Evening star., 1944-02-24
Tax Bi||Vote 1895:
Caucus Unanimous
In InRe-electing Leader
Senate Expected
To Take Similar
Action Tomorrow
(Rou Call Vote on Veto, Page A-z)


In open rebellion against Pres
ident Rooseyelt'S tax views, the
House today voted, 299 to 95, to
pass the s2,3OO,0O0, 900 new reve-
nue. bill over his veto.
Ninety-nine Democrats and one
minor party member joined 1879 Re-
publicans in voting to override.
Three Republicans, three minor
party members and SO Democrats
voted to sustain the Chief Execu-
tive.
The Senate is expected to dupli.
cate the House action tomorrow,
putting the tax bill on the statute
books, "the Presidents objections
Notwithstanding"
A rebellion In Democratic ranks
that reeled Washington back on its
heels preceded the House action.
Involved were Senate Majority
Leader Barkley of Kentucky and
Chairman Doughton of the House
Ways and Means Committee, both
of whom called for action overrid-
ing the President.
Today's House action was one OF
the worst legislative setbacks the
President has suffered since he took
Office in 1898.
Immediately after the overriding
veto. Representative Knutson of
Minnesota, ranking minority mem
Der OF the Ways and Means Com
mittee, issued a statement calling
for "a complete shake-up of the
policy-making personnel in the
Treasury Department
In joint statement yesterday
Mr.. Knutson and Mr.. Doughton said
they hoped the Treasury would
cease trying to obstruct when it
cannot dictate" indicating inability
OF the tax-writing lawmakers to
get along further with the present
Treasury policy making personnel.
Bill to Ask Separate Agency.
Mr.. Knutson said. Congress has
been unable to rely upon Treasury
tax recommendations. or the infor-
nation upon which such recommen-
dations are based"
The Republican tax leader an
nounced he was introducing TODAY
a bill to establish the Bureau OF
Internal Revenue as an indepen-
dent agency, so that it may serve
both the President and the Congress
unfettered by the theorists and star.
gazers in the Treasury"
The House galleries were filed an
hour before the motion to override
came to roll CALL and crowds
gathered in the halls of the Capitol
to catch even small glimpse of the
proceedings.
The S0-year-old Mr. Doughton de-
clared he had parted company
with the President on the veto
issue, saying Mr.. Roosevelts mes
sage reflected "on the Judgment and
integrity of the Congress of the
United States and that the Ex-
ecutive "has told us in effect that if
you'll accept my dictation and abdi-
cate your responsibility, I'll approve
what you do"
Mr.. Roosevelt's Washington birth
day veto message described the tax
bill as a measure for the relief of
the greedy"
Second Veto Killed in Year.
This was the second time within
year the President had been over
riden in the House. The antistrike
bill became law last June over the
Presidents veto the House voting,
244 to 108, to override.
Mr.. Roosevelt has been successful
twice since in having two vetoes sus-
tanned. Both of these vetoes pre-
vented the outlawing of food sub
sides as part of the wartime
stabilization program.
Mr.. Doughton was only one of
many House members who yesterday
blasted away at the Presidents veto
message.
Representative Camp, Democrat,
of Georgia, a member of the Ways
and Means Committee, asserted that
"the Presidents harsh and caustic
castigation of the Congress in this
veto message is unwarranted by fact,
uncalled for by the situation and
wholly unnecessary"
Representative Robertson, Demo-
crat, of Virginia, another Ways and
Means Committeeman, urged the
House to override the veto, declaring
that "over and above all else, vote
to override this veto will be a vote
not only to maintain our self-respect
but a vote to discharge the duty we
owe to those who elected U.S."
He added that the veto message
has raised vital issue of repre-
sentative democracy under a con-
stitutional form of government, in
which the power to levy taxes is
conferred upon the legislative
branch"
Sees Pressure Of CIO.
Representative Reed, Republican,
New York asserted the veto message
was directed against the free men
and women who, under our form of
government. are sovereign in their
own right" and Representative
Compton, Republican, Connecticut,
ascHbed the Presidents action to
pressure from the Congress of In
dustrial Organization
Representative Fish, Republican,
OF New York hit at the Presidents
assertion that the bill provided in
adequate revenue
1T Is certainly sufficient amount
added to the $4,000, 100000 per
year to take out of the taxpayers
pockets" he said. Probably it Is
not sufhcient to support the maze Of
bureaus headquartered in Washing
ton and the palace guard"
While the political repercussionS
may bear more profoundly on the
coming campaign, the immediate
effect of the congressional uprising,
ICaa THYRG 6ana a ol