Evening star., 1947-10-24
Time Seen Too Short
For Special Congress
To Act on Europe
Much of Extra Session
Likely to Be Devoted
To Domestic Needs
By David Laurence

the regular session of Congress at
tains Importance as a decision of
President Truman only because of
the nature of the emergency which
he is asking Congress to consider.
Actually, the interval is too short
to consider or complete action on the
Marshall plan or any long-range
project for the relief of Europe.
The President would have liked to
avoid the extra session. Also, once
he found it necessary to get au-
thority for a temporary or stopgap
plan, he realized that it was not
palatable to the American people to
ask their Congress TO meet with re-
spect to the emergency abroad with
out doing something about the
emergency at home. That is why
Mr.. Truman mentioned high prices
as an additional subject for con-
sideration.
The President will, Of course, ex-
plain that the European demand for
our products has helped to create
shortages and to force our prices
upward. But at the same time that
Mr.. Truman introduces the price
question, he brings up the problem
of controls. This, in turn, introduces
domestic politics.
More Seen Aiding COP.
The episode will be of considerable
help to the Republicans, who have
been observing the line of attack
from Democratic speakers who have
been blaming high prices On the re-
moval of OPA controls. II the Presi-
dent takes the responsibility for the
restoration of even moderate
amount of controls and Congress
gives him what legislation he asks
for, there will be little point for the
stump speakers to 60 back to the
OPA as q basic cause. Indeed, the
Republicans will watch to see how
far Mr.. Truman Is willing to go in
reviving controls in order to meet
the high prices of today.
There is talk of a plan for alo-
eating basic materials. This ap-
pears logical, especially with respect
to those articles for which the de-
mand is far greater than the sup
ply. But the Administration will
have to find some answer that it
failed to find before-how to elm
mate black markets and the still
higher prices that are paid when
materials are made scarcer and
scarcer by means of controls.
It was right, of course, for the
President to call Congress into
session. 1t was predicted in these
dispatches that we would call Con-
gress back by December first. With
the certainty that time will be lost
during the Christmas holidays, Mr..
Truman apparently decided that
he could get four or five weeks Of
consideration by Congress If he
summoned the legislators on No
vember IT.
Tangle Possible.
There is always the chance that
Congress will get tangled UP in
other current legislation. For. once
Congress is called back, 1t cannot
be limited to the subjects men
toned in Presidents proclama-
ton. All pending legislation left
on the calendar in the last session
remains active and can be pressed
further to passage by either or both
Houses. Committees do not need
to reconsider or go through hear
ings or make their reports again.
Congress moves on from the exact
point where 1t left off last summer.
Members of Congress are fortu-
nate to have had as long a rest as
has been given them since July.
Many of them have used the in
terval to consult with their con-
stituents. Others have gone abroad
to investigate conditions there. 1t Is
estimated that nearly 200 members
of Congress have visited the Far
East, Europe and South America
since adjournment. Many of them
will express themselves on what they
saw
The pressure of domestic legisla-
tion and particularly the growing
demand for tax revision will be a
factor. Undoubtedly, the House
Ways and Means Committee will be
making recommendations by mid
December on the tax legislation it
believes should be adopted.
Mr.. Truman will not only have to
present persuasive plan with ade-
quate facts concerning the Euro
pean-aid program but he will have
to take a stand on tax revision. The
chances are that much of the spe-
cial session will be devoted to debate
on domestic problems, especially the
impact of any long range control of
materials by the Government on the
future economic situation inside the
United States.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)
Gns - % rsaa toad III