The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-12-05
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york that must nurture a con.
Ntructive program.
Taxes will be reduced from $685.
100000 to $3.50, 900. the Navy
viii be strengthened. some sort Of a
farm relief bill may be pushed
through, a measure OF relief will
be furnished to the hard-hit flood
sufferers in the lower Mississippi
Valley, and the usual appropriation
bills will be passed-but beyond that
the leaders say nothing.
Speculation is a hazardous bust
ness in a Congress so split by
factions and so ridden by blocs as
the SEVENTEEN.
The Senate, as usual, confronted
q jam at the outset.
It closed last March in the grip
Of a filibuster, and 1t seemed today
that it might begin where it left
off.
Vare.Smith Battlefield
The controversy over the seating
OF Senators-elect Ware Of Pennsyl-
wanna and Smith of Illinois was top
most when the gavel fell.
The only seeming certainty in this
notorious fight is that neither
man would be seated, although
the time and method of the custer
proceedings remained obscure.
The situation is such that the
Senate might dispose of the matter
IN two hours, or two months, de-
pending upon the tactics employed.
Menaced By Revolt
AS II this were not enough to
worry the harrassed Republican
leadership, the danger Of an in
surgent Republican revolt was also
present.
The insurgent bloc demanded
written assurances from the Repub.
hcan leader several days ago that
an opportunity be afforded to vote
on three measures farm bill
emoodying the MeNary-Haugen
PRINCIPLES, an anti-labor injunction
Dill, and upon resolution for in
Vestlgation OF the Coolidge ellogg
policy i'll Latin-America,. this last
involving the Americana icaraguan
war" which has sent thousands of
marines into that little Republic,
the insurgents demanded an op-
portun1ty to vote on these as the
price for their helping the Repub-
hces.
Senator Curtis, the Republican
leader. had not replied salts
1actorily" today and the insurgents
were miffed.
House Situation Easier
In the House, the situation was
a-little easier. There a threatened
revolt rather collapsed at the
eleventh hour, although the menace
OF it continued.
This revolt was inspired by the
minority Democrats who demanded
an amendment to the rules where
by any bill could be called from
committee by $50 signatures.
This would prevent the pocket
ing" of bills by the powerful big
four Speaker Longworth, Tilson
and Begg. the Republican leaders,
and Smell, chairman Of the power
4uf rules committee.
Not enough western Republicans
would go along with the Democrats
ia. accomplish the reform.
The Democrats and insurgent
Republicans in the House are still
wrothy, however, over what they
characterize as administration eff.
forts to "pack" two committees.
The appointment Of Representa-
tive-elect Estep (R.), OF Pennsyl-
vania, to the House Ways and
Means Committee created a furore.
Estep is charged with being MEL
ions man." For a freshman Con-
gress to make the select Ways and
Means Committee before even TAX.
ing his oath is unprecedented.
Similarly, there are two vacan-
cies on the Agriculture Committee.
The disgruntled nlid.westerne-s
charge that these places have been
apportioned to anti-McNary-Hauge
bill members in an effort to prevent
that nnuch-discussed measure from
ever getting out of committee
Today's program called for or.
ganization and the transmission of
the budget message, with President
Coolidge's annual message on the
state of the nation to go up to-
morrow.
There was no certainty that this
could be accomplished. however. be.
cause Of the Vare-Smith entangle-
ment in the Senate.
President Coolidge might have es-
sayed the whip-cracking role for
the new session. but he declined il
in six of the most famous words
ever uttered--'I do not choose to
run" Mr.. Coolidge never was
much Of a whfp-cracker anyway.
and what influence he chose 70
exert at various times has been
largely dissipated by his with
drawal from the presidential race.
The Republicans who gathered