Evening star., 1950-01-03
Politics and Congress

Politics and Congress
As 1t begins its second and final session
today, the predominantly Democratic 8lst
Congress can hardly escape being animated
In large measure by partisan politics. Next
November all of the members of the House
and third Of the Senate will be up for
election. In the circumstances, with the
Republicans trying their best to regain con-
troll and with administration forces spar
ing no effort to stay in the drivers seat, the
rest Of us would be expecting too much OF
human nature to look for dispassionate
action on each and every one Of the many
Issues now pending.
These issues-the ones that are likely to
cause the most fireworks between now and
November-are not new. In addition to
relatively minor but highly controversial
matters like the House approved measure
to end oleomargarine taxes, they include
such other major unfinished business as
the administrations civil rights program,
the projected expansion Of social-securtty
benefits, the Senate-enacted bill on aid to
education, the Brannan farm plan, COM
pulsory health insurance, and the admins
tration's never-say-die proposal to repeal
the Taft-Hartley Labor Act. It is considered
foregone conclusion that the last three
will get nowhere in this session. AS for the
others, the future Of some of them seems
dubious at best, though they can be counted
upon to make the legislative fur fly.
But the prime issue of all-from the
standpoint Of domestic politics and our
national economy-will almost certainly
reyolve around the Presidents forthcoming
proposals. This is something touching upon
every Americans pocketbook, and the Re-
publicans, with the aid of conservative and
Southern Democrats, are out to make the
most Of it. With the country facing
deficit Of more than $4,000, ,000, 900, with
higher taxes unlikely in the extreme in an
election year, and with the constituents
back home very strong for cut In spend
ing Except where they themselves would
feel the pinch), Congress is sure to make
real and possibly effective effort to bring
Federal finances within manageable
bounds project that may be helped
good deal by the proposal, which has BIZ
partisan backing in both houses, to lump
all appropriations into single omnibus"
bill. In any event. in this as in other mat
ters, the two major parties will be governed
in no small way by how they think the
voters will react in November
All this Is traditionally In line with the
nature OF our political system. Since we
are In campaign year that has signi-
facant bearing on the 1852 presidential race.
We must expect an extra display OF parti-
sanship right now. Natural as the thing
may be, however, and wholesome as 1t is
In many respects, it can have extremely
unfortunate effects If unrestrained. This
Is especially true as far as our foreign policy
Is concerned. With the cold war raging on
as much as ever, the Kremlin is not going
TO stand still while Democrats and Repub-
Hcars engage in old fashioned electioneer-
Ing As much as at any time in the past
in dealing with such problems as Asia and
IN carrying through with enterprises like
the Marshall Plan and military aid to our
partners In the Atlantic Pact, It is vitalIy
important that our politics should stop at
the waters edge and that all of us-Con-
gress, the administration and the public
as whole-should subordinate factional-
ism to the interests of the Nation and the
free world.
Unfortunately, with men like Senator
Wherry serving notice that they are against
in foreign policy, there are
signs that this session Of Congress may see
. serious drive to end the fine and far
sighted Democratic-Republican co-opera-
ton that has done so much In recent years
to check the advance of Red totalitarianism
in areas vital to our own security. Here is
something that should be met and headed
on In both houses without delay. It is
brand Of politicking that our country can
Ill afford In these crucial times. No in
telligent voter, no voter aware OF the fate
full meaning Of current international
events. is going to endorse 1t at the polls
next November.
Mysterious: The Cominform met on an