The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-01-17
CAUCUS Votes
TAX over BONUS
House Ways and Fleans Commit
tee Is Instructed to Report
Revenue Measure by Feb. II.
SOLDIER BLOC IS BEATEN
Vote Indicates Coolidge Veto Can Be
ustainsd-Attempt Will Be Made
to Bring Veterans Gratuity on
Floor by Change in Rules.

Washington.-Rep ublican members
of the House, in conference ordered
the Ways and Means Committee to
report out for consideration the Mel
Ion tax reduction bill not later than
February II.
Consideration OF the soldier bonus
bill was ordered deferred until after
the committee shall have disposed Of
the Mellon tax-reduction legislation.
The bonus bill will be taken up by
the Ways and Means Committee
while the tax legislation is under con-
sideration in the House. AS extended
hearings are not expected and virtual
ly the same bill as that which was
passed and vetoed in the last Con-
gress will be acted upon by the COM
mittee, the bonus bill should be ready
for the House Immediately upon con-
clusion of the tax measure.
The conference, however, refused
by a vote OF 100 to sc to require
the Ways and Means Committee to
favorably report the bonus by Feb
ruary 25. The motion was made by
Representative Hamilton Fish, Jr., Of
New York.
Representative Fish made a second
ineffective effort to put the confer
ence on record to the effect that "a
reasonable tax reduction bill and an
adjusted compensation bill should be
adopted at this session of Congress"
Two important steps were taken
by the House Ways and Means Com
mittee in pressing forward its con
sideration of the Mellon ta1-reduc-
tioH program. They are:
The joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution to end
the issuance of tax-exempt securities
by Federal, State or municipal gov
ernments was ordered favorably re-
ported by a vote of 16 to 5.
The section of the Mellon Tax bill
creating an independent board of tax
appeals was approved by unanimous
action and without any effort to
amend it.
Chairman Green ;lso announced
that the provisions of the income tax
part of the Mellon measure dealing
with payment, assessment and col
lection OF income taxes and with
penalties for violations of the provi-
sions of the tax law had been com
pletely rewritten and clarified.
The committee, the chairman said,
thus is pretty nearly through with the
administrative features of the bill, al
though he and some other members
have reserved the right to 60 back
and offer special amendments to some
OF the sections. He expects all these
proposals to lie considered and the
administrative part Of the legislation
completed by Saturday night.
1t is provided that the General
Board of Tax appeals shall be divided
into sections Of not Tess than three,
and sit i'll various parts of the coun-
try in adjudication OF dispute between
taxpayers and the Government. Any
decision If a division would be final
after thirty days, unless, in the mean
time, a review by the whole board
were ordered by the chairman.
The provisions of the administra
tive sections have been further
changed in the interest of taxpayer
in the following respects:
The interest which is to be collect
ed by the Government upon additional
assessment Of income taxes is re-
duced from 6 per cent to 5.
The penalty for negligence or for
intentional disregard Of authorized
rules and regulations has been
changed from a per cent penalty
plus interest at the rate of l per cent
to per cent penalty.
Administration leaders won great
er victory then they had anticipated.
Although the conference was called
at the behest OF the bonus raiders,
Representative Longworth, confident
of his ground, Immediately took the
initiative.