Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1924-01-04
Senator Harrison Rebukes G. o. p,
For Neglect OF Agriculture.

Republican neglect to prepare a program
for the present Congress and to call an
extra session last autumn to legislate for
the benefit Of agriculture was made by
Senator Pat Harrison, of Mississippi, the
subject OF singing rebuke to Republican
leaders on the eve of the Senates adjourn
ment for the holidays Senator Harrison
declared that the Republicans in control
Of Congress had nine months in which TO
outline plan Of organization and leeisla-
ton for the Sixty-eiehth Congress and had
no excuse for the inaction that has thus
far marked the session.
During the last session Of CONGRESS- the
Senate was occupied in the consideration
Of very nefarious measure proposed and
urged by the administration known as the
ship subsidy bill" Senator Harrison said.
1T occupied the time Of the Senate almost
to the exclusion Of all other business. We
appealed to the leaders on the other side
to lay aside that bill so that something
might be done in behalf Of the farmer,
and other progressive legislation enacted,
but you fritted away the time, and moth
ing was accomplished during the whole
session Of Congress.
I'VE adjourned. and along about four or
ffve months ago. when the present presi-
dent. Calvin Coolidge. took the reins Of
government. the papers were full that an
extra session Of Congress might be called.
II was due to the distressed condition of
the West. We had heard Of the returns
from the Minnesota election; we had heard
by radio and read In the papers Of the
distressing situation presented by the dis
tineuished Senator from Kansas (Mr. Cap
PERI. the next Republican nominee for
Vice-Pfesident; so we were led to believe,
and did believe, that the farmers in the
west we're In deplorable plight. and that
Congress should be Immediately recon-
vened so that some legislation beneficial
TO them might be enacted.
However, we read In the papers along
In the early fall or late summer that the
Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Lodge)
had been to the White House, and that
some other leaders Of the Republican party
had conferred with the President, advising
him against calling an extra session Of
Congress"
Senator Harrison declared that Il prob.
ably was realized by the Republicans that
II Congress was called into session there
would be so many factions Of their party
In the House and Senate that 1t would be
impossible to reconcile their differences.
We met on the third day Of Deem
Der" Senator Harrison continued. I'VE
are just now getting ready to 90 into ex-
ecutive session to confirm the nomination
Of some forty-odd postmasters in Virginia
and one or two in Massachusetts.
Al this point Senator Harrison was in
terrupted by Senator Lodge
The Senator (Harrison) Is always ac-
curate." Senator Lodge said "Of course.
under the unanimous-consent agreement,
we can not confirm anything"
Il beg the Senator'S pardon" returned
Senator Harrison Then we are to 90 into
executive session and do nothing, as we
havesbeen doing in every other executive
session and every open session of the
Senate that has been held since the third
day Of December, and then we are to ad-
journ over until the third day Of January.
Il has been practically nine months since
the fourth day Of March, when the last
Congress- adjourned. There was plenty of
time during the summer for the leaders Of
the Republican party to get together and
arrive at program and determine upon
some policies so that they might organize
here and put them through at an early day
but nothing has been done during these
three weeks"