Evening star., 1947-04-10

Yoeman 1fc James Burt and Mrs.
Burt at their home in the first
block Of Galveston place S.W. at
about 7 am. on April and that
he was travelling at 48 miles an
hour to the Bethesda Naval Hos.
pital when Pvt. Bowen arrested him
tailers. and Aaron Goldman, presi-
dent and general manager Of q Gig
arctic vending machine company.
If such a tax is enacted, Mr.
Goldman. said, vending machines
should be placed in the same license
category as retailers under the bill
and the proposed license fee reduced
from IS to 81.
Ford E. Young, representing the
ice cream section Of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association,
urged that ice cream and ice cream
drinks be considered milk or food
rather than confectionery under the
proposed sales tax. The bill as now
drawn excepts food, but not confec-
tionery. !
Objections to the sales tax were
voiced at the hearing yesterday
afternoon by spokesmen for the
District American Legion, the
Merchants and Manufacturers As
sociation, which went on record
against a levy on coal and fuel
oil; the Washington Industrial
Union Council (CIO); the Ma
tional Association Of Colored
Women, the League Of Women
Shoppers, the Macarthur Boulevard
Citizens Association, the North
Randle Community Citizens Asso-
ciation, and the District Women's
Anti-Sales Tax Committee.
Rufus N. Lusk of the washington
Taxpayers Association indorsed
the sales tax as the only practical
method of collecting from all who
should pay taxes, such as those who
live outside the District and earn
their living in Washington and the
millions of visitors who flock here
every year"
The plan came in for an in
direct line Of attack from ma
tional and local candy and confec-
tionery manufacturers. Philip Gott
of Chicago, president Of the Ma
tional Confectioners Association;
Harold o. Smith, manager of the
associations Washington ONCE; G.
e. Steidell, vice president Of the
Fannie May Candy Co. here; G. M.
Mcmillan, executive secretary of the
National Candy Wholesalers Assor
citation, and Gordon Peyton,, attor :
Fney for the Chocolate Candy Manu-
facturers' Association, comprised
this group.
Displaying charts and boxes of
candy to illustrate nutritional
values, the industry spokesmen de-
clared their products should be
exempt from the proposed sales tax
as food would be. They asserted
that candy and confectionery prod
ucts are not luxtries. s'sai@'sss
Civic Leaders Heard.
Yesterdays all-day hearing gave
about 80 individual citizens and pri-
vate business representatives an
opportunity to tell their views on
specific tax proposed. Most Of the
witnesses at the morning session
leveled their fire against the one
cent increase in the gasoline tax.
William H. Payne, vice chairman
Of the Legislative Committee of the
District American Legion, led the
afternoon witnesses with an attack
on the sales tax.
"A sales tax Is q last-resort tax
and is usually proposed when
revenues are critical or when ambi-
tious ofiice holders feel the people
are not organized to oppose It," he
said. 1.-THE little people will pay
approximately / per cent Of their
income on q 2 per cent retail sales
tax, even where food and medicine
are exempt. Findings Of our COM
mittee disclose that persons Of the
highest income will pay one-third
of per cent Of their income"
Lester s. Scott, representing the
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation, told the joint subcommittee
a sales tax on coal and fuel oil
would be "unsound In principle and
difficult to administer" # such q
tax were applied to that kind of
fuel, it should be applied to elec-
trical energy here, he added.
Edward L. Merzereau of the North
Randle Community Citizens ASSo-
citation, opposed a sales tax and
an increased gasoline tax but advo-
Gated q graduated income tax with
rates ranging between u Of Il
per cent on incomes below $500
and per cent on incomes over
$4,000.
Shoppers Stand Given.
Mrs. Frances Litchenburg of the
League of Women Shoppers and
the Macarthur Boulevard Citizens
Association, opposed the sales tax
under any conditions"
Mrs. Geraldine Rhodes, speaking
for the National Association OF Col
ored Women, protested against the
sales tax as unfair, especially to
large families.
Mrs. Gertrude Evans, executive
secretary Of the Washington In
dustrial Union Council (CIO), said
sales tax should not be levied
at a time of rising prices. She
added that the income tax should
not only be collected on a broader
base but that rates should be raised
to as high a per cent on incomes
over $4,000.
The District property tax should
be increased to provide another
Sc. 900 900 and the Federal payment
nAne nnAune