Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-01-14
Truman Submits
Plan 10 Reform
Revenue Bureau
Charles William Duvis
Nominated for Post
To Replace OIiphont
By Joseph A. Fox

~ SOSSPh ~. VA
President Truman today sent to
Congress the blueprint for his plan
to reorganize the scandal-ridden
Bureau Of Internal Revenue de-
claring that the strongest correc-
tive action" is called for by ''the
betrayal Of their trust" on the
part those tax-collection employees
whose wrong -doings have been re-
vealed.
The Presidential plan calls for
the abolition of the "a collectors
throughout the country. and the
revamping of the agency into as
districts headed by deputy COM
appointed under Civil
Service.
At the same time the President
nominated Charles William Davis
to be assistant general counsel Of
the bureau. succeeding Charles
Oliphant, formerly chief counsel,
who resigned at the height of the
tax-scandal furore. Under the
Presidents reorganization plan the
head law officer Of the bureau
hereafter will carry the title Of
assistant general counsel, and II
the reorganization plan is ap-
proved that job too will be under
Civil Service.
Calls Office Archaic.
In explaining a principal reason
for getting rid of "the archaic
statutory Office of collector of In
ternal Revenue" the President
said that since these now politi-
cally appointed officials ARE not
appointed and cannot be removed
by the commissioner of Internal
Revenue or the, Secretary Of the
Treasury and since the collectors
must accommodate themselves to
local political situations, they are
not fully responsive to the control
to their superiors in the Treasury
Department"
The plan becomes effective in
so days unless it is disapproved
by either house. ,
There have been grumhlingS
against the plan in the Capitol.
where it goes to, the House COM
mittee on Expenditures in Execu-
tive Departments for preliminary
action. -..-..-
Cites Hoover Report.
The President told Congress
that comprehensive reorganiza-
tion" of the bureau is necessary
both to increase efficiency and i'm
prove the machinery "for assuring
honest and impartial administra-
ton" of the tax laws.
BY bringing all personnel under
civil service, the President said.
that zone of the chief handicaps"
pointed out by the Hoover Reor-
ganization Commission would be
eliminated.
Several collectors and their
aides have been ousted as a re-
suit of the tax scandals, which
the President said have affected
only a "few" officials
Under the present collector sys-
tenn. he said, residence require
ments which prevent the shifting
of a collector from one district
to another serves as a handicap
either to promoting impartially
and fairness in tax law admins
tration or to giving the collectors
chances for advance
ment.
Seeks Higher Pay Scale.
The President also carried
through with his proposal to seek
a higher salary scale to attract
high-grade personnel to the bu-
reau and asked for the creation
of a maximum of 70 Offices with
pay in the higher brackets. In
addition to the creation Of the
Is new collection areas. the Pres
ident proposes to set up an in
spection service to serve as q
watchdog"
To improve administration fur
Their, the Offices Of assistant COM
missioner, special deputy and
deputy commissioner would be
abolished and three assistant
commissioners would take over
with specific areas of operation
assigned to each.
Meanwhile, collectors of In
ternal Revenue from all over the
country were in conference here
on the reorganization plan.
Revenue Commissioner John B.
Dunlap called today's meeting to
discuss what may be expected If
Congress doesn't kill the plan.
Many to Lose Posts.
Mr.. Dunlap has indicated that
many Of the GA collectors prob
ably will not be retained in the
reorganization, and that some
probably will prefer to leave.
He has said only Is of the col
lectors are career tax men, and
the district commissioners should
be qualified tax experts. Also,
Mr.. Dunlap has said Is Of the
present collectors have some out
side business activity. No outside
business interests whatsoever
would be allowed under the re-
organization plan.
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