Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-23
Controversial Issues
Face Congress When
1916 Session Starts
BY the Associated Press.

I7W Jcy9IUu JIoIIS
By the Associated Press.
No Congress, in recent years, has
faced an election year docket as
laden with controversy as that
which confronts the 10th when it
reconvenes next month.
Between January IA, when they
come back from vacataion, and next
summer. when they hope to get
away for political campaigning
legislators must grapple with more
than dozen major subjects, each
primed with political dynamite.
There are many items on Presi-
dent Humans Legislative program
that haven't been acted on, ano
there are many others, not on the
Chief Executives priority list, that
are likely to become bitter issues.
FEPC Promises Trouble.
The Senate, in particular, faces q
prospect of diving Immediately into
row, with Senators Ball, Repub-
lican, of Minnesota, and Chavez
Democrat, of New Mexico planning
to bring up the bill for a permanent
Fair Employment Practice Commit.
tee. That plan has started trouble
every time it has come UP. Senator
Bilbo, Democrat, of Mississippi al.
ready has let it be known he will
fllibuster.
Some time before May Is, Con.
gress must decide what it wants tt
do about the draft law. 1t expire,
then, and many members want it tt
go right on with its dying.
The decision on the draft prob.
ably will be coupled with universal
military training legislation tn,
President has requested The House
Military Affairs Committee is in thu
midst of hearings on peacetimt
military training now.
Before the end of June, some de.
cision must be done about price con.
trolls. If nothing is done, the con.
trolls end automatically, for the price
control law expires on June 80, 1916
Labor Bills Pending
The administration will insist or
early action on legislation setting ur
fact-flnding boards to handle labor
disputes. The President wanted il
enacted before the Christmas ad.
journment. but Congress ignored hi,
request. Committee hearings will be
resumed next month in both the
House and the Senate.
The President also wants Congress
to do something quickly about EN-.
ployment. He favors the so-calleo
full employment bill passed by the
Senate, and definitely doesn't like q
substitute passed by the House The
issue is in the hands of Senate-House
conferees, who won't get together
until after the first of the year.
Unemployment compensation leg
islation has a high priority on the
1916 calendar. The President wants
financial aid to jobless increased
and the coverage of existing law
broadened. The House Ways and
Means Committee has plugged Its
ears to his request thus far.
Political Hot Potatoes"
Other subjects almost certain tc
be in the foreground on Capitol
Hill:
Bonuses for service men: There
already have been strong hints that
an adjusted compensation drive
will be launched early in the new
year. And with the congressional
elections just around the corner, it's
a political "hot potato"
Discharge of servicemen: Legisla-
ton to force the immediate release
of married soldiers and sailors ano
other designated groups has been
gaining support in recent months. A
discharge petition" to force its con-
sideration by the House has more
than 100 signatures.
Army-Navy merger: The Presi-
dent has drawn the issue by request
ing creation of a single department
of national defense. The betting on
Capitol Hill is about money on
whether he will get it.
Foreign Loans Need Approval.
Health insurance: Legislation
dealing with this was requested by
the President in a recent message
and legislation is in the mill.
Foreign loans: Congress will be
asked early in the year to approve
huge loans to Great Britain and
possibly other nations. With the
national debt soaring toward the
$500 600, 000, 900 mark, the lawmakers
aren't likely to vote approval with
out asking a lot of questions.
Pensions for members of Con-
gress: One of the hottest of the
hot potatoes" Congressional SEN
timent is strongly behind it, a
House committee has overwhelm-
ingly recommended it, but the leg
islators themselves are wary about
voting on it.
The atomic bomb: Legislation
setting up machinery for domestic
controls has been on a House Rules
Committee shelf for some time. The
President requested its enactment.
Taxes and appropriations: Ar
election-year clamor for reductions
in both is a certainty. The HOUSE
Appropriations Committee already
is considering the new budget ane
its chairman has demanded cuts tt
the bone in all items. There is &
strong prospect that some of thu
war-enacted luxury" taxes may b,