The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-16

Capitol Hills chieftains are very weary of the dawdling legislative grind and want to go home, while the administration is just as anxious to get Congress off its neck.
 The President, who is getting restless again and eager to plan his trip to the West Coast, has had several private talks with key legislators on strategy to speed up adjournment. As tentatively agreed upon, this is the pro- gram:-
 l. Shelve all neutrality legis- lation, including renewal of the cash-and-carry provision which expired May l.
 2. Same dose to proposals for amending the Wagner Labor Disputes Act.
 3. Slam the gates on new farm legislation, particularly the very controversial coSt-of-pro- production scheme which is be- ing pushed by farm-belt sena- tors.
 4. Confine changes in the pension systems to the few amendments worked out by the House Ways and Means Com mittee, and block efforts to bring
 up the Townsend and General Welfare plans.
 5. Confine tax legislation to
 routine renewal of the various excise taxes that expire this year.
 LITTLE OPPOSITION
 With the exception of neutrality and taxation, this program prob- ably will encounter little opposi- ton. And even on the two ex- captions the dissent is likely to be mostly talk.
 Outside of a few zealOts, such as Senator Hiram Johnson on neutrality and Senator Pat Har- ris0n on tax revision, there is no real pressure in Congress for action on either matter. Most of the members of the Ways and Means Committee, where tax legislation must originate, are cold to tackling taxes at this late date. In fact, the only two ardent enthusiasts are Harrison and Secretary Morgenthau. who on this Is going directly coun- to Roosevelt.
 Unlike Morgenthau, Secretary Hull agrees with the President on pigeon -holing neutrality. The State Department boss has pri- vately told congressional leaders there is no need for new legisla- tion and urged them to sQuelch it for this year.
 SUDDEN DEATH
 Closing an interview with Di- rector Lowell Mellett of the Ma tional Emergency Council that was recorded for radio transcription, the President said, May the in- terest of the people in the gov- ernment never grow less. This is good work the Natoinal Emergency Council Is doing, MT. Director. Keep it up."
 Two hours later, in the second government reorganization order sent to Congress for approval, Roosevelt abolished the NEG. MERRY-Ro-ROUND
 White House place cards are heavy white cards, three by two inches, with an embossed gold presidential crest in the upper cen- ter and the name of the guest, 'sMr. Jones or Mrs. Smith,, writ- ten in Spencerian script in the middle Prominent on Justice William Douglas desk is an auto- graphed copy of "Wall Street Un. der Oath" by Ferdinand Pecora, famed investigator, now a Justice of the Supreme Court. It was Pecora's sensational disclosures that led to establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commis- sion, from whose chairmanship Douglas was elevated to the Sue preme Court Successor to re- signed U. 6. Circuit Judge J. War; ren Davis of philadelphia will be Charles Alvin Jones, unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor last year. Tn Connecticut, Su- perior Judge P. B. o'sullivan, one- time congressman. can if he wants it, have the vacancy of resigned District Judge Thomas. involved in the McKesson-R Robbins scandal.