The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1959-09-17
M GlaAhU1qton
with Rep. John Henderson

with Rep. John Henderson
These closing days of the Con-
gress are punctuated by COM
plications and cross currents
which are making it one of the
most dramatic sessions in many
years. White House vetoes of re-
Gently passed bills have forced
necessary legislation back into
Congressional Committees for re-
study to be followed by new bills
which the Congress must still
debate and forward to the Presi
dent for consideration. In the
case of the Housing bill, two
versions have already received
Presidential disapproval and a
third attempt to write an ac-
ceptable bill is now in progress.
Perhaps the highlight of last
week was the effort to override
the Presidents veto of the Pub
lie Works Appropriations bill.
Since the bill had been consid-
cred first by the House of Rep
resentatives it was returned to
the House for the override ef-
fort. This bill contains funds for
floor control and water resources
development projects throughout
the nation and is, of course,
among the most important bills
of the year. The presidents ac-
ton was based upon his belief
that the several score of projects
added by the Congress made the
bill too costly and committed the
federal government to provide
some hundreds of millions of dol
lars in future years for their
completion. There seems little
likelihood that Congress will
close shop without reaching
agreement on this bill, even
though it may take some weeks.
Speed and Delays
While this major legislation
occupies public attention, many
bills are being hurried through
Congress and at the same time
calculated delays on the part OF
members of the House and Sen
ate for their own personal rea-
sons are evident. The Senate is
the body wherein filibustering is
an historical device to prevent
business from being transacted
However, the more rare "filibus-
terette" is now being used to slow
progress to a snail's pace. This in
wolves an insistance that the Sen
ate's ancient rules be followed tC
the letter SO that lengthy docu-
ments must be read consuming
hours of valuable time.
Outright filibustering is moi
possible in the House CT Repre-
sentatives. However, delaying
tactics are to be seen on occasion
these days as members tempers
rubbed raw by the long session
express personal pique by rcfus.
ing to consent to shortcuts.
Obscenity Merchants
Congress has again stepped
into the fight being waged by
the Post Office Department
against obscene mail. Although
there has been progress against
the racketeers who traffic II
filth, there is still a very Ions
way to go if the obscenity mer.
chants are to be put out Of busi'
ness.
In the House last week, b!l
was passed to extend from 20 tt
As days the time during which
the Post Office Department ma!
impound orders and remittance.
| to persons or firms known t
traffic in obscene material. The
extension was requested since
the impounding authority i:ndeI
the 20-day limit was unWorkabl'
because it did not allow snffici
ent time to complete required
administrative proceedings.
| Much of the material being
mailed today is directed by smu
statesmen to children who's
names and addresses have beel
obtained in devious ways. Sine
we desire to maintain the privac,
of our mails, the Post Office DE
partment has no authority t
open an envelope even thougl
postal authorities know it con
tains obscene material. .Actio'
can be taken only if parents SUP
ply the evidence after an er
velope has been delivered an
opened. Several parents i
Southeastern Ohio have brougf
material of this kind to my al
tention and I have furnished
to the Postmaster General fc
legal action against the sende
. What is needed now are vigorou
local campaigns to enlist til
cooperation of parents or the n
cipients of such mail with loc;
postal officials so that the PR
secution of obscenity purVeyo,