Milford chronicle., 1927-01-07
N0oG1
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

SoS
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER
(From National Editorial Association)
Especial to Chronicle)
Washington, January 5-FOllowing
the example of the country at large
the Sixty-ninth Congress has settled
down work after a holiday vaca-
ton. With thousands of proposed
measures pending in committees the
legislators have real problem in
sitting the wheat from the chaff.
! Sometimes meritorious measures are
side-tracked in favor of those hav-
ing political advantages. Only two
months remain of this session, and
with the number of controversies in
creasing the time is all 100 short to
clean the slate.
The committees in charge of 1is-
cal measures are doing their best to
report appropriation bills for the
maintenance of the Government de-
partments. If any of these bills fail
to pass the Congress before adjourn
ment it will necessitate the calling
of an extra session. A SPECIAL COM
mittee of the Congress would have
a direct bearing upon the 1928 Pres
idential campaign. Consequently,
leaders of the majority parties are
not advocating such procedure, be-
cause there is no way of estimating
the effect of a prolonged debate on
their campaign policies.
The debate on prohibition has
been intensified of late rs a result
of numerous deaths during the holi-
days, due to drinking of alcohol
poisoned by the Government. The
Secretary of the Treasury feels that
the original order to make alcohol
chemically unfit for consumption is
too drastic. It is difficult to say
what bearing the poisoned alcohol
controversy will have upon the wet
and "dry" battle. The report OF the
Secretary of the Treasury shows
that chemical laboratories have been
established in the field for the pur-
pose of testing and diluting alcohol
beverages. During the fiscal year OF
1926 the laboratory at Washington
made 1886 analyses and $3.50 an
alyses in the field laboratories
Though the efforts to enforce pro
hibition were increased the records
of the Solicitor of the Treasury De-
partment show that the collections
through the Federal Courts of fines
and forfeitures amounted to $5,OOO,-
900, slight increase over the pre-
ceding year.
The beginning Of the New Year
finds little change in the activities
of the Federal Government. These
agencies operate on the basis of the
fiscal year beginning July 1, but
they are obliged to have the author
ization of Congress before undertak-
ing any particular activity.
The public reception at the White
House on New Years Day has be-
come very popular. The citizens of
Washington who ordinarily would
not be concerned over White House
social activities make it point to
pay their respects to the President
and his family at the beginning OF
the New Year. The social season at
the National Capital is at its height.
The four great events are Diplomatic
Night, Judiciary Night, CongressiOn-
al Night and Army-Navy Night.
This, however, does not take into
account the more exclusive dinners
which will be given at the White
House by the President, to be fol-
lowed by dinners given in honor of
| the President by the Members Oh MS
Cabinet. In addition, those in the
social whirl are kept busy attending
dinners and receptions in other quar-
ters. Strangely enough, you will find
the Members of Congress at their
desks, or at committee meetings ev-
cry morning at ten o'clock, and busy
with legislative affairs in the Sen
ate and House after the afternoon
hour. A mans faithfulness to his
duties measures his time in Office.