Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-18
The Congressional Recess.


Tomorrow, barring unforeseen elev-
enth-hour complications, Congress will
recess for two monthS-until August
1e-and perhaps longer. The Senate's
vote of 80 to 3s against confinement of
tariff revision to agriculture and CO.
related schedules is the last purely
legislative act of the special session
convened by President Hoover on
April Is.
The session has accomplished full
half of its purpose 1t has enacted
farm relief and paved the way for tariff
revision. The House went the whole
hog on the tariff by passing the Hawley
bill with its extensive increases in rates,
regardless of Mr.. Hoover'S expressed
wish for changes confined to agricul-
ture and a limited" number Of indus
trial products.
The Senate's rejection of Mr.. Borah's
resolution to restrict tariff legislation
along Hoover lines is another of the
rebuffs which the Upper House has
delighted in administering to the Presi-
dent during the past two hectic months
on Capitol Hill. Having now taken
the lid of tariff revision by the fragile
margin of a single vote, it is well
within the realm of possibility that a
Senate bill running as counter to White
House wishes as the House bill may
be overridden when it reaches the
Senate floor from the finance commit
tee.
The Borah resolution was supported
by that Democratic-R Republican insur-
gent bloc which twice commanded a
Senate majority on the late lamented
farm debenture plan. 1t is therefore
plain as a pikestaff that the tariff
turmoil in the Senate did not end with
yesterdays roll-call On the contrary,
the restrictionistS have only begun to
fight. The change of single vote, on
q floor showdown, would completely
alter the face Of things in their favor.
To that arena, later on. the battle is
sure to be carried.
There was considerably heavier
Senate majority In favor of concurring
with the House on 60-day recess.
Only IL Republicans and IL Democrats
voted to keep Congress on the job
through the sweltering weeks ahead of
us. The country will approve the de-
cision to give our Woodworking ma
tional legislators a Summer vacation.
They have earned it. Many nerves
must be fraZzled by events since mid
April. Representatives and Senators
win profit by renewed contact with the
folks back home. What they hear from
their political creators may not be
altogether to their liking, but they
should at least return to Washington
far more constituent conscious"
President Hoover, too, is entitled to
the recess. He has had his first Con-
gress on his hands with a vengeance.
By and large, he has Jared well with it.
Enactment of farm relief, on the adj
ministration's lines, within two months
Of its proposal is no mean achievement
In q body as heterogeneous and bloc
E10dSh dS b11C oCNClAty ia ~ NOAASA Cos A<ss
In particular, President, House and
Senate will resume their respective ac-
tivities in better shape to tackle the
tariff problem. Public opinion is widely
divided on it. Mr.. Hoover contemplates
no swing around the circle, after the
pattern of distinguished predecessors
under somewhat similar circumstances.
Such exhausting missionary campaigns,
IN these days Of national radio forums,
are no longer necessary. If the Presi-
dent should decide to broadcast an
appeal to the Nation to support his
view that unlimited tariff revision is
wholly unjustihed, with respect to either
our domestic or our international rela-
lions. Mr.. Hoover might win the day on
the tariff just as he did on farm relief.
The Star wishes Congress joyous
Summer. If between their fishing, their
touring, their hunting and their camp
ing, statesmen take counsel with their
constituents on burning issues of the
day, including their attitude toward
Hoover policies, the recess viii do the
Republic a world Of good.
The people are seldom wrong.
s-S-a9S-S