1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 1461 Byrd Hill Radcliffe 1. Such a tax would impede; rather than SENATE Byrnes Holman Reed aid, any national defense since it cannot pos­ Capper Hughes Reynolds sibly result in any immediate increase in Caraway Johnson, Calif. Russell THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1941 Chandler Johnson, Colo. Schwartz Federal revenues, but would impose an im­ Chavez Kilgore Sheppard mediate and heavy burden upon our States (Legislative day of Thursday, February Clark, Idaho La Follette Shipstead and cities just at a time when they are called 13, 1941) Clark, Mo. Langer Smathers upon to contribute large sums of money for Connally 'Lee Stewart cooperation with the defense program; Danaher Lodge Taft 2. State and municipal officers are.in agree­ The Senate met at 12 o'clock meridian, Davis Lucas Thomas, Idaho on the .expiration of the recess. Downey McCarran Thomas, Utah ment that such a tax will cause an increase in the cost of State and municipal financing · The Chaplain, Rev. Z~Barney T. Phil­ Ellender McFarland Tobey George McKellar Truman of at least 25 percent, which must necessarily lips, D. D., offered the following prayer: Gerry McNary Tunnell be reflected in increased local taxes; 0 God, merciful Father, who never Gillette Maloney Tydings 3 . The courting of popular support for Glass Mead Vandenberg such a tax has been based upon gross and failest to hear the sighing of a contrite Green Miller VanNuys heart, whose nature and property is al­ Guffey Murdock Wallgren utterly misleading exaggerations, often in ways to have mercy and to forgive, who Gurney Murray Walsh fiat contradiction of the Treasury's own re­ Harrison Norris Wheeler ports and statistics; hast compassion upon all men, and who Hatch Nye White 4. Even the Treasury concedes that such a wouldst not the death of a sinner but Hayden O'Mahoney Wiley tax cannot produce any substantial revenue rather that he should turn from his Herring Overton Willis to the Federal Government for at least 20 wickedness and live: We humbly beseech Mr. HILL. I announce that the Sen­ years to come, while on the other hand, it Thee to forgive us our trespasses. Re­ will immediately increase the financing costs ator from South Carolina [Mr. SMITH] is of the States and municipalities; ceive and comfort us who are grieved and, absent from the Senate because of illness. 5. Reciprocal taxation by the States of wearied with the burden of our trans­ The Senator from Florida [Mr. PEP­ Federal bonds could not offset the loss to the gressions, and, though we be tied and PER], the Senator from Oklahoma [Mr. States and cities since even those States bound with the chain of our sins, yet let THOMAS], and the Senator from New York which have income taxes have much lower the pitifulness of Thy great mercy loose [Mr. WAGNER] are unavoidably detained. rates than the Federal Government; those us, for the sake and through the media­ . Mr. AUSTIN. I announce that the States which have no income tax would re­ tion of Thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our ~eive nothing; and all cities would be left Senator from Nebraska [Mr. BuTLER] is helpless since they cannot impose an income Lord. Amen. absent because of the death of his wife. tax; THE JOURNAL The VICE PRESIDENT. Ninety Sen­ 6. In its political consequences, such a tax On request of Mr. BARKLEY, and by ators having answered to their. names, a will inevitably result in Federal control of the quorum is present. fiscal operations of local government; it would unanimous consent, the reading of the establish what the Department of Justice J 6urnal of the proceedings of the cal­ RESOLUTION OF UNITED STATES CONFER­ itself has called "the !Supreme Federal power endar day of Wednesday, February 26, ENCE OF MAYORS ON TAXATION OF to tax the States"; 1941, was dispensed with, and the Jour­ MUNICIPAL BONDS · 7. Such a tax would destroy the constitu­ nal was approved. tional foundation for municipal home rule Mr. AUSTIN. Mr. President, I ask and democratic self-government: Now, there­ MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT unanimous consent to have printed in the fore, be it Messages io writing from the President RECORD at this place and appropriately Resolved, That the United States Confer­ of the United States submitting nomina­ referred a resolution unanimously adopt­ ence of Mayors hereby records its continued ed on February 21 at the St. Louis Re­ and determined opposition to the Treasury tions were communicated to the Senate proposal to impose a Federal tax on State and by Mr. Latta, one of his secretaries. gional Conference of the United States Conference of Mayors. There were 1n municipal securities; and be it further EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC. Resolved, That copies of this resolution be attendance approximately 400 municipal forwarded immediately to all Members of the The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the officials from all the States lying between Congress, with the urgent request that they