Evening star., 1925-07-20
Senate World Court Proposal
Also Under Discussion
With Curtis.
PRESIDENT AND KANSAN
IN ACCORD ON REVISION
25 Per Cent Surtax and Inheri-
tance Levy Abolition Goals of
Republican Leaders.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.
STAFF Correspondent of The star.

SWAMPSCOTT, Mass, July 90
Pressing questions of the day, the i'm
minent coal strike, taxation revision,
action on the World Court proposal
by the Senate and a tentative legis-
lative program for the next Congress,
were taken under consideration today
by President Coolidge in conference
| with Senator Curtis Of Kansas, Re
publican leader of the Senate; other
party leaders and friends at White
Court.
II am confident that there will be
, no coal strike Senator Curtis said
after the conference. The admins
tration is doing everything possible to
avert such q calamity and l believe
that the efforts of the Government,
along with public opinion. will force
the miners and coal operators to an
agreement which will keep the mines
operating after September l."
Outlines Legislation.
Senator Curtis declined to indicate
in any specific way the legislative
program for the next Congress. He
said that he would consult his steer
ing committee before reaching any
conclusion as to the priority of legis-
lation. However, he said that the
legislative program was most ap-
parent. that it naturally would include
taxation revision, farm legislation If
it is thought necessary, action on the
World Court and ship subsidy in some
shape.
Senator Curtis is strong advocate
of reorganization of the executive de-
partments of the Federal Government.
He said today that he would use his
influence to get the reorganization
bill passed by the next Congress, be-
lieving II the departments of the
Government are reorganized prop
erly there will be a great saving in
money and greater efficiency in the
conduct of the Governments business.
Senator Curtis said that he intended
to press organization legislation
with all his power in order to save
money and effect the largest tax re-
ductfon possible.
Il think that reorganization which
would remove costly duplication in
Government departments, If brought
about, saving of perhaps, $3.50, ,000,-
600 might be made. This, with the
present surplus of about $3.50 O00, 900,
would permit of a tax reduction of
about $500. 1000 by the next Con-
gress. I still favor a reduction of
the surtaxes to rs per cent, and would
not oppose going further in this di-
rection II the revenues permit?"
Senator Curtis came here this
morning at the request of President
Coolidge and will remain a guest at
White Court for several days, or
until he and the President have gone
over thoroughly the situation and
mapped out program, although
rough, and reached a general agree
ment on the salient features of the
proposed new tax bill
Wants Surtax Slash.
Both President Coolidge and Senator
Curtis are in accord upon the PROPOSE
ton that taxes should be revised all
along the line, so that relief from
the tax burden shall come to the
small as well as the larger taxpayers
President Coolidge insists that the
normal taxes, now 2 per cent, shall
be reduced slightly, but his great con-
Germ is over a decrease ir\fhe sur
taxes. He has let 1t be known that
he believes that the present maximum
surtax of 40 per cent is driving money
out of industries and business enter
prises and placing 1t in tax-exempt Sc
curities. The result of this, accord
ing to his way of thinking, is that
prosperity is affected and that the
Government is not obtaining as much
were lower.
The general opinion among Republi-
can leaders is that the surtaxes can
be reduced to 25 per cent, although
they and President Coolidge will work
for reduction below that figure, IL
the SurpluseS in the Treasury Justify
such q reduction. 1t is not probable
that the next tax revision, to be un-
dertaken by the next Congress, will
i,,oI IY,6a o14 H..
heritance taxes, the highest of which
is 40 per cent.
Against Inheritance Tax.
The position of Mr. Coolidge upon
the Inheritance tax is that such a tax
should not be levied at all by the Fed
eral Government, but should be left to
the jurisdiction OF the several States
Now all but four States have an in
heritance tax, so that, with the Fed
eral tax a point of confscation of
wealth is reached in many cases.
President Coolidge wants the Fed
eral Government gradually to retire
from this field of taxation and hopes
that the States will relinquish their
taxes on income in return for the
abandonment by the Federal Govern
ment in due time of the inheritance
tax.
Ihe conference President Coolidge
is holding with Senator Curtis will
deal not only with taxation, but will
touch upon the situation among the
farmers of this country. The admin
istrauon desires to aid the agricul-
turists in any practical way, but Is
opposed to the provision of the Nc
Nary -Haugen bill which provides for
fixing prices of wheat and places the
Government in business.
The position of the administration
is that the farmers should diversity
their crops, improve their market
facilities and adopt more businesslike
methods of operation. The feeling
exists today that the Government will
not need to give any further aid to
the farmers other than the loan facil-
tiles provided by the War Finance
Corporation and the farm loan banks,
If the crop conditions turn out sue
cessfully, as it appears will be the
case, judging by the reports collect
ed by the Department of Agriculture
and submitted to the President since
coming to White Court.
President Coolidge is keeping in
close touch with developments in the
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