In Committee

Stationary but not unoccupied, the tax reduction bill remained in the Senate Finance Committee, preparing for its appearance in the upper House. The most important thing which befell the bill was the displacement of the Longworth compromise tax rates (maximum surtax 371/2%) by the original Mellon rates (maximum surtax 25%). This was done by vote of 8 to 7. Two members of the Committee were absent. One of them, Senator LaFollette, would have voted with the Democrats against the change. The other, Senator Medill McCormick of Illinois, Republican, was classified as "uncertain." In their double absence, however, the thing was done. Of course, the decision is far from final-- on the floor of the Senate much the same situation will exist--a combination of insurgent Republicans with Democrats, which may result in the surtax being raised again.