Congress Views Student Rebellion As It Sees Other Serious Crises

The way that Congress has approached the problem of student insurrection is strikingly similar to the way it has dealt with other serious problems lately--with a barrage of piecemeal punitive legislation.

Congress faces urban riots with anti-riot bills to punish interstate agitators. It reacts to anti-war protests with stiffer regulations against draft card burning. For the drug problem, Congress makes LSD use a felony.

In one sense, Congress is reflecting the mood of a nation that cannot understand all this upheaval. Its response is that of an ignorant tavern brawler. It lashes out to batter this strange opposition, to squash it so it won't be a problem anymore.

In another sense, however, Congress is merely acting in the way that its internal structure has always demanded that it act.

The feudal baronies of the committee system effectively deny coordinated legislation a chance. Congress long ago gave up trying to be the source of integrated national policy. The committee system de-centralizes power, and the lack of strong party leadership completes the turmoil.

The leaders of the Poor People's Campaign, which officially began in Washington yesterday, are already finding out that this is how Congress operates.

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced a bill last October that would meet every one of the Poor People's long-range objectives. That bill is now languishing in eight little pieces in eight congressional comtees.

Meanwhile, in the past few weeks, 70 members of Congress have introduced 26 separate bills to restrict the use of federal property for campsites for the Campaign. These bills got action in a few days.