Evening star., 1948-12-26

Gratis ana the tnlnneQ-OuC HepuD-I
lican ranks.
Although most of the major is
sues in the offing were debated dur
ing the Republican Eightieth Con-
gress, they must all start at the
bottom of the ladder in a new Con-
gress. lThis means bills must be
drafted and subjected to public
hearings in both the House and
Senate before the roll is called for
passage in either branch.
G. o. P. Faces Big Decision
Meanwhile, the dying Republican
Congress will have one more day
in the sun. IT must meet again
next Friday, but there is no expec-
tation that any important business
will be transacted at this swan
song session.
The Friday session of the old
Congress is necessary because the
Republican leaders wanted to quit
in August under an arrangement
that would make it possible for them
to. call Congress back before the
end of the year. if they deemed it
necessary. To leave this door open,
they recessed until December 81
instead of taking a final adjourn
ment. The Friday session could
continue through Saturday and up
to noon of January 3, but 1t prob
ably will end in few hours.
It is too early to tell how sharp
the differences will be between the
two major parties, because both
have been waiting for the new ses-
sion to start before calling their
members into policy huddles.
= On such major issues as repeal OF
the Taft-Hartley labor law, broad
ening the social security program,
civil rights and more housing legis-
lation, a wide variety OF remedies
may be looked for when the time
comes for individual members to
drop bills in the hopper.
The Republicans have a major
decision to make at the outset. They
must decide whether the loss OF
five straight presidential elections
should prompt them to try to outdo
the New Deal. or follow a more
conservative philosophy on eco
nomic issues, and hope for the
pendulum to swing their way.
Leadership Upsets Unlikely
This decision may be expressed to
some extent in the men chosen to
lead the Republicans in the House
and Senate, choices to be made in
party conferences next week. AT
this writing no major upsets IN
COP leadership seem likely. Speaker
Martin is expected to become his
party's floor leader in the House,
and there is a definite move under
way to keep Senators Taft of Ohio,
vandenberg of Michigan and Milli-
kin of Colorado in high policy
making posts in the other branch.
Senator Wherry of Nebraska, who
was acting Republican floor leader
during part of the last session, is
being mentioped for the job OF
whip.
Some of the Republicans who have
been in Washington since the elec-
ton are convinced that their defeat
in the 1948 presidential election was
not due to lack of a liberal plat
form, but to overconfdence and
failure to match President Tru-
mans fighting style of campaign.
With the possible exception OF
the planks on labor legislation, they
feel the Republican platform OF
1948 had as much voter-appeal as
the Democratic. While President
Truman and his party platform
promised repeal of the Taft-Hartley
Act, the Republicans stood for
revision.
The Truman administration is re-
ported to be ready to fight for out
right repeal of Taft-Hartley Act as
/ a first step and reinstatement OF
the Wagner Act while Congress is
considering any new labor legisla-
ton that may be deemed necessary.
Senator Taft pointed out recently
that the Taft-Hartley law was it
self an amendment to the Wagner
Act, and he sees no reason why any
further changes in that basic enact
ment should not be handled by Con-
gress in one operation. This course
would mean, in effect, revision
rather than repeal. Regardless OF
whether it is accomplished in one or
two bites, there is every indication
good part of the Taft-Hartley Act
will survive the coming session.
Price Support Near Top
Next to labor controls, the level
of price-support payments to farm
ers after 1949 promises to become
one of the top domestic issues OF
the new session. The long-range
farm law passed by the Republican
Eightieth Congress contemplated a
sliding scale of parity payments,
ranging from go to 80 per cent,
starting in 1850. The fact that
President Truman carried several
of the normally Republican Mid
western farm States is bound to
encourage the incoming lawmakers
to take another look at the whole
program of agricultural price sup
ports.
There is another factor that Will
stimulate the demand for new farm
legislation and that is the expected
move to boost the minimum wage
rate for industrial workers.
It is almost a foregone conclusion