Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS By Ray ay Tucker Telegrams Telegram's Washington Columnist WASHINGTON The most painful tax bill in American history history history his his- tory Will be the next key measure measure meas meas- ure on the congressional cal cal- Detailed changes in existing rates have been fixed only ten ten- Present exemptions exemptions- 2000 for married and for single men men may may be halved The 10 per cent defense charge may maybe maybe maybe be doubled Heavy duties on luxury goods goods automobiles automobiles radios radios radios ra ra- ra- ra dios jewelry perfumes liquor sports equipment may equipment may be im im- Im- Im posed Income tax returns now pourIng pouring pouring pour- pour Ing into the treasury may bring some modification of present plans but there will be no radical departure from this outline Depending Depending Depending De De- De- De pending on future business conditions conditions conditions con con- treasury insiders hope to raise from one to three billion dollars through new forms of taxation Politicos have not yet noticed that President Roosevelt has quietly revolutionized their way of life Not even National Chairman Chairman Chairman Chair Chair- man Ed Flynn senses that all all all' patronage power now resides in inthe inthe inthe the White House Except for a few policymaking policy mak ing positions time one-time political jobs have been placed by the law under civil ice The word of a party leader lead lead- er will not count against that of ofa ofa ofa a departmental chief clerk in fillIng filling fill fill- ing log vacancies The latter can choose at will from a civil service service service ice list Usually he will consult his cabinet chief or the presidential patronage dispenser If II his department needs an appropriation tion flea from congress recommendations of the controlling committees committee's commit commit- tees lees chairman and members will carry weight The other rich source of new deal patronage also lies lies- beyond National Chairman F Fly 1 y n ns n's reach It consists of jobs in corporations corporations corporations cor cor- under the regulation of agencies like the R F C S SEC E C A A A and 0 O P M. M The administration relies in inCreasingly increasingly increasingly in- in on private corporations corporations corporations corpora corpora- for positions with which to reward the faithful Latest example example example ex ex- ex- ex ample was Jesse Jones' Jones attempt to land the chairmanship chairmanship chairmanship chairman chairman- ship of the Chicago federal re re- re serve bank for Emil Schram Federal loans and national defense defense defense de de- de- de contracts granted key banks and Industries frequently are accompanied with the suggestion suggestion suggestion sug sug- that a new deal lawyer or engineer or consultant be engaged by the beneficiary Flynn however is not consulted about these jobs The men on his lists are not regarded as qualified for such responsible as as- Paul V. V M McNutt Nutt yearns to head the home defense forces The new dealers want the job for forone forone forone one of their own They fear that McNutt might transform every home on his beat into a McNutt- McNutt for 1944 The presidential circle never has recover recovered d from the scare the handsome threw into them at Chicago when he might have won the vice presidential nomination over Henry Wallace They feel teel no gratitude for his bowing out of the race at F FT D DRs DR's R's Rs request The man of many troubles William S. S Knudsen unburdened himself recently to his close friend Commerce Secretary Jesse H. H Jones Mr Knudsen explained the difficulties confronting confronting confronting con con- fronting him because of his lack of power and indefinite status Inthe in inthe inthe the office of production manage manage- ment Listen Bill said Mr Jones who knows his way around Washington better than the oldest oldest oldest old old- est postman if jf you want power in this mans man's town you have got gotto gotto gotto to go out and grab it That's the only way to get it I ought to know Mr Knudsen blinked and thought for a moment Then he replied Well if that's the way you have to get it I dont don't want it They can c n keep it John N. N Garners Garner's letters to old friends at the capital picture the retired warhorse as content with the lot of a private citizen He is building cheap homes on a large scale to keep his hand In business He is hunting and fishing fishing fishing fish fish- ing for recreation and enjoyment He reveals no regret over his disappearance from the public stage he trod for more than forty years But in almost every letter letter letter let let- ter he winds up with the question question question ques ques- tion specific or implied How is Henry Wallace doing as vice president t Copyright 1941 McClure Syndicate |