Evening star., 1942-09-07


passed but one branch OF Congress.
By the time it is reported by the
Senate Finance Committee, Is de-
bated and amended on the floor
and then voted on, it will be the
middle of October.
1t hardly can emerge from the
conference committee until Novem-
Der !, and 1t likely will be after the
elections before the President signs
it.
In other words, millions of indi-
vidual taxpayers and every business
and corporation, big and little. will
have been kept In suspense for IL
months trying to figure out their
1912 taxes-the heaviest in history.
And it will be almost 1943 before
they will know.
Intolerable State Of Affairs.
Now, this is really an intolerable
state OF affairs. The public ought
not patiently to submit to it. No
administration has the right to sub
ject willing and cooperative peo-
pie to such an utterly unnecessary
strain. No adequate-or even piau-
sible-excuse for making so frightful
a mess of one of its most important
jobs has been-or can be-offered.
This indefensible delay in the
enactment of the 1912 tax bill Is
made worse by the quite obvious
fact that the bill, when 1t
eventually emerges. will be craven.
unjust, unscientific and terribly in
adequate measure which, while 1t
will satisfy no one, certainly will
add greatly to our fiscal perils.
This already has been made ap-
parent through the evasion by both
House and Senate, as by the Treas
ury. of the ultimately inevitable
sales tax-and in other ways.
Administration is Blamed.
Part Of the responsibility is upon
Congress, but largely the blame
rests upon the administration, be-
cause from 1t, in this emergency, we
are entitled to expect sound and
effective guidance. No one will con-
tend that we have gotten it.
This Nation is engaged in the
greatest and most deadly of al
wars. It's people are taxed more
heavily than ever before and are
prepared to bear the even heavier
taxes in prospect and to make every
sacrifice demanded with complete
cheerfulness.
The vast war expenditures i'm
pose upon the Treasury problems
Of financing greater than any ma
ton has ever faced The whole
Federal financial situation is one
Of unprecedented size and un.
dreamed-of complexity. 1t would
seem to require an administration
financial leadership of the highes
type. Perhaps, the best financia
brains in the country are not goot
enough to cope with these prob
lens, but at least we ought to hav'
them in Washington now.
Criticizes Treasury Chiefs.
Have we got them there now
To ask theNquestion is to be absurd
Everybody knows we have not. M
one, inside or outside the admins
tration, will claim we have. Blu
whom have we? We have Secretar,
of the Treasury Henry Morgen
thau, jr., and we have Undersecre
tary Daniel Bell
Mr.. Morgenthau is an earnest
honest, well-intentioned public man
but to regard him as one of tn
outstanding financial figures O
America is not possible even TO
his partial friends. Mr.. Bell, ,
former Director of the Budget, i
an excellent routine career man, bu
the idea of his coping single.
handedly with the gigantic war f.
10 iloo 1Cdliy bCll
able. AS for the Assistant Secre
taries of the Treasury they ar
mostly obscure men whose name
few can recall.
No Outside Talent.
In this crisis there seems no ex
; cuse for not drafting the big me-
of finance in the country and put
ting them to work in the Treasury
just as big men in industry hav
; been drafted and put to work o.
! production. But, that has not bee
done.
Our Federal fiscal policy and ia
leadership, such as 1t is, Is bein
formed and furnished by the Treas
ury with essentially the same policy