The Washington times., 1935-07-30
COM N | 7 7 f {
PUTS0. K. ON
MEASURE
6. O.. P. Plans Barraee
in Both Houses
Against levies
International News Service

Riding roughShod over Repub-
lican opposition, the House Ways
and Means Committee today
voted formally to report the new
275-million-dollar tax bill. The
vote was 1T.
Chairman Doughton CD Of
North Carolina, Of the committee.
planned to bring the measure be-
fore the House either tomorrow Or
Thursday. Passage was to be
sought by Saturday night.
All Democratic members, except
Representative Lamneck CD OF
Ohio. who is i'll, voted to approve
the bill. Republicans unanimously
opposed it.
The measure will be brought be-
fore the House with a Democratic
majority report urging passage
and a Republican minority report
branding the bill as bunk" and
"a fake"
Meantime the Senate Finance
Committee, in an effort to speed
final action, opened hearings on
the Doughton bill.
l.. H. Parker, chief OF staff OF
the Joint Congressional Commit
tee on Internal Revenue Taxation,
explained the high inheritance
and gift taxes and individual and
corporation levies to the Senate
committee.
Byrns Urges Action
Speaker Byrns meanwhile urged
the House committee to drive the
measure through the House this
week, He said:
eve ought to pass this bill
this week and get it behind u.s."
Chairman Doughton suggested
eight hours of general debate but
Byrns demurred. He said that
they Ought to have four hours
and could get along with two"
Opposition to the House bill
broke out in the Senate Finance
Committee today, with Chairman
Pat Harrison CD Of Mississippi,
revealing dissatisfaction over devi-
ationS from President RooSevelt'S
recommendations.
MOrgenthau Called
Secretary of the Treasury Nor
genthau was called to testify to-
morrow.
Harrison seemed especially dis |
pleased with provisions in the bill
jacking up Surtaxes from the
$4,000 bracket instead Of from
one million dollars upward.
While Harrison contended the
President in his tax message to
Congress indicated he favored
boosting rates only above one
million dollars Parker said he
did not so construe the Presi-
dents message nor did the Ways
and Means Committee.
Corporation Rates Hit
The House committee decision
to have a graduated corporation
tax ranging from 1914 to 14A
per cent, instead of from 1874
to 1914 as proposed by the Presi-
dent, also aroused Harrison. He
asked Parker why the Ways and
Means Committee had adopted
the closer range and an excess
profits tax, and was told the
committee felt the excess profits
tax more feasible.
Senator Gerry CD of Rhode
island dug into the inheritance
taxes carried in the bill, pointing
out that the rates were far in
excess of those in England.
Americas estate tax is much
stiffer than the death duties"
imposed in England, Gerry
pointed out.
A harrage of opposition to the
measure, on the grounds that it
will hamper industry and is
merely political "share-the-
wealth" scheme, was expected be-
fore the Senate Committee later.
More than score of repre-
sentatives Of business and indus
try asked to be heard. They de-
manded the Administration dras-
tically slash expenditures be-
fore levying new taxes.
The first break in Democratic
ranks in the House on the tax
bill came when 20 members from
the Rocky Mountain regions ap-
proved proposed amendments to
lessen the tax burden on mining
companies.
One amendment would exempt
gold mining companies from the
excess profits tax. Another would |
limit taxation Of sales of mines and |
oil or gas wells as it would apply
to only 20 per cent Of the sale
price.
The amendments, members
claim, are necessary to prevent |
''little fellows" who make gold or
oil strikes from being deprived
Of practically all profits. Repre-.
sentative Scrugham (DO, of Ne
vada. was chosen to lead the fight |
Tor the Western provisions.
Cant Be RusheI'
Chairman Doughton defended
the bill, which hikes taxes on in
comes of $4,000 and over, taxes
inheritances from $4,000 and
.$50,000, taxes gifts and boosts cor
poration levies. He declared:
1--WE can pass the bill by
Saturday If we work, but we
can't rush too much. You can't
hoe a row a mile long when it
Is full of briarS and stumps.
II think we have a good bill.
1t will raise S275, 100000 to $780,
100000. don't think it will
place an unbearable burden on