Evening star., 1933-02-02
Measures for Adjustment of
Duplicated Levies to
Be Discussed.
TWO GOVERNORS ALSO
TO BE IN ATTENDANCE
Roosevelt Is Supporter of Assembly.
Subcommittee of House Group
Is Invited.

Lawmakers from 80 States and two
Governors will meet here tomorrow to
study the problem of double taxation,
and discuss measures by which there
may be an adjustment of those levies-
gas and income, for instance-where
Federal and State governments have
entered the same field
The meeting, which is termed an in
terstate legislative assembly, is being
held at the Shoreham Hotel under the
auspices of the American legislators
Association, and is the first of its kind
ever arranged.
Ihe representatives who will partici-
pate in the deliberation were named by
the Governors, who appointed fiscal Of
hcers from their States to attend. and
by the respective Senates and Houses
OF the States.
Supported by Roosevelt.
The conference will open with the
support of President-elect Roosevelt,
VINO. IN his closing days as Governor
OF New York, addressed letter to the
legislators Association, describing its
plan Tor better coordination of reve-
nue. systems of Federal and State gov.
ernments as splendid idea" and de-
scrlbed this problem as one of the
more urgent" which must be dealt
with -'
In the past" Mr.. Roosevelt said
the Federal Government has passed
revenue legislation with too little con-
sloeratlon for State taxing systems.
and, on the other hand, the States have
Iegslated with little reference to the
Feoeral revenue plan, and with almost
no consideration for the tax programs
OF other States This is not as it should
De. nave given considerable thought
70 thls problem, and it is my hope to
make at least small contribution to
a better synchronized Federal. State
ana local taxing system, and I shall
eagerly follow the proceedings of your
conference, being hopeful that from It
many good ideas will develop"
Mr.. Roosevelt also said that he hoped
every Legislature would be represented
at the meeting
House Group, Invited.
1t was said today it is possible that
from this meeting there may be small
group appointed to confer with Govern
ment officials as to just how there may
De coordination of taxation. sub
committee of the House WAYS and
Means Committee, which is studying
this subject, it was said. has been in
Vited to participate in the deliberations.
and other members of Congress also
-NN'S Will cohCo W
Among the speakers so far known
are Franklin S. Edmonds of Philadel-
phia. president of the National Tax
Association, and two former presidents
| OF that group. Thomas Walker Page
of the Federal Tariff Commission and
Prof. Robert Murray Haig of Columbia
University, Mark Graves budget di-
rector of New York; Henry F. Long,
commissioner of corporations and taxa
ton of Massachusetts,; c. H. Morissett,
tax commissioner Of Virginia; David C.
Winebrenner. secretary of State Of
Maryland William B. Belknap of Ken
lucky president of the American Legis-
latorS' Association, and Louis Brown
low, director of the Public Administa-
tion Clearing House of Chicago.
Governors who will attend are Pol
lard Of Virginia and Herring of Iowa.
Gov. Conley Of West Virginia said he
will attend if his health permits.
Four Sessions Planned.
There will be four sessions of the con-
ference tomorrow and Saturday. morn
ing and afternoon meetings being held,
and there will also be two luncheon
and two dinner meetings.
Final arrangements for the conven-
ton were being made today by the
board of managers, headed by Henry
w. Toll Of Chicago. former member
of the Colorado State Senate, who or
ganized the American Legislators As
Sociation about eight years ago. A
member of the board is Hugh Reid of
Cherrydale, Va. member OF the Vir-
ginia House of Delegates
The American Legislators Association
functions through the Interstate Legis-
lative Reference Bureau, set up in Chi
| cago to act as a clearing house through
which the various activities of State
Legislatures could be communicated to
the legislative bodies of each of the
States.
Campaign to Be Asked.
The conference will be asked by the
Peoples Lobby to launch a campaign
for repeal of all Federal, State and To-
cal consumption taxes in favor OF taxes
on incomes, land values and estates.
In a letter to William K Belknap,
chairman of the conference, the lobby,
of which Prof. John Dewey is presi-
dent, asserted the House Ways and
Means Committee report on double tax
alton shows that the masses of the
people are paying at least six billinu
dollars year in consumption taxes,
| which reduce consumption to that ex-
tent" Taxes should be collected solely
on the basis of service rendered by
Government and ability to pay, 1t was
declared.
Cites 1914 License Forms.
The House report, the letter said,
shows 3,974 forms of licenses, permits
and occupational taxes are levied by the
various taxing authorities.
I 1T shows that in a very recent year
nearly half of the Federal revenue,
nearly three-quarters of State revenue
from taxes, nearly three-quarters Of
county government revenues, neaSs
| three-fifths of revenue receipts Of cities
| over 10000 and over half of the tax
revenues of all other local governments
were. obtained by taxes ON consump-
tion," the conference was told.
| Tax officials and experts of many
States will take part in the conference,
which will consider a variety Of prob
| lens in connection with conflicting