The tribune independent of Michigan., 1935-08-17
WAsHIN &C.

IL IL Is Safe 10 Suy tnut loT 10 yS"i o.
which is the time the Islands have
been under United States rule. there
has been n dire need for plan OF
government suited TO those peo-
ple. Each year congress has been
approprlating thousands OF dollars
for the island government and each
year there has been miserably 1T
tle In the way OF Improvement to
show for these funds.
Almost as frequently as congress
has appropriated money II has made
changes In the administration meth
ods In use there. There has never
been n long term program laid out
| and there has been nothing whatso-
ever done showing the sympathy or
so-called intellectual people as
, we claim to be for those downtrod-
. den masses that populate the Vir-
gin islands.
All of this, II seems to me, shows
, the woeful need for careful con-
sideratlon Of that situation. IL
seems TO me equally apparent that
as long as congress keeps meddling
in and as long as politicians from
the mainland are sent there pure
ly on a political basis we Will con-
tlnue TO have pack of trouble
bundled up In those Virgin Islands.
II congress continues In session
past August Is, and 1t Is now APP
parent that 1t may
Long Session run to September
Seuere Strain |, 1t Will have
been In session
225 days, some two weeks longer
than the average Of the so-called
long sessions of congress. Prior TO
adoption OF the "lame duck" amend
ment which did away with sessions
OF unequal length, the shorter ses-
sions of congress- averaged about
ITO days. The longer terms were
around 215 days before hnal 'ad-
| journment was taken. Thus, the cur
| rent session stands In fair way to
be among the list of hardy sessions.
All of which Is by way of saying
that the current session OF congress
has worn down Its members both
physically and mentally to an ex-
tent quite unusual. | was talking
few days ago with a veteran SEN
atOr, a man who has served almost
% years In the upper house Of con-
gress. He Is known as physically
strong individual and usually lasts
very well through the work that
piles up before senator's and
representatives. | inquired of him
concerning the general health Of
congress and his reply was:
II regret to say we are just q
bunch of debilltated old men. In
, capable of doing the job that Is ex
pected of us and everyone is hoping
against hope that we can live
through this work and this heat
AS result of that conversation
the thought came 10 me that here
was an answer To the Oft repeated
/ declaration that members OF con
gress failed to earn their salaries oi
$4,000 year. ! have observed
congressional proceedings almost {
score of years and it Is my mature
conviction that few times In thg
period has congress failed to carr
Its salt.
There Is another reason why con
! gressional sessions should not ruI
, so long and shoul,
When Solons not be carried OF
Are Tired in the intens,
: heat OF. a Wash
ington summer. One condition
nearly always has obtained near tn,
: close Of long session. AS the day
: drag by, persons with axes to grin,
: and individual interests to sery,
} have way Of digging up question
! able bills that heretofore ha,
/ been side-tracked and assumed L
be dead. With resistance low, tn
average senator or representative 4
, unable to fight Off legislation whicl
he knows to be bad with the sam
. spirit that accompanied his activI
, ties earlier In the session.
This condition opens the way 10
revival Of Hobbies. They are bacl
In Washington In numbers now ds
spite the disclosures being made b
: the two congressional committee
that are investigating the lobble
that operated to defeat, temporaril
; at least, the legislation killing uti
ity holding companies. One woul
have assumed Justly with the Inyes
legations under way after the utilIt
y legislation was passed that lobb,
. lists and self-serving representative
= would have been frightened AVA
u from Washington. Such was not IN
: case. They are here In such nun
a bers that some observers bellev
y Ma Roosevelt has made a mIstak
= In demanding that congress alta
= until 1t has enacted the share-tb
= wealth tax bill and the legIslatio
u which viii prohibit lawsuits again,
the government for damages r,
= sulting from abrogatIon of IN
y promise In government bonds TO pa
them In gold. Mr.. Roosevelt is II
sisting on these laws. He will gs
J, them. But in the opinion Of man
" authorities he stands a fair chane