Evening star., 1927-05-21
PRESIDENT AvERSE
TO EXTRA SESSION
Is Not Convinced { Need for
Flood Relief Legislation
by Congress.

President Coolidge is unwilling to
he rushed into a declaration that
would tend to record him as favor
able 10 a special session Of Congress
early III November for consideration
Of mood control legislation Hoping
TO etave off the demand for an i'm =
mediate special session. which ad-
,ninfstratton leaders regard as DelhS
inspired by partisan political motives
more than by distress in the Missls- =
sippi River Valley. some Republcans
are ioining in the urgent requests
that Congress be called into session
n month earlier than usual
So far as the President is con :
cerned. he has given no indication OF
how he fecls about a November Ses-
sion although he has put his 1901
down firmly on the proposition OF
s,1nmonlng Congress TO Washington
+bis summer. 1t was said at the
White House that the President is
,,eenjng an open mind on the suS-
gestion and believes it Will be lmpos-
sihle for him To decide whether inns
should he done until conditions in the
Mississippi Valley are fully known.
Democratic Leaders Opposed.
Two Democrats, Senator Harrison
of Mississippi and Representative
! ovrev of that State, the latter a
recent caller at the White House, are
onnosed TO any special session at TINS
time and their influence has been
boi,ful 10 the President. Mr. LoWrey,
ho,yeye,. believes much can be ac-
Complished in paving the way iof
early food relief if Congress meets
- November and was outspoken IN
mis- connection.
II IS well known at the White House
that the President does not intend 10
make any move until he contefs WIN
Secretary of Commerce Hoover upon
the latter's return from the nood area
He is dependent upon Mr. hoover
advice on matters connected with the
f1ood and no man is better posted than
the Commerce Secretary on the need
~ ne,nanent relief measures.
The calling of a special session IN
November. perhaps, will depend on
whether the Army engineers ana 0tate
commissions can prepare by tnen the
recommendations which it is desired TO
nlace before Congress. This VIII take
a considerable time, based on care
ful study Of all factors entering INTO
the situation.
Ohiscts to Rushing Legislation.
While the Red Cross and the Federal
x-aryo Relief Board are taking care
NJ immediate distress relief. more harm
than good would be accomplished, the
president is said to feel, by rushing
ill.advtsed legislatio The Farm Loan
poard. through its intermediate cred
"A hanks at ST, Louis and New Orleans.
Ore advancing loans to state ana ma
Nonal banks and also to priVate cor
norations organized for extending
loans to agrIculturists in the hooded
areas. -,
The funds of the Farm Loan Board
arc annie TO meet all existing needs
in that connection, 1t was sald, ana
the board is acting under the full ap-
proval of Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon.
Agricultural credit corporations
have been formed to meet the situa-
tions in Arkansas and Louisiana, ana
advances Will be made 20 them in
proportion to three or four times
their paid-in capital, through the IN
termediate credit banks. Through the
sale of debentures the limit of funds
is almost inexhaustible to meet all
needs.
Presidents Conclusions.
Taking these matters into consider
alton. along with the generous re-
sponse to the appeal of the Red Cross.
the President sees no necessity OF
Congressman losing their neads over
a situation which cannot be corrected
permanently without due deliberation
based on carefully collected Informa-
ton.
It is possible that some time may
be saved by calling Congress into ses-
sion a month earlier, but the Presi-
dent is absolutely non-comm.tted TO
any such proposition at present.