Evening star., 1937-08-23
Three Out of Thirteen.

Analysis OF the record of the first
session of the Seventy-ffth Congress,
which closed Saturday night, with re-
gard to the response Of the legislative
branch of the Government to the recon-
mendations of the Executive. plainly
indicates a waning of influence and
command. The margin of Democratic
control in both houses had materially
increased as a result of the elections of
last November. The Republican opposi-
ton had been all but wiped out. Yet
the majority supposedly under the COM
mand of the President did not comply
with his requisitions In the spirit OF
fidelity and response that was shown
during the two Congresses Immediately
preceding.
This failure OF acquiescence may have
been due in some measure, perhaps in
the main, to the early proposal by the
President of the extraordinary plan for
the reorganization Of the Supreme
Court, proposal that shocked the
country profoundly and that immedi-
ately evoked a positive and unyielding
resistance on the part of considerable
fraction Of the Democratic membership
OF the Senate. Whether there was q
relationship between this resistance to
the Supreme Court bill and the resis-
tance in both House and Senate to other
administration measures must be left to
conjecture. But it is at least reason
able theory that the demonstration OF
independence by material and influ-
entail portion of the Democratic Senate
membership bred 4 disposition in both
houses to restore Congress to its status
of true legislature Of the people, chosen
by them as their representatives for the
making OF the laws
In q recital OF the Executive reouisi-
tons and the manner in which Congress
acted the fate OF the Supreme Court
reorganization proposal of course comes
first, though the process of rejection
covered five and a half months and the
end OF that battle was not reached until
almost the very eve Of the final adjour-
ment. Meanwhile much that the Con-
gress was refusing or failing to do in
execution Of the Presidents program Of
legislation was obscured by the smoke
OF the battle OF the century" over the
court packing plan. 1t is indeed some
what difficult to trace out the record, so
confused have been the movements on
the legislative chess board.
In briefest possible condensation this
Is the record: The President asked power
to rearrange the Federal agencies, plac-
Ing quasi-judicial bodies under regular
departments; the House went part way,
approving some readjustments but keep
Ing the agencies independent; the Senate
deferred action. The President asked
enactment of general farm legislation;
Congress pledged action at the next
session. The President asked for crop
insurance; the Senate approved, the
House deferred. The President asked
re-enactment Of sugar quota legislation;
Congress passed law containing pro-
visions which the President opposed.
The President asked for a wage-hours
law; the Senate complied, the House
deferred action. The President asked
for regional planning agencies like the
T. V. A.; Congress did not act. The
President asked for housing and slum-
clearance legislation; Congress merely
approved Federal aid for State and
municipal projects. The President asked
for law to stop tax evasions and avoid
ances; Congress went only part way.
closing major loopholes. The President
asked for help for farm tenants to
become owners; Congress authorized an
SS5,0o0,000 three-year program The
President asked for and was granted a
billion and half dollars for relief. The
President asked for discretionary powers
concerning neutrality; Congress enacted
. law limiting the discretionary powers
Of the Executive. The President asked
that the c. c. c. be made a permanent
Government agency; Congress extended
1t for three years.
And that is the record, in its essentials.
Thirteen Executive propositions resulted
In three outright grants, the relief requi-
sition, the farm tenancy proposition and
\ the neutrality legislation; in five partial
grants and in five refusals or post
ponements. Perhaps at the next ses-
sion OF this same Congress some of
the deferred" measures will be en-
acted, possibly with notifications from
the Presidents prescriptions Or 1t may
be that the spirit Of independence mani
tested at the session just closed will be
stronger when the houses meet in jan
uary. It is to be remembered that there
will be an election for all of the House of
Representatives and one-third OF the
Senate year from November. And
that party lines have been somewhat
weakened and frayed and that the high