The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-09-16
GREAT.
COMPANY
LISTED
By WIN. <. HUTCHINSON
international News Service

international News Service
/ The names Of 200 American
industrial corporations bene-
fitting under the tariff were
forwarded to the Treasury De-
partment today by the Senate
for report on their profits
to be taken from their income
tax returns for the years 1922
to 1923.
America. a Mellon concern. All
these concerns have been giant
money-makers for many years.
The list was drafted by leaders of
the Democratic Insurgent coalition
which is fighting the new tariff BILL
The information, If obtained, will
be used by coalition leaders to op-
pose any increase in duties on conf
modities manufactured by corpora
tons showing substantial profits
over the last eight years.
Names to Be Published
The names of the corporations
may be made public during the Gay.
It was learned that the list included
the United States Steel Corporation,
the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the
Great Western Sugar Company, the
Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company
and the Aluminium Company of
America All these concerrs have
been giant money-makers for many
years.
The information asked included
q statement of the concerns profits
or losses" and a broad report on its
expenditures for labor, materials
and machinery. A request was
made not only for a report on the
total amounts spent for wages of
employees, but for compensation
to officers as well. The Treasury
report, If made, may reveal the
salaries of such men az John d.
Rockefeller, jr., Charles M. Sehwab
and other industrialists who actively
head great corporations.
Legality in Question
A very ticklish legal question has
been raised, however, by the Sen.
ate's action in requesting this infor-
nation. The Treasury already has
asked the Department of Justice for
legal opinion on it's right to re-
spond to the Senate's command.
inasmuch as Congress authorized in.
come tax secrecy and only one
branch of it ordered the publicity,
The belief prevailed that the Depart
ment of Justice might rule the Sen.
ate's action was not binding on the
treasury and that the latter should
not respond TO the order
Such a ruling would throw the
matter back into the Senate where
resolution still Is pending which
would give Congressional authority
Tor the desired publicity. Senator
Blaine (R.) of Wisconsin sponsored
the joint resolution, but as the
House was not in session coalition
leaders took short cut by adopting
simple Senate resolution calling
for the desired information.
The issue of tariff benefits to
trusts and monopolies meanwhile
was injected into the Senate debate
by Senator King CD of Utah. He
charged the new tariff bill would
give giant corporations a greater
opportunity for creating monopolies.
he warned, too, that some existing
corporations, including the United
States Steel and the Standard Oil
companies, had grown SO large the
government could no longer control
them.
Communism Feared
He said there was a possibility
the people within a few decades,
would seize the corporations through
establishment here of com
munistic state. He urged a reduc.
ton of tariff rates as a means of
curbing trusts and of avoiding
political revolution.
The Senate continued considera-
ton OF administrative features, with
decisions on a number of highly
controversial provisions expected
during the week. This NAV in.
clude action on the organization of
the u. s. Tariff Commission and a
decision on continuing the powers
of the President, under the flexible
provision, to raise or lower duties.
Progress however was slow, with
the Senate facing month or more
of debate before the bill will be in
sight of enactment.