Evening star., 1922-11-15
G. 0. P. CONTENTION
OVER SHIP SUBSIDY
Party Contest Looms as Con-
gress Prepares for Ex-
ira Session.
FIGHT TO BE CONTINUED
Conservatives to Keep Up Struggle
for Control Of
Party.
BY \. o. MESSENGER.

President Harding is insistent upon
ir,,pe,Iiatte and favorable action by
the House on the merchant marine
bill, with correspondingiy prompt
consideration of that measure Ny
the Senate. Stiff resistance 10 this
policy is assured in both House anu
Senate, probably solidly oy the
democrats and by group ot re-
publicans whose opposition cannot
be dismissed as negligible.
The fight over the merchant marine
bill will precipitate the expecteo
drive by the So-called progressive
and radical republicans In the
campaign for legislation they aoVo-
cate, which will be in full swing
when the SiXty-eighth Congress as
semblcS. but which Will attain I'M
petus in the life of the existing Con-
sreSS.
The meeting of the Congress in
extraordinary session beginning next
Monday will furnish occasions for
conferences of the progresSives and
the anti-administration republicans
20 formulate their plans of campaign.
Notice is given by this group that
they will make their initial effort
10y arrayins their forces against the
me. chant marine bill
Contest Starts Monday.
SO when the gavel falls in the
House and Senate next Monday 1t can
he said truthfully that the struggle.
which will reach climax in the
Sixty eighth Congress between the
II
have commenced. The plans of the
progressive group for legislation in
cludc defeat of the merchant marine
bill. revision of the recently enacted
tariff act: repeal or radical amend
m"nt of the railway transportation
act and anne ndment of the federal re-
reserve law to facilitate farm
credits.
President Harding and his support
ers. it is pointed out. will have antici-
pated to degree the demands for
this legislation. He is even now con-
ferrinc with senator Cummins. chair
man of the interstate commerce conl-
rIittee. about amendment of the
transportation act. and he is expected
I" max" suggestions for relieving
farm credits conditions.
In fact. it is altogether probable
that the President Will pursue pol
icy which will shake much of the
wind out Of the insurgents sails and
relegate them to the attitude of stand
ing as extreme radicals. 1t is said
amelioration of ascertained inequi-
table provisions of the tariff act is
possible under the authority given the
President in that act. without the ne
ceSSIty of reSortinG to revision by leg
isiation.
To Watch Democrats.
President Harding is being advised
by some of his counselors not to let
the democrats carry out their alleged
program of forcing an extra session
of the new Congress. but to anticipate
Them. when the time comes. and as
semble the new Legislative body upon
his own initiative. The argument is
that in nine-month recess of the
Congress- should the democrats fail
to cause ar extra session, opportu-
nifty would be offered for the forma-
tion of ali kinds of blocs and combi-
nations. the while important public
business would be waiting
1t is expected that the President
will confine his address to Congress
next Monday to the subjects of ship
subsidy and farm credits. with per-
haps some mention of the trans
portation act When the regular or
short" session of this Congress con-
yAneS. the first Monday in December.
he will he called upon to make an
other communication.
The .1'r, Sit,cnt is understood to be
still uncertain as to whether the lat
ter address. beyond the usual report
of stewardship and on the state of
the Union. shall deal with legislation
for the future. If he should contem-
plate assembling the new Congress
in the spring after March 4, such
suggestions would naturally be con-
Sidcrcd appropriate then
Other republicans tell the President
that the country wants d SurceaSe
from congressional legislation, but
democratic leaders are understood To
take Il different view and to see the
possibility of making political capi-
tai in a special session of the new
Congress