Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-10-02
HARDING MAY Be
FORCED To TAKE
HAND IN SENATE
Fight on New Treaties And
on Tax Proposals Likely
To Grow Beyond Reach of
President.
(BY ROBERT r.. SM.ALL)
Especial Dispatch TO Morning JournaD
Copyright 1921 by Albuquerque Journal)

Especial Dispatch TO Morning JournaD
Copyright 1921 by Albuquerque Journai)
Washington, Oct. 1.-The legis-
lative situation in congress once
more is approaching the point
where President Harding will have
to take a hand in 1T. The recess OF
a month apparently did nothing TO
better the ill-feelings which exist
among certain groups of senators
and there is just as much reealci-
trant talk and action as at any
time in the past.
The senate leaders themselves
virtually have admitted their help
1essness in the face of the obstruc-
tive tactics which are constantly
being resofted to. They will ut
predict what may or may not be
done. Thus far in the session the
democrats have been content to sit
by and watch with ill-concealed
glee the warfare among the repub-
lican factions. There is one ex-
ception to this rule. Senator Jim
Reed of Missouri, who was a thorn
in the side of his fellow democrats
during the fight to ratify the treaty
of Versailles, Is proving now as
much Of a thorn to the republicans
as he was once a joy.
The senate republican leaders
are helpless because of the fact
that certain republican senators re-
fuse to be led. They are deter
mined to go their own way and
will not commit themselves to any
hard and fast agreements with re-
spect to a legislative program.
The situation has reached the
point where 1t is doubtful even II
the president can bring sufficient
pressure to bear to speed up" the
legislative machinery which has
been moving at a snairs pace since
the activity was transferred from
the unhallowed hall of the house
of representative TO the sacred
precincts of the senate. Men like
Senator Borah of Idaho and La
Toilette of Wisconsin will not sub
NIT to the party lash, even when
welded by chief magistrate. and
it is wholly impossible for anyone
to assert control over Senator
Reed. This trio of able men and
experienced parliamentarians can
play hob with any legislative pro-
gram at any time they feel so dis
posed.
Just at the present moment they
are opposed to the new treaty OF
peace with Germany because it In
cludes too much of the treaty OF
Versailles. Hence there Is danger
- onrnnfnpnfC fnr q
vote on a certain day may be up
set. They also are opposed to many
features of the new tax bill as 1t
has come from the finance COM
mittee. headed by Senator Penrose.
Senator Borah was opposed to Sen
ator Penrose for this craftsmanship
and has no sympathy with some
of his tax views.
So while there is general de-
sire that the German treaty shall
be out of the way we'll before the
delegates to the ornaments con-
ference reach Washington, senate
leaders are not too sanguine that
this result will be achieved, despite
tacit agreements to that end. They
remember too well the unexpected
delays which marked the consid-
erations Of the treaty of Versailles
and while there is general agree
ment the new treaty will be easily
ratified when brought to vote,
the question confronting the lead
ers is to bring it to vote.
Senator Penrose had hoped to
put the new tax bill through the
senate in the course of two or three
weeks from the time 1T was re-
ported. But it has been in the
senate now for ten days and little
or no progress has been made with
1t. The democrats are to take a
hand in the fight against the tax
bill and there is always present
the possibility that sufficient num-
ber of senators may agree to adopt
sales tax plan and upset the en-
tire work of the finance commit
tee as represented In the bill now
under discussion.
Tho levying of sales tax would
change all the fine calculations
that have been made by legislators
CONTINUED on Page Two.)