Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-04
War Tasks Present
New Congress With
Toughest Assignment
Attempts to Curb Bureaus
And Economy Drives
Are Certain to Appear
BY The Associated Press.

ny me ASOCldleQ fTeSS.
The crucible of global war held
for the incoming Seventy eighth
Congress today one of history's
toughest aSsignments-the job
of testing the Nations stamina
as it fuses the ingredients of
manpoWer, money and material
for victory and eventual peace.
From its work will be shaped the
way of life on the home front: from
its appropriations will be forged
the weapons of war for the Ameri-
can fighting forces; from its de-
liberations may come the pattern
for lasting peace.
The Seventy-eighth Congress con-
venes Wednesday, Not for decade
has the membership of the House
and Senate been so evenly divided,
yet leaders of both the Democratic
majority and the resurgent Repub-
lican minority have declared that
division would disappear on war is
sues.
Far-Reaching Eject Seen.
But the election born realignment
and the determination of the Re-
publlcans to give Congress greater
initiative in writing legislation may
prove to have a far-reaching effect
on matters affecting the civilian
population.
1t appeared certain to be reflected
in drives for economies, in attempts
TO curb the powers acquired by Fed
eral departments and bureaus, in
moves to restore greater control to
State and local government.
OvershadoWing other problems
will be that of supplying the fight
ing forces and of furnishing weap-
ons of war to other United Nations.
For that purpose, Congress already
has appropriated $22O,0O0, 900 900.
much of it still unspent. President
Roosevelt is expected to ask for
another 100000 900, 900.
And, as the drain on the normal
supply of men and material in
| creases. so, too, will the need for
tighter controls, for strict rationing
| of both grow 1t may result in
changes in the Price Control Act
and possibly in national man.
power service act.
More Taxes Expected.
Mounting costs of war mean more
and more taxes. Out of the difficult
TASK of trying to make ends meet
nave come variety of suggestions
for new levies, ranging from a ma
tlonal lottery to sales tax. Mean
while, strong sentiment has de-
veloped in the House Ways and
Means Committee for putting tax
collections on pay-as-you-gob basis.
Behind the scenes already has be-
gun the preliminary skirmishing in
controversy Of world Importance
that of deciding what this Nations
foreign policy will be after the war.
1t may assume major Importance
next June when the administration
seeks renewal of its reciprocal trade
agreements with Is countries.
Service legislation probably will
occupy considerable share of con-
gressional time. Bills have been in
troduced to continue soldiers pay
for year after wars end, to match
dollar for dollar the money he saves
from his service pay, to set up a
public works program to give him
employment upon his return to civil
ian life.
Elimination of the poll tax pay
ments as a voting requirement
subject OF a bitter controversy last
year-again will be sought, over the
objections of Southern Democrats,
some Of whom have maintained that
any attempt to press the issue would
be remembered in the next presi-
dental elections.
A tentative draft of a bill calling
for sweeping revision of labor legis-
lation and elimination of the stand
ard 40-hour work week already has
been prepared. and probably will
touch of one of the stormiest con-
troversies of the session.
More Issues.
Here are some of the issues which
will confront the new Congress: