Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-22
COOLIDGE PROGRAM
NOT YET COMPLETE
President May Have to Fight
+. tor Some of Legislation,
Intimates Believe.
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.
With the tax revision legislation
practically disposed of. now that the
Senate and House .couferees have
agreed on bill, and with. the assur-
ance that this will become law by
the end of the week. friends of the
PRESIDENT now are waiting to see
what he is going to do to enhance
the chances of the remaining items
upon his original legislative program
Friends of the administration feel
that the President major legislation
thus FAR has had comparatively easy
SalllnS, but they are not 81 Sanguine
ABOUT some of the important remain
ing items. Some Of Mr.. Cooliige's
1ntimates are inclined to look upon
the SenateS adoption Of the World
Court resolution. which was so ar
IDENTIFY desired by the President and
Inc virtual passage of a tax bill that
lifts a tremendous burden from sew
eral million citizens of the country
as sufficient for him to feel fairly
we'll satisfied, hut they receive the
lntimation from him that he is going
to be lnsistent regarding some of the
remaining legislation he has recon-
mended
Will Fight for Debt Pact.
1t is thought that he will throw
his fullest support to bring about the
congressional approval of the Italia n
debt settlement. The President al
ready has let those members OF the
Senate who have shown a disposition
to block this, know that he intends
10 night. In congressional circles last
night the belief WAS that the Presi-
dent will be victorious and that the
Senate will put it's stamp of approval
upon this debt settlement plan.
1t is known also that the President
Is very eager for legislation that will
make reorEa MIA ion Of the executive
departments of the Federal Govern
ment possible. He has been recon-
mending this ever since he has been
in the White House.
when substitute plan Of re-orCa n
lZation was to take the place of the
Smoot Brown plan. was approved re-
Gently by the President. word was re-
aeived at the White House that it
met with the general approval of prac-
Ideally everyone at the Capitol There
is no real opposition In evidence now
To this substitute plan. because Of it's
simplicity, hut there appears to he a
lack OF real interest in the question
and because of this it may be difficult
to get any action by this session
In brief this proposed bill would
give the President virtually blanket
authority to transfer and consolidate
bureaus and agencies of the Govern
ment after such changes and alIoca-
tons had been recommended by a.
special committee of five, two. to be
appointed by the Senate and two hv
the House, and one by the President.
Stand on Shipping Board.
The President has been very quiet
Curing the past few months regarding
the Shipping Board, but he has not
forgotten this sore spot in his ad-
m1n1stratton, and it is natural to sup
pose that he is going to do all he can
to encourage the enactment of legis-
ladon that would separate the Ship
ping Board and the Emergency Fleet
Corporation and bring the latter under
the control Of a single head directly
responsible to the President He is
not anxious for the elimination of the
present regional features of the
merchant marine act, but he Is out
spoken in advocacy of relieving the
board of the operation of the merchant
fleet. Although the President has
never said so for publication, 1t is
the opinion of those who have dis
cussed this subject with him. that
he would not object to the complete
aboltshment of the board.
More adequate housing of the
Governments physical activities,
especially in the District of Column
bia, is another matter in which the
President is deeply interested and it
Is thought that he will lend his
support to obtain the passage of the
bill. which already has passed the
House. which authorizes public
building program of s165. 900 900,
$4,000, 900 of which is for buildings
ito be erected in this city.
Another bill which the President
wants to see enacted is the Watson
Parker bill, which amends the rail
road act and which. among other
things abolishes the Railroad Labor
Board.
Farm Aid Legislation.
President Coolidge has answered
all of the cries for farm relief since
last Fall by recommending co-opera-
tive marketing. and legislation en-
bodying the administrations ideas In
this connection already has passed the
House and is awaiting action in the
Senate However, the more radical
farm element in Congress still insists
upon legislation that would place the
Government in control of marketing,
at least of the farm surplus intended
for export. and which would bring
about price fixing.
, The Presidents friends expect him
to get through legislation finally dis.
posing of the Muscle Shoals problem.
upon which there are so many varied
opinions, especially in the Senate.
There still remains the coal leCisla-
ton President Coolidge has recon-
mended. Interest probably is lacking
in this now that the anthracite mines
have reopened and Spring Is nearly
here Nevertheless. administra ton
friends at the Capitol contend that
Congress should enact legislation
along the lines suggested by Mr.. Cool
idge, which would give the Executive
some little authority to handle an
emergency such as was presented dur
ing the anthracite strike.
Several times during the past year
the President has expressed himself
a S favoring railroad consolidation and
he has gone on record as approving
Legislation that would encourage ad-
vantageous mergers and which would
set time limit within which these
consultations should be made volun-
tarily. Whether or not he is going