Evening Star Newspaper, January 6, 1924, Page 2

FALLS POWER PLA GOFS T0 CONGRESS Joint Resolitior: to: Be Intro- duced Tomorrow Provides ALL 3 SIDES FIRM: ™ IN SENATE TIELP Chamber Faces Sixth Week With Deadlock Over Chair- MELLON DEFENDS H3 * TAX REDUCTION BILL RAPPED BY DEMOCRATS (Continued From First Page.) DEMOCRATS’ TAX PLAN DESCRIBED BY RADIO Senator Robinson Sees Propaganda in Many Appeals for Mellon’s Proposals. that the maximum surtax rate should be at least 40 per cent, some of them favoring & maximum slightly above that figure. There was general general agreement that the normal tax rate should be cut to 2 per cent and either 4 or 6 per cent, as against the prevailing rates of 4 and 8 per Senator ,Robinson's radio address last night on tax reduction follows, in for Study-of Project. To bring before Congress the prob- power for the city, government de- partments and local industries, a res- olution. fointly prepared by Repre- sentative Fred N. Zihlman, republi- n of Maryland, and Representative R. Waltén Moore, democrat of Vir- ginia, will be intréduced in the House tomorrow Coincidently. with this development, it was létrned last night, the Distriet Commissioners are making a’ report to Congress on the advisability of harnessing the falls Representatives. Mogre and Zihl- man, whose districts lie nearest the District and adjoin the proposed de- Yelopment of a power plant at Great Falls, have already stirted prepara- tion of a statement which is to be glven out' when the resolution fs In- troduced. Study’ Tyler Report. The Zihlman-Moore resolution pro- vides for the appointment of a com- mission to study closely the report of Maj. M. C. Tvler on the feasibility of developing power at ¢ and to make Congress into effe As the, water- to project commities ex- pired in the lust Congress, this meas- ure will be referred to the House District committee, of which Repre- sentative Zibinan is a member. The Tyler report represents the hest judg- ment of the Army engincers after a careful survey of the Potomac above and below Great Falls and the study of a dozen or more proposals for de- veloping power for Washington. or project has been indorsed cral power commission and 3 rd of engineers for rivers and harbors work of the War Dapart- ment. When hearings are held before the District committee Mal. Gen. Lansing H. Reach, engineer of, the Army, wili_sppear before the com- mittee in Twpors. of the' propos Bell l:elves Into Subject: Engineer ‘ommissionar - Bell been delvimg into the subject soveral dayA and exp to take it up with Commissioners Rudolph and Oyster in ths near future. When Maj. Tyler made his investigation in ed that “a ment of the he conclud develop- nac river for power purposes by s of power dams in the main r and storage rese voirs on certaln of the larger tribu- tarfes is economically feasible, and continuous power thereby can be gen- erated at lowatt hour that for power generated by s if the cntire output of the hydro- electric plants can be marketed This report called for two power dams, at Chain e amd Greédt Falls, and thre orage reservoirs at the following capon reservoir, andoah rese: \ts: Great' Ca- h fork of Shen- of Potomac re: nd south branch ervoir. WORK ON CATHOLIC SHRINE PROGRESSING Seven Marble Colunins and Carload of Stone Arrive in T Week.' Construction of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at Catholic University is going forward rapidly, it was announced last night. Seven marble columns and a car- load of St. Geneyieve marble for the €rypt of the shrine arrived yesterday, and will soon be in place. i “Great progress has been made in the last few months,” sald Dr. Ber- nard A. McKenna, secretary to Bish- op Thomas J. Shahan, rector of Cath- olic University, who has charge of raising the $5,000,000 necessary to complete the shrine. “The massive collar or belt, ten feet deep, of pink Milford granite that encircles the Crypt, is in place. The four imposing rear entrances are finished, and the exterior now exhibits an unsurpassed specimen of architectural granite spect granite Crypt Veritable Church. The crypt ‘is to be a veritable church, 200 feet in length, and the transept 1 feet wide, with a seat- ing capacit, of 1,500. Five of the fifteen chapels are now ready to ru. ceive their marble altars. The en- tre scheme of the altars is so eon- structed as to honor the Blessed Vir- 8in In the most natural and pleasing manner. They correspond to. the fif- teen chapals in the upper church dedicated to the vsteries of the rosary. The beautiful high altar of the crypt is the contribution of a multitude of Marys, i “Sixty-two marble '(YYI: the ’.L‘\"-{ ornams 80 disposed as to central space fre These lendid m-’,\noll(:’sI are arriving dally and attract much attention from all lpvers of the mar- ble art. . They have been gathered from all parts of the world—from Ttal reeco, Germany, the United States, South America, Mexico, north- ern Africa, Poland and elsewhere, Flooded With Lights. he three apses around which they will be placed will present the effect of a noble hemicycle, flooded with soft lights from fifteen decorated lunettes that will illuminate the crypt. Two costly columns of Irlsh rose, delicately veined are gems of the ‘coliection. “There are ‘also two columns | it cent, and the Mellon & and 6 per cent. Discount Coolidge Atms. proposal of The democrats drafting a minority C program sald they were