Evening star., 1927-09-07
CONGRESS TO WIN
POWER THIS YEAR
Most of Members viii Be De-
termining Factors in
1928 Conventions.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Already there are signs that Con-
gress will come into it's own at the
next session. Whatever overshadow-
ing influence the Executive may have
had will be to a large extent offset
this time by reason of the fact that
most of the men in Congress will
have a determining part in select
ing the presidential nominee in both
parties.
Every day reports are coming in
that Senators and Representatives
are active in lining up their respec-
tive States for the next national
conventions. Whether Mr. Coolidge
is to be renominated or not is
question which he himself has put up
to his party to decide, but that in
the last analysis means Congress.
White House Ranks Second.
The initiative in legislation will
not come from the White House, but
from Congress. Manyg recommenda-
tions will be made by the President
in his annual message, but they will
be in the form Of general principles
rather than specific Endorsements OF
particular measures. So heSitant is
the Executive about anything that
might suggest dictation to Congress
that even the Department of Agricul-
ture will not attempt to recommend
a farm relief bill, but will depend
upon friends of the administration
in Congress to develop a bill along
lines known to the approval of both
the President and Secretary Jardine.
The entire cabinet is naturally
deferential to the wishes OF the Pres
ident and will make no move to en-
barrass him. In fact, there is every
reason to believe that despite Mr..
Coolidge's disinclination to run in
1928 the cabinet wants him to do so.
Under such circumstances the Indl-
vidual annual reports from the Sec
retaries will conform to the Coolidge
policy and will not undertake any de-
partures in recommendations for new
legislation.
Opportunity for Leadership.
Broadly speaking, very little that is
new will come from the Executive
end Of the Government when Con-
gress meets. and there will be more
opportunity for individual leadership
| in the Senate and the House than mas
| been the case for long time. On tax,
alton, for instance, the Treasury Will
use it's influence as far as possible to
get a workable law, but will concern
| itself for the most part with the ques'
| tions that relate to the administrative
| provisions of the existing revenue law
| rather than rate schedules.
Much will depend upon program
| for flood relief, and It is fully expected
| that the President will outline in only
| a, general way what should be oone'
leaving it to the Secretaries OF war
and Commerce TO go more INTO oeIaH
on this in their annual reports.
Dozens of different legislative pro-
posals are coming up which VIII at
tract attention. In fact, the next ses:.
sion of Congress should prove one Oh
the most interesting in many years.
The atmosphere will be unique, be-
cause the impression is that the Re'
| nuhlican presidential contest is a free
| for-all and this always means more
opportunity for the spotlight TO play
| on the Senate and the House, where
would be Presidents, as well as max
ers Of Presidents, naturally abound.
Extra Session Held in Abeyance.
While no definite word has come
from the President as to his feellng
about calling Congress into an extra
session in November, there is well
grounded belief that the President Will
be in a better position to make a de'
cision after he has returned to WASH
lington and after members OF Congress
have indicated the legislative propos'
ais on which they hope to concen.
trate. Inasmuch as the Smith ana
Ware contests are bound to take up al
least a month of time, the argument
has been advanced that the new reVe'
nue. bill will hardly get through De,
fore March Is next, in time 10 De Oh
immediate value to the taxpayers, un
less a start is made early in Decem
Der. r..
The politics of the situation, so fal
as the Republicans are concerned
would require action as early as pos
sible, so that the voters will feel the
effects of such reduction as Is made
There is q big expense in administer
ing the Internal Revenue Bureau
when a rebate or credit has to be
given. II the first payment has tc
be made on March Is under the pres
! ent law because Congress passed
new measure too late, and If the
second payment on June 10 is to be
, made under a new revenue law, con
siderable confusion is inevitable
which does not rebound to the credi
of the party in power.
Summing Up of Situation.
The sum and substance of the stu
alton is that IL an extra session oi
at least a month would precede the
regular session it would give the Ra
publicans a better opportunity tc
make a record for themselves before
the adjournment in June than would
, be the case IL the Illinois and Penn
sylvania contests should absorb Q