Evening star., 1921-12-08
CONGRESS SYSTEM
HELD u. S. DANGER
Continued from First Page.)

RESULT think 1t has been clearly
demonstrated-is that IT IL impossible
to get the type of Legislative action
which comes from party regularity
and responsibility"
II can recall" said Mr.. Weeks, "in
the days of so-calIed Cannonism,
when Mr.. Cannon was called a czar,
Of strength filing the Speakers chair
under those conditions, that the
Speaker found ways. perfectly legiti-
mate under the rules, to prevent the
enactment Of a vast amount Of per-
sonal and irresponsible legislation
and he used 1t, to prevent appropria-
uons intended for local purposes
which were not needed and which
were not for the general good.
~IrresponsibIe Legislation.-
"The slightest examination Of the
increase in governmental expendi-
lures during the last fifteen years
for the ordinary requirements of the
government will indicate to what ex-
tent this change in the method Of
legislating has affected the Treasury.
ITO my mind, the change has had a
tendency to weaken effective gov
eminent, has resulted in irresponsible
legislation, prevented both parties
from carrying out pledges made in
their platforms. and. in time. will
divide the legislative branch of the
government into groups. each group
championing a special cause. and we
viii see one group combining with
another to bring about control of
legislative action in the interest of a
particular faction.
while We may not degenerate to
the level Of some countries in this
respect. carried to its logical con-
clusion. we may eventually find our
selves divided into hostile factions or
other, and the country powerless to
defend or maintain its interests. ma
tonal or International"
ReturninE to Normally.
Not only the United States, but the
whole world "is slowly but surely re-
turning to normal" the Secretary Of
War declared. This country, he said, is
emerging from a condition Of chaos"
after passing through a period of men,
tai and physical adjustment as logical
resultant of the war.
THE great need for the present emer-
gency is clear thinking" Mr. Weeks con-
tinued. "basing our actions on facts. not
fancies: putting our faith in work in
stead Of words relying on accomplish
ments. not promises, and not mistaking
license for liberty. The world is sur
feited with cure-alls offered by irre-
sponsibles. These quack political doctors
proclaim loudly and promise much. They
even devise remarkable cures for ills
that do not exist The real cure, how
ever, is so oldfashioned and so readily
within our reach that some of us fail to
recognize it. 1t is work. The people who
are recovering most rapidly from the
effects Of the war are those who are
working instead of talking. who are
practicIng economy instead of indulging
in extravaganza. and in putting their
own houses in order they are solving the
problems confronting their country"
Danger In Quacks.
I'VE do not hear of strikes in Ger
many" the Secretary remarked. "but
they seem rather popular everywhere
else. The selfshness which comes
from the desire to get something at
the expense Of ones fellow man is
having a potent influence in prevent
ing the restoration of the country's
needs. These influences have more or
less effect on government. and ii is
in this connection that the quacks
and unthinking are apt to do serious
harm. / undertake to say that the
government-and it is largely due to
the influences that have come from
the war-has done many things which
would not have been given any con-
sideration whatever had We not drift
ed from our mornings"
The farmer-"the backbone of the
country"-was the first to feel the ef-
r. Ia.
tary said. but added that the farmer
could not be entirely absolved from
blame" for his present situation, as
he should have foreseen the inevitable
collapse of values.
Scores Farmer Legislation.
1T did not please him." said Mr..
Weeks, "to find that combinations of
labor or combinations of anything
else were able to keep up the prices
Of his necessities, and he turned to
legislation to bring about a condition
which would give him a chance to ad-
Just his situation.
II shall not take the time to criti-
else the legislation Congress has en-
acted for the benefit of the farmer. 1t
was brought about by combination
of members of the two great political
parties which had sufficient votes to
obtain the result desired. Some of this
legislation may benefit those for
whom it was enacted. Much of it is
unsound, however, from an economi-
cal standpoint. and I very much doubt
il it will be of any benefit even to the
farmer.
zone of the least excusable of the
laws passed. it seems to me. was that
increasing the interest rate on farm
loan bank bonds to 512 per cent and
leaving the rate to the farm bor-
rover the same as it had been. I'm
der the present law, as 1 see it. the
government is financing the farmer
and Is producing vast volume of
non-taxable securities, SO that, in ef-
feet. the farmer is borrowing his
money at a much lower rate than the
current market warrants. What
would be said as an Offset il the gov
ernment undertook to finance all the
manufacturing industries of the
United States by loaning them money
at q fixed rate and no taxes were paid
on this Indebtedness, and then extend
ing that policy to every industry? We
should soon find ourselves without
taxable property and complete trans
ferral Of the investments of large es-
Discusses LeEisIation-
Mr.. Weeks then reviewed 1.-The
further legislative program" of the
agricultural bloc, characterizing as
"unwise" the so-calIed pure wool bill,
declaring that the proposed law to
regulate cold storage would make
the price OF many articles of food
higher" and describing the federal
highway bill as being designed to con-