Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-01
The Presidents Call for Action.

As the regular session of Congress Is
dated only little more than four weeks
hence, the extra session called by Pres
ident Hoover is soon to lapse, With
one of the two chief objects Of that
summons unaccomplished unless leg
islative miracle Is performed. The Con-
sress has enacted a farm relief law
and It is now in operation. 1t has failed
to enact a tariff revision law designed
to aid the agricultural interests Of the
country. The House Of Representatives
has passed q bill of that character and
the Senate has had that measure before
It since June, nearly five months. Now
the chances for the completion Of the
process before the end Of the special
session appear to be so slender that fall
ure seems to be inevitable. Adjourn
nient of the special session at the
beginning Of the regular session
does not entail the death" OF the
pending bill. as the. same Congress
continues In operation. But such a
lapse as appears now to De inevitable
viii nevertheless be regarded by the
country as a complete failure of Con-
gress, particularly of the Senate. to
function.
President Hoover now calls for ac-
ton that will send the bill to confer
ence within two weeks, to complete the
work for which Congress was summoned
In special session. He knows, as does
everybody else, that this cannot be ac-
con1plished unless the coalition OF
Democrats and Progressive Republicans
that has thus far dominated In the
writing Of the bill in the Senate dis
solves, in the interest Of legislative ac-
ton. There IL no present evidence Of
Q disposition on the part Of those form
ing this coalition to yield. to the end
that bill may be enacted into law.
Some members of the coalition are
opposed to the bin on the ground that it
does not specifically render assistance
to the farmers. but is general up
ward revision Of the tariff rates, to the
advantage of the industrial interests and
actually to the disadvantage of the
agricultural. Others, the Democratic
members In the main, are seeking to
prevent enactment in order that the
Republican party may fail Of per-
Torrance in fulfillment Of its pledge to
the farmers.
Thus because Of partisan blockading
and factional disputation over details
the Senate is headed for failure. The
record of inaetion is inexcusable. The
Upper House has had the bill for five
months. It will take, at the present
rate, two or three months longer to
finish It's part Of the task Of legislation.
That those who now control, through
combination, do not want any bill at all
passed Is the prevalent belief. If the
special session should end without ac-
ton Of some sort the country will Ak the
responsibility, variably according to
partisanship. Democrats will declare
that the burden of the blame rests upon
the Republican party for It's inability to
agree upon measure. Regular or ad-
ministration Republicans will visit the
4eoPoAiS1Dhity uPOLh tHc 0cIIloCIdIS lOt
blockading the bill for party advan-
tage and upon the Progressives for join
ing with the Democrats for the sake Of
possibly getting q more specific meas
ure Of agricultural relief than this
measure promises.
If the special session ends without ac-
tion and the bill carries over into the
regular session the legislative program Of
the Seventy-first Congress will be un-
favorably affected. The calendars will
be congested. The regular session may
be protracted for many months. The
country viii b. given shocking demon
stration Of the LII effects Of factional
coalition. The bloc system Of legisla-
ton has proved It's inadequacy in other
countries. It seems now TO be demon
strating In America to the same effect.
L..