Evening star., 1922-02-20
PRIMARIES TOF|ND
BIG ISSUES IN AIR
Representatives Must Seek
Return to Office Before
Pledges Are Kept.
BY n. O. MESSENGER.

Primaries for the selection of party
candidates for election to the House
of Representatives will begin early
in the sprfng-in one great common
wealth. Illinois, in April. They will
be held during the spring and sum-
NOR months, up to within one month
Of the November elections.' From this
time on. therefore, "to be or not to
be-" becomes a question Of prime I'M
portance TO the members Of the low
or house OF Congress and to several
hundred ambitious politicians and
would-be statesmen lowering In the
'ofdng.
It Is Inevitable that a number of
aspirants for denomination will have
to go before their constituencies. in
the face Of the early primaries, with
an uncompleted rendition of their
stewardship in the House. lacking
final enactment of proposed legisla-
ton into law They will be fortunate
IL they have a record vote on some
questions in time to establish their
record and may have to fall back on
leave to print their views IN the
Congressional Record.
MANY DR0wD0GkD Sceus
! To he sure, House Leader Mondell
has forecast whirlwind finish of the
ilekislation In hand with an adjourn
ment of Congress by June. But, alas.
the solons say. his roseate estimate,
representing a contamination devout-
w to be desired by them, is, to them,
shot full of drawbacks.
There are three subjects of legisla-
tion classed as of major Importance
deemed possible n,,;c Ef oppi0ion pIoiouhr reected
in votes In the primaries-the tarin,
the bonus and ship subsidy. All these
questions are highly susceptible OF
political by-play and malleaoie 10
bending to political elimination, re,
In view Of this copdition the ap-
preaching campaign for Congress fs
regarded as promising to be one OF
the most partisan struggles for con-
troll of the House the country has wit.
not politics pure" and simple, but
politics for blood and no quarter need
be asked for none will be given.
Ship Subsidy Issue Looms.
This week is expected to precipi-
tate the ship subsidy question in
Congress by presentation of the ad-
ministration plan for rehabilitation
of the American merchant marine
and a solution Of. the Shipping Boards
problems in the disposition of the
great feet produced in war time am
now consuming vast sums in upkeep.
partial and necessary. while suffering
unavoidable deterioration as well.
The ship subsidy question is as old
as the republic and in the times of
it's periodical exigency in Congress
has created as sharply defined di-
protection and tariff for revenue
only. Differences of sentiment have
been found to follow not only party
lines, but geographical as well, and,
in. such cases, party lines have often
merged-or, rather, it should be said,
have been obliterated by opinion in
duced by geographical location.
There are preliminary evidences
that the democrats are putting their
house in order to oppose the admin
istration,s ship subsidy plan. what
ever it may provide, as party ques-
tion affiliated with taxation.
Bonus Bill Pushing.
Talks with senator's and repre-
9enL2tlVcS luouCC " Suc uCAlEI that
there is q majority sentiment in
House and Senate in favor of the
bonus bill. based upon the belief of
the Statesmen that it is desired by
their constituents. Many Of them.
however. are now wondering how far
that impression may have been Gre
ated by the campaign Of the service
men for the bill. end whether it does
represent q. majority opinion Of the
country, The, counter campaign
being waged against the bill Is reg
fstering In the communications reach
ing public men. but they have no
means Of accurately calculating the
extent Of the sentiment they may
represent.
IL . popular referendum upon this
question were possible. 1t would be a
great relief to many anxious minds in
the House and Senate, but as It -, the
lawmAkers will ha1ie 70 take .
chapce" on tho pnbl stt1sude - they
00UDB lxxox