The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-11-14
New Congress
By MARY HORNADAY

A lame-duck Congress comes back Tuesday.
There will be congratulations for those who
were reelected on Tuesday and polite COM
miserations for those who did not pull through
as the Congressman get together for the first
tune in seven weeks for IL members of the
Senate and at least rs in the House have
been voted out of office.
The Democrats will have the most cause
for rejoicing, having picked up 80 seats or
more in the House while losing only one
in the Senate. But it is doubtful whether there
will be much shifting until party leaders see
just what President Roosevelt has up his
sleeve and how the members Of the new
house will get along with him.
President Roosevelts plans for another con-
ference with Prime Minister Churchill and
Marshal Stain will keep him out OF the country
part of the time; so he will be spared criti-
cism for not offering such proposals as the
establishment of an international bank for re-
construction and development Immediately.
The feeling in Washington is that the Pres
dent will have a more sympathetic Congress
or foreign affairs after Jan. 3, but on do
mestic reforms, he may still run into diff
ficulties with coalition of Republicans and
| conservative Democrats.
One of the measures that will have to be
pa Ssed before Christmas is the extension of
the War Powers Act, scheduled to expire
Dec. 3. This bill gives authority to the ex-
ecutlve to ration, requisition, and assign pri-
critics. Full discussion of the progress of the
war on all fronts and it's relation to the sweep
ing powers now held by the Executive is ex-
pected to precede its renewal.
Another piece OF legislation on which the
lame duck Congress may chew for a while
is the proposal to make the Fair Employ
ment Practices Committee permanent arm
of the Government, with power to compel en-
ployers in interstate commerce to hire work.
with dor6t To
candidate took definite stand on proposals
for compulsory postwar military training,
though such bill is sure to be taken up at
least in committee in the closing days of the
present Congress.
President Roosevelt will come into his fourth
term with practically no commitments. AS
one local column reported this week: His
campaign rations forecast universal prosper
ity, but made few specific commitments. In
Bremerton, he suggested settling veterans in
Alaska; in Clarksburg he talked of reforest-
alton, in Boston, he promised farms for
veterans who want them (thus reversing Ag
riculture Department planning) in Chicago,
he called for change in the tax law to
increase depreciation allowances on new fac
tory buildings and machine tools (thus re-
versing Treasury Department policy).''
The President has obligations though to
Sidney Hillman's Political Action Committee
for it's support in his reelection.
As one gesture in the P. A. C.'s direction
| Mr.. Roosevelt is said to be considering asking
| Congress to reconsider the recently enacted
Surplus Property Bill. The President, who was
out on the Pacific Coast when the bill was
under consideration last summer, especially
would like to see provision made for Gov
eminent travel allowance to send workers
back home after the war and for unemploy-
n.ent compensation for workers in Federal
war plants discharged after the war. Both of
these provisions were eliminated by the con-
servative House Ways and Means Committee
but might have chance if routed through
committee more directly concerned with la
| Dor
| Labor is also expectant over break in the
Little Steel formula on which President Roose-
welt will have to make decision within 30
days. Some observers expect the President to
come forth with a compromise.
| There seems to be little question that the
President will wait until the beginning of his
fourth term to try to carry through his cam
| paign pledge that the United States member
of the proposed United Nations security or
ganization shall be given power to approve
military or economic sanctions without con-
sulting Congress.
| AL in all, the next two months seem an
suspicious time for the President to mend
cracks appearing in the foundations of world
order, while Congress studies the mandate OF
the people. Christian Science Monitor.
On TITN CAV