The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-01-07
Congress Now Can Fall To

Now the session of congress comes to that period when
the proceedings should be as melodic as the sounds from
a boiler shop. All the concentrations Of legislative pro-
cess are about to break loose. The holiday recess held
them up. Reasselnbling Of the lawmakers will release the
pent-up dam of controversy.
In both houses the controversies will be given a po-
litical tinge. in view Of the approaching primaries and
election. 1t is too much to expect unbiased legislation.
The prohibition issue is expected to bring on the most
heated debates in a long time in congress. In the senate,
the question will be forced into its deliberations by the
resolution of Senator w. J. Harris dem. Ca, calling
for q report from President Hoovers law enforcement
commission. The house will have a big fight over
prohibition when the annual treasury appropriation bill
comes before it, probably within the next two weeks.
Legislation sought by the administration for the transfer
of enforcement activities from the treasury department
to the department Of justice also will bring on . row as
will other pending bills. such as the Sheppard bill to
make purchasers of liquor equally guilty with sellers.
The tariff also is calculated to be . disturbing issue.
Sidetracked in December. 1t is to be brought before the
senate again with a view Of keeping it almost continuous
ly under discussion until It is disposed Of. Administra-
ton leaders are predicting its passage by Lincolns birth
day or by February Is at the latest. but the possibility OF
almost interminable debate on many Of Its controversial
features gives no assurance that 1t can even be passed
at that early date. Already it has been before the SEN
ate since early in September.
II the tariff bill is passed by the senate by the middle
of February, it will mean 1t will take probably until April
or later to complete enactment Of the legislation. A Sc
rious deadlock between house and senate conferees Is
likely and more than q month Is certain to be necessary
to adjust differences between the house and senate bills.
The agreement to keep the tariff before the senate
to the exclusion of other matters hardly will operate
tc bar the prohibition issue. It Is understood that q
morning business hour will be provided occasionally to
allow other matters, as the Harris resolution. to come up.
II the Haitien resolution receives approval of the senate
committee on foreign relations, that also will come up
in these morning business hours.
The house approved the resolution authorizing the
president to send a commission to Haiti before the holt
days. The senate committee has not as yet taken it up
and inasmuch as there is considerable hostility to the
granting Of authority to the president to name q new
commission either for this or any other purpose its fate
is in doubt.
While the senate is wrestling with the tariff, the house
will be concentrating its efforts on the annual a~ppropria-
ton bills. The house passed two of these bills before
the holidays. those relating to the interior and agriculture
departments. Both are now pending in the senate COM
mittee on appropriations. Other bills which are nearly
ready to be reported from the house committee on APP
preparations are the army bill. the treasury and post
office bill, and the state, justice. commerce. and labor
bill. The house will do little else but act on appropria-
ton bills during the month of January.
Committees in both houses will be engaged in hearings
and the preparation of numerous important bills. Pre-
liminary work on the rivers and harbors bill which will
bring on one of the big fights Of the session will start
at once In the house committee on rivers and harbors.
Included in this bill will be an authorization for federal
completion of the Illinois state waterway project. It is
expected that the bill will be reported from committee
III February and taken up on the floor Of the house In
February or March.