The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-10-02
A DEFENSE OF CONGRESS

the alleged derelictions of the present
congress, that it is refreshing to find
a discriminating critic that takes the
trouble to show that although it act
ed less expeditiously in one or two in
stances than was necessary, it really
has made a great record for achieve
ments IN its last issue, The Nation,
New York literary and critical re
view has this to say editorially.
If the House realizes it's ambition
to clear its docket and adjourn by the
end of the month, a purpose in which
the administration is reported hearth
" to concur, it will leave behind it
record of achievement for which it
will be difficult to find a parallel in
any other session of our congression-
al history To speak of it as an epoch
making session is commonplace. Just
one of its acts, the declaration of war
against Germany, would make it that.
What the record shows, however, IS
a mass of legislation, springing out
of that momentous first step which
for bulk and cOmprehensiveness for
the great issues involved and the enOr-
nous figures dealt with, for its drastic
innovations and its effects on the null
hilarious phases of the national life,
stands without a rival. The historian
of the war congress of 1917 will ex-
anime that record in a more dispas-
sionate spirit than those who have
watched the grinding of the legisla-
tive machinery from day to day in the
face of tremendous emergency. Free
from such daily agitations and panics,
surer of his perspective, and much
more qualified to test the expenditure
of energy by results. this future chron-
icles of congressional activity will
render fairer verdict than one
would have thought likely a few
weeks ago. We say few weeks ago
because already there are signs that
public opinion is revising its attitude
towards what the most impatient ones
were used to describe as "misrep-
resentative' congress.
summary, not altogether COM
plete of the legislation enacted in tn
seven months that will have elapsed
before adjournment of the House
bears directly on the charge that con-
gress paltered and delayed while the
nations need cried out for action. On
April 2 the president read his wal
message to congress, and on April
the joint resolution had been passed
bv both houses On April the wal
departments selective draft bill was
introduced in both houses; it became
law on May is. Nearly a month be
fore that. on April "a, the first bono
bill. embodying the provisions for the
first Liberty Loan, became law. Or
. a.. Cd no
appropriation bill On May IS tbs
bill for increasing the naval and ma
rine forces went to the president. b.
June Is congress had passed the wa
budget bill Two days later it pass
ed the espionage bill. Among othe
measures that have become law o
will become law before adjournment
are the embargo bill the priorit
shipping bill, food legislation, ship
ping legislation, the new eleventh.
iion-dollar" bond bill the war revenu
bill. and the soldiers and sailors in
surance bill 1t is true that in wa
time we cannot apply the speed stan
dards OF normal times. In peace ever
one OF these measures might hav
furnished sufficient fuel for an entir
session We had a right to expeC
much greater expedition in time {
emergency Nevertheless, there is
middle point between legislative della
and the rushing through of vital meas
ures without examination and witt
out debate, even in time of war.
The three measures on which COZ
gress spent much more time than a
impatient country thought necessaI
are the war revenue bill, the espiol
age bill, and food legislation. In dea
ing with revenue congress will hay
given something like six months
legislation which in the British hOus
of commons was enacted in a lit
more than half the time. Responsible
ity for this is not entirely with con
gress. however Partly the delay W;
owing to the preliminary work in Il
treasury department, though there
turn we must take into account Il
ever-shifting estimates made nece
sary by the expansion of our war pr
gram. We have been legislating f
revenue for the first year of a w
while England has had the expel
ence of three years to go by. II W
the foolish and tedious guerrilla wa
fare against the presidents food co
servation measures that counted me
heavily in the public mind, and W
so count in the impartial historian
review In it's attempt to make [
food bill an omnibus for all sorts
extraneous measures, which il was {
parent from the first was bound
fail, congress was guilty of obstrl
ton. To be sure, there is the arg
ment that little harm was done, INF
much as Mr.. Hoover went serene
about his business while cOngrS
pinned riders to the food bill a
took them off again That, howev
is a plea in extenuation and not