Evening star., 1934-03-18
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


The House is biting off real leg
islative mouthful this week.
1t is planning to take vote on a
couple of silver bills which the Roose-
velt administration does not banker
for-it Secretary Of the Treasury
represents the admins
tration's views. And later the House
is to take up the Presidents tariff
gives the Chief Executive
to make reciprocal trade
agreements with foreign nations and
to reduce the tariff duties by so per
cent to make such agreements pos
siblc.
Sandwiched in between these legis-
lative proposals are votes on thE
Bankhead bill to make compulsory the
reduction of cotton acreage-the first
measure Of its kind ever to be given
such serious consideration by Con-
gress-and on the revamped Philip
pine independence bill, which Presi-
dent Roosevelt has asked for IN a
special message to Congress.
Appropriation Bill First.
1t seems as though these subjects
might be enough for one week in the
House, but the present plan of the
Democratic leadership is to give the
right of way to the legislative appro-
priation measure before the tariff bill
is taken up. There also is a chance
that the conference on the indepen-
dent offices appropriation bill-the
workers pay and vet
erans' compensation-may be laid be-
fore the House before the close of the
week
The two silver bills, one offered by
Dies of Texas and the
other by Representative Fiesinger OF
Ohio. and both reported favorably
from the Coinage Committee, are to
be allowed to come up tomorrow un-
der motions to suspend the rules and
pass the bills. The rule governing
such motions allows for 40 minutes
debate, 20 minutes on a side, and calls
for a two-thirdS vote to pass the bill.
Speaker Rainey insisted last night he
intends to recognize Dies and then
Fiesinger tomorrow, to make the
necessary motions.
The first thing to come before the
House tomorrow, it is now expected,
will be a vote on the Bankhead cot
ION bill. The debate has been ex-
hausted on this measure. Then the
silver bills and the Philippine inde-
oendence bill will be called up under
SUSPENSION of the rules,
Tariff Delay Likely.
1t had originally been planned to
take the Presidents tariff bill up
but now it appears that
measure may have to wait until
or Friday, so as to give op-
0ortunity for consideration and pas
sage of the legislative appropriation
bill which will be ready for the
House Tuesday. Agreement has been
reached between Democratic and Re-
publican members of the Ways and
Means Committee, which has charge
If the tariff bill, to allow % hours
Of general debate.
This means four or five days of gen.
eral debate of the bill in the House,
and after that the bill will be con-
sidered under the five-minute rule,
and open to amendments. No effort,
it is said. will be made to gag" the
House in consideration of the tariff
bill. And in consequence the measure
will be before the House for
4 full week, once it has been taken
lp for consideration.
Despite the fact that some Demo-
rats do not like the tariff bill and
would prefer certainly to let the bill
lrift until after the congressional
elections next November, the bill
seems sure to pass the House. This
vas predicted by both Republican and
Democratic leaders last night.
In statement yesterday, Senator
3orah, insurgent Republican, of Ida
10, attacked the tariff measure on
he broadest grounds and in severe
erms. His statement was looked on
Is setting the pace in many respects
or the attacks which will be made
IN the administration tariff and trade
agreement program. While these at
,acks will come chiefly from Re-
)ublicans. it is well known that many
Democrats dislike the
oea of Surrendering congressional
,ower over tariffs into the hands of
he White House.
Perhaps the most striking part of
he Borah statement was the Sena-
or's language. which depicted the
legislation as meaning an
nd Of representative government.
IF Congress is not fit to have a
,art in the matter of taxation, and
# raising revenue, there is not an
lrgument on earth in support of a
representative form of government"
lie declared.
1T is no ordinary thing to ask a
person in public Office to renounce
he duties and responsibilities in
rusted to him by his constituents
md imposed upon him by the plain
provisions of the Constitution under
which he assumed Office. 1 do not
hink have any legal or moral right
o do such a thing. l certainly have
10 right to evade in any way the
responsibilities and obligations fixed
lpon me by my election and by the
aw of the land I have no right to
10 this in any way. either by dele
5ation of power or by refusing to dis
harge my duties when the occasion
rises.
Il am in entire sympathy with the
to build up our foreign trade
where we can do so without substan-
ial injury to our home trade. But
While am in favor of this policy and
would gladly cooperate in making it
/ success. nevertheless, I should want
o have a voice in determining what
S the wise or the unwise thing to do
n fact, there is no way to avoid that
responsibility except to shirk it."
Taking an opposite position in a
ado interview, Robert Lincoln
)'Brien, Republican chairman of the
Federal Tariff Commission. strongly
the Roosevelt tariff pro-
ram. He contended the President
vas better able to deal with tariff
than Congress.