prepared to lem of hydro-electric development of | press for its enactment fully aware Great Falls to provide light, heat and [ that President Coolldge was opposed to any changes in the ersential pro- visions of the Mellon draft, as was announced Friday House. They said also that they ex- pected to have the sufficlent numbeér of republican surgents and House at _the in- ‘White support of & members from the central and far we:t to put over thelr amendments. In his' letter to Secretary Mellon, Senator Couzens asked for “statistical evidence in support of your state- ments that the surtax revenue of the government is shrinking; that dolng so on account of the present surtax rates, and that it may be ex- pected to lessen progressively in the near future unless the rates are re- duced.” " He said he also desired “some definite proof of the relation of the tax-exempt securities question to surtax reduction.” . “Apparently your proposal for a re- duction {n the surtax,” said Senator Couzens, “is based on your observa- tions of ‘the investor—I mean the in- vestor who may buy railroad bonds, Industrial bonds or government, state and municipal bonds. Every one knows the return usually received on these kiuds of investments. There are many people. however, who re- ‘ive incomes from bank stocks, and the result of conducting businesses traders, jobiecs, meschants, facturers, but are not. strictly aking, tors in the same senxe tove referred to. Those latterly referred to in more specuiative business, and many of them are re- ceiving ‘incomes of from 10 to 100 per cent on thelr Investment It Seems to me that vour proposal for a duction i surtax will give the big- gest reliel to this class, and that is the class which can best afford to pay. as nan =n as Mellon Cites Returnn. In reply Mr. Mellen sald that the preparation of income statisties was 1 matter of considerable time and la- bor, and that those based on the 1822 returns would not be available, He daclared, however, that its tax revision program the Treasury had used available statistics which were “most compelling.” Mr. Mellon gave figures to show that the percentage of surtax on in- comes«in excess of $300,000 in rela tion to the total surtax had decreased progressively each year from 65.8 per cent in 1918 to 20.6 in 1921, It is not necessary.” sald Mr. Mellon, “that we consider tax exempt securities as the means of tax avoid- ance, but the existing tax exempt sccurities which would be unaffected by any constitutional amendment are the most open and well-known in- vitation to the avoldance of high surtaxes. Ther re approximately ! $11,000.000,000 of wholly tax exempt | securities ‘outstanding, and the loss of rovenue to the government over | what it would recelve if the income were taxable is estimated over $200.000,000 a year, and the loss of revenue over a similar investment in productive business at over $40( 000,000 & vear.” Seex Wealth Diverted. Treasury statistics, sald Mr. Mellon show that the percentage of wholly tax exempt securities to total gross estate, based on returns for inherl ance tax purposes, was 28.97 in 1923 tand the percentage of wholly tax exempt securitics (o total bonds and stocks was 41.98. In 1917 the per- centages were 231 gng 3.26, respec- tively, increasing to 9.79 and 14.50 in 1920." 'In the 1922, the percentages were 6.82 and 10.53. Again we have proof.”” sald the letter to Senator Couzens, “of this progressive diversfon of wealth from productive to unproductive business. “Your statement to the effect that tax exempt securities are not attrac- ive as compared with bank stocks nd industrlals whi¢h yield from 10 to 100 per cent on thler investment is misleading if you make your basis the amount originally invested. The proper basis is the market value of the securities. The question is, can a taxpever get more return after in- come taxes out of $1.000 worth of tax exempt securities or out of $1.000 worth of some taxable investment. Answers Ofl Citation. know of no sound bank stock which ylelds as high as 10 per cent on what it can be sold for and the money put in tax exempts, nor of any sound investments which run up to 100 per cent on the market value of the stock. It lg true that speculation gives these. Wigh: returns, but It Is the very defand for su¢h returns on accopnt .of ‘the high: surtaxes which has kept capital out of ordinary pro- ductive business and attracted it only to such projects as give oppor- tunity, for, undye profit, Senator Couzens sald in his letter that In his annual report the Treasury Secretary had pointed out that tax- payers paying surtaxes in the highest brackets would have to have Invest- ments_yielding about 10.4 per cent in order to be as attractive as 5 per cent tax-exempt sccurities, but that he had not dealt with the income from bank stocks and the common stocks from many industrial concerns, “which, as stated .above, pay 10 to 100 per cent, such cases, for instance, as the Standard Oil dividends of $138,423.295 in 1923." “Certainly,” added Senater Couzens, “tax-exempt securities hold no at traction for them.” Touching on this point Mr. Mellon replied: Rockefeller's Holdings. “Your citation of the Standard Oil aividends in 1923 as an example of in- vestments which would be made in preference to tax-exempt securities is most appropriately answered by the return of the estate of Mr. Wil- liam Rockefeller, who was undobted- 1y quite famillar with the possibili- ties of the Standard Ol companies. The total market value of his invest- ments in those stocks was less than $7,000.000, whereas the value of his columns of . beautiful .green Connes mara marble. Among the cholcest columns are a lovely sea-green from the Greek island of Tinos and a Dblue-black Labrador column, with light glints that shineJike imprisoned dlamonds—the only one of its kind gyer turned. . "“The rich Guastavino ceilings of light buffs and grays that rest up- on the columns will soon be in place. {its delicate faience ornament will re- lleve the monotones of these wide.