Evening star., 1938-03-05
INCOME TAX PLAN
BACKING SOUGHT
Fair Taxation Committee
Outlines Plan for Civic
Bodies.

The Citizens Committee for Fair
Taxation took steps last night toward
obtaining city-wide support of its pro-
posed tax program for the District
program which favors a new income
tax plan and opposes any type Of
sales tax.
Meeting in the District Building
with about so ofiicial and unofficial
representatives of civic, labor ana
consumer organizations, committee
spokesmen outlined their objectives
and urged those present to seek the
Endorsement of their own and other
organizations.
N. Arnold Tolles, chairman Of the
committees Research Committee, said
the income tax plan drafted by the
committee at the request of Chairman
Nichols of the Fiscal Affairs Subcom-
mittee of the House District Commit
tee will be given further consideration
Monday. At that time, he said, spokes-
men for the Fair Taxation Commit
tee will meet with Mr.. Nichols to dis
cuss the draft of the bill.
Claim Taxpayer Representation.
Mr. Tolles, who is assistant chief
economist of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, and Arthur Bernstein, also
a member of the Research Committee.
explained the activities of the Citizens
Committee which, they declared, is
the only organization that truly rep
resents the views of the taxpayers Of
Washington.
I'VE are doing everything we can
under the present municipal set-up to
obtain a fair and equitable tax pro-
gram" said Mr.. Bernstein. How
ever, the final solution must wait until
Washington is given national repre-
sentation and local suffrage"
The principles Endorsed by the COM
mittee were set forth as follows:
l. The committee is opposed to any
type of sales tax or any other form Of
tax not based on ability to pay. 2. The
committee favors adoption of only
such taxes as are direct, visible and
based on ability to pay. 3. The COM
mittee opposes any punitive tax such
as lax OH CIldlll SlOTeS.
Varied Groups Represented.
Represented at the meeting by Off
cial or unofficial observers were the
Southwest Citizens Association, Cath
olic University, National Women's
Trade Union League, Dahlgren Ter
race Citizens Association. Phi lambda
Epsilon, the national educational fra
ternity; the Washington Newspaper
Guild, Consumers Council, Washing
ton Cooperative League. Constitu-
tional Crusaders of America National
Labor Relations Board, A. F. G. E.
Lodge; nine locals of the United Fed
eral Workers of America, Maryland
District Industrial Union Council,
Federation of Architects, Engineers,
Chemists and Technicians and the
National Federation of Federal EN-
ployes.
A number of these organizations are
afhllateS Of the committee. In addition
the Citizens Committee for Progressive
Action and the National Negro Con-
gress also are listed as affiliated bodies.
Mrs. John Boyle, jr., president of
Consumers Council and chairman of
the committee, said the committees
program has received the Endorsement
of Msgr. John A. Ryan. member of the
Consumers. Council; Clyde Mills, for
mer president of the Washington local
of the International Typographical
Union; H. Haines Turner, executive
secretary of the D. c. Cooperative
League; John T. Jones. president Of
the Maryland-District Industrial
Union Council. and Jacob Baker, presi-
dent Of the U. F. w. A.