Evening star., 1955-02-22
Democrats Grab Ball
From 6. O. P. Twice
Tox Cut. Trade Bill Puts
Republicans on the Spot
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

Republicans on the Spot
By Gould Lincoln
They don't play politics in Congress
not more than 26 hours day! The
Democrats took the ball away from the
rections during the last week-leaving
the COP. f1atfooted, at least tenn
porarily.
First, the Democrats, under the
leadership of Speaker Sam Rayburn
and Majority Leader John Mccormack
of Massachusetts,, made it possible for
President Eisenhower's reciprocal trade
bill to pass the House-with far more
Democratic supporting votes than Re-
point to "split in the Republican
Party. but they could smugly say they
were right when they told the voters
last fall to vote for Democratic candi-
dates for Congress if they wanted to
uphold Mr.. Eisenhowers hands.
Second, the Democrats, under the
same Rayburn and Mccormack leader
ship. have caused the Democrat-con-
trolled Ways and Means Committee Of
the House to slap fiat $40 income tax
reduction amendment on the admins
tration's bill to extend the life of the
excise and corporation taxes which are
due to expire at the end of March. Any
way you look at it, this is a slick polit-
ical trick. Certainly, it has its humor-
GUS side, although, if it succeeds. it will
belt the Governments financial posi-
tion tough blow. Mr.. Eisenhower has
urged that the excise taxes and the
corporation taxes in question be ex-
tended because the Government faces
probable $2.5-billion deficit at the
conclusion of the present fiscal year.
Difficult Position. :.
The revenue from the excise taxes
due to expire next month amounts to
about 81 billion. The Democrats $40
income tax reduction-for each taxa
payer and for each dependent of tax
payer-it is estimated, will reduce the
Governments revenues by more than
81 billion. Senator Byrd of Virginia,
Democratic opponent of the proposed
increase, put the loss of revenue as high
as 81 billion. If the Democrats put the
bill through the House and Senate, with
the $40 income tax reduction amend
ment, the President will have to decide
whether to veto the whole bill or per-:
nit it to become law Decidedly. It has
some of the Republicans worried.
The irony of the whole maneuver lies
in the fact that during the considera-
tion of last years tax bill, Senator
Millikin Of Colorado, chairman of the
Republican Conference of the Senate
and at that time chairman of the Sen
ate Finance Committee. offered a $40
income tax reduction amendment.
Mr.. Millikin was seeking to give the
Republicans an opportunity to vote for
tax reduction for "the little man." as
substitute for an amendment proposed
by Senator George of Georgia, Demo-
crat, to increase the personal exemp-
tion of income taxpayers by $100. Now
the Democrats are throwing the $40
amendment in Senator Millikins face,
so to speak-although it is more drastic
than the original Millikin proposal. .,.
Four Important Votes. 5
Four Democratic Senators in the last
Congress caused the downfall of both
the George and the Millikin tax cuts.
1t was unique and amazing perform
ance. When the Millikin amendment.
came to vote, the Four Horsemen--
Byrd and Robertson of Virginia, Hol-
land of Florida and Ed johnson Of
Colorado-voted with the As Democrats
to turn it down 40 to 46. But when the
George proposal reached vote the
four economy minded Democrats voted
with the Republicans to defeat it, also
by vote of 40 to 46. o..
The hope of the administration is
that, should the House place the $40
income tax reduction provision in the
tax bill, these same Democrats will
again vote against that provision. One
OF the Democrats, johnson of Colorado,
has left the Senate to become Governor
of his State. His place has been filled,
however. by Republican who probably
will side with the Eisenhower forces on
this issue. Senator Byrd is just as
strongly opposed to any tax cuts as he
was during the last Congress. Further,
Az HCACNSo Will CiIC SCIIOuS rUI1llOSd-
situation confronting the country there.
certainly should be no tax cuts. Pre-
sumably, Senator Millikin and the Re-
publican Senators will side with the
President-even though those Republi-
cans who voted with Millikin for a $40
reduction last Congress may have red
faces. Senator Byrd hopes to have
more Democratic support than he did
year ago. on such an issue.
The vote in the House on the recip-
rocal trade bill again demonstrated
that the tariff is local issue"-not a
strict party matter. A survey of the vote
on the Simpson amendment, which was
lost by only seven votes and would have
cut the Presidents powers, revealed the
fact that the issue is economic, rather
than political. Representatives voted
the wishes Of their respective districts.
generally speaking. For example, the
entire West Virginia delegation, all
Democrats voted with Reed of New
York and Simpson of Pennsylvania, the
Republican opponents of the admins.
tration bill. And so did II members of
Sam Rayburn's Texas delegation-with
only 10 members voting with the
Speaker.