New-York tribune., 1922-11-14
Sweeping Revision Urged
by Some Republicans
as Determined Demo.
cratic Filibuster Looms
Harding Anxious
10 Avert Disaster
Measure May Go Over to
the Next Session With
Reorga nization Plan
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Nov. 49, Sweeping
changes in the ship subsidy bill are
being urged by some of it's friends in
the hope of preventing what now ap-
pears to be almost certain defeat.
President Harding, meanwhile, is
torn between his earnest desire to
have legislation passed at once which
will keep the American merchant
marine on the sea and his almost
equally great desire to give the gov
ernment and the country rest from
Congress after March 4.
Some of his closest advisers have
told him that if he insists upon push
ing the ship subsidy bill when the
special session Of Congress convenes
next Monday it gill mean aiding the
Democrats just that much in their
plan to force an extra session after
March 4.
Democrats Against Recess
The Democrats, flushed with their
gains in the election and delighted
with the showing all through the
country of dissatisfaction with exist
ing conditions, are desperately eager
not to permit any nine-month recess
Of Congress. They emphatically do
not want the country to have a rest
from Congress. They want q discus
sion Of every public question on
Capitol, Hill, which will be telegraphed
through the country every night, and
keep the pot of discomfort boiling.
They do not hope for any particular
measure of relief What they chiefly
want is to obstruct in every possible
way under the pretense of fighting to
give relief to every class and every
section that feels itself aggrieved
This is their openly avowed plan.
There is no secret about it. President
Harding realizes it keenly. What he
wants is for Congress to rush through
the regular appropriation bills. and
three measures in addition, at least
These are the merchant marine bill,
the bill granting increased and more
liberal farm credits for the benefit
especially Of the grent disconnected
agricultural sections of the West and
Northwest, and the bill reorganizing
the government departments, designed
to produce greater efficiency and econ
omy in the Federal government.
Some of the shrewdest leaders in
the Republican party have come to the
conclusion that the wisest course is
to throw two of these three measures
overheard. These are the ship subsidy
bill and the reorganization measure.
To both of these there is organized
and bitter opposition. There is no
particularly noticeable public senti-
ment as to the reorganization bill, but
L. - xf ,,,
the government who have friends in
Congress provide certainty that al
most every change proposed will be
bitterly resisted. Such resistance will
not necessarily take the form of op-
posing that particular provision. Much
the more effective way is to join with
others who oppose other provisions
and make a general fight against the
whole measure The same purpose will
be gained, also, in the Senate by aid
ing the Democrats in what will surely
be a general filibuster against every
thing.
Try to Force Extra Session
The Democrats plan to defeat the
appropriation bills for the depart
ments. By their defeat they expect to
compel President Harding to call an
extra session of Congress immedi-
ately after March 4, which will take
up these appropriation bills and pass
them. It is no new scheme in national
politics. Certain Republican leaders,
notably the late Boies Penrose, resort
ed to the same tactics during the short
session when Woodrow Wilson was in
Paris, their purpose being to keep the
Senate going as a megaphone to the
country through the newspapers.
The success of this plan at that time
and the bitter war carried on against
the League of Nations by the irrecon-
cilables in the Senate undoubtedly re-
suited in the final defeat Wilson's
dream and gradually accumulated a
public sentiment against Wilson and
Qcontinued on page sIx)