The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-01-13
Michigan in
Washington
BY Esther Van Wagner fluffy

BY Esther Van Wagner Tufty
The first day OF the new session
OF the 18th Congress was very typi-
cal OF all opening days, which have
the same kind OF excitement found
on a college campus as students
return after a holiday. The reunion
spirit bursts right and left. A lot of
handshaking goes along with de-
layed New Years greetings.
The cloakrooms were full OF re-
porters calling out members from
the floor for interviews. The send.
off question seemed to be, "How did
YOU find things back in your dis
trict?" or whats the country
thinking about taxes, subsidies, SOL
diers' voting?"
The answer, which | found from
polling some 90 or more legislators
from various parts OF the country.
is all summed up in a remark
made by Congressman Earl Mich
ener.
Said the Adrian Republican: The
people are very disturbed about ev
| eryth.ng. Can't remember when
they have seemed more So"
He, among others, found the
farmers frantically holding series
Of meetings to fight subsidies.
while the city consumers seem just
as firm in their position that only
subsidies will block runaway
| prices.
Somehow the clamor OF the PEG
pie back home to facilitate voting
! opportunities for the soldiers over
seas wasn't as noisy as expected
! Congressmen found themselves
confronted more with questions
about mastering out pay and how
long the soldiers would be kept In
the service after victory. Congress
man George A. Dondero. OF Royal
Oak. was especially interested to
find such a demand for a mastering
out law. although he sees no reason
for alarm as he feels certain any
reasonable and sane legislative
proposal would easily pass the
| House.
1t was the Royal Oak Republican.
who piloted through the House the
first habilitat'on law which is
Is right now providing educational
facilities and employment aid to
veterans OF this war.
On the subject OF taxes. the prin.
cipal howl concerned the complex
ity Of the new tax form, which
many now are receiving in the mail.
launching in the House restaurant
with Congresswoman Frances Boil
ton and Congressman Henry Dwor-
shak of Idaho, the talk turned to
election politics as 1t usually does
about noontime as relaxation
from the days discussion on the
floor.
These two Republicans - one
from the Far West and the other
from the Midwest -- think the
smartest thing any Republican
presidential candidate could do
would be to declare himself a one.
termer. Because II he does the
cleanup job after the war that
must be done for the good of the
country, he will step on so many
toes he cannot hope to be re.elect.
ed"
As strong party people, neither
were they unmindful that's the best
way TO keep this Republicans in
power. Mrs. Bolton had a strong
personal reason, because il was
her husband. the late congressman.
who urged Hoover to make such a
declaration. SO said Mrs. Bolton,
"It he had. the entire history OF this
country would have been differen;
and maybe the COP would not have
been out of power so long.'
In a most casual way. i was told
the other day exactly how General
Macarthur feels about the presi-
Dental boom his friends have
launched for him.
he likes the ldea, naturally. But
he is wise enough to know he must
not leave his fighting post to seek
It. SO he must be drafted. II the
convention drafts him, he will ac-
cept. But. he says, he'll go on fight
ing and let the vice president run
the country until the victory
That set-up has some fascinating
aspects. II he became president he
would become automatically Com.
manderin chief and as such could
he be spared to command the war
in the Southwest Pacific. And II he
really means he would let the vice
president run the country. isn't that
the spot for his sponsor, Senator
Arthur II. Vandenberg, who once
| lodged the vice presidential candid