Evening star., 1922-09-21
congress T0F|ND
WORRIES HOME
Effects of Its Record on EIec-
ton a Problem for
Candidates.
PRESIDENT IS STRONGER
Veto Of Bonus Bill Expected to Win
Approval-Tarif and Tax
Issues.
PRESIDENT IS STRONGER
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWAENCE.
Congress is going home wearied and
|apprehensive. What will people say?
How will they vote on November Z?
Many a member of the Senate and
House would give a. good deal to
know. For the record is not easily ex-
planned to the average voter. and it
is more easily picked to pieces by
critics.
Congress was convened in special
session originally to pass the tariff
at last. The bonus bill was passed. but
failed to become law over the Presi-
dents veto. Tax measures are never
popular and the reduction Of the bur-
den was so slight as to be politically
little Of an asset. AS for the tariff. it
will not be in full operation soon
enough to hurt or help from a politi-
cal viewpoint. What does it leave,
therefore, as the outstanding achieve
ment?
Epoch fer Government.
Though budget legislation is not
spectacular or simple of explanation.
it stands out as the beginning Of an
epoch in government finance. The
democrats helped pass it and will not
permit all the credit to go to their
republican brethren, but the fact re-
mains that a budget system was. es-
tablished under a republican adminis-
tration and the key to lower taxation
lies in the balancing Of receipts
against expenditures. There have
been some efforts, more or less sue
cessful, to ignore the budget. The
passage Of the bonus bill was out
side the budget. and the latter would
have been dealt body blow II Presi-
dent Harding hadn't killed the meas
ure, for the time being at least.
Thus far the tendency to ignore the
budget has not cost the government
very much. and the truth Of the mat
to ignore 1t much more than has been
the case. The budget is not yet ben
eficial, because its principles have not
been firmly intrenched, but the repub-
licans can count 1t as an asset of the
present Congress Cnquesttonably
the 0ation's currency system as a
constructive measure.
Industrial issue Largest.
Passing from the achievements to
the sins Of omission, most politicians
will agree that the biggest issue be-
fore the country has been the indus-
trial situation--the problems involved
in the rail and coal strikes.
Few will venture to assess the political
damage done by the attitude Of the gov
ernment toward those disturbances. The
Injunction proceedings In Chicago are
themselves an issue. Whether strikes on
the administration should have taken q
hand in the coal strike earlier than 1t
did. whether Mr.. Harding could have
compelled q settlement of the shop
mems strike-all these questions will
be discussed on the stump and the ma
made up their minds long before cleo
ton as to where the responsibility Hes.
Prosperity, or the lack .of:it, il al
ways an issue. Members Of Congress
| are leaving here with feeling that
business Is on the upward trend. They
would have felt more certain OF this
il Henry Ford hadn't announced q
shutdown, but they look hopefully
at the increases in wages given BY
the steel Corporation as an Offset for
political purposeA Here and there
minor pieces Of legislation have been
passed, bH II 10 q 1act that the oit-
uation id Europe with respect to
repartions has been ignored through
the failure Of Congress to take Mr..
Hardings hint that he wanted
America represented on the repara-
tions com1hissfon, and with the ex-
ception Of a fact-inding commission
on coal and arrangements for pri-
ority OF delivery, Congress- has not
taken steps by legislation to prevent
PufurA striker.
PresaAent's Haaa Strea1ef.
President Harding's position ~ par