The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-04-20
CONGRESS FAILS
 TO PUT THROUGH
 VITAL MEASURES
Prospect of Present Session Dragging Far Into
 Summer.

Washington, D. C., April 20.---The responsible leaders of the Repub- 1ican Congress are growing more wary in their predictions that Con conventions and indications now are that Congress will drag along well into the summer months.
 This Congress, which has been termed in some quarters do noth- tng'' body, has yet to reach, much less dispose of, a number of inn portant reconstruction measures and to date little progress has been made except in the consideration of routine legislation.
 Democratic members of the House recently sought to draw from Repre- sentative Mondel1, the Republican floor leader, some expression regard ing the program of the Republican steering committees for>adjournment, as well statement concerning the major legislation the majority pro- posed to permit to come before the lower branch of Congress.
 When it was proposed in the House to take up the t'private calendar" former Speaker Champ Clark asked the Republican floor leader if the House did not have important 1egis1a- ton to which it might give attention llc1l udy MT MOnue1I Tepl1ed lHdI d number of members were interested in these private bills and it had been decided they should have their in ming.
 Another Democratic member asked Representative Mondell if the plans for adjournment still contemplated a getaway by June 5.
 '|l still hope we may be able to ad- journ about that time,'' was substan- tia11y the most definite answer that could be obtained
 At the present rate of progress, Democrats of both bodies have about abandoned hope that Congress will so clean up it's work as to permit ad journment by early summer. If ad- journment does come within the next sixty days, they say, it will mean simply that the Republican ma jority will leave undone many of the things which should be disposed of before Congress adjourns sine die. If Congress remains in session, however, there is so far no assurance that the Republican steering committees Wi take up these major matters.
 The record of Congress so far has been devoted largely to desu1tory consideration of the annual appro- priation bills and months of peace treaty debate in the Senate. Despite the pressure brought for action one way or another on bonus legislation for ex-Service men, the Ways and Means committee of the House has only reached the stage where it is ap- pointing subcommittee to take up the several plans suggested for bonuses and land settlements in the aid of the returned soldier and sailor
 While Republicans inveigh at in tervals against alleged governmental extravagances and put Investigating committees at work probing the various executive departments of the government, no progress apparently is being made in the establishment of | a budget system of appropriations which might Systematize and equalize receipts and expenditures
 The Republican Congress has been in almost steady session for approxi- 1 mately a year. When the extra ses- sion was called by the President, the Republican majority had been insist ing upon an earlier call in order that Congress might get down to the task of reconstruction legislation. However, Democrats charge that ! when Congress finally met the Senate thrust everything aside to talk for | months on the peace treaty, while the ! House, instead of taking up such | pressing matters as the merchant l marine, tax reform, bonus legislation. promotion of foreign commerce and | other problems incident to returning | peace conditions, devoted much of it's energy to Investigations of expen>
 ditures for the winning of the war. 1 Democrats assert that if the lead l CTS of the two houses who control 1 legislation are to go to the country i on a record that will meet with pub i lie approval, they must show a speeding up" spirit which has been l lacking for the last eleven months.