Evening star., 1944-02-19

better to salt away the $2,315 900 ,00(
of revenue obtained by the present
bill and go after the balance up tt
$4,000 100000 as requested by tht
President than to mix up the stu
alton with unnecessary hostilities
For there is a strong chance tha
if the bill is vetoed, there will be M
tax bill for another year, and thai
would be the Presidents fault ano
not that Of Congress. Mr. Roosevelt
of course, figures that if he vetoes
the tax bill, Congress would enact
the excise taxes which amount to
about $1.100,000,000 and that the
Treasury would get about 81 400 ,O00,-
600 from increased payroll taxes fol
social security so chat the tota
would be about S2,5O0,0 100000, OF
about $200,OO0,O00 more than the
pending tax bill provides.
Treasury Would Lose.
The social security tax increases
OF ! per cent on every weeks wages
to be paid by the employees and
per cent on the same weeks wages
to be paid by the employer begin
ming March l is in existing law, and
the pending tax bill would have
eliminated it, so that if the pending
bill fails to become law due to the
veto and the absence of two thirds
vote to override. the Treasury would
automatically get the 81 100000 900.
But on the question Of excise
taxes, the President might lose out
Congress will give him a bill with
identically the same provisions that
are in the pending tax bill when
the excise taxes are re-enacted and
the Chief Executive will be con-
fronted with the necessity of signing
it If he wants the revenues from
excise levies. 1t is quite possible
also that Congress may not even
pass the excise tax provision and
instead drop the whole business
till next November or December and
make a new tax law effective in
1945.
II the President just, wanted to
denounce the provisions in the bill
that he doesn't like or wishes to
argue for S10.0OO,OOO tax bill.
he could do so in message accom-
panylng the signing or accompany
ing any public announcement that
he intended to let the bill become
law without his signature. But a
veto does not make sense. Even
from a political viewpoint, it is
highly dangerous for the President.
Congress Controls Taxes.
The Congress has the right to
appropriate moneys and raise taxes.
This Is not an executive act. When
Mr.. Roosevelt vetoes the measure
on the ground that it does not pro-
vide enough money, while at the
same time throwing away the
chance to get $4,000 100000, surely
he makes a paradoxical and incon-
sistent argument.
There is also the further fact that
the Army and Navy are turning
back many billions from funds pre-
vlously appropriated and not used
1t is estimated that this might
amount to $4,000 100000. This
doesn't mean the money will not
be needed but simply that it can
be carried over from previous ap-
preparations.
With the President endeavoring
to bring about political unity in a
campaign year that is extraordinary
because of the fact that it occurs
In the midst of a perilous war, the
result of the vote might be political
chaos and disunity.
The tax bill is by no means every
thing that is desired. There are
provisions which the administra-
ton could denounce and win sup
port thereby among many groups
OF voters, but to set up the Execu-