Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-06-13
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Congress Overrides Hoover
Veto of Spanish War
Pension Measure.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD

BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD
DRESIDENT HOOVER is not having
1 a pleasant time with a congress
whose mind Is to a considerable ex-
tent fixed on the chances of re-elec-
ton next fall The majority In both
houses is Republican but it isn't al
ways administration especially when
being so might cost some votes at the
polls.
This condition was illustrated last
week when congress OVERRIDE the
Presidents veto of the Spanish war
veterans pension bill. In repassing the
measure the senate voted 81 to 13
against Hoover, and those for the bill
included % Republicans. 80 Democrats
and one Farmer-Labor member. Only
IA members Of the lower house, all
Republicans, voted to uphold the veto,
with 298 against it.
Vetoing any pension bill is painful
for a President, and in this case Mr..
Hoover displayed courage. His three
objections to the measure were held
by the press of the country for the
most part to be well taken. The pro-
visions he opposed are the reduction
of the service period upon which pen
sion claims may be made for disabili-
ties of a non-service nature from 80
to 20 days; and that venereal diseases.
drug habits or alcoholism, contracted
at any time in the life of the veteran,
shall constitute disabilities emitting
the sufferer to pension. He also con-
tended that need should be an element
of valid claim.
The enthusiasm with which both
senate and house passed the bill over
the veto is strongly reminiscent of the
time when the Grand Army of the Re-
public was strong enough numerically
to obtain from congress any legisla-
ton 1t desired.
VXTHAT will happen to the London
w naval treaty In the senate is still
a matter of conjecture. Senators Wat
son and Moses last week urged the
4 ACoAuCAI " POobpOAC tAlC NOAoAuCla-
tion Of the pact until after the autumn
elections, but he insisted on his plan
to call special session of the senate
Immediately after the adjournment of
congress. This despite the warning
from the two leaders that If the dis
cusslOn proved to be protracted the
senate might adjourn the special ses-
sion and throw the whole question
over to the winter session. Next day
Senator Henry ]. Allen of Kansas sub
mitted to Mr.. Hoover a plan that
seemed to impress him.
The Kansas senator thought that
the wisest strategy would be to bring
the treaty before the senate at the
present session, Immediately following
the passage of the rivers and harbors
bill, but before the veterans legisla-
ton is taken up. There has been
much talk of the difficulty of keeping
a quorum of the senate on hand to
discuss the treaty, but Mr.. Allen
opined that few senators would dare
go home before the veterans bill
comes up. Altogether, the effect of
the situation, thought Senator Allen,
would be to expedite the disposition
of the treaty.
1t was disclosed at the Navy depart
ment that contracts for the construc-
ton of the new aircraft carrier and
two feet submarines slated to be let
before July will not be awarded until
after the senate has acted on the
treaty. According to Secretary of the
Navy Adams, contracts for no more
warships will be let this fiscal year.
CERTAIN citizens who have been
~ badgered, embarrassed and dis
tressed by the persistent probings of
congressional investigating committees
probably cheered-in private-for
Bishop James Cannon, Jr., last week.
That militant chairman of the board
of temperance and social service of
the Methodist church, South, and Off
cial of the Anti-Saloon league, chal-
lenged the authority of the senate
lobby committee to investigate his
political activities in the campaign of
1928, refused to reply to its questions
In that connection and defed its i'm