Evening star., 1925-12-13


United States Of AmeriCa.-The
SiXty-ninth Congress began Its career
at noon December {.
The Presidents annual message was
read to the two houses on December
s. It's chief declarations and recon-
mendations may be summarized as
follows:
1. Congress is advised to exercise
constraint upon its zeal for remedial
legislation and not to invade the
proper fields of the States and smaller
political subdivisions.
1T does not follow that because
abuses exist it is the concern of the
Federal Government to attempt their
reform. The area within which the
Federal authority can successfully
function is very limited
2. The present policy Of proceeding
with reasonable rapidtty to retire the
Federal debt is commended. The Bu-
reau of the Budget and the Office Of
the controller general are functioning
admirably in restraining appropria-
tions and expenditures. Government
postwar def1ation Is nearly completed.
8. The ways and means committee
of the House is praised for it's .non-
partisan revenue bill just submitted;
except for one or two minor details
this bill is entirely satisfactory to the
President.
4. The new immigration act has
proved, on the whole, successful in its
operation. Perhaps some amendment
may be found desirable so as to add
to the categories of relatives admitted
outside the quotas, and some tighten
ing legislation to prevent violation of
the immigration restrictions, as by
way of registration of all aliens, may
be found necessary.
5. The Muscle Shoals problem should
be ''liquidated' without further delay.
Says the President. very acutely: "1f
anything were needed to demonstrate
the almost utter incapacity Of the Ma
tional Government to deal directly
with an industrial and commercial
problem, it has been provided by our
experience with this property. We
have expended vast sums, we have
taxed everybody, but we are unable
to secure results which benefit any
body. This property ought to be trans
ferred to private management under
conditions which will dedicate it to
the public purposes defensive, agri-
cultural and industriaD foy which 1t
was conceived.
(The chief purpose is the production
Of nitrates, an incidental purpose the
production and distribution of powerJ
6. The Federdl recldmdlIoH policS
should be overhauled in the light of
experience. which seems to indicate
considerable retrenchment and eau
ton. The report of survey provid-
ed for by Congress will soon ebe sub
mitted Future action by the National
Government in this connection should
be strictly Of a Federal character.
7. The importance Of the merchant
marine is duly emphasized. Salutary
action on this head by Congress is to
be expected. The Congress will have
before it for information and guidance
the report Of the investigations made,
at the Presidents instance, by Henry
G. Dalton; the report Of special COM
mittee of the House, and the results
of studies made under the direction
of the United States Chamber of Com
merce. All the investigations enforce
the conclusion that the fleet should
be under the direct control of single
executive head, while the Shipping
Board should exercise judicial and
regulatory functions in accordance
with the original conception thereof"
8. The report of the Air Board
should be satisfactory to Congress. :"