The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-02-28
PUBLICITY ON i
ALL TAX RETURNS
Congress Committees and States
Would Have Right to Inspect
Any Income Data.
GENERAL PUBLICITY BARRED
Attempt by Frear 70 Make Corpora
tions and Individual Returns open
70 All Is BeatcH-Torce Adoption
of Amendment.

Washington.-Th House Of Repre-
sentatives voted by 15S to 100 to al
low the inspection OF income tax Ie-
turns Of individuals and corporations
by the House Ways and Means Com
mittee, the Senate Finance Commit
tee, as well as by any special commit
tee Of either body; also to let any
State call upon the Federal Govern
ment for the income data OF any cor
porati0n, regardless Of whether the
State had an income tax law Of its
own.
Representative Frear Of Wisconsin,
Republican insurgent, offered an
amendment which would make all tax
returns open to the unlimited inspec-
ton OF the public This was defeated.
Even Mr.. Garner declined to support
this move.
This action for publicity on income
tax data was the principal event of
today's debate. Second in Importance
was the announcement by Representa-
tive Longworth, floor leader of the
regular Republicans, that eight or nine
insurgent Republicans were now plan
ming to rejoin the party ranks.
When during the debate Represent,
ative Tilson proposed an amendment,
as previously offered by Representa-
tive Boyce, Democrat, of Delaware
allowing the income tax details only
to the House Ways and Means Com
mittee, Senate Finance Committee, or
a special committee, and it won by the
narrow vote of II to IS, the Demo
Gratis Immediately demanded tellers.
This move sent the Republicans sour
rying to get in all the members pos
sible. Even Speaker Gillett was sum-
moned. On the teller vote the Tilson
amendment carried by a vote OF 1873
to 1879. Then the Moore amendment,
as amended by Mr.. TilsOn was passed
by divisional V, tie Of 1853 to 100.
Between the various votes the de-
bate was intense at times.
Representative Murphy, Republican,
of Ohio, pleaded with the House net
to scourge successful business men
with such a proposal, a sentiment in
which other Republicans, including
Representative Mills of New York,
Joined vigorously.
In the last week" cried Represent
ative Mills, this bill has become
merely a political vehicle"
"You are not only destroying the
bill, but you are destroying the income
tax law which your party as well as
mine has built up in the last six years
The bill was designed to relieve the
taxpayer, but you are making it so the
bill will harass him. You are making
it an object of the taxpayers hatred
and derision."
Mr.. Mills read a letter written in
1918 by Cordell Hull, of Tennessee, in
which the present chairman of the
Democratic National Committee OBJ
jected to the publicity of the returns.
The Mills statement brought a caus-
tic reply from Representative Wingo,
of Arkansas, Democrat, who said:
"Browbeating won't get you any
where. | would rather be charged
with political motives than with per-
Sonal interest in framing this bill"
Roars of laughter broke from the
floor when Representative Edmonds,
of Pennsylvania, Republican, offered
an amendment that would allow any
three neighbors Of a taxpayer, when
they thought he did not pay enough
taxes" to examine his tax returns and
comment upon them to the collector
and the neighborhood."
This amendment proposes that in
order to secure the punishment of 100
or 500 crooks making dishonest tax re-
turns, the private affairs of 100000
people shall be published to the
world" said Representative Halves, a
Missouri Democrat.
at violates every angle of Anglo
Saxon fair play. 1t destroys the old
theory of the right of castle"
In a defiant speech Representative
Frear defended his amendment, stat
ing that tax records had been availa-
BILE at all times.
cox AGAIN ENTEpc pAHE