Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-04-10

Washington, April s. Especial
correspondence Having heard vig-
orous protests from their constitu-
ents, Democratic leaders have am
ounced an intention to abandon OBJ
structive tactics and let National leg
islation proceed. According to their
public pronouncements, they will
hereafter cooperate with Republic
cans in endeavoring to get bills per-
fected in committee and acted upon
in the House and Senate. 1t remains
to be seen whether this policy win
be really pursued or merely set forth
for political purposes while ignored
in practice.
Up to the present time, the num-
erous investigations" have occupied
much Of the attention Of members
Of Congress, though Republican lead
ers have been trying 70 get action
on legislation at the same time.
There is no controlling reason why
Investigations and legislation should
not both proceed at the same time.
The in vestigations are conducted by
committees, and the comittees may,
and usually do, sit while the House Of
Congress are also In session. While
Senate Committee was conducting
the oil investigation, there was moth
ing to prevent Senator's from going
ahead with ler'g'~Aic,. That is, there
was no need of delay.
But Democrats not members Of the
investigating committees were not
willing to let the Senate devote its
time and attention to other matters.
Someof the noted wind-jammers ON
the Democratic side, insisted upon
getting up day after day and discuss
ing the previous days testimony be-
fore the committee--testimony which
had been printed in the daily news
papers and read by every Senator
Absolutely nothing could be gained
by discussing the testimony on the
floor Of the Senate on the same day
that it had been printed in the news
papers, and while it was under con-
sideratio nby the Committee. But
it furnished an excuse for almost in
terminable talk, and that was what
the timekillers wanted.
When Republican leaders sought to
bring the discussion down to mea-
sures actually before the Senate, the
Democratic experts in harangue re-
scented the effort and proclaimed their
intention to talk just as long as they
wished, regardless of whether their
speeches were germane to the sub
ject before the Senate. They re-
peated the same sort of street-corner
political speeches day after day. No
soap-box orator in the halcyon days
of calamity bowling, could have com
manded more elaborate vocabulary
of invective than was displayed by
the Democratic vendors Of vitupera-
ton for several weeks This was
carried on under the pretense of
keeping the country informed as to
facts when, in truth, the public had
already read the testimony in the
daily press. b1s a ISL m f3
Whether there is to be change Of
policy remains to be seen. Demo
cratic leaders say there will be, but,
if experience is any guide, it is safe,
to predict that under one pretense or
another, resumption Of scandal mon
gering will be used as means to
delay legislation. Pettifogging pol
iticians, skilled in subterfuge, will
even occupy the time of the Senate
declaring their willingness to hasten
legislation, when even that speech
has for it's purpose the same sort Of
delay that has gone before. When
every other means Of killing time
has been exhausted, the obstruction
lists can easily spend an hour or SO
denouncing the Republicans for not
getting something done.
An examination of the Congress-
ional Record will later disclose the
Democrats fulfilled their professed
purpose to cooperate in expediting
the work Of Congress.