Evening star., 1948-03-24
House Votes Tax Cut 289 to &C.
SendinqMeasure toWhiteHouse;
Veto by Tuesday Held Probable
Margin 52Over
Figure Needed to
Override Truman
Tables OF Weekly and Sen,imonthly
Withholding Tares Under Ne,D
Bill, Page 49,
BY the Assoeioied Press

The House today passed the
S4,800,0O0,000 tax-slashing bill,
sending it to President Truman.
The vote was 2S9 to 66. This is So
votes more than the two-thirds
which would be needed to override
a veto.
In the voting, "a Democrats joined
205 Republicans in support Of the
measure. Opposing were GA Demo-
Gratis and the two American-Labor
Party members. Representatives
Marcantonio and 1sacson.
The measure cuts taxes for all
the 100000 income taxpayers and
drops 100000 low income persons
from, the tax rolls.
Quick Veto Expected.
Mr.. Truman is expected to veto
the bill quickly. perhaps with a
message citing needs for more bill
lions for military preparedness in
the drive to stop communism. One
administration lieutenant at the
Capitol said the President will not
take advantage of the full 10 days
to draft his veto and will act by
Tuesday at the latest.
The question then will be whether
the bills hackers in Congress can
put it into law over his veto. 1t
takes a two-thirds vote in both
Senate and House to do that.
That test may come some time
next week.
Confident Of Overriding.
With large numbers of Democrats
deserting the President on the issue,
House Speaker Martin and Senator
Taft, Republican, of Ohio conf
IDENTIFY predicted veto will be over
ridden with votes to spare.
In the House debate. Representa-
tive Doughton, Democrat, of North
Carolina expressed hope a veto, If
there is one, will be overridden. Mr..
Doughton was for many years (when
Democrats controlled Congress)
head of the tax-writing Ways and
Means Committee. The present bill
was written by his successor in that
job, Representative Knutson, Re-
publican, of Minnesota.
The Senate vote on the bill last
Monday was 78 to II. But some
Democrats in both House and Sen
ate who voted for the bill might
switch and vote to uphold veto.
The House originally voted last
February for $500 ,000, 600 tax cut.
The Senate trimmed that down. One
purpose was to try to win enough
votes to beat a veto.
Cut Ranges to 1875 Per Cent.
As finally sent to the White House,
the bill cuts taxes 1875 per cent for
those with the smallest incomes on
which taxes must be paid. The cut
ranges down to 5 per cent on the
biggest incomes.
Under the bill all tax withholdings
from wages and salaries would be
reduced on May /. But the tax cut
would be figured from January l..
Taxpayers would get refunds next
year on overpayments between jan
uary and May 1.
Other main things the bill would
do:
/. Increase individual exemptions
from $500 to $500.
2. Apply to all States the COM
munity property principle whereby
husbands and wives may split the
family income for tax reporting
purposes. getting lower rates.
8. Provide special exemptions for
elderly persons and for the blind
The House vote came after a de-
bate marked by arguments from
some Democrats that Americas
stop-communism program will re-
quire expenditure of new billions to
build up military strength, and a
tax cut may throw the Treasury
again into red ink.
House Meets Hour Earlier.
Republican leaders called the
House into session an hour earlier
than usual to speed the bill along
to the White House.
The debate already was raging.
Before the gavel fell to open the
session Representative Gore, Dem
ocrat, of Tennessee, issued state
ment saying the President will soon
ask So ,0o0, 600 900 to 5000, 900 900 for
military purposes. including build
ing huge air force.
If this is voted, together with a
tax cut, the result will be to sink
us deeper into debt" he said.
Representative Allen, Republican
OF Illinois fired back with another
statement He said Congress can
cut taxes and vote money for de-
tense both if 1t docs not succumb
to all the squandering whims of the
New Deal bureaucracy supported by
(See TAXES Page A-6.)