Evening star., 1934-08-22
WASHINGTON. OBSERVATIONS

The administration is keeping
mighty quiet about the new tax pro-
gram to be laid before Congress In
January. There will be time enough
to talk about new taxes and higher
taxes after the November election.
It would be tactless to ballyhoo new
taxes now. But 1t Is no secret that
new taxes are now In the making be-
hind the scenes in the Treasury De-
partment. ''Simplification" Of the
revenue tax structure and new cash
are the twin objectives Of the re-
search, plus coordination" Of Fed
eral and State taxation. The admin
istration Is under q mandate Of stern
necessity to find ways and means Of
greatly initiating Federal tax revenues.
Prospects Of a general manufacturers'
sales tax now look DINNER than ever
because of the multiplication of spe-
cial sales taxes and special processing
taxes and compensatory taxes covering
50 many different commodities and
products. One phase of the tax ques-
ton certain to evoke congressional
controversy Is liquor taxes. Antici-
pated tax revenues from legal liquor
have fallen away short of expecta-
tions. Bootlegging on Q large scale
persists. The Treasury may recon-
mend reduction of the present 81 per
gallon rate on domestic and the IS
per gallon rate ON imported liquors.
The Congressional and Senatorial
Campaign Committees, Democratic
and Republican, now busy electioneer-
ing for their respective party can
didates, are not to be confused with
the House and Senate Campaign Elk
penditures Committees, which up to
date have had nothing to do. The
latter committees, created anew with
each biennial election, are to be on
the watch for violation of the Federal
corrupt practices act with respect to
improper or excessive campaign con-
tributions and expenditures. Repre-
sentative Loring Black OF New York
Is chairman of the House Committee
and Senator James r. Byrnes of South
Carolina Is chairman of the Sena-
torial Campaign Expenditures Com
mittee No "slush funds" have been
sighted yet. No investigations have
yet been initiated. It looks like a
lean year, with severe drought Of
campaign contributions.
One of the first orders of the new
Federal Communications Commission,
prescribing accounting methods for
the communication companies, may
be challenged in the courts, and in
that event, Richard F. Cleveland, son
of President Grover Cleveland, may
play leading role in such proceed
ingS. He Is now the counsel for the
Public Service Commission of Mary
land. The new regulations of the
Federal Communications Commission
are claimed to be at variance with
accounting rules of long standing
prescribed by State commissions In
Maryland and elsewhere, and some Of
the State commissions are uniting in
protest. OF the living sons of past
Presidents Of the United States,
Richard F. Cleveland, who enjoys the
distinction of having been actually
born IN the White House. figures the
ASNov AA sAAS bN9hN PAAVos bus hC ~
no less an able citizen OF engaging
personality, and set to make mis- mark
in the legal world, II not In the
political world.
Those who want anything from the
new director of foreign and domestic
commerce in the Department Of Com
merce first must know how to pro-
nounce correctly his name. Claudius
T. Murchison Is the name, but his
Carolina ancestors for many genera
tions have pronounced the "ch" as
''k"-as If 1t were "Murkison"-and
he retains this deviation.
Newton d. Baker of Cleveland. Sec
retary Of War in the Wilson cabinet
and who was In line to receive the
Democratic presidential nomination at
Chicago two years ago had =. D. h
nnissed II. AAs recently publicly de-
fined thu new deal a. meaning shat