Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-05
Little Real
Action ip
Congr.+,s
Passing of Ap, u ! sn Bills
And Marking on Big
Measures Program for
Short Session.
Finances Due for Bio Cut
Finances Due for Big Cut
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.

y
versation and little action except in
routine matters will be the record.
according to present indications, of
the last session of the sixty-sixth
congress, which will open Monday
and end March 3, next
Passing the regular appropriation
bills and making time on construc-
tive legislation pending the inaugu-
ration of the Harding administration
is the program Il will afford an i'm
pressive demonstration of the cost to
the people of the system which de-
lays the installation of a new ad-
minstration and a new congress for
four months after the election, dur
ing which the business of govern
ment remains in the hands of an
outgoing administration and an out
going congress.
The republican leaders have no
desire to press for immediate action
the big legislative measures they
have in mind until President-elect
Harding has formulated and com.
municated to them his policies.
IS Fear Wilson Veto.
Moreover, some of the bills rep
resenting some of the greatest de-
,parture from the. Wilson policies
would be vetoed by the president,
even if passed at the short ses-
sion. FINALLY, there will not be
sufficient time in which to dispose
of important legislation, for with
Sundays and holidays eliminated,
there will be but so working days in
the session.
Passage of the appropriation bills
win be as big a task as congress
can tackle conveniently, anyway.
Getting back to normal is difficult,
apparently, for the Wilson admin
istration, which is asking congress
for nearly as much money for the
fiscal year of 1922 as for 1921. The
request for appropriations by the
several departments for 1921 ex-
ceed $6,000,000,000, from which the
republican congress Topped of ST.
500,000,000. Z.
Retrenchment all along the line is
to be insisted upon by the repub-
liean leaders and the last demands of
the democratic administration are in
for big slashing. 1t is aimed to re-
duce the government force of EN-
ployes at least 100000 in the entire
country, including 20,co0 in Wash
ington.
Lame Ducks in House.
The house will be full of tame
ducks, 1inping in the wake of the
republican landslide, and many of
them absenting themselves from the
scene of their passing glory to such
an extent that it may be difficult to
muster quorum.
There will be deal Il Of talk,
however, on the topics of past, pres
ent, and future actions. Views will
be aired on the tariff and tax re-
vision which is to be taken up by the
next congress for definite action. 1t
is possible that committee hearings
will begin at the coming session,
however, on these questions, in order
to give the Harding administration
FLYING start on such constructive
legislation.
Deluge of Bills.
Then there will be a deluge of
bills and speeches, urging all sorts
of schemes to mitigate the plight
of the farmers facing the bankruptcy
of selling their enormous crops at
less than cost of production. An eff
fort is to be made to put through
some sort of emergency legislation,
such as the extension of credit to
Germany and Russia for the pur-
chase of American agricultural prod
ucts, and the revival of the war
finance corporation to assist foreign
marketing. Whether bill imposing
tariff on Canadian wheat can be
passed is doubtful, Unless an agree
ment can be reached to prevent the
measure being loaded down with
amendments for the protection OF
other products, which would lead
to interminable debate. ~.
President Wilson is expected to
renew his recommendation of re-
vision and give his views Ion other
economic questions, but 'the con-
gress is looking for advice not to
the outgoing, but to the incoming
executive. His policies will come in
for final raking in, speeches on the
peace treaty, the league of nations,
Russia, Japan and Mexico.
The senate will begin discussion of
the Kenyon-Kendrick bill for gov
ernment supervision Of the packers,
but passage of the measure is inn
probable at this session. Likewise
an immigration restriction bill I'll be
framed and considered, but is not
deemed likely to pass both houses.
NJ ~