Evening star., 1950-01-19
Long 0Ieo Battle Near
Close as Senate Kills
Tax in 56-fo-16 Vote
BY Cecil HoIIond

4cpedllIlS feOeral taxes on Oleo-
margarine neared an end today.
BY a crushing vote of Sc to 16,
the Senate last night adopted
the tax repeating measure. The
f1nal vote came after the Senate,
working into the night, beat down
a succession of civil rights amend
ments and another seeking repeal
Of wartime excise taxes.
All that remains now is the ad-
1ustment of minor differences with
a House-passed bill. Oleomar-
garine supporters saw no diff
Guilty in doing this.
First Major Bill of Session.
Then the measure will be sent
to the White House for President
Truman's signature, thereby end.
ing regulatory taxes on oleomar-
garine, some of which date back
to 1886.
The repeal bill had been under
consideration for nearly two weeks
and is the first major piece of leg
islation completed in the second
session.
Before the final vote, the Senate
rejected by lop-sided votes three
civil rights amendments offered
by Senator LANCER, Republican, of
North Dakota.
Changes Ruled Irrelevant.
, His anti-poll tax and fair en-
ployment practices amendments
were beaten by Identical votes,
So to IT. BY an earlier vote the
Senate showed under anti-lynch-
ing amendment, so to 20.
They were beaten after the
Senate leadership described them
rs moves to block the oleomar-
garine repeal bill, as having no
place in the legislation under
consideration, and issues that will
be considered separately later in
the session.
The Senate also defeated by a
vote Of 43 to 80 another move
to tie wartime excise tax cuts
to the oleomargarine bill.
This proposal was offered by
Senators Butler of Nebraska and
Mccarthy of Wisconsin, both Re-
publicans. 1t was supported by
Senator Taft, Republican, of
Ohio, who contended. that the
House has refused to act on cut
ting excise taxes. He said sales
OF many products covered by
such levies have been practically
eliminated" since reports became
current that President Truman
would ask for some reductions.
Chairman George of the Senate
Finance Committee led the oppo-
sition to the excise tax amend
ment. He made it plain, as he
has in the past, that ne favors
such cuts, but believes they should |
originate with the House Ways
and Means Committee.
Similar amendments were beat
en- when the Senate defeated a |
dairy-State substitute for the oleo-
margarine bill in the critical vote
on the legislation on Tuesday.
Senator Aiken, Republican, of
Vermont, leader of the so-called
dairy bloc, Joined with 81 other
Republicans and "a Democrats in
voting finally for the repeal bill.
Among the 16 votes in opposition
were those of four Democrats
Senators Magnuson of Washing
ton, Elbert Thomas of Utah,
Humphrey of Minnesota and Tay-
lor of Idaho.
The bill will become effective
July /. 1t will end taxes of 10I
cents pound on yellow oleo-
margarine, one-quarter of a cent
a pound on the uncolored variety
and levies ranging from So to
$500 a year on retailers, whole
salers and manufacturers.
AIucuolIleuIS WrlLCen InCO the
Senate bill that will have to be
adjusted with the House version
include provisions that public
eating places serving oleomar-
sarine will have to so inform their
customers by posters. by labelling
or by serving it in q triangular
shape. Retail packages would have
to be triangular in shape and not
more than one pound in weight.
These were written into the bill
to prevent oleomargarine from be-
ing disguised and sold or served
as butter.
The legislation leaves undis-
turbed laws in 16 States barring
q