Evening star., 1937-04-28
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Across Capitol Hill stalks the bogey
man of a higher tax threat If the
administration economy program is
wrecked Talk Is now common that
unless drastic retrenchment is instituted
with view to deficit reduction, if not
budget all sorts of revenue
raising measures are possible, and some
inevitable. Congressional leaders bent
upon damming the spending flood men
ton chiefly a sales tax and heavier rates
in the lower income brackets among the
levies that may be unavoidable. Cur
tailed exemptions are also freely dis
cussed. Tax experts like Chairman
Doughton of the Ways and Means Com
mittee realize both the political and
economic undesirability of higher taxes.
They are hostile to them except as last
resort, but insist no good purpose is
served by refusing to recognize the
gloominess of the budget outlook. Presi-
dent Roosevelt says there is immediate
need for careful survey Of the present
tax structure" That strikes nearly
everybody as unmistakable handwriting
on the fiscal wall. Whether the scare
crow Of new taxes will chasten spenders
into thrifty mood remains to be seen.
Enactment of more burdensome imposts
would come on the threshold of the
1888 congressional elections. That is
likely to cause many member Of House
and Senate to hesitate before backing
schemes designed to throw the budget
still farther out OF balance.
President Roosevelt has gone fishing,
serenely confident that his Supreme
Court program is sailing through as
friendly waters as he hopes for in his
battles with the tarpon of the coast
of Texas. The White House view is
that while great elements Of the profess
sional and business world, especially
lawyers, are arrayed against the admin
istration plan, the broad masses OF the
people, as typified by organized labor.
overwhelmingly approve it. F. D. R. be-
lieves that when decisive rolls are called,
back home sentiment will tell the tale
in his favor. Compromise talk persists
and will do so until the showdown Just
as the Supreme Courts attitude toward
the labor relations act was looked upon
as factor that might turn the scales,
it's now the position of the bench on
social security that is discussed as the
thing that may finally affect the vote.
The measures fate rests with eight or
ten uncommitted Senators. They'll be
the object of high pressure and vote
trading from both sides from now on.
George Rector, celebrated New York
restaurateur and authority on the culi-
nary arts, moves that hors d'oeuvre
hereafter be known as mavericks" in
honor of Representative Maury Maverick,
Democrat, Of Texas, who previously pro-
posed that the world famous but un-
pronounceable palate ticklers be called
"dingledoos" At banquet in his honor
the other night, Rector disclosed that
he had sent the two-f1sted Texas liberal
the following telegram: Suggest calling
the things mavericks A maverick Is
something that does not belong any,
where in particular, and any man can
put his brand on 1t If he can catch 1t.
And that fits the old-time free lunch
just as well as the fancy appetizers IN
the fanciest hotel in the country. Well,
why not?"
Maj. Gen. Friedrich Won Boetticher,
military and air attache Of the German
Embassy, will address washington units
Of the Organized Reserves Of the United
States Army tonight. His topic Is the
Battle Of Tannenberg" the famous en-
gagement in the East Prussian marshes
in August, 1914, when Hindenburg out
maneuvered and smashed the invading
forces of Czarist Russia and drove them
from German territory. Gen. Won Boet-
ticher did not personally participate In
the fight, but was . member Of the
Berlin general stan 1T the time Hinden-