The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-12-09
SEEN and HEAR
around the
NATIONAL CAPITAL
R Carter Field
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

sions) comes from politicians anx-
ious to curry favor with the Negro
voters in their districts or states.
Whether it really pays dividends in
votes is a moot question. Actually
Mr.. Dyer was almost defeated by
a negro Democratic opponent de-
spite his prominence in this cause.
And the Republican negro, Oscar
De Priest, was defeated by Demo-
cratic negro in Chicago, who still
holds the seat.
To Cut State Powers
But interested also in the drive
are group which believes the best
interests of the country will be
served by extending federal powers
and decreasing state powers. This
group has splendid object lesson
for its argument in the activities of
the Omen. They point to the
achievements of these federal men,
and to the gains made in the war ON
automobile thefts since transporting
a stolen car across a state line
would bring the federal detective
agencies into play.
There is a good deal to be said on
both sides, but the fact remains
that while the South is still strongly
Democratic, and follows the New
Deal in somewhat laggardly FASH
ion because of its party regularity,
it is still unconvinced ON the old
states rights issue. 1t wants to re-
tain state rights and powers, though
of course it wants its full share, and
a little bit more If it can get it. of
federal spending.
So the South views the anti-lynch-
ing bill with suspicion. Many of the
Southerners fighting it in the senate
and house would be tickled to
death to have Omen 60 after the
leaders of lynching mobs--if they
were sure it would stop right there.
This does not mean that there are
not some Southerners remaining
who believe lynching is occasionally
necessary.
Strange Maneuver
A pork-barrel log-rolling hill in
reverse is the strange maneuver
which--just possibly-may send the
present congress down In history as
upsetting every tradition OF political
legislative bodies.
The possibility of such an extraor-
binary proceeding is occasioned by
the tremendous public demand for
revamping the tax legislation, SO
that green light may be given
business and the return of prosper
ity. 1t is complicated by the fact
that for every dollar of lightened
tax burden on the corporations an
other dollar must be imposed in
some other form of taxation-unless
that dollar is saved by restricted
spending.
Prediction expert Emil Hurja said
to some friends few weeks back
that congress would surprise every
body by simply refusing to grant
the administration appropriations OF
anything like the volume of the last
few years. The former ace lieuten-
ant of James A. Farley was greeted
with smiles when he made this as
sertion. The smiles may still have
been justified, but there is begin
ming to be possibility that con-
gress will actually do job of budg-
ct slashing which will bring very
deep pain to Harry L. Hopkins and
Harold L. Ickes, to mention just
two of the officials most in danger
from the pruning knife.
Sen. Pat Harrison, chairman OF
the senate finance committee,
shocked his colleagues considerably
the other day by stating that if the
strong senate bloc advocating repeal
of the undistributed corporation
earnings tax succeeded it would be
necessary either to impose a sales
tax or 60 after incomes SO small
that they are now exempt.
Harrison fastened to add that he
had always opposed sales tax and
still did. His main point was that
it might be possible to modify, but
not to repeal the undistributed earn.
ings tax. For the same reason
that the Treasury could not spare
the revenue-he opposed repeal OF
the capital stock tax.
Needs the Money
The point is that the Treasury not
only needs all existing revenue, il
needs more if the budget is to be
balanced. Whereas politics as well
as consideration for the small in
come families makes taxing them
any more highly Objectionable, es-
pecially if the tax is to be direct
so that they can see it.
Which confronts congress with the
only alternative, as its leaders now
view the situation--to cut expendi-
lures to the bone.
This would be all very we'll If il
were not that each individual sena-
tor and representative wants to keep
the money flowing from the Treas
ury to his particular state or dis
trict. That is the traditional basis
for log-rolling. Senator A wants an
appropriation for his state, but tc
GET If he has IN aurna m vofa for