Evening star., 1948-04-29
.0Ieo Supporters Face
Closer Senate Battle
After House Victory
BY Chalmers M. Roberts

The fight to free oleomar-
garine from Federal taxes moved
to the Senate today and another
hot fight is in prospect there.
The House late yesterday voted,
260 to l06, to pass the Rivers bill,
repeating all taxes and license fees
on margarine. The oldest of these
taxes was imposed 62 years ago and
the dairy and butter interests have
kept them on the books ever since.
The smashing victory for mar
garine hackers proved their oft
stated contention that they could
win a repeal vote if a bill ever
reached test in the House.
In the Senate, however, the result
is expected to be closer because of
the more porportionate representa-
ton of the dairy States in relation
to Senators with big city constitu-
encies.
First problem to be settled Is the
committee to which the Rivers bill
will be sent by President Pro TEN.
Vandenberg. If he sends the bill
to the Senate Agriculture Commit
tee, its chances for approval there
are considered practically nil. If
he sends it to the Finance Commit
tee, where its hackers contend it
should go since it is a revenue meas
ure, the chances of favorable
report are considered good, though
by close vote.
Senator Thye, Republican, of
Minnesota indicated after House
passage yesterday that he and his
fellow dairy State Senators will "do
our utmost to defeat the bill"
On the other hand, both Senators
Johnston, Democrat, of South Caro-
lima and Pepper. Democrat, of
Florida predicted Senate approval.
AS in the House, most of the
Southern Democrats will be solidly
behind the bill because of its i'm
portance to cotton producing areas
-cottonseed oil is a major mar
garine ingredient. In the House, it
was the additional votes of Northern
Republicans from the urban areas
which put the bill over.
Senator Taft. Republican, OF Ohio
has said he is for some form of tax
repeal and his influence, as chair
man of the Senate Republican Pol
icy Committee, is expected to be of
major help to the bill.
One previous attempt in the SEN
ate to pass tax repeal measure was
defeated earlier this session, IS to
38. This was an effort to attach a
rider to the tax cut bill. 1t could
not be considered fair test, how
ever, since several members publicly
stated they were voting against the
rider on the grounds that it did not
belong in the tax bill.
Millikin Promises Action.
In addition, Chairman Millikin of
the Finance Committee told Sena-
tors that vote against the rider
would not be considered vote
against margarine. He has prom
lsed no delay in hearings if the bill
is referred to his committee.
Taxes to be repealed by the House
bill, sponsored by Representative
Rivers, Democrat, of South Carolina,
are 10 cents pound on colored mar
garine and quarter cent a pound
on the uncolored, mix-it- t-yourself
type. Also repealed would be these
Federal license fees: $500 for manu-
facturers, s480 for wholesalers of
colored margarine and 5000 for
white, s48 for retailers of the COL
ored type and $6 for white.
The taxes would end the day the
President approved the bill, while
license fees would continue at the
lower rates in each category until
July when they, too, would end.
House Fight Bittler.
Yesterdays House battle was one
of the most bitter and personal in
long time. Members traded
threats of retaliation and indulged
in name calling. much to the amuse-
ment OF crowded public galleries.
Two amendments. to force mar
garine manufacturers to market
their product in triangular or round
shape, were defeated, ia to 80 and
ll9 to 81, respectively.
The nearest the butter hackers
came to victory was on an amend
ment by Representative Murray,
Republican, r of Wisconsin to repeal
certain domestic excise taxes on
vegetable oils which are in COM
petition with cottonseed oil. This
uaS defeated - o7 70 1os