The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-04

-----------~ days. and they are
 ~eSESi SmaSI i. returning to Wash ington with the somewhat acute knowledge that there has been a countrywide criticism of the Con- gress for the Legislation which Con gress itself has admitted has been of the makeshift variety
 Senators and congressman are bringing back word that every con demnation of Congress Is accompa- nied by the warmest, commendation of President Harding. The legisla- tive leaders, therefore, are sitting up nights trying to figure how they can bring themselves within the reflected radiance of executive popularity.
 For one thing. they already are asking the President to take a more important part in the direction of Congress- The men responsible for Congress want to go into closer part nership with the White House. They have dual purpose in this. The first of course, is the hope to get more accomplished through the pub lie opinion which will be aroused by the Presidents activity. The second is to improve the standing of Con- gress with the people by stressing the fact that 1t is working in the closest possible cooperation with the President.
 The difficulty with this program is that the obstructionist elements in both the Senate and the House of Representatives are so "set" in their ways that it is doubtful If even the President can iron out the wrinkles sufficiently to bring about a smooth ly running machine. Some elements of the republican party, having ac- quired the obstructionist habit under the Wilson administration, are find ing 1t difficult now to change their ways.
 President Harding, hesitating here tofore about taking the lead in Con gress, because he thoroughly believes in the functional form of government and a division of responsibility among the three branches, is certain to accede to the request of the Con- gressional leaders for more and more active assistance in putting through an administration program.
 Congressman generally realize that the coming regular session is not likely to add greatly to their pop ularity, for no matter what excellent Legislation may be enacted In other directions, there Is no possibility of meeting the demands of the people for heavier cuts in their tax bills. There is also the necessity of making appropriations which in the end will run very close to S4,000, ,000, 900. The appropriations will be made under the new budget systems, 1t is true, fnd there is no doubt that the budget commission has been able to shave considerably the departmental esti- mates, but the saving of two or throe hundred million dollars in total budget of nearly S4,000, ,000, 900 Is not easily recognized by the harassed taxpayer.
 The cuts in taxes made in the reve- nue bill approved by the President a few days ago, while amounting to a considerable sum in the aggregate, appear somewhat meager when dis tributed among the millions of tax payers. As matter of fact, the cuts will scarcely be felt at all during the next year. And it is next year that all of the members of the House of Representatives come up for re- election. The one ray of hope left the members Is their promise to the country that the new tax bill is only temporary one, and that it will be changed from time to time in an eff fort to improve 1t.
 And so, with the tax law In an admittedly unsatisfactory condition, the tax law, like the revenue law, will be but a temporary affair. There is hope to get the tariff bill out of the Senate finance committee just before Congress adjourns for the Christmas holidays.
 Some senators are predicting final passage of the measure some time in March. Others are pessimistio enough to think it will not be adopt ed and signed by the President be- fore next June. President Harding will, in the address he will deliver personally to Congress on Tuesday dwell at some length upon the neces- sity of speeding up the tariff legis- lation. He will also recommend that measure be so cast that it will give great deal of authority to the ex- ecutive in its application. For in- stance, it Is a part of the plan of the administration now that the Ameri- can valuation scheme shall be left in abeyance with an authorization to the President to apply it whenever he considers that action necessary.
 It is matter of chagrin to some of the older leaders of the party that republicans should have so much difficulty in agreeing upon .tariH measure. The party. they say, has lived and thrived upon it's ability quickly to build up tariff wall for the complete protection of American industries. But the republican party today are many men of many minds and these many minds-some of which can even be classed with the best minds-are going to have much to say about the impropriety of attempting to pass at this time tar tn bill framed along the old lines
 There was sufficient doubt and in- 6ecision on the tariff in the last re- publican convention to bring about tariff plank wholly unprecedented in republican platforms. As an explana- ton of the troubles that are still ahead the language of that plank Is Illuminating. It follows:
 .The uncertain and unsettled condi- lions of international balances, the abnormal economic and trade situa- tion of the world and the impossi- bility of forecasting accurately even the near future preclude the formula tion of a definite program to meet. conditions a year hence. But the re- publican party reaffirms its belief in i the protective principle and pledges itself to a revision of the tariff as soon as conditions shall make it nec- essary for the preservation of the home market for American labor, Agriculture and industry
 In other words, in the diplomatic language of the day, the republicans still stand for a protective tariff in principle"