Evening star., 1933-01-20
DEMOCRATS BLOCK
ALL PROPOSALS TO
ACT ON TAXES NOW
Republican Efforts to Take
Up Legislation Defeated by
House Committee.
STAND TODAY REAFFIRMS
PLAN FOR EXTRA SESSION
Analysis of Ways and Means Ex-
perts Place Annual Per Capita
Levy in U. S. at $77.53.

F. tho Associated Press.
Democrats overrode the Republicans
Oh the House Ways and Means Com
mittce today and voted against all pro-
posals for passing tax legislation at
the short session
Representative Hawley of Oregon,
ranking Republican on the committee,
moved consideration of last years ad-
ministration tax bill, which included
a general sales tax, but he was de-
feated by Democratic motion to table
all tax matters. 1t carried. on
strictly party vote, IA to 10.
Lost on this same motion was a pro-
posal by Representative Bacharach,
New Jersey Republican, to continue the
gasoline tax another year and boost
it from one to two cents.
Didn't Discuss Tax Plans.
Chairman Collier said the committee
did not discuss the merits of the tax
plans, but simply reaffirmed the previ-
Gus decision of the Democratic mem
bers not to prepare general tax bill
at this session.
The issue is thus left to the unavoid-
able special session OF the new Con-
gress.
Representative Treadway. Republican
of Massachusetts,, criticized the Demo-
cratic leadership for not Immediately
tackling the budget problem.
The Democrats showed again their
partisan methods of procedure" Tread
way said. Il was too glad to vote to
take up the budget problem, even If
only As days are left. That there are
cnly As days left is the fault of the
Democrats for delaying action
An analysis of the national tax pic
ture, revealing an average yearly burden
on every citizen of $77.53, was made pub
lie last night by Ways and Means Com
mittee experts in preparation for steps
toward eliminating some OF the $50
cases of overlapping State and Federal
taxation.
Total Federal expenditures have in
creased nearly seven times in the last
20 years." the experts said.
Although tax legislation at this ses-
sion has been abandoned. representa-
tives of cigarette and gasoline interests
have been assured by Democratic Lead
ers their proposals for unifying taxes
will be considered before any general
revenue legislation is undertaken.
Expect Revenue Gain.
These call for levies to be collected
by the Federal Government and por-
ton of them distributed equally among
the States BY uniform rates the spon-
sors believe that consumption and rev.
enue will be increased.
For months group Of experts headed
by L. H. Parker, chief OF stall OF the
Joint Congressional Committee on In
ternal Revenue Taxation. has been as
on tho nroSpnt tqy STILL
alton.
"Totaling the tax collections OF the
Federal, State, county, city and other
local governments" Parker said, I'VE
find taxes collected in 1922 amounted
to S7.418, 900 and in 1881 to S9,519,-
100000 In the same period the total
per capita tax burden has increased
from S6827 to s77.53.
This increase amounts to 1925 per
capita, or nearly IA per cent. Leaving
out of account Federal taxes, the per
capita tax burden of all other taxes
amounted to $685. in 1922 and to
S57.76 in 1881. This increase amounted
to S1891 per capita, or about 48 per
cent
In making public the report. Rep
resentative Vinson, Democrat, of
Kentucky, chairman of the subcom-
mittee studying the question, said:
"Inasmuch as the report submitted
concerns itself almost entirely with
presenting the facts, it was unneceS-
sary for the subcommittee on double
taxation specifically to approve or
disapprove of the report as prepared
by the staff of the joint committee.
However. we are in substantial agree
ment with the statements contained
therein"
Expert'S CnncIuSions
These statements included a conclu-
sion by Parker saying:
LAS far as this preliminary report
is concerned, it is believed that
sufficient has been shown to prove
taxation is complicated, cumbersome
and in many respects inequitable.
Second, that there are many serious
instances of double taxation or dupI-
cation in taxation between the Federal
Government and the States.
Third. That in view of the number
Of taxes impressed, the tax revenues are
disappointing.
Fourth. That the tax burden, espe-
,cially On certain specific objects, is
reaching the breaking point.
Fifth. That the expenditures have
increased to such degree as to re-
quire their investigation in order to
determine whether the public is obtain
ing value received for the tax dollar"
The gasoline and tobacco tax prob
lens were laid before House leaders by
the American Petroleum Institute and
s. Clay Williams of Winston Salem,
N. c., president of the R. j. Reynolds
Tobacco Co.
Included in the long list of duplicate
= taxation, reported by Parker were such
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