Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-05-15
WASHINGTON LETTER
Continued from Page 1,

III Tie Tax TtNiSlOn measure was
strongly objected to by Senator
McNary, who doubted the pro-
priety of trying to tack it on as
a rider. Advocates of the mea-
sure say that a rider of this
character would naturally en-
barrass the President and force
his veto.
A poll of the Senate and House
conducted by leaders of both par
ties brought assurances to repre-
sentatives of the farm organiza-
lions that the McNary-Haugen
bill, or some other measure of
agricultural relief. will be passed
before adjournment. It it of
such vital Importance to the far
mers and to the government that
it is proposed to devote several
days to discussion of the meas
ure. An effort has been made
during the last few days to ex-
pedite the consideration of the
McNary-Haugen bill in the
House. The days and minutes
are so valuable that the Senate
adopted night session in order to
dispose of more important meas
ures. Under pressure from the
agriculture districts. members in
both Houses are urging their lea
ders to give serious thought to
general legislation of interest to
agricultural communities.
Perhaps the most influential
group of men in Congress today
in particular, constitute the rules
committees. They control the
parliamentary situation and find
themselves hard pressed by their
colleagues demanding decisions.
The rules committee has the
power to give preference to bills
on the legislative calendar. And,
as an earnest advocate of a car
tain measure said to the writer.
the rules committee is a hard
boiled lot and a rule giving bill
a chance before adjournment is
hard to obtain" 1t is possible at
times to suspend the rules and
make a bill special order of bust
ness. Recent legislative history
shows few incidents where the
House turned its back on the
committee and then only when
an emergency required drastic
action.
One of the most important
bills introduced during the week
deals with foreign relations. The
resolution presented by Senator
Lodge, Republican leader, calls
for the establishment of a WORLD
court at The Hague, to which the
United States would adhere. The
resolution sets forth details Of
the arrangements, allowing this
country's participation with 9th
err nations in international arbi
tration, etc. 1t is particularly
interesting at this time because
of the League of Nations issue
terminated at the last Presiden-
tial elections. Nobody expects
that the Lodge proposals will
figure very prominently in the
Forthcoming contests.
All political parties are at
work on plans to bring about a
record vote at the next election.
The recent elections showed the
growing indifference Of the peo-
pie to their power at the ballot
box. The claim is advanced that
the decay in influence over legis-
lators has been due to a large ex-
tent to this attitude on the part
of voters who have been free to
criticize errors in commission
and commission, without taking
the only means Of redress.
1t is indeed q problem of I'M
usual magnitude at present be-
cause figures prepared from nom
partisan sources show approx
mately one-half of the voters
fail to perform their civic duty.
1t has been estimated from re-
liable sources that for every 100
xrn<.r ,~~& c. D~.c.I~-< - r0OO