopted their normal rates also will be approved, whereas if the surtax limit is set below 40 per cent the normal rates as carried in the bill will be kept.