The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-07
WASHINGTON
REPORT
BY CHARLES p. STEWART
Central Press CoIumnist)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6.-Congress is desper-
ately anxious to adjourn soon in order to per-
NIT its member to get home, where they can
electioneer more effectively for themselves
during the remaining few weeks ahead of
November S, when the ballots will be cast.
OF course the representatives, on an aver
age, are in a greater rush than the senators,
because all of the former have campaigns on
their hands, while only a third of the latter
have terms just expiring this year. The others,
holding over for from two to four years more,
aren't so anxious. Still, they have a fellow
feeling for their brethren, who are under the
gun right now.
If the lawmakers can't out-and-out adjourn,
at least they'd like to take a succession of
little three-day r%ecesses, giving them time to
get away from the capital more or less. It's
a satisfactory enough arrangement for those
who live nearby. Even those whose bailiwicks
are at a distance from Washington excuse
themselves as absentees during the brief, per-
~functory sessions which punctuate the main
occasional period.
No more legislative business is transacted
while a series of these short recesses is in
progress than when the two Houses definitely
are adjourned.
However, the public doesn't notice a mere
recess. It's conscious of an adjournment, and
there's a deal of sentiment to the effect that
solons ought to be regularly on the job at as
critical a world j%uncture as the present one.
Indeed, they've been warned, in plenty of
mail from their constituents and in numerous
newspaper editorials, that they'll be consid-
cred derelict in their duties if they scatter, to
attend to their political fences at such a time.
Always A Pest
The White House always considers congress
a pest.
I dom believe there ever was a president
who didn't think he could manage his policies
better without Capitol Hill butting in with adj
vice and criticism.
The executive mansion normally looks for
ward with dread to the opening of a regular
legislative session and greets it's adjournment
with relief. Occasionally 1T has to summon an
extra aSSemblage in an emergency, but 1t in
variably is with regret.
President Roosevelt already has remarked
that he can call an extra" whenever he
deems it necessary. The implication is that
the country needn't worry a bit if the govern
ment's legislative branch does scatter for
awhile-he'll bring it together again in short
order if he sees fit. Congress is jealous, though.
1t wants to be out electioneering, to be sure.
Yet it's afraid he'll steal some sort of a march
on it while it's gone from Washington. 49,.
Oh, congress is as suspicious of the Presi-
dent as he is of congress. They're rivals of a
sort, under our political system.
Senators and Representatives
Practically all representatives want to get
out in the sticks and electioneer for them
selves. There may be a few exceptions-chaps
who are confident their districts are depend
able for themselves. But the overwhelming
majority aren't overly sure.
Senator Burton X. Wheeler Of Montana is
one, outstandingly.
Burt is conspicuous in the upper congress
only locally. Montana gets it as much as it
widely quoted out in Montana as if he said it
only locally. Montana gets it as much as it
would were he addressing himself directly to
his own states voters. And it has additional
punch because he says it to the whole nation.
Burt's a good deal of an Observation-Disclosures.
That's an essential reason why the admins
tration would like to have him adjourn.
Representatives speaking in Washington.
don't score with the emphasis that senators
do. They're so numerous that they drown one
another out individually: A representative has
or onto the radio. That's why they're SO anx-
ious to get home and see their respective
crowds at short range.