| Show Labor and Farmers Kept Senate Well in Hand Handin in Tax Fight 0 WASHINGTON By Paul Mallon Behind the tax fight President Hoover came near the breaking point with con congress ress His Republicans ran out on him Democrats grew an angry ry There were private accusations of double cross ing back and forth The matter was not easily kept from the stage of a n public quarrel a a a Republicans furnished the margin whereby the president lost his Inside effort for the sales tax Such stalwarts stalwarts stalwarts stal stal- warts as McNary Jones Hatfield Hatfield Hat Hat- field and Oddie gathered the votes by which the presidents president's program was wa scotched They received some private assistance from the other Republican leaders There was a general undercurrent of feeling that Mr Hoover had been misinformed when his associates told him the country had changed its view on the question since the house defeated defeated de de- the tax They felt Mr Hoover was trying to lead the party off in inthe inthe inthe the wrong direction a i iThe The A. A F. F of ot L. L and farm organizations organizations were realty really the ones preventing the senate from sliding around They lobbied well against a sales tax In any guise under any name Their congressmen were held militantly inline Inline in inline line against administration pressure All senators who signed the round robin against the tax were from the middle or far west and south S a a e a Senator David Reed Recd was the only Republican who sided with the president president dent in those series of ot secret and mysterious mysterious mysterious mys mys- White House conferences He urged the president to act but the others held him off olf until it was too toolate late I If he had spoken earlier there might have lave been a chance He was fully informed informed in formed there was no possibility of getting it when he delivered a much much- softened demand for it il a c J a His message was regarded as a political political polito ical ten strike He had no chance to lose his argument While the sales sale tax was beaten the Democrats already al ready had agreed with him on a budget balancing program They were prepared to add in taxes at his request Furthermore they were on the ver verge of ot pa passage of the bill They had no idea he was coming before congress to appeal for what they had already decided to do As a political stunt it may have a But the Democrats sorrowfully knew w that the theman man In the street could not be prevented from forming the opinion that the president had turned the senate to a balanced budget and speed with one brilliant stroke Actually the presidents president's message changed neither plans nor votes o oI 4 a a aThis This Washington political game has always been played on the theory that if it you scratch my back Ill I'll scratch yours The president is supposed to give honorary party jobs to senators and friends of senators They in turn are supposed to rally to him when he needs them That is not the way things are going here now For instance the senate oligarchy oligarch is out so far as the Republican convention is concerned Keynoter Dickinson is the only senator scheduled scheduled sched sched- for or an important convention part Watson Smoot Reed McNary and the theother theother theother other bi big boys are not to play their accustomed roles The public excuse given is that they think congress may be In session Actually there may bea more important important tant reason Chairman Fess of the national committee com knows no more about arrangements arrange arrange- ments for his convention than a stranger In town All they told him was that it was to be in Chicago June 14 if he wanted to come The crowd that will run Mr Mir Hoovers Hoover's show will be Walter Brown Ray Benjamin Patrick Hurley and James Francis Burke They are all his personal friends James A. A Garfield will not need a stenographer r to write the platform It has already been written for forby him by the White House His only job will be to take it out to Chicago and get it adopted Mr Hoovers Hoover's reception on his first appearance before the senate was unduly strained Only the barest courtesy was paid him aim There was no applause when he entered or before he spoke Everyone stood in painful silence His voice throughout the forceful speech was slightly above a whisper He could not be heard 10 feet away At the end he was given only respectful applause from both beth sides of the aisles Senators almost al al' almost m most st dashed out to the finance committee committee committee com com- room where 10 minutes later they voted against the sales tax 12 to 8 8 |
