Evening star., 1937-07-09

practices of the individuals named were
based on "hearsay from reliable
source"
The admission precipitated heated
exchange with Representative Vinson,
Democrat, of Kentucky
What are you doing except smear
ne?" Vlnson asked. You're appear
Ing here with lot of hearsay. You
refuse to tell us who gave you the in
formation"
Il certainly do" Fish snapped.
Tells of Evidence Offered.
Fish told the committee man
named Darbey, with an Office in Rookie
teller Center, New York City, had Of
fered to sell him photostatic evidence
that James Roosevelt and the Morgen-
thaus had employed some of the tax
reduction devices condemned by the
Treasury Department. He declined to
tell how much Darbey asked and said
he had not made any purchase of this
nature.
The witness brushed several times
with VinSon and once with Repre-
sentative Treadway, Republican, OF
Massachusetts. Once when he admit
ted not knowing just what practices
Elliot Roosevelt had followed to re-
duce his tax payments, Vinson
snapped:
About as much as you know about
the Others
That's your opinion Fish an
swered, mot mine"
Fish insisted throughout that he held
no personal i'll will toward any of the
individuals he named
Holding as high regard for the high
of1ce Of President as any member of
Congress" he said, Il feel. in view of
the fact that the President has de-
nounced these same legal loopholes as
evil practices and as immoral. un-
ethical and indecent, that do not be-
NeVe 1t to be fair or right to make
Roman holiday of a handful of eco
nomlc royalists and of Republican and
antl-NeW Deal campaign contributors
without exposing the fact that even
the President has availed himself. ac-
cordlng to his own admission, of legal
1oopholes about which he complains.
The remedy is that the administra-
ton and the Congress should block all
loopholes and make the law apply to
all equally"
Offers to Show Returns.
Wnen Fish had left the stand Sec
retary Morgenthau stepped up to in
form the committee he would be "more
than pleased to furnish the commit
tee with my income tax returns. those
OF my wife and those of my father.
and to allow their careful examination
by agents Of the committee"
After the committee had adjourned,
Vice Chairman Harrison, chairman of
the Senate Finance Committee, said
he thought the New York Congress-
man must have had a brain storm"
II he thought he had shown any tax
avoidance by Mrs Roosevelt in di-
rectlng her income to a charitable or
ganization.
Mrs. Roosevelt previously has been
quoted as saying she had diverted
some Of her radio income directly to
charitable institutions, as in the case
cited today, and had been advised by
Treasury officials that no income tax
thus was collectible.
At a recent press conference she
denied she had lodged any taxes.
"On every penny of income which
received she said, Il have paid my
tax"
SAAoinn Sfa rte Eorlv
Called tor the unusually early hour
OF $50 M, the committee was raped
to order before Fish had arrived.
After some discussion of how to pro-
ceed without the star witness, during
which Representative Vinson sug-
gested asking the aid of the sergeant
alarms, telephone call was made
and the New York Representative hur-
ried in.
Fish prefaced his testimony by say
Ing he would abide by the committees
wishes that the President not be men,
toned. He pointed out, however, that
he had intended only to remind the
committee of the Chief Executives
own admission some years ago that
he had taken advantage of exemptions
allowed by law. He did not wish, he
said. to make charges against the
President or to demand his returns be
made public.
IT'S childish" the New Yorker
said, ito contend that all tax evaders
are Republicans or any other party
members exclusively. We all know
that tax avoidance has been accom-
plished by Democrats as well as Re-
publicans."
Fish denied he was appearing to