Evening star., 1935-07-17
RAPS
TAX FOES TACTICS
AS HE ASKS ACTION
Says Move for Delay Is Sign
of Weak Case Against
Proposals.
MEASURE PUT AHEAD
ON CONGRESS PROGRAM
Changes Discussed by Leaders
Adjournment Beaten in
House, 259 to So.
BY the Associated Press.


President Roosevelt today reiterated
his desire for enactment of the new
tax bill before adjournment of Con-
gress.
Talking at his regular press con-
ference, Mr.. Roosevelt compared ef-
forts on Capitol Hill for a quick sd-
journment to the tactics of defense
lawyers who have a weak case.
He expressed the view that a rich
person desiring to avoid heavy in
heritance tax would seek postpone
ment of the legislation.
The President observed that the
first move of a lawyer with a weak
case would be to move TO put the trial
over until the next term and, failing
ask for a mistrial because of hot
weather.
Those in charge Of the tax measure
on Capitol Hill, meanwhile, put every
thing else aside to give it right of way
Committee Is Called.
Chairman Doughton called the
House Ways and Means Committee
into executive session to ratify a tacit
agreement to that effect made last
night by Democratic members of the
committee
For nearly three hours last nigh
the Democrats talked over the tax bill.
with Lowell H. Parker. chief of staff
of the Joint Congressional COMMITTEE
on Internal Revenue Taxation, and
Middleton Beaman, chief House legis-
lative counsel
Both explained some suggestions
they had prepared for administrative
sections of the bill. One idea dis
cuSsed was TO allow recipients of in.
heritances a period of 10 years or
more in which to pay their Federal
inheritance taxes so as to avoid forced
liquidation Of a kind considered un-
desirable The recipients would be
charged low interest during the period.
There also was talk about letting
a father transfer to a son at a very
low tax a share in a business which
the son had helped to build up, but
which remained in the fathers name
There was. in addition. discussion
about making the inheritance levies
lower on wealth left to widows, sons
and daughters than to others less
closely related.
Specific Rates Not Set.
No decisions were made on specific
tax rates. Committee members re-
ported that none is likely to be made
for several days. Chairman Samuel
B. Hill of the Tax Subcommittee pre-
dicted it would be "a week or 10 days
before the bill is finished" Some
other committeeman thought he was
too optimistic.
There was no apparent decrease in
the sentiment in favor of substituting
an excess profits tax for the proposed
graduated corporation income tax
proposed by the President One com
mittee member, who favored the ex-
cess profits idea, remarked privately
that he would not consider that sub
stitution ''repudiation" of the Presi-
dents attitude since he understood
the President is not welded to any
one point in the bill"
Attempts to get Congress to adjourn
swiftly without acting now on the
tax bill and other Roosevelt measures
apparently had come to naught.
Deem Move SmOthered.
Soon after the House had Smoth-
cred, 259 to Sc, a resolution by Repre-
sentative Deem, Democrat, of Georgia.
calling for adjournment July %, Sen
ator Harrison, Democrat, of MiSSis-
Sippi, chairman of the Finance Com
mittee, declared Congress would stay
in session to pass the tax program.
Senator La Toilette, Progressive, of
Wisconsin, also made plain he ex-
pected action this session on this
bill, in accordance with q promise
made to him by Democratic leaders.
They had told him recently that if
he would forego his plan to attach
wealth levies to the $501 900 900 nui-
S2nce tax extension bill he would have
an opportunity later this session to
vote for a new tax plan He showed
10 indication today of releasing lead
ers from their promise, saying:
"I see no reason to alter the origi-
nal agreement. So far as am con-
cerned, 1 have not changed my posi-
tion the least bit.
There are several reasons In my
opinion why we should stay here and
xu-Ork "