In Extremis

It was Saturday night and the members of the House had drained the last drops of beer & ale in their Restaurant. But they did not get away from Washington that night, thanks to the Senate. In that august chamber bitter legislative rivalries at the last minute thwarted the Administration's best plans for a quick adjournment. Ohio's Bulkley started the tangle with a measure for minor amendments to the Banking Act--1933. Washington's Dill and Michigan's Couzens leaped in with a measure to apply collective bargaining to the railroads and their workers. Louisiana's Long stood on the sidelines waiting for a chance to rush in with a bill for farm mortgage moratoriums. Next day was Sunday, with nothing to do but pack up. Monday the Senators continued to jockey each other with filibusters until, at 11:45 p.m., the housing bill, railway bill, farm mortgage moratorium bill had passed both Houses. Then, at last, the 73rd Congress went home. Last Acts. According to the best Congressional precedent the 73rd Congress passed more laws in the last few hurried days of its session than in any previous week. Important bills that became laws in the final week of Congress: Bank Deposit Guarantee, providing continuance for another year of the present temporary system but with guaranteed deposits increased from $2,500 to $5,000. Silver Purchases, authorizing the Treasury to buy silver in the world market until the monetary reserve consists of 75% gold and 25% silver. Railroad Pensions, for all railway employes above 65. Employes will contribute one-third, railroads two-thirds to the retirement fund. Communications Commission to rule telephone, telegraph, radio and cable companies. Deficiency Appropriations, providing $1,715,000,000 for unemployment and drought relief. This list of one week's accomplishments would have been enough for an entire session of many another Congress. It was not enough for the 73rd whose second session will be remembered for: P:Dollar devaluation. P:Compulsory limitation of the cotton crop to 10,000,000 bales. P: Authority for the President to start construction on 120 ships to bring the U. S. Navy up to treaty strength. P:Philippine independence after a ten-year trial period. P:Prohibition against loans, public or private, to any nation in default on its debts to the U. S. C. A tax law to plug leaks and raise $417,000,000 per year. P:A commission to regulate stock exchanges. P:Authority for the President to reduce tariff rates 50% in negotiating for reciprocal tariff reductions by other nations. C. New methods for municipal and corporate bankruptcy.

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