Evening star., 1936-06-09
O'CONNOR TELLS
Of CLOSING RUSH
Rules Chairman, in Forum
Talk, Sees Adjournment
Next Week.

Inc QlnCulJleS III The way Vi I'LL
mediate adjournment of Congress
were outlined by Representative
O'Connor of New York, chairman of
the powerful House Rules Committee,
In a Radio Forum address arranged
by The Star and broadcast last night
over a Nationwide hook-up Of the
National Broadcasting Co.
O'Connor said it is the expectation
that Congress may adjourn before the
Democratic National Convention,
which meets in Philadelphia June 23
If this is not possible, Congress prob
ably will stand in recess that week, as
it is now doing in connection with
the Republican convention. he said.
He added however, that I'VE shall
strive with all our efforts to adjourn
during the week of June Is"
, The Rules Committee chairman re-
viewed briefly the most vital legisla-
ton enacted by Congress during the
present session and discussed that
still unfinished which is on the must
calendar.
Few people, he said. realize the
strain under which members of Con-
gress work, calling attention to the
fact that the toll taken by illness and
death is high. higher than in any
other comparable group"
Text of Address.
The text of Mr.. O'Connors address
follows:
The Seventy-fourth Congress is
nearing a close For a long time the
members had hoped to adjourn before
this date, but all the comments here
tofore made about an early adjourn
ment do not coincide with previous
experience.
Before the recent lame duck
amendment to the Constitution, which
advanced the meeting of Congress to
January after the elections in No
vember, instead of 13 months after
the election. the average session ex-
tended from the first Monday in De-
cenber to the middle of the following
June. Since the convening of the
, session has been set in January, the
same average would extend each ses-
( sion to about July Is of each year
, This session, therefore, which must
surely adjourn before that date, is
still well within the average.
1t may not be generally known that
In each Congress about $4,000 bills
are introduced While only about 80(
bills of public nature and the samt
number of private bills ever become
law, the Committee of Congress
must study. investigate and hold hear
ings on practically all these thousands
of bills to weed out the chaff from
the wheat.
Now Marking Time.
II was hoped by all that the Con-
sreSS could adjourn before the ma
tional conventions of the two major
parties. That being not possible by
reason of the recent developments, il
was agreed that the Congress would
mark time while those conventions
were in session. This agreement has
been carried out, and today both
houses of Congress met for short
time to dispose of perfunctory matters
next.
1t is the expectation and hope ot
all those interested that when Con-
gress reconvenes on Monday. June IS
the business before it may be disposed
of within that week so that adjourn
ment sine die may occur before the
Democratic National Convention.
which meets in Philadelphia on Tues
day, June %. If there should be any
unexpected occurrence to prevent that
accomplishment, it is very likely that
the Congress will again recess during
the week of the Democratic conven-
ton.
We shall strive with all our efforts
TO adjourn during the week OF
June IS.
To that end, the House today
agreed with the Senate and sent the
tax bill to conference This will afford
the conferees of both houses to get
together during this week and agree
on bill to report. 1t is the ardent
hope Of all of us that this compromise
will be worked out during this week,
GU IlldG NUllkI 6SS may IlIldllV ACT on
the tax bill early next week and send
1t to the President.
Typical of Conference.
It is probably true that all my radio
listeners may not thoroughly under
stand just what conference" is. The
progress Of the tax bill is a typical
instance. The House of Representa-
tives passed a tax bill to raise about
600 millions Of additional and neces-
sary revenue to meet principally the
payment Of the bonus and the loss Of
revenue following the decision of the
Supreme Court of the United States
holding the agricultural adjustment
act unconstitutional.
This being revenue bill, 1t had to
originate in the House under our
Constitution. After the House passed
the bill, it was sent to the Senate
That body amended the bill very ma
terially, which made it necessary that
the bill be sent back to the House.
On Friday last. the Senate passed
the bill and on Saturday appointed
eight Senator's ian unusually large