Blind Mouths

With grand illusions of having again climbed into the saddle, Congress is riding for a bigger and better fall. Many Senators and Representatives have arrogantly read a personal indorsement of themselves into the recent election results. Showing the reaction of spoiled children, they have chosen to buck the President on the first important measure since November elections--the War Powers Bill, concerning tariff and immigration statutes.

The present tariff and immigration laws are not geared for wartime efficiency. At times they have even resulted in revealing to the enemy vital information concerning Allied movements. Not wishing to act on his emergency powers, the President has asked Congress to suspend all laws regulating movement in and out of the country of persons, property, and information.

This is an emergency war measure, but Congress has treated it as a plaything. First, they threw out the President's proposed text and drew up a substitute. Seeing that this did not irritate the Administration, they decided to go even farther. Last week they subjected the bill to every sort of treatment of which they are capable: that is, all except honest consideration of its merits. But for the objections of a single Congressman, an attempt to attach a completely irrelevant rider for-bidding the $25,000 ceiling on incomes would have been successful.

Even though this bill remains the only business before Congress, time will play an all-important role in its fate. Christmas is but three weeks away, and already members are anxious to get to the job of relaxation. Goaded by pleas from the White House, the Army and the Navy, ranking members of the Ways and Means Committee have agreed to try to get something done. They express doubts, however, that a quorum can be obtained with the holidays so near.

Congress, with its obstructionist tactics, is shamefully delaying the only important piece of war legislation brought before it during the last few months. Pre-election jitters are excusable: post-election oats-feeling can hamstring the whole wartime program. The Poll Tax fizzle and the War Powers fiasco leave Congress with two strikes against it. In most leagues a count like that puts the batter on the spot.