Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-29
REVIEW OF THE WEEK
And So to the Hustinqs

The Democratic-c controlled 84th
Congress closed its doors for the
last time early yesterday morning
after completing. for better or
worse, the legislative record it will
carry to the people in the presiden--
tial and congressional elections this
fall.
No one Senator or Represent
ative-and certainly not the Re-
publican President-will be held to
account for all the actions Of the
84th. But each candidate in his
way will have to reckon with the
local impact of many projects that
were finished, some that were
strapped. and some that were left
for later day.
In the IA weeks and two days
remaining before the elections next
November 6, the 84th's record will
no doubt be loudly assailed, proudly
defended and meticulously ex-
planned. although it takes no special
historical perspective TO see that
this was not one of the great
Congresses, called upon to make
many momentous decisions. Its
session was shorter than usual, its
work load comparatively light. Its
distinction, in fact, may be more
for what it has not done than for
what it has.
AS for the influence Of the 84th
Congress on the presidential cleo
ton next November, even here
there has been a dilution Of its
effectiveness, because OF the emer-
gence of Mr.. Eisenhower's health
as one of the principal interests in
the approaching campaign.
According to Congressional Quar-
.terly, President Eisenhower's success
with Congress declined considerably
in the Democratic 84th, as COM
pared with the Republican 83d.
In the past two years he obtained
favorable action on only As per
cent of 431 specific requests for
legislation. CO said, compared to
SO per cent in his first two years.
President Truman averaged 43 per
cent on his requests during his
last six years.
On the big issues of the last
two years. however, Mr.. Eisenhower
was more successful than the 46
percent CO figure would indicate.
Wedding out the less important re-
quests, The Sunday Star calculates
that the President obtained about
81 per cent of the 81 pieces of major
legislation he asked for, a remark
ably good showing considering the
Democratic complexion of both
houses.
Here are the issues, in which
Congress had a role, that are ex-
pected to evoke most Of the cam
paign oratory this fall:
Agriculture
The farm problem has been the
most stubborn of the domestic
problems, and by November, may
provide a potent issue in many
. States.
The parity ratio-the relation
ship of farm prices to farm costs
dropped from 100 in the last year
of the Truman administration to
50 in 1858 and 81 last March. 1t
now stands at about So, a climb
the administration claims is evil
dence of a leveling of.
This year, after weeks of con-
gressional .squabbling over a bill
which was finally vetoed, Congress
lowered the range of flexibility for
price supports to from rs to 90
per cent of parity. The President
also got a $1.2 billion soil bank
program, which will pay farmers
for retiring land producing surplus
crops.
The Democrats will point to the
farm depression and say that they
tried, but we're blocked by Eisen-
hover. in their efforts to provide a
guarantee of 100 per cent of parity
for supported crops.
Republicans will counter that the
farmer will be better off in the long
run as "a result of Mr.. Eisenhower
farm program.
Foreign Policy
The 84th Congress. under the
Democrats. was from its beginning
kinder to the Republican President
in foreign affairs than the G. o. P.
SD Congress. 1t gave Mr.. Eisen-
hover a three-year extension of his
authority to negotiate reciprocal
trade agreements. The 83d Con-
gress had granted him two extern
sions of only one year each, despite
his plea in 1854 for a three-year
authority.
The first session of the Congress
just ended by an overwhelming BIZ
A. .