Evening star., 1935-07-07
Full Revision
of Levy Base
Possible.
MOVE TO DELAY
FINDS SUPPORT
Determined Effort
to Test Coal Plan
Raises Cries.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

u. uOt LINNOLN.
Problems continued to pile up yes
terday for a much -harasSed Congress
which stood in recess over the week
end.
President Roosevelt sent a letter to
Representative Samuel B. Hill of
Washington, Democrat, chairman of
q Ways and Means Subcommittee,
urging prompt passage of the Guffey
coal bill. Notwithstanding doubts as
to conStitutionality however reason
able" The Presidents idea is to put
the matter up to the Supreme Court.
At the same time, Hill. who also
happens to be chairman of the WAYS
and Means Subcommittee which is
tackiing the Presidents tax program
preparatory to writing a new tax bill
for submission to the House, made it
clear that he and other members of
the committee are looking for a sub
stantial amount" of new revenue. He
mentioned a sum between $3.50, 900 900
and S500.000.0O0
In order to raise that amount of
new revenue. the whole tax structure
as 1t applies to income taxes. NAV
have to be revised. New sources of
taxation may have to be tapped.
McNary Warns Against Haste.
Senator McNary of Oregon. Repub-
lican leader, declared that such a tax
program should not be written into
law in haste this Summer.
L feel confident" said McNarv.
that when the members of the House
Ways and Means Committee and of
tne Senate Finance Committee have
looked into the matter. they will come
10 the conclusion that these changes
IN the tax structure should be made
after due deliberation and careful
study.
L believe that they will come to
the conclusion that Congress should
adjourn as soon as the necessary bills
stlll on the calendar have been dis
poseo OF, leaving to the committees
the duty of studying the tax question.
Congress could be called back to
Washington by the President in
November or December and take up
the tax bill and pass it. The income
taxes on individuals and corporations
Will not be payable until next March
10, anyway From a political point
OF view, the passage of the bill in
December or January will be no more
unpopular than the passage of the
tax bill in September. The taxpayers
Will not begin to feel the hurt until
March in either event"
Sum to Be Specified.
Mr.. Hills statement of the amount
OF revenue to be raised by new bill
Is only tentative. Sooner or later the
administration will have to tell
Congress just how much money is re-
qulred. Congress is not inclined to
levy taxes unless it has put before it
some measure of what is needed.
The Hill Subcommittee of the Wavs
and Means is to begin hearings on
the tax program tomorrow
1t has been suggested that a drive
for manufacturers sales tax may
be launched if a large amount of
revenue becomes necessary. That,
however, would not be in line with
the Presidents tax recommendation
10 NoilSIeSS winch call 1Or Qecentrdl-
iZation of wealth as a social reform.
President RooSeveltS letter to Hill
urging prompt passage of the Guffey
coal bill, which really sets up a system
similar TO the N. R. A codes for that
industry. is expected 10 give the nee
essary momentum to bring that meas
ure to passage. His suggestion that
Congress go ahead and pass bill of
doubtful constitutionality was consid-
cred amazing by some of the men,
bers Of Congress last night. In some
quarters, however, it was suggested
that the President is intent upon
showing to the people that their Gov
ernment cannot help them handle
economic and social pl oblems under
the Interpretation of the Constitution
made by the Supreme Court when it
declared his N R. A. law unconSti-
tutional. A sentence in his letter to
Hill reads: "A decision by the Su-
preme Court relative 20 this measure
would be helpful as indicating, with
increasing clarity. the constitutional
limits within which this Government
must operate
Hill expects to have meeting of
the subcommittee on the coal bill
Tuesday night.
In formal statement, Hugh R.
(See CONGRESS. Page A.