The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-11-06
THE NEXT CONGRESS.

(, president Harding would likely gladl
heed such a request. Or the senat
can direct the new executive 70 nego
tiate an entirely new instrument, an,
thus call another peace parley OF al
the powers concerned.
Aside from foreign problems Of wal
and peace reconstruction, the next con.
gross viii have some American inherit.
anccs OF the same description demand.
| ing immediate attention.
Tho entire list OF measures introduced
for the period OF tho war emergency
are on the statute books. Congress
when II became republican In 1913
steadfastly refused 10 repeal them. hop
Ing, perhaps. that tho democratic. party
would wear the stigma OF continued
operation. Their hope was well justified,
and the nonrepeal OF tho laws was one
OF the contributing causes TO Tues
days crushing defeat for the demo-
cratic party.
The income tax. with its myriad sec
lions, Interpretations, and exemptions;
will form a fertile field for republican
puzzlings. The income tax 10 the prin-
cipal source OF the nations revenue
today. II IL a tax which Is maddeninR
In compliance. The forms for return
are long ana intricate. perhaps neces-
sarily 30. II IL tax which creates
the ill-will Of the payer TO the party
that imposed II. Yet II seems impos-
sible that the republican party Will be
able TO make II less onerous or less In
VOWED. The task IL theirs. and may
they have a sweet time with III
There 10 certain to be protective
tariff again. The wall OF the manufac-
turers that ruin was In store unless an
other artificial tariff wall was raised
about tho nation will surely be needed.
This will be one OF the most formid-
able tasks to be faced by the next
house. Ghosts of the Dingley tariff
are already rearing their heads; the
Drawbacks" that goods manufactured
in America from imported duty paying
material, and again exported. win oc-
cupy page after page Of the Congress
gional Record. This newspaper will
again have It's endless debates over
an ad yaiorom tariff on needles, or
Russian plush. OF German knives, or
swedish steel. That Is facing the next
congress.
/ A repeal OF the war measures which
limited the rights OF free speech and
free press will also have 10 be taken
up. immigration has again become q
problem. A huge mass. OF dispirited
Europeans, seeing no future In their
war RACED lands, IL looking hopefully
toward America. And the American
supply OF labor IL large. What will We
do about III II 10 UP TO the next con-
gress to decide.
The ireconciliabls q. o. r. congress
Of 1918 has gotten ~ into great tangle
BY It's refusal TO repeal the war meas-
ures Of the administration and It will
be interesting 10 watch It's even more
republican successor try to straIghten
out things. unscrambling eggs Is an
unsatisfactory process.
One measure which should receive
nonpartisan support IL the adoption Of
n federal budget system. The demands
OF the various federal departments.
and their needs, should be co-ordinated.
Senator Harding promised, as did Pres
ident Taft 10 put the nation on q
business basis" II Is 10 DO hoped
that he makes better sudceas Of II
than did his last republican prodeoes-
sor. Mr. Taft did. however. appoint
q government efficiency board. which
recommended many changes. but all
these involved the Topping on OF some
clerks, the trimming Of bureau here,
a department there. the roclassihcatlon
of various grades OF government work,
and na a result won Q good deal OF
onmity from various congressman who
had constituents effected by tho pro-
posed changes. and caused the changes
to fall OF passage.
A budget bill passed the last con-
gress. but was returned by the presi-
dent with q veto. Mr.. Wilson's veto
was based on an attempt by congress
to, establish COMPASSIONATE appointed
executive agent, which he held was
trary 20 tho spirit of the national gov
eminent, And he was no doubt right
in this. II Mr.. Harding should sim
ilarly object. the error could easily be
rectified. and real budget system In
troduced. II would be the greatest
start toward an economical and busi-
nesslike administration that congress
all usl.4 "A. 1ss..