THE SHADOW BEHIND THE THRONE

The passage by Congress of the Jones Flood Control bill over the expressed opposition of President Coolidge is the latest step in that body's defiance of the nominally executive head of the country. Thanks to the announced views of the President not to interfere with the legislative branch of the government, he has let Congress ride roughshod over his opinions in nearly every important issue that has come before it. From the time of the passing of the Bonus Bill over his veto, both houses have had the bit in their teeth and have raced through a series of tax reduction, naval appropriation and other measures with complete desregard for his views. The "Big Stick" of Roosevelt's day has been pared down to a slim wand totally lacking in either persuasive or coercive powers.

In the Jones bill there is more need than ever for an executive capable of restraining the excesses of Congressmen. The best its proponent can say for it is, "as fair and reasonable as is possible with a bill of this kind," an admission which leaves much free play to imaginations apt in possibilities for graft. Yet with the precedents already set the chances of the President being able to defeat it are very slight. Restraint from interference in the other branches of government is a fine sounding policy for an executive to have, but at times its results seem scarcely worthy of it.