Evening star., 1948-01-07
Republicans Reilly
Against Proposal,
Promise Bottle
(Tert OF Message on Page As
By loseph A. Fox

President Truman today called
on Congress for an immediate
$40 "cost-of Living" income tax
cut for every taxpayer and de-
pendent, and an offsetting levy
of $4,000, 100000 on corporations
to pay for it,.
Colliding head-on with the House
Republican drive for a $500, ,000, 900
income tax slash to come from sur
plus revenues, the President told a
joint session of the House and Sen
ate in his message on the state of
the Union that the program-in the
form of credits s"-"would be par
ticularly helpful to those in the low
income group" in view of rising
prices, and that record income en-
abled business to take over the
extra load without hardship.
until imitation has been stopped,
there should be no cut in taxes that
is not Offset by additions at another
point in our tax structure" Mr.. Tru-
man said.
He did not specify how the cor
porate levy should be applied, but
suggested that provision should be
made to care for small business.
Republicans Gird for Fight.
Even before Mr.. Truman went
before a joint session of Congress
at 1870 pm, word of his tax pro-
posals had leaked out and were met
with Republican cries of political"
and "unsound" Influential COP
members of both House and Senate
left no doubt that they are all set to
fight the Presidents plan.
Because of its explosive potenti-
alities in campaign year, the
Presidents tax proposal served to
overshadow the rest of the 5000
word message In which he repeated
his demand for the Administration s
10-point anti-infation program,
with its provisions for standby price
wage control and rationing powers
and urged prompt action" on the
Marshall plan for aid to Western
Europe.
He called anew, too, far universal
training, and bespoke adoption of
a 10-year plan aimed at five social
and economic goals which he said
would "go far toward stamping out
poverty in our generation"
Civil flights Message Coming.
Mr.. Truman enumerated these as
follows:
/. "To secure fully the essential
human rights of our citizens" which
entails preservation Of civil rights.
A further message was promised on
this subject into which the Presi-
dent coupled recommendation for
statehood for Alaska and Hawaii.
2. Protection and development of
human resources, incorporating the
Presidents long g-standing proposals
for extension of social security and
a national health program and pro-
posing new Federal aids for educa-
ton. Housing and extension of rent
control were tied in also.
8. Conservation of natural re-
sources.
4. improvement of living stand
ards, with an increase to rs cents
hourly In the statutory minimum
wage.
5. Achievement of world peace.
While the Presidents message was
built along lines that doubtless will
find their way into Democratic plat
form construction this year, Mr..
Truman urged at the outset that
Congress and the President should
concentrate their attention, not
upon party. but upon country" in
dealing with the problems before
the Nation.
Marshall Plan Pushed.
Primarily the message was de-
voted to domestic matters, but Mr..
Truman emphasized the urgency of
the Marshall plan, and asked that
Congress authorize its contemplated
life to June so, 1852, although he
dropped the $1,000, ,000, 900 overall
cost label in accordance with the
agreement with Republican leader
ship earlier in the week.
AS backdrop for his specific
request for $1,000, 10000 to launch