The Washington times., 1931-03-09
WILL STRESS
ECONOMIC
ISSUES
Prohibition Also May Come
In for Discussion at Par
ley in Capital This Week

ICY III NdpIloi lIIIS "O0N
The National Conference of
Progressives, meeting here this
week, will draft a definite pro-
gram Of tariff, farm relief, public
utility control, and unemploy-
ment relief legislation for Submis-
sion to the next Congress, Senator
George w. Norris (R) of Nebraska,
the chairman, announced today.
May Discuss Prohibition
Norris said all legislative and
political issues, possibly includ-
ing prohibition, would be dis
cussed. He preferred to ignore
the prohibition issue, which has
Just shattered a harmony gath
ering of Democrats, but declared
it would not be barred from the
agenda of the conference if some
of the progresSives wished to dis
cuss it. Said Norris:
81 wouldn't be surprised ii
somebody brought up the sub
ject of prohibition. 81 don't
care If they do, although /
don't think it is a subject to
be acted upon by the con-
ference"
Norris said he preferred to
linit the conference program to
farm relief, tariff revision, con-
troll of public utilities, and an
educational campaign to restore
q government of the people, by
the people, and for the people"
Gives His Own Views
The conference chairman gave
International News Service his
views about each Of these issues,
saying:
"The Hoover Administration
has permitted a Republican
Congress to adjourn without
providing permanent pro-
gram for the relief of unem-
pIOyment. Now the President
announces he will even veto the
Wagner bill, which Congress
did pass to provide such relief
in the future.
Misleading Statements
again, there has been no
legislation to safeguard bust
ness against periodical depres-
siOns. The only thing the Ad-
ministratiOn has accomplished
is to issue misleading state
ments about the extent Of the
depression and the amount Of
unemployment. 1t has been
kidding the public"
AS for the public utility issue,
Norris said:
"The Administration is sup
porting the public utilities. 1t
has given its blessing to high
rates, extOrtiOnate profits, and
nlOnOpOlistic control of a neceS-
sity that goes into virtually
every home in the land. 1t
has steadfastIy opposed any
and all legislation to curb the
growing power Of this giant
monopoly"
G@VOAO OOWNASA4V A1A
On farm relief, Norris said the
conference would consider the
"debenture plan" which passed
the Senate several times only to
meet defeat in the House in the
last Congress. He intimated the
progressives would recommend the
debenture plan for the permanent
relief of agriculture.
On returning the Government
TO the people, he said:
"This will be an educational
campaign. 1 have in mind as
an example the candidate for
public office who is elected on
o definite program of pledges
but who abandOnS his promises
after entering office. 1t should
be our duty to see that the
Office-hOlderS who break their
promise to the people are de-
feated when they come up for
reelection"
To Sit In Judgment
Norris would not discuss any
particular office-holders in this
connection. It was taken to
mean, however, that the progress
sives would "sit in judgment" on
the promises made in Senatorial
and Congressional campaigns as
well as in Presidential campaigns.
He continued:
'There are many other issues
coming before the conference,
but those l. have enumerated
probably will be the most i'm
pOrtant. We have had 100
acceptances from those we in
vited. This is far beyond our
expectations"
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