Evening star., 1921-08-23
lam IN CONGRESS
PRECEDES RECESS
Situation Demonstrates That
House Works Swiftly While
Senate Is Slow.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

d
the eve of an adjournment or recess.
Again it is demonstrated that the
House with it's large membership can
dispose of public business rapidly,
while the Senate, with it's practically
unlimited debate. is at the mercy Of
small groups Filibusters and threats
of the same can tie up legislation at
the last minute in the Senate, and
that's why administration leaders
abandoned all hope of passing certain
major bills which they had hoped to
put through before the recess. which
begins this week and lasts until about
October L. The measure which Presi-
dent Harding and Secretary Mellon
requested to have passed so that ne
gotiations might be begun with the
allied powers to arrange for payment
of principal and interest on the $10,-
has been shelved until after the re-
cess Men like Senators La Toilette
and Borah wanted. to ask questions
about it, and since protracted debate
was inevitable it has been set aside.
Railway Bill Sidetraeked.
The bill to enable the War Finance
Corporation to handle the emergency
in the railroad situation by paying
large sums to the railroads which
have been due them as war claims
also is sidetracked. The money was
to have been spent by the roads in
buying equipment, and might have
given business as whole a general
stimulus this fall. Congress. how
ever. Influenced by the agricultural
group. which wants a reduction in
freight rates before helping the rail-
roads. was unable to get the legis-
passed the bill and cleaned up it's
slate nicely, but in the Senate the
chances of a filibuster against the
railroad bill made it seem wiser to
postpone consideration of it until aft
er the recess.
Fight Over Beer Obstructive.
The real stumbling block. however.
has been the so-called anti-beer bill.
The House passed the conference re-
port substantially as the Anti-Sa-
loon League leaders wanted it. 6ut
in the Senate great constitutional OBJ
jections have been raised wherein the
fourth amendment is held toy con-
flict with the eighteenth amendment.
The beer bill faced temporary defeat.
The friends of beer have this ad-
vantage in a postponement: II the
bill isn't considered until after the
recess regulations will have been is
sued meanwhile by the Treasury De-
partment permitting the manufacture
Of beer Nor medicinal purposes. Once
that regulation Is made the chances
|of altering 1t by subsequent legisla-
ton are reduced.
The only measure which has been
certain of passage is the bill enabling
the War Finance Corporation to lend
large sums of money to agricultural
export organizations. The farmers
have had their way this session
though the manufacturing and busi-
ness interests stilE wait action on the
tariff and revenue bills.
Purpose of Proposed Recess.
OF course the purpose of the re-
cess is to enable the Senate finance
committee to hold hearings and write
a tax bill. The argument was WISE
ly made that unless the Senate re-
cessed and gave members Of the Sem
ate finance committee a chance to
work uninterruptedly on the tax bill
law and the old one would have to
be re-enacted. The Senate has been
in session only a few months, but
the usual troubles Of a new. admin
istration have been augmented this
time by the clash in interests between
the eastern ana western republicans.
The latter have played the better
strategy and have managed to get
consideration for most Of their bills.
As a consequence there IL an admis-
sion now that much more progress
would have been made II the tax bill
had been given right Of way in both
houses and IL President Harding had
insisted upon such priority.
Gladly Accepts Chance.
i g. - 1ho
ever, to leave the writing of the tax
bill to the Senate finance committee
and get away on a brief vacation. The
months rest will be a good invest
ment for the country, because 1t will
give members a chance to hear from
the folks back home and particularly
of the impatience Of the people for
tax reductions. The recess superhci-
ally looks like delay. Ultimately II
means substantial progress.