Evening star., 1926-01-29
PASSAGE CERTAIN.
Vote Available for ClOture If 1t Is
Necessary.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The drive by the insurgent group
led by Senator Norris of Nebraska, 10
DELAY a vote on the tax bill beyond
March 10 will not succeed. sentiment
in the Senate is Overwhelmingly IN
favor of early action; in fact, if cloture
has to be imposed there will he Two
thirds vote available to do so.
The insurgent Republicans do not
command the power in this session
which they have in the past because
the Democratic party Is as eager Tor
tax revision as are the lsepubllcanS.
Throughout the South and Democratic
Strongholds elsewhere the pressure
from business men as well as lnulNld-
uaI taxpayers to have some action
taken III time 10 pay the March ID
instaIlment is 50 intense that no politi-
cal or party resistance appears likely
More Time Sought.
The Democrats. of course. will offer
amendments and so will the insur-
gent Republicans, but these can be
quickly disposed of by ma aiority
vote. On final passage. il would APP
pear probable even ut this date that
the revenue measure may pass by
rs many as - votes to Il. The threat
from the Norris group. however. may
not be intended as means of defeat
ing the bill or even delaying its pas
sage so much as il may Ee drive
TO get the administration leaders to
give more time for The consideration
of amendments. Tin mood If the
administration ca.i"rs i'aS heen one
of rushing the measure through. The
opposition always wants more time.
Senator Smoot is WilIin" TO have the
bill thoroughly debated and fully con
sidered. but he doesn want dilatory
tactics introduced. BY holding night
sessions a few times he can soon de-
termine whether there is any serious
effort to delay the bill OF merely TO
amend it.
There is always a good deal of poll
tics in tax bill especially as between
conservatives and radicals. The latter
find much ammunition in the desire of
the conservatives to reduce taxes for
the benefit of persons of wealth. The
late Senator La Toilette always used
to introduce Il substitute tax bill or a
a substitute tariff bill embodying his
ideas and insisted on discussing it.
Those speeches formed the base of his
whole campaign on many an occasion
The congressional elections are only a
few months away. The radicals would
like to make their record so they can
go before the country, especially in
rural communities. and attempt to
the larger business interests of the
country in their tax plan.
Democrats Seek Cuts.
The Democrats. in a sense, are do
ing the same thing. Many of the
amendments offered would not only
reduce the taxes for big business but
would go much further in respect to
small incomes. The administration is
on the defensive because it has the
responsibility of decision. The Demo-
Gratis say the taxes can be reduced by
as much as 100000 900, but they do
not have the burden of making the
Government revenues meet expenses
when that sum is taken out of re-
ceipts. So the Democrats argue the
deeper cuts can be made and the Re
publicans simply answer that they
cannot be.
It's all so complicated and so diff
cult to determine in advance of re-
reipts just how much they will
amount to that one argument is as
good as another from an abstract
viewpoint. The Democrats might not
ne offering the same cuts We're they
IN power, while the Republicans, as a
minority party. might be taking the
very position the Democrats are as
suming.