Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-04
CONGRESS CLOSES
SHORT SESSION
Senate Quits to Tune of One.
Man FiIibuSter-Extra
Session Unseen.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

NOOAltAAuCO IIOIn EnSJ EdSC.I
sent provided he did not lose the floor.
Senator Blaine Of Wisconsin objected,
however, and the resolution died
The galleries Of the Senate and Of
the House were crowded to their capac-
ity as the closing of the Congress APP
preached. Members of both bodies
flled the floors Of their respective
chambers.
Apologies to Curtis.
At five minutes before noon the Vice
President sought to lay before the SEN
ate a House resolution providing for the
appointment of committees representing
the Senate and the House to notify the
President that Congress had completed
its work and was ready to adjourn and
to ask whether he had any further
communications.
Senator Norris of Nebraska said he
had no objection to laying the resolu-
ton before the Senate, but called the
attention of Senator Thomas of Okla
homa to the fact that the resolution
was debatable. In the face Of this
statement the Vice President withdrew
the resolution and Senator Thomas
talked the session to a close. The
Oklahoma Senator apologized TO the
Vice President for continuing to occupy
the time, which is usually accorded to
the presiding officer of the Senate to
bid farewell to the body over which he
has presided throughout Congress.
Senator Thomas said, however, that he
was compelled to 60 ahead.
Power Nearly Even.
Speaker Longworth believes sit Is only
an all-wise providence, who Is going to
determine which of the two major
parties will organize the next House Of
Representatives
Perhaps this is the last time I'll
address you from this rostrum," he told
the House as Congress adjourned, and
he again became Representative Long
worth of Ohio. instead of Speaker"
There are 217 Republicans. 216 Demo-
Gratis and l Farmer-Labor elected TO
the Congress opening In December, with
one seat vacated only Sunday by the
death of Representative Henry Allen
Cooper, Wisconsin Republican.
Mr.. Longworth has again been chosen
as the Republican candidate for Speaker.
Session Marked by Bitterness.
The short session concluding today,
marked by great bitterness between the
Senate and the President, accomplish
ed principally legislation to aid the I'M
drought. The Treasury was opened
for SOS 100000 in loans to the farmers
Of drought States: approximately $780,
| 100000 for public improvements to
stimulate employment, and an unde-
termined, but higher outlay for loans
to World War veterans. The latter
became law through the overwhelming
rejection Of President Hoover's veto.
Viewed as q whole, the almost con-
slant sessions of the Seventy-first Con-
| greSs yielded as their principal legtSla-
ton a general upward revision of the
tariff and establishment of the Federal
Farm Board. As IL ended, the Con-
gress left deep in the Republican fold
q cleavage that failed to heal.
To the last the Senate independents
from the Northwest, under the lead
| ership of Senators Borah of idaho, and
Norris of Nebraska, stood apart from
1 quently in coalition with the DEM
ocrats Their final stand was against
the Muscle Shoals veto, but they looked
| forward to a continuation Of their poll
cies in the next Congress.
Peaeetime Record Of Spending.
Financially, the Congress accom-
| Spurred by the demands for relief and
agricultural aid. 1t appropriated In ~
about 10 billion dollars. cs -sg.
The Congress had four sessions. II
met first On April Is, 1929, at thf
Presidents call to consider tariff re-
vision and farm aid. That term ran
into the regular session OF December
| 1929, The latter dragged on until
Summer, to be followed by q special
session of the Senate which ratified
overwhelmingly the London naval
treaty. A brief respite ensued and then
| the short session.
It met under the shadow Of WIDE
| spread depression which colored Its
every act and hour of debate. At the
outset came a strong pledge of Demo
cratic cooperation to meet the economic
situation, but this soon went down Ia
maelstrom o. revolt.
The desires OF the Democrats. Joined
| now by the independent Republicans,
were far apart from the adrniniStra-
TONS program and there ensued O
| the Senate a battle to enforce coalition
| demands. Pawns in the struggle were
the Government appropriation bills,
needed to run the scores of depart
ments and bureaus, Until. in the final
days, a drought aid compromise was
reached these bills were threatened
with death and an extra session Of
the next Congress doomed constantly
in the od1ng.
Veterans Legislation Enacted.
Time and again the Hoover policies
were saved by the. dominant Repub-
lican forces in the House, though
these also joined in two stampedes to
enact veterans legislation over vetoes,
A measure increasing Spanish War
pensions was so enacted, as well as
the World War loan bill
Transfer of the Prohibition Bureau
from the Treasury to the Justice De-
partment was the principal achieve
ment in connection with the dry laws.
This was done at the first regular
session, which also saw searching in
Quiries into prohibition by the Senate
Lobby Committee and the House Ju-
dietary Committee.
The short session, despite uncounted
hours of debate, sent to the White
House but four bills touching upon the
liquor laws.
One was the Justice Department ap-
preparation bill, carrying 1926. 900 for
the Prohibition Bureau and providing
for 500 additional Federal dry agents.
The three others had their genesis
in the Wickersham Commission. One
relaxed the Jones "hve-and-ten" law as
1t affected violations involving less than
! gallon of liquor. The others defined
minor type offenses.
Nominations Encounter Trouble.
Many Of the Presidents nominations
| encountered trouble in the rebellious
Senate, notably that of Judge John J,
Parker of North Carolina to be menu
Der of the Supreme Court. 1t was re-
| iected, but Mr.. Hoover's subsequent
| choice of Owen j. Roberts of Pennsylva-
MIA was confirmed without opposition,
In this session the Presidents major
nominations, including those for the
newly organized Tariff and Power Com
oil