- spreading vaults in a pleasing way. iim walls of the crypt to a height ten feet are lined with St. Gene- vieve marble that harmonizes beau- tifully with .the columns and the iling.' The “rith ‘ornamentation of the fifteen chapels will blend: per- Tectly with all the other elements of dlecoration.” The National Shrine of the Im- maculate Cenception is being erected Dy voluntary gifts of money and jewels. _— BUILDS FUNERAL PYRE, BURNS TO DEATH ON IT By the Assoclated Press. - - DELPHOS, Ohio, January 5.—Mrs. Elizabeth Grothe, forty-six years old, today built a funeral pyre wi her own hands, and, after it was burning freely, threw herself upon it and was burned to death. = . A grocer's delivery boy found her charred body lying in the embers of the fire In'a woodshed at the rear of her home ‘The siffcide occurred: at néon, “Dementia ‘was given as the of the act, following the cord- Wwholly tax-exempt bonds was over $44,000,000, six times what he had in the four Standard Oil companies.” Statements were issued yesterday Dby four members of the House on the bonus and tax questions. Representa- tive.Femple, republican, Pennsylvania, said B4 woyid oppose w moldlers! bonus bill, although he had :supported it in the “last . Congress.... Representative Magee also a ‘Pannsylvania republi can,-came ont againat the bonus, too, and declared he was: ‘heartily” in fayor of the Mellon tax praposals. xmiouemel:n n;l thed 'llwle-m;ysn tax plan was_given In tion. by Rep- r(.‘unh{(.vn‘ lflwu mocrat,” Mis- sourl, Reptesentative Keller, repub- lican, Minnesota, came. out sagainst the plan. gt T BANKERS CALLED TO'D.C. T CONFER ON.TAX BILL p—— The'Bankers of ‘the natfon are much more“concernéd” in a national policy of government that will make & poor man rich than in one which will make a rich man poor, according to a state- ment issued hers Vesterdsy by Charles de B. Clatborne, president of the American Bankers' League, call- tr‘l'f & -conference of national and state officials of that body to meet In ‘Washington January 18 to give final consideration to the Mellon plan of tax reduction. In his statement, Claiborne call m the bankers, the press and the tizenship of the nation to emter into 1 non-partisan study of taxation, in- aurses the Mellon plan as one which alds in eliminating the discrimina- tion now existing against agricul- tural and productive securities and enumeratea the ('lflln.lllll..'.l'l.ld- 2 outlining | it s Even Ski Jumpers Find 16 Below Too Cold for Contest | By the Associated Press. | CHICAGO. January 6.—Ski jump- ers, who are supposed to revel in winter's ley blasts, decided tonfght thut 16 Qegrees” below zero was t00 cold even for ski jumping. Consequently the events scheduled for tomorrow by the Norge Ski Club at its Carey (Ill.) slide were called off. 12 DIE IN COLD WAVE . SWEEPING NATION;: or | (Continued From First Page.) such that milk deliveries were vir- tually abandoned, bus service | discontinued and rall transportati delayed. | At st coldest * Louis and Kansas City the weather since 1918 ported. At the latter point, the ther- mometer reached 15 degrees below and at the former 9 degrees below. Salina. Kan, was the coldest in the state, with 23 degrees below. In Illinois more than dozen cities reported low temperatures, ranging from degrees below to a 16 degrees below. |2 | Snow Falls Near Lakes. Considerable snow fell along Lake > and sub-zero weather prevalled | throughout Ohio for the first time { this winter. Several Ohio points, in- {cluding Columbus and Cincinnati, re | ported readings of 7 degrecs below i The cold weather put an end to the | fear of floods in Obio river towns. I state with 23 degrees below. | Many Ithe coldest weather of the season today. Below freezing temperatures were recorded in Alabama, Loui- !slana, Tennessee and Georgia. South- |ern Louisiana had the coldest weather {of the year. In some southern Mis- (Sisdppi towns freezing temperatures falso prevalled, as also was the case lin Alabama. ‘The forecast of freez- {Ing temperatures which were pre- jdicted to reach as low as 22 above | called forth a warning for protection {to trees to aveid damage | “At Fulton Junction, Ky. it was reported that large numbers of |negroes were passing through in their lannual exodus to the south to escape {the coll weather. | "In the extreme west and Rocky ! mountain states, the cold wave had passed and warmer weather resulted All of the Pacific coast states, except Oregon, agaln were fast approaching Inormalconditions and southern Cali- {fornia reportcd that the weather man had resumed his usual conduct. New Mexico and Arizona were enjoyiny fair and warmer weather. Cold Wave to Continue. Although the government weather forceast for the coming week pre- dicts generally fair weather through- out the upper Mississippl and