Evening star., 1929-12-10
Tax Reduction Delay.

Tax reduction, warranted by surpluses
developing in the Treasury and recon-
mended by the administration, SEEM
ingly would have the support Of the
people and all members of Congress.
The House by q vote that was almost
unanimous, so small was the opposition,
put through the tax reduction bill with
the support of the Democrats as well
as the Republicans. Doubtless the
Senate yesterday would have taken
similar action by large majority. But
the course of legislation-even tax re-
duction-never does run smooth in the
Senate. That body has its bakers
almost invariably. The rule Of the Sem
ate permitting unlimited debate makes
their baking effective. 1t was a re-
freshing thing however, to see members
Of the minority party In the Senate
yesterday demanding as prompt action
on the tax reduction bill as was de-
manded by the majority leaders. Tax
reduction Is one of the contributions
Of the Federal Government toward the
stabilization Of conditions Of business
in this country, whose equilibrium was
temporarily shaken by the stock market
crash. Most of the members Of Con-
gress are willing to have the country's
business benefit by the psychological
effect, as we'll as by the actual and
material effect, of prompt action on the
S16O, ,000,00 reduction in the tax burden.
The hopeful sign about the discussion
Of the tax bill In the Senate yesterday
was the clear impression conveyed to
the country that the bill will be passed
when it is taken up. The perversity OF
those members Of Congress who look
upon the natural desire of the country
and the great majority Of members OF
the House and Senate to have the relief
Of tax reduction as lever to obtain
action on measures in which they have
a more selfish interest is not likely to
be approved the country over.
Senator Blaine of Wisconsin, men,
Der of the Senate coalition" which has
been in control of the tariff bill in
the Senate, is one of those now de-
rnanding the tariff bill be finally passed
by the Senate before that body turns
its attention to the tax reduction bill.
Even a majority Of his fellow coali-
tionists, however, do not follow him
in this demand. 1t has remained for
few of these coalitionists to discover
that by holding up the tax bill it may
be possible to wiring, further agree
ments from the "old guard" in tarin
legislation and to accelerate the Sen
ate's action on this measure.
The plea to hold the tariff bill be-
fore the Senate now to the exclusion
Of the tax reduction bill and ell other
necessary legislation seems little idle,
since it is well recognized that the tariff
bill will not be voted on for weeks
and perhaps not until February. Sen
ator Blaine, who so eloquently demands
that the tariff bill be kept before the
Senate in order to get early action on
that measure for the benefit of the
HulCAACoH PCOP4cS was OLlC Va IAlOoc SclI-
ators who voted on November 20 for
an adjournment Of the special session
Of Congress when it might better have
remained in Washington and continued
with the tariff legislation. His demand
would have come with more grace had
he been one of those Senators who
voted, as many did, TO remain in con-
tinuous session to deal with the tariff
measure. Perhaps Mr.. Blaine learned
in the interval between the close Of
the special session and the beginning
Of the present session that the people
in his own State really preferred to
have the Senate act with little more
speed on the tariff bill.