Work To Do

Senator Norris of Nebraska was making an impassioned appeal to the Senate in behalf of his Constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College and elect Presidents and Vice Presidents by direct popular vote. At the climax of his speech he addressed the Chair, extending his hand in a dramatic gesture, denying categorically that such an amendment would favor any political party, would serve any end save the true purposes of democracy. Then he sat down amid a hush.

Senator Vandenberg of Michigan rose and addressed the Chair for recognition:

"Mr. President."

On the rostrum as presiding officer sat Montana's white-mopped John E. Erickson, 71, who stands 6 ft. 3 in. in stocking feet. Thrice elected Governor of Montana, Democrat Erickson resigned that job year ago last March. Few minutes after his resignation, his lieutenant governor appointed him to the Senate seat of the late Senator Walsh. Now Senator Erickson, elbow on desk, cheek upon hand, appeared not to hear the request of the Senator from Michigan.

"Mr. President." Senator Vandenberg repeated, a little louder.

Still there was no reply. Senators looked up. The voice of the Senator from Michigan rose a third time:

"Mr. President!"

John Crockett, big, rawboned Senate clerk, was standing down in front of the Vice President's desk. In unparliamentary fashion he tugged the arm of the presiding officer, whispered hoarsely:

"The Senator from Michigan wishes to be recognized." Senator Erickson stirred slowly. His eyes blinked open. Finally awake from a good sound nap he announced: "The Senator from Michigan!" Thus last week the Senate proceeded with its task of bringing the Administration's legislative program for 1934 to speedy conclusion.* The President who once set May 1 for the adjournment of Congress, then May 15, was urgently hopeful of sending Congress home by the first week in June.

Last week House leaders conferred earnestly with the President on that topic. In the House, petitions requiring 145 signatures were pending to bring up 1) a bill for Government refinancing of all farm mortgages, 2) a bill to impose a 30-hour week on industry, 3) a bill to impose a 6-hour day on the railroads, 4) a bill to pay in full the depositors of all closed banks. Congressmen up for re-election were sorely tempted to pass all of them. Yet any one of them would be embarrassing to the Administration. Moreover, the longer Congress stayed in session the more likely was it that one or more of those bills could be forced to a vote. Therefore in conference with Speaker Rainey, House Leader Byrns and Rules Chairman Bankhead, President Roosevelt picked the legislation he wanted most. On his list of major measures to be passed before adjournment were bills to:

1) Establish a Communications Commission to regulate telephone, telegraph and cable companies as the I. C. C. now regulates railroads; already passed by the Senate.

2) Authorize direct Federal Reserve and RFC loans of working capital to industry; already passed by the Senate.

3) Extend the temporary bank deposit guarantee one year from June 30 and perhaps increase the guarantee from $2,500 to $5,000 per depositor.

4) Make an emergency appropriation of $1,322,000,000 which the Administration needs for relief and PWA work before the next Congress convenes.

5) Permit the President to bargain with foreign nations for mutual tariff reductions; already passed by the House and under debate last week in the Senate.

Besides these five "must"' bills, the President listed several others that he would be pleased to see passed: a commodity exchange control bill (companion piece to the Stock Exchange Control bill now in conference between House and Senate), a bill for the control of oil production, a bill to set up a $200,000,000 corporation to finance the Administration's home renovation program (TIME, May 21). But even with these measures the President in a pinch was willing to part rather than let Congress wrangle on into the deep waters of doubtful legislation.

The program which the President laid out for Congress did not include some matters on which the President wanted at least to go on record before adjournment. He planned a list of special messages to Congress. One was to urge repeal of the coconut oil tax--a graceful gesture towards the Philippines, for which the President would doubtless not keep Congress in session to force action. Another was a message on War Debts, not demanding any important legislation, because the Senate would argue for weeks on that subject. A third was a message on "social" legislation--a new Labor Board, unemployment insurance, old age pensions for industry, a permanent housing program, a permanent system of relief for unemployed-- topics too controversial to be acted on at this session but to which loyal Democratic Representatives up for re-election could point with pride during their autumn campaign.

*Five days later the Senate voted (42-10-24) on the Norris amendment, failed to pass it by the necessary two-thirds majority.

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