lower Missour! valleys, the Rocky moun- tain and plateau regions and the Pa- cific states, sub-normal temperatures also are forecast. The same is true of the west gulf states and Ohio val- ley, while it is predicted that the Atlantic and east gulf states will «x perience much colder weather in the week, and the great lakes region will be visited by suow flur- ries and & subnormal temperature. Father Dearborn spent most of to- day trying to keep warm. | “Chicago. which has boasted of its balmy autumn and mild early winter, got up this morning with the mer- cury registering from 16 to 22 de- grees below zero. devoted most of its efforts during the day to combating jthe cold, and went to bed tonight ! with the shivering prospect that to- day's temperature, the lowest here in twelve years, will be lowered even farther by morning. The toll of the intense cold for the first day_included six lives, a fire loss of thousands of dollars,, untold suffering among the city’s poor and hundreds of cases of frozen feet and frost-biiten ears, as well as damage to property by water lines. The official record showed a tem- perature of 16 degrees below at & a.m. to be the minimum, but from the suburbs came commuters to tell of below zero. During the day- the mer- cury climbed slowly to a maximum of 6 below zero, then started back down. Tonight, at 6 o'clock, it was 10 below, with a forecast for 15 or even lower by morning. Rellef Work Rushed. Relief organizations dispensed with red tape in the face of the suffering hundreds, and coal, clothing and food was handed out with little formality. Relief organisations. said tonight that they had the situation well in hand, and, with prospects for a mod- eration in temperature in a day or two, sulfering of the poor and desti- tute will be greatly mitigated. Transportation facilities were greatly handicapped by the severe Weather, trains being delayed by frozen switches, hot boxes and other allies of winter, while heavy demands made upon surface and elevated lines taxed them to capacity. Though today was the coldest since January 7, 1912, it is not a record. The weather rted 21 below in 1899, and today's record was also lowered in 1905. Nearly all of the forty west side hospitais tonight reported treating. from two to four cases of frosen hands, feet or ears, while some of the cases were reported to be serfous. The Chicago fire department made 2 new record today when it answered 288 fire alarms in b peried of saven and one-half hours. Most of calls were the result of the forcing or overheating of furnaces. Many office bulldings Were unmble to cope with the cold and sales girls in some of the blg department stores worked in galoshes, woolen scarfs and coats on to keep warm. Shipping in the Ch 0 harbor was almost at a standstill and most st SUFFERING INTENSE! was re- | point | outhern states also suffered ! | | { 1 i frozen and bursted [2 new | | | | | | board's he abuve shows the lead slab back yard of his rexidence, “chalked” to mive it the Yervol, who was assl FARLEY STEPS 0UT AS FLEET DIRECTOR Actual Control of Merchant :Marine to Be Made to Palmer This Week. Steps were putting into plan tor chant marine taken yesterday for effect the administra- a more efficient mer- through the transfer from the Shipping Board to the Emergency Fleet Corporation of all duties embraced in the actual corntrol and operation of government tonnage. the board retaining Its regulatory and advisory powers tion’s At a meeting of the Shipping Board | Edward P. Farley, who is serving as chalrman pending the selection by President Coolidge of one of the present members for the chairmanship, announced his resigna- tion as president of the Emergency Fleet Corporation and the one qualifying share he had held as a trustee of the corporation was turned over to Lelgh C. Palmer, who will be the new directing head of the government's merchant fle Before the new plan of operation | of the government fleet can be made effective the Shipping Board must adopt a resolution placing it on record with reference to the plan agreed upon by President Coolidge with members of the board and merchant marine leaders in Congress. Under a resolution adopted Sep- tember 30, 1921, when A. D. Lasker was chalrman, a somewhat similar separation plan was authorized, but the spirit and letter of the resolu- tion, officlals say, were not strictly adhered to in the naming of Mr, Far- ley as head of the fleet corporation while at th¢ same time he was chair- man of the Shipping Board. The board considered a draft of proposal yesterday, and it is expected a resolution will be put in final shape for adoption some time this week. President Coolidge is expected to readings there of 20 and 22 degrees|name soon 3 new commissioner of the board from the Interfor of the country In place of Mr. Farley. Sev- eral recommendations ‘have been made to him for the appointment, among those suggested to represent the farmers of the country being J. R. Howard of Tows, former presi- dent of the American Farm Bureau Federation, H. L Keefe of Nebraska and W. S. Hill of South Dakota. WOMAN KNOCKED DOWN BY AUTO AT CROSSING Fractured Skull Is Feared in Case of Mamie Hard, Colored. ‘While walking across B street at 7th street early last night, Mamie Hard, colored, 38, of 312 I street mouthwest, was knocked down an automobil t tt of 231 3d Em ltal and treated. tor er 8p ot lh.ll 11 fracture. A short time