The Washington times., 1924-01-07
HOT FIGHT
SURE ON
I HREE
PLANS
Democrats and Republican
Regulars Solid for Own
Scales Of Reduction.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES,
InternationaI News Service.

Is A d
The great tax fight Of 1924--the
Legislative battle of the century,
took the center of the Congressional
ring today for an indefinite run, with
the whole nation at the ringside and
financially interested in the outcome.
Henceforth the fighting win be
savage, continuous, and without
quarter between the Republican re-
ductfon program, as framed by Sec
rotary of the Treasury Mellon, and
the Democratic reduction plan, writ
ten by the Democratic leaders of the
House with the advice and consent
of Democratic leaders in the Senate.
A Third Plan Offered.
A third tax reduction PLAN
framed by Congressman Frear
(Rep9 Of Wisconsin and supported
ty the handful of militant IN
surgents in both Houses, was toss
ed into the arena today by its
author. 1t proposes far more
sweeping reductions than either
old party plan. BY common COR
sent, however, the main bout will
be confined to the principals.
Publication of the Democratic
plan. designed as substitute for
the Mellon plan, was the signal to-
day for combined Democratic
drive against the Administrator
proposal. and a vigorous attack on
what the Democrats described as
"a flood Of propaganda" in favor
Of the Mellon plan by the big
business interests" of the country
For weeks, the Democrats charged,
members of congress have been
receiving from fifty to sixty let
ters and kilograms daily urging en-
Rctment Of the Mellon bill, with
the wording and form so similar as
to convince them OF 'an organized
propaganda" emanating from "a
common source"
Democrats Shrewd.
The Democratic plan has been
shrewdly drawn-designed to appeal
particularly to the man whose in
come is less than $4,000 annually.
On incomes below this figure. the
Democrats make far Ereatet reduc.
tons than Mellon proposed. but on
incomes above the fifty-thoIsa
mark they increase Melons figures
slightly, although at the same time
making substantial reductions as
compared with the present law.
Fifty thousand dollars is the di
viding point between the Mallcn
and Democratic plans. That fnct
and the Democratic figure Of a per
cent maximum surtax, as conpared
with the present figure Of SO per
cent and the % per cent that
Mellon proposed, are the outstand-
ing differences between the rival
plans.
Solid On Program.
The Democrats are fairly solidly
united behind their program IN
both House and Senate. So are
the Republicans behind the Mellon
plan. There win be departures
here and there In both parties, baft
their numbers are so negligible On
to leave the balance OF power and
the whiphand where It has always
been 80 far in the turbulent sixty
eighth Congress--in the militant
little group OF progreaaiye-in-
surgents In both Houses who VIII
support the moro radical Frear
plan, introduced today.
The insurgents support OF the,
Frear plan, however, IL a 2orforn
support so far az it's possibility or
adoption is concerned. The insurs.
emit plan OF campaign is 70 battle
for their own program and then
throw their allimportant support
to whichever plan approaclaoN fhelv
SWA. A neW written. tAo' DwmbNs