Evening star., 1949-10-20
The Record of the Eiqhty-first

Regardless of the invidious comparisons
that partisans may make between the
two, the first session of the Democratic
81st Congress has established record not
unlike that of the much-maligned Repub-
lican 80th, which President Truman once
called the second worst in history. At any
rate, In adjourning now after ten months
of hard and wearing labor, 1t has left
behind it vast amount of legislation
whose character may best be described as
in part very good, in part bad, and in
part just plain indifferent-that Is,
neither much better nor much worse
than the 80th's.
AS far as the credit side is concerned,
the session has certainly performed with
great distinction in the field of inter-
national affairs. Wholly apart from ex-
tending the life of the Marshall Plan and
the reciprocal trade agreements policy,
it has made history, in generally nom
partisan spirit, by approving the North
Atlantic Treaty and backing it up with
the Military Assistance Program. In doing
so, it has recognized the grave threat
implicit in the Soviet Unions aggressive
in the Kremlin or anywhere else-that the
United States, both for its own sake and
the sake of its friends abroad, is grimly
resolved to play leading role in trying
to preserve what is left of the free world.
AS for the domestic field, the session
has acted wisely in permitting military
and civil service pay boosts and in opening
the way for at least some reorganization
of the executive branch. Moreover, it has
followed a generally sound course
though some details may be challenged
In such measures as those increasing the
minimum wage to seventy-five cents an
hour, extending rent control and launching
a program for low-rent housing and slum
clearance. As against these affirmative
steps, the 81st Congress, despite heavy
pressure from the President, has failed
to push through key proposals like those
for broadened social security, national
health insurance, aid to education, far
reaching civil rights legislation and the
repeal OF the Taft-Hartley labor law.
But although the unfinished items with
special emphasis on civil rights and the
TIL repealer) represent failure to full
I'LL the promises of the 1s48 Democratic
platform, they are by no means dead in
the 81st Congress- which will be back in
session next January. At that time the
President, who has been rebuffed. on some
OF his appointments as well as on these
measures, undoubtedly will press for AFFIRM
ative action. What remains to be seen is
whether he will be able to overcome the
opposition Of Southern and conservative
Democrats In coalition with Republican,
coalition fervently supported by sizable
portion of the electorate.
Whatever its future course may be. how
ever, the 81st Congress, despite much
economy talk and seeming reluctance to
push through new Federal social benefits.
has demonstrated in the past ten months
that 1t is colossal spender OF course.
by far the greater part of its vast appro-
priations are inescapable because of the
last war and present international ten
sions. Nevertheless, as exemplified by the
so-called compromise on farm-price sup
ports, congressional sentiment-in both
partles-leans strongly toward reckless
vote-getting handouts at time when
every effort should be made to cope with
the menacing prospect of endless national
deficits.
Perhaps it is politically unrealistic to
expect Senator's and Representatives to
cut down on such subsidization when the
1850 elections are in the ofing. Yet, in
falling to do so, in tending rather to
increase them, they seem to have given
no thought to one of the biggest realities
OF all-namely, that we cannot indefinitely
spend more than we take in without risk
ing the wreckage of our economy. This
apparent refusal to recognize the limits
of the national purse constitutes the most
disturbing single aspect of the mixed
record written to date by the s1st Congress-
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