ter a one-man car of the Washington Railway and Electirc Company. run- ning south on 4th atreet near M atreet, collided with an sutomabile opera By Charles Fowler ootnlé mfiro"r\; " hurt Bt the sutomobile was badly , i le, 73, of 415 M street, '!fi“h ‘: o'll street at 4th street porthwest, was struck by & car occu- pled by Dennis Lipston of 334 U Street northwest. Mrs. Seigle was SRR e T i serions 1520 P wstreet northwest, proper reproduction qualities. ture xhows the scene of the dixcovery; Kaufman with the sl ting him ir digging the hole to p unearthed by Russell Kaufman in with inscription The lower ple- and Eloy t a holly tree. |LEAD SLAB MAY CLEAR LOST COLONY MYSTERY | ntinded from First Page) | printed letters, well formed as far as the metal would permit, each stroke having a rounded bottom or channel. No further discoveries were made. as the excavation is being left intact for experts to examine. The lead slab was discovered about three feet down. Reealls Lost Colony. $ The find, whether authentic or not, | served to call to mind the mystery of | | the fate of little Virginia Dare, child | of long ago, who was lost with the | entire Roanoke Island colony. Little | Virginta was born in 1587, a date which would harmonize nicely with the supposed date of 1590, given on | the lead slab as the date of the death of “Virgin Dare.” The similarity of the names was regarded as striking and the coinci- dence of dates seemed to have becn | worked out either by history or by a clever "plant” Offifficlals of the government, however, who have made a study of just such things, showed extreme unwillingness to look at the plate until tomorrow, Virginia Dare was the granddaug’- ter of Goy. John White and the aughter of one of his official staff. »v. White's expedition to_establish an agricultural colony, left Plymouth, England, in April, 1857, and reached | Roanoke Island in Jul A few days after the birth of Vir- ginla Dare her grandfather returned | to England, and, coming back the following year, was umable to see or learn anything of the colony or the child The term Powhatan, while often | applied as the name of the great Indian sachem, father of Pocahontas, really was that of ‘the tribe. The lead slab states “Captif Powhatan,” which might be Interpreted as mean- ing that “Virgin Dare” had been a captive of this tribe. Powhatan, the chief, would have been about forty-five years old when “Virgin Dare” died. The two men who found the slab got in touch with the mineralogical division at the Smithsonian Institu- tion, after their find, and asked ad- vice as to the best method of clean- ing the siab. K Kaufman, describing what hap- pened, said that officials he talked with, whom he did not know by name, appeared “much excited” as to the| discovery. | Last night officials seemed as cool as the weather about the find and were not anxious to see the siab, de- claring that “they would look at it Monday, if It were brought in." It was pointed out by one official, over the telephone, that it might have been possible for the piece of sheet lead to have been brought from some other point some years ago. and lost and buried in the particular back yard in which it was found. The slab is in excellent condition, the metal having suffered very little, it appearance belying the date on it of 1690. As far as reluctant scien- tists could be lured into talking, however, it does. not seem impossible that good lead would inst that long without any deterforation. FINED AFTER WILD CHASE. Jack Watkins, colored, who gave the traffic police a wild chase Friday morning along Pennsylvania avenue, Jackson place and In_the vicinity of the White House, and who was shot in the head by Policeman L. W. River- combe of the third precinct, the shot stopping the fleeing automobil on trial in the Trafc Court y day, charged with driving i while drunk, colliding, operating without an operator's permit falling to obey the sl of a traffic officer and speeding. He was represented by Attorney Harry ‘Whalen, while the govern- ment's case was handled by Assistant Corporation Counsel Edward W. Thomas. The hearing of the case consumed several hours, practically all of the time of the court. When the government finished its evidence, Attornesy Whalen moved the dhm\lqil of the charge of drivin, while drunk, for the reason that the government 'had failed to prove its case. It was dismissed. At the end of the hearing, Watkins was fined $16 for operating his car without a per- mit and the other ch: e will propably pro tomorrow, | radio, PRESIDENT BRAVES GOLD RIVER WINDS Cruises With Party to Quan- tico; Touches Button Launching Steamer. Undeterred by a howling north- wester and the coldest weather of the winter, President and Mrs. Coolidge and a party of about twenty friends cruised for almost seven hours yes- terday on the Potomac. The presidential vacht Mayflower put out from her dock at the navy yard about 2 o'clock with the wind 50 strong it sent bluefackets' hats whirling and chopped up the usually quiet waters of the Washington chan- nel. It didn't appear, however, to affect the President—a man who was born and reared among the cold Ver- mont hills and who has been alarm- ing his friends for weeks by walking about Washington without an over- coat. Go ax Far as Quantico. When the Potomac itself was reach- #d the wind became even more blus- tery, but the Mayflower pushed on, going down the river as