Nogales international., 1936-01-04


2. The Townsend old-age pension
proposal. This will stimulate lou
of oratory in both Houses. Inc
Labor lobby will oppose it. Ine
bert guess is that the Townsend
plan will not be adopted but that
the agitation will result in liberal
ization of old-age benefits under
the Social Security Act, which has
got to be amended in many respects,
anyway.
3. Lots of talk and some pretty
hot debates on the Frazier-Lemke
Farm Mortgage greenback bill. Lit
tie chance, however, of its passage.
4. Government ownership OF rail-
roads. Again a lot of talk, backed
by well organized campaign OF
the railroad unions in favor OF 1t.
Action of Interstate Commerce
Commission in ordering reduction
of railroad passenger rates to two
cents mile, where they are now
higher than that-which is all ov-
err the East. This will be demon
stration of the Governments pres
ent power over railroads, and may
have a strong influence in bring
ing holders of railroad bonds into
line for Government ownership.
Nor,%ros;kxy Novu Ar11nu
5. The neutrality question will
come up early in the session. The
present temper of Congress is to
strengthen the neutrality laws. The
strong belief prevails that great
war is rapidly approaching, and
Congress will not be inclined to
trust the State Department alone
to keep us out of it. One outcome
of the war talk is likely to be lib
eral appropriations for a bigger
navy.
6. Proposals for increasing the
army strength will be backed by
reports that Mexico is planning an
out-and-out Communist Govern
ment This will give strength to the
demand for military defenses along
the Rio Grande.
7. There will be more debate on
proposals. to regulate wages and
hours of labor. Outlook is for the
passage of the Walsh Bill, requir-
ing all concerns selling anything to
the Government to conform to Ia
Dor standards established by NRA.
8. Attempts will be made to
straighten out the silver tangle,
probably by mandatory legislation
requiring the Treasury to increase
it's purchases and maintain the
world price The silver policy is NOS
clearly defined as yet
9. Amendments to the Housing
Act probably will be made, with the
objective of inducing private capi-
tai to go into large-scale low-cost
housing projects. This is in accord
ance with the views of Secretary
Morgenthau, Director Fahey OF
Home Owners Loan Corporation,
and Peter Grimm, Housing Co-or-
dinator.
Many Investigations
10. A lot of noise that will be
heard on Capitol Hill from now on
will come from the committee
rooms, where Public Utilities, rail-
roads, munitions, chain stores and
various other phases of business
will be under investigation.
The program for this session will
be complicated by other factors.
There will be Supreme Court deci-
sions which will interject new is
sues. The budget as submitted by
the President will look quite reason
able.
Politically the relief issue has
been brought to the front by
Hoover's speech in st Louis. Tf'
Governments plan to turn the relief
problem back to the states as tas
as possible is not making headW@"
Betting on Republican candida
is now better than even money or
Landon. It seems certain that
neither Mr.. Hoover nor Mr.. Boraf
will be the nominee.
Even money is being bet on q
Republican Congress in 1887, but
the Presidential odds are still IN
Mr.. Roosevelt's favor.