Evening star., 1924-03-11
PRESIDENT URGES
CONGRESS TO CUT
TAX IMMEDIATELY
Asks Laying Aside of Other
Issues to Take Up 1923
i Reductions.
ACTION BY MARCH is
Is DECLARED "VlTAL"
Republican Leaders Hold Out
Small Hope of Action Despite
Coolidge Request.

Considering the proposed 20 per cent
reduction in income taxes to be paid
for the current year as being a mat
ter of much Importance, Presi-
dent Coolidge today sent a special
message to Congress urging the
adoption as quickly as possible of a
resolution that would bring about
this reduction before March Is, the
last date for the payment Of the first
installment Of the current taxes.
A spokesman for the President in
explanation of his message ,said to-
day that tho President appreciates
the fact that the resolution will re-
quire the unanimous consent of Con-
gress, but this should be possible, be-
cause of the great Importance of the
measure to Congress.
The President was represented as
having been given no definite indica-
tions rega riding the possibility of the
passage OF this resolution, but he is
understood to have expressed himself
as being very hopeful.
Text of Me4nAxe.
The Presidents message, in full,
follows:
ITO the Congress of the United
States:
1t has been my earnest hope that
a 20. percentum reduction in taxes
70 be paid for the current year
might be provided by law pefore
the 18th of March current. Many
people have been expecting that
such would be the case and defer
RED their tax returns accordingly.
1t is matter of such eminent inn
portance that have no hesitation
In recommending that the public
welfare would be much advanced
by temporarily laying aside all
other legislation and enacting a
ought to be by unanimous con-
sent.
The taxpayers. the business in
aerests agriculture, industry,
that go to make Up the economic
welfare Of the people Of America-
would be greatly benefited by such
acuon. 1t would remove an ele-
nent OF uncertainty from the cur
n,d rent dnnaacial year at once; which
business with its resultant bene-
fits to the wage Garner and the
agriculture OF our country.
TT is impossible to see that any
action. and there is every prospect
OF resulting benefits which would
be very great. 1t would be a posi-
tive step in the right direction
which is much needed at this time
TO justify the confidence Of the
people that the government is IN
. tent solely on the promotion of the
public welfare without regard to
any collateral objects.
CALVIN COOLIDGE"
Leaders See No Hopes.
Republican leaders in the House
have already decided that the pro-
posed 25 per cent reduction in income
taxes payable this year could not be
rushed through in time, as the first
installments are due on Saturday.
Republican members of the ways
apd means committee, meeting with
Representative Longworth party
leader, agreed, however, that If the
revenue bill, already passed by the
meets with any delay in enactment a
separate resolution to make the cut
effective before June Is would be
pressed.
hands of the Senate the problem Of
tax reduction, and the Senate finance
committee in it's consideration of the
revenue bill today will take up the
section which provides for the cut in
1923 income taxes. .
Most of the administration sections
of the bill were gone over yesterday
without change by the committee.
Upon winding up these details of the
measure, the various tax schedules
will be taken up. Secretary Mellon
viii be asked tomorrow to present
estimates on the amount of revenue
necessary 10 be raised, and his
opinion on the rates required to OBJ
tain such revenue. Chairman Smoot
has expressed the opinion that the
bill as passed by the House fails
by 800. 100000 Of raising sufficient
revenue and he has declared many Of
the tax rates will have to be raised.
Representative Chindblom of I'LL
nois, a republican member of the
ways and means committee, intro
duced resolution yesterday to make
the rs per cent reduction on 1898
taxes effective Immediately. Repre-
sentatives Mills of New York and
Tilson of Connecticut, republicans on
the committee, again urged action on
the proposal, but the meeting of the
majority members Of the committee
decided the legislative jam In the
House would not permit action in
time to allow taxpayers to make the
cuts in the first installments. If the
provision is finally agreed to as car
ried in the revenue bill. deductions
in taxes due in the other three in
Stallments will be allow ed to make up
for the full payments made at this
time. a