The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1937-09-02

The first session of the 18th Con-
gress of the United States has pass
ed into history. AS was forecast at
its beginning, it was the scene OF
some of the most bitter verbal bat
Ting of the postwar era. It DELHI
Grated some of the most important
measures ever laid before the legis-
lative branch of the government.
Dominated as it was by an over
whelming party majority, it closed
amid increasing inter-party strife
that may revolutionize the existing
two-party system.
First, what did Congress do? It
appropriated about S., 400 ,000, 900. It
enacted a long list Of major bills in
GLIDING: Continuation of the RFC;
extension Of the CCC; extension OF
the Department Of Agriculture's
marketing agreement authority;
continuation of the reciprocal trade
agreement policy; approval of a lib
eral pension system Of railroad
workers; passed q bill designed to
aid tenant farmers; provided that
Supreme Court Justices Of long ser
vice may retire and receive full act
i've pay. $4,000 a year, for life.
Perhaps more important is what
Congress did not do-for it is here
that the seeds Of discord and anger
sprouted. At the beginning Of the
session, the Administration had q
vast and ambitious "must" legisla-
tive program the President wished
enacted into law. The majority
leader, the late Senator Robinson,
used every conceivable tactic to
force the Senate to approve this pro-
gram. So did the new leader, Sen
ator Barley, who took command In
the closing days. Yet the program
suffered almost 100 percent defeat.
Key measure Of the Presidents
plan was the bill to enlarge the SUI
preme Court. This bill was finally
withdrawn after a campaign against
It led by Senator Wheeler Of Mon
tana, long considered radical
legislator.
The President sponsored q bill, in
troduced by Senator Norris, to Gre
ate seven more regional electric au-
thorities Of the iva type. This
bill was never brought to q vote, and
was deferred until the January ses-
sion.
The President wished q great low
cost housing measure. A housing
measure was passed in the last week
of the session-but it was not near
~ so ambitious as the White House
had advocated, and does not fulfill
the Presidents demands.
The President favored wage and
hour bill for industry which was
considerably stricter than the de-
funct MIRA. It did not pass.
The President asked passage Of
q bill to reorganize the independent
government bureaus-such as the
1CC, the Federal Trade Commission.
etc.-that, in effect, would have
placed them under the direct control
of the Executive. This bill was de-
ferred and kept from vote.
Finally, the President nominated
strong New Dealer Senator Black
for the Supreme Court vacancy
caused by the retirement Of JUS
tice Van Devanter. Senator Blacks
nomination was approved by a heavy
majority-but it is significant that,
for the first time In fifty years, the
tradition" Of approving senator
ial appointment to a judicial Of
flee by q unanimous vote was dis
regarded. A number of senators de-
nounced Mr.. Black on the floor.
Result: The 18th Congress showed
itself to be largely anti-New Deal,
with the chief OBJECTIONS in the
Democratic ranks coming from the
Southern and Western senators. No
one, whether he be for or against
the Presidents program, can deny