Evening star., 1940-01-01
Business Gains
May Ease Job
Of Congress
Increased Revenue
And Lighter Relief
Load Expected
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Improved business conditions may
help Congress solve some Of the
momentous problems piling up for
the session beginning Wednesday.
Congressional leaders expressed
belief, for instance, that the general
economic situation would materially
tighten the unemployment relief
load and ease the pressure for new
or higher taxes.
Their contentious were bolstered
by an increase in estimated Treas
ury revenues from the IS 100000 900
predicted for this year to about So
200,000000, jump which would help
hold the prospective deficit to be-
tween two and three billion dollars.
Speaker Bankhead has suggested,
too, that higher prices for farm
products might make it unnecessary
for Congress to appropriate funds
for parity payments to farmers-a
current subject of controversy be-
tween the lawmakers and President
Roosevelt
Stormy Session Likely.
Nevertheless, other pressing do
mestic issues, complicated by inter-
national turmoil and the accelerat-
ing presidential election campaign.
foreshadowed stormy and possibly
prolonged session.
Mr. Bankhead told reporters 1t
virtually was inevitable that, under
the pressure of presidential cam
paign administration opponents
would press their causes with a
maximum of debate and parlia-
mentary maneuvering.
Sharply contrasting conditions
will prevail in the Senate and House
during the early days of the ses-
sion.
After President Roosevelt delivers
his annual message in person to a
joint session Wednesday afternoon
and submits his budget message on
proposed expenditures Thursday,
the House will be ready to 60 to
work almost Immediately on several
of the major appropriation bills.
Before the session is a week old,
however, the House is expected to
become embroiled in the bitter, long
standing controversy over anti
lynching legislation.
Nominations to Consider
On the other hand, indications
are that the Senate, having no hold
over business, will devote itself to
relatively minor legislation and pos
sibly take periodic recesses until
the House sends it some work. In
the meanwhile, the Senate will have
number of presidential nomina-
tions to consider, including those Of
Charles A. Edison to be Secretary OF
the Navy and Daniel w. Bell to be
Undersecretary of the Treasury.
Republican leaders OF both the
Senate and House have announced
that their organizations would hold
conferences during the first week OF
the session-ostensibly to chart their
courses in the light of Mr. Roosevelts
recommendations.
Congress may be occupied early In
the session with grave international
questions growing out of this coun-
try's efforts to remain aloof from the
European war. Legislation already
is being drafted to penalize violators
of the pan-American neutrality
zone by denying them munitions and
port privileges. This is opposed by
some members. who contend that
enforcement might involve the
Americas in disputes with either
Germany or the allies.
Dies Extension Up.
Among the major issues, too, will
be the administration demand for
extension of the reciprocal trade
program, proposals to revise the
Wagner Labor Relations Act and the
wage-hour law, and the question Of
whether to boost the public debt
limit beyond its present maximum
of s45, 900, 900 900.
Record Army-Navy appropriations
will be asked by the administration,
but they are expected to evoke de-
bate primarily over defense methods
rather than over the amount.
One of the early subjects to come
before the House will be the Dies
Committees request for extension
of it's life. The committee, which
has been investigating un-American
activities, will expire Wednesday
unless the House authorizes it to
continue.
Budget Slash Indicated.
Congress may be in for a painful
surprise when President Roosevelt
sends up his annual budget.
Reliable reports reaching Capitol
Hill indicate that last-minute WELD
ing of the Chief Executives budget
ary pruning knife has cut deeply
into the sections containing projects
dear to every Congressman's heart
flood control, rivers and ,larbors,
reclamation and the like.
Taking off slice here and an
other there, the President was said
to have made total reduction
substantial enough to bring his
recommended Government ex-
penditures below $4,000, 900, 900, in
spite of liberal estimates for ma
tional defense. This compares with
estimated expenditures for this wear