The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-03
To Be Known More for What
1t Did Not Do Than
What It Did,
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E7ASHINGTON, March Sit
Wl isn't so much what the Six
" ty-Eighth Congress accom-
plished during it's second session as
what 1t didn't do. that makes the
legislative period now ending a
notable ono.
Congress did not agree to lease
Muscle Shoals. The Senate did not
agree to join the v orld court. The
Railroad Labor Board was not abol-
ished. Farm relief legislation was
not enacted.
In fact, aside from the passage OF
the regular appropriation bills, the
principal matters of national scope
enacted since Congress assembled
last December were the postal pay
increases and the boosts In the sal
aries of members OF Congress and Of
the Cabinet.
But regardless OF the satisfaction
that congressional factions may
have in the passage of these pay in
creases, there is hardly a member of
Congress who is not happy over the
actment Of laws which lacked his
approval.
World Court Defeated
Isolationists. for instance. are hap
py over the ease with which they
prevented the World Court from
even becoming matter OF Senate
debate. This they achieved in the
face of President Coofdge's state
ment In his message to Congress
that II bellows 1t would be for the
advantage of this country and help
full to the stability of other nations
for us to adhere to the court"
Advocates of public control and
ownership of public resources are
pleased that the sixty-eighth Con-
gress did not agree to dispose OF
Muscle Shoals 10 private operators.
From Dec. to the very end of the
session. Muscle Shoals and its dis
position was constantly before Con-
gress. First the Senate had the
problem for nearly two months. then
It went to the House. then to con-
fe ence between the two branches,
then back to the Senate and House.
only &c be once more returned to
conference. Up to the very last.
Senator Underwood, Democrat of
Alabama, still hoped 70 get favorable
action on his bill. His chief antag-
onist, from start to finish, was Sen
ator Norris. Republican Of Ne
braska, VINO insisted that the Gov
eminent should operate the immense
project itself without private inter-
vention.
Conservatives were happy to have
brought the session to a close with
out the passage of the Barkley-
Howell bill which was to have
brought to an end the Railroad
Labor Board. This bill, sponsored
by the labor organizations and gen.
orally favored by Progressives. was
opposed by the railroads and subse-
quently by a majority OF the regu-
lars in Congress.
Relief Measures Fall
Though President Coolidge stressed
the Importance of some form OF
farm relief legislation in his mes
sage of last December, the advo-
Gates of various relief plans were I'M
able to bring their. ideas into har
iaorfy and the session ended with
various groups, Of friends Of the
farmer working earnestly to pre-
vent the adoption OF any plan but
their own.
Despite the Importance of the
things which Congress didn't do. II
was anything but an inactive ses-
sion. The appropriation bills them
selves required a great deal OF hard
work. and in addition the Senate in
particular was presented with the
problem of passing on many impor-
tant appointments.
The House, for its part, took over
the investigating functions, so ex-
tensively exploited by the Senate a
year ago, and made an important
study Of the relative merits of air
craft and naval equipment.
AS it passes from the scene, the
Sixty-Eighth Congress left behind 1t
two accomplishments of memorable
importance-the exposure-ef the rot
tenness which crept into the Gov
eminent In 1921-1922. and the lower
ing of income tax rates.