far as Quan- tico, Va., before turning back. Be- w deck there was only the whis- & of the wind through the rig- ging to remind one of the outside, and even this usually was silenced by music from a section of the Navy Band, which, under Charles Benter, the lcader has been detailed to make 1 trips on the Mayflower. Dinner was served at 7 o'clock and just be- fore the boat docked a motion pisture show was given. The President at § o'clock went to the wireless room and pressed a key which sent another boat, the steam- ship President Harrison, away from San Francisco on a trip aroynd the world.” The pressure of the Presi- dent’s finger sent a flash to the wire- iess station at Rocky Point, Long Island, N. Y., which relayed it across the continent to Marshall, Calif. The Marshall station transmitted the flash to the President Harrison's which was connected in such a4 way as to blow the steamer” whistle, the signal for departure. The party accompanying the Presi- dent and Mrs. Coolidge on the wintry cruise included Mrs. Herbert Hoover, Senators Spencer of Missouri and Mo- Kinley of Tllinols, Senator Fraaler of North Dakota and Mrs. Frazler, Rep- resenative Winslow of Massachusetts and Mrs. Winslow, Representative Dickinson of Iowa and Mrs. Dickin- son. Representative Graham of Illi- nois, former Senoatr Frelinghuysen of New Jersey and Mrs, Freylinghuy- on, Eugene Meyer, managing direc- tor of the War Finance Corporation, and Mrs. ayer; Mrs. Thomas F. Walsh of Washington, R. W. Frazler of the North Dakota republican state central _committee, Mr. and Mrs. James B. Reynolds of Washington, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Stearns of Boston. —_— PUTTING A REAL PUNCH IN PRESIDENTIAL RACE s and thus the ad- ministrative branches of their governments, have been founded on temporary coalitions between parties or ~ephemeral cabinets representing minoritles. “Anv coalition between groups of opposing political thought and object is bound to result in the abandonment. of matters of im- portant principle and the conse- quent adoption of largely nega- tive policles,” wrote Mr. Hoover, who_then went on to say: “Practical democracy requires two-party ~government: other- wise there is unlikely to be any stable majority, and this implles a_willingness and spirit of com- promise in individuals of perhaps some diverse point of view to work together within a single party where they can agree on & considcrable portion of objec- tives.” * k% A practical example of coalition is expected to be presented when the House comes to making up its code of rules to permanently sup- plant the rules of the last House, under which it is now operating. It is expected that the radical democrats and progressives will some innovations, which will be propose and vote together for resisted by the conservative dem- ocrats and republicans. * ® kX Looking forward to the campaign for the presidential election after nominations are made, republicans are wondering where the extreme progressives will go in case Sen- ator Johnson does not get the nom- ination. One suggestion which is heard from time to time is that if the democrats should pick a candidate who would measure up to their ideals of progressivism—and radi- calism—they would be disposed to throw off their thin habiliments of republicanism and trail along with the democrats. In that event, the question is asked, Would not the conservative democrats be inclined to heed Henry Ford's advice to “be safe with Coolidge?” That expression of Mr. Ford promises to be one of the slogans of the Coolidge managers in their campaign for the President’s nomination. It is said that one of the founda- tions of the Coolidge managers' resent profound conviction of the evitab{lity of the President’ nomination is the discovery of con- fidence existing among many promi- nent democrats in the President’s “safety.” ER R Politicians who study politieal f::am. TFecognize the growth of ependent pol country, the rapidiy loosening ties of strict party allegiance, the ten- deney to regard policies and men itics. They say tions pave the way the veung their cabinets, part: ‘The impatience of the public with government policities as they affect liv- ing conditions is In part reflected in tin widespread demand for a reduction of taxes. ‘Members of Congress daily receive many communications from their con- stituents_urging support of the ‘Mellon plan’ Many of these messages are identical in language, while a similarity or argument runs through a large ma- Jority of them, disclosing their common origin. Propagandist influences un- doubtedly are at work: nevertheless, overwheiming public sentiment is behind the movement for tax reduction, and thig sentiment is based on justice and sound reason. Revenues Exered Expense: “If Treasury reports and figures are to be accepted, a surplus is accumula- ting. The total receipts for 1923 were $4,264,905,600, while expenditures on gll accounts were $3.888.063,082, an apparent net balance of $275,842,518. Every evidence indicates that this surplus, under present tax rates, may Dbe expected to gather volume and to increase rapidly. “The correct'principles of federal taxation, from the democratic stand- point, are expressed in the message to the Congress of former President Woodrow Wilson, May 20, 1919, in which he said: hope that, the Congress will find it possible to undertake an early reconsideration of federal