Evening star., 1923-12-03
COALITION CONTROL
OF CONGRESS SEEN
Conservatives of Both Par
ties May Join Hands to
Check Radicals.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Coalition government--a new line
up of conservatives from the repub-
1ican and democratic parties as
against the radical groups lis the
only possible way out of the chaos in
which Congress finds itself today.
Tho Legislative program will either
he tizzle due to deadlocks and in
surgency or else a temporary fusion
OF democrats and republicans will be
made necessary on major questions.
Congress has before 1t a number of
important tasks which ordinarily
would occupy the attention of both
houses for more than a year. OBJ
viously much Of the program will not
even be touched, but 1t is too early
to be sure of what will be given
priority.
Items Before Congress.
At present writing the following
would seem to be the principal items on
the program:
First-The usual appropriation bills
These will provoke many controversies,
especially since an effort will be made
10 cut even further the estimates Of eX-
penditures BY the executive departments.
Second-Tax revision. There is unan-
taxes of persons of incomes below
$4,000. This cannot be done, however.
without providing revenue to take the
place OF the amounts lost by reducing
smaller incomes. To obtain the new
revenue, the Treasury declares. SurtaXes
should be cut The radicals think sur
taxes should be retained at the present
scale and other levies made besides such
As excess profits taxes. There is a
disposition to increase the rate on in
herita1ce taxes.
Action on Treaties.
Third-Treaties before the Senate.
The general and special claims con-
rentions negotiated with Mexico will
encounter little opposition. but al
ready there are evidences that one
third bloc will endeavor to prevent
the ratification of the proposed rum
pact with Great Britain whereby
British ships can bring into Amer
lean ports liquor under seal and
American coast guard vessels can
pursue rum-runners flying the Brit
ish flag for twelve miles out. The
vets" will line up against this
treaty. AS will many senators who
think the American merchant marine
VIII be put at disadvantages Then
there are also the senators who think
the Constitution cannot be super
seded by a treaty of this kind and
that the decision of the Supreme
Court of the United States recently
announced would be contradicted by
the treaty. It's legal point on
which authorities differ.
The total opponents may be suffi-
cient to block ratification. as two
thirds are necessary to adopt the
pact. There may be a fight also on
the porposed treaty with Turkey ne
gotiated at Lausanne. as the sympa-
thizers with the Greeks are lining up
against II.
World Court Proposal.
Fourth, the world court proposal
may never come out of the Senate
foreign relations committee. but IL
il does it will start a lengthy fight.
would like to bury il in the commit
tee. He may succeed unless the DEM
ocrats make a motion to discharge
the committee.
Fifth. efforts viii be made to amend
the transportation act to obtain the
repeal of the so-called guarantee"
clause, but4the chances at present are
that the move will not succeed. as
the com bination of conservatives can
Sixth. immigration legislation is
always on the calendar. thought this
time there will be pressure both from
the people who want the law amended
to admit more aliens and those who
want 1t restricted and measures
taken abroad to keep undesirables
from emigrating. This is not party
questions, but it is liable to be lost
in the shuttle of partisan disputes.
Seventh, legislation to prevent a
recurrence Of the troubles expert
enced In the Veterans Bureau will be
insisted upon by the American Le-
sion. OF all the bills to come before
Congress this has the best chance of
approval, unless it is tied up with
the bonus. which Mr.. Coolidge would
probably veto.
Muscles Shoals Issue,
Eighth, Muscle Shoals. will be a
constant issue, as the demand of the
farmers for cheaper fertilizer is
something which neither party can
afford to ignore. Ultimately a plan
of government operation will be
Ing the Ford offer meets the ap-
king.
Ninth, prohibition will furnish a
number of interesting debates, but
the outlook would seem to be un-
favorable to any proposal looking to-
ward the immediate modification or
the Eolstead act. -,
permeate the session on both sides
of the political aisle as the maneuv-
ering for delegates has. already be-
gun. SO also will the democratic
party play the usual minority game
about which the republicans in past
years have taught them so much, a
game of obstruction on so-called
marty measures, but indications are
that this will not be permitted to
imperil tax reduction or the bills
for the Veterans Bureau or immi-
grafton reform.
Congress probably will hardly get
started before the Christmas holi-
DAYS and the real battle will come
after the first Of the year.
Copyright. 1921