Evening star., 1932-03-28
No Time for Politics.

THIS Is no TIME LOT Lie fttpupACdfl
leadership Of the House to think more
about putting the Democratic leaders in
q hole than getting the country out Of
one. Notwithstanding the fact that
they were deserted in the House con-
sideration Of the tax bill the Demo-
cratic leaders Of that body, Representa-
tive Rainey of Illinois. the floor leader,
and Representative Crisp of Georgia,
acting chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, have themselves
played the game and played it squarely.
The temptation to the Republicans to
hoot at their Democratic rivals because
of the collapse Of Democratic solidarity
IN the House has been great. For the
most part the Republicans and their
leaders have been able to restrain
themselves. Representative Hawley, the
ranking Republican member Of the
Ways and Means Committee. came i'm
mediately and effectively to the support
Of Mr.. Crisp Saturday in the demand
of the latter that the House cease writ
ing tariff" amendments into the pend
ing revenue bill. The combined appeals
of the Democratic and Republican
leaders served to check the scramble to
gain selfish favors for particular indus
tries in the revenue bill.
The Republicans of the House can
best serve their country and their own
party by cooperating with the Demo-
Gratis to put through a reasonable tax
bill designed to balance the Govern
ment's budget and wipe out the Treas
ury deficit. President Hoover has said,
and 1t is evident to the entire country,
that the soundest and most helpful
thing to do at this time is to balance
the United States Government on firm
basis. Sneers at the Democratic leaders
by Republican leaders will accomplish
nothing. Here Is a caSe, indeed, where
cooperation is sorely needed in Con-
gress. And cooperation cannot come
from one side alone. .....
At the same time, those Democrats
who seem to feel that they can best
serve their own interests in the coming
national campaign by failure to have
the budget balanced now would do well
to consider the probable reaction of the
country to such a stand by the Demo-
cratic party. It would inevitably lead
the voters to the conclusion that the
Democrats desired to continue the Pc
riod Of depression, Of unemployment
and distress until after the elections
next November. Once let the voters
get such an idea in their minds and the
chances of Democratic success at the
polls will slump with appalling rapidity.
The House has another chance this
week. 1t has chance to redeem itself
m the eyes Of the country by getting to-
gether on a program for the financial
rehabilitation of the Government. The
Ways and Means Committee is seek
ing to write substitute for the manu-
facturers' sales tax The substitute
will require a number of so-called ex-
Use taxes levied on individual industries,
on stock transactions, on bank checks
and possibly an increase in the postal
rates. There will be bitter opposition
to these tax levies, but it is obvious
that the Government must raise reve-
nue. to meet its running expenses and it
has but one source, taxation. Already
there have been indications from Demo-
cratic members of the House who op-
posed the manufacturers tax that they
do not intend to support such pro-
gram of taxation.
Representative Byrns of Tennessee,
the Democratic chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee, has said on
the floor Of the House that he sees no
reason for balancing the budget at this
time How many will follow Mr.. Byrns
in this attitude toward the budget re-
mains to be seen. Speaker Garner has
aligned himself with those Democrats
who say that bill to balance the bud
get must be passed. 1t may be expect
ed that the Speaker will exert his in
huence to bring about such action. II
Is likewise up to the Republicans tc
show their willingness to levy taxes
which will balance the budget The
titular leader of their party has already
spoken.