U.S. CONGRESS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1932, Page 5

U.S. CONGRESS

FINAL SESSION

MONEY AND LIQUOR ISSUES

(United Press Association— By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, December 4. The final, or 60-called “short” session of the seventy-second,. Congress of th©'United States will be convened' at noon to-morrow and will continue until March 4th. It opens .-.with the most important legislative .calendar for many years. At the very opening, the highly 'controversial subject of Prohibition will be injected, when the Democratic leadership will offer a motion repealing the Eighteenth Amendment and •will' request that the rules be suspended to allow of an immediate, vote. A majority of two thirds of about 275 votes will be needed for the adoption of the motion. As prohibition repeal has beeln one of the cardinal features of the Democratic Party’s campaign, platform, it is believed 1 that success in ' to-mor-row's vote is necessary to maintain th* Party’ successful leadership. Other legislation, which will- be tentatively submitted- will include mdwureg for farm relief, . Philippine indepedence, beer j general" :ufreTOployment, depression relief, and most important of all, fiscal legislation, and the war debts. - Efforts will be made to revive the sales tax measure, which wrs defeated last session, balance the budget and face the tremendous, continually growing deficit. It is expected that some inflation legislation, including la great expansion of currency with which to pay

the soldiers’ compensation, will be offered, but its defeat is expected. From President Hoover, a message which may include debt recommendations is also expected, although this recommendation mlay be included in a special' foreign relations message and it is anxiously awaited 1 . The nature of the debts communication its being Carefully guarded. It is thought possible that it might give a detailed 'answer to the British note with a recommendation that the War Debts Commissi oll re-organised. The seriousness of th e national economic situation i‘s intensified by the presence in Washington, of some three thousand 'so-Oalledl “hunger mtorchers.” This movement is inspired by Communists among the unemployed, who have journeyed to Washington to petition Congress for relief. The ,police air© taking every precaution to prevent''fiots similar ( to 1 those when the bonus .?irtny were evicted from Washington last summer. The police have forbidden them to; make any public parading, which order, the leaders say, they will ignore.” " During the ip-’tst few days there has .been considerable discrder -in the neighbouring StiatfS, between the pel* JK ice and several contingents bf the hunger marchers which are en route to the capital. The marchers ar e 'short of provisions, and Mr© in a sullen mood. ' ' 1

PROHIBITION REPEAL REJECTED

(Reep’vpd this dav at 9.3 D a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 5. The House of Representatives today rejected Mr Garner’s resolution for prohibition repeal. The vote rejecting the repeal was 271' for the repeal to 144 against. A itwo-thirds majority wn s necessary for the approval of the resolution, and a chancre of six votes would have brought about its adoption.

Inasmuch as Mr Garner has said that he could not permit another- vote on the repeal'thi s session the question, at lieved to have killed t.he question, at least, until the new Congress meets. The resolution had support from the (Republican leadership. Senator Joseph Robinson (Democratic leader) istated on Monday in the Senate that the Democratic programme for prompt consideration of the prohibition proposals would not be affected by the House vote.