Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-04
Republican Plans
From the Literary Digest

T IKE wise virgins, the Republi-
can leaders in Congress intend
to have their legislative lamps
trimmed and burning when Presi-
dent Wilson returns to convene Con-
gress. 1t may be June /, May l, or
even earlier, and already Republi-
cans have begun work on the big
appropriation bills which failed in
the last Congress, and, according to
the Washington correspondent of
the New York Evening Post, two
or three of these bills will be ready
for the immediate consideration of
the House wheh it meets" Such
forehandedness wins hearty praise
from Independent journals like the
Washington Star and Detroit Free
Press. The Chicago Daily News
characterizes as admirable and op-
perfume" the declaration of Con-
gresham Gillett, who will preside
over the new House, that the main
tive legislation for the period fol-
lowing the war" Past Democratic
misdeeds may require looking into,
but Chairman Hays, of the Republi-
can National Committee, agrees that
the Republican duty is now ahead"
Mr.. Hays, who speaks for the entire
party as do few Republican leaders,
thus outlines itS duty in general
terms in a recent speech in st. Paul:
I'VE will establish policies which
will once again bind up the wounds
of war, which will renew our pros
perity. and administer the affairs of
this Government with the greatest
economy, on a sound business basis,
and which will enlarge our strength
at home and abroad. With all our
power we will strive to prevent the
further spread of socialism and set
this nations feet once more firmly
on the path of progress and along
ways which liberty and order must
ever guard and preserve.
ITO this end we have promised a
forward stepping as well as n for
ward looking program for labor, for
business, for the farmer, and those
promises we will keep"
1t will be q Republican task, says
Mr.. Hays, to bring the Government
back to the limitations of the Con-
stitution, to show the world that
we are a representative Govern
ment, not a Bolshevik syncopation,
and to end "pedagogic paternalism.' '
Coming down to the brass tacks"
of actual legislation, a writer in
viewing prominent Republican lead
ers in the new Congress and finds
them alive to their Kaleidoscope
responsibility" The Republican
steering committee. we are told, is
now planning just how to enact
laws for
Passage of appropriation bills for
the support of government depart
ments and agencies totaling more
than four billion dollars.
Revision of the tariff with care
to protect domestic industries.
"Redraftng the new revenue law
to meet changed conditions and to
provide six billion dollars the first
year and four billion dollars there
after-if that is sufficient.
Reconstruction, turning back in
to peace-time production the plants
that have been converted to manu-
facture of war supplies; finding
economic and profitable use for the
plants and industries that sprang up
to meet emergency needs during the
war-and salvaging the human ma
chinery wrecked in the war.
Disposition of the railroads, in
cluding citation of terms on which
they may be turned back to their
private ownership, with strict gov
ernmental supervision of issuance of
stocks and bonds; with attendant
legislation providing for a healty,
economic development of the water
ways and highways as co-ordinated
avenues of efficient transportation.
"Upbuilding of a great American
merchant marine, which will carry
American and American
trade-marked goods across the seven
seas to all the nations of the world
even if the United States Shipping
Board has to be disbanded to ac-
complish this.
Investigations of war-expendi-
lures and wartime administration,
with closer attention to the welfare
o: our own country.
New census legislation.
Revision and amplification of
banking and currency laws, with re-
gard for revolutionized world-con-
ditions, international exchange, and
the requirements of an expanded
commerce"
The immediate responsibility for
filing and trimming Republican
lamps rests, of course, with the
members of the committees which
must draft the new laws. Mr..
James w. Good, of Iowa, who will
head the House Appropriations
Committee, is mindful that during
he. 90 IL