Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1920 — THE “RECONSTRUCTION” CONGRESS [ARTICLE]

THE “RECONSTRUCTION” CONGRESS

Commenting on the proposed “joy ride” of so;ne hundred or more members of congress to Hawaii, the China and Japan, the Springfield Republican, one of the leading independent newspapers of the countty, in calling attention to the total failure of the present congress to enact any constructive legislation, says: “If this congress were to -adjourn on June 1 or 2, with every member going on a tour at the expense of the taxpayers, its labors might be brought to a fitting conclusion. Mr. Mondell, the floor leader of the house, says: ‘There is no reason why congress should not pass all

the -appropriation bills. Including the complete program laid down at the beginning of the session, and ad' journ by June 2.’ He ought to know. Its program is not so extensive as to prevent the plan from being carried out —if it can be said to have any program.’ “It' was elected as a ‘reconstruction’ congress, back in the fateful days of November, 1918. But how much are we reconstructed? ~ Congress has the nbw non-partisan railroad reorganization law to Its credit, but what else has it done that can be pointed to with pride? Isn’t it one of the worst failures, as a congress, the country has had to endure in 50 years? The senate’s chief business for a year or more has been the peace treaty, - and the senate’s own resolution returning the unratified treaty to the president specifically noted the historical fact that It had ‘failed’ to perform its function.”