The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-14
DEMOCRATS ARE AGAIN OPTIMISTIC
Success In Finding Vulnerable Point In Mellon Bill Causes
 Encouragement
By RAYMOND CHAPTER (Lensed Wire to The Age-Herald)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Demo- cratic leaders assembling here for the meeting of the democratic ma tional committee are considerably more optimistic over the political outlook than they were one month ago.
 One reason is that the vulnerable spot in the Mellon tax plan has been located and pierced. The administra- tion effort to cut the 50 per cent sur tax maximum down to 25 per cent IS dying in it's last gasps. due to the boldness of a few democratic con- gressmen in forcing the issue in face of a torrent of denunciation.
 The demand of this handful of democrats for A per cent maximum gave courage to many republicans and the opposition to the Mellon fig ure of 25 per cent is now so strong that Majority Leader Longworth has publicly stated that a compromise Is Inevitable. This statement was made after q canvass revealed that 70 re- pubiicans or more are prepared to vote against the administration sur tax schedule. This with the demo- cratic strength, is sufficient to carry the House.
 Republicans RecOnciled.
 Administration leaders are recon ciled to the situation and are now trying to fix the compromise figure as low as possible. Thirty-five per cent is the figura most often men tioned.
 President Coolidge has been ad- vised of.this situation and although he recently made it known he op- posed any tamepring with the es- sential principles of the Mellon bill. Longsworth says he is certain that Coolidge would not veto a tax bill with higher surtaXes.
 Fitting this situation into I;s po- litical setting. the democrats are seen to be in much stronger posi- ton than they were a month ago. They have presented q bill which Is easier on the small salaried man and harder on the rich man than the Mellon plan. No matter how. the Mel lon plan Is modified. the democrats will go to the country in the com- having blocked an attempt by the re- publican administration 10 let off the rich too lightly.
 Propaganda Fruitless.
 It Is fact now admitted by the friends of the Mellon plan that the propaganda drive behind this meas ure has overreached itself and of tended Congress. Even Longworth himself has revealed a degree of resentment at the eitort of President Coolidge and Secretary Mellon to force Congress to sign on the dotted line. Chairman Green of the ways and means committee has shown sim liar feeling.
 Senator Fess of Ohio. a friend of the Mellon plan. has warned that 1t is a fatal blundcr to try to drive Congress precipitatciy into cnacting the bill
 Unless the present Food of pro- paganda in favor of the Mellon bill subsidies. there is danger that the merits of this measure will be en- trely obscured in the heat of fn- dignation over what congressman re- gard as an attempt to coerce them.
 All of which e:ves great cncour- aeement to the democratic party leaders who arc watching the fray from the ringsidc.
 A month ago they feared ;he ad- ministration had created a corner on tax reduction, as. q campaign asset. Now they believe that the adminis- tration is about to be placed on the defensive over the sCrtaN proposals. By dint of persistent hammering, the democrats hope, before the fall elec tion comes around. to convince the voters that they frustrated d glgan- tic plan to throw a plum to big business under cover of general tax reduction bill.