Evening star., 1937-06-18
BY JAMES r CHM

Stripped Of its controversial income
tax plan, the badly battered District
revenue Dill was finally passed by the
House today and sent to the Senate to
meet its ultimate legislative fate.
BEFORE the measure was permitted to
leave the House with its o. k. however.
separate votes were taken on three
OF the major amendments written into
1t yesterday during hectic six-hour
pattle. Each amendment was ap-
proved.
one OF the amendments completely
removed the income tax plan from
the bill and substituted a 2o-cent in.
crease IN the real estate levy. which
Will Jump the rate from $3.50 to sl,7o
III the new fiscal year beginning
July /.
Inc other two were sponsored BY
Representative Dies, Democrat, Of
Texas
His first amendment, substituting
higher rate schedule under the in
herltahce tax rate than proposed set
up IN the original bill in order to soak
the rich was approved by a l53-45
vote
The other, placing graduated tax
on chain stores, was adopted, l3l
to So.
Mrs. Norton Resents "Sniping."
After the House finally passed the
bill, Chairman Norton of the District
Committee. who was absent during
debate on the measure because of a
death in her family, took the floor
and in five-minute speech praised
the special subcommittee of the Dis
trlct Committee that framed the tax
program for Its hours of work"
She said the work of the District
Committee was very much misunder-
stood and very little appreciated by
members of the House"
"As soon as the District Committee
brings a bill to the House floor" she
declared, certain members who have
been unfamiliar with the committees
work begin sniping at it,
Mrs. Norton said that work on the
District Committee docs us no good
at home She added. however, that
the District depends on us"
She concluded with a plea to House
members to give the District more
power for self government. Even
| though complete suffrage plan might
not be adopted, she said, bill giving
the Commissioners authority to adopt
ordinances should be able to pass the
House.
Rnnr0a pi1l Al
Almost simultaneous with the pas
sage of the tax bill, Representative
Kennedy, Democrat, of Maryland. who
served as chairman of the special tax
subcommittee, announced he was pre-
pairing bill designed to reorganize
the District government in the interest
of efficiency and economy. The meas
ure, he said, also would give the Dis
trict greater control over its own
affairs by broadening the powers Of
the Commissioners.
Kennedy did not reveal the details
of the proposed bill, but said he would
have it ready for introduction within
a week or 10 days.
Framing of tax program was only
one of the duties assigned to Ken
nedys subcommitte at the time of its
creation. 1t also was directed to
study the set-up of the municipal gov.
ernment with a view to recommend.
ing plan of reorganization.
Delay Is Threatened.
AS soon as the House convened 1t
appeared that final action on the tax
bill was headed for delay in view Of
parliamentary tactics adopted by Rep
resentative Dirksen, Republican, Of
Illinois. who championed the Inflated
income tax plan as member of the
Kennedy subcommittee. He forced
all members in the chamber to an
swer a roll call on point Of no
quorum.
Later. he insisted on a separate vQta
(See TAX, Page A-4)