The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-15
AT TER DOING LITTLE.
 CONGRESS AGREES. ID MONTHS RECESS.
Republicans Have Made a Fu- tile Effort "to Fool All the
 People All the Time"
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The ASe-Herald
 500 Davidson Building

500 Davidson Building
 Washington, August (SpeciaL) Congress has agreed to recess for a month
 It has reached such conclusion after futile effort to fool all the people all the time."
 March Congress convened in ex- traordinary session under the call of the President for the purpose of en- acting a tariff bill to supplant the Underwood measure and to revise the scheme of taxation. It will recess without having accomplished either purpose.
 Sometime ago responsible leaders, aware of the futility of continuing a grind productive of no good en- deavored to recess. The agrarian bloc in the Senate defeated the effort. The agrarian bloc took the position that it must impress the farmers with an idea that it was serving the farmers.
 The agrari" bloc was about as successful as the Harding adminis- tration in it's plan to enact a tariff bill.
 What Was Done
 
 of Congress since the sgrarian bloc insisted that Congress remain on the job and alleviate the distress of the agricultural class. For the agrarian bloc was imbued with an idea that economic conditions are dependent on law, just as certain other asso- citations believe that by law they can make the world moral.
 Since refusing to recess and agree ing to recess, Congress disposed of the soldiers bonus bill, the meat packers bill, and the so-called farm export bill. It is recalled that the President ordered the pigeon holing of the bonus bill. But had it been enacted it could not have been effective prior to July, 1922. For the enactment of bill effective one year hence, there was no real reason for the refusal of the agrarlan bloc to adjourn.
 The packers bill, as enacted. is delusion and sham. It is a fraud on its face. For in seven vital re- spects it was amended by the lob byists in the pay of the packers. Senator LaFollette so charged, and by virtue of no denial, so proved.
 Nevertheless, the agrarian bloc re- mained in session to enact that bill, and to confer the blessing on the farmers which they contended the bill guaranteed.
 Another "Dead. BiiI
 Another reason for the refusal of the agrarian bloc to adjourn was the pendency of the bill, introduced by Senator Norris, under which there seemed to be guarantee that farm CTS could unite and with the assist ar nf 4l.- eXportation of their surplus products
 Just at the time the Senate was prepared to enact the bill, the Presi- dent appeared. He declared it very bad, and ordered that a substitute be written. The substitute was written | and enacted. Senator Norris, author of the original bill, aware of the hypocrisy involved in the substitute denounced the administration, and as result of broken heart, tainted in the Senate and has not since made an appearance.
 But, even had the Norris bill been enacted in original form it could not have been influential in harvesting and exporting the crop of the current season. The Senator so admitted on the floor. It was, therefore. not so important as to prevent an adjourn Hicht III tiic Ol ljzI. put the Norris bill gave the agrarian bloc an opportunity to impress the farmers with an idea that In another" con crete instance, it had served the farmers.
 An Empty Void The democratic leader in the Sen ate, Senator Oscar w. Underwood of Alabama declared on the floor of the Senate some weeks ago that the res toration of stability in business con- ditions was dependent not on this or that pro bono publico dream or scheme. but on the enactment of a tax bill which would relieve the bur den of business and the people, and | at the same time encourage capital to exercise itself.
 The enactment of such a bill was the purpose of the extraordinary ses- sion. No one seriously takes issue with the statement of Senator Un- derwood. Therefore, judged from any angle one wishes to judge it. the extraordinary session has been a monstrous failure. Politicians Of both parties declare 1t true that the country has been disappointed. cer- tainly not greatly impressed in a fla vorable manner
 And never before has Congress so palpably tried Ito fool all the people all the time" Republicans are not alone imu1icated nap,oora i,-.