Evening star., 1932-02-14
CONGRESS PILES Up
INQUIRY REQUESTS
Unusual Number on File, but
Action Is Unlikely on
Many.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Inquisitive members Of Congress have
piled up another record for themselves
In the number of investigations asked
ct this session, but only a few have
been accepted by either the House or
Senate.
Among the subjects they want looked
INTO are the Farm Board, short sales
on security and agricultural markets,
antitrust law enforcement, causes OF
depression and the silver question,
activities of Federal agencies.
Tne cnances are that many OF the
several dozen proposed inquiries will
dle In committee or on the floor. Word
mas passed along in the House, it is
Understood, to make passageway hard.
MOST OF the proposals SO far have been
held up behind President Hoover's
emergency economic program.
Two Probes Approved.
In the House, which has agreed to
two major investigations so far, the
revenue bill and the Democratic tariff
program have blocked some. Two major
inquiries have been decided upon by
the Senate and the first one, which
went into the sale Of foreign securities
IN the United States, has been COM
pleted.
Action on the other within a few days
Ii expected. This will 20 into air and
ocean mail contracts and public build
ines IN small towns along with mail
rate increases. 1t was asked by Sen
ator Mckellar Democrat, Tennessee)
Post Once subcommittee Is to be
named soon for the job.
Members Of Congress are becoming
more questioning yearly-but some Of
the Investigations made or started at
the last session provide marks at
which to shoot.
Among these were the lobby inquiry,
the Elections Committees delving into
the 1928 campaign, the Banking Com
mittee's scanning of the Federal Re-
serve system and the inquiry by Rep
resentative Fish Republican, New
York; and committee INTO Commu-
nism.
This sessions total 50 far is pointed
to a. > record for numbers.
Information Is Asked.
Many Of the resolutions ask informa-
tiOn from governmental departments
and some have been complied WITH
such as that asking data on employ
ment In breweries and the amount
Of ingredient products used prior to
prohibition and q report ON buildings
that might be started.
Other to be replied to include re-
ports from the following: Radio Com
mission, on air advertising; Tariff Com
missionGDc Dcn the effect Of deprecated
foreign turrencies on wood pulp and
pulpwood imports; Department Of JUS
tice, on criminal law enforcement in
Hawaii.
Several proposals for congressional
investigations into conditions in Hawaii
are being held up in the Senate Terri
tories Committee pending this latter
report
Just now the Senate Agriculture Com
mittee has before it a concurrent reSo-
luton from Senator Norris Republican,
Nebraska, for an inquiry into the oper-
ationS Of the Farm Board 1t also
would look into agricultural exchanges
Senate resolution by him for the
same purpose once was reported out
by the group. but the question was sent
back because House opponents of the
board wanted to look into it, too, and
the concurrent resolution was sub
mitted to provide a joint committee.
Utility Inquiry Due.
On the other side, the first inquiry
ordered was into public utility owner
ship and control. The Interstate Com
merce Committee put this into the hands
Of DR.. Walter NJ. w. Splawn, former
president Of the University of Texas.
The second prime inquiry authorized
by the House will 60 into the causes
danrARcfno Of oil xr,{11
be made by the Coinage Committee anc
was agreed to Monday without q recoro
vote.
A number Of proposals for delvinf
into short selling Of securities are il
the hands of the Senate Banking Com
mittee. Action has been delayed BY
the Presidents emergency program anc
Federal Reserve matters.
Senator Couzens. Republican, Michi.
gan, who urged an investigation intC
the condition of the railroads, obtainee
q favorable report from the Interstate
Commerce Committee but 1t was sem
back largely at his request.
The Senate judiciary Committee ha.
before 1t resolutions from Senator!
King. Democrat. Utah, and McKellar
on the antitrust laws, to see If they
should be strengthened and how they
are being enforced; and one from
Thomas, Democrat, Oklahoma, for 6
Federal grand jury to look into short
selling.
Senator Walsh, Democrat. Montana
wants the causes of depression investi.
gated. and his proposal went to the
Banking Committee Other inquisitoria
matters resting with committees in.
clude:
Ashurst, Democrat. Arizona, labol
conditions at Hoover Dam; Reed. Re.
publican, Pennsylvania, effect of de-
preciated foreign currencies on imports
Sheppard. Democrat, Texas. cottor
short sales: Dill Democrat. Washington
refinancing of Radio Keith Orpheun
Co; Carey. Republican, wyoming, ag'
ricultural credit situation.