Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-19
LAYING Aside Politics.

Laying aside pouClcS temporarily
at least, the Congress is pressing for
ward to complete a program OF relief
legislation before Christmas. The critl-
cisms delivered in the Senate of the
President of the United States-some
of which have gone so far as to attack
his honesty and even to suggest that
he has been an embezzler of public
funds intrusted to him-have simmered
down. A suspicion is gaining ground
that the fury Of the attacks upon the
President, delivered by Democratic
Senators, after all merely proves what
the President has Said-that some of
the members of Congress were engaged
in playing politics at the expense Of
human misery. The Democrats who
have INDUCED in vitriolic criticism of
the President at this juncture, when
the casting aside of partisan feeling in
order to speed relief legislation was
needed, have not aided their party with
the people of the country.
More and more the wisdom of the
statement issued by the seven leaders
of the democracy soon after the cleo
ton, in which they pledged the party
to Cooperation" in relief measures to
aid in the depressed condition of the
country, is becoming evident. An effort
has been made in certain Democratic
these Democratic leaders was an
apology" to the people for having won
many victories in the recent congress
sional elections. Yet there was no
apology therein. 1t was a politically
sound statement and at the same time
1t proposed a course which was in line
with the best interests Of the country.
It's critics were mistaken. For the sake
Of the Democratic party the continue
ance of o leadership that senses the
demand Of the people for action rather
than for political maneuvering should
be continued. No one expects the DEM
ocratic party in Congress to yield its
principles or its beliefs In dealing even
with . relief program. But it may
well be expected that hours Of the
Senate'S time and that Of the House
will not be consumed merely for the
purpose Of removing, If possible, some Of
the presidential epidermis.
The Senate properly has receded from
its amendment to the $11e, 000, 900 emer-
gency appropriation bill for public
works to help relieve unemployment
,.,nSnI mould Ioova dnv;n5 "a thu C4,aei
dent the right to allocate funds to those
projects. already authorized by Con-
gress, which could provide the greatest
amount Of work the most quickly. The
conferees Of the Senate and House on
the drought relief bill have reached a
compromise between the $60,000,0o0
demanded in the Senate bill and the
$50, 000, 900 approved by the House, max
ing the sum $45,000000. Most legisla-
ton in Congress is the result of COM
promise. The conferees have eliminated
the dole" feature Of the Senate bill.
In addition, the House has passed and
sent to the Senate q bill providing an
additional $15O,oOO,oO for the use Of
the Federal Farm Board in stabilizing
the prices Of farm products.
Politics have not been laid aside per-
manently by the Congress. That would
be too much TO expect And they should
not be laid aside permanently by that
body. The Congress offers a forum in
which the minority may express itself,
may make itself felt, often for the bene-
ut of the country. There are times,
however. when politics in Congress are
merely a clog In the country's machin-
cry. This is one of them.