Evening star., 1931-12-06
CONGRESS TO FACE
IMPORTANT ISSUES
First Day to Be Devoted
Mainly to Completing
Organization.
Continued From First Page,)

'SO4LO4Al4CI L YIN AApt dSt.j
Hampshire is the storm center Of a row
| over Senate organization. Half a dozen
or more Progressive Republican Sena-
tors have declared they will oppose his
reelection as President pro tempore of
the Senate-presiding officer in the alb
sence Of the Vice President While it
may be possible to reach this contested
election tomorrow it is considered like
| ly 1t will go over for a day or more par
tlCularly as resolutions expressing the
regret of the Senate because Of the
deaths of the late Senator'S Dwight w
Morrow Of New Jersey and Thaddeus
Fl. CaraWay are to be offered as soon
as the newly elected and appointed
Senators have been sworn in and COM
mIttees have been appointed to inform
the President and the House that the
Senate Is in session and ready to do
business and to receive any Communica-
tlons the President may have to make
1t does not appear that Senator
Moses can be elected President pro
tempore, as it takes a majority vote to
elect, and the regular Republicans do
not have majority. Only by enough
Democrats remaining out of the Senate
when the vote is taken to counterbal-
anCe the vote of the Republican Pro-
SAIst'lNtSr W LII IL Will De cast LOT announcer
Republican, could the New Hampshire
Senator have a majority of the votes
cast. The Democrats have determined,
however, to support Senator Key Pitt
man Of Nevada of their party for the
place.
Reprisals Not Expected.
In the event of no ones receiving a
majority vote, Senator Moses will con-
tinue on aS President pro tempore, as
he was elected to serve until his sue
| ceSsOr should be elected.
Threats and counter threats have
been made in this intra- Republican
row. But Republican regulars are not
inclined to undertake reprisals against
the ProgressiVes, in the event Moses
should actually be ousted from the
OF OF President pro tenpOre repri-
sails which would result in the cleo
| ton of Democrats to Chairmanships
Of important Senate committees which
| are now held by Progressive Republi-
! cans. 1t is now expected that the
| Republicans will retain control of the
! standing committees Not more than 46
| Democratic Senators will be in the Sen
| ate chamber when the body convenes, for
! Senator elect Huey Long of Louisiana
! has said he would not come to Wash
| to remain as Governor of Louisiana.
! The Presidents budget message, deal
| ing particularly with the fiscal affairs
| Of the Government, is expected to come
| to the Congress on Wednesday, and the
| President. according to the Republi-
| can leader of the Senate. Mr. Watson,
will send a message on the intergoVern-
mental debt moratorium to Congress
| on Thursday. The moratorium message
! will deal with the legislation needed
( to make the suspension Of these debts
reflective, so far as the United States
| is concerned Prompt action will be
| sought, for the next interest payments
| due this country on foreign loans are
! dated December Is.
Many Issues Pressing.
Among the controversial issues which
are to come before the new Congress
| are taxation and tariff, farm relief
and relief for the destitute and unem-
| ployed, naval building program, rail-
road and motor vehicle legislation, in
! cluding railroad consolidation and
motor vehicle regulation, and the
| World Court.
Senator Couzens of Michigan, chair
man of the Senate Committee on In
| terstate Commerce, announced last
| providing for the appointment Of a
| Joint congressional committee to go
| thoroughly into the railroad situation.
! He was influenced to do this by the
railroad executives claim that they
| cannot continue to exist unless they
are granted increased rates or material
| ly lower wages, and by the fact that
| railroad securities have decreased enor-
! mOuSly in value.
The Hoover administration IS ex-
| pected to state definitely its attitude
| toward tax increases and tax revision.
| Until the President has made his
recommendations the Democrats of the
House in charge are biding their time.
SO far as the tariff is concerned, the
| Democrats are expected to attack GER
! tain schedules of the present tariff act
rather than to seek a general revision.
| At best the tariff legislation under
! taken by the Democrats might be only
! a gesture, as a veto by the President,
| if bill ran the gauntlet Of the House
and Senate, could kill it.
Farm Board Attack Due.
/ Resolutions attacking the Farm
Board have been promised Senator
Norris of Nebraska already has said
he will offer a resolution calling for an
| investigation of the boards activities.
| 1t is assumed that the attack will be
directed particularly at high salaries
paid by the board to a certain few
employees and to officials and employees
of the corporations and organizations
set up with the approval of the board
to market the farmers produce.
The introduction Of several bills call
ing for the appropriation Of large sums
Of money to start huge construction
projects in order to relieve the unem-
ployment has been promised. Attempts
may be made also to appropriate money
from the Federal Treasury to feed the
destitute.
With the Government confronting a
possible deficit of $4,000, 900 900. every
effort will be made by the Hoover ad-
ministratiOn to keep down the appro-
priations for governmental establish
mentS. This question, as it affects the
Navy may bring a sharp fight although
| it is likely that those who favor bring
ing the Navy up to the full strength Of
the London treaty quota may be salts
fed II they can get through a bill au-
thorizing what they consider an ade-
quate building program. Under such
| circumstances they may not attack so
| sharply the actual appropriations for
| the Navy for the coming fiscal year.