Evening star., 1928-12-23
CONGRESS AWAITS
AMBITIOUS SLATE
AFTER CHRISTMAS
Lawmakers Will Line Up
Forces for Expected Fights
After Holiday Recess.
KELLOGG PACT ACTION
HEADS SENATE TASKS
Battle Is Held Probable Over
Disposition of McNary
Farm Aid Bill.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

OUIlSIeSS lids 1Olucu It's IcIiGS dIlu 81
lently stolen away for the Christmas
holidays. While it has disposed of the
Boulder Dam bill, whit h threatened to
delay for long time ether legislation,
it faces a difficult program in the two
months that will remain of the present
session after the holidays
Outstanding in the program will bG
disposition by the Senate of the Kel,
logg treaty renouncing war, the Nav!
cruiser bill, a bill for the reapportion.
ment of the House and the annual ap-
preparation bills. The McNary farm
aid bill, now supported by the admin
;stration, may be added to the list, al
though there will be serious efforts to
force consideration of farm relief over
to special session of the new Con-
gress after March 4.
The Senate has agreed to let the
kellogg treaty and the cruiser bill run
along together, its unfinished business
in executive and legislative sessions, re-
spectively. In the end, however, some
determination must be reached as to
which measure will be voted on first.
Treaty supporters are insisting that
it be dealt with first, and opponents
of the cruiser bill are taking the same
position. In some quarters it was said
yesterday that 1t would suit President
Coolidge to have the treaty acted upon
before a final vote is taken on the
cruiser bill, although he is supporting
both measures. Probabilities are that
when it comes to showdown the treaty
will be given the right Of way, and
ratified after a brisk debate, with the
cruiser bill to follow, and probably
pass by a considerable majority.
Fight for Special Session.
Opponents of farm relief legislation
at the present session yesterday de-
clared they had not been shaken In
their position by the letter of Secre-
tary Jardine of the Department Of Agri-
culture, indorsing the pending McNary
bill and urging its prompt passage.
They will continue to insist that the
farm bill be put through at a special
session of the new Congress, after
March 4. Among Senators insisting
upon special session is Senator Brook
hart of Iowa. He takes the position
that the revolving loan fund of $780,
100000 contained in the McNary bill
is not large enough. He insists, too,
that there must be tariff revision to
make farm relief effective, and that
tariff revision will have to come at q
special session, since advocates of gen.
eral tariff revision are not. willing to
have farm schedule bill put through
by itself.
Senator McNary plans a number of
conferences on the farm bill during the
Christmas holidays. He will ask the
committee to meet on the measure as
soon as the Congress reassembles. If
anything is to be accomplished in the
way of farm legislation at the present
session the bill must be put through
the Senate in January. Prospects of
such early action. with the treaty.
cruiser bill. appropriations and other
measures pressing for action, do, not
appear good. Indeed, influential Re-
publican leaders in the Senate admitted
last night they had little or no hope of
having the farm bill finally disposed IF
before adjournment March A. If they
are correct a special session in the
Spring seems unavoidable
This will please Senator's and Repre-
Sentatives who are urging prompt re-
vision of the tariff. many of them from
the New England States. The House
ways and means committee is to begin
its tariff hearings on January Z. It
plans to be ready for introduction OF a
tariff early in the Spring. if a special
session is called at that time. or for
introduction in special session next
Fall, if it can be postponed until Sep
tember.
Curtis Maintains Silence.
Senator Curtis, Vice PreSident-elect.
still maintains silence with regard 70
his plans for the, immediate future.
Yesterday he abandoned a contem-
plated trip to Kansas for the holidays.
The question is whether Senator Curtis
will resign his seat before January 10
and give opportunity for the present
governor to appoint his successor. or
whether he will hold on in the Senate
until after the new governor. Clyde
Reed, has been inaugurated, and per-
NIT him to pick the next Senator from
within the next 10 days. His failure To
go to Kansas has been interpreted two
ways. First, that he has concluded 10
resign soon after the first of the year
and permit the present governor to ap-
point his successor, and. second, that
he has found 1t possible to reach an
agreement on this subject with the
governor -elect, and for that reason has
given up his trip.