Evening star., 1935-05-05
By JOHN SNURE.

v ' puzzle. That puzzle, which
has existed many weeks, has
not been solved by the flreside talk
Of President Roosevelt over the radio
recently or by subsequent develop
ments. In some respects, develop
ments Of the week have added to the
uncertainties.
All through the week Washington
has been talking about and listening
to the repercuSsions and reverbera-
tions, the echoes and reactions, from
the Presidents address, with its out
line of the legislation on his pre-
ferred list, and its efforts to speed
the session to an early adjournment.
Needless to say, there have been all
manner Of opinions, motivated partly
by politics, as to the merits Of the ad-
dress and the way In which it was
received by the country. Regardless
of such differences, there is little con-
flict of view here as to effects of the
Presidents utterances on the program
at the Capitol.
There are signs that the House
Democratic organization will speed the
program there, try to finish its vital
parts in June, and comply with the
White House desire for haste. 1t has
not appeared that the Senate has been
moved out of its accustomed method
Of procedure. No sign is visible that
senatorial deliberation has given way
to acceleration.
Steering Committee Meets.
II is true that Senator Joseph T.
Robinson, Democratic leader, prompt
ly called meeting Of the Democratic
Steering Committee after the Presi-
dent had laid down his program and
sought to expedite things, but little
was accomplished.
Senator Robinson indicated that If
the presidential program was carried
out and things were not speeded, Con-
gress would be in Washington until
late in July. Other Democratic Sen
ators, such as James Hamilton Lewis
Of Illinois, predicted that Congress
would be here until August, and some
envisioned continuation Of the ses-
sion until Fall.
While the President has not put into
his latest must" list number of i'm
portant measures which he is sup
posed to favor, he has put on the list
| five great measures which inevitably
will take much time in the Senate
These are the social security bill, ex-
tension Of the N. r. A., holding COM
pany legislation providing for elm
ination of unnecessary" public utility
holding companies, comprehensive
regulation Of transportation and the
banking measure, providing for i'm
portent changes In the Federal Re-
| serve System.
Not only does the President regard
these measures as essential to his pol
icies, but he has made it plain that
he feels the Senate should drive them
through with something of the same
celebrity as the House exhibits, and in
a recent conference with a dozen
Senators in a fruitless attempt tc
agree about N. r. A. extension, he
made q few observations about the
slowness of the Senate, which have
been interpreted as aimed partly at
Senator Robinson and the rest of the
Senate leadership.
The truth of the matter is, however
that Senator Robinson has done vir-
tually all he could do to expedite the
Senate proceedings. Neither he mol
any other Senator or group of Sen
ators can drive the Senate beyond q
certain point when it comes to the
consideration Of great measures, in
volving to a large extent new de-
partures in Government.
It has been pointed out that in
years past passage Of any one or two
bills Of the magnitude Of those on the
executive must" list would have beer
deemed q large achievement for 9
session. In this case not only is the
President calling on Congress to dis.
pose Of five great measures quickly
but there is also list Of major meas.
ures which cannot be scrapped with
out serious attention.
This list includes, of course, the
bonus bill, labor bills, the A. A. A.
amendments and several others, anc
takes no account of the work yet tc
be done on appropriations and taxa
ton.
Moreover, the filibuster in the Sen
ate over the Costigan- Wagner anti
lynching bill held back other business
and prolonged the session consider
ably.
Conservative Senate opinion is thai
at least three months will be required
for consideration of the five measure:
which President Roosevelt urged ir
his radio talk. At that rate the, ses.
sion will run into August.
The President has been urged by
some Of his Senatorial advisers to cur.
tail his program, allow part of it tx
go over until next session, and thu!
facilitate adjournment. So far he ha.
turned q cold shoulder to such advice
However, it is widely believed in Con.
gressional circles that the program viii
be cut short, and with the President!
assent.
Social Security to Pass.
The best-informed opinion at the
Capitol Is that the social security bill
will be extended temporarily with some
notifications. The fate Of the holding
company legislation Is wrapped ir
much doubt. Unless compromise
bill can be worked out which Is ma.
terially less drastic than the origina
Rayburn or administration bill, it il
unlikely that there will be such legis.
lation this session. Certain it is thai
an attempt to force anything like the
original bill through the Senate viii
result in a discussion of weeks, per-
haps a filibuster. The opposition BY
no means would be confined to Re-
publicans, but would include Demo
Gratis.
As for the inclusive transportation
legislation along lines Of the Eastman
program which the administration
wants, ift ,sSage this session is re-
garded as b, 'ly. The bus and truck
bill, which -A. Senate has passed
seems likely to be enacted, although
powerful agricultural interests arr
protesting 1t and fear that highway
transportation of products Of tht
farm and needed by the farm will b
burdened with regulations and higher
rates.
When it comes to the banking bill
generally referred to as the omnibu!
ho y,kinO hill the nortrnNorsiaI feature