The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-23
Another Jolt Given Mel, lon Plan By Coalition
 In Lower House
REPUBLICANS TRY
 HARD TO SAVE TT
Corporation Returns To Federal Government To Be Available
 For Inspection By States
INHERITANCE TAX WILL
 BE FURTHER INCREASED
Sponsors For Majority Measure Declare Changes Will Harass,
 Not Relieve The People

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22-tBy the Associat ted Press. )-The House demo- cratic-republican insurgent coalition wedged another amendment into the revenue bill today. making tax returns subject 10 inspection by certain con gressional committees.
 This amendment and another adopt ed by one-vote margin, opening cor poration tax returns to inspection of state officials regardless of whether the state imposes an income tax, as the law now requires, developed the ma jor com troversial issues of the day.
 Both amendments drew fire from the republicans, Representative Mills, New York, charging that this piecemeal dee struction of the revenue bill is not only leading to complete distortion of the measure, but to destruction of the in. come tax law itself" He charged tho measure was heinz made an instrument of politics. adding that instead of bringing relief for the tax payers it is going to harass them"
 Says Majority of Tax Payers Benefited
 Representative Wingo, democrat. Arr kansas, in reply denied that amend. ments thus far adopted had done more than bring relief to a greater number of taxpayers and declared he would rather be charged with political mo- tives than personal interest in framing a revenue bill."
 The republican stand served to defeat an amendment offered by Representa- tive Moore, democrat, Virginia, which would have opened personal as we'll as corporation returns to state officers.
 It was lost. .122 to "A.
 H.~E.. T- m Wp
 Additional changes in the measure were tentatively agreed upon at meet ing of some members of both parties of the ways and means committee. These would increase the state or in- heritance tax and impose a gift tax. What rates will be proposed was not determined, although the schedule ad- vanced recently by Representative Ramseyer, republican, Iowa, to make the maximum rate on the estate tax 40 per cent, applying stos the amount gy which the estate of decedent ex, ceeds $10,O00,0O0 was favored by q number of those who conferred.
 Representative Longworth, the re. publican leader, who yesterday ad- vanced a new compromise on the ir,- come rate schedules, as a substitute for the democratic rates already voted into the bill, declared tonight he expected eight or nine of the seventeen republi- cans who supported the democratic plan to vote for the substitute if an oppor- tunity IS afforded when the bill is up for final vote. The republican com promise fixes the maximum surtax rate at STA per cent, instead of the A per cent now in the bill and decreases the normal rate on incomes below $4,O00 to ? per cent, the rate now in the bill, but would make it 6 per cent above that amount. It would al- low no increased exemptions.
 Democrats Oppose Compromise
 However, both Representative Gar ner of Texas, leader in the democratic tax fight and Representative Nelson of Wisconsin, republican insurgent spokesman, insist the compromise will not be adopted.
 Delay, encountered in debate on minor amendments, few of which were adopted, upset considerably plans of leaders for final vote by next Tuesday. An effort to reach the estate taxes late today was blocked when Representative Jones, democrat, Texas, made a point of no quorum after losing a vote on an amendment to limit to two, instead of four years, the period within which additional taxes may be assessed by the govern ment
 Estate taxes and probably the ex- else tax probably will be taken up to- morrow. Representative Frear has served notice also that he will propose tomorrow of the re-enactment of the excess profit tax.
 The amnedment reopening tax re- turns. provided they should be inspected by the House ways and means and Senate finance committee. It was adopted 15S to 100. The amendment, originally proposed by Representative Moore, democrat, Virginia, would hays made the returns available to all con- gressional committees. It was changed on motion of Representative Tilson, republican. Connecticut, by a vote of 146 to 139.
 Frear Amendment Rejected
 Previously the House rejected, 15S to 80 an amendment submitted by Rep resentative Frear to make the tax re- turns open to inspection by any one under the rules governing as to other
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