The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-27
BY MARK SULLIVAN
Political Correspondent
The lntelirnNcnr aud the New

The Intelligcnccr and the New
York Evening Post.
Washington, Nov. ga week from
Monday Congress sits again. and
enough senator's and congressman are
back in Washington 10 make possible
Il consideration OF hat the temper OF
this short session will be and what &C
Invites it is likely TO take up.
atmosphere Of Washington or sniclli-
gently follow the activities of THIS
coming short session without keeping
always in mind the fact that this Is
the old Congress-not the new one.
The members and senators who were
elected this month, and who Will com
pose that big Republican majority that
is to dominate Things fur the near ~
turr. do not take their seats until Altcr
March 4. From December 3 until
March 4 1t is the old Congress still In
session, and out Of that fact flow the
most important considerations thar
will determine what is done OF not
The Attitude Of the Defeated.
a session OF Congress situated IKE
this coming one Is always apt 10 DC
rather more exciting In lis activltLss
than q normal session. y conslderaole
number OF the membcrS-in the pres
cnt case L rather unusually large num-
beT-have been defeated for reelection
They no longer feel under the a9pre-
hensive constraint OF Il wa.entuA Sonn,
III nDI lHa NCANNS ~
more free, and the coming session VII!
be characterized by an unusual ana
agreeable frankness.
Quite a few of these defeated mem
bers who have already returned "
Washington feel not only free from
constrait, but feel, also. that tneir
own constituents and tho country as u
whole have been ungratetul. Inc az ~
~tivitieS OF men in thlS mVoa VIII "
chnrnCtcrizcd not merely by unusual
600 - pnSS b,,t Dy an AGGRESSIVE IluC~
4 session Of Congress. of which n
considerable number OF members know
they are go!nE out OF Puoiic III II, thsv
arr, secure in their seats for a long llme
IN come, ought. TO provide the country
With better legislation than usual. I'm
ccpt for two factors. the coming Se
sion would do just that thmE.
Uncertainty About the President
THE first of the factors that makes 4
good body Of legislation less prooao1e ~
Hnnrcrtain,y about the disposition oil
President Wilson. ,,s
Rightly or wrongly, congress mas
come TO feel that President wilson Is
In an unreasonable mood. and that III
- cxarris,. of the veto power during
Tho COMM session he will be governed
not merely by the freedom when n"
shares with them as q man about 10
leave public life. but by a petulah'
inSiStenCH on his ONH -.
For example. there can be no oouot
that the present congress Is disposed
10 PASS q drastic law restricting lhlnli-
grafton. Congress is almost UNI
vcrsally impressed with the Deilet 'hal
many countries Of Europe, IN the pres
emit state Of economic chaos therc' a.'
taking advantage OF the opportunity W
get rid Of undesirable elements ~ III
populations BY facilitating their I'M
migration to America. Several other
reasons run toward the same emo OF
excessive and largely undesirable itnm'-
grafton into the United states. IahlnS
account of all these reasons. CohRTess
is disposed to check that lmnnisra'ior
and TO endeavor to pass legislation 10
that effect. .
But in considering this legislation
congress- Is Impressed with Il more or
less hopeless apprehension that lresl-
dent Wilson will exercise his veto power
in such a way as to defeat tneir mn
tions The other day a emo OF con
Cress who is on the committee that mas
charge OF immigration matters was ap-
preached bv soInc representatives Oh Ia
Dor unions, who laid before him the nee
cssity for immigration restrlclloh; n
replied that he agreed with theth "ho''''
| and that thSy could rclr on congress TO
take thu. necessary action. but he feared
whatever congress should do might d"
vetoed by the president.
A Veto ThR Discharges.
Congress finds justification for TINS
apprehension Of President wilson III
his veto Of the budget bill. :,
Last May just as con"ress was emu,
ing its session, a budget bill was passed
which was described rs being next 70
the Federal Reserve Act. the most I'M
rortant piece of legislation passed since
the Civil War, and likely I" do NOR,
| toward introducing sound business ana
administration methods into the conduct
of the government than any bill ever
passed at any time. The support of tins
bill was almost unanimous. Democrati'
leaders competed with Republican lead
ers in the heartiness OF their indorse-
ment and in their wish to facilitate It's
passage.
Rut after congress closed. President
Wilson vetoed the bill and gave as the
reason for his veto his disagreement
with what the friends Of the bill re-
rarded as an unreasonahly minute con-
stitutional objection. The cDtsod" was
discouraging to congress and to the
large numbc of earnest persons who
are friends Of the bill. Congress felt
that President Wilson is less intent on
getting something Tor 20 remedy tn"
admitted chaos Of the governments ma
chinery than in maintaining a meticul-
Gus regard for his own ~prerorativc.
A Matter Of Mental Attitude.
II congress Is right in this and IT
President Wilson retains this attitude.
the coming session will be less fruitful
Of good legislation than might readily
be the case. 1t Is largely = matter OF
President, both being free from the usua!
necessity OF deferr!ng to prcjudic"s
among the electorate. were disposed to