taxes, in order to make our system of taxation more simple and casy of administra- tion and the taxes themselves as little burdensome as they can ge made and vet suffice to support the Government. and meet all its obligations. ¢ ¢ ® “The main thine we shall have to care for is that our taxation shall rest as lightly as possible on the pro- ductive resources of the country, that its rates shall be stable, and that it shall be constant in _its revenue- elding power. * * * ‘T can only suggest the lines of 2 permanent and workable gystem, and the placing of the taxes where they will least hamper the life of the people.” Hits State Taxation. “Only such taxes should be levied nay be necessary to meet the ex- of the government when and economically admini- Revenues should not be so abundant as to invite extravagent expenditures or to_encourage attempts to find new and broagder spheres for ical thought in the governmental activity. “The high cost of government—the high taxes complained of are not con- fined to federal laws. Indeed, they are due in a greater degree to state and municipal authority, and, of course, no act of Congre can give direct relief from these “Decisive reduction of federal taxes, however, will start a general movement which will gather momen- tum and result in reductions down the long line, and thi in turn wiil afford some measure of relief against the high cost of living, which again seems to be going up. “The Mellon Plan” “The ‘Mellon plan’ which many talk about, and which few under- stand. is incorporated in a bill pro- Viding for the complete revision of the revenue law. Its salient feagures, aside from the repeal of taxes now levied on admissions, telegraph and telephone messazes, and certain mis- cellaneous nulsance taxes, include: “1. A 25 per cent reduction in the on ‘earned income.’ Earned income is to be defined as ‘wages. salaries, and professional fees” It does not contenplate reduc- tions of taxes on the earnings of farmars or small business men who derive their own income from busi- ness personally carried on Wwith their own_ capital. “Mr. Mellon's definition of earned income may be broadened so as to give relief to these classes, and a 1imit may be fixed on'the amount which will be generous but which will also avoid any loophole for tax dodgers. *2. The ‘Mellon plan’ proposes where the present normal tax is 4 per cent to reduce it to 3 per cent, and where it 18 now 8 per cent ta reduce the rate to 6 per cent. Sees Sharper Cuts. “Efforts will be made to secure still further reductions in the nor- mal tax, particularly as it applies to the smaller incomes. 5 “3. Perbaps the most controversial feature in the ‘Mellon plan’ is the proposal to reduce the Surtax rates by beginning their application at $10,000 instead of $6.000 and scaling them progressively upward to a max- fmum of 25 per cent at $100,000. “Only minor differences arise re- specting the surtax to be applied to the smaller incomes, but a contest will occur over the rate as applied to the large incomes. “During the last Congress the higher surtax was reduced from 65 per cent to 50 per cent. Fifty per cent is now the maximum, and it be- gins on incomes of $200,000 and ap- plies upward. = “If the principle of & surtax is jus- | tified, why should not a distinction be made between incomes of $100,000 and very large incomes ranging as high as $2,000,000? True, the pro- posed reduction in the rates on large incomes is justified. in part at least, s necessary to prevent tax evasion: still it cannot be demonstrated that 25 per cent is the one and only rate which will diminisk investments in tax-exempt securities and Invite them into industrial and commercial enterprises. In fairness from every standpoint should not the Individual who enjoys an income of $500,000, $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 pay a higher tax rate than he who recelves an in- come of only $100,0007 Favors 40 Per Cen “It is sald that the reduction of the surtax rate from a maximum of 65 per cent to the present maximum of 50 per cent already has had the effect of increasing investments by the owners of large capital in business. From what evidence does it appear that a maximum of $0 per cent levied on income above $200,000 will not have a similar. effect to a greater degree? How Tax-Exempt Securities May Be Reached. “There is a method by which, with- out amending the Constitution, tax- exempt securities may be reached for taxation purposes. This may be ac- complished by the imposition of trans- fer or inheritance taxes which dis- tinguish between securities that have borne their fair share of tax burdens in the decedent's lifetime and securi- ties of the same class which have not. ‘It is legal to tax the latter higher than the former. The Supreme Court ta: { actual working days. manship Unbroken. The Senate begins the sixth week of the present session tomorraw with the deadlock over the chairmanship of the farterstate commerce commit- tee—the railroad committee—atill un- broken. Furthermore, there seems little prospect at present of thers being a break in that deadlock—un- less enough of the progressive re- publicans and the farmer labor sen- ators should vote with the democrats for the election of Senator Smith of South Carolina (democrat) for that chairmanship. Twenty-seven ballots taken in the Senate manship without an election. The republican regulars insist they will stick