Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-07
SIXTY SEVENTH
CONGRESS HAS
DONE NOTHING
Present Session Merely Ma
teriaI for Use of Comic
Papers.
SOLDIERS BONUS HANGS
BY WALLACE BAssFORD.

SOLDIERS BONUS HANGS
BY WALLACE BASSFORD.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March THE
Sixty Seventh Congress is just complet-
ing the first year If its term. 1t has but
twelve more months of existence; If its
latter half leaves no better impression
on the country than its first, then GER
tain it is, that it will go down in his
tory as one of the big disappointments.
disheartening to its closest friends and
even TO its own membership. Few, if
any, attempt to defend a Congress that
has become the butt Of the jOkesmiths
on the stage and in the funny papers.
It's efforts-if they can be called such
to relieve the distress of the country
might become tragic IL it were not for
the saving sense Of humor possessed by
the American people.
Every test Of public opinion shows that
Congress has made itself intensely un-
popular. IF anyone had prOphesied this
outcome when Harding and the big Re-
publican majority in Congress came to bat
a year ago he would have been laughed
at, but the public has been treated to
a succession Of delays and party splits
on important matters, with increasing
bewilderment and helplessness. Every
part. unto himself. with the exception
of 8 Jew clear headed men like Jim Mann
who might bring some order out Of this
chaos had his ungrateful party given
him the place he had won, the Speaker
ship, but 1t went to one who admits his
own utter inability and that Of his party.
And yet, every cloud is said to have its
silver lining, and We can reflect with Joy
that this Congress has only twelve months
more to live.
Still fddling with the tariff, the two
committees in charge Of such legislation
in House and Senate send acrimonious
messages back and forth to each other
while business twiddles its thumbs and
waits and waits, not even being able
to guess what to do in the cir
cumstances, The store shelves re-
main untitled, the factories Idle, the
ships motiOnless. These committees.
not satisfied with quarreling from one
end Of the Capitol to the other, have
equally bitter quarrels among them
selves. And at the White House it is
not different. The President and tho
national chairman, Adams, have been at
dagger's points for weeks over the ap-
pointment Of a successor to Postmaster
General Hays, the filing Of the vacancy
as Secretary Of the National Committee,
and patronage generally.
Speaking Of Hays recalls what Mann
said of him in the House the other day.
His remarks make one wonder what sort
Of bargain the Movie Trust got when it
agreed to pay Hays $3.50, coo per year as a
sort of field marshal. Mann said in the
course Of a debate HE has not been
worth a 5-cent piece since he has been
Tnr.s-G
anything about the Postoffice Depart
ment; and. for one. am mighty glad he
is getting out of it. His only object has
been to be extravagant in his own per
sonal relations with the Government.
Long distance telephoning is his main
long suit.
The bonus question, like the coffin OF
Mohammed, remains suspended between
heaven and earth. When Harding asked
Congress to adopt bonus legislation and
to provide sales tax to pay the bill, he
knew the agricultural conference which
bad just been held In Washington passed
a resolution saying: We positively and
eranestly protest abainst any consump
ton, or sales. or manufacturers tax, or
any other tax which shifts the burden
onto those least able to pay, onto the
necessities of life 1t has proved dis
appointing financially and unjust socially
wherever tried" That resolution passed
unanimously in q farm conference which
Harding called then within less than
three weeks he asked Congress to pass a
sales tax. Why? Two reasons: He
knew the farm bloc" was against the
tax and that labor was emphatically on
record against it, and he could tell the
American Legion he was for the bonus,
but that he was blocked by this opposi
ton further, every one about the Capitol
knows that ever since it became apparent
that Harding was to be elected the Wall
street district has flooded Congress with
letters and arguments Of every sort, di-
rectly and through the great New York
newspapers. under control Of the inan-
cial interests, urging the enactment of a
sales tax. Big business seeks, through
HardinE's recent action, to bring the
sales tax into use, first, on the plea that
it is necessary to pay the bonus-that for
the entering wedge. Their hope and in
tention is that 1t shall be made, within
a few years to take the place of all in
come and corporation taxes. This has
been expressed in the Wall Street Jour
nal and the New York Tribune repeat
eddy.
The Shipping Board is paying $4,000
per year to one Matthew B. Claussen as
advertising manager. This is the same
man who had charge Of the advertising
propaganda for Germany after the war
began in Europe, the friend Of Captain
Boy-ed, Dr. Albert and Won Bernstorf.
Parisians FrOlic