Evening star., 1925-08-02
ASKS BUDGET HEAD
TO AID IN TAX CUTS
New Organization Is Espec-
tally Interested in State
and Local LeVies.
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Special Dispatch to The Star
AKRON, Ohio, August IAN effort
to induce Gen. H. NJ. Lord. director
OF the Federal Bureau of the Budget
at Washington, to devote his energies
to the relief of taxpayers at present
staggering under the burden of State
ana local taxation has been launched
mere by committee composed Of
representatives of every bank in the
city and headed by Jacob Pfeifrer,
president Of the Miller Rubber Co.
With two Federal tax cuts to his
credit-counting the one in prospect
at the next session of Congress-Gen.
Lord, the committee feels, is abund-
antly qualified to devise methods of
tightening the load of State and local
taxes, which now, according to the
generals own estimate, constitutes
about two-thirds of the total tax bur
den imposed throughout the country.
With this object in view, Mr.. Pfeif-
fer and his associates have organized
campaign committee for the pro-
Jected organization, which has been
tentatively named the Taxpayers
Union.
Million Members Sought.
More than 10000 invitations to join
the proposed organization have
already been placed in the mails and
many other thousands, Mr.. Pfeiffer
states, are in preparation. A mem
bership OF 100000 persons and firms
throughout the Nation is the goal
which Mr.. Pfeiffer and his associates
are driving at. Thus far invitations
have been mailed only to business
projected membership includes all
classes OF individuals.
THE aims of the proposed Taxpay-
ers Union Mr.. Pfeiffer said today,
may be summed up in a few words
to reduce and eliminate unnecessary
taxation. The work contemplated is
mainly educational. We propose TO
inform the public how taxes affect the
daily life of all citizens, how unneces-
sary and impractical tax laws tend to
destroy liberty, and how they eat into
wages and salaries, directly and indi-
rectly.
Will Study Expenditures.
I'VE expect to make a study of the
manner in which public money Is
spent by all divisions of the Govern,
ment-Federal, state, city and so on
and to keep the public informed as -tc
useless ways of spending such funds
as we'll as to turn the light on all
legislative proposals to create unne-
cessary or eXtravagant public jobs.
We also propose to inform the public
as to the attitude of all candidates for
public office on the question of econ.
omy in Government.
II have been working on the idea
for the better part of two years and
have conferred with scores of well
known business men and public Off
cials. among them being Vice Presi
dent Dawes, Secretary Mellon and
Gen. Lord. The opinion seems TO be
almost unanimous among them that
the time has come when a stop mus,
be put to extravaganza in the admin
istration of State and local govern
ments. Taxation is approaching the
dimensions of confiscation and cannot
continue to rise during the next few
years as il has in the past without
bringing disaster to the prosperity OF
the country.
Experts Aid Desired.
II have no assurance from Gen
Lord that he will accept the post we
intend to offer him, but am hopeful
that he Will undertake the work as q
public and patriotic service"
Gen. Lord is quoted by Mr.. Pfeiffel
as saying that he could conceive Of
no work today more essential thar
that directed to tightening State and
local taxes" Secretary Mellen is re
ferred to by Mr.. Pfeiffer as follows
Mr., Melons first remark after
the proposed Taxpayers Union wa.
explained to him was, L wonder why
this has not been done before"
Copyright. 1920