Attempt at Truce

The political armistice offered the Administration by seven Democratic leaders (TIME, Nov. 17), an almost unprecedented occurrence in U. S. history,* was accepted hastily last week by the Republican Senate floorleader, James Eli Watson of Indiana. He made no reference in his reply to the offer's limitation of its promises to the 72nd Congress, for he and the President were much more immediately concerned with the session of the 71st Congress meeting Dec. i. That session must pass the supply bills for fiscal 1932 before Congress adjourns on March 4, or else a special session of the new Congress must be called in the spring. Ordinarily the first meeting of the 72nd Congress would be on Dec. 7. 1931. This would give the nation nine months of freedom from legislative anxiety, from such long wrangles as the Tariff and Farm-Relief fights of last session.

Public and Press acclaim of the Democratic offer at once lent it an air of vast importance. Republican enthusiasts even interpreted it to mean Democratic support of the President's policies. President Hoover himself, taking it at face value, telegraphed the Democratic Senate floorleader. Joseph Taylor Robinson of Arkansas, his personal acceptance. But tart Senator George Higgins Moses of New Hampshire paraphrased Virgil, saying "Timeo Democrats et dona ferentes [I fear the Democrats, even when bringing gifts]."

Indeed even before the President's telegram was answered, the serious voice of Virginia's Senator Carter Glass proclaimed: "No group of Democrats, however distinguished or discerning, should feel obliged to pledge their party associates in Congress not severely to disturb the most infamous tariff act ever enacted by a legislative body. ... I confess to some astonishment that anybody should feel impelled to apologize for an apparent Democratic victory. . . ." Many another voice, particularly from the South, echoed Senator Glass. By the week's end, what looked like a real revolt against the seven leaders (Messrs. Smith. Davis, Cox, Robinson, Garner, Raskob, Shouse) was under way.

Nevertheless, Senator Robinson's reply reassured President Hoover. A White House statement declared: ". . . The fear and apprehension . . . that delay or filibuster would be resorted to to force an extra session of the Congress have . . . no foundation."

Significance. The chief Democrats' truce offer was smart politics but it was also, conceivably, motivated by sincere concern for the condition of the country. Perhaps by coincidence or perhaps because the public felt reassured, prices on the New York Stock Exchange rose steadily for five consecutive days. As Republicans and Democrats both knew, the prime movers for any legislative gain that may be effected in the December- March session of Congress will be the insurgent Senate Republicans, who really are thought to desire an extra session of the 72nd Congress and who have the following legislative axes to grind: 1) Gov ernment operation cf Muscle Shoals, 2) Export Debenture farm-relief, 3) Antiinjunction labor mills, 4) The Norris bill to abolish "lame duck" sessions, 5 ) Large road-building appropriations. Senator Smith Wildman Brookhart of Iowa last week said he would favor a special session of the 72nd Congress unless all these measures were passed. Senator Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota last week ex pressed similar views. Idaho's Senator William Edgar Borah cryptically, characteristically telegraphed: I DO NOT FAVOR ANY DELAY FOR THE SAKE OF DELAY BUT I HOPE NEVERTHELESS TO SEE SOMETHING DONE ON THE FARM QUESTION He later added : "I do not understand why all this excitement about a supposed filibuster; I do not propose to join any now. I think it is an exhibition of superlative impudence to be stating that the Progressives or the Democrats have not just as keen a sense of responsibility ... as the regulars. I am in favor of going ahead and disposing of business in an orderly and, I trust, intelligent way; and I will pay no attention to any cooked-up effort to stampede the Congress." Nevertheless the immediate significance (if any) of the Democratic offer was that the Democrats of the 71st Senate would sup port the Republicans against the insurgents of their own party.

* Paralleled, said Republican leaders last week, by their aid to the Wilson Administration following declaration of the War.

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