The Bismarck tribune., 1931-12-07
(Official City, State and County
Newspaper)
Foreign Representatives
SMALL, SPENCER, LEV1NGS
G BREWER
(Incorporated)
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
Congress Meets


CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
Congress Meets
Not since the war has congress met
under conditions which portend
more of good or i'll for the nation
than is the case this year.
Not in many years have the legis-
yative bodies of the nations faced
problems so pressing or so potent
IA public interest.
Not in many years has there been
greater need for a wise and truly pa
triotic assayal Of the nations needs
than now.
Not in the last 13 years has con-
gress met under the peculiar political
conditions which prevail as the gavels
call the sessions to order today.
What, in the face of these condi-
lions, can the nation expect from
congress?
The answer, in all honesty. seems
to be very little" and it may be that
this answer will be as good as any.
Because OF the thin political divi-
sions in both the Democratic
trolled house and the Republican,
controlled senate, and the sub-divi-
sions within the two major parties as
well, it seems obvious that no legiS-
1ation to which any major group seri-
ously objects can be passed. This
automatically rules out consideration
of SO large an item as the tariff.
There may be q little tariff tinker
ing and a lot Of tariff talking but no
major action unless the Republican
party suffers a tremendous change of
heart. Some Republicans have been
SO heretical as to oppose the present
high tariff and good many stall
warts are wondering If, after all, 1t
was wise. But these doubts hardly
will be translated into action. There
Is, Of course, practically no chance
of raising the tariff except, perhaps,
pn a few items.
We, doubtless, will see numerous
Investigations demanded to perturb
and harass the Hoover administra-
Hon. Three already in sight are the
probe Of the farm board, the inquiry
into the United States's participation
In the effort to clear up the Man
churian situation, and the status of
the United States navy, as represent
ed by the differences Of opinion be-
tween the president and the Navy
league. A sidelight on the question
Of national defense may be some per-
Einent questions about the dirigible
Akron, which is said to have failed
10 come up to Specifications.
Most pressing of the questions be-
fore congress, Of course, IS that per-
tanning to the economic weu-being
of the nation, with all the numerous
Eamifications which so broad q sub
Yect suggests. Closely linked with
this Is the problem of balancing the
federal budget, which went q billion
dollars into the red a year ago and
Is headed toward the two-bill!on
mark for the present fiscal year.
The intensity Of the congressional
6ilemma on this point will be in
creased by the fact that these two
interviewer questions call for diam
etncally opposite courses Of treat
ment. Most of the ideas for assist
ing in the restoration to business
normalcy call for the expenditure OF
large sums Of public money. But
federal expenditures mean either
more taxes or the issuance Of more
bonds and consequent increase In
the public debt. Clearly, this clashes
with the widespread demand for
reduced government expenses and q
decrease of the tax burden.
Congress will sweat as it tackles
the problem. On one hand will be
the great army Of federal office
holders seeking to retain their pay
privileges and perquisities, flanked
and bolstered by vocal groups de-
3nanding that the government spend
money in their behalf.
On the other hand, there will be
the vast body Of the people. for the
most part silent and watchful but
ready to turn thumbs down on the
representative who fails to measure
up to their ideas. In the middle are
the congressman. laboriously trying
70 figure which way the cat will jump
and all Of them anxious-very anxi-
ous-to do the thing which will get
them reelected next year.
A good many things may come
from the session In the way Of fan
tastic legislation, but this seems un-
likely. The divisions Of power. po-