Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-05
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

returning for business as usual" From
today until March 4 q main topic of
conversation will be over the possibility
Of an extra session of the newly elected
Congress this Spring. The administra-
ton, backed up by the regular Repub-
licans in Congress, is going to do its
best to avoid a special session. 1t may
be successful in its efforts, though no
one can tell with certainty. Because of
a legislative jam in the Senate and the
failure of number of appropriation
bills. special session was brought about
in 1919. when Woodrow Wilson was
President. The Republicans were at
that time taking over control of both
houses of Congress from the Democrats.
And Republicans were found who did
not hesitate to talk some of the appro-
priation bills to death, partly because,
they insisted, these bills were "outra-
geous" and partly because Of the poll
tical situation.
The next Congress. however, Is not
going to be Democratic, although it may
be difficult to label 1t Republican and
make the label stick. The Democrats
will not have majority in either house,
unless, indeed, enough Republicans die
Democratic Governors and the Governors
are able to appoint Democrats in place
OF Republicans. If the recent rows be-
tween Robert H. Lucas, executive direc-
tor of the Republican National Com
mittee, backed up by Representative
Will Wood. chairman of the Republican
Congressional Committee, and the Nye
Investigating Committee, Senator Norris
and other members of the Progressive
group have accomplished anything. it is
a reasonable certainty that the Repub-
leans are going to organize both houses
OF Congress when the new Congress
meets. The Progressives will be entirely
regular on that day. They will be reg1l-
lar both to prove that they are Repub-
licans. which Mr.. Lucas and Mr.. Wood
have tntimated strongly they are not,
and also, and perhaps more important
to them, in order to hold on to impor-
tant chairmanshipS and committee as
signments in both houses. The Demo-
cratic members Of Congress, therefore,
perhaps have not the same political in
centive to force special session Of the
new Congress as had the Republicans
in 1919.
Some Of the Democratic Senators are
seemingly as strongly opposed to a
regular Republicans. 1t is the rampant
Progressive Republican and Progressive
Democrat who is bowling loudest for a
special session now. Thev want to try
to put through the next Congress legis-
lation which meets their ideas-the
farm debenture; the anti-injunction
bill for labor; bill to prevent CONSOLE
dation of the railroads, at least until
Congress shall have another say in the
matter; cash for the veterans of the
World War; water-power legislation,
and a lot Of other things that the
Hoover administration does not cotton
to. They would like to put these
measures up to Mr.. Hoover and make
him take them or veto them.
A batch of newly elected Governors
are taking command in a number of the
States this week. The careers of some
OF them are to be watched with keenest
interest. Governorships have been
stepping stones to presidential nonqi-
nations and to the White House in the
past. Roosevelt and Wilson are cases
in point, and it was only two and half
years ago that the Democrats picked
the Governor of New York for their
presidential nominee, Alfred E, Smith.
None OF the new Governors are likely
to be more in the public eye than Roose-
welt In New York. Pinchot in Pennsyl-
vania and La Toilette in Wisconsin,.
Roosevelt has been touted as the prob
able Democratic candidate for President
IN 1882. Pinchot, opponent of the
pubic utilities and strong conservation
list, has been mentioned in connection
with demand that a third party be
formed IN '32 and also as possible can
dictate Tor the Republican presidential
nomination II a ELL okk
comes Governor of Wisconsin today, just
80 years after his father, the late Sena-
tor Robert Marion La Toilette, took that
ONCE, Is the youngest Governor of a
State today-just as his brother Bob"
was the youngest Senator when he was
rrst elected to the Upper House a few
years ago.
Phil" La Toilette has been at work
Tor weeks on legislative program to be
submitted to the State Legislature. in
Guiding the budget for the State gov
eminent. His program is said to In
clude unemployment insurance and tax
revision. not to mention legislation deal
ing with the chain bank and chain
store problem. He may have a dificult
time getting it enacted into law. How
ever, the ProgreSSives in Wisconsin seem
to have the upper hand very firmly at
present, with Governor, both United
States Senators and many other Offices.
Ihe youthful Governor of Wisconsin
has called into conference with him
representatives of all groups in the
state and all groups in business and in
dustry. including both labor and capital.
He has sought to obtain the views of
all before making up his mind regard
ing the details of his recommendation
to the Legislature. If he makes good
as Governor during the next two years
trying years, perhaps, for Wisconsin as
Tor the rest OF the country-he Is bound
to go far in public service.
X n + X
Gov Roosevelt of New York, in his
inaugural address, called attention to
the need Of the citizens of municipal
tiles of the Empire State improving
their local government. He, drew a
distinction between the Federal, State
and municipal and county govern
ments. While he did not say he in
tended to keep hands of in New York
City, where Tammany has been under
fire for months, he did not say that he
was going to tackle that problem. and
many New Workers inferred for them
selves that he was going to let them
deal with their own problems. The
Republicans still have control Of the
State Legislature. Already their lead
ers are planning to put through a bill
providing for thorough inquiry into
the conduct Of affairs in New York
City, an investigation, forsooth, of
Tammany. This bill, If it carries money
to be expended in the investigation as
well as authorization, will have to be
approved by Gov. Roosevelt. If he
turns down such measure on the
ground that it is put through by the
merely for the sake of po-
litical advantage, he will have to face
the criticism Of siding with Tammany
while that organization is under fire.
X X X
Roosevelt seems to be out in front
today in the race for the Democratic
presidential nomination. His prede-