| Show rP y A look over the Congressional l roster as the Congress gets down to work after a shaky start indicates that thai the called so-called farm bloc Is la stronger In this congress than it has been in a long time This strength stems largely from the west mid and and because the midwestern states deserted the Roosevelt bandwagon in 1938 from four to eight years ahead of the rest of the country Republican congressmen from those districts have had that much more seniority and ex ex- ex experience than most of the other GOP congressmen And the bas bash is of Democratic strength is now again in the predominantly ag ago south and because the e is traditionally m cratic cratie its congressmen likewise lik wise have seniority over ov over r most other On farm problems lems these congressmen from the midwest and those from the south generally see eye to eye So on strictly agricultural interests the congressional ap ap ap- approach is more nearly part bi-part- bipartisan bipartisan isan than on any other important question It would appear then that al al- al although though the four main farm groups are not strictly united on just exactly what they want want they will get more attention from this congress in the next two years than it has received from any previous congress since the early days of the On at least two pots points of the farm program however there will be questions of political con con- consi si One is the parity issue i ue on which the farm bloc It it it- self seU is divided In its recent na convention at the Farm Bureau emphasized that they still believed in the parity principle and will resist any attempt to destroy the parity concept and recognizing the need for adjustments they still will resist any attempts to raise or lower the parity form form- formula ula during the life of the Stan gall support price period The other point of difference is the national fertilizer pro pro- program gram which will pit the farm lobby lobby against the commercial fertilizer industry Led by Senator John Overton of oi Louisiana Southern Senator Senators backing The Man BUbo Bilbo of Miss Miss- MissIssippi MissIssippi contended that the Sen Sen- Senate ate lite did not have the power un un- un under der the constitution to bar Bil Bil- Bilbo Bilbe bo be from taking tak ur his seat In the senate when he he a presented his duly credentials from the State of MissiSsippi Senator Overton declared that the constitution sets up the qualifications for a United States Senator and that the Senate S nate does not have the power to change these qualifications therefore it does not have the power power to prevent Bil- Bil Bilbe bl be from taking king his seat seaL The Senate does have the power the Senator admitted however to expel any member for what what- whatever ever cause or even for no cause if 11 the senate so votes by a two- two j thirds vote From bills which are shaping up for Introduction in the new Congress it may be that con con- controls trois on various commodities are not going to be so easy to get rid possible of as at first thought poss poss- ible The story around washing- washing ton washington Is that the politicians here may have misinterpreted the vote in the the past election and that the people may possibly have voted against the Truman administration for failure to hold the line against high prices and high wages rather than n be- be because be controls cause controls n irked Irked them At any rate so to many of the dons made trade by Chester Bowles or of what would happen ippen If r OPA was junked have come true that some of the Republicans are ready to stop look and listen now before throwing every every- 1 t g o overboard er rd n of these the Important J considerations rations te 1 Musing housing and r Taft the e GOP leader it still determined determine to jq back W bl l similar to the bill he sponsored In m the We last session for federal te erl contra of public pu Lid wE L teat teal estate lobby and the a home homeowners own ers er lobby are Just st as tough against Senator Taft as u they were w were re against Bowles or of Wyatt or r any of the o b others who insist ed eel on some government control J Davis Dav r bt the nal Horbe Hom Property and Property Owners F und unda Lions says Senator Senator Teft's Taft stand d on Is complete defiance I o oJ public against abut tuff fur then ther il government r into tnt o out private i economy econom economy tand and that th Senator Tafts Taft's Taft statement nt il re a warning to every man ond d W country that their representatively tIn in Washington Washingto i oot fully recognized their I mandate n to stay taY away ff from m unsound unsound economy Jf economic and social ex p life w wj It is evident that Senator Senator Taft does not regard the election as such a mandate mandate And others ethers are coming to the same conclusion |
