Evening star., 1927-11-28
CAPITOL ACTIVITY
At GREAT TENSION
Lawmakers Prepare for Busy
Winter on Eve of Con-
gress Session.
nv DAVID LAWRENCH

Congress might t'.>s as wsn % IN
session. Judging By the activity going
On here a full week in advance OF the
onening. Not since 1911. when the
rarrocrats. who won the 1910 eiec'
tion took charge Of the lower mousse
has there been as much excitement.
This is partly due to the fact tnat
+ba Senate Is virtually a tie as pe'
tween the major parties, and the FRO
oressives hold the balance OF power.
Rut il Is also due to the large num-
her Of issues which have caught tne
attention of the public. All TINS
world be interesting by itself were IT,
not for presidential nominating con
ventions a few months hence, but the
corning campaign will have a power
full influence on the course OF events
Gathered in the foyer. so to SPEAK
ready for the raising OF the cur,ain'
are powerful groups OF American Jus
mess men intent on the one mana on
nreventing unfavorable legislation ana
urging on the other hand protection
or relief. as the case may be.
The Flood Problem.
Dominating the whole situation to a
~anoorkahle extent is the flood prob
lem The Far West, with it's fear OF
a flood In Imperial Valley; the MIS-.
sissiDpi Valley, alert that no delay shali
be encountered this time, and the new
England representatives aware now o4
what their dangers may De from over.
flowing rivers-au these elements
combine naturally to give nooo CON.
troll right Of way. Memories OIL lio
recent disaster are fresh in the minus
Of returning members OF congress
wrapped up in the flood question
is that of water power uses and the
DEVELOPMENT of inland waterways.
Problems Of Government ownership or
operation of water power have been
debated for years, but never have they
occupied such an important place on
the legislative stage. There Is no
real likelihood Of a Government owner
ship program as a whole, but the
policy that should be followed with
such projects as Muscle Shoals has
never been definitely decided and may
have to be when the building of dams
and the generation of power is brought
before Congress as a concrete matter
to be dealt with in spending money for
flood control.
Already the public utility industry
has indicated it's opposition to any
program of Government ownership or
operation and wants such water.
power as is developed to be leased by
the Government as are ships or air
mail contracts. President Coolidge is
opposed to the Government doing any
thing that private industry can do as
we'll or better.
Smith and Ware Case.
In the background also is the In
vestigation sought by Senator Walsh
of Montana as to the methods by
which holding companies are being
financed and utility properties gather
ed in by large companies. Then there
is the Senate investigation of the
eligibility of Senators-elect Smith of
Illinois and Ware of Pennsylvania and
the aftermath Of the Illinois election
primary expenditures in which Samuel
insult of Chicago has not yet COM
pleted his testimony.
II this were not enough to make
the December session an interesting
and busy one. the Congress has two
other major problems to settle. One
is the revision of the tax law which
runs into the question of the national
budget and appropriations generally
and the agricultural export contro
versy. Progress is being made on
the tax bill. 1t may be out of the
House by Christmas and in the Sen.
ate shortly after.
Rivalry i'm Achievement.
Indications are that more will be
accomplished at the coming session of
Congress than anv session in 10
years, though on the surface the po-
litical obstacles in the way would seem
to contradict such a promise. But
the compelling nature Of the problems
to be solved will make it bad politics
for any individual or group to OBJ
struct. It will be rivalry in achieve
ment with contest afterward as
to which party or individual is en-
titled to credit or reward at tha nnlls