Evening star., 1934-06-10
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

Inc congress still knows It's mas
ter's voice. There were times recent
ly when this statement might readily
have been questioned. But not now,
when on Capitol Hill the lawmakers
have an attentive ear cooked to catch
instructions from the White House.
The leaders in Congress really wanted
to end their deliberations by June g.
They were ready a week ago to drop
most Of the remaining part of the
Presidents program and then leave
Washington in a hurry for the scene
Of political campaigns now getting
under way.
President Roosevelt had other ideas.
He was as desirous of leaving Wash
lngton as were the Congressman. But
first he wanted Congress to round out
the program of laws that he believed
were needed to grapple with new
problems that are arising. Included
is the plan for attracting private
capital to the home building and
home repair industry. the creation of
machinery for dealing with strikes,
relief appropriations to meet the
drouth; the plan to permit coinage of
silver and even new oil control law
and some far-reaching amendments
to the agricultural adjustment act.
This agenda would be a big-sized
order for full session of any ordi-
nary Congress. But Democratic Sen
ators controlled their desire for ad-
journment, left the White House. and
set about carrying out instructions.
They were willing to stay on the job
at the Presidents request.
Such demonstration was evidence
enough Of the control still exercised
by President Roosevelt in Congress.
There may be growing signs of dis
affection in the ranks of Democrats,
but they are little more than signs
as yet. If Mr.. Roosevelt made up his
mind to get action on all of his major
proposals, it is entirely likely that he
could have his wish in spite of the
delay to adjournment. The prospect
is, however, that some of the bills
are to fall by the wayside and that
Congress can leave Washington in a
few days. When that time comes it
will mark the end of another historic
session. Probably this second meeting
of the Seventy third Congress was not
as spectacular as its first 100-day
special session that started in March,
1888, and gave to the country the
framework of the new deal. But it
was almost as productive of new and
important legislation.
Tbrnunh oil nf fhic 1anic1ofiny,
covering the field from money to for
eign relations, runs evidence that Mr..
Roosevelt remains the master of the
Government, both executive and leg
islative. In the new laws are many
of the things that the President
wanted, few that he did not want,
and little left undone that he asked
for. There were periods, such as on
the occasions when Congress over
rode a veto of the veterans pension
bill. when it looked as though the
Chief Executives hold was slipping,
but his grip appeared to be firm in
the closing days of the session.
y X Il X
The record of this regular session
of Congress, compared with that of
any ordinary Congress, could be de-
scribed as amazing. Just a glimpse
at the things accomplished shows
this.
Take the case of money. Before the
present session the American dollar
was an unknown quantity in its re-
lation to gold. Congress has made it a
59.06-cent dollar, with a $4,000, ,000,000
fund to defend it at that point. BY
this one transaction the Federal law
makers provided the Treasury with a
profit of nearly $4,000 900, 900 and also
graphically demonstrated that cur
rency tinkering is not cure-an for
depressions. Now the same Congress
is ready to set a new national policy
with regard to silver and with one
stroke will plan to do what William
Jennings Bryan could not do through
a national election back in 1896.
Or take the new grant of power to
the President for Yankee trading
with tariffs. BY this act. Congress
relinquished a prerogative that it has
cherished through most OF the coun-
try's history. 1t lodged with the
President the power to raise and
lower tariffs, subject to no check by
the Legislature.
Then there is the legislation affect
ing agriculture. A really revolutionary
departure in national policy was un-
dertaken in the Bankhead law that
gives to the Federal Government the
power to tell every grower of cotton
just how much of his crop he can
sell without facing confiscatory tax
Congress approved it without a pro-
longed debate. 1t also readily ap-
proved the idea that the principal and
interest of bonds used to refinance
farm mortgages up to q total of
$4,000, 100000 should be guaranteed by