The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-06-06

which upsets certain pre-concelVed no.
lions of the politicians and increases
respect for the character of the Amerl-
can people. There has been a very
simple demonstration that in a nation
al crisis they have more courage and
more sense that their so-called lead
ers.
Certainly the evidence is strong
that both these qualities are more
inherent in the electorate than has
been believed by the political figures
now charged with formulating public
policies. Testimony as to that has
been given in the matter of taxes. 1t
has been of so convincing nature that
perhaps it will promote that honesty
in dealing with the people to which
they are entitled but which they have
not had.
For many years it has been basic
political belief that it is ineXpedient
to increase taxes in an election year.
Popular resentment has been taken
for granted and the invariable dis
position has been to avoid such ac-
ton. When two weeks ago the Pres
ident presented his defense program
he took the typical politicians posi-
ton on taxes. He evaded their I'M
pleasant reality, urged that the thing
to do was to get the money now and
the question of how to pay the bill
could be taken up later. In other words,
we were to borrow the defense billions
and put off the question of taxes until
after the election.
#*&
That was Mr.. Roosevelt's uncon-
cealed plan and it was acquiesced in
by Congressional leaders who assumed
with him that it would not do for the
party in power to increase taxes just
before the campaign. There, of course,
were some who insisted that this was
a dangerous policy and that it was far
better to face the facts. Senator
Harry Byrd, of Virginia, made a re-
markedly fine speech on these lines.
Senator Tydings, of Maryland, strong
ly insisted on both taxes and econ
omy as essential parts of any defense
program.
But, the change in the Administra-
ton attitude did not occur until the
White House secretariat discovered
that many thousands of letters adj
dressed to the President had been
pouring in, not protesting against
taxes but demanding taxes. Investi-
cation showed that other thousands
of the same kind, clearly spontaneous
and unorganized, were being received
by members of the House and Senate.
1t was an unprecedented demand of a
people not to be relieved of taxes but
to be taxed. But even after the vol
ume of these letters had been called
to his attention Mr. Roosevelt did not
Immediately change his position.
49,
The initiative came from Congress.
A movement to introduce a tax bill
along the lines urged by Senator Byrd
-to-wit, a ten per cent horizantal
increase in income taxes and ten per
cent increase in all other internal
revenue taxes-got under way in the
House. Senator Harrison, chairman of
the Finance Committee, asked for a
conference with the President and MI:
Morgenthau expressed his belief the
country wanted tax increase and
Congress wanted to enact one. Then
and not until then-did Mr.. Roosevelt
approve the plan to levy taxes to carry
defense appropriations. Then-and not
until then-did he abandon the idea
that these billions could just be Dor
rowed, the amount added to the debt
and the question of paying taken up
later. Now he is supporting the Dough-
ton tax bill, but he literally has been
prodden by the public on one side and
Congress on the other.
1t has been a remarkable exhibition
of people leading rather than follow
ing. In this instance it is the Presi-
dent who follows and the people who
lead. The perilous idea of borrowing
billions without any knowledge of
where the money is to come from has
been sidetracked by popular senti-
ment manifested through polls and let
ters. We are going to have tax bill
because the public has sense enough to
know that it is an essential part of a
defense and that its omission might
be calamitous
Yesterday Senator Byrd introduced
a resolution for ten per cent reduc-
ton in all Governmental expendi-
lures, including salaries of Senators
and Representatives, eXempting only
national defense and debt interest.
Two years ago he got % votes for an
identical resolution in the Senate.
There is a prospect today that, even
without Mr.. Roosevelt's support, it can
be passed
More than that-it would be clear