Evening star., 1932-03-29
An Emergency Measure.

The pending revenue bill should
rightly be called an emergency tax bill.
AL doubt that the country is facing a
crisis and that it must be met coura-
geously must have faded from the minds
of even the most recalcitrant member
Of the House and from the minds of
the people generally.
The revenue bill is an emergency
measure because until definite plans
have been made to balance the budget
OF the Government there will be a
lack of confidence, a lack of financial
stability. 1t is an emergency bill be-
cause business must know what it is to
expect in the way of increased taxation
before it can go ahead with its plans
for production. 1t is an emergency bill
because investors will hesitate to place
their money in productive enterprises
until they have some assurance regard
ing the tax burden which industry
must bear. 1t is seriously an emergency
measure because the entire country is
WuAbAAA6 AOA 4to PoSoouGC' Ao
Hoover has so wisely said, balanced
budget is the very keystone of the arch
Of recovery.
In view of the emergency confront
ing the country Congress should deal
with the revenue bill quickly. Gloomy
predictions are made by congressional
leaders today that it will be impossible
20 put through the revenue bill before
the Republican and Democratic Ma
tional Conventions are held in Chicago,
beginning the middle of June. Sena-
tor Robinson of Arkansas, the Demo-
cratic leader of the Senate, was the
first to suggest the need Of postponing
final action on the revenue bill until
after July /, so that Congress could
take q recess during the convention
period
If Congress cannot act promptly in
the present emergency it is even more
futile than it has been dubbed by num-
berless critics. Congress can act and
does act quickly in times of emergency
and has demonstrated its ability so to
act on many occasions. But 1t will
not act promptly unless there is a
change Of attitude by some of its lead
ers. In the Senate some of the prom
inent Republicans are as hesitant
about the revenue bill as Senator Rob-
inson.
It is eleven weeks from today until
the opening Of the Republican National
Convention in Chicago. The House
Ways and Means Committee held extern
siye hearings on the tax bill before it
was reported to the House. The bill
has been under consideration in that
body for two weeks. If the House can
not complete its consideration of the
measure, send 1t to the Senate and
have the Upper House consider it and
pass 1t, all in ten or eleven weeks,
then there is something seriously wrong
with Congress.
There is little delay when it comes
TO raids on the Federal Treasury. The
less said about them the better, is the
motto Of their proponents. But when
1t comes to measure designed to main
tain the credit of the Government and
to stimulate the business of the country.
then there must be delay and further
delay. Delay, indeed, until the national
political campaign is on. Then Congress
is to return to Washington and continue
its consideration of a measure which
should be dealt with on non- partisan
basis for the sake of the whole country
during period when the atmosphere
will be surcharged with political cleo
tricity. The country should demand
action now.