South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-04
POWERFUL 'BLOCS'
WARP PARTY LINE
Legislative Groups at Wash.
ington Astonish Leaders
by Success.

WASHINGTON. Nov 3.-Politic-
fans and political leaders in the capt.
tai are beginning 20 wag their heads
and predict dire things for these
United states unless there is found
come way q checking the growth
IN number ard Influence Of the leg
isletive -biocs" that have snr7lnp
up IN Congress during the last few
months and have played merry hob
with party control and discipline.
These blocs are beginning 20 ser
lousy worry the older heads OF both
parties The members OF the blocs
won't stay put. they are not amen
able 70 party control when one OF
tneir pet projects is up. and. in short.
they give their allegiance TO their
bloc rather than to their party.
Worry of Leaders
Hence the worry OF the leaders.
They see in the continued growth OF
these blOcs the breaking down OF
party control aad discipline and the
substitution therefore OF a system
which Is suspiciously Russian In its
orEaniza tiOn along Industrial and
GLASS lines rather than along geo
graphical and political lines.
Blocs draw no party lines. Both
republicans and democrats belong to
them, and AL are welcome.
Just now the biggest and most
powerful OF the blocs IS the agrfcuI-
tural bloc. composed OF some 30
senator's and n greater number OF
representative who hail from aRrl-
cultural states Both democrats and
republicans are IN IL. They sacrifice
their political alignment at the neces-
sary time for the advancement OF
legislation affecting farmers and ag-
ricultural projects Threats OF party
leaders have so far been unavailing.
NJ m b ers OF the bloc. dem
ocrats and republicans aIik e.
have pursued their own sweet way
whenever matters affecting agricul-
ture are up and party leaders have
been in a quandry.
like Soviet System.
Il has been pointed out that the
formation OF blOcs along Industrial
and occupational lines is closely
. akin to legislative Sovietism. The
Russian political system embraces
representation along these class
lines. rather than along geographical
/. lines, as does the American and Brit
lsh systems But even this compar-
ison has not worried the members
of'the blOcs 10 any noticeable extent.
Necessity they say. sis the
mother OF invention"
Members Of congress from agricul-
tural sections saw their bills and
measures for agricultural relief be.
ing smothered in the crush OF othe,
things and they declare they formed
comm on need.
The accomplishments of the agra
rian bloc TO date have really been
astonishing. They have put through
every measure they fought for and
their record includes such bills as:
The Capper-Tincher Anti-Grain
Gambling bill 10 regulate grain ex-
changes and boards of trade.
The Var Finance Corporation bill,
providing for a billion dollar credit
relief for farmers.
The Packers Control bill. placing
the packing industry and the stock
Yards under Federal supervision.
The Kenyon bill. increasing 10 s Y
percent the interest on bonds OF the
Farm loan banks
The Curtis bill. appropriating
SIS, 900, 600 "a revolving fund for
the farm loan banks
Those are the principal accom-
pnshments Of the asrarian bloc. II
has had finger in many other legis-
iative pies. including the Emergency
Tariff bill. which was passed with
the primary purpose OF aiding the
farmers
We may be criticized" says the
members. but we are getting things
done"