Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-06
NEED OF CONGRESS
NEEDING HARDING IN
COMING LEGISLATION
BY MARK SULLIVAN


National correspondent of, the New
York Evening Post.
Washington, Dec. 1.-The most i'm
portant aspect of the present session
of Congress is President Harding's
speech, and not the immediate pro-
gram for the present month. 1t is
rather the concern felt by Republican
leaders, within and without the ad-
ministration. about the way in which
the Republican House and Senate
have got completely out of hand. the
determination of the Republican
leaders to do something about it, and
the efforts they are making right now
in that direction. = Mr.. Hard
ing could if he chose, use his personal
popularity as leverage to lead the
House and Senate. The Republican
House and Senate would like very
much just now to edge in under the
mantle of Mr. Hardings personal
popularity. Within very few
months the entire membership of the
House Will ne up lot lt-tlttliOii III
primaries and within year they will
all be up at a general election. The
same is true of one third of the men,
bers of the Senate. A Republican
senator or representative running for
reelection can have hardly any as
set so great as the Presidents APP
prevail. Very soon now there will be
calls from Republican senators and
representatives for the President to
write letters in their behalf or to Wis
it their states and smile upon them
before the voters. I surmise that Mr..
Harding will do n good deal of think
ing before he assumes leadership over
Congress. At the same time, the
greater likelihood is that he will come
to it. When Mr.. Harding as scna-
tor. used to criticise dictation from
Wilson in the White House he
wasn't, as a good many others were,
merely grabbing any brick that was
handy to throw at Democratic
president. Mr.. Harding really meant
it. He was deeply disturbed over its
possible effects on our form of gov
eminent. Harding is reluctant to
act.
The president Is tenacious Of ideas
that lodge in his mind through his own
processes of thought. and it will cause
him much concern if he had to take
the attitude towards Congress thar
Wilson and Roosevelt did. 1t isn't
like Harding to do himself tie thing
he has honestly deplored in others.
But tho alternative of letting the Sen
ate and House go on as they now are is
too serious The worst aspect among
many unfortunate aspects of this bloc
system, or group system. that IS grow
ing up in the capitol is that it gives
the public no check on legislation.
Elections arc held. like the enc last
year, between the Republican and
Democratic parties on definite issues.
The success of one party or the other
carries a mandate from the people TO
carry out one program or the other.
If. after an election. the Senate and
House break up into blocs. then there
is no organization capable of carry
ing out the program and fulfilling the
organization upon whom the public
canfvisit punishment at the next cleo
ton. The president can afford to let
this bloc system continue to grow only
on the assumption that he wants 1t 10
become worse before 1t Is time to
make It better on the assumption tina.
he contemplates in the future some
important and fundamental change in
the way our laws are made and in the
relation between the executive and leg
islative branches. But. one wa or The
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