to their nominee, Senator Cum- mins of lowa, and the progressive group will not accept him, The dem- ocrats have continued to vote for Smith —except Senator Bruce of Maryland who switched his vote early in the session to Cummins in the mick of time to prevent the elec- tion of Smith, on the ground that Smiths election would not be a demo- cratic but a victory for the group headed by Senator La Folletis to which he is 0ppos have been on this chair- vietory, a Transacted Little Business. The nate has had little business to transact up to date except exec tive business. It has been waiting for tax reduction and bonus bills and for appropriation bills, which must originate in the House, The repub- lican leaders are now saying that as soon as there is important business for the Senate to transact they will move to take it up, and thus displace the “unfinished business,” which at present is the election of a chairman of the interstate commerce commit- tee. In fact, they have about reached the'conclusion, it was said last night that this is the best way out of & bad mess and that they prefer to leave the committee chairmanship up in the air for the rest of the session rather than to yield to the progressive bloc, which is opposing Senator Cummins There are some of the democratic however, who will oppose a proposal to displace the chairmanship row in order to take up other business. They hope that all of the democratics will takc this course and that they will be backed up be the progres- sives. Regulars Shift Responsibility. However, the republican regulats point out, 3f such & course be adopt- ed the democrats and progressives will have ta take the responsibility befors the country of blocking con- sideration of important legislation. Senator Reed of Missouri, demo- crat, before the Christmas recess, de- clared in the Senate that it was idle to waste time balloting for chairman of the interstate commerce commit- tee; thatithe Senate shouid proceed to other business, and that the com- mittee could select a chairman of its own or do without a chairman. Little has been accomplished by the Congress since it met December 3. In fact, the Congress has had only fifteen The rest of the time it has not been in session—part- Iy due to the fact that a considerable Christmas holiday was taken, and partly due to the adjournments of two and three days at a time because there was no legislation prepared for the consideration of either house. LANDMARKS OF GEORGIA GENEALOGY ARE RELATED Claude N. Bennett Tells of Lives of Founders of Cracker State. Claude N. Bennett was the princi- pal speaker at the meeting of the National Genealogical Soclety last night at 1420 Girard street, choosing for his theme “Historical Landmarks of Georgia With Genealogical Fla- voring.” Mr. Bennett delved into the histery of the Cracker state and gave many interesting detalls of the lives of its founders. He portrayed the growth of the state along both the lines of commerce and population, showing the turning of many real New Eng. land “Yankees" to real southerners of repute. He concluded his remarks by citing the motto of the state, “Not for Self But for Others”” and declared that the trouble with the country and pa- tion at large today was the fact that the descendants of the foundars had turned far away from rthis Fenerous belief to sordid and selfish ways. Other speakers included Miss Kate S. Curry, Miss Harriett P. Marine of Baltimore, and Miss M. E. Gilkey, in charge of the catalogues of geneal- ogy at the Library of Congress. Fran! S. Parks, presided. s December Circulation NOYES, ' President of THE EVENING and BUNDAY STAR, does solemniy swear that the actual number of copies of the paper uamed, sold and distributed during the month of December, A.D, 1923, was a8 follows: Days. Copies. =14 s of the United States In Watson and others against the comptroller of the state of New York, 254 U. S., page 122, has held that such a tax is neither a property tax mor a penalty; that it is based upon a reasonable classifi- cation and does not violate the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment to the federal Constitu- tion. Stands for Reduction. “In this way so-called tax-exempt securities may be made to share the burdens of government, without in- justice and thus constitute a source of additional revenue, making pos- sible further reductions in other and more onerous taxes. “A great service will be rendered the country through tax reduction. This does not mean, wever, that the Congress should fail to exercise its best judgment in framing the legislation. Differences always arise touching the subject matter of im- | portant legislation. Senators and representatives, while co-eperating to mwecure substantial reduations in foderal taxes, should see thwt fair- ness and justice is done towary every class- of taxpayers; . to’ the eml that our - taxation ‘shall rest lightly as possible on the preductive resauirces of the country; that its rates shall R Eirrtue =PRI oratstorstoRs ot eststonss S [ et e Less adjustment. Total daily net circulation. Total average net paid ciroue lation avi Daily er coples for service, etc. Dally average net circulation. SUNDAY. Coples. Days. 100135 23 100616 30 100,863 adjustments.. . Total Sunday net circulation. Average net Culation ., Dua Sunday el Average number of service, etc. Average Sunda tion . Subscribed and sworn any ot J’n!ulu". ST ¥ H