Evening star., 1947-05-26
Tax Cut Delay
Faces Test in
Senate Today
Republicans Predict
Defeotof GeoresM
Despite Defections
sy the Assesie,.d Press


reached its first road block to-
day with Republicans confident
they can pass the measure this
week.
A vote was set for pm. on q
Democratic motion to postpons
Senate consideration of the House.
passed legislation until June 10
the date minority party members
contend clearer picture of budget
cuts viii be available.
Republican hackers claimed tbs
votes to beat the motion, even
though they might lose the support
of two or three on their side.
Senator George, Democrat of Geor-
gia, author of the deferment pro-
posal, was less confident, but he
expressed belief the Democrats.
with the possible exception of Sen
ator O'Daniel of Texas would back
him solidly.
Counting a few absentees among
the Democrats, they would need
four or five Republicans to put of
consideration until next month.
Taft Asks Quick Passage
Chairman Taft of the Senate
Republican committee. voiced q
radio appeal for speedy passage of
the measure last night.
IF the bill Is not passed now"
the Ohio Senator said, "It will be
too late to put In the reduction on
July because new tax withholding
tables have to be furnished to all
employers"
Senator Taft also disputed Demo-
cratic reasoning behind the delay
motion.
"We know approximately as much
about it fthe budget picture) now
as we will three weeks from now,
and so do the Democrats" he in
sisted.
Senator Taft said, there is no
danger whatever of not balancing
the budget" next fiscal year. and
there is every reason to expect
we can make another tax reduc-
ton a year from this time"
The Senate tax battle held the
full spotlight at the Capitol.
Death Causes Delay.
The House had planned to open
debate today on an Agriculture
Department appropriation bill trim
med 80 per cent below White House
requests. But the death Saturday
of Representative Bradley, Repub-
lican, of Michigan resulted In the
usual decision to adjourn for the
day after a perfunctery session.
Democrats. who have been blast
ing the Appropriations Committee
cut In farm outlays, won support
over the weekend from Senator
Aiken, Republican, of Vermont.
The New Englander. who fire.
quently is at odds with his own
party, told a reporter he thinks q
20 per cent cut in administrative
expenses could be made without
touching off too much political
dynamite.
But If the action of the House
committee In scuttling some of
these Government programs stands"
Senator Aiken declared, "it's going
to blast the Republican party off
the map"
Sees Loss Of Farm Votes.
Senator Young, Republican, Of
South Dakota, member of the
Senate Appropriations Committee,
said he feels the Republicans al
ready have lost political ground in
the midwest because of sentiment
among many farmers that some
members of the party are attempting
to make agriculture bear the brunt
of economy moves.
The S569,141, 900 agriculture ap-
preparations bill Is cut $235 ,427 900
below President Truman's estimates.
but some of the funds whacked of
by the committee, particularly those
for the school lunch program. are
expected to be restored.
Senators Aiken and Young served
notice that if the House fails to re-
store these and some other cuts,
there will be Republican as well as
Democratic support in the Senate
for increases.
Senator George Is expected to vote
for the pending tax bill even If his
motion to postpone Is defeated. He
predicted the House will accept the
Senate version, making the cuts
effective July | instead of last Janu-
AIRY /.
Hope for Truman Approval.
President Truman has opposed
tax reduction at this time, but some
Democrats are hopeful he will sign
whatever bill Congress sends him.
Chairman Millikin of the Finance
Committee, in charge of the bill,
said once the Senate gets over the
hump Of the deferment motion
(See TAXES, Page A-4D