Evening star., 1948-07-25
.CongressFac
Battles on Prices
And Civil Rights
Special Session Storts
Tomorrow; Truman
To Speak Tuesday
By ]. A. Oleory

Price controls and civil rights
are destined to provide most of
the fireworks at the special ses-
sion of Congress which convenes
at noon tomorrow.
Housing, Federal aid to education
and a more liberal plan for admit
ting displaced persons to the United
States also will share the limelight,
but with less explosive force
While President Truman cruised
down the Potomac yesterday, work.
ing on the message he will deliver
in person Tuesday, Republican lead
ers of the House and Senate started
back to Washington from vacation
points for strategy conference to-
morrow.
The open warfare which has gone
on in recent months between the
Democratic administration and the
Republican controlled Congress
makes it doubtful that much major
legislation will be enacted between
now and the probable Labor Day ad-
lournment.
Seen as Campaign Preview.
Few observers doubt, however,
that the special session will be a
preview of the political campaign.
on which both major parties will
embark in earnest in September.
Without waiting for the session
to get under way. both the Demo-
cratic and Republican National
Committees began some advance
sniping Yesterday.
Senator McGrath of Rhode Island.
Democratic National Chairman, is
sued two statements. In one he
criticized the Republican Congress
for failure to take positive steps to
curb high prices. Imitation, he
added. has become a national em-
ergency that calls for Congress to
rise above partisan politics in its
handling of the program that will
be submitted to it at the session
convening this week"
In the other statement, Senator
McGrath announced he will in
troduce a resolution to place tighter
curbs on special interest lobbies"
during the special session.
The Republican National Commits
tee dug out of last months Con-
gressional Record statement to
show that Senate Democratic Leader
Barkley of Kentucky wanted Con-
gress to adjourn then because he
feared a session after the national
conventions would be taken up with
political pickering. Senator Bark
ley has since become President Tru-
mans running mate.
Statement Is Quoted.
| Without comment, the Republican
Committee issued news release,
quoting Senator Barkley's statement
to the Senate on June II:
Il have done what l could to
cooperate with the majority in
/ bringing about an adjournment,
because l think II we sit here until
after the convention, or if we sit
here between the conventions, or
after the two conventions, the en-
tire time of the Congress will be
taken up with political pickering
and political legislation and poll
tical oratory, and I do not want
that to be brought about. want
to finish what we can finish and ad-
journ the Congress, and have tried
my best to cooperate with the lead
ers on the other side to bring about
an adjournment"
Senator Barkley was not available
for comment last night. His Office
said he is due back today from
Kentucky.
Developments of the past week in
dicate request from the adminis-
tration for action to stabilize prices,
especially on the market basket,
will form an important part of the