Evening star., 1934-01-21
COLORADO RELIEF
STILL LOOKED FOR
DESR|TEDEADLOCK
Legislature Fails to Enact
Measures After 6 Weeks
of WrangIing.
BY ]. ]. MULLEN.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DENVER, January 20-Relief legis-
lation has failed Of enactment by the
Colorado Legislature after six weeks Of
bitter wrangling, and a seemingly hope
less deadlock prevailed between House
and Senate over measures that would
afford sufficient funds to secure aid
from the Federal Government.
Despite the almost complete begging
down of legislative wheels, Gov. Edwin
c. johnson declared he was still
hopeful" that some solution of the re-
lief tangle would soon be reached.
While conferees from House and Sen
ate struggled over efforts to reconcile
their respective demands in connection
with a gasoline diversion tax, new
move was launched in the House for a
per cent sales tax-to be levied
against the gross Of retail sales. This
measure was encountering many OBJ
stacles In the House itself and was al
most certain to be defeated by the Sem
ate. as was q similar measure intro
duced earlier In the session.
Gas Tax Urged for Relief.
The House, meanwhile, passed by a
close margin a new liquor control
measure aimed to provide relief reve-
nue. through an additional Scent tax
on whisky and cents on wines. The
measure faces bitter opposition In the
Senate, as it contains a clause per-
mitting sale Of whisky by the drink.
As the legislators pursued an un-
productive course, sentiment increased
that the gasoline diversion tax. in one
form or another, would eventually be-
come the vehicle to provide suflcient
State funds to persuade the Federal
that dst,,e Was 1ea
measure of relief. One group advocates
q 81" diversion Of the gasoline tax
three parts OF the tax income to con-
tinue to go to the State Highway De-
partment, one part to relief fund
One strong objection to this method is
the claim that the "one" part will pro-
vide only about 81 100000, while more
than s2000,000 is required for direct
and work relief purposes.
A second plan, a so-called "2-2" d.
version, involves reducing the present
| Accent gasoline tax to 2 cents for State
| purposes and giving the counties au-
| thortty to levy 2-cent gas tax. Ad-
vocates Of this plan declare more than
the necessary relief funds could be
raised without increasing taxes in any
way.
| AS the second extraordinary session
Of the twenty-ninth General Assembly
ambled along, almost on crutches at
times, bitter criticism was directed al
not only the lawmaking body, but also
at Gov. johnson. The Governor is a
Democrat and both branches Of the
! Legislature have Democratic majorities
! Even the party managers-the Demo
! cratic national committeeman and the
Democratic State chairman-have beer
called into conference in efforts to gel
! the legislative body onto a program
that could be enacted. All withou,
avail.
Partisan attacks have been made
| upon Gov. johnson, declaring that he
| alone is responsible for failure to pro.
vide relief for the hungry, destitute
and distressed men, women and chill.
dren Of Colorado"
| Attacks from other sources center
upon the legislators themselves for par
ticipating in asserted petty graft while
falling to provide relief This alleged
graft consists largely of travel expense
| drawn by the legislators-at Is cents
| per mile. The State constitution pro.
vides that legislators shall be compen-
sated for actual and necessary travel.
| ing expenses" Charges have beer
made that some members of the law.
making bodies have collected travel ex.
pense while riding on free railroad
| passes.