Evening star., 1931-12-22
LABOR TO COMBAT
DISTRICT TAX BILLS.
F. J. Coleman Says House
Action Shows Necessity for
Capital Representation.

Aroused by the methods employed in
rushing through the House the meas
ures to increase the tax burden Of the
District, the labor forces of the Capital
were prepared today to open a vigorous
counter-attack.
At meeting last night of Central
Labor Union, attended by approximately
$50 delegates, bitter criticism was di-
rected at the steam roller" tactics by
which the new taxation was put over,
and it was decided to make known
the protest OF labor.
The Executive Committee will meet
this week and decide If a mass meeting
will be held. or whether some other
means will be taken to get the views
of the workers before Congress.
The union forces feel that a full
hearing will be accorded by the Sem
ate. Frank ]. Coleman, secretary of
the Central Labor Union, said today
In announcing that the Executive Com
mittee would meet within the week to
map its course.
Urges Representation.
IF ever the need for national repre-
sentation for the District was demon
strated. it has been in the past week"
MI. Coleman said, in voicing the views
OF his associates.
Pointing out that labor is on record
in favor of representation, Mr.. Cole
man said that now the people should
certainly wake up"
The way in which the House jammed
the Mapes measures through without
a hearing is American" in the
opinion Of the labor forces. he said,
adding that it was however just an
other example of the "shoddy treat
ment' for unrepresented citizens.
We are depending on the Senate to
be fair though" he said, "and feel
that the members there will be. At
least 80 per cent OF them are
1t was said that labor approves the
principle OF inheritance and income
taxes but opposes automobile and gas
taxes as constituting an unnecessary
burden.
Will Confer With Leaders.
Coleman planned to confer today
with Edward F. McGrady, legislative
representative of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. and officials OF the
Community Chest over the dlMculty
that has developed in giving relief to
needy union members.
According to Mr. Coleman, the union
forces had arranged their own relief
set-up before the present plan was
adopted here with the backing of Pres
ident Hoover, under which each Gov
ernment worker gave three days pay 20
the Community Chest
Because of this intention of the work
erS to take care of their own. he said
Mr.. McGrady told a meeting of relief
agencies that the unions would get
along without aid
When the arrangement for giving
three days pay was adopted, the labor
forces shelved their own arrangement
and participated in the general plan,
giving to this their contributions in
stead Of turning the money into their
individual fund.
Told to Apply to Unions.
The upshot has been. according to
Mr. Coleman, that where needy union
men applied to Chest agencies, they
were told to 60 to their unions. There
reputedly have been several instances
of this sort it was brought out at last
nights meeting. and 1t was decided to
call the conference today to iron out
the trouble.
The union also referred to the Ex-
ecutive Committee a complaint from the
Waters Union that cooperation is
lacking from the District Employment
Committee in furnishing walters.
The proposed vagrancy law drafted
by Corporation Counsel Bride was op-
posed by the union. and it was said it
also would be opposed by the Ameci-
can Federation Of Labor.
A committee was appointed to plan
the part of labor in the Bicentennial
celebration.
Mr. Coleman and w. w. Keeler were
appointed delegates to the American
Association for Labor Legislation. which
meets at the Hotel Washington Decem-
Der 1880.