Evening star., 1926-11-26
Three Months of Talk.

The country Is about to experience
hiother short" session Of Congress.
II promises to be as barren of re-
kults and az full nF political maneu-
"ering as other short sessions have
been. Yet there arc matters and
measures Of Importance which could
De considered with advantage to the
country. including taxation and farm
relief Doubtless they will be con-
.sidered. but merely FOR the sake Of
political speeches rather than with
bry hope of their final disposition.
After the adjournment of the pres
vent Congress March {. the alterna-
sives will be u special session % the
new Congress to take up measures
which the Sixty-nintn Congress has
not been able to deal with finally
pr wait until December. 1927, the
Hrst regular session Of the next Con
esrass.
IN the coming short session mem
hers OF the Senate and of the House
trho have been defeated at the polls
country. including the States and
districts which have repudiated
them. The United States IS probably
t&4e only great nation with a parlia-
.nentary form of government in
which such an anomalous condition
could exist. Surely 1t would appear
@he time has arrived when earnest
consideration should be given by the
House to the Norris resolution doing
away with the "short" sessions of
Congress and providing for early
entrance into office of legislative and
executive officers. chosen by the
voters. The Senate by overwhelm-
SnG votes has passed this resolution
Several times. but it mas heen held
s.p in the House.
The program OF legislation for tic
coming short session of Congress
will list many important measures,
doomed to failure because Of lack
g.. time This is we'll recognized by
those who will make up the programs
in the Senate and House. But the
programs will be compiled with an
eye to their political effect. With
less than three months at its dis
poSal, the dying Congress will be
able in the end to get through all
che appropriation bills and little else.
unless fllibuster to force an extra
session Of the Seventeen Congress
aTter March should develop. In
that event not even all the annual
supply bills may be disposed Of.
Politics and Iresident-making will
dominate many Of the speeches and
debates IN both houses. The wet
and dry question will be thoroughly
and persistently aired by the groups
81 wet Senators and wet members
of the House. who are intent upon
making this an issue in the national
campaign of 1925. The supporters
cf President Coolidge will seek to
Duf through q tax rebate proposal,
aud his Democratic opponents will
demand a revision Of the rates Of
TAXATION. The Uaugen- -McNaryites
will insist upon their farm relief bill,
and the administration will seek
some measure of relief short Of that
one.
i;ut of all the political talking
points the revelations of large eX-
penditures in the senatorial pri-
.aIaries, turned up by the investigat-
4ns committee promises to be the
rr7pst prolific OF discussion. Senator
Reed Of Missouri. chairman of the
committee. is expected to make the
report OF the committee to the SEN
ate. Then the fur will Ay. 1t may
act await even the committee re
port, though Senator Reeds Demo
cratic coliea Sucs are apt to accord
.,;n the courtesy Of making the first
.peech on the scandals of 1896
Washington and the country, un
,.ss e. signs fail. are in Tor Il lively
shrce months Of talk and little else.