Evening star., 1943-03-31

but were unable to pass a Ways and
Means Committee bill that would
have abated no taxes. but provided
the 20 per cent withholding levy.
The Ruml plan contained the
same withholding levy as the COM
mittee bill, and some members
already were talking of a possibility
that the House might eliminate all
abatement" and other considera-
tions, and pass a simple withholding
levy-sending the bill to the Senate
for the abatement struggle.
Representative Carlson, RepubH-
can, of Kansas, author of the re-
jected bill embracing a modified
form of the Ruml plan. said, Il have
just begun to fight. I will continue
my efforts to secure the adoption
OF a real -as-you-go tax system
as proposed IN the Ruml- l-Carlson
pill. The milestone of income tax
debt must be removed from around
the neck of the American taxpayer" !"
The battle agains the Ruml bill
brought House Democrats the closest
together since the Seventy -eignth
Congress convened. In the voting
q Republicans sided with the 189
Democrats opposing the skip tax
year plan, along with l Progressive,
l Farmer-Ls borite and l American
Labor party member The 1872 Re-
publicans were joined by IS Demo-
Gratis and l Farmer-Laborite There
are 222 Democrats, 209 Republicans
and minor party members in the
House.
Hitherto. Republicans, with the aid
OF a group of dissident Democrats
have been in virtually complete con-
troll of legislation on the House floor
While the demand arose imme-
diately for a new try at getting out
some sort Of pay-as-you-go legisla-
ton. it appeared likely the battle
would not be renewed until the
House has taken a brief rest during
the Easter holiday
After Chairman Doughton said he
did not know whether the pay-as-
you-go question ever will come up
again." Mr.. Carlson announced he
will renew his battle in the Ways
and Means Committee and seek to
bring the measure before the House
again.
Democrats Cheer Vote.
Democrats, who had called on
the scriptures and higher mathe-
matics to lambast the Ruml plan,
sent up roaring cheer as the vote
was announced The Republican
leadership lined up solidly for the
proposal, while the Democrats
formed the opposition.
One by one the House defeated
pay-as-you-go proposals of varied
amounts of tax abatement, then
voted. 248 to 1853, to return the bill
to committee
The Republicans had fieeting
taste of victory when the House
in Committee of the Whole voted
1919 to 1873. to substitute the Ruml
plan for the bill drawn by Mr.
Doughton's committee.
When the issue came before the
full House. however, the Democrats
under Mr.. Doughton's leadership
mustered q additional votes and
the Republicans suffered a loss OF
one.
The Democrats. with the help of
a segment of Republicans headed by
Representative Gearhart of Cali
fornia, had charged the Ruml plan
would mushroom 100000 war-made
millionaires," contribute to infla-
| ton, injure national morale in war
time and rediStribute wealth in q
way that the well-to-do would be
enriched. Republicans, and some
| Democrats, denied all these conten-
tions, and charges of "demagoguery'
were hurled by both sides.
Robertson Plan Never Considered.
While various proposals were voted
on, the ost-discussed compromise
plan never was considered. This is
| the proposal by Mr.. Robertson and
sponsored by Rhode Islands Repre-
sentative Forand, both Democratic
members of the Ways and Means
Committee.
The House gave scant support to q
compromise plan by Representative
Luce, Republican, of Connecticut to
cancel 1912 tax liability on indi-
vidual taxable income up to SIS 600
1t was shouted down with a roar
of noes" and not a single aye coulc
be heard when the vote was called
Mrs. Luce, called to New York by
the death Of friend, DR.. Rudolf
Kommer, did not hear her amend
| ment shouted down nor q statement