Evening star., 1938-12-19
THE EVENING STAR WASHINGTON
bi.Party Alliance
OF Conservatives
Is Believed Unlikely
Election Shouting Hos
Eosed to Whisper; Unity
Seen Democrats Aim
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The new Congress approaches its
first session two weeks hence amid
predictions that its chief work will
be to put New Deal laws into shape
for a longtime haul.
After-election shouting has eased
to whisper. So has talk of formal
bipartisan alliances of conserya.
tives to combat liberalism in all its
branches. In their place has come
calmer appraisal of issues and
events and party positions.
The Republicans made gains in
the election, but the Democrats still
have control of both houses of Con-
gress. the White House and the
Government departments. Fresh
studies by experts of both parties
f1nd little promise of importan,
cross-party alliances for the 1916
presidential contest.
This bespeaks policy in the new
Congress that leaders believe will
help to hold each party to its own
trenches. There doubtless will be
individual desertions from time tt
time. These always happen. But
there now is no indication Of any
wholesale movement of Democrati,
and Republican conservatives te
raliys en- masse, under any hem.
stitched banner crocheted with two
| bars OF Aud Lang Syne"
Unity Seen Aim.
For weeks, powerful figures In both
parties have been preaching the
need for sticking together on issues
for removing the differences tina,
have threatened to upset party
apple carts. With these fresh re.
minders, the idea is spreading or
Capitol Hill that Republican and
Democrat alike probably will think
twice before he starts throwing hand
grenades at his ballot brothers.
For the whole Congress will be
haunted by the spirit of 1910. Out
OF the words and votes of members
will come the issues that will set the
pattern for the next presidential
campaign. When they speak their
minds on major issues, they will be
thinking not alone of themselves
but OF how what they do and say
will affect their party's chances.
But it is not alone a measuring
of party prospects for 1910 that will
help to make the new Congress q
wary and cautious one. An election
is just few weeks in the back
ground. Many members took fairly
we'll established stands.
This is one of the things that
may help smooth the way, not
only for a mending OF the weak
spots that critics say have shown
up in some New Deal laws, but also
for an actual expansion and elabor-
alton Of President Roosevelt's pro-
gram.
Congress to Get the Job.
Quite few Republicans Endorsed
ideas during the campaign that
were no less liberal in scope than
a great many things Mr.. Roosevelt,
has done. Even the conservative
Democrats whom he sought to de.
feat did not criticize all the change,
in government he has made. Thei,
opposition was to specific measure.
such as the court or government
reorganization bills.
This mixed party complexion o1
the new Congress would appear t<
point to situation in which mem.
bers would vote on each issue a.
individuals and according to what
they have said or done in the past
Yet, it rarely works out that way
In party government, any partisan
travels with his own party as fal
as he can and listens to its leader.
when he can do so without i'm.
periling his own political future.
Already Mr.. Roosevelt has indi.
Gated he will leave it up to Congress.
to find the answer to the questions
of policy which he will ask of it
Thus. Congress is likely to fino
itself laden with a host of factual
material and a series of requests
from the President for legislation
on vastly complicated subjects
Prolonged committee hearings are
in prospect for some of them.
Things to Be Done.
The national defense lines are tc
be strengthened. Changes are tc
be made In the Neutrality Act
Cries are coming from business
and nna Uino of oroo pi,od ,oL1.
for changes in the Wagner Labor
Relations Act. Broad studies of the
railroad and business structures are
being made with view of concoct.
ing legislative remedies.
The highly disputed bill to reor-
ganize Government departments is
being revived. This time it is
likely to be split into four bills