Evening star., 1953-04-16
The Political Min
Appropriations, Taxes
Posing Knotty Problems
Schedule Aims at Ending
Supply Bills Work in June
By Gould Lincoln

most interesting subjects, outside OF
Korea and the cold war. with which
the Eisenhower administration has to
wrestle, are sticking their heads up in
the House.
Chairman John Taber of the House
Appropriations Committee, in con-
junction with Speaker Martin and the
G. o. P. leaders generally, has prepared
q schedule for the consideration of the
regular annual appropriation bills.
which should see the last Of the supply
bills through the House in June. This
schedule calls for consideration Of the
Independent Offices bill beginning April
81, the Interior bill April 27, the State
Department bill May l. the Treasury
Department bill May z, the Agriculture
bill May IL, the Labor and Health,
Education and Welfare bill May Ia
(first part), the District of Columbia
bill May 16, Labor and Health, Edu-
cation and Welfare bill May % (sec-
ond half), the Legislative bill May 25.
the Civil Functions of the Army De-
partment bill May 81. This leaves the
Armed Services bill and the Mutual
Security bill to be handled at dates
still unspecif1ed. The estimates for
these measures, which will be trans
mitted by the Budget Bureau, presum-
ably are awaiting some clarification
of the Far East and European situa-
tionS.
Big Reduction Seen.
Chairman Taber is confident that 1t
will be possible to lop from $40 billion
to $12 billion from the estimates sub
mitted by former President Truman
just before he left Office last January.
Senator Taft, majority leader of the
Senate, looks for big cuts. too, in the
appropriations. If this happens, bal
anced budget seems assured.
Chairman Daniel Reed of the House
Ways and Means Committee has filed
in the House petition to bring his tax
reduction bill before the House for
consideration without further delay.
Mr.. Reed believes firmly that the Re-
publican Congress should grant tax re-
lief to the voters this year, and he is
confident that the passage of his bill
would put further pressure on Congress
to reduce appropriations and expendi-
lures and so balance the budget.
Tax Cuts Sought.
Chairman Reed and the House Re-
publican leadership both want tax re-
duction. The Republican leadership,
however. is anxious to see balanced
budget clearly at hand before tax re-
duction legislation is passed. In this
it sides with President Eisenhower The
Senate Republican leadership. too, is
demanding appropriation slashes and
a balanced budget before tax cuts are
made. At present. therefore, 1t is Reed
against the f1eld-with Reed carrying
the tax-reduction-this-ye colors.
1t is Mr.. Reeds contention that the
people who voted the Republicans into
control of the Government expect tax
reduction this year-not next. He
takes dim view of those Republicans
who suggest that IL would be- "better
politics" to enact tax reduction law
in the summer of 1854. just before the
congressional elections. He points out
that if his bill were passed this session
Of Congress, the individual taxpayers
would be relieved of paying the BURDEN
some IL per cent, across-the- board.
added tax for the last half of the
present calendar year.
No Refunds.
IF the taxpayers do not get this
relief" he said, "they will pay this tax
ana they will never get it back, no mat
ter whether there is tax reduction next
year or not. have no sympathy what
ever with any plan that looks to pass
ing a tax reduction bill next year lust
before the electionS-to get votes. The
people should have tax relief Just as
soon as they can have it. They will not
relish delay for the sake of what some
consider smart politics"
what happens to Mr.. Reeds petition
to get his tax bill before the House is
matter of conjecture. Some of the
Republican leaders say they don't be-
Heve it will be signed by large numbers
1T takes 218, a majority of the House
membership, to become effective. Mr..
Reed himself feels that considerable
pressure will be exerted to keep mem
berS from signing.
AS things stand today, the excess
profits tax on business will expire June
80. Mr.. Reeds bill provides that the
IL per cent special tax on incomes of
individuals shall expire too, on that
date. 1t is not due to expire until De-
cember 81. Some suggestion has been
made that If the House should pass the
Reed bill and send it to the Senate, the
Senate would extend the life of the
excess profits tax and kill the Reed re-
duction on individual incomes. Mr..
Reed considers this just bogeyman-
to scare of supporters Of the tax bill
in the House. Certainly 1t would be
difficult to explain to the people why
the new Republican Congress should
increase taxes, instead Of reducing
them, short of war.