Senate the following letters, which were the . Alleghenies and the Rockies. The extend every effort to defeat this unwarranted referred as indicated: resolution relates to the taxation of mu­ proposal and so to defend their communities against its disastrous consequences. FEDERAL OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE nicipal bonds. TRUST FUND The VICE PRESIDENT. The resolu­ PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS A letter from the board of trustees of the tion will be received and appropriately Petitions, etc., were laid before the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance referred. Senate by the Vice President, or present­ Trust Fund, transmitting, pursuant to law, The resolution was referred to the ed by Senators, and referred as indi­ the first report of that board (with _an ac­ ·Committee on Finance and ordered to be cated: companying report); to the Committee on printed in the RECORD, as follows: Finance. By the VICE PRESIDENT: TAXATION OF MUNICIPAL BONDS A telegram in the nature of a petition from REPORT OF NATIONAL MUNITIONS CONTROL Whereas in September 1940 the Senate of sundry citizens of Laden town (Haverstraw), BOARD the United States decisively rejected the un­ N. Y., praying a referendum vote on the A letter from the chairman and members sound and unconstitutional attempt to im­ so-called lease-lend bill; to the table. of the Nm;ional Munitions Control Board, pose a Federal tax on State and municipal A telegram in the nature of a memorial transmitting, pursuant to law, a report rela­ securities; and from Mrs. Sarah Gathercole, of Bay Head, tive to the control of trade in arms, ammu­ Whereas, despite this decisive defeat, the N. J ., remonstrating against the enactment nition, and implements of war, including a 7'reasury Department has recently announced of House bill 1776, the lease-lend bill, or any list of· purchasers and terms of sale under its intention of again urging the enactment proposal to send American boys to Europe; licenses issued by the Board; to the Com­ of such legislation, this time on the pretense to the table. mittee on Foreign Relations. (The text of that this form of political cannibalism is in Letters in the nature of memorials from the report referred to was transmitted to• the some vague way related to the national de­ Mrs. Henry G. Steinmetz, of New Rochelle, House of Representatives.) fense; and and Mrs. Nell Vincent Graham, of Brooklyn, both in the State of New York, remonstrat­ CALL OF THE ROLL Whereas the States and municipalities ot the Nation have almost unanimously opposed ing against involvement in war, and also Mr. HILL. I suggest the absence of a the imposition of this tax on both constitu­ against the enactment of House bill 1776, the quorum. tional and economic grounds; and lease-lend bill; to the table. ' Whereas the cities represented .in the A joint memorial of the Legislature of the The VICE PRESIDENT. The clerk State of Idaho; to the Committee on Appro­ will call the roll. Unit.ed States Conference of Mayors are con­ vinced, and do hereby again assert, that the priations. The Chief Clerk called the roll, and the proposed tax has nothing whatsoever to do "House Joint Memorial No. 1 following Senators answered to their with national defense and cannot by any "To the honorable Senate and House of Rep­ names: means be justified on this or any other resentatives of the United States of Adams Bankhead Bridges ground; and America in Congress assembled: Aiken Barbour Brooks Whereas it is the opinion of these cities "We, your memorialists, the Senate and Andrews Barkley Brown Austin Bilbo Bulow that any sincere regard for our national de­ House of · Representatives of the State of . Bailey Bone Bunker fense requires the defeat of this tax on the Idaho, in legislative session duly and regu­ Ball Brewster Burton grounds that-- larly assembled, respectfully represent that-- 1462 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE FEBRUARY 27 "Whereas the State of Idaho is now, and in order to remedy the situation caused by receiving flight instruction under the civilian has for many years past, been engaged in the the unequal cost return to the wheat farm­ pilot training program provided for by the control and eradication of noxious weeds ers, instituted an agricultural program that Civilian Pilot Training Act of 1939; to the within the State of Idaho; and has now proven to be only a temporary cor­ Committee on Military Affairs. "Whereas it has been impossible for the rection which does not solve adequately and By Mr. HOLMAN: State of Idaho to control and eradicate nox­ fairly the unequal cost return to the farmer S. 988. A bill providing for the acquisition ious weeds in certain sections of the State for the wheat he produces; and by the United States of the Bayocean Penin­ because of the Indian reservations located in "Whereas it is the concensus of opinion sula in Tillamook County, Oreg.; to the Com­ said sections, for the reason that no provision of a majority of the wheat farmers of Mon­ mittee on Military Affairs.