Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-10-15
HOSTS the Distress Signal

lNDFtb OF the Republican platform
iF1 pledge to quickly relieve the country
Of the burden of unwarraned expense i'll
the conduct of government. ncedlcssly con
tinucd two years after the cessation of hos
tlities. and of the outgrowing handicaps
upon industry in general. and of his own
campaign promise to give the country an
administration that would SignalZc its
patriotism and usefulness by fastening
return TO 'normality," President Harding in
his address at the opening of the present
extraordinary session OF Congress empha-
sized that the first thing in mind must
BE- the solution Of our problems at home;
the surest procedure in every government
is to put its own house in order
The Congress convened in an emergency
TO do these things has now been in session
approximately six months and. as yet. has
accomplished hut little Of real value by
way of solving the problems it has under
taken. to carry out the urged purpose Of
putting our own house in order. The
country is still trying to find it's way out Of
the worst industrial and business depression
that has confronted ii in decade and II
half. Sensitive to the failure OF his party
to mako good its promises. the President
has appealed to Congress repeatedly TO
make good his own and the partys pledges
At conference held with party leaders n
tress signal of party cxgcncy and OF public
obligation, aud urged full speed ahead on
uncompletcd emergent legislation during
the six weeks remaining to the special scs-
sion, To which his administration and the
party is specifically pledged
In his stress he is compelled to make
the Illuminating confession that Congress
has passed but two of the major rccommen-
dations advocated by him upon its conven-
ing April LA budget law and the emer-
rency tariff. Despairing of putting through
the full administration program. the Pres-
dent pleads with leaders of his party in
Congress as of absolute necessity that be-
fore adjournment they influence Congress
10 pass the tax bill. tho railroad funding
bill, the measure giving Secretary Mellon
power TO handle foreign loans. and To ratify
the peace treaties with Germany Austria
and Hungary. At the conference referred
10 the President offered to compromise on
the foreign loan funding measure by agree
ing to a commission TO handle the loans in
stead of having full power vested in Mellon
otherwise, he is insistent upon action on
the other matters presented
The chief cause OF the failure of the adj
mlnistration program for return to nor
inality, aside from its inherent lack of merit.
is that the Republican party is without cf-
'''''Nc i'auS'sHlp III congress. It's huge
majority strnys around at will because the
otherwise faithful flock is without a shcp-
herd worthy OF the name Somewhat sim
lar conditions confronted both Presidents
Roosevelt and Wilson hut political history
records that both secured legislative results
by asserting their own leadership and con
stantly eXerting the pressure of tho high
office TO which they had been chosen bv the
voters of the country. President Harding
mas Jailed because he has refraincd from
pursuing similar tactics He has sought
10 attain the same ends To date by co-opcr;-
ton rather than by welding the biz stick.
by friendly guidance and compromise rather
than by sharp direction. Congress has no
clear conception Of the magnitude of the
problems which il has undertaken to solve.
and without cocrcive power to drive il in
the right direction it soldiers on the lob,
so TO speak.