Evening star., 1936-05-17
The Wonders of Evolution.

The tentative tax program now be-
for the Senate Finance Committee is a
product of evolution" according to
Chairman Harrison. Evolution works
wonders, give it time or the urge for
adjournment. Evolution will make a
substitute claw for a hoof or even
change the complexion of a relief bill.
Evolution works wonders with the
greatest of ease. A few days ago the
House was passing relief bill formally
crowning Harry Hopkins king of all he
surveyed, shutting Secretary Ickes and
DR.. Tugwell into outer darkness. Re-
publicans insinuated that there were
plenty of loopholes in the bill that
would permit the leaking of millions for
"Tugwellian" resettlement. But to allay
such terrifying fears, Representative May
assured his colleagues that the chair
man of the committee just advised me
this morning that there were no funds
here that could be used by Mr. Tugwell
for resettlement."
A few days more and the Senate sub
committee handling the deficiency-reli
bill heard plea from Senator Wheeler
and other Senators for "Tugwellian"
undertakings-money to assure their
being carried forward. Preparations
we're also made to hear Mr.. Ickes, whose
testimony, it was expected, would be a
hard blow to Mr.. Hopkins. And if Mr..
1ckes was not heard, the result would be
that he would find himself in the posi-
tion Of remaining in an administration
that in effect had repudiated him and
all his P. w. A. works.
But then came the dawn. The Presi-
dent assured the press that both re-
settlement and w. P. A. will 60 forward
though, of course, on limited scale.
The President does not care who signs
the checks" Does it make any differ
ence how many checks are signed? Evo-
luton has worked its wonders. P. w. A.
and Mr.. Ickes are not discredited.
Tugwells "R A." will live and prosper.
If Mr.. Hopkins will still sign the checks,
the President will still tell him what
checks to sign.
Confusion in Congress? Well, not so
much confusion, for the rush for ad-
1ournment has already begun. Mr..
Buchanan issues formal protest that
Tugwell's "R. A" is out, inasmuch as
under the terms of the House bill W.
p. A. cannot transfer funds to the Re-
settlement Administration" Chairman
Adams of the Senate subcommittee
handling the defciency-relief bill post
pones committee meetings, possibly to
give the members chance to catch their
breath. There is, the Senators gravely
assert, a connection between taxes and
relief. The relief measure should be
delayed until there is some understand
ing about what taxes will be produced.
The odd theory is advanced that
dollar should be produced by tax revenue
before being distributed for relief.
Tax bill evolution is expected to take
care of that. The tax bill that passed
the House few days ago is now regarded
as dead-extinct as the dodo. A new
bill must be drawn in the Senate and
agreed to by the House. A feature of
the new proposal is to raise the normal
income tax rates, painful operation in
an election year. But not as painful as
to broaden the base of the income tax
and create more income taxpayers, as
Senator La Toilette would do. Perhaps
the process of evolution will yet produce
such bill. Almost anything can happen
In the next four crowded weeks, with a
Congress anxious to get away and a
President who doubtless would like to
see 1t get away. Evolution works fast
under pressure.
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