The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-06-17

Washington. 1t nearly always
happens In the second term of any
President that the
Congress congress begins to
Bolks show signs of as
sorting its own will.
This is perfectly natural. Members
of the house and senate recognize,
or have recognized in the past, that
when President enters onto his
second term he has little more in
the way of trading to offer them.
That is to say, the President has
about exhausted political appoint
ments and, except for special pieces
of legislation, the Chief Executive
cannot compensate house and SEN
ate members with political plums.
The New Deal congress in Mr..
Roosevelt's first term was subserv-
lent, indeed. 1t gave him everything
he asked. But now there are en-
couraging signs of more independ-
ent attitude on the part of congress.
I use the word independent" to
mean that congress has begun to
examine legislative proposals from
the White House in the light of the
viewpoint of individual representa-
tives and senators instead of an
examination solely in the light of
the argument of the President.
The Supreme court reorganiza-
ton proposal brought the first sign
of independence by congress. This
sign broke out in the senate and
there are many who believe that
the senate will never yield on the
Presidents proposal to pack the
court with any additional justices
of his own choosing. It is possible
that, as we view history from, say
ten years hence, the Supreme court
reorganization plan will be shown
to have been the straw that broke
the Presidents control over a con-
gress in which his party has more
than two-thirds of the members.
Several other legislative proposals
from the White House have met or
are meeting real difficulties. One of
them that must be regarded as i'm
portant is the relief fund PROPOSE
ton. I imagine that, in the end, the
President will get the full billion
and half that he has requested
for relief purposes but the contro-
versy over relief funds is significant.
For instance, and as an example
of the undercurrent of feeling in
congress, the house took a nasty
slap at Relief Administrator Harry
Hopkins. The house did it in a way
designed to make Mr.. Hopkins peey-
ish. 1t cut his salary as relief ad-
ministrator by two-thousand dollars
year. Now, a cut from $4,000 to
$4,000 probably is unimportant as
far as the monetary affect is con-
cerned, but it was the same thing
as if the house had turned Mr..
Hopkins across its knees and had
given him a couple of good spanks.
What it does, actually, is to show
Mr.. Hopkins that the house is still
its own boss and it demonstrates as
well the house has some spunk left.
In addition to the relief fund con-
troversy, congress is giving evil
dence also of more constructive op-
position to control from the White
House over all national policies. For
example, the new farm bill is under
going very critical analysis by the
house agriculture committee. While
this measure to establish what Sec
rotary Wallace calls the "ever-nor-
mali granary and to revive con-
troll over important farm groups
was not sent to congress from the
White House, everyone understands it
has White House Endorsement. House
leaders accept it, at least, as rep
resenting the principle of AAA and,
therefore, as being representative
of the Presidents ideas.
Leaders of the farm bloc in the
house are quite skeptical of the
plan. Naturally, it is too early to
forecast what is going to happen on
this piece of legislation but it is
important to note that the house is
giving close and independent study
instead of rushing the legislation
through merely because the admin
istration announced it was favor
able to the proposition.
There is discomfort in the senate
also. Mr.. Roosevelt's far-fung gov
eminent reorganization bill has
touched so many sensitive spots
that some doubt actually exists
whether it will get through at all,
even after revision.
The feeling in the seante on this
matter is so widespread that Dem
ocratic Leader Robinson made
statement the other day to the effect
that failure of the senate to pass
the bill will be no public calamity"
If their skepticiSm leads to more
systematic and thorough scrutiny
of this bill and other pieces of legis-
lation, it seems likely in my opinion
that some costly blunders may be
avoided.
The trouble with congress, how
ever, when it gets into the humor
., we now observe, is
roHoU that many times it
Bell CoU does things the
wrong way After
all, members of the house and sem
ate are human and they flock to-
gether behind the bell COW, if that
bell cow succeeds in stirring UP
enough excitement.
Take the controversy over the re-
lief funds, as a case in point. 1t is
plain that the house feels that Mr..
Roosevelt does not require a billion