The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-06-29
TAX MYSTERIES
Give CONGRESS
JUMPY NERVES
Leaders on Ragged Edge
After Eight Hectic Days
of Dispute.
JUNE %, 1895
BY LEE C. MILLER
Times Special Writer

Tor enactinE the President tax pro-
gram in six DAYS. and the bizarre
sequence Of events that preceded the
collapse. had some members Of Con-
greSs complaining today that their
heads we're a-WhiTi.
Here Is the record Of the eight
amazing DAYS:
The Presidents surprise message
last wednesday asked for inheri-
lance taxes. heavier hign-bracket
income taxes and a graduated cor
poration tax. But 10 did not say
when such taxes should BE- voted,
and Speaker John ". Byrns got the
impression that tax legislation was
on the ought list" not the must
list"
Next day. a hint was dropped az
the White House that the matter
vas now up to the leaders Of Con-
gress.
Ia Toilette Starts IL
On Friday. without waiting on the
leaders. Senator la Toilette prog
WIS., obtained % senatorial sigma
lures 70 a petition stating a viii
Iingness to remain in session until
action was obtained on the tax
message.
Then came Saturday. and Huey
Long.
The Kingfish. who had greeted the
Presidents message With a loud
Amen" three DAYS earlier, rose IN
the Senate and called attention 70
a letter he had Just written the
President. the burden Of which was
that Mr.. ROOsevelt's promises were
far holder than his performance.
Long Attacks Roosevelt
Long virtually accused The Presi-
dent Of making an empty gesture
in order to win over some of the
Kingfish's supporters. He quoted VIII
Rogers as saying. I would sure
liked to have seen Huey's face wnen
he was woke up IN the middle Of
the night by the President. who
said. Law Owe. Huey. 1 want to
get in with you
Thereafter things happened even
faster.
Senator William r. BOrah fR-
Idaho issued a statement SUNDAY
night in support Of the Presidents
message. which ne hailed as a
share f-govarnmenE
program.
Calls in Top Sergeants
Next day the President called in
his top sergeants from Sen9te and
House. Present were Vice ? ident
John n. Garner. Joseph Jobin-
son. Pat Harrison. J. W. Byrns and
Robert L. DOughton.
After two hours and a half the
lawmakers emerged. and Senator
Robinson. majority leader Of the
Senate. told the reporters.
1t was decided TO press tor action
on the recommendation OF the
President as TO amendments Of the
tax laws during the present session.
Senator Harrison will ask his COM
mittee to consider the subject with
a view to proposing amendments %
the joint resolution extending Ger
tain taxes"
Tax Experts Work All Night
Since the Joint resolution had &c
be passed by July 1. on pain Of los
ing Sl.500.OO0 a day IN nuisance
taxes. that statement was interpret
ed to mean only one thing: That
1t had been decided In jam the new
levies through in six days as a rider
on the nuisance taxes
That impression was affirmed IN
the Senate next day when Senator
Harrison. responding 10 indignant
proddings from several colleagues.
said he hoped To obtain passage of
the resolution. with the new taxes
attached. by Saturday night - the
fifth dav.
Tentative schedules Of rates were
announced. and the Senate finance
committee had its experts working
all Tuesday night on them
House Members Angry
Members OF the House WAYS and
Means Committee. meantime. and
other House members as well, we're
openly angry.
Next day the press gathered in
Mr.. RooSevelt'S Office and heard the
President say he had never said
anything to the effect that the bill
must be passed BY Saturday. No
ore at Mondays conference. he said,
even suggested such a thing
Senator Harrison said later in the
day that he had been Over-Optlmist-
Il in suggesting passage Of the pro-
gram By Saturday. He then called
I'D the nuisance tax IN the Senate
and It was promptly passed-withOut
riders. Mr.. Harrison said the new
taxes would now originate IN the
House and pursue the usual routine.
Doughton Issues Statement
Chairman Doughton Of the WAYS
and Means Committee forthwith
issued a statement.
7 would ike 10 say that state
ments appearing III the press for the
past several DAYS 10 the effect that
the President had demanded. even
requested or expected that the leg
islation recommended IN his recent
message would be cOnSummated this
week are absolutely without founda-
ton so far as my knowledge ex-
tends.
Nevertheless. Congress Is still so
jumpy that II suspects every strang-
er Of being a messenger with a new
tax strategy.
BACK HOME AGAIN