Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-27
MANY NEW FACES
At CAPITOL CERTAIN,
-DOPESTERS DECLARE
Upsets for Numerous Law
makers Forecast as Ma
tionaI Elections Approach
in Various Districts
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
UcaSed Wire Service TO The Journal.)
Copyright, 1927

NCopyTlSHt, 1901
WASHINGTON, / Dec. 24.-Thus
far congress has run true to form.
1t has done nothing before Christ
mas. 1t will do little more until
after New Years. After that there
will be falkland may be action
some time in midsummer, in the
middle of the campaign, in a des-
perate effort to make a showing Of
some kind.
Judging by the letters that are
coming to Washington, congress is
losing prestige daily with the mass
POT people and there are signs of a
political upheaVal which may sweep
out of power Democrats and Repub-
(icans who now are i'll office. Am.
bilious rivals in both parties are get.
ting ready for the primary cam
paigns i'll the spring. If congress
fails to satisfy the demand OF the
public for positive action on pend
ing problems, a number of new faces
surely will be seen in the net SEN
ate and house.
The present lineup of new faces
IN congress is a direct consequence
OF a negative Verdict-a dissatisfac.
ton with things as they were. The
MOOD Of the electorate for the last
SIX years has been to punish the
party in power. The Wilson admin.
iStratiOn was turned out in 1920 be-
cause of irritation due to the war
and to the fact that a Republican
congress and Democratic president
were in perpetual deadlock.
Turnover i'm 1922
The elections of 1922 saw an al.
most complete turnover from an
overwhelming Republican majority
IN the senate and house to slight
majority. This was in large part
due to the fact that congress accom-
pllshed relatively little in the first
Two years OF the Harding admins.
tration.
The Democrats are confident the
country is i'll a furnishing mood and
that the next election will see the
pendulum swing completely in their
direction with a big working ma.
lority. AT the same time they ad.
init privately their tenure will last
Just as long as they prove equal to
the public demand for a congress
that Will not waste time but will do
something. ..,..
In many respects the problems be.
fore congress are greater than anv
mat nave faced the country since
the Civil war. The entire business
future of the American people is tied
up in the legislative program. And
the presidential campaign already
has begun. The only chance there
IS or congressional response to pub.
lie opinion is in the manifestation
oy the electorate of its teeth. Mr..
CooHdges friends are sure he has
SHOWN his Willingness to do things.
ouS they are wondering how much he
might suffer from a bad record by
congress. In 1922, the friends of Mr..
I1ardinS were quite sure he was per.
sonally popular, but that congress
was not popular with the country.
Inc same elements that contributed
10 Republican loss in 1922 are pres.
ent today-namely a lack of leader.
ship.
Insurgents Make Trouble
Inc lnsurgent in the Republican
ranks have made the task of leader
snip almost impossible, but the coun-
try isn't interested in excuses but in
performance. The rank and file Of
the Republican membership is aware
OIL tnlS weakness and the demands
Tor a party caucus or conference on
develop. y
Inc Republican party is on trial
the leaders know it, but nobody as
yet has furnished a formula that will
make the party function smoothly.
Inc spectacle of a Republican chair.
man OF the senate finance commit.
tee admitting publicity that tax re.
VlSlon-the paramount measure
cannot be accomplished unless six
conservative Democrats join with the
Republicans, is not relished by the
old-fashioned party men who remenn.
Der well how the Republican ma.
chlne used to operate and how under
similar conditions the power of the
party to compel discipline and put
through administration measures s
was unquestioned.
For six years the Republicans
Will have been in control when the
present congress expires. When the
electorate votes in November, 1924.
1t will choose a new congress.
Political history furnishes abund.
ant evidence of the way things go
when there is a popular demand for
legislation and that demand isn't sat-
listed. There are many Republicans
who admit privately that if tax re-
vision fails and congress doesn't
show something concrete in the way
of achievement IN the next few
months, the chances of Republican
control will go glimmering. They
are beginning to hope that Mr.. Cool.
ldge will be strong enough to pull
through-or. to put it an
other way, that theSDemocrats will
a weak candidate for the