Evening star., 1947-03-28
Tax Vote By House
Shows PubIic's S Stand
Smear Campaign Against G. o. P.
Fails to Block Measure
By Dauid Laurence

Fails to Block Measure
By Dapid Laurence
When the House of Representatives
passes a tax-reduction bill by virtually
a-two-thirds vote, 1t may be taken for
granted that the measure represents q
preponderant public sentiment.
The best indicator Of this is the fact
that 40 Democrats, out of the 173 who
voted, cast their ballots for the bill
along with 233 Republicans. Consider
ing that only three Republicans voted
against the bill, out of 236 voting, it
is evident that the Republican majority
is not only cohesive but it can COM
mand support on the Democratic side,
too.
For several weeks there has been
smear campaign waged against the Re-
publican Congress. 1t has been argued
that tax reduction would unbalance the
budget and bring other dire conse-
quences. The truth is the Democratic
Party is badly split One group is politi-
cally sagacious and is envious because
the Republican Party has been given
the opportunity to gain prestige through
tax reduction. The other group, Of
course, wants to keep on spending in
definitely. ...
Time Consuming Steps.
The spenders in the Democratic men,
bership in Congress are still the more
numerous inside the minority party and
one wonders what would have happened
II the Democrats had regained control
Of the House in last November,s elec-
tions.
If the Democrats were in control to-
day, the economy minded would have
been outvoted by the spenders and it
is questionable whether any such vote
Tor tax reduction could have been
mustered even with Republican help.
Without promise of tax reduction,
the Nation today would be in the midst
of runaway imitation and economic
chaos. The New Dealers have been de-
ncuncing the Republican Congress, and
the left-wingers have been assiduously
cuitivating the impression that the Re-
publican Congress has been bungling its
job. The truth is that delays were en-
countered because the entire congress
slonal structure has been reorganized
pursuant to legislation passed last year,
and no Congress in history has had to
face the reorganization Of committees
ana the rearrangement of procedures
which have been imposed on the present
Congress by statute.
Notwithstanding these time-consum-
ing steps, the Republican majority in
the House has given an example of
resoluteness in passing-within 80 days
OF the day the session began-a tax bill
which not merely fulfills the promises
made to the people in the autumn
elections but dramatically reverses the
tide of spending which, If not blocked,
would have bankrupted the Nation.
Bureaucrats Hid Truth.
The trouble about the tax-bill con-
troversy is that the bureaucrats in the
administration have been concealing the
truth. First, they put figures in the
budget estimates which were plainly
padded. Not only were receipts under
estimated but the expenditures were
placed much higher than they should
be. Then the President took the ridic-
ulous position of opposing tax reduction
"a olunder in politics if there ever was
one. .,r..., a., ...
The Republicans refused to be swayed
by the smear campaign and put through
tax bill. It will be revised in the
Senate. but the final bill is not likely
to be vetoed unless Mr.: Truman wants
to commit political suicide in 1913.
The fact is the American people are
tired of spendthritt government and now
want economy and an end to spending.
The consequence of the House action
will be felt throughout the whole eco
nomic system. 1t is breath of fresh
air after nearly IA years of wasteful
spending by the New Deal.
The Republican determination to full
fill the wishes of the people for re-
form should not be discounted The
time to appraise the Republican record
is when the present session adjourns.
And incidentally. there probably will
not be as many presidential vetoes Is
the left-wingers, with whom the wish
is father to the thought, would like to
see.