The Washington times., 1923-11-12
EXPECTED
To TELL
POLICY
Address to Open Session and
Campaign for Elections
in 1924.
BY GEORGE E. DURNO,
International NaHs Service.

By GEORGE E. DURNO,
International News Service.
President Coolidge started to-
day the preparation of the most
momentous document Of his po-
litical career-his message to the
incoming Sixty-eighth Congress.
For the next two weeks The
President viii deny himself to
purely social callers, and, cutti~g
his engageme1 st to the bone,
win devote eZe major portion of
his time to the drafting Of the
annual message.
win Open Campaign.
No communication has aroused
more interest and ''watchful wait
ing" than the coming Coolidge mes
sage. Its delivery win signalIze
the opening Of the 1894 presidential
campaign.
From its contents win be deter
mined the Coolidge policies to be
carried to the people in support Of
his candidacy for election. Equally,
It will furnish the Democratic parry
and its many aspiring standard
bearers with 1924 ammunition.
The President. according to adj
vance information, plans to touch
upon approximately dozen major
subjects. These will include agri-
cultural relief, transportation, the
merchant marine, taxation and inn
migration.
Farm aid is perhaps the most i'm
portant subject to be taken up, both
from the economic and political
; aspects. The Presidential views al
ready have been fairly well fore
casted by the Meyer-Mondell report
suggesting creation Of a huge CO.
operative marketing system as the
best solution.
Rail Policy Still Secret.
Transportation will be one OF the
big question marks up to the mo-
ment of the messages delivery.
President Coolidge has not COM
mitted himself on this subject to
date. Recently it has been stated
he will favor a hands-off policy, and
1t is known much pressure is being
brought to bear on him along that
line. Senator Cummins Of Iowa,
chairman Of the Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee, however, has
held several long conferences with
the President explaining his proposed
bill for consideration OF the big rail
systems of the nation, favored by
the late President Harding.
ia nV1auff0FN
upon which the President yet has
made no public statement, although
he is known to favor the Mellon plan
Of reducing income taxes. Congress
sional leaders believe a general re-
vision of the existing schedule with
an appreciate scaling down could be
accomplished at the coming session,
but with the Administration enjoy
ing such a slim majority in both
houses, the wisdom Of such a move
10 questioned. Members of the
La Toilette wing are pushing for
what the conservatives call radical
revision, and they fear that under
the situation as it will exist undesir-
able features might be put over.
For Alien Enrolment.
On immigration, President Cool
idge will follow the views of his
predecessor. He is expected to urge
Congress to extend the act, ex-
piring June 80, next, which re-
stricts immigration to 8 per cent
of the alien populations. Likewise,
1T is thought he will advance the
plan now being worked out by Sec
rotary of Labor Davis for Federal
enrolment of all aliens.
A new merchant marine policy
n expected to be established in the
Coolidge message. Chairman Far
ley, of the Shipping Board, is now
In Europe, and on his return 1t is
understood he will make numerous
recommendations to the President
for new shipping legislation.
Mexican Treaty Up.
Best information is that Presi-
dent Coolidge will dismiss the Hard
ing suggestion of American entry
tional Justice with the mere re-
minder that it already is before the
Senate. This would satisfy all fac
tions-respectfully touching upon a
Harding policy, and at the same
time permitting the Senate to let
1t die gracefully.
Other matters the President is
expected to touch upon include an
appeal for famine relief for stricken
Germany and the presentation of
the Brown plan for reorganization
of the Government. Likewise, he
probably will submit the Mexican
recognition pact for ratification, as
well as the 12-mile treaty with
Great Britain, should that be