Evening star., 1948-03-25
Tax Bill Vote Switches
Likely Over More
Billions for Defense
BY the kssoeioisd Press

BY the Asseeiatsd Press
Reports that President Tru-
man soon will propose new bill !
lions for defense prompted vote
switching talk today among
Democrats who cast previous bal
lots for tax cutting.
Republican leaders insisted, how
ever, that not enough shifts will oc-
cur to uphold Mr.. Truman's virtu-
ally certain veto of their $4,000, ,000,-
900 tax reduction bill.
That measure completed its first
trip through Congress yesterday.
The House rolled up a humping
289-to-67 talley-51 votes more than
the two-thirds majority needed to-
override q presidential rejection.
Cox Raises Question Of Shift.
The Senate passed the bill on
Monday by count Of rs to 11-or
18 votes to spare If the lineup re-
mains the same on the veto test.
Representative Cox, Democrat, Of
Georgia, who voted for the tax cut
yesterday, raised the possibility to-
day of a wide shift of votes, includ-
ing his own. He told newsmen:
Reports now are that the Presi-
dent will ask for large sum of
money for the Air Force and for
atomic energy, about $4,000, ,000, 900
more. This would greatly change
the whole matter.
If the President shows Congress
that this 81 300, 900, 900 is needed to
protect this country-and I believe
he has understated the world emer-
gency-it Is my belief Congress will
sustain his veto of the tax bill"
Knutson Says Line Will Hold.
To this Representative Knutson,
Republican, of Minnesota, author of
the original Sc 500, 100000 tax meas
ure which the Senate pared by ST.
700,000,000 to WOO Democratic votes,
retorted:
"If the President asks for more
billions, that will be done in the
vain hope of stopping tax reduction.
We have been fooled so often it will
take something better than that"
House Speaker Martin and Sen
ator TAFT, Republican, of Ohio also
insisted the tax cutting lines will
hold.
In the House voting yesterday,
81 Democrats deserted the admin
istration to join 205 Republicans in
support of the measure. Opposing
were "a Democrats, a single Repub-
lican and the two American-Labor
Party members from New York.
Pepper May Reconsider Stand.
Mr.. Cox was not alone in indicat-
ng the possibility of a shift in
Democratic votes.
Senator Pepper, Democrat, of
lorida, who voted for the tax cut,
aid he will reconsider his stand "if
he President shows it is imperative
o forego this tax reduction now."
Representative Colmer, Democrat.
of Mississippi said he had been
dead set" for tax reduction but
Il am not so sure now"
However, Representative Dough-
ton, Democrat of North Carolina
who managed tax legislation when
Democrats controlled Congress, told
he House during its debate that
I a veto comes he hopes Congress
will override it,.
Mr.. Truman is widely expected
20 send his veto message to- Con-
less early next week, although he
IS 10 days in which to act.
The tax bill would affect all of
le 100000 taxpayers and would
move 100000 low-income persons
ON the tax rolls completely.
Lone Republican Opponent.
o. 1t wasn't until late yesterday that
he lone Republican vote against
he bill was recorded officially.
What happened was that Repre-
sentative Morton of Kentucky was
standing at the door of the House
chamber during the roll call, wait
ing to cast his vote and then hurry
to catch a train for New York
He called out mo" and then ran.
The tally clerk, apparently surprised
to hear a negative vote from the
Republican side, called his name
again. But Mr.. Morton had left.
He first was recorded as not
voting. Later. at the request of
Representative Meade, Republican,
of Kentucky and Majority LeoEer
Halleck, the official roll call was
changed.
Mr.. Morton had issued state
ment earlier yesterday in which he
said events of the past siX weeks
had caused him to reverse his pre-
uiolls stand in favor of tax cutting