, 1935-08-15
WASHINGTON
NV Raw Tunkmr

by Ray Tucker
Campaign - Politician insiders
brand the original senate
tax bill as the first overt sign OF BIZ
partison conservatives determine
ton to stop Roosevelt In 1888 II they
can. It was dictated by democratic
members who don't face reelection
next year but who hoped that tn
soak-the-poor provisions would make
political medicine.
Although 1t has been s~ide-tracked
by Pat Harrison 1t had q definite
political effect. The threat to tap
the little fellows pocket-book made
him actually conscious Of the size
and significance Of vast federal ex-
penditures. The howls from the
hinterland still echo through con-
gressional halls. 1t brought home to
the understood taxpayer that even
tually he must help to foot the bill
In a big way. Though the redraft-
ed measure spares him he may not
forget that.
And that Is the message which
democratic and republican conserv-
atives mean to convey. They never
expected their bill to become law.
All they hoped TO do was to weaken
the president.
Compromise - Senator Wheeler
and Public Utility Man Gadsden are
not bluffing when they say they well
come the question Of a~bolishing hold
ing companies as a 1885 political is
sue.
The Gadsden groups have spent
from S2,000,0 900 to 100000 to de-
feat proposals for outlawing holding
corporations. Even II they stave off
the extreme penalty In the senate
bill they must submit to stiff regu-
lation under the house bill. High
up spokesman for the utilities admit
privately that they would like TO
learn their fate right away. They
dread even more the sword Of un-
certainty.
MI. Wheeler knows that enactment
Of such g controversial measure
would be almost impossible at the
next session. Hair-raising propo-
Sitions will be barred from the cal
endar next January under q political
gentleman's agreement. Though he
prefers abolition he will content him
self with regulation in lieu OF no
thing.
Landon $50 GOaAers publicly de-
ride Bob Lucas poll Of presidential
preferences. They recall that the
Kentucky politician bears O. person.
al grudge against "the New York
crowd" because National Commit
teeman Hilles helped to Dust him
from his paid job with the nation
al committee. They think that he
would have obtained better cross
section Of sentiment II he had omit
ted his attack on MI. Hiiles from his
QUESTIONABLE.
But nobody at Washington SCOTS
at returns showing that Senator
Borah, Frank Knox and Governor
ALI Landon Of Kansas are leading
cc1tenders for the 1885 nomination.
They agree too closely with private
reportS reaching Washington. On
tie basis Of present sentiment these
three sons Of Idaho, Illinois and
Kansas viii enter the convention as
fsvorites +.
The poll boosts Mr.. Landon's stock.
The king-makers figure that MeSsrs.
Borah and Knox ought TO run well
because Of their unquestioned prom
tnence. But Mr.. Landon has tended
to his gubernatorial knitting. He
has refused to make speeches and
show himself around the country.
He has cut down expenses and given
a business-like administration. COP
bosses think they may need that kind
Of q candidate next year.
Sneaker = A group Of New York
bankers IN trying to burrow into
the liquor industry in the hope Of
gcneI Gus profile. They have already
acquired stock in companies manu-
featuring accessories. Now they seek
an opening in the warehouse field
In conference with treasury rep
resentatives they have urged the es-
Enlistment of more government
bonded warehouses for the storage
OF liquor. At present there are only
10 to each internal revenue ccIlec-
ton district. The distillers, Of
course. have their own private stor-
age plants. But the bankers argu-
ment Is that the Federal Reserve
banks won't rediScount distillers'
warehouse certificates. The bank
ers seem to fear that the distillers
might tamper with the liquor while
1t is under their control and thereby
jeopardize the worth Of the alcoholic
paper"
Old Internal revenue hands say
that this argument won't hold water
or liquor. According to them, the
distillers have too much at stake
to injure their product while In
storage. But the bankers proposal
may be quietly attached to a revenue
bill and sneaked over before the end