New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-02
What Should and What Should
Not Be Done at the Short
Session.

Washington dispatches say that the fresluehU
Is wondering whether he can escape the necessity
of calling an extra session of Congress next
snring. II is reported that he would like to have
Congress- take rest after March next land
certainly the country needs such rest, even II
Congress Doesn't but fears that it will be impos-
sble TO get through by March A with what re-
. mains of the Wilson legislative programme
If the President is thinking of putting the
country on the rack again by calling an extra
session he is losing his acumen as politician.
He used to be able to read the signs of the Tunes
But when he issued bulletin recently describing
the reduction of the Democratic majority In the
House of Representatives from 149 to less than
% as a triumph for the administrators policies
his keenness at sensing the drift of public opinion
abruptly deserted him. Colonel George Harvey
once a heart-to-heart friend Of the President
and now restored TO the persona grotG list at the
White House-says of the popular verdict which
Mr.. Wilson is hugging to his heart that it is only
another case of the famous Scotch venlict "Not
guilty, but don't do it again." A little of Colonel
Harvey's gift of humor would help the. President
to see that the country already has hadmore than
enough of the Wilson legislative programme.
1t is clear that Congress will now have about
all it can do to pass the regular appropriation
bills at the short session. One of the public's
Just grievances against the Democratic party is
that since the House of Representatives passed
into Democratic control in 1910 there has been no
serious attempt to hold down expenditure Mr.
Tafts efforts to rationalize the budget and bring
about close cooperation between the Executive
danartment and Congress in checking waste were
frowned upon by the House management in
1912. and after Mr.. Wilson came in the spend
ers in Congress were left practically to their own
devices. As a consequence the appropriations Tor
1e14-'15 have run about S100,000,OOO ahead OF the
average for 1911-'12 and 1912-13.
II is time for Mr.. Wilson to give attention to
the neglected problem of national economy
Owing TO the faithfulness to duty of Senator Bur-
TON and other Republican Senators the pork
hunters, in Congress were obliged to cut about
$40 600 900 out of the last river and harbor ap-
nropriation act They will try TO make up for
that reverse by passing an inflated river and har'
Dor act at this session. just as they preparing
10 rush through a new grab-bag public buildings
appropriation act.
The public interest would be far better served
ny checking Congressional extravaganza all along
the line than by trying to pass the left-overs on
the Wilson legislative programme. There is no
need for a general ship purchase bill such as Mr..
Wilson advocates. The high seas are now nearly
clear Of commerce destroyers, and there will be
plenty of ships of our own register and of foreign
register 10 take care of our foreign carrying
trade. To establish lot of government owned
freight lines would lead only to useless invest
rnent Of capital and to steady losses operation.
The government cannot carry ocean freight in
nuccessful competition with privately owned lines
except by ignoring the element of profit in trans
portation.
Congress did not want 10 pass the ship pur-
chase bill last August, when the situation was
most panicky. II may be driven to pass it now,
but only in return for free hand to plumber the
Treasury. This bill and the superfuous and
vicious Philippine bill ought to be thrown over.
board. The country has plainly condemned the
administrations tendency to over-legslation. If
Mr.. Wilson is anxious to restore his shattered
prestige he will devote himself exclusively at this
session 10 warning extravaganza He owes
this to the taxpayers since it was Democratic
waste. not the shrinkage of customs dues which
made necessary the imposition of the new $780,
100000 "war emergency" taxes.