The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-05-16
CONGRESS NOW
CALLED WILL BE
REACTIONARY
Mann and Cannon Will Control
House-Senate Has Many Progress
sives.

hington.-President Wilson's call
Tor special session of congress to
meet on Monday, May g, settles the
speculation as to when he would is
sue the summons. With regard to
what the new congress will do, how
ever, there is practically no specu-
iaton at all. Special interest poll
tics are written all over it, and the
little group of progressives there,
including the Nonpartisan League
representatives, will be able to do
little more than delay vicious legis-
ton and to make a record for clean
congressional activity.
Contrary to the usual state of af-
fairs the house is more thoroughly
feacdonary than the senate. James
r. Mann of Illinois failed to get the
speakership, but he has control of
the Republican caucus, and associat-
ed with him in welding this power
is Joseph Cannon of standpat fame.
Representative Gillett, who was
elected speaker largely because his
public sins were less obvious than
Mann's relations with the big pack
ers, is subservient to this pair of
leaders and all they represent.
Senate More Progressive
In the senate, on the other hand,
there is large proportion of pro-
gressively minded men, who with the
Democrats, opposed to the Republi-
cans for party reasons at least, may
be able to seriously curtail the pow
er of the reactionary Republican
group led by Penrose, Lodge and
Nelson. 9
The reason for the changed stu
alton as between the senate and the
house, which is supposed to be
much nearer the people, is probably
found in the fact that most of the
progressive senator's were elected
before war was declared; whereas
the members of the house were elect
ed last fall following a misleading
campaign in which the special inter
ests We're able to substitute "loyal-
ty," 400 per cent Americanism" and
fag-waving for real, issues. The can
didates who stood for real issues that
would give the people solutions of re-
construction problems, were in gen.
eral unable to meet "loyalty" issue
, backed by unlimited funds and in
many cases mob violence. North
Dakota alone of all the states has
sent thoroughly plcC 4ossive dele
CATION to the house.
Measures to Come Up
Prominent among the measures
which the people may expect the
new congress to advance is tinkering
with the federal reserve act and the
farm loan bank to make them more
subservient to Wall street; bill to
let the packing trust off with "just
as good legislation" which will in
crease rather than diminish its pow
er; the cutting down of income and
excess profits taxes, and the return
of the railroads and the ships to
private management. There will un-
dcubtedly be a strenuous attempt to
put over compulsory military train
ing and other elements of a world
beating military establishment.
The tricI used to get at the farm
loan bank will probably be that for
which there has been so much pro-
paganda in the kept press recently
the withdrawal of the tax exemp-
ton on farm loan bonds. This
would raise the rate of interest for
the farmer borrowers and might
raise the interest return necessary
to sell farm loan bonds to over G
per cent. In this case the bank
would have to suspend, because the
law limits the rate to be offered to 6
per cent.
Labor will find the house ready to
place the new and very successful
government employment service in
such a position that the employers
can use it to abuse labor. Both Ia
Dor and the farmers will witness a
ruInber of attempts to interfere with
free srcecn, free sssemblage ard
other Constitute nal rights.
she reactionaries won the last
election. sMany of them feel that it
is their last chance and they will
make hay while the sun shines.
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