71st, Special

Heedful of President Hoover's call, the 71st Congress prepared to gather at the Capitol April 15 for its first or extraordinary session. Countless Congressmen remained in Washington after the Hoover Inaugural, but their consciences troubled them not at all at collecting from the U. S. their legal travel allowance of 20-c- a mile to carry them to their political homes and back. Two legislative subjects were to be dealt with at this special session: Farm Relief, Tariff Revision. Many another pressed forward hopefully for consideration. Chief of these were: 1) Repeal of the National Origins quota system of immigration (TIME, March 11); 2) Reapportionment of the House of Rep- resentatives; 3) Development of inland waterways as a part of the Hoover farm relief program.

The Senate, a continuing body, is ready to begin work almost immediately. The House must first organize (elect a Speaker, House functionaries, etc.). No limit can be placed upon legislation in the Senate, as its committees continue to function, without reconfirmation, from one Congress to the next. But House leaders purpose to restrict legislative action by limiting the number of House committees to be appointed and confirmed to four: Ways & Means (for tariff), Agriculture (for farm relief), Rules (for parliamentary procedure), Accounts (for operating expenses). The House's 42 other committees would be non-existent until the regular December issue, thus preventing them from originating other legislation.