Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-08-26
ALONG THE
POTOMAC
With Congressman
Dewitt S. Hyde

coming months, so 1 thought it
proper to make a little summary
If it as we adjourn. (When you
get to trying to write it all down,
It's surprising that a tremendous
of ground Congress has
covered).
Our work has been set in an
atmosphere of unusual coopera-
ton between the White House
and Congress. Representatives
or leaders in both establishments
have always discussed the shap-
'ng and outlook of legislation be.
fore it has been presented to the
'essions of this Congress. That
he final laws have been highly
acceptable to the President is
shown by his low record of vetoes.
National security was a COM
handing problem when the 83rd
Congress convened. To meet it.
We tackled a variety of bills
lany of them difficult to write
1ithin the framework of our
constitution and traditional civil
berries. Among other things,
owever, we have taken the legal
gifts and privileges away from
he Communist party, and we
ave provided for the granting of
immunity from prosecution to
congressional witnesses in order
permit them to testify about
Inversion.
National defense was another
aramount problem. Congress
18th the responsibility of provid-
g funds for defense-undertook
. provide more nearly what the
\rmed Forces could realistically
lccept. For instance, it was
found that a great deal of money
could be saved by ordering new
md more powerful weapons, and
correcting errors that had been
made in scheduling deliveries of
equipment so fast that the sched-
lies could not be met.
Putting the economy in order
was a third great task under
taken by the 83rd Congress. Care
full budgeting helped save $40 bill
lion cash from the expenditures
planned for last year by the out
going Administration. It's eX-
pected that another 50 billion will
be saved this year. And the high
way-aid bill passed this year
should spell long-range improve
mentS in the economy.
A part of this economic pac-
ture was the matter of individual
welfare. A new farm law was
written in hopes it could lead us
out of the muddle which piled up
huge SURPRISES in government
hands while farm income de-
clined. We passed a new housing
act liberaliZing restrictions on
government-backed loans. The
addition of millions of more per-
sons to the social security and
unemployment compensation pro-
CRANE should have a long-run
benefit.
On my calendar: Sunday I'll
attend the Frostburg Fire De-
partment's big crab feast at
Y.M.L Park. Wednesday I'll
be at the Pangborn Company's
annual open house in Hagers-
town.
After July 1, 1855, the residents
of Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties will be able to
take their transportation prob
lens to the new commission
which will be established to reg
ulate transportation for Wash
ington and the metropolitan area.
At long last the bill to set up
this authority has been passed
by Congress and has been sent
to the President for his signature.
The new law will give this COM
mission the authority to establish
through routes and joint fares
with other carriers and will give
the people in the metropolitan
area of Washington the efficient
transportation which they have
needed so badly during these past
years.
Senator Beall, in spite of strong
opposition, was successful in hav-
ing the conference report adopted
in the Senate and when it came
to the House another effort was
made to defeat it but the bill was
approved by a vote of 1854 to IS.
This bill is the result of many
weeks of hard work with the leg
islative counsel of the House
which was in regular consulta.
ton with the attorneys of the
Public Utilities commission and
the Interstate Commerce COM
mission. We believe it contains
many provisions which are
great Improvement over the pres
ent law regulating transportation.
For those of us who have work
ed so hard and diligently on this
piece Of legislation, we can hon.
estly say that it was certainly
gratifying to meet with success