Economic Highlights Happeuings Thnt Affect the Dinner Din-ner Pails, Dividend Checks and Tax Bills of Every Individual. National Nat-ional and Internal.! m;.l Pioblems Inseparable from Local Welfare. Natural wish of Congressmen in an election year is to wind up national nat-ional business as soon as possible and return heme to apply themselves them-selves to the serious game of politics. poli-tics. This year, with all forecas-I forecas-I ters holding that the warfare waged by the major parties will be unusually bitter and relentless. Congressmen have been more than eager to say goodbye to Capitol Hill. But a crowded legislative calendar long ago dissipated hopes for an1 April or May adjournment. At this writing, there is a reasonable reason-able expectancy that Congress will write "IXtUsT by mf.d-Julne tout don't be at all surpr sed if the session continues into the sweltering swelter-ing weather. For little has been done in the way , of law-making, and a large number of important bills will have to be either passed or rejected before quiet falls over our legislative halls. Here is the status of major proposed pro-posed legislation at present: Corporatton Surplus Tax: First forecast was that this tax would pass easily in- just about the form iasked by the President. However, there has been something of a shift of sentiment, and a number of leading Democratic representatives representa-tives setm very cool to his '. ideas. Business is making felt its belief that such a tax would be runous. Upshot is that the House bill is likely to be relatively mild, though what the Senate will do to it is still in the realm of conjecture. One thing is certain: There will be a great deal cf debate and plenty of h&rd feelings, before a bill goes to the Whte House. Chain Store Bills: A number of these are pending in one branch of Congress or the other, and some have been entirely lost to view. BiDs dealing with "price discrimnaticn," rebates, etc., have met the opposition of powerful groups which bel'eve them basically basic-ally unsound and unnecessary, and inimical to the consumers' interest. Thirty-Hour Week: A bill to force this on business has been pending for several C.ongmsiomU sessions, has a certain amount of support. But, unless all songs are wrong, it has no chance to pass, may net even come up for a vote. It's a ticklish subject, e ther way Congressmen vote they will offend powerful interests. They'd rather just forget it. Whecler-Crosser BUI; This ect wnuW make it Just (ibout lmPiCEW-ulc lmPiCEW-ulc for tho rnUrpads tp disnxlfu any employers without targe compensa-t;on. compensa-t;on. It has the unified support of labor, to the unified opposition of railroad managements. Outlook for passage highly uncertain. Ship Subsidy: The merchant marine ma-rine is vitally interested in re-raininp re-raininp lost mail subsidies, claims they ure essential to operatcn. But imtr.y congressmen are on the other side of the fence, and it is d-iubtlul if shipping lines vi! get pay in hne with o: levels. Rural Electrification: This, like all power leg slation. is close to the heart of the President. Seems sure to pass both houses. Some of the points business thought objectionable ob-jectionable in the cirlg'nal bill will probably be eliminated or changed. Bitter Housing: Chaos seems to have sLiuck the housing movement, move-ment, and the proposed bill to carry on isn't given much chance of becoming law. Odd fact is that Federal backing of more and better homes was one New Deal idea that had wide support, and was criticized to a much smaller (extent thani most other oontro-(versial oontro-(versial proposals. Congress is going to have to move fast if it covers its calendar land is home in June. About the loi iy thing completed so far has Ibeen the Senate's impeachment land removal from office of a Fed-leral Fed-leral judge cne of the very few impeachment trials on record 'where an, official has , been found (pxuity by the necessary twa-th rds Ivote. So, the newspapers of the next few weeks should carry considerable con-siderable ' volume of Important, news from the Capitol. The extremely conservative "An-niaj'ist" "An-niaj'ist" forecasts that business improvement im-provement will continue throughout through-out the second quarter, and in this is seconded! by other financial and industrial per'odicals. The Annalist Annal-ist adds that "on the basis of economic factors alone the logical expectations would be two to three years of generally Active conditions. But the presence, of artifical elements suggests the lik-lihood lik-lihood of intervening peaks and valleys, the tim'ng of which cannot can-not be readily foreseen." One of the artificial elements is the veterans' bonus, which is be-lie.ved be-lie.ved to have had a strong in-fluenda in-fluenda in stimulating .busineiss, 'particularly businesses whose products prod-ucts are sold en the time-payment plan automob les, kitchen appliances, appli-ances, real estate, etc. Concerns throughout the country have widely advertised! plans whereby . veterans can buy now, pay later when they get their Baby Bonds. " Irrespective of that, basic conn tions seem favorable to conti anoo of business betterment, wvlj11' sale prices have long heid t stable level. There is a vast f illod market for all manner Ul" goods and services. Heavy try is reviving. Interest rateTt very low, and shew no B gna "J lUsini?. And th,a purchaser of mJr whether n vacuum cloanoi, or a home, can- get what hs mihf. on much easier terms than .. befcre. ne'