Evening star., 1947-04-08
500 Plote Dinner
Held Job Investment

IUU-0-fI0Te Dlnner
Held Job Investment
Democrats Violate Spirit Of Law
to ,Replenish Campaign Funds
By Dapid Laurence
There is something incongruous about
$2l0,O00 dinner In which Federal Of
nceholders. lobbyists and politicians are
able to pay 500 . plate and the chief
attraction at the banquet il speech
such rs President Truman delivered last
Saturday night, intimating veto Of any
legislation to reduce taxes
Its against the law for Federal ONCE
holders to be solicited for political contri-
buttons, 20 the custom now is to hold Z
dinner for which the cost per plate" J" Is
announced as 500, when everybody
knows the bulk Of the money doesn't 20
for food but to replenish the political
campaign fund OF the Democratic Party.
Presumably to solicit 500 for banquet
ticket isn't soliciting campaign con-
tribution.
The Jefferson Day dinners are now
accepted political customs, despite the
fact that they violate the spirit OF the
law about soliciting campaign contri-
buttons. The average man, however, Is
bound to wonder why these politicians
and ofdceholders put up 500 apiece
and where they get such sums. The
lobbyists who want to curry favor doubt
less put it on their expense accounts but
the Federal oficeholder has to kick In
with q ticket at 500 to the banquet or
fall in the esteem of those who control
political jobs. II the Federal budget is
cut. certain jobs are terminated. Maybe
the 500 is an Investment" in Job.
Puzzle In Truman Logic.
President Truman's speech at the din
ner has produced considerable puzzle
ment because he declared against the
tax-reduction program of the Republi-'
cans and said he would support tax re-
duction "at the proper time" When
that time will be Mr.. Truman didn't say.
but on Capitol Hill 1t was assumed this
meant during the early part Of ls4s
when. If taxes were reduced and the
President signed the measure, the DO
litical benefits would accrue to the
Democrats instead Of the Republicans.
But If this is the logic, then Mr.. Tru-
man probably wasn't too well advised
on the nature and behavior OF political
Congresses. When Mr.. Truman vetoes
20 per cent tax cut this time, he will
find the Republicans putting up in is4S
much more difhcult proposition for
him to sigma deeper cut than In 1e47.
The President is not helping his party
by his adamant stand on tax reduction.
He is really helping the Republicans
unwittingly. For everybody knows that
the budget cutting which the Republ-
cans have started has really caused a
pruning of expenses and an elimination
Of various items that otherwise would
have been spent this year by the Fed
eral agencies.
Also the President has made serious
error already in calculation and hence
confidence In any statements he may
make In his veto message will be shaken.
Thus Mr.. Truman last January op-
posed tax reduction because, among
other things, he said the Treasury would
show q deficit of 81 l,o00, ,o0o, 900. It now
Is conceded that the Treasury for the
present fiscal year, ending In June,
will have surplus Of $4,000, ,ooo, 900. 30
this is an error of $4,000, 100000 which
the administration hasn't rs yet ex-
planned.
Errors Aid COP Case, 4
Errors in estimates amounting to
$4,000, 100000 lend strength to the Re-
publican case for tax, reduction. It
begins to look as If the surplus was there
all the time, but the Democrats didn't
want to admit it for fear public opinion
would be too strong and force the pas
sage Of atax-reduction bill. As It is,
the rank and file Of the Democratic
Party in Congress are feeling the pres
sure for tax reduction.
Representative O'Toole. Democrat, Of
New York, is quoted, for example, AS
having explained why he was one OF 40
Democrats to vote for the Republican
tax bill. He said.
II found out that everybody you spoke
to at home said: When are you going
to cut those damn taxes? Literally
everybody. Then you would start to
give them the argument, that, well, the
Republican bill would not help people
in the lower brackets much. And then
they would say: Well, 1t will help some.
And If you people buck it, we will get'no
cut at ALL"
This is the story of taxes in a nutshell
unless the Democratic party stops
blocking tax reduction, there will be no
tax changes at all this year. And all
the complicated statistical arguments
In the world in veto message will not
alter the fact that, despite q substantial
cash surplus and a substantial cut In
the expenses of Government, the Demo-
cratic President Is standing in the way
Of lowering taxes.
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