Evening star., 1939-11-26
Georgia Legislators
Back RooseveIt's
Defense Financinu
lndorse Special Tax
Plan at Conference
At Warm Springs
By the Associated Press.

bS tie AsSoCldteu FTeSS.
WARM SPRINGS, Ga, Nov. 25.-
President Roosevelt received from
members of Georgia's delegation in
Congress today an initial report and
a favorable one on the advisability
Of imposing special tax to pay
mounting costs of arming the Ma
ton for defense
Although Mr.. Roosevelt had said
he expected to talk Georgia prob
lens with the legislators, he did not
pass up the first opportunity to
get some index of congressional
opinion on defense levy.
He asserted at a press conference
yesterday that conditions in Europe
undoubtedly would mean that $780,
100000 must be added to this coun-
try'S expenditures for defense in the
year beginning July l, 1910.
With these expenditures going we'll
past the s2O000OO,0OO mark. the
President said it would be we'll for
the people to ponder this question:
Should the emergency defense
program be financed through bor-
rowing, which would add more mil
lions to the public debt, or be put on
pay-as-you-go basis and financed
by some new form of tax?
He got the opinion of some Geor-
gians today.
Vinson and Cox Impressed.
Both Representatives Carl vinson
and E. E. Cox told newsrnen at the
gate of the little White House here
they were favorably impressed with
the idea of a defense tax. Vinson.
chairman of the influential House
Naval Committee, said he believed
the entire Georgia delegation felt
the same way.
All 10 House members and l Sena-
tor-Richard B. Russell-trooped in
to the white frame cottage, where
the President is vacationing. Sena-
tor Walter F. George failed to show
up.
Senator George, whom the Presi-
dent tried unsuccessfully to purge"
from the Democratic party last year,
said at his home at Vienna. Ga,
that Mr.. Roosevelt had not invited
him to the meeting today and that
he had not been consulted about
the date.
The conference was arranged.
however, not by the President. but
by the legislators.
Mr.. Cox also has opposed a num-
Der of administration bills in Con-
gress, but of a tax to finance in
creased expenditures for defense he
said: ut impresses me most fa-
vorably."
Had Talked to Congressmen.
MIR. Vinson said he had been
thinking about that type of tax
for some time and had talked it
over with a number of Congress
men.
1T seems to me-" he said, this
generation ought to bear the burden
OF the cost of protection by an
adequate defense.
BY a proper adjustment of the
income tax in the lower brackets
and of the inheritance and gift
taxes sufficient money could be
raised to support an adequate de-
fense."
There was no explanation of what
Mr.. Vinson thought would be a
proper adjustment. Some legislators
although not necessarily for pur-
poses of providing funds for de-
tense, have been advocating smaller
income tax exemptions and higher
rates.
That would make taxpayers OF
persons with relatively small in
comes who now are covered by ex-
emptions.
While those who attended said 9
good part of the half-hour con-
terence with the President TODAY
was given over to pleasantries
Chairman Robert Ramspeck of the
House Civil Service Committee sale
ne had arranged to talk to the Chic,
Executive in Washington in De.
cember about bill to bring into thu
civil service Government agencie,
now outside. Mr.. Roosevelt, he said
Is very much interested" in the
legislation.
The parley with the Georgian,
was the principal event on the Pres.
ident's Saturday schedule.