Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-06-24
By CHARLES 2. STEWART
Central Press COluMnlSt

Washington, June 24-"NcNcr be-
fore" wrote Washington news cor
respondent TO his home newspaper
the other day. following an afternoon
of listening 10 proceedings IN the SEN
ate and house Of representatives,
has the American public manifest
ed so remarkable willingness to be
taxed as at present
This particular correspondent was
by no means the only congressional
observer who has noticed the aver
age citizens inclination TO carry any
financial burden that the lawmakers
see fit to lay upon him in the name
Of national defense.
It's been recognized on Capitol
Hill as hitherto infalliblc rule that
higher taxes mustn't even be limited
at in an election year. like this one.
The political party whose spokesman
refer favorabiy TO such 4 policy III
variably. in the past. have suffered
correspondence from the voters dis
satisfaction. subsequently expressed
al the polls.
1t initially was assumed that the
present situation was as usual.
That the outbreak Of the bltZ-
klcig rendered heavy military cN-
pcnditurcs by Uncle Sam urgently
necessary generally was recognized.
But the Bill?
But how to foot the bill was an
awful puzzle to the lawmakers.
Uncle Samuel owes SO much already
that they shranE from plcdglng his
credit Sull farther. Yet the only al
tcrutlvc seemed to be the imposition
of increased lcvics upon the tax
payers and in Il big addition IL Their
number, through Il broadening OF
the income tax base.
We'll. the SOlOnS were afraid To
adopt this latter course. They rock
unCd that they simply would be
guaranteeing their own political CN-
lincton in November if they Offend
cd 50 large Il proportion Of their tan
paying constituents.
Various schemes were discussed,
bv which several Of the legislators
calculated they might cOntrivc 10 run
Inc cOIintry farther into debt for de-
lCnSivc purposes under cover OF
some sort of bookkcCpcrS slCight-ol-
hand that would conceal the fact
that VIC merely were running farth
CT and farther into the rcd.
The plan didn't promise very well.
however, For ono thing, ii was OBJ
viuuS that many people would see
through it from the first And cvi-
IDENTITY il couldn't be depended ON to
runl anybody except for little
while. q,
by this time the indications were
becoming manifest that here's i'm in ,
stance i'm which the idea of higher |
taxation isn't resented as ordinarily /
it is.
Press Comment
Tn" pres: began Commenting ON .
il, a. an extraordinary situation.
Editorial writer's put forward thc
suggestion, Higher ta\c@ ~" me
vitablc eventually; why not now"
Lately, their home mail has been
bringing in To senators and repre-
scntativcS the advice Ia 20 ahead
with the whole defense taxation
program without further delay or
attempts ut camuUrlagc.
It's unprecedented all right. Leg
IslatorS scarcely can believe their
eyes and ears. Their best judg-
mcnt is that the American people
really are alarmed for the safety
of their sort Of democracy unless the
new world is loaded for bear"
One other consideration is men
toned by some Of the lawmakers:
Our present pro-high-taXation tan
payers are urging higher taxes in
the future: not right now. If there
are To be increases they must be
voted in a hurry. but they wont
be colIectable until the next fiscal
CIr rolls around.