Evening star., 1935-06-23
Robinson and Byrns Agree
Disposal Would Remove
Business Uncertainty.
BUT SPEAKER UNCERTAIN
OVER IMMEDIATE ACTION
Will Probably Rest With Presi-
dent-Round Robin Would
Force Issue.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The plot thickened yesterday about
the Presidents tax program and what
shall be done with it, if anything, at
the present session of Congress.
Speaker ByrnS of the House and
Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the
Democratic leader of the Senate, both
said that no effort should be made
to attach the tax program recon-
mended by the President to the joint
resolution continuing for another year
certain excise taxes which expire
July /.
The Speaker and Senator Robinson
also agreed that there were impelllng
reasons why the program should be
disposed of promptly. The first rea-
son was that it would remove uncer-
tainty from the country and from
business. Speaker Byrns added that
the Government needs the additional
revenue.
While Senator Robinson said he,
personally, was disposed to take up
the tax program and act on it during
the present session, Speaker Byrns
did not go that far.
1t looks more and more as though
the solution Of the problem would
await President Roosevelt's return to
Washington, although it is understood
that the Chief Executive has had in
mind leaving the decision up to Con-
gress and its leaders.
Pressing for Adjournment.
With a large program of must"
legislation still awaiting final action
the congressional leaders have been
pressing hard for completion of the
program and an adjournment not later
than July Is. If the tax program is
undertaken now, it is freely predicted
on all sides that there will be little
chance of adjournment until August,
or even later.
The great majority of the members
are anxious to get through and ad-
journ as soon as possible, II 1t is
finally decided to go ahead and put
through the new tax program before
adjournment it will be a case of the
tail wagging the dog. A compare
lively small majority will have had
its way.
Agitation for immediate action on
the tax program was given impetus
yesterday by the round robin, signed
by % Senators, most of them included
in the progressive" group on both
sides of the chamber and by a speech
in the Senate by Senator Huey p.
Long of Louisiana. Long had read
to the Senate a long letter he had
sent to President Roosevelt demand
ing that he GO forward with a share
the-Wealth program. He followed 1t
I'D with a speech in which he chal-
lenged the Chief Executive to submit
to the Congress without delay a de-
tailed tax program.
Robinson Gives Views.
Senator Robinson's comment was
made to newspaper men, after the
Senate had recessed. He said:
"It is my personal impression that
the subject matter of the pending tax
bill (the joint resolution extending
the excise taxes) should be treated
separately from the Presidents tax
message.
II am disposed to take up the
Presidents recommendation during
the present session of Congress and
dispose of it before adjournment. I
mean by that final vote by Con-
gsess on the recommendations.
Failure to do so would leave the
country in a state of uncertainty and
that would not be helpful to business
recovery"
Robinson added that If Congress
takes up the Presidents tax recon-
mendations before adjournment, it will
prolong the session.
Byrns Concurs.
Speaker Byrns agreed with Senator
Robinson that no effort should be
made to attach the Presidents tax
program to the joint resolution ex-
tending excise taxes now before the
Senate.
"A bill to carry out the Presidents
tax program,''s said Speaker Byrns,
will, of course, have to originate in
(See TAXES. Page Sd