Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1936-04-16

IN washington, we have heard little
49, :, about any govern
All Talk mental affairs ex-
About Taxes cept taxes. Every
one charged with re-
sponsibility for maintenance of govern
ment credit or the maintenance of the
supply Of cash to carry on the era of
spending is talking about taxes. 1t is
In truth the predominant subject, over
shadowing even the lobby investiga-
ton headed by Senator Black, Alabama
Democrat, with that committees record
OF obtaining private kilograms by SUBJ
terfuge.
1t really is not startling that every
one should be talking about taxes be-
cause, however you examine the Ques-
ton of government at this time your
analysis must inevitably lead back to
the question of the source Of funds.
And how could it be otherwise? We
have a national debt $5,O0O,OOO,OO0
larger than it has ever been before,
and still going higher; we have seven
or nine or eleven million people unem-
ployed-depending on the source Of
your information on this point-and
we are confronted with declarations
from President Roosevelt and his ad-
visers that more must be spent. 1t
seems perfectly obvious, therefore, that
saner minds should be examining the
whole economic structure of the ma
ton to determine from whence the
money is to come.
Congress is in the midst of working
out new tax bill. The house of rep
resentatives, where revenue legislation
must originate, according to the Con-
stitution which is still operative, is up
to its neck with the tax problem. 1t
is trying to work out a tax bill that
will carry out the White House orders
to take more money from corporations
by levies on SURPRISES along with some
minor schemes of taxation designed to
Increase the total somewhat.
During the time the house ways and
means committee was trying to formu-
late tax program on the basis of the
Presidents tax message, there was a
perfect deluge of tax discussion here
abouts. think it may be said in this
connection, also, that the house ways
and means committee did rather
ridiculous thing as a preliminary to
presentation of tax bill to the house.
1t actually began hearings on tax leg
islation without tax bill in legislative
language having been drafted. AS far
as I can learn, 1t was the first time
that witnesses were called in and
asked to testify as to the efficacy of
proposed tax legislation when there
was actually no language in legislative
form about which those witnesses
could testify, either for or against. All
the committee had before it was a so
called committee report" a statement
Of its views as to what ought to be
done and it was almost pitiful to wit
ness individuals who are expert on
taxation attempting to catch on to
some willo.the-wisp and say that it
was sound or unsound. Yet, that was
what Chairman Doughton, Democrat,
North Carolina, and his committee
asked them to do.
Perhaps I ought to explain for the
OChOhS Va thOoO AOb dN40dAAlCO Will
| tax legislation that there is nothing
so important in a tax bill as the
exact language. There are few
places in law where the use of a
particular word or the placing of a
particular comma makes so much diff
ference In tax law, the dotting of
an | and the crossing of are, in
deed, important.
One benefit has accrued from, this
situation, however, and 1 hope, as 1
-, believe everyone else
WheeteTs desiring good gov
Suggestion eminent and proper
laws hopes, that it
will result in a tax bill generally
more acceptable than has been pro-
| posed thus far. The maelstrom of
discussion that has arisen from the
house ways and means committee
hearings has made a good many peo-
pie "tax conscious" Being "tax con-
scious" at this time, a good many
men capable of thinking straight
have begun to offer suggestions.
have been receiving some Of them
myself and one that has come to me
has impressed me so much that
am going to use the substance of II
In this column. 1t comes to me from
Mr.. Harry A. Wheeler, widely known
business executive and banker of
Chicago. Mr.. Wheeler has been rec
ognized for quarter of a century as
man who is given to looking rather
far into the future and for his ability
to analyze problems, circumstances
and conditions on a long-term basis
rather than on urgency of current re-
quirements.
"Since the consideration of the cor.
porate surplus tax act began" Mr..
Wheeler wrote me, II have watched
the proceedings closely for some al
tentative proposal that would produce
substantial tax revenue and yet tend
TO strengthen the program of the adj
ministration to assure continuing busi-
ness recovery, create definite added
employment in Industries still down.
and lower production costs and prices
to the ultimate consumer.
mo one denies that increased fed.