The Skyland post., 1946-08-15
This Week In
Washington

Washington - In view or the
tremendous pressure upon the
White House and persistence of
the "Oil Lobby" upon congress,
President Truman's veto of the
Tidelands oil bill was an act of
courage and that of a man seek
ing to protect the whole interests
of the people in the face of spe-
cial pressure group, including
some of his own personal friends.
The oil company lobby and the
attorney general of the state of
California had been pressing for
action in a race against time in
the bill. They won, and congress
passed the measure which re-
linquished all federal rights in
these rich oil bearing areas to
the states for the benefit of pri-
vate and corporate exploiters.
Congress refused to affirm the
appointment of Edwin w. Pauley,
the Presidents friend, as under
secretary of the navy, because Of
his alleged interest in this Tide
land oil case. And after casti-
eating Pauley for his activities,
congress turns around and gives
Pauley and his associates just
what they had been demanding.
In check-mating congress on this
issue President Truman is upon
urassailable ground when in his
veto message he declared that
congress "is not an appropriate
forum to determine the legal is
sues now before the supreme
court" and that jurisdiction of
the supreme court should not be
interfered with while it is arriv-
ing at its decision in the pending
case"
What the oil lobbyists and the
proponents in congress intended
to do with the bill was to antici-
pate a decision by the court on
the same issue now before it by
passing law taking the issues
away from the court.
Members of congress are now
back in the grassroots and face
to face with their constituents.
They can boast to the voters eyes,
we gave you full employment
bill" But it was a bill providing
for no employment. They can
boast "Yes we needed your de-
mands and gave you OPA back
and a continuation of price con-
troll" but what they gave is no
price control, except rents.
They can tell the GI's they gave
them housing bill under a sys-
tenn of subsidies, but it was only
half measure, because they fail
d to pass the Wagner-Ellender-
Wagner housing bill, called by
Expediter Wilson Wyatt an 'in-
separately necessary part of the
veterans housing program. They
can tell the veterans they gave
them terminal pay, but it is only
in 5-year bonds. not cash as in
the case of officers.
They will have to admit failure
in labor legislation. though there
is divided responsibility here
since the President vetoed the
Case bill. They will have to ad-
NIT failure on minimum wages.
Navy minded chairmen of mil
itary committees backed by the
who were backed by the
steel and shipbuilding lobbies.
all attempts to merge
the armed forces. They will have
to admit failure in farm legisla-
ton such as new parity defini-
ton, unified farm credit ad-
and other important
farm bills. AS a last gesture be-
fore adjournment, they did in
crease old age pension payments,
maternal and child health pay
ments to the states. Filibusters
coalitions and other un-American
killed several measures
which sought to correct injustices,
such as the racial determinations,
fair employment practices and
the anti-poll tax bill.
All in all on the domestic front
the 18th Congress box SCORE ap-
pears to add up to no runs, few