Evening star., 1942-02-13
Roosevelt UphoIds
Use off. !. A. Funds
To Pay Poll Taxes
President Says He Has
Always Opposed Such
Levies on Principle

President Roosevelt, declaring
he always has been opposed to q
poll tax on principle, said today
the Farm Security Administra-
tio:l justifably permits payment
Of such taxes as part of a gen.
eral living budget covered by
Federal funds.
He informed a press conference
that F. s. A. tenants have a bud
get which includes every necessity
Of life-food, clothing, bed to sleep
In, and taxes of all kinds. And
these budgets, he said, allow the
tenants to put down an item for a
poll tax.
At a press conference Tuesday,
the Chief Executive was told that
G. B. Baldwin. F. s. A. administrator
had admitted before a joint con-
gressional committee on essen
tial expenditures, that the F. S. A.
had paid poll taxes in Alabama.
Premise Termed Erroneous.
That, Mr.. Roosevelt said, was not
statement Of fact, and he declared
hat an erroneous premise had been
established both on Capitol Hill and
at his Tuesdays press conference.
At that conference, he said he did
not think the F. S. A. should pay
poll taxes, and at the same time he
described the agency as extremely
essential to the whole food situation
for the wars duration. He said to-
day that meeting a general budget
which included poll taxes does not
constitute direct payment of taxes
by the Government.
Last Friday, Mr.. Baldwin told the
committee that he regarded as a
perfectly proper thing" the F. S.
AS practice of CHASING poll taxes,
along with other taxes, as an allow
able expenditure in determining the
amount of a rehabilitation loan.
Mr.. Baldwin appeared after Pro-
bate Judge Robert K. Greene of
Greensboro, Ala, testified that F. S.
A. loan funds were being used to pay
poll taxes of the agency's clients and
that citizens of his community be-
lieved this was for the purpose of
Influencing votes.
Opposed to Poll Tax.
Mr.. Roosevelt answered In the
Affirmative whether he thought the
poll tax in the South had in some
instances kept poor people from vot-
ing and he said he thought that was
bad idea. He said he had been
opposed to poll tax all his life.
He quoted from an editorial in the
Montgomery, Ala, Journal which
asked why there was all the furor
about an individuals using money
loaned by the F. S. A. to pay a poll
tax when it was permissible to OBJ
tain from bank loan to meet
taxes. The editorial said that the
F. S. A. was the only bank a lot of
farmers had.
The President cited the editorial
In response to question whether he
thought the poll tax was a sound
one.
The type of mind of some persons
who have been discussing the poll
tax issue, he said, is like that OF
those who he said were thrilled
seven or eight years ago when there
was drive on to prevent people on
w. P. A. from voting. Why, he said.
there were cheers and yells from
people of that type of mind.
Baldwin Appears Again.
Mr.. Baldwin was before the Nom
Essential Expenditures Committee
again today and Chairman Byrd
questioned him closely on previous
testimony that the F. S. A. included
poll tax payments as proper ex-
penditures in considering F. S. A.
loans.
do you intend to continue this
policy?" Senator Byrd asked, re-
calling that President Roosevelt in
his press conference said he dis
approved of Government payment
Of poll taxes.
Mr.. Baldwin said he had received
no such information from the Presi-
dent, but said the President was
asked in the conference IF he
favored Government agency pay
ing poll taxes for a citizen and'the
President said: No"
IT agree completely with his state
ments," Mr. Baldwin said, but re-
iterated his belief that such expense
was a proper one in considering the
farmers economic station.
Asks Memorandum.
Senator Byrd asked Mr.. Baldwin
to submit later a memorandum tell
ing this committe what you intend