Evening star., 1947-10-11
The Political Mil
Knock-Down, Drog-out
CONGRESS Session Seen

Congress Session Seen
Campaign Fight to Be Dramatized by
Moves in Senate and House
By Gould Lincoln
The second session of the Eightieth Congress,
whether it opens In December or in January.
gives every promise of becoming knock down,
drag-out political affair
Talk of "co-operation" between Democratic
President Truman and the Republican ma
jorities in the House and Senate, which pre-
ceded the opening of the Congress first session,
is no longer heard. With the national political
campaign coming up, the struggle which mani
tested itself soon after the Eightieth Congress
sat itself down in Washington last January
will be intensified. The Republicans hold that
Mr.. Truman far from cooperating with Con-
gress, sought to block in every possible way the
will of the legislative body. They recall his
vetoes OF the Taft-Hartley labor bill and of
the Republican tax reduction bills. They in
sist he did everything in his power, with the
aid of department and bureau chiefs, to pre-
vent reductions in Government spending
Senator Taft of Ohio, in his recent swing
through the West; Speaker Martin of the
House, Majority Leader Halleck of the House
and other Republican members of Congress
have taken opportunity in the last few weeks
to extol the record made by the Congress
They understand quite well that it is on this
record, and what is done in the next few
months, that the COP will have to go to bat
before the election OF ls4S. BY the same token,
President Truman and his Democratic sup
porters will do their utmost to decry that
record.
Stage Already Set.
The stage, therefore, is already set Senator
Taft, recognized Republican leader particularly
on domestic issues, has outlined in his speeches
a Republican program-which will include
tax reduction, reduction of governmental
expenditures and public welfare program.
President Truman has yet to reveal the DEM
ocratic program. His budget message which
will be presented during the opening week of
the session in January, will give clear picture
OF what his administration proposes as finan-
cial program. His message ION the state of
the Union will deal with his legislative pro-
posals. High on the list will be his recommen-
dations, If any, to meet high prices and in
flation; to deal with the housing shortage and
for welfare legislation.
The Republican Congress, with the aid Of
half OF the Democrats in that body, was
able to deal with remedial labor legislation
at its first session. 1t does not appear now that
any drastic amendment of the Taft-Hartley
law will be successfully proposed. Whether
President Truman will recommend any changes
in the act which he sought to kill by his veto
remains to be seen. Therefore, the Taft-Hartley
law, for better or for worse, remains an issue
to be fought out in the coming political CAM
paign. There are signs, however that this
issue may not be of such major proportions
as Mr.. Truman and his Democratic supporters
originally believed Its critics have been largely
reduced to name calling; the operation of the
law has resulted in no slave labor"
In the field of foreign affairs, the issues are
still clouded For the most part the Republicans
are committed, like President Truman, to q
firm determination to make the United Nations
work. More likely the issue, If there is to be
an issue, will arise over the extent of the aid
to be granted the war-torn nations of the
world over the Marshall plan" when that
has been fully developed by the administra-
tion Republican leaders, like the Democratic
leaders, are going along with the idea that this
country must maintain firm policy toward
Soviet Russia and the spread of communism.
But. as Senator Taft has said, the Republican
policy will emphasize the need of maintaining
peace-unless the freedom of the American
people Is actually threatened
Drdmauzlng COnnlCt.
When President Truman gave assent to the
selection of Senator j. Howard McGrath,
youthful Senator from Rhode Island, to be
chairman of the Democratic National Com
mttee, he did his full share toward dramatic
ing the political conflict in Congress. Mr.
McGrath will continue to hold his seat in the
Upper House, while directing the organization
of the Democratic presidential campaign
Across the aisle of the Senate chamber will be
Mr.. Taft, the outstanding congressional can
didate for the Republican presidential nomi-
nation, as well as Republican leader by virtue
of his Craftsmanship of the party's policy COM
mittee.
Senator Taft, in can be stated, will submerge
his own personal political aspirations while
he is acting as Republican leader in the Senate
What campaigning he will do for the presi-
Dental nomination will take place in flying
trips, to speak in various parts of the country
when he can conveniently be absent from the
Senate. Nevertheless, what Mr.. Taft says and
does in the Senate will inescapably be in
terpreted in the light of his candidacy for the
presidential nomination. So the whole political
picture will materalze more and more as the
session Of Congress proceeds.