Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-07
Reported Considering Move
to Speed Flood Control and
General Program.
SM0OT TO URGE STEP
AT MEETING TOMORROW
Coolidge Favors Disposing of Relief
Measures to Clear Way for
Other Legislation.
By J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.
There is a likelihood that President
Coolidge will assembled Congress ear
lier than the regular time for its con-
vening, probably late in October. not
only for the purpose of assuring flood
control, but to give Congress an Op-
portunity to dispose of it's business in
I'time to adjourn early next Spring.
The President. however, has not
made up his mind definitely regarding
this. but intimates and party leaders
with whom he has discussed the sub
ject recently are of the opinion that
he is giving it serious thought. 1t is
possible that the President may make
definite announcement tomorrow
following a conference he will have
with Senator Smoot of Utah, chairman
of the Senate finance committee. and
one of the party leaders in the Senate.
The Utah Senator is known to be
xious for the early assembling OF
Congress. and at his conference with
the President tomorrow it is expected
that he will lay before the latter defi-
mite reasons why it would be advisable
to issue an early summons.
Attitude Has Changed.
The Presidents attitude now regard
ing the calling of Congress is de-
scribed as considerably changed since
the matter of calling an extra session
was suggested to him some weeks ago
when he Mississippi flood had reached
such >Hrious proportions. The PreSi-
dent. Az response to appeals for an
af Thong
the FEDERAL Government could handle
the situation with the assistance of
the RED Cross and the authorities OF
the food area and that he believed
that the time that would be required
to assemble Congress and for it to ac-
complish any definite relief would take
so long that it would be of little help
in the emergency at that time.
The President is still of the same
opinion so far as flood control legis-
lation is concerned, but he has indicat-
ed to some of his recent callers that
he is inclined to look with favor upon
the proposal to get Congress off to an
early start so bat the flood control
legislation could be disposed OF and
the great mass of major leg '@lation
that will confront the next Congress
could be out of the way early enough
to permit the members of the House
and Senate to give their attention to
the 1928 campaign.
Wants Relief Out of Way.
The President was represented to-
day as intimating hat if he did call
Congress together in advance of the
regular convening date his main
reason for doing So would be to make
it possible for Congress to transact it's
h1Ic ho Of
Summer gets under way.
On the other hand, the President IS
still of the opinion that an early
session of Congress would be of no
real value so far as immediate flood
relief is concerned. He has pointed
out that before Congress could handle
the flood question intelligently, pre-
liminary to enacting any constructive
or comprehensive plan for relief and
prevention of any future floods, there
must be some definite plans worked
out for the guidance of Congress.
The Presidents advices are that the
investigation being conducted by mem
bers of the commerce committee OF
the House are being carried on. but
he doubts if these investigators have
arrived at any definite conclusions. but
he feels very certain that it will be
some little time before they will be
able to complete their Investigations
preliminary to laying before Congress
plans of a comprehensive nature.
Moreover, the President, would Op-
pose calling an extra session of Con-
greSs merely for the purpose of con-
sidering the flood control legislation
principally because after Congress had
debated the various plans for relief
and future flood control it would re-
quire several years for the enacted
legislation to be executed.
Busy Session Expected.
On the other hand. the Presidents
recent advices are to the effect that
the coming session of Congress prom
iSeS to be an extremely busy one and
that there will he an unusual amount
of legislative matters to be handled.
Most important in this connection will
be legislation providing for another
slash in the taxes, in which the adj
ministration is especially interested
and which it is expected will call for
considerable debate before it's final
enactment.
The President. having been advised
of all this by party leaders and also
being aware of the earnest desire on
the part of the members of the House
and Senate to avoid long g-drawn-out
session. which would interfere with
early participation in the campaign.
is believed by many to be on the
verge of issuing a call for an early
session. In the event that he does
this. is is thought by some OF his asSo-
ciates that he would not call Congress
to meet before the last week in Octo-
ber or the first in November. How
ever. the question itself will he prop
erly answered definitely by the Presi-
dent after his conference with Senator
SmOOt tomorrow.