Evening star., 1924-01-02
DRIVE FOR TAX CUT
GROWS INTENSE AS
CONGRESS GATHERS
Sessions to Be Resumed To-
morrow Under Enormous
Demand for Action.
RIFT AMONG DEMOCRATIC
LEADERS is APPARENT
Both Parties See Nation Testing
Worth on Action on Reduc-
tion Measure.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Congress reassembles tomorrow
after nearly two weeks of vacation.
but If the members used the time
to get in touch with their constitu-
ents 1t may be 'set down as one of
the most instructive periods in the
history Of the present session.
Little by little the true strength
of the movement for tax revision is
beginning to dawn on the legislators
The first impressions received when
Secretary MELONS tax program was
disclosed were an index that the sub
ject had at least attracted nation
wide attention. But Congress is more
or less accustomed to the first waves
of popular feeling on national topics.
The vital thing is that there should
be a sustained drive which keeps
growing instead of diminishing in in
tensity. Some members think the
greatest demonstration of how the
people feel on tax revision is yet to
come and that both houses will soon
discover that they are being tested
largely on that issue.
Democratic Ranks Split.
Perhaps the most interesting de-
velopment of the past ten days with
respect to the tax program has been
the division in the ranks of the dem
ocrats. There appears to be a tend
ency, not unusual with a minority,
to allow individual spokesmen to pre-
sent varying views of democratic
policy. When Finis ]. Garrett, the
recognized leader of the democrats
in the House. issued his first state
ment saying the democrats had long
been in favor of tax revision and
that two democratic Secretaries of
the Treasury, Messrs. Houston and
Glass. had recommended some of the
essential features of what is now
called the Mellon plan. 1t looked as
IL the democrats would not obstruct
the program. Now, however, Repre-
sentative Garner OF Texas, demo
cratic member of the ways and
tack on the administration bill on
the ground that Mr.. Melons scheme
favors the wealthy as against the
poor.
The record shows that what Messrs.
Glass and Houston were willing to do
with reference to reduction of sur
taxes was in conformity with the same
principle that Mr.. Mellon has applied,
but that republican Congress refused
to follow the suggestions of the demo-
cratic secretaries of the Treasury.
Mr.. Gamers opposition Is not con-
SfStent with Mr.. Garrett'S earlier state
ments. and the National Capital is be-
ginning to wonder whether the demo-
Gratis are going to have a case of df-
'vided counsels on the tax issue There
are some democrats who think 1t is
poor politics" to place the democratic
party in the position of using one pre-
text or another to obstruct the course
or the Mellon tax program. Naturally
there are going to be amendments, and
IL the republicans should decline to
give full consideration to changes sug-
gested by the democrats they will feel
the adverse effects of such action DO
litically.
The question of whether the amend
ments are constructive or destructire
will have to be decided by the people
themselves on the basis of comments
from both sides.
Tactics Followed Before.
leader of the minority, has been to
place his party in a favorable posi-
tion during the early stages of the
debate SO that when the opportune
moment arrived some credit would
accrue to the democrats for having
suggested worthwhile changes in the
bill. His tactics are not unlike those
pursued by the republicans when a
constructive measure like the federal
reserve act was before Congress. The
republicans did not openly oppose the
bill, though most of them voted
against it on the last roll call, but
a goodly number, among them Sem
ator Root and Senator Weeks of
Massachusetts,, made a sincere effort
to get into the bill certain amend
ments. and the consensus of opinion
afterward was that the measure was
strengthened by the changes.
The administration tax program is
rot an exact parallel, but 1t is the one
measure since the war on which pub
lie opinion seems to have centered,
and the chances Of earning political
disfavor by blocking 1t are almost
as great as the opportunities for
political credit in helping put a con-
structive tax program through Con-
gress Every day the momentum be-
hind the bill becomes greater-and
when Congress gets down to work
this week the tax program will oc-
cupy first place in the minds OF the
national legislators.
Copyright. 1924.)