The Washington times., 1930-05-05
time
IRKS DAUDLIVG
CONGRESS
Members Seek Session End
As June Primaries Loom;
Hoover Wants Work Done
By GEORGE r. HOLMES

BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
A restive Congress, politically
scared and burning to get away
from Washington, started down
the homestretch Of the session to-
day.
The common aspiration is TO ad-
journ by June /, four working
weeks off, despite President
Hoover'S insiStence that Congress
stay on the job until 1t winds UP
the tariff, ratifies the naval treaty.
adopts the reforms In prohibition
legislation he has thrice recon-
mended, and dispoSes Of other
matters considered pressing.
The work demanded is ilnpor.
tant, but in the life Of the average
Representative there is nothing
more important than getting re-
nominated and reelected. Hence,
it will not be surprising If, after
enacting the tariff bill, the nerv-
Gus members bolt. for home to
mend political fences against the
hurricane Of votes in November,
Presidential wishes to the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
Primaries Begun
Primaries already have begun,
while Congress dawdleS in Wash
ington. Illinois pried the lid off
with enough upsetS to send appre-
henSive ShiverS down the backs of
many. Indiana votes tomorrow,
Alabama a week later, with Ore
gon. Pennsylvania and South Da-
kota following in close order. The
month of June will see seven other
States holding primaries; there
will be two in July, while in Au-
gust the Senators and RepreSen-
tativeS Of II States face the
voters.
The controversial prohibition
and tariff issues have combined
to produce this year far more than
the average opposition to sitting
members.
Encouraged by the apparent
shift in public sentiment on the
wet-and-dry question, scores of the
politically ambitious have been
encouraged to oppose for renomi-
nation and reelection this year
dry Representative who in the
past have had easy sailing.
The tariff runs a close second
to prohibition as the bogey-man
Of congressional minds. De.
nounced as "a robber bill" that
will take billions from the
pockets Of the consumers in the
form of higher prices for neces-
sites, members who have con-
tributed to the making of rates
are distinctly apprehenSive.
It was the Payne-Aldrich bill
two decades ago that overturned
an administration and a Con-
greSS, and the Hawley-Smoot bill
Of this session is denounced by
its opponents as more assiqui-
touS" than even the fSnnouS
measure Of the Taft adminiStra-
ton.
Is Months in Session
Save only for a few months
recess last summer, Congress has
been on the job almost con-
tinuouSly for the last 18 months.
The last session of the Seventieth
Congress began in December Of
1928, finished on March 4, 1929,
to be almost Immediately sue
ceeded by the special session of
the new Seventy-first Congress
which President Hoover called in
April a year ago. The special
session ended in December by
merging into the regular session.
And May now finds them still
on the job.
The opinion is general that
once the tariff bill is out Of the
way, the leaders are going to
have their mettle tested to hold
the members here. Already there
are many absentees in the House.
There are not so many in the
Senate, because only a third Of
the members there are up for re-
election this year, whereas all Of
the 435 members of the House
must pass inspection by the
voters.
Prohibition, the tariff, and the
opposition that these issues have
engendeFed back home are keep
ing many members on the hot
seat as the flowers of May start
blooming.