Evening star., 1929-12-16
RADIO AND DEBT
BILLS TO Be URGED.
Administration Leaders Are
Expected to Take Up Meas
ureS Before Recess.

Efforts probably will be made by
administration leaders in the Senate to
dispose of some emergency matters,
such as the Dill bill to continue the
life of the Radio Commission. and the
French debt settlement, before the
Christmas recess of Congress starts
Saturday evening.
There was some doubt, however, as
to the attitude of the leaders Of the
Democratic Republican in e pendent
coalition which has a majority on the
tariff measure. Senator Simmons of
North Carolina, the Democratic Spokes-
yesterday he would insist upon going
ahead Immediately with the tariff and
getting it out of the way.
Chairman Smoot of the finance COM
mittee will propose today that the Sen
ate take up the House bill ratifying the
French war debt settlement. The Sen
ate never has considered this debt set
tlement pending the ratification OF 1t
by France, which came last Summer.
Signs Of Outbreak Seen.
While Senator Smoot thinks little
time will be required for disposition OF
the French debt agreement, providing
for the funding of more than $4,000
600 900. there have been some signs OF
an outbreak against it by those who
regard the Mellon-Berenger agreement
as too lenient.
Unless Congress acts before the
Christmas recess, to be started next Sat-
urday. the Federal Radio Commission
will go out of existence except as
judicial body The bill of Senator Dill,
Democrat, of Washington, to extend the
life of the commission indefinitely now
is before the Senate and Senator Wat
son of Indiana, the Republican leader,
intends to seek its passage during the
week. In his message to Congress
President Hoover recommended a per-
manent radio commission.
Grundy Custer to Be Taken Up.
Today also the Senate elections COM
Senator Nye, Republican, North Dakota,
to deny Senator Grundy of Pennsyl-
vania the right to retain his seat be-
cause of his participation in the Re-
publican primary of Pennsylvania In
1926.
Chairman Shortridge of the commit
tee has indicated he favors an early
report of this resolution to the Senate.
Likewise, he has indicated his belief
that no contest lies against Grundy as
the appointee of Gov. Fisher of Penn
sylvania to fill the vacant seat of Will
liam S. Ware. A report on the Grundy
case would be highly privileged and
could be forced before the Senate at any
time.
The Senate is still far from a decision
on the tariff and is midway in the
debate on the wool schedule. On this
schedule, for the first time, the coall-
ton forces of Democrats and Repub-
lican Independents have broken, and
consistently higher duties have been
written into the bill.
Simmons Wants Action.
Consideration of the tariff bill," said
Senator Simmons yesterday in state
ment issued through the Democratic
national committee, will be carried
forward uninterruptedly, with the ex-
pectation of its completion within the
month of January. Nothing should
and, so far as know, nothing will be
permitted from this time on to impede
its progress.
1T was proper that consideration of
the tariff should have been suspended
temporarily to permit the Senate to act
on the tax-reduction bill. This was a
matter of immediate paramount impor-
tance, and the action of Congress
should have stimulating effect at a
psychological time.
"AlthoiNh the so-called coalition
Senators were not in agreement on the
woolen schedule, it is entirely safe to
say that their cooperation throughout
the rest of the tariff bill will be as
harmonious as it was before they di-
vided on that schedule"