Evening star., 1932-05-23
Prompt Action Demanded.

prompt Action Demanded.
Eleven outstanding Americans-out-
standing in government and educational
fields-have appealed to the leaders in
Congress to drop partisan politics, sec
tionalism and class sentiment and act
promptly to balance the budget. The
President of the United States has re-
peatedly called on Congress to delay no
longer, but to pass the legislation for
which the country has been waiting for
months. Up to date, however, Congress
has not acted. As late as Saturday
night the leaders. while expressing their
determination to keep Congress on the
lob until it does act. gave gloomy
accounts of the prospects for speedy
disposition Of the important measures
pending. including the revenue bill.
In the list of signers of this latest
appeal to Congress are six Republicans
and five Democrats. The names at
tached to the appeal are known
throughout the country. Alfred E.
Smith, former Governor Of New York
and the Democratic nominee for Presi-
dent in 1928; Cows. Cross of Con-
necticut. Ely of Massachusetts, and
Ritchie Of Maryland and Roland S.
Morris of Pennsylvania, former Am
bassador to Japan, are the Demo-
Gratis signing the letter addressed
to the leaders OF both parties in Senate
and House. Nicholas Murray Butler of
Mew York, president Of Columbia Uni
versity; William H. Crocker of Cali
fornia, Frank O. Lowden of Illinois,
former Governor; Charles Nagel Of Mis-
souri,, former Secretary Of Commerce
and Labor; John Grier Hibben, presi-
dent of Princeton University, and Alan
son H. Houghton, former Ambassador
to Germany and Great Britain, are
the Republican signers. Their letter to
the congressional leaders is brief and
to the point. If they awake or help to
awake those members OF Congress who
have not realized the vital Importance
Of speedy action on legislation at this
they will have accomplished much.
These men demand that members of
Congress lay aside every form Of par
tisanship and Of possible partisan ad-
vantage" In considerable measure
Mr.. Smiths concurrence in this plea
Is merely reiteration Of his demand
for non-partisan action in Congress
contained in public address he made
a week ago. In the opinion Of Mr..
Smith, DR.. Butler and other leaders. as
we'll as observers Of public opinion in
this country, the time-killing meth
DDS Of Congress plus the effort on the
part of individual members of the
House and Senate to play politics are
q serious menace to the public welfare.
The country Is awake to these facts,
and 1t may be expected that Congress
itself will awake to them. 1t Is an
intolerable situation when the Congress
dawdles and talks, largely for the rec
ord and campaign purposes, while the
country waits for legislation to balance
the Government budget and maintain
credit and restore courage. The in
ability Of the Congress to act promptly
in time of emergency has done more
to arouse criticism of that body than
anything the Congress has actually
done. The time has come when the
American people expect their legisla-
tors to buckle down to work in the in
terest of the whole people. 1t is no
time to consider the special interests
and the "blocs," the organized minori-
ties, which have had such powerful in
fluence in the Congress in recent years.
The immediate task of Congress Is
the completion of the revenue bill, now
pending In the Senate. This bill is to
be followed by the economy bill and by
relief program. The House made
grevious error when it destroyed the
bill brought to it by its Ways and
Means Committee, discarding the manu-
facturers' sales tax, which fell on all
industry alike and substituted for it
special sales taxes and nuisance taxes.
Both House and Senate have erred in
seeking to attach as riders to the rev.
enue bill tariff taxes on oil and other
commodities. The Senate has a chance
to revamp the bill and send 1t back to
the House. 1t still has the opportunity
to restore manufacturers sales tax COM
parable to that presented by the Ways
and Means Committee and to take out
the embargo taxes on oil, coal and other
commodities. The great and initial
mistake was made in the House when
the committee bill was torn to pieces.
Many of the leaders of Congress realize
that fact today. Had the action been
otherwise in the House, the bill would