Evening star., 1921-02-19
Every Interest Which Seeks
to Control Commodities
Represented, He Says.
PACKERS, COAL MEN
AND OTHERS ON LIST
Legislative Jam Offers Convenient
Alibi in Dodging Powerful
Legislative Agents.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

I.obplcS-oT, TO phrase IL more uiS-
creetly.. Legislative committees''-are
working night and day in an effort
to rescue pet measures out of the
legislative jam which fas clogged the
machinery of Congress in the closing
fortnight of it's session.
Some members of Congress who
have been wondering for weeks what
possible excuse they could make for
failing to pass the many proposals
pressed upon their attention by ma
tional organizations are secretly glad
that everything is in a tangle-it is
such a convenient alibi.
If Congress imagined the powerful
lObbleS which have been concentrated
in Washington for several weeks
mean to cease their efforts with the
ending of the present session. no
greater miscalculation could be made.
The farmers have started things off
with call for a mass meeting in
April which is intended to show Con-
tural club. which has been held over
their heads heretofore to be sure. but
which is being swung more perilous-
ly over the individual congressman
and senator than ever before. And
the farmers defend their action by
pointing to the other lobbics.
All Well Intrenched.
Every interest seeking 10 cOntTOl
the food, the clothing, the transporta-
ton systems and the distribution of
the nations commodities is ably rep
resented and we'll intrenched here
said Charles S. Barrett, president of
the National Farmers Union, in issu-
ing his call for a farmers mass meet
ing, with representatives from every
community that can possibly send
them to Washington, soon after the
inauguration.
Mr.. Barrett's description of the vari-
Gus lobbies is interesting, because, he
says, he has run counter to them in
his own desire to advance the cause
of agriculture.
The packers" he says, "have a lob
by which Senator Kenyon. joint author
of the bill to regulate the mea:-pack
ing industry in the nation. has said
seems to be more powerful than Con-
gress itself. This organization. well
financed. with national and interna-
tional connections, reaching to the
farthest corners of the civilized world,
prevent effective control of it's prac-
tices.
1.-THE coal operators. through whole
sale, retail and other agencies. have
lobby which for subtle power and
far-reaching. effectiveness is second
only to the institute of American
Meat Packers and the Big Five. This
lobby has demonstrated it's ability SO
far to prevent legislation which. II
intelligently enacted and vigorously
enforced. might save the people
hundreds of millions of dollars yearly.
notwithstanding the fact that a
large majority of Congress favors
regulatory legislation in relation to
the two great industries mentioned,
it has SO far been impossible to obtain
action by the law-making power of
the nation.
L. s. Chamber OF Commerce.
"The Chamber of Commerce of the
United States is here to protect the
interests of its membership and to
foreign, is not allowed to suffer
through the adoption of laws that
they may consider inimical to them
selves.
''The Association of Railway Execu-
tives is here to impress upon Congress
for the railways. protecting them
against what they regard as the evil
effects Of diminishing revenue. while
insisting on increased freight and
passenger rates.
THE shipbuilders Of the country are
here to see that navigation laws are
enacted which tend to protect them
against what they say Is ruinous COM
petition by foreign bottoms
THE lumber men from the north,
SOutn, east ana west are mere TO see
that no legislation discriminating
against them is enacted
THE fertilizer trust, and all and
every interest which might profit by
governmental action or inaction, are here
to see that they are not disturbed in
their profit-making careers
"Legislative Committees"
Mr.. Barrett omitted the powerful or
ganization maintained by union la Dor
which. too, descends intermittently
upon the halls of Congress with pleas
for action or inaction as the case may
be. And there are many other "legis-
lative committees" as, for instance,
the various women's organizations
and educational bodies which are
pushing welfare organizations. Op-
posed to them are the many other in
stitutions. social or religious, which
are trying to prevent such welfare
legislation from getting through
If the short session, which is end
ing on March 4, is any index to the
new method of clubbing Congress to
pass or neglect legislative proposals.
the House and Senate to be called
; by Warren Harding in April will be
surrounded on every side by a total
of more lobbies than ever were
gathered here in all the sessions of
twenty years.
Copyright. 1929