The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-06-05
Impatient Over Delay In
Congress on Pressing
,.a. Legislation
CONGRESSMAN FEEL
: ,.s QUITE IRRITABLE
Evidence of Belligerency as Summer
Consolidating Makes Ship Subsidy
at This Session - Finishing of Tariff
Bill Will Require Much Time.
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
CopYright 1922.

Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON, June 5.-Congress
is in an irritable mood. Several near
fist fights have occurred in the last few
DAYS in the midst of debate President
Harding is impatient of congressional
delay on important measures which he
considers paramount. The fall elections
hang over the legislative body like an
impending storm. And the capitol has
discarded its heavy rugs and substituted
thin floor mats in anticipation of a hot
| summer
This is the situation as the month of
June begins. And those. who have a
1 habit of looking forward are already
! cOnjectuTing as to the outcome. Presi-
| dent Harding has Just added another
/ chunk of fuel to the flames. He has
! announced that he wants the ship sub
/ sidy bill passed at this session. Up to
| this time he has Indicated that he would
1 be content with action by the house
/ alone and that he would wait for the
/ senate to act in the regular December
! session.
Ship Subsidy Matter.
| But Mr. Harding's further examina-
/ tiOn of all the factors surrounding the
| shipping situation has led him to the
! conclusion that the country cannot
/ wait-that the government must at
| once stop its enormous outlay for the
| upkeep of ships which must be devoted
| to bTofitab bic uses or become an added
! drain on the government 5 finances. Mr.
| Harding feels that the ship subsidy mat
! ter Is more important than anything
else on the legislative horizon except
the tariff which he, wants disposed Of at
once. If congress has an idea that it
can get through with the tariff and
bonus measures and take a holiday
| until next fall it is much mistaken.
The fight on the tariff bill Is only
| incidental in the progress of the bill
through the senate. Defenders of the
measure as reported from the finance
committee ,are consuming almost as
much time answering the opponents Of
the bill as are the latter But even If
debate, the measure would require at
| least another month and q half for the
amendments are in the thousands and
each must be voted upon.
Feeling the Strain. ..
The strain of steering the tariff bill
through the senate is already beginning
to tell on Chairman McCumber of the
finance committee. A physical alterca-
ton with Senator Robinson, Democrat
was narrowly averted a few days ago
when two senators quarreled about TAX
ing a recess, after a wcaTisOme night
session. Indeed the lights on the capitol
dome have been burning nightly as the
Republican leaders have endeavoTed to
keep the tariff bin moving. Even if
there were no partisan influences-and
there always are when tariff bill is be-
ing considered-a measure so revolution
airy as tariff revision after a war of
such magnitude as the recent conflict is
about the most difficult legislative task
that can be imagined. The whole thing
is tOpsy turvy. Some of the most ar
dent prOtectionists are advocating that
certain; articles be left on the free list
and some of the free traders are bowling
for a protective tariff. Economic factors
have changed since prewar days and as
usual a tariff bill is a strictly CONNER
cial affair with all sorts of varying cal
culations being made about the differ
ence in cost of production between
foreign and American goods.
Sources of Constant Friction.
Congress is hardly in what might be
called an amiable mood with itself. in
ternal disputes in each party are sources
of constant friction, though the Demo
Gratis are enjoying the immunities of a
bility and are sailing along without the
same worries and discord that prevails
in the Republican ranks Today. as at
the beginning, pronounced leadership is
absent. Representative MOndell has
moved the legislative program along
smoothly in the house but the senate is
fun of individualists who are not amen
able even to the touches of their former
colleague now in the executive mansion.
Maybe the fall elections will restore
party harmony.