Milford chronicle., 1926-12-10
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER
CFrom National Editorial Association
Especial to Chronicle)


the President and his Cabinet rem
dering an account of their steward
shin and recommending government
tai policies for the next fiscal year
the business of the second session OF
the Sixty Ninth Congress is now for
mally under way. Already the legis-
lative "hoppers" have received hun
dreds of proposed laws, and it re-
mains for the committees of the Con-
gress to assert the wheat from the
chaff. In the cloak rooms OF the
Senate and House you can gather
variety of opinions, each positive in
its character, as to the political sig
nificance of the Presidents message
and of the list of appointees to Fed
eral posts.
Though the present Congress does
not expire until March discussion
has turned to the prospects OF a spe-
cial session. 1t is currently report
cd that some of the important appro-
nriation bills will fall by the way
side due to a coalition of Democrats
and western Republicans, thus max
ing it necessary to call speclal
sassion There is considerable talk
these days about control OF Congress
or the relative number OF partisan
votes in calculating the fate OF var
ions legislative measures III WHICH
Won are interested. 1t is well to re-
member that it is one thing to have
a majority on paper and another to
have the majority present during
test vote when everything depends
unon the actual count of noses.
The Congressional leaders are
barassed at present as the result OF
changes in the personnel of impor-
tant committees. Anybody familiar
with legislative procedure knows
that the real business Of Congress IS
transacted in committees. AS an IL
lustration, during the Sixty-elghth
Congress 1882 bills were introduce
ed and 759 passed during the seven
months session. This indicates that
} the committees served as a sieVe' as
only a small percentage OF legisIa-
tive measures reached the Senate
and House floors. 1t is equally OBJ
vious that legislation of merit Will
. languish during the debates which
are now beginning.
) Several new faces have appeared
: in both houses as the result OF re-
cent elections. AS usual, the new
t comers endeavor to obtain places
on important committees, but mere
they find the rule of seniority III
service a barrier to their hopes a
mans importance in political AFFAIRS
| in Washington is usually measured
, nv his appointment to committees
and his rank in these groups is hX-
ed accordingly.
The social life of the Capltal 10 ~
a. +,o,obt with state dinners at tne
l 1r,;to NJ House and receptions at the
homes of the Cabinet officers Inc
aooio1 code of Washington is OF me-
o ooss,tv disferent from that in vogue
othor American cities, because Ol
( 49, presence of diplomats. NeWcom'
) ors o to Washington's social life Wne
40 considered leaders in their re-
!. .oo+;vo s--o communities often tnd i
-,poossarv to utilize the service OIL :
socia1 guide at the national Capl'ai
The House of Representatives VIII
e .ovo one of the appropriation plll'
,,Udor consideration within day o.
two IT is really remarkable nov
sos+ sucb an unweilded body can &c
rben il settles down to the consluer
: o+ion Of legislation instead OF DOM
p bastic oratory. The President n@'
made several important recommen
da+ions which Congress is Dounu y
j. studv but it is doubtful ii a smai
q nortion of the proposals Will De en
= acted at this session.
G The budget message Of the Presi
il don't is second only in Importance y
,, tho Presidents annual message IL
= If qives an accounting of goVernmen
6 receipts and expenditures as well a
o nronosals for appropriations to GOV
2 er the fiscal year of 1927. The DUO
: get report shows that the actual eA
q nenditures, including reduction U
: the public debt, in the hscal yea
1926 amounts to $S,586,9S7, ,S7S.5O'
: was only a few years ago that II wa
n considered the height OF eXtraV"
n yance when the Federal Government
= snent a. billion dollars. The estlma'
for 1927 is slightly higher out say
n ings are expected for 1925 III
= President has suggested temporar
+ax measure. and makes it clear tina
B, conditions do not warrant a perma
nent tax reduction plan. Secretary o
- the Treasury, Mellon, in his repor
to Congress, today says that it doe
y not seem probable that we can con
:, templats a reduction in Sovernmen
= expenditures in the next few years
! He has sounded a warning to Con
+ gress against making tax reducuo
n a football of politics.
" It is said that the folks back hom
constantly criticize the Governmer
at Washington. They do not realiz