Precedence

It was regarded as certain that the Ways and Means Committee of the House would take up the case of a soldier bonus before considering Secretary Mellon's tax reduction plan. When the Committee met in its first session, a motion was made to consider tax reduction first. At once the advocates of the bonus made five counter propositions--for considering the bonus first, for considering the bonus when Congress reassembles on Jan. 3, etc.--and all five, were defeated.

The vote was 15 to 8, 14 Republicans and two Democrats voting for immediate consideration of tax reduction, six Democrats and one Re- publican insurgent (Frear of Wisconsin) voting "bonus first," and two members absent.

A bonus bill may, however, be considered before work on the tax reduction bill is completed. The House Republicans have called a caucus on the bonus question for Jan. 10. Chairman Green of the Ways and Means Committee explained:

"The logical order of committee procedure should be to take up first the administrative features of the Treasury bill; then to determine whether a bonus bill is to be considered and reported; and therefore in accordance with the determination of these two matters to make the reduction in taxation accordingly. It will probably require ten days or two weeks to consider properly the administrative provisions."

Some 50 of the 344 pages of the tax reduction bill were gone over by the Committee before the Christmas recess. The administrative features of the bill will therefore probably have been surveyed by the time of the Republican caucus. Then the question of precedence is likely to be settled finally.