Evening star., 1928-11-18
Returning Members Hold
Heavy Slate Makes Such
Action Unavoidable.
FARM RELIEF MAY GO
OVER UNTIL SPRING
East, Seeking Tariff, May Join
Agricultural West in
It's Demands.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
A special session Of Congress next
Spring seems more and more likely.
Many members Of the Senate and
House who have returned to WASH
1ngton take the view that such session
Is not only desirable but is unavoidable.
President-elect Herbert Hoover has
promised to call a special session to
deal with the farm problem, provided
adequate farm legislation cannot be
enacted in the coming short session of
Congress. Senator McNary, chairman
OF the Senate committee on agriculture,
Is already at work on farm bill In
accordance with the ideas of President
Coolidge and Mr.. Hoover. He has de-
clared that he hopes to put such bill
through Congress during the short
session and to have it become law.
administration fight in the Senate
against the old McNary-H -Haugen farm
bill, also takes the view that the mat
ter can be dealt with in the regular
session, which begins December 8.
Session Will Face Jam.
But there is a growing belief that
there Will not be opportunity to deal
adequately with the farm problem at
the short session, largely because of
lack OF time. The session closes auto
matically March 4. In the three months
the Congress must handle all the an
nual appropriation bills. There also is
other important legislation pressing for
consideration, not to mention the Kel-
logg treaty outlawing war. The Boulder
fought and filibustered for days and
weeks IN the past. is the unfinished
business of the Senate, and automati-
cally comes up soon after the Congress
meets. The Navy bill, providing for the
construction of additional cruisers,
which passed the House at the last ses-
sion OF Congress, has been reported to
the Senate and awaits action in that
body.
To cram the farm legislation which
Mr.. Hoover and Senator Curtis, Vice
President-elect, promised the farmers In
the campaign, into the short session
seems almost physical impossibility.
Senator Borah of Idaho, chairman of
the foreign relations committee, who
carnpaigned throughout the West as
well as in the East and South for the
Republican national ticket, takes the
view that special session will be re-
quired to deal adequately with the pro-
posed farm legislation. Senator Brook
hart of Iowa has the same view of the
matter, as has Representative Dickin-
son of Iowa. The latter, although he
was a strong supporter of the old Nc
Nary -Haugen bill, with its equalization
fee principle, and supported the candi-
dacy of former Gov. Frank 0. Lowden
for the presidential nomination, worked
hard for the election of the Republican
national ticket during the campaign.
Easterners Demand Action.
The impetus for a special session is
given greater strength now by de-
mand from Eastern members Of Con-
greSS who wish a revision of the tariff.
Representative Treadway of Massa-
chusetts, ranking Republican member
of the ways and means committee,
who has just returned to Washington,
believes firmly that such a session
should be held to deal with the tariff
schedules. His was one of the eight
States which gave its electoral votes TO
Gov. Smith.
There is one outstanding reason"
cast its electoral votes for the Demo-
cratic national ticket. Industry has
been Spotty for several years in
In some spots it has
been increasingly poor. The four great
industries of the State are woolen man.
ufacture, cotton manufacture, paper
and the manufacture Of
shoes. The Fordney- McCumber tariff
present law-doeS not give
sufficient protection to the first three,
and shoes are on the free list.
New England agriculture shares
with the agriculture of the West the
need of assistance 1t meets much
from Canada. Revision of
the tariff schedules, which are par
ticularly important to New England,
should be made without delay. am
confident that Mr.. Hoover, whether or
ing short session, will call a special
session of Congress after he has been
Would Give Added Weight.
If the industrial East joins with the
agricultural West in a demand for a
special session the demand will bear a
great deal of weight. Tariff revision
mas its bearing on the farm problem
There is a distinct demand for in
creased duties on some Of the products
Of the American farms. There is ship
ped into this country from foreign
ars' worth of agricultural products
each year, which, 1t is believed, could
De produced In the United States.
In addition to the demand for revi-
ion of the duties on farm products,
here IS demand for enactment of
egislation to set up some governmental
machinery to help the farmers deal
With the problem of surplus crops and
or the enactment of legislation to aid
he farmers to cooperative marketing.
rhe whole subject IS one that neces-
arily will lead to debate and require
ime, far more time, 1t is believed, than
an be found In the short session of
congress. OF course, If there Is to be
! revision Of the tariff schedules outside
hose relating to farm products, it Is
uite obvious that a special session will
lave to deal with It,
Suppose IN the closing hours Of the
oming short session Of Congress bill
5 passed providing for the appointment
4 Federal farm board. Some of the
legislators are asking whether the men,
ers Of the board will be appointed by
resident Coolidge, or whether their
ppointment will await Mr., Hoover's
ntry into the White House. There Is
n impression in some quarters, how
yer, that President Coolidge, in view
+ the fact that the administration Of
he new law win come after he has left
nice and Mr.. Hoover has taken hold,
Fould prefer to leave the appointment
the board to Mr.. Hoover.
One OF the most important matters
71ich are slated to come before the
enate in the near future Is the Kel-
1gg treaty outlaving war, which has