Evening star., 1933-01-18
A Conclusive Case.

President Hoover, in his message to
Congress urging that immediate steps
be taken to balance the budget, has
set forth case entirely conclusive.
At the same time he has stirred the
wrath of the Democrats. The Presi-
dent. however. has this advantageous
has program. In their efforts to
come to some conclusion among them
selves on budget balancing, and In their
conferences with President-elect Roose-
yelt, the Democrats have SO far utterly
failed. The sum and substance OF their
collective efforts takes in Government
economies. a tax on beer and con-
tinuation of the Federal tax on gasoline
for another year. The Democratic
leaders in the House advanced the gen.
eral manufacturers sales tax-Which
has been twice recommended to the
Congress by President Hoover-but Mr..
Roosevelt turned it down fatty. Then
Mr.. Roosevelt and the congressional
leaders agreed to an increase in the
taxes on moderate incomes and to levy
on thousands who now pay no such
taxes. But the criticism which came
from the country Immediately caused
a present abandonment of this plan.
The Democrats fell back with plea
that it is impossible to know how much
money will be needed to balance the
budget, perhaps until after March 10.
Therefore they let it be known that
they intended to wait and see.
This was the cue the administration
needed. Mr.. Hoover has repeatedly
pleaded in season and out for bal
anced budget. The Congress has de-
clined to follow his recommendation for
tax levies; it is about to reject his plan
for Government reorganization in the
interest of economy. The President
charges, too, that the vaunted economies
made by the Congress In the appropria-
ton bills passed through the House up
to date are not economies In fact, but
merely juggling of figures. He gives
the Democratic House full credit for
what he calls their real reductions OF
appropriations, but points out that the
Congress has actually increased many
items Of appropriation and that where
they have made many seeming reduc-
tions, these will have to be cared for in
the future through deficiency" appro
priations.
After having pointed out the errors
OF Congress and urged that general
manufacturers sales tax be written
into law, capable really of bringing in
enough revenue to balance the budget,
the President said in conclusion:
One of the most helpful contributions
which the Congress and this admins
tration could give to the next admins
tration would be to enable them to start
with the Federal budget in balance and
the Federal finances in order.
OF course, the President is entirely
correct here 1t would be an inesti-
rnable boon to the Roosevelt admins
tration, soon to take charge. TO be free
of financial difficulties when it enters
office Naturally the Democrats would
like 10 bring about such situation
They seem, however, to be unwilling to
take the necessary steps. If they were wise
they would take those steps today, when
the revenue bill. unpopular though nee
cessary, would be signed by a Repub-
Ncan President and not by Democratic.
Sooner or later the Democrats will
have to levy increased taxes. 1t may be
they believe they can write a popular
tax bill They are mistaken. No tax
BILL except to reduce taxation. will ever
be well received Taxes and the tax
collector are about as popular as the
plague. The uproar which greeted the
latest Democratic effort to evolve what
the congressional leaders and the Pres
ident-elect regarded as master stroke
should have taurht them lesson. The
country is likely to remember in the
future that Mr.. Hoover had pl~l,
while the